《Interstellar Survival: Invasion》


 CH 1

    As of late, the Blue resistance was becoming more and more intense. Just today, an unmanned haulage vehicle was detonated outside the school. The massive explosion collapsed the school gate. To avoid anything untoward from happening, I left school and returned home early. While I was getting ready for dinner, Father returned. He sat on the sofa and started sighing.


    Curious, I asked, "Father, what''s going on?"


    "Sigh. The Gliesens are up to something again." With a sigh, Father continued, "The iron extraction activity on Blue is high, but the yield is low. At first, the Gliesens thought that the low yield was due to depletion from excessive mining, resulting in a drop in the quality of the mines."


    "That should be the case. From how much they have been mining, all the good mines should have been depleted already," I replied.


    "Yeah. Because of the depletion, the Gliesens have discovered many planets with our Hans telescopes. They exhausted a large amount of energy visiting these planets, hoping to find one rich in iron, but not one of these planets was of use," said Father.


    "What can they do? Just keep searching. What''s the big deal? There''s still a lot of planets out there," I said.


    "Recently, the Blue resistance is getting more and more active. The league suspects that the mines on Blue are perfectly fine but that some of the mined iron has been instead supplied to the resistance, resulting in a drop of yield for the Gliesens."


    "How does that relate to interstellar mining?"


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    "According to the league, the resistance''s brainwashing results in an increased amount of interstellar travel, causing a wastage of energy. Thus, the league intends to send a batch of Bluelings to the mines outside the planet. In short, they are separating the Bluelings and banishing them outside of Blue to slave away," said Father.


    "Can''t we choose not to go?"


    "If one refuses, one might lose one''s job and income. The entire family might starve to death," replied Father.


    The more I listened, the more indignant I felt. Looking at my distressed father, I felt bad as well. Such injustice was not a recent affair. However, there was nothing I could do about it. I was long tired of such a life. The combination of my longing for stellar exploration and the resistance''s slogan of overthrowing the Gliesens with alien technology was causing me to become more and more restless. I was itching to leave the planet and take a look at the wide universe.


    After dinner, I went to visit my childhood friend, Zhang Bao''er. We had agreed to watch the latest propaganda video of the resistance together. Zhang Bao''er lived in a villa. His father was the pilot commander of an interstellar transport ship, a middle-ranking officer in the army. His position granted him a high income, and regardless of the era, the rich had always lived a good life. Zhang Bao''er had the attic of the villa all for himself. That was the location of our gathering.


    "Bao''er, I''m here."


    "Canyue, come. Let''s get started," replied my good friend Zhang Bao''er while lounging lazily on a sofa.


    The propaganda video started playing on the screen:


    The people of Blue are magnificent. After 20 years of hardship, we have managed to grasp some Gliesen technology while working for them.


    The Gliesens are still keeping their core technologies secret, so we have no way of obtaining those technologies for now. However, Bluelings are now very familiar with the usage of morph-capable armors and the piloting of sublight speed spaceships.


    But to win the war, we need energy. Thus, the resistance greatly encourages all Bluelings to participate in interstellar exploration and mining, gathering sources and knowledge of energy in the process.


    "Not this again. It''s the same catchphrase being repeated over and over. It''s getting boring watching this thing every single day," I complained.


    "I agree, Canyue. Here, let me show you something good," said Zhang Bao''er.


    He then played a different video on the screen. It was a promotional video of the league, describing that apart from Blue, the league had also set up mining operations on Mars.


    The video explained that Mercury would be the league''s next target. At present, the exploration teams had landed and built several bases of operations. They were in the process of deploying Bluelings to work the newly established mines. As a planet with a metallic core, Mercury was rich in metal. In fact, the metallic core made up for about 3/4 of Mercury''s mass.


    "The working condition on Mercury is too vile. The length of day and night is too long, and the temperature difference between the two is too big. My father told me that the league is preparing to send Bluelings over there," I said.


    "Yeah. How hateful. Such injustice is the biggest reason for the resistance to keep existing," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The video continued:


    To solve the league''s lack of resources, the interstellar fleet is planning to recruit a new batch of explorers. We intend to explore more new planets to search for new sources of energy.


    "Canyue, you''ve always dreamed of exploring the universe, right? This is your chance!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I grew excited as well. "But only the elites get to join the energy exploration teams. I don''t even have enough funds for the download of required knowledge."


    "This is a secret, but for this recruitment, one must be 20 or above. Also, one can first download the required knowledge and pay later with their salary. Both of us meet the requirements. It''s getting boring wasting our days doing nothing here on Blue. My father has already bribed the relevant officials. He wants me to try joining."


    "That''s too good to be true. Download first and pay later?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Yes. Recently, several exploration teams have gone missing while exploring extreme environments. Thus, the league needs to offer special benefits to attract more recruits," replied Zhang Bao''er.


    I punched Zhang Bao''er in excitement, but in a wink, I was disheartened again.


    "What is it this time?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "With such generous benefits, the competition must be stiff. I''m afraid someone without any connection like me won''t be able to secure a spot," I said.


    "Leave it to me! I''ll have my father grease some wheels. He has a good relationship with a Gliesen duke. I''ll tell my father about this," offered Zhang Bao''er as he slapped his chest repeatedly.


    Nevertheless, this decision to leave home was still too sudden. I started hesitating.


    "This is a good opportunity. I heard that they''re recruiting those at the appropriate age with sufficient knowledge in astronomy. Both of us fit the bill. Come on, it''s 2090! It''s very important to find a suitable job nowadays! If we missed out and waited a year or two before applying, the fleet would be well outside the Milky Way already," said Zhang Bao''er with great fervor when he noted my hesitance.


    In truth, the offer was extremely attractive. I knew that for someone like him with a father serving as a league official, he enjoyed a great advantage in fleet recruitments. Furthermore, Bao''er''s father knew a Gliesen duke, so he was basically guaranteed a spot.


    "But interstellar exploration means leaving home for an extended period of time. Sigh, perhaps this is how my life is meant to be," I muttered to myself.


    "So are you in or not?" asked Bao''er.


    "Yes!" I replied with a sense of finality. I could no longer hold my desire to leave the planet.


    We acted on our plan immediately. The next day, the two of us arrived at the interstellar fleet''s registration counter. It was quite surprising how popular Bao''er was. As we walked through the fleet''s headquarters, he constantly encountered uncles and aunties he knew.


    "Yo, Bao''er, here to inherit your father''s career?" teased the uncles and aunties.


    With the help of the uncles and aunties, we were able to sign up with no trouble. Bao''er''s father intended to have his son earn some merits in the fleet, and he also hoped to have me in the fleet so that the two of us could look after each other. Thus, my application was approved. Just like that, I achieved my dream of becoming an interstellar explorer. On that same night, I informed Father of my acceptance. He sank into a long silence.


    Finally, he said, "I''m leaving for Mercury for work as well. Your mother will be staying home alone. I hope you can keep in frequent contact with home after leaving. Be careful out there. If you''re tired of working, come back and reunite with the family. I hope you can really achieve your dreams. Don''t worry. Go do what you want."


    Sigh, what a model father, I thought to myself.


    After winning my family''s support, I decided to put my all into this endeavor and create a miracle out of it. Bao''er and I arrived at the interstellar fleet''s new recruit camp in high spirits. We were assigned to a squad of five. Surprisingly, there was a Gliesen in the squad.


    The Gliesen was born on Blue. He was called Dudal Homlu, a rather mouthful name. His father was a duke. Although he was younger than us, due to his height of two meters, we all called him Old Du. We might not like Gliesens much, but we needed to follow our orders.


    The first law of the fleet stated that disobedience of military command would be considered a grave offense punishable by banishment outside the Milky Way. One would be forever banned from returning to Blue.


    The other two members of our group were Xiaoming, the computer expert, and Xigua, the bodybuilding fanatic. Together, the five of us received the fleet''s intensive training.


    The training would last a year. It was the year 2090, and piloting was made extremely simple through computer-aided piloting. Thus, the training wasn''t too complicated. During the training, we learned geology, astronomy, mathematics, flying mechanics, aerodynamics, rocket science, electronic computation, inertial system, navigation technology, control skills, and so on.


    Additionally, we also needed to keep our bodies in shape, engage in interstellar travel planning, and attend lessons on surviving unique environments. More importantly, apart from physical and practical training, all other knowledge was downloaded directly into our brains.


    That was the knowledge download technology I had been looking forward to. With the help of this technology, learning was greatly accelerated. However, it was also an extremely expensive process. Fortunately, our training was fully sponsored by the fleet. After our training, we only needed to work the debt off.


    After a year, all five of us completed our basic knowledge and physical fitness training. During that period of time, we even went on training missions to the moon and Mars several times.


    While enjoying our time at the bar and attracting girls in our handsome interstellar fleet uniforms, a mission came. It was the year 2091. To surpass the current limitations of interstellar survival, the league greatly needed more living spaces inside and outside the Milky Way. But to explore, more fuel and resources were required. And thus, our squad was assigned our first mission. We were to report our attendance at the Saturn Fleet.


    Even more exciting was the fact that our exploration target was Jupiter II, a celestial body covered in ice. Bluelings had never landed on Jupiter II because they were afraid of destroying its ecosystem with bacteria or germs native to Blue. With the help of the Gliesens, it was now possible to conduct work on Jupiter II in a completely sterile environment.


    Proof had emerged that the red substance on the surface of Jupiter II could be iron. The reddish gleam it gave off from the sunlight seemed to further support that theory. New developments in technology had made underwater mining feasible. So long as the Fe element was present, the league would be able to extract it successfully. Truly, technology was the bringer of the future.


    Just like that, the five of us reported to the Saturn Fleet. The captain of the vessel was a woman. She was Madam Angela, a Blueling. Unlike her gentle namesake, she was a practical and experienced captain.


    We were deployed to different positions. Fortunately, Bao''er, Old Du, and I were deployed to the exploration squad. Those in this position might even have the chance to set foot on Jupiter II itself. We were so excited we stayed awake the entire night.


    On the 29th of April, 2091, after the ship named Saturn finished resupplying, we set off toward Jupiter II for the very first exploration mission on Jupiter II. This was also the first mission for me, Bao''er, and Old Du.


    Everything was filled with mystery, excitement, and the unknown. A majority of Saturn''s personnel were Gliesens. This was a mission where numerous parties were brought together, cooperating to explore the secrets of Jupiter II. Each personnel was supplied with the latest morph-capable equipment, ensuring the safety of all personnel involved.

 CH 2

    The spaceship flew at sublight speed instead of wasting more energy with wormhole travel. In less than two hours, we arrived at Jupiter''s orbit. There, the spaceship returned to a regular speed. Slowly, Saturn approached the planet. Instead of entering the planet, the ship would stop 600,000 kilometers away from it and prepare for landing on Jupiter II.


    When the spaceship slowed down, us three newcomers pasted ourselves to the windows and greedily took in the sight of the starry universe before us. A massive monster slowly revealed itself before our eyes: Jupiter.


    "It is massive!" exclaimed all of us.


    Truly. Without personally witnessing Jupiter, one would never be able to imagine how big it was. A single Jupiter was as big as a thousand Blues. The moment we entered Jupiter''s orbit, the only thing in our eyes was a massive, fascinating gaseous planet. The awe we felt when looking at Jupiter could not be described with words. Zhang Bao''er was so entranced that he couldn''t keep his mouth shut.


    This was our first time looking at Jupiter so closely. The planet was primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, and it possessed a substantial atmosphere. The two poles of the planet gleamed with a fascinating blue, and the planet was covered in a massive concentration of stratospheric winds. Each of these tornadoes was larger than Blue itself. The tornado moved rapidly, moving at a speed surpassing 400 kilometers per hour. To put it into perspective, the fastest recorded wind flow on Blue was only 120 kilometers per hour.


    The rapid winds presented an ever-changing scene, reminding me of a famous story about Leonardo da Vinci which said that no two eggs were exactly the same. As for the Jupiter presented before my eyes, it was never the same from one second to the other. The universe was truly a fascinating place.


    The tornadoes raged at the two poles while flashing with light of multiple colors. The multicolored zones were grand and spectacular, each as big as an entire Blue. As we approached, the massive monster before us became clearer and clearer. In 2091, technology had enabled us to get closer to Jupiter than we ever could before. For our initial exploration, we stopped 600,000 kilometers away from the planet.


    A reddish spot was visible at the central part of the planet. With one look, I saw Jupiter''s famous red spot. The scarlet spot had ravaged the planet for over 400 years. Along with the passage of time, its size had shrunk by half, while its speed had increased by three times its original speed.


    From the spaceship, we could clearly see the fiercely rotating red spot. Like a massive wheel, it moved at a speed surpassing 1,200 kilometers per hour. It was so powerful it could probably move Blue out of its orbit.


    I believed that even Saturn''s morph-capable shield would be torn apart by prolonged exposure to the fierce storm down below. No matter how much power fuel and technology brought us, the power of Mother Nature was still boundless.


    Slowly, the spaceship entered Jupiter''s orbit. The clouds above Jupiter rippled as they parted, forming an enchanting scene. But as we neared, a truly horrific scene was unveiled before our eyes.


    Each cloud layer was rotating rapidly, and each individual cloud was a massive monster the size of Blue. Beneath the layers of thick clouds, a massive lightning bolt 1,000 times more powerful than any lightning bolt Blue could create was faintly discernible.


    This spectacular scene was only visible upon approaching Jupiter''s low orbit. Each flash of lightning was akin to a massive dragon. It hid its shiny body amid the clouds, constantly ready to strike at the unsuspecting visitor.


    The flashes of lightning constantly spurred the clouds to clash and roil while the hydrogen-filled air would be ignited in a chain explosion every now and then, presenting a sight from hell.


    At that moment, both Bao''er and I stealthily tested our communication devices. As we tested, we set the sound volume to the most suitable level, ensuring reliable communication despite the constant deafening thunderbolts around us.


    This was an environment nobody would want to live in. It was too terrifying, and all my instincts were screaming at me to flee. This was the cruelest environment I''d ever witnessed in my life, and the deafening explosions around me were definitely the worst noise I''d ever heard.


    As we traveled through the storms of varying sizes on the surface of the ever-changing Jupiter, and after passing by 68 of the celestial bodies orbiting Jupiter, we finally found a glossy white object. Jupiter II had appeared before us!


    Jupiter II, also known by the Bluelings as Europa, was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei and was Jupiter''s fourth largest satellite. Of the Jupiter satellites discovered by Galileo, Jupiter II was the second nearest moon to Jupiter. It was 3,100 kilometers in diameter and was the sixth largest moon in the Solar System and the fifteenth largest celestial body in the Solar System.


    How big was 3,100 kilometers? The moon had a diameter of about 3,476 kilometers. Thus, Jupiter II was slightly smaller than Blue''s very own moon. A thin atmosphere surrounded Jupiter II, and it was composed solely of oxygen. The atmosphere was maintained by charged particles that hit its cold surface and produce water vapor, which then spread into hydrogen and oxygen, with the latter forming the atmosphere.


    This was a glossy and sleek world, a world less than 200 million years old. Due to its relative distance from Jupiter, there were very few craters on Jupiter II. In fact, there were fewer than ten. Jupiter itself had attracted most of the incoming celestial objects, greatly preserving Jupiter II in a pristine condition.


    Red streaks could be seen all over Jupiter II. The famous red scars were actually cracks and ridges from which metal seeped through from the ground, marking weak lines within the moon''s ice crust. Red was generally seen as the color of iron, so the Gliesens had chosen Jupiter II as the target of exploration. For the Gliesens, even the disappearance of a single moon would not matter. Energy was all that mattered to them.


    Slowly, Saturn entered Jupiter II''s orbit. First, it orbited the moon and observed it while searching for an optimal landing site. After referring to the evaluation report, Captain Angela decided to set the north pole of the moon as the landing site. It was common knowledge that the entire Jupiter II was covered in ice. To obtain a sample from underneath the ice, one needed to cut through it.


    However, doing so on an alien celestial body might bring unintended consequences. Perhaps an ice eruption akin to Blue''s volcanic eruption might occur. After all, nobody knew exactly what was hidden beneath the ice layers of Jupiter II.


    Since 2012, with the Hubble telescope and some other methods, Bluelings had observed that sputtering plumes would appear at intervals on both poles of Jupiter II. They had deduced that these plumes of water originated from the moon''s frozen seabed.


    Thus, they concluded that by landing on the north pole, they could not only gather a sample of the moon''s water but also find an entrance linking them to the sea itself and analyze the actual composition of the red streaks.


    According to our orders, we would be landing the next morning. All of us would be resting while waiting for the time to set off. After an entire day of excitement, everyone calmed down, leaving only me, Zhang Bao''er, and Old Du still excited.


    After dinner, we spent our time turning and tossing on our beds, unable to fall asleep. All of us were wondering if we would be picked as the first group to set foot on Jupiter II. I silently gazed at the white moon from the window beside my bed. The moon was silently orbiting Jupiter, sunlight gleaming off it.


    Based on the technical team''s analysis, a liquid substance was present in the moon''s core. Additionally, the surface and the core of the moon were actually rotating at different speeds. Due to Jupiter''s gravity, space between the core and the icy surface mostly existed in liquid form. That was also where it was most possible for life to exist.


    The appearance of the Gliesens had proved that aliens existed. Thus, Bluelings were no longer as excited about aliens as before. Even so, Bluelings would always be excited and curious to learn something new. That was a trait that would always be present in a Blueling.


    Silently, while gazing at the white moon, I fell asleep.


    Di! Di! Di!


    The sharp alarm blazed, rousing us from our sleep. It was a call for an emergency meeting.


    We bounced off our beds from shock. When I swept my gaze at the window, I was stunned. Just what kind of monster was I staring at? Numerous gorges and uneven surfaces. We were less than 10,000 meters away from Jupiter II. I could even see a stream of air spurting in my direction before falling off midair. We were unable to give much thought to what we saw as we had to rush to the command room. Standing before the map in the middle of the room was Captain Angela. She was currently making the preparations for landing.


    "From what we know so far, Jupiter II is not as peaceful as we had thought. Icy geysers can be found at the north pole where we''re going to land. The openings from which the geysers spray out can be clearly seen. However, the spraying seems to persist non-stop," said Angela.


    ¡®What''s so scary about some vapor-spitting holes on the ground with our high-tier defenses?¡¯ I thought to myself.


    "The ice chunks that shoot out with the geysers are akin to bullets. The temperature of negative 200 degrees down there makes landing even harder as it increases the amount of energy we will have to exhaust to land," said Angela. "Also, apart from the holes on the ground, the entire north pole''s terrain is dominated by massive ice spikes."


    These ice spikes formed when ice went through a process called sublimation, where they turned into water vapor without melting first. On Blue, these ice spikes, or to be precise, these penitentes could mostly be found in places with a cold and dry climate. They were first described by Charles Darwin.


    During the 1830s, Darwin had mentioned the ice spikes in his journal. At the time, he had mistakenly believed that the ice spikes were a product of wind erosion because what he saw were sharp, icy blades the size of mountains.


    As for the ice spikes of Jupiter II, they were so concentrated no path could be found between them. We could only see hole after hole of different sizes, each constantly spraying out ice chunks and vapor.


    With a temperature below negative 200 degrees and a wind speed of about 300 kilometers per hour, any of the massive ice spikes could collapse at any given moment. Thus, our landing craft would not be able to land on these spikes either.


    As for the morph-capable suits we wore, the suits would only last 36 hours. Even if we could land individually, we would not be able to get through the field of endless geysers on the ground.


    "The geological activities of Jupiter II''s two poles are too intense. It is not realistic to try penetrating the ice crust through these holes. Also, with all the ice spikes around, this is definitely the most dangerous place we can choose for drilling. It doesn''t make sense to try at all. Additionally, from our analysis, the condition beneath the ice is also rather intense. After referring to the evaluation of our technicians, I propose we give up on landing on the north pole. Instead, we should look for a plain on the central part of the moon suitable for drilling," said Angela.


    Sounds of discussion broke out when everyone heard the captain''s new order. I was aware that prior to setting off, the headquarters was opposed to the drilling plan as they were afraid of unintended geological consequences. Imagine putting a hole through a sleek balloon. What would happen? A chain reaction that ultimately results in the destruction of the entire moon might occur.


    But from how resolute Angela was, it was clear she did not intend to leave this expedition empty-handed. As a Blueling, she longed for honor and a higher order of nobility. Thus, she decided to take the risk. In truth, in 2091, an explosion of Jupiter II was truly nothing special for Bluelings who were already capable of interstellar travel.


    Nevertheless, it was still important to note that in the event of an explosion, those in this ship, or at the very least, the landing crew would all be lost. Also, how would history remember her if she returned in failure after causing the destruction of a moon? Imagine the headlines: The entire Jupiter II exploration team led by Li Canyue perishes after the moon exploded.


    ¡®No, this isn''t right. This isn''t right at all,¡¯ I told myself.


    Ahaha, unfortunately, I was merely an insignificant footsoldier whose thoughts didn¡¯t matter.


    At this time, the chief technician, a Gliesen duke by the name of Maerdo stepped out and voiced his support for the captain. "We can first send an advance party to land. The advance party will bear the mission of creating history, drilling a hole through the icy crust of Jupiter II, and exploring the world beneath the ice."


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    What sanctimonious words, I thought to myself. Looks like politics is infectious. After staying on Blue for so long, these Gliesens have learned to talk like human politicians as well.


    Maerdo continued, "I''ll be frank. The exploration of the universe will undoubtedly proceed. Countless planets are awaiting our exploration. A mere moon of Jupiter is nothing compared to the task ahead of us. We need scientific results, skills, truth, energy, and a future!"


    To the side, Captain Angela nodded incessantly. She found herself in agreement with Maerdo.


    "Therefore, I am in support of Captain Angela''s suggestion. We will pull the mothership back to a safe distance and deploy an advance party to Jupiter II. The advance party will drill through the ice surface and gather samples from below the ice. Jupiter II itself is something we can afford to lose," said Maerdo.


    ¡®You might as well say that Li Canyue is someone you can afford to lose,¡¯ I mused inwardly.


    "The headquarters has approved our plan. For the future of Gliese and Blue, prepare yourself! Captain Angela will be organizing the advance party next. Of course, we also welcome brave volunteers who would like to offer themselves for the advance party," finished Maerdo with great fervor.


    Everyone sank into silence. It was unknown who started clapping, but someone did, and everyone else followed. Captain Angela was very pleased. This was a historic moment for her. She knew that her proposal had been accepted. Having reached a decision, we started preparing for landing.


    Including us, the three rookies, there were twenty members in Saturn¡¯s advance squad. Five of them were androids, which were both smart and capable. They maintained a metallic body, giving them a simple and honest look. The leader of the advance squad was Chen Qiang, 32 years old, an experienced and responsible man.


    "Who do you think will be picked for the first group?" asked Old Du.


    "I think the more experienced ones will be picked first. It would just be much more efficient to have them go," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You''re wrong," I interrupted his analysis.


    "What do you mean?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The 22nd century is dawning! Nowadays, what''s the most important thing for the league? Optimal selection! The fleet won''t take care of us just because we''re new. All knowledge can be obtained through the knowledge-download technology. For an initial exploration, the risk is the same for every member of the team. However, the experienced explorers with military merits and ranks of nobility will definitely not be the ones to take this risk. Instead, worthless rookies like us will be the vanguard," I explained.


    Old Du kept nodding away.


    "By deploying rookies like us, even if an accident happened, the loss would be negligible for the league. Thus, the selection will be mainly based on our positions in society. If you don''t believe me, just wait and see."


    Both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du found themselves in agreement with my words. In fact, all three of us were looking forward to the first landing. We all hoped to be picked because we believed that this was our moment to shine.


    We knew that in the fleet, or even in the entirety of Blue, there were a number of space-lovers paying close attention to our exploration mission. Often, risk and glory came hand in hand.


    A new meeting notification rang out from our devices, and we hurried toward the meeting room.


    On the screen in the middle of the meeting hall, the names of the advance party could be seen: Chen Qiang, Maerdo, Li Canyue, Zhang Bao''er, Xiaoming, and the two androids, Dodo and Jiajia.


    Hahaha, I laughed inwardly. Sure enough, my guess was right.


    In fact, Maerdo was the only name I did not expect to see. Evidently, glory was very important for the Gliesens as well. They did not wish for the Bluelings to hog all the glory. As for Old Du''s exclusion, I was both surprised and unsurprised. After all, his father was a duke on Blue. It would be hard for the fleet to answer to his father if something happened to him on his very first mission.


    One could say that this advance party was composed of newbies, moderately experienced members, and veterans.


    A decent team, I thought to myself.


    Just as everyone was starting to accept this arrangement, a voice rang out.


    "I object."


    Old Du stepped out. "I wish to join the first group. Since both my comrades are in it, I wish to be in it as well."


    How surprising. This kid is quite different from the other Gliesens, I mused inwardly.


    The 22nd century was fast approaching. Like I said, this was an era where talent was of the utmost importance. After Old Du volunteered, Angela and the higher-ups discussed for a few minutes before replacing Xiaoming with Old Du. As a technician, Xiaoming was, in truth, a bad choice for the first group.


    And thus, the members of the first group were finalized: three Bluelings, two Gliesens, and two androids.

 CH 3

    The historic moment arrived. Under Captain Angela''s command, Saturn left Jupiter II''s north pole and arrived at the central part of the moon, searching for what they dubbed the cross-region.


    The terrain of Jupiter II''s surface was a chaotic one. Plains, mountain ridges, crevices, and all other terrains mingled together, creating a chaotic topography. Yet before these features could solidify into permanent features of the landscape, they would shift again. All in all, they made for a challenging terrain to land on.


    The so-called cross-region was an area with a bulge on the ground that might form during the closing and opening of the many red cracks on the moon. Compared to the chaotic landscape elsewhere on the moon, such a bulge would create a wide and relatively level surface area that was suitable for landing.


    Jupiter II was about the same size as Blue''s moon. With the latest laser radar technology, we were able to quickly locate a cross-region at the upper middle part of the moon. In exact coordinates, the location was 108¡ã20¡äE, 31¡ã56¡ä N. From the analysis of the area''s air undulations, we found that there were relatively few geysers there. The area''s terrain was also rather stable and was less prone to frequent alterations than the other parts of the moon.


    "Here," Captain Angela''s voice rang out. The advance party was gathered for one final meeting.


    Everyone gathered in the command room. The head technician, Maerdo, was the first to speak, "The headquarters has pledged the highest level of technical support they can for our mission. Apart from improved morph-capable equipment, the advance party will also be equipped with laser guns and micro-cluster bombs for self-defense against any unknown life form that we might or might not encounter.


    "We might encounter an ocean beneath the ice layer, and the temperature down there might be even lower than the -200 to -163 degrees of the surface. According to our speculations, if the moon''s core is incapable of producing heat like Blue, the seabed might even reach -1,000 degrees in temperature. Thus, the improved morph gears will serve as both defensive equipment and temperature regulators, allowing for a variance of 1,000 degrees in temperature."


    "No way. What if the temperature changes by 1,001 degrees? Wouldn''t I be dead then?" I muttered.


    Maerdo seemed to have heard me. He looked at me and said, "For morph-capable suits, a variance of 1,000 degrees is the limit of our current technology. If anything unexpected happens, I can only advise that you welcome your sacrifice for the sake of the league."


    "Looks like the league is already prepared to lose us," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "Additionally, the morph-capable suit''s energy consumption has been optimized as well. It can provide illumination for up to 36 hours. Our equipment has also been optimized for underwater movement, allowing us to move rapidly in water. Similarly, this function will last up to 36 hours."


    "Only 36 hours? Isn¡¯t that too short?" grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "Also, everyone will be equipped with a gamma flare. This is a unique Gliesen technology. You can''t communicate with it, but the gamma rays'' powerful penetrative capability will transmit your signal to the headquarters. They will thus be aware of your survival and send a rescue team for you in the event of an accident. This flare has saved the lives of countless explorers thus far. These are all the individual protective gears we will get for the mission," Maerdo finished and studied everyone''s expression.


    "All the equipment for the advance party is ready. Saturn''s shuttle ship, Mimas I, will be transporting the team to the surface. Prepare yourself, everyone. We''ll be setting off in three hours," Maerdo ordered.


    Then, Maerdo shifted his gaze to Captain Angela.


    The captain nodded and said, "Warriors, this might not be a major operation for the league, but it is important enough that the headquarters is paying attention to us. All these explorations are conducted to obtain resources that will benefit both planets of the league. These resources are necessary for our long-term growth. For the league and the common good, everyone must assume a spirit of sacrifice and a sense of responsibility. Team Leader Chen is an experienced explorer, among the first explorers of Mercury. For the future of the Milky Way Galaxy, obey him and ensure the completion of our mission. Alright, go get ready."


    "Oh boy, and now we''re fighting for the common good of the entire galaxy, it seems," I mused to myself. In truth, I did not feel much from the captain''s words. Like Zhang Bao''er and Old Du, my heart had long departed my mortal body for Jupiter II.


    Back in our dorm, there wasn''t much preparation to be done. The morph-capable suit was worn on our left arms. Upon activation with our fingerprint or eyes, we will be outfitted automatically. Zhang Bao''er stood before the window and gazed at the beautiful white sphere in excitement, studying the red streaks running across the icy moon.


    "Are those really iron?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Nobody answered his stupid question. If we knew the answer, what was the point of the exploration mission? After all, that was why we were here: to ascertain whether those red streaks were iron.


    "Put this on," said Old Du as he handed something to me and Zhang Bao''er.


    "What''s that? Some kind of lucky charm?" I joked.


    "What lucky charm?" Old Du seemed confused. "This is an emergency survival tool given to me by my father. It utilizes laser transmission technology, giving you a one-time boost of 12 hours of energy to your gears. This thing is very valuable. Only a duke can get one."


    ¡®A tool for dukes is unsurprisingly useful,¡¯ I thought to myself.


    "The energy of this thing was extracted from a unique substance obtained from my mother sun, Gliese. Because our sun is a red dwarf star, an old star, it won''t be able to provide much of this substance anymore. This thing also comes in a set of three. It has been in my family inheritance since my ancestor''s generation. Since fate has brought us three together, we''ll have one each," said Old Du.


    "You''re wonderful, Old Du," both Zhang Bao''er and I said at the same time.


    What a precious item. It was true that like technology, people of the society were also treated differently based on their positions. They clearly had a way of extending our equipment''s functionalities by 12 additional hours, yet we weren''t provided any despite the important mission we were on. It did not make sense at all. But in truth, we had misunderstood them. This thing given to us by Old Du was simply too valuable to be given out so easily.


    Old Du proved himself a loyal friend by giving us such valuable tools. Alien technology like this could only be obtained through import. We were touched by Old Du''s action of giving each of us something so valuable. Even the bad impression we had of all Gliesens changed somewhat. We communicated through our eyes, and our friendship grew even stronger.


    The three hours given to us were over before long. All preparations were completed. Under Team Leader Chen''s lead, the advance party saluted Captain Angela and the other personnel. As of that moment, a sense of pride rose in my heart. I was going to represent a high-tier race and explore the universe in search of new living spaces for humanity. Finally, my dream of exploring the universe was going to be fulfilled.


    All of us boarded Mimas. At present, Saturn was about 50,000 meters away from the moon. The main vessel was keeping its distance in case the moon exploded.


    When the time arrived, Mimas departed for Jupiter II. With the assistance of Team Leader Chen, Dodo the android acted as the pilot of the ship. As we approached Jupiter II, the unexplored moon became clearer before us.


    "Watch out for the ice spikes," said Maerdo.


    Towering, sharp blades of ice dominated the landscape, acting as obstacles to our landing. Dodo hurriedly calculated the landing trajectory. The cross-region we aimed to reach was located in a spacious and empty zone in the midst of the ice spikes. To reach there, we needed to get around these spikes. The moon''s famous red streaks also became clearer as we approached. It was as though streaks of clay were running across the moon''s icy surface. We would have to actually land before we could get some samples of the red streaks.


    While the ship was moving, Dodo suddenly said, "A stream of air has been discovered beneath the ice spike ahead of us."


    "My god," I yelled.


    We were here to avoid the plumes, but surprisingly, a smaller variation of the geysers existed at the bottom of the ice spikes as well. Although these plumes weren''t too high, the ground was nevertheless dotted with numerous holes where the icy vapors were spouting out. A reddish substance was present among the streams of air. As the vapor sprayed out, they would gradually turn into pieces of ice that slowly fell to the ground.


    From the sky, we could see that the clay-like streaks of the moon were actually some sort of red substance floating in the air. Due to their concentration, they were able to cover the ground beneath them. From this, one could judge that the inner part of the moon should have a higher temperature than the outer part.


    "Why weren''t these geysers detected during the probe?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Their altitude is too low. As for our radar, the signals have been interrupted by the much taller ice spikes, resulting in a mistake in our analysis. However, according to our data, there will still be a cross-region," said Dodo.


    "Those useless technicians," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "An inaccuracy of up to 50 percent in data analysis during interstellar exploration is common. After all, the universe is filled with unknown quantities, things that do not abide by the rules of known physics and molecular theories. If you''re interested, I can suggest some reading material," said Jiajia.


    "Shut up! Silence, please!" I interrupted Jiajia before the robot could continue with a long-winded explanation.


    Now was not the time for a lecture. Chen Qiang was busy looking for a suitable landing site as our ship, Mimas, slowly moved amid the mountainous ice spikes.


    "Found it!" Dodo suddenly said. "Three kilometers ahead of us is an area without any spraying plumes."


    We hurriedly looked out the window. A glossy and sleek surface could be seen beneath the ice spike before us. The ice surface seemed as clear as a mirror, forming a clear contrast with its messy surroundings. It was so clean that it looked almost unnatural. According to the laser probe, this area''s ice layer was thinner than its surrounding areas at only around 50 kilometers. It was an excellent spot for drilling as well.


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    "Prepare to land," said Team Leader Chen.


    Controlling the ship''s five landing mechanisms, we descended at a slow speed of five kilometers per hour. With a thump, the ship landed smoothly.


    "Good!" I gave Zhang Bao''er a high-five. "Looks like everything is progressing smoothly," I said to Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


    Suddenly, with a clang, the ship rolled aside by 30 degrees. The landing mechanisms kept the ship stable, but everyone in the ship was shocked by the sudden change.


    "What''s going on?" Old Du cried out.


    Maerdo and Jiajia started analyzing the data available to them. However, everything from the air temperature, pressure, and environment to the ice layer outside the ship seemed to be completely normal. They couldn''t figure out the reason for the ship''s sudden movement.


    The unknown was the most worrying. Team Leader Chen Qiang commanded Dodo to scan our surroundings with our infrared scanner. Even so, they found nothing abnormal. The ship was in a completely stable position. It seemed like we would have to solve the mystery after leaving the ship.


    "Everyone, get ready. We will be leaving the ship in 10 minutes. Jiajia will stay inside to provide us with technical support. Everyone else, get ready with your equipment. Set the Kangaroo down on the ground," commanded Team Leader Chen.


    Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and I knew that this was the start of our challenge. Excitement welled in our hearts.


    ¡®Jupiter II, your conqueror, Li Canyue, has arrived! The universe itself will remember my feats today! Hehehe!¡¯ This was the excitement in the heart of an explorer. Everything was real and thrilling.

 CH 4

    "Act according to your orders," said Chen Qiang.


    "Yes," we answered together.


    "Li Canyue, Old Du, Dodo, with me. We''ll be approaching the edge of the geyser zone and extracting some samples. Maerdo and Zhang Bao''er, you''ll be taking the other Kangaroo to investigate the flat surface and its surrounding terrain. Look for a suitable drilling spot. Do not stay outside for more than 12 hours. Be prepared to receive your next order. Keep the wireless communicator on at all times. Jiajia will be constantly updating the mothership with our status. We will probably have a limited time to work here. I have a feeling the environment here isn''t as stable as we have guessed. We need to complete our mission as quickly as possible. Everyone, set off!" said Chen Qiang.


    Through the safety tunnel, we slid into the vehicle called Kangaroo. Equipped with the latest morph technology, the vehicle could adapt to various different environments and terrains while protecting its passengers. Six massive wheels brought the vehicle forward. These wheels were also outfitted with the ability to change their shape in accordance with the terrain and temperature, ensuring a smooth passage for the passengers.


    "Decontamination chamber sealed. Decontamination complete. Exit granted," along with Jiajia''s words, the outer door opened.


    ¡®Jupiter II, here I come!¡¯


    A world of white welcomed us. The ground around us was exceptionally level, and at the edges of the flat zone were towering ice mountains with sharp peaks, blocking the sight of the sky. From between the ice mountains, the massive Jupiter was faintly discernible. One of the openings allowed us to see the massive red spot. The rotating red spot was akin to the eye of Satan, gazing upon us, the foreign visitors.


    "Temperature of -180 degrees, wind speed of 400 kilometers per hour, 50 kilometers of thick ice beneath us. It is safe to navigate. High levels of radiation were detected in the air. With a distance of 60 kilometers from the plumes, our estimated arrival time is 75 minutes," said Dodo.


    In truth, even sitting in the vehicle, I was able to clearly hear the sounds of the gale striking the hull of the vehicle. Relying on the little light reflected from Jupiter, all we could see around us was a peculiar, spotless ice sheet. Berserk wind blew past us again and again as we traversed it.


    With the harsh environment out there, if one were to ask me if I was nervous, I would honestly reply that I wasn''t. Perhaps it was due to the sense of security given by technology. With the powerful defenses of our highly advanced equipment, any danger I faced was trivialized.


    Slowly, we reached the edge of the flat zone. Far ahead of us, small icy chunks could be seen floating in the air.


    "After entering the geyser zone, visibility will drop to zero. Depending on what we encounter, we will decide whether we leave the vehicle or stay in the safety of the cabin and use the mechanical arms to gather samples," said Chen Qiang.


    At the same time, Chen Qiang commanded Maerdo''s party to avoid leaving the cabin if possible. They should prioritize investigating the terrain and gathering data. Our party should be the one to prioritize leaving the cabin. I believed this was Chen Qiang''s way of protecting everyone: by sacrificing himself.


    In truth, I greatly longed to be the Armstrong of Jupiter II. But being a member of the fleet, there were rules in place to follow. I wouldn''t be the one to lay the first footprint on Jupiter II.


    About 10 minutes after we left the ice sheet''s edge, the entire vehicle jolted violently. It was as though a massive force had suddenly blasted the vehicle off the ground. Thanks to our massive wheels, we were able to land stably. However, the sudden change had still given everyone a scare.


    "The hell? What was that?" I cried out.


    Dodo activated both the infrared and laser scanners at the same time, scanning our surroundings. Meanwhile, Old Du and I scanned our surroundings with our analysis visors. We found nothing.


    "This moon is too unstable. Perhaps we are currently moving atop a volatile crust that is capable of shifting the entire moon," said Old Du.


    ¡®This kid has downloaded quite a lot of useful knowledge,¡¯ I mused inwardly.


    "The arrival of our Kangaroo has changed the pressure level of the surface that had stayed the same for millions of years. The most weight the ice sheet has ever supported before this was probably from the winds, but with the arrival of our Kangaroo, with a weight over 10 tonnes, the balance has been broken," Old Du continued his explanation.


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    "I think so as well," said Chen Qiang. "Therefore, we need to complete the mission as quickly as possible. The environment around us is harsher than expected. We will have to move faster."


    Suddenly, a string of data popped up on the screen. From the data, the wheels were under massive pressure. The balance-preserving morph technology ensured the stability of the wheels, but the wheels were being subjected to a massive pressure reaching 255 kilobars.


    Everyone knew that the average sea pressure of Blue was about 1 atmosphere. In comparison, the massive pressure assaulting the wheels caused the vehicle to jolt upward every minute. Even so, the data still displayed no changes in our surroundings.


    "What the hell? Are we encountering ghosts or demons?" I exclaimed.


    "Science can''t explain what we''re encountering here. The pressure is appearing without any change in the environment. From my analysis, powerful dark matter might be the cause of this pressure. However, I can''t understand why only the wheels are subjected to the pressure. More observation is required to draw a conclusion," said Dodo.


    Because the vehicle was still operating as usual and our survival was guaranteed thanks to the power of technology, Chen Qiang decided to continue advancing. Just like that, Kangaroo braved the violent winds and continued forward in peculiar hopping motions.


    After half an hour, Chen Qiang contacted Maerdo. He learned that Maerdo had investigated two locations thus far. He also confirmed that the ice layer beneath us was about 50 kilometers thick. No thinner ice layer had been found yet. At the same time, Maerdo had not encountered any mysterious pressure that caused their vehicle to keep jolting. It seemed like we were the only ones with this issue.


    Meanwhile, Jiajia, who had remained on Mimas, informed us that the ship had been struck by unknown impact more than 10 times. He was in a similar situation as us, with the only difference being that there was no clear change of pressure around the ship.


    In short, we had encountered three different situations in the same general area. All data had been sent back to the mothership. We were still awaiting the result of the data analysis from the mothership.


    Saturn was constantly monitoring the status of the operation. A line of communication was established between Angela and Chen Qiang, and Angela took the opportunity to authorize all decisions Chen Qiang had made before this.


    At this time, a new problem came knocking. The energy level of the vehicle had dropped to a level that caused the alarm to blaze. According to the system, the massive pressure and impact had caused our energy exhaustion rate to be 50 percent higher than expected. According to Dodo''s calculation, at this rate, our Kangaroo would not last more than 40 hours.


    In the event that the geyser zone had an even higher pressure, coupled with the fact that we were gathering samples through the vehicle''s mechanical arms, the energy exhaustion rate would be even higher. That would create a discrepancy between the vehicle''s active duration and our suits'' active duration. There was even a possibility that we might be stranded after our vehicle ran out of energy. The universe was filled with uncertainties. However, after going this far out, there was no way we were going to turn back.


    "Continue forward!" commanded Chen Qiang.


    Withstanding the pressure, the vehicle continued advancing. Soon, we crossed the edge of the flat zone into the area filled with giant ice spikes. The sky itself was covered by the ice chunks spraying out of the holes on the ground. As expected, our visibility dropped to zero after entering the area. Regular rays of light were no longer capable of penetrating the vapor around us. To search for a route, we needed to rely on the laser-guidance system.


    After one and a half hours, we seemed to have arrived at a brand new zone, entering a world of darkness. Weirdly, the jolting had stopped even though the wheels were still subjected to the same pressure.


    Through the video generated by the laser analysis, we saw that the air around us was filled with red and white ice chunks. After enlarging a still image, we saw that regardless of size, all the ice chunks were actually similar to the massive ice spikes dotting the landscape. They were shaped like sea urchins with sharp, jagged edges. The red color on these ice chunks seemed to be some sort of substance that had adhered to the ice. It seemed like each chunk was the fusion of two different substances.


    What we needed to do next was retrieve some samples and scout the area. From our monitor, we could see that the entire black zone was filled with holes, which sprayed out plumes of vapor and chunks of ice. Each hole had a diameter no larger than five meters, big enough for Kangaroo to barely squeeze through.


    However, based on our detailed observation from the scanned images, about a fourth of the holes were not actually spraying anything. As for the holes that were actually spraying vapor, the vapor moved at a high speed of over 100 kilometers per hour, making them extremely dangerous to approach.


    From our temperature measuring device, we found that the temperature at the black zone was actually higher than outside the zone, averaging between -100 to -80 degrees. As for the wind speed here, it had also dropped to about 200 kilometers per hour. The ice layer here was about 100 kilometers thick. The data also indicated that we would be able to walk outside while in our equipment. Before long, the vehicle arrived at one of the inactive holes.


    "Let''s confirm our tasks," Chen Qiang suddenly said. "Old Du and Dodo will be operating Kangaroo''s equipment and gathering samples in the air. Additionally, they will also serve as support personnel. Li Canyue will come with us. Both of us will enter the hole and gather some samples."


    Chen Qiang gave his command in an unquestionable tone. We moved rapidly. After providing an update to the mothership, Jiajia, and Maerdo through the wireless communication device, Chen Qiang brought me to the exit of our vehicle.


    "Young lad, relax," comforted Chen Qiang.


    "I''m fine. We will definitely complete this mission," I replied firmly.


    After the standard sealing, decontamination, and unsealing process, the door slowly opened. After 4.5 billion years of existence, a native from Blue was going to set foot on Jupiter II for the very first time.


    Jupiter II, Europa, a celestial body that had appeared in countless legends and Blueling folklores. This was also Blue''s first target when searching for alien life within the Solar System. Many fictions had imagined that massive octopuses, sharks, and other aquatic life forms inhabited Jupiter II''s sea, but those were all products of imagination. Today, a Blueling had finally arrived at Jupiter II.


    ¡®The person representing Blue is none other than I, Li Canyue. Hahahaha!¡¯ I thought to myself in excitement.


    The door opened, and a violent gust of wind blew inside the chamber. Our equipment might have provided us with excellent stability, but I could still feel the rapid wind and forceful impact.


    The visibility around us was essentially zero. We were relying on the image fed to our helmets from the scanning of our surroundings to see. Even so, we still opted to turn on the searchlight to make ourselves visible in the event that there were actually alien life forms here.


    Team Leader Chen raised his left foot before placing it down on the ground outside the vehicle. One small step for Chen Qiang, one big step for Blue. Humanity had finally conquered Jupiter II. Pictures of that historic moment were sent back to the mothership before being sent back to Blue. This was a glory shared by all Bluelings, a new milestone in the league''s conquest of the universe.

 CH 5

    In space exploration, crises would always exist. Unlike the depictions in fiction and movies, the true universe would not give one the time to think and make a plan before a crisis came knocking.


    The moment Chen Qiang''s left leg stepped onto Jupiter II''s surface, the pressure alarm blazed. A pressure of 255 kilobars instantly assaulted his leg. Although he had prepared himself before leaving the cabin, the massive pressure only served to accelerate the energy exhaustion of his suit. Each step he took would require a large amount of energy.


    Additionally, the violent storm of ice chunks in the air made one feel as though one was being struck by countless bullets despite the protection of the morph-capable armor. As we were running out of time, I hurriedly followed Chen Qiang out of the vehicle, becoming the Aldrin of Jupiter II.


    Withstanding the nasty pressure, both of us hurried toward the hole on the ground. The icy blades on the ground were long, sharp, and tough, as though the ground was filled with irregularly shaped daggers. Our morph-capable suits were forced to burn a massive amount of energy to protect us as we advanced. Based on the data, we had exhausted nearly 30 percent of our energy already, and we had only been walking. We needed to be faster.


    "Jiajia, give me the accurate altitude of the hole," I said.


    "The nearest hole has an altitude of 80 meters," Jiajia replied.


    That might not sound like an impressive height, but to put it into perspective, the mountain housing the hole was directly perpendicular to the ground. It was tall and shocking enough that one would need to look at it with one''s head raised.


    Through the scene transmitted to our visors, we saw that the entire mountain we were on was filled with sharp ice spikes. I hurriedly gathered a sample from one of the ice spikes. The ground and the mountain were covered by the same substance. Due to the thick layer of sediment on the ground, we had no way of getting in contact with the moon''s actual ground.


    At a height of 80 meters, it was impossible for us to climb this mountain to reach the hole. Sure, our suits possessed the function to blast us off the ground, a useful ability in low-gravity planets without even exhausting too much energy. But the storm of ice we faced here was extremely draining on our energy supply.


    "Team Leader Chen, Canyue, can anyone hear me?" Xiaoming''s voice suddenly rang out in the communication channel.


    "Yes. What is it?" Chen Qiang asked.


    "The latest update from the mothership indicates that a massive tornado has formed at Jupiter II''s north pole. The storm is heading to your location. The tornado is massive and concentrated, and our probes have failed to determine its main composition. We estimate that the storm will reach your location in two hours. Please pay attention to the change in your surroundings. Upon encountering any trouble, retreat promptly," Xiaoming''s anxious voice rang out.


    "Noted," Chen Qiang replied.


    In truth, my mood plummeted after the update from Xiaoming. We were only exploring a tiny moon. Why was it giving us so much trouble? According to my personal understanding, our arrival had somehow altered the moon''s gravitational makeup. And from that, trouble after trouble emerged. Right now, we were essentially racing against time.


    "Canyue, activate the navigation mode. Rise!"


    With Chen Qiang''s command, both of us activated our suit''s aviation mode and rose from the ground. Relying on the laser scanner''s guidance, we advanced while avoiding the ice spikes in our way. Before long, we arrived at the hole on the ice mountain.


    The hole resembled a volcanic crater on Blue. The hole before us wasn''t too big. When compared to those we had seen at the north pole, the hole before us was akin to a child before an adult.


    The dormant ice volcano was densely covered in irregular blades of ice. Due to the lower wind speed in the hole, it was also filled with sharp chunks of ice. We were unable to find a suitable spot to land. With the harsh environment, hovering in the sky would exhaust a large amount of energy. Thus, Dodo and Old Du hurriedly made the calculations to find an optimal landing site for us.


    "Found it. Three o''clock ahead of you. There''s a big ice spike there with a relatively large surface suitable for landing," said Old Du.


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    We followed the provided trajectory and hurriedly descended. Near the spike, I wound a rope made of high-durability materials around the spike to stabilize our footing. The wind speed there was much slower, reaching a speed below 100 kilometers per hour, equivalent to force 10 wind on the Beaufort Scale. On Blue, such violent wind was strong enough to uproot trees, but here on Jupiter II, it could be considered mild weather compared to the rest of the moon.


    I hurriedly retrieved a sample from the hole. I shut off my vision assist and tried to use my own eyes to get a clear look at my surroundings, but only a blanket of darkness welcomed me. The visibility was still zero. Beside me, Chen Qiang had the headlight on, but in my eyes, I only saw a tiny white dot. It was clear a body evolved on Blue was incapable of adapting to outer space. At that realization, I hurriedly reactivated my vision system.


    After a sample was retrieved, we needed to probe the depth of the hole. The ice layer around it was about 100 kilometers thick. This hole, on the other hand, could potentially be our shortcut through the ice layer.


    Standing on the ice spike and facing the hole, I aimed my laser probe into it. Shortly after, the feedback returned: the ice layer beneath the hole was only 20 kilometers thick! This was the thinnest ice layer we had found so far.


    "Beautiful!" We high-fived each other.


    Despite the harsh environment, as researchers, we had discovered the shortest route through the ice. Not wanting to delay any further, we sent the data back to the mothership for further analysis. We then waited for the next command.


    At this time, we received an update from Maerdo. They had scouted over a dozen locations, and the thickness of the ice layer there averaged 50 kilometers. In other words, the hole before us offered the shortest route to the world beneath the ice crust.


    Soon, a new command arrived from the mothership. The storm was arriving in about a hundred minutes, so we did not have much time. We were commanded to start drilling immediately and retreat after throwing a robotic probe through the drilled path.


    After receiving the order, Chen Qiang ordered me to activate the robotic drill. To avoid losing contact with the robot, we even installed a long thread onto it. The other end of the thread was fixed to the ice spike. We also tossed five pressure transducers into the hole, each thrown in a different direction, preventing an unexpected ice volcanic explosion during the process of our drilling.


    As Chen Qiang and I stood expectantly waiting for a new historic moment to come, the robotic drill started its work. Before long, the robotic drill was halfway through. Right this moment, our alarms blazed. Our pressure monitor indicated that the underground pressure had abruptly increased. Instead of pushing upward, the pressure was contracting internally.


    "Danger!" Dodo suddenly shouted.


    Instantly, the robotic drill was dragged deep underground by a massive force. At the same time, the ground around us started shaking violently.


    "Chen Qiang, Canyue, retreat immediately!" Old Du roared from within the Kangaroo.


    Chen Qiang and I immediately activated our defensive aviation system and soared into the sky. But at this moment, an indescribable attractive force appeared, negated the thrusting force of our suits, and dragged both of us into the hole. The impact from the struggle between the suit''s thrusting force and the pressure''s pulling force was too much for me, and I fainted in my suit. The only thing my murky mind could perceive was a slow descent into an endless abyss.

 CH 6

    After falling for an indeterminate amount of time, my hazy mind started wondering about the sea and if giant sharks and octopuses were swimming right by my side. In truth, my morph-capable suit had automatically activated the impact-protection system to protect me. Slowly, I regained my clarity and realized that I had fallen into the inner layer of Jupiter II. I looked around. Chen Qiang was nowhere to be seen. I could feel that instead of the sea, I had actually fallen onto relatively soft ground.


    "Chen Qiang, Chen Qiang, can you hear me? Old Du, can you hear me?" I spoke through the communicator anxiously.


    The only reply I got was static. The wireless communication channel had failed as though all signals had been blocked. I had arrived at an isolated zone. The hole I had fallen through had probably been covered by the vapory substance that typically sprayed out from them. Not knowing where Chen Qiang was, I checked my suit and noted that it had enough energy to remain active for 31 hours.


    I knew that time would wait for no one. If I did not want to die, I needed to move fast. I was certain that those outside were aware that I was still alive. The gamma flare had definitely transmitted my status to the team outside. I only wondered if Chen Qiang was still alive. Since all communications were blocked, I had to look for an exit. In truth, even in such a situation, I still held great faith in my suit. Nevertheless, there was also a sense of urgency.


    I had a strong premonition that this would not be where I met my end. I scanned my surroundings with the laser probe and found that I had fallen into a rather massive empty space. About two thousand meters above me, the ice layer wasn''t too far away. However, my probe failed to locate any source of illumination that would point to an exit. I did find many tube-like tunnels connected to the wall above me. I guessed that these tubes were probably connected to the geysers on the surface.


    And when I scanned beyond the ground I stood on, I found an immeasurable abyss that returned no result. The wind speed down here wasn''t too high, and the pressure around me was around 180 kilopascals. Loud noises reaching 800 decibels could be heard from each of the smaller tube-tunnels.


    It was common knowledge that noise above 127 decibels was strong enough to cause one dizziness. In comparison, the sound of a bullet fired was about 168 decibels. All the sounds here were enough to pulverize the organs of any unprotected life form.


    "Just what kind of a place is this, exactly?" I wondered to myself.


    I was standing in a parallel tube-tunnel about a kilometer wide. Smaller perpendicular tubes were connected to the massive tube-tunnel. The tunnel was red in color, and the noise in the big tunnel was even louder than the noise coming from the smaller perpendicular tubes.


    About three kilometers away from me were countless similar big parallel tunnels that were also connected to many smaller tubes. Altogether, they created a massive world of tubes and tunnels.


    Without exception, when I directed my scanner to the ground beneath the tube-tunnels, only an endless abyss could be found. It was like there was nothing beneath these tube-tunnels.


    "Just what am I looking at? This is too strange. Are these floating tunnels?" I wondered to myself.


    After observing my surroundings, I decided to walk around for a bit to see if I could find a different environment down here. Activating my suit''s haste mode, I started walking speedily in accordance with my laser probe¡¯s guidance. Every 10 minutes, I called out for Chen Qiang. Alas, I received no reply.


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    The inner world of Jupiter II was massive and empty. Standing in it alone, I felt like a sole plankton floating amid an endless ocean. Even after walking for an hour, I did not encounter any change in the environment. Neither did I locate an exit.


    I did consider cutting open one of the perpendicular tubes and leaving together with the vapor that was being sprayed to the surface. But that would only remain my final option. After all, if the tube I cut open dragged me into the abyss below the reb tube-tunnel instead of blasting me to the surface, it would make returning even harder.


    Just like that, an hour passed. Suddenly, a thought surfaced in my mind. Since the tube-tunnel was enveloped in complete darkness, couldn''t I turn on the flashlight to attract Chen Qiang''s attention? My flashlight had turned off when I wasn''t paying attention. At that thought, I promptly turned it on. Immediately, the space ahead of me was illuminated by the blinding radiance.


    At that exact moment, an incredibly massive force knocked against the ground beneath me. The  impact was deafening. It was as though an elephant was falling from a high place. Apart from the loud sound of the collision, I also heard a sound akin to someone groaning in pain. The voice came in bursts from the abyss beneath me.


    ¡®Shark monster?¡¯ was the first thought in my mind. I knew that my flashlight had probably attracted the attention of something out there. After all, this place had been shrouded in darkness for hundreds of millions of years.


    I was too careless to commit such a grievous mistake. I had exposed myself in a proverbial forest of beasts.


    "Idiot!" I scolded myself and hurriedly turned the flashlight off.


    "This is troublesome. Looks like there really are other life forms here, and gigantic ones at that," I muttered as I took out my laser gun. "If I''m going to die anyway, I''ll give it my all."


    In such a situation, my foremost priority was leaving my current position. After sprinting about two thousand meters away, I felt the loud noises underneath me grow nearer and nearer. They were akin to ominous footsteps that constantly approached me.


    "What kind of monster is this for its footsteps to be so loud?" I wondered.


    My suit''s sound analysis indicated that the origin of the voice was less than 5 kilometers away from me.


    "This won''t do. I need to hide."


    Perhaps the heavens wished for my survival as well, as, at that moment, my probe indicated that to my side was an inclined tube-tunnel heading downward. The tunnel led to two rock-like objects. Based on the probe, there was actually a hollow space in the middle of the two rocks. The entrance was only several square feet wide. This was basically a perfect bunker.


    At that point, the loud footsteps were less than 2,000 meters behind me. Without delay, I rushed through the tunnel and dove into the opening. Immediately, the massive noise stopped outside the opening.


    The opening was small, but it was rather spacious inside at slightly over 100 square meters. The walls inside were filled with countless tiny holes, and within the tiny holes were many small red tubes. At the moment, I couldn''t be bothered with studying my surroundings. Rather, I ran behind a protruding rock in the cave, shut down all inessential functions of my suit, and hid.


    A sharp hissing sound came from outside the cave. The sound was akin to the sound of rags being torn. Furthermore, it sounded like there were more than one of the alien life forms outside. The footstep-like sounds could no longer be heard. Evidently, the monsters were stopped outside the cave. At that moment, I decided to turn on my laser probe. The image reflected to me shocked me to my core.


    Two gigantic monsters were standing before the cave. They had massive, round, lamprey mouths filled with sharp teeth. Their faces were flat, their bodies were cylindrical, and each of them had a massive horn that resembled the horn of a rhinoceros.


    ¡®My god. What kind of a freak is this?¡¯ I thought to myself.


    The monsters did not have any eyes. Their mouths were massive, the size of a basketball court.  Even so, their mouths still seemed out of place when compared to their mountain-sized bodies. To put things into perspective, their bodies were the size of Elephant Trunk Hill at Guilin.


    Between their heads and bodies were thin tubes the size of petroleum pipelines. The tubes weren''t long, about 50 meters each. The beasts also possessed countless legs of differing lengths growing all over their bodies, similar to the spines surrounding sea urchins. Their legs were firmly adhered to the walls and tubes around them.


    ¡®No wonder they were able to get in here from outside,¡¯ I thought to myself.


    There were two such beasts outside, one big and one small. They guarded the cave entrance and seemed to be in the process of discussion.


    "Just what monsters are these? They look even scarier than an actual kraken," I cursed to myself.


    The life form here had grown in a manner completely unimaginable to humans. I didn''t even know if they could still be classified as an animal or a plant.


    ¡®Nevertheless, I definitely don''t want to enter those massive mouths,¡¯ I continued thinking to myself.


    At that thought, I tightened my grip on my gun. Turning on my suit''s survival system, I started calculating my odds of survival. When I checked my energy supply, I noted that there were only 29 hours left before my suit went inactive.


    The calculation would take several minutes. As I waited, I stuck close to the ground while observing the two monstrosities outside the cave. My parents flashed through my mind. Enough time had passed that they would have been notified of my disappearance. They must be very worried right about now. Meanwhile, Old Du and Zhang Bao''er were probably organizing a rescue party with anxiety running through their hearts.


    Shark monster. Octopus monster. Saltwater ocean.


    While my mind drifted everywhere, the suit completed its calculation. According to the data, the monsters relied on the electromagnetic waves on their horns to sense their surroundings, and these beasts were extremely sensitive to light. They were completely surrounded by electromagnetic waves with no blind spot. According to the analysis, I had zero chance of sneaking away and a 100 percent chance of needing to fight through them.


    Fine. In that case, there was no point in wasting my time sneaking around. I turned off the safety of my gun and prepared for a fight. Suddenly, the hissing sound grew louder, thundering even. I wondered if there was a point for them to raise their voices when they were "chatting."


    Through my probe, I saw that after the two beasts finished communicating, the bigger beast sealed the cave entrance with one of its many legs. Then, it went still. The smaller beast also turned still. All hissing sounds stopped, leaving only the noises of the tubes thundering in the background. Just like that, my exit had been sealed.


    "Well, I''m finished now," I mused to myself. "I can''t even rush out now. These two are clearly trying to trap me here. If I want to leave, I have to use force. I wonder if the cluster bomb can blast those rock-like legs apart."


    Time was running out, so I had to make a decision immediately. It did seem like violence was my only option. First, I scanned the interior of the cave, confirming that there were no other exits. The holes in the walls weren''t too deep. They were so shallow that their bottoms were visible. But I found that in the midst of the many tubes was a white tube. The white tube was protruding from the ceiling and was connected to the other tubes. It was as though the white tube was in charge of sending something over to all the other tubes.


    "From the complicated array of these tubes, they are probably part of an intricate system. If I can''t break through the exit, I can probably try spoiling the system they have here. Perhaps there will be a pleasant surprise there. The moment the leg is removed from the exit, I''ll throw a flashbang to attract their attention. I''ll then use the distraction to break free," I finalized my plan.


    After I was done planning, I prepared to move. According to my survival system, I would need to exhaust an hour''s worth of energy supply to bombard the roof and the leg. That was a risk worth taking.

 CH 7

    In the environment I was in, time was basically life. I needed to move fast. After finalizing my plan, I lifted the automatic rifle hanging on my back. This weapon utilized the same technology the Gliesens had defeated Blue with. It was equipped with tracking bullets, which I promptly aimed at the horns the beasts relied on to sense their surroundings.


    When everything was in place, I picked up my laser gun and fired two cluster bombs at the white tube. As the blinding flash erupted, I activated my suit''s automatic defensive system, awaiting for the substance within the white tube to spurt out.


    Exceeding my expectations, a big hole appeared from the explosion while the expected liquid was nowhere to be seen. Rather, the tubes in the hole hurriedly shrunk. Big and small, all the tubes withdrew like overstretched rubber. The small tubes disconnected from the white tube and withdrew into the ground.


    As for the white tube, it also withdrew into the big hole in the ceiling. Then, a thundering roar erupted from the newly opened hole. The roar rumbled in the cave, reaching a level far beyond the 800 decibels that was so common elsewhere on Jupiter II. It reached 2,000 decibels, and even my suit started shaking.


    The two beasts outside the cave appeared fearful upon hearing the loud noise. The big fellow in charge of sealing the cave even took a step back in fear, removing the leg blocking the exit. I immediately fired two flashbangs outside. The flashbangs first adhered to the tubes on the wall outside the cave before erupting with a blinding flash.


    Hissing sounds rang out as the smaller beast charged toward the flashbangs. I took the chance to dash out of the cave. From my back, my rifle unleashed a hail of tracking bullets toward their horns.


    "Everything is proceeding smoothly. I easily completed my escape," I mused in joy.


    But I had evidently underestimated the intelligence of these alien life forms. The bigger beast completely ignored the flashbangs. Rather, it raised its many rock-like limbs and brought them down toward me.


    The massive legs were akin to a curtain capable of covering the sky, also akin to numerous pillars of stone that slammed into my suit rapidly. Thankfully, my morph-capable suit''s powerful defense counteracted a majority of the impact. Meanwhile, my tracking bullets swerved through the many legs and struck the beast''s horn. Nevertheless, the beast had still been able to block many of the bullets with its legs.


    I could see that when the bullets struck the beast''s body, it was as though they were striking a cliff wall. Countless sparks erupted, and the broken parts of the legs rained down onto the ground. Evidently, the beast had a tough body. However, my automatic rifle was still able to damage it.


    ¡®My top priority is to escape this forest of legs around me. The big guy''s legs keep stomping on my suit, exhausting a large amount of energy. It does not seem like I can slip through either. If I continue wasting time here, it is only a matter of time before my suit runs out of juice,¡¯ I thought to myself. There was no other choice. My only option was one that would harm both my opponents and myself.


    This was my very first time being in combat. For someone as green as me, the only thing in my mind was solving everything with enough violence. Thus, I unhesitatingly took out the strongest weapon Blue had developed so far, a zero-radiation warhead.


    Detonating a warhead in such a small space would exhaust a large amount of my suit''s energy when shielding against the explosion, but due to my lack of combat experience, I couldn''t really think of a better plan.


    Taking out one of the two zero-radiation warheads I was equipped with, I fired it at the monster''s belly without any hesitation. Reality proved that although the warhead was effective, I seemed to have gone overboard as well.


    After a blinding flash and a deafening rumble, a massive mushroom cloud rose in the inner section of Jupiter II. Powerful shockwaves swept through an area of tens of square kilometers around the center of the explosion, rocking against the ceiling before bouncing back repeatedly, ravaging the environment. It would seem like nuclear power was still as powerful and majestic as ever.


    I activated my strongest nuclear defensive mode, creating a layer of shield outside my morph-capable suit. This was an extremely energy-exhaustive mode. Due to the massive damage caused by the warhead, I could feel the entire inner section of Jupiter II shaking violently.


    At that moment, a massive roar came out of the cave. I had a feeling that an even bigger crisis was coming. The bigger beast had taken the warhead''s blast right in its belly. Its hips were torn apart, and massive rock-like shells crumbled from its body like a landslide. However, the big beast proved tenacious as it was still alive. Since the big beast had taken on most of the explosion, the small beast beside it was able to survive with almost no damage.


    A shocking scene appeared. The small beast was hissing sorrowfully at the big beast when suddenly, it appeared frightened. It hurriedly lifted the big beast and fled before the mushroom cloud could even disperse.


    Loud sounds rumbled behind me, and when I turned, a massive force blasted the cave apart. I could feel an unprecedented pressure in the air as a sense of oppression descended upon me.


    I tried scanning with my probe, but oddly, apart from the damaged tubes, the scanner picked nothing up. The damaged tubes had already returned to the big parallel tube-tunnel, while the damaged big parallel tube-tunnel seemed to be self-repairing. The liquid or substance that I had expected to spray out of the tubes was nowhere to be seen.


    Apart from the tubes, the probe detected nothing. However, my intuition was telling me that there was a massive pressure in the air. A gigantic beast should be standing right before me, but for some reason, I couldn''t see anything.


    "This is too creepy. I can''t stay here any longer. I must leave,¡± I told myself.


    I lowered my head and checked my energy capacity. The suit had expended a large amount of energy when it had protected me from the explosion. It only had about 24 hours of supply left. While I was thinking about my energy usage, a massive force lifted me into the air and then pressed me to the ground.


    I could feel that a big hand was tightly grabbing my suit. I was pushed onto the soft mushy ground, then through it and deeper toward the endless abyss beneath it. My suit''s automatic defense activated, and my thrusters started firing in the opposite direction to free me from the mysterious force. However, the force was too strong, capable of disregarding all resistance. It was as though the hand of Buddha itself was holding me, pushing me deep into the abyss.


    I could feel that the suit was exhausting its energy rapidly as it resisted to no avail. Realizing the futility of resistance, I deactivated the thrusters, allowing the force to press me deep into the abyss.


    I turned on my built-in navigator. I knew that Jupiter II only had a diameter of 3,100 kilometers, and from the surface, we only needed to travel 1,550 kilometers to reach the core. I suddenly thought of a different idea. If I couldn''t get back to where I came from, I might as well borrow this force and reach the core before looking for other exits.


    Thus, having decided, I deactivated a majority of the suit''s functions to preserve energy. The laser probe was left active. Boundless darkness surrounded me as I descended. I seemed to have fallen into a world wrapped in an unknown dark substance, a singular force pushing me relentlessly downward.


    My map eventually indicated that I had descended 100 kilometers. Once again, I saw more parallel tube-tunnels. At the same time, I saw a group of life forms of differing sizes. There were about seven or eight in total, and they seemed to be in charge of protecting the tube-system.


    However, the pushing force did not stop. It rapidly pushed me through the tubes and brought me even deeper into the abyss. After passing by about seven or eight similar sights, I checked my map and saw that I had descended about 900 kilometers. It was at that point that I felt myself submerge into a liquid environment.


    Jupiter II''s underground sea. It was actually so deep, about 900 kilometers away from the icy surface.


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 CH 8

    The moment I dropped into the water, the force pushing me down vanished. Submerged in water, I was finally able to see a gigantic cloud-shaped object atop my body. Within the cloud-like object was an actual biological system. Unfortunately, my laser probe was unable to analyze the composition of the cloud-like object''s insides, nor was it able to send me an image of its insides.


    After pushing me into the water, the cloud departed rapidly and returned to the endless void above the body of water. The moment it left the water, it vanished entirely from my probe''s detection.


    After thinking back to all that had happened since our landing, I immediately realized that Jupiter II actually housed a life form with the shape of a cloud or perhaps many other shapes as well. These beings were invisible in the air, their shape and structural makeup undetectable to all their devices. Only when they were underwater would these beings be revealed. These invisible beings were also most likely the culprit for the constant jolts our vehicle suffered while we were driving around on the surface.


    With the cloud monster gone, I studied my surroundings. Compared to the world of tubes above, the sea seemed to be an organized world. With my probe, I could see countless life forms with biological compositions I had never seen before. All these life forms were moving about their daily lives in an orderly fashion.


    Under the water, I was freed from the constant noise in the tube-tunnels and the surface. The only thing I felt was peace as there was no sound whatsoever in the water. Surprisingly, the seawater had a temperature of 20 degrees, with a pressure of 2,600 atmosphere, surpassing that of Mariana Trench''s pressure of roughly 1,100 atmosphere. Of course, a pressure of this level might as well not exist before my highly advanced suit. All in all, entering the sea was akin to entering an entirely new world.


    All the life forms I detected seemed very well-organized. I could see a group of life forms that looked like two squares joined into one. They lined up in a row, leaving a gap of five meters between each other. Atop each of their heads was a red object. Thus, lined up, they left the water in an orderly fashion. It almost seemed like they were actually delivering the red objects somewhere. And the moment they left the water, they turned invisible.


    From a different direction, square life forms could be seen returning to the water. They were made visible the moment they were submerged. These returnees did not have the red objects on their heads. One group was leaving, and one group was returning. Regardless of their movements, they all originated from the very depths of the sea.


    There seemed to exist some disturbance in the sea, limiting my laser probe''s range to about a square kilometer around me. To learn more, I decided to explore around. I also aimed to figure out the origin of the reb objects.


    Energy supply remaining: 23 hours.


    As I traveled, I saw more and more different life forms. Sure, Blue also had numerous life forms in its sea, but for some reason, the life forms here all existed in geometric shapes. Furthermore, all of them seemed to be laboring without exception. Some were in charge of haulage, some were in charge of filtering, and some were in charge of production. It was as though they were all cogs and wheels of a massive organization.


    I saw triangular life forms staying still in the water while constantly releasing some sort of liquid substance from their long tails. I also saw cylindrical life forms that were constantly absorbing the liquid substance into their whisker-decorated mouths before releasing some sort of solidified objects from the other end of their cylindrical bodies.


    There was even a group of T-shaped life forms. These life forms were in charge of swallowing the solidified objects before swimming far away. Everything moved in a meaningful and organized manner, and everything repeated endlessly.


    Learning from my earlier mistake, I did not act rashly or even try to touch anything in the water. That way, I could prevent any sudden changes from happening. Meanwhile, my suit was faithfully recording the bizarre scene all around me.


    "I need to record all this and get a sample if there¡¯s a chance. If possible, I should also try to figure out the secrets of their invisibility," I decided. "If I do survive, this will all be converted into glorious achievements. If I fail to survive, those who come after me can benefit from what I gathered here. That should earn me a spot in the Interstellar Hero Memorial Hall."


    At that thought, I tried even harder to record everything I could. While I was busy observing and recording the underwater ecology of Jupiter II, a massive figure appeared behind me. Having detected the newcomer, my probe issued a warning to my headphones. At the same time, the image of a life form as big as an aircraft carrier leisurely swimming toward me appeared in my vision. It was less than 1,000 meters away from me.


    This life form slightly resembled a flood dragon from the legends of antiquity. It had a smooth triangle head, a square body filled with triangle spikes, and a cylindrical tail. A sphere was at the very end of the tail, and it almost looked like an engine of sorts, constantly releasing bursts of force to propel the massive creature forward.


    When the creature opened its massive mouth, two rows of smooth teeth that looked like toothbrushes could be seen. The toothbrush-like teeth seemed to be some sort of filter for the seawater. The filtered seawater would then proceed through the creature''s body before ejecting from its rear. In that way, the creature was pushed forward.


    I found myself right in the middle of the creature''s path. My alarm blazed, reminding me of an imminent collision and telling me to dodge. Not wanting to leave the water, I had my thruster bring me deeper into the sea. A massive pulling force appeared from the creature''s mouth, a force that the surrounding life forms seemed capable of nullifying for some reason, leaving me, the sole outsider, the only one vulnerable to the force.


    I hurriedly sent more power to my thrusters. Just as my entire vision was taken over by the gigantic mouth, I activated the underwater-burst function and barely moved out of the creature''s way. The creature seemed to have transformed into a sky above me as it slowly swam forward. I decided to dive deeper.


    "What a close call," I grumbled to myself. "I am definitely not interested in entering that giant''s stomach. God knows what''s in there."


    I continued diving in the soundless world of water. I could feel that the sea was completely calm, the peace here forming an extreme contrast to the world of loud noises above. While gathering some seawater samples, I discovered an individual life form. It was a tiny square life form that was somehow moving all by itself. Earlier, I had observed similar life forms that turned invisible after leaving the water. Since the ones I saw were all moving like they were part of some sort of system, I did not dare to lay my hands on any of them. Meanwhile, this tiny square was alone and was trying its best to swim upward.


    Take him as a sample and steal his secret of invisibility, was the idea that popped into my mind.


    I immediately acted on it. I took out a container meant for storing life and started approaching the little square from behind. It seemed completely oblivious. I then quickly captured the little creature with the container.


    ¡®This little fellow could very well be an invaluable treasure, I thought to myself. But my priority is still to leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, I won''t get any of the data I''ve gathered out of here or be able to enjoy the glory accompanying this accomplishment.¡¯


    At that thought, I became anxious. I continued diving deeper, heading toward the core at a rapid speed. I swam and swam within the pitch-black sea, and eventually, arrived at a depth of 1,500 kilometers from the surface.


    Along the way, I witnessed many life forms that I had never imagined existed. I could not understand how life came to evolve into such shapes. Some of the life forms existed in shapes that could be described with words. Some of the life forms, on the other hand, existed in shapes that I couldn''t even begin to process or describe with words, as though they were existences at the fourth dimension or beyond.


    The four-dimensional life forms constantly flickered everywhere, and each time they reappeared, their shape changed. It was almost like they were ghosts. At 1,300 kilometers below the surface, I stopped encountering any life.


    At 1,500 kilometers below the surface, I had reached as deep as the moon''s core. Interestingly, unlike Blue''s core, this core did not cause any disorientation in one''s senses. I could still clearly distinguish where up and down were.


    The deeper I went, the stronger the pressure. My suit''s energy drained at a rapid pace, and according to the suit, the pressure had reached 500,000 atmosphere. Of course, this was nothing compared to Blue''s core, with a pressure of 3.6 million atmosphere. That was a pressure capable of rapidly turning even the hardest diamond into liquid. Nevertheless, this was a terrifying enough pressure, considering I was underwater.


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    My suit was capable of withstanding a pressure of up to 4 million atmosphere, good enough to survive even Blue''s core. As for the temperature at this depth, it had increased to precisely zero degrees. This was a temperature where seas on Blue would start freezing, a relatively comfortable temperature still acceptable by Blue''s standards. But on Jupiter II, this was considered hot.


    Suddenly, my probe indicated that 300 kilometers ahead of me was a high-pressure zone, with pressure reaching 1.5 million atmosphere. This was seven times higher than the pressure Kangaroo had sustained from the invisible creatures at the surface.


    "With such pressure, that must be the very core of this moon. The answer to my escape might lie there," I told myself.


    A pressure of 1.5 million atmosphere, a distance of 300 kilometers to cover, and an energy capacity of 22 hours. I activated the suit''s rapid underwater movement mode. Under such high pressure, the suit''s energy was being drained rapidly. The distance of 300 kilometers I needed to traverse would also waste about an hour''s worth of energy from my suit.


    When I reached the destination, I became certain that I had reached the core of the moon through the data fed to my helmet by my probe.

 CH 9

    Jupiter II''s core seemed to exist in a state of chaos. The pressure at the core was massive, and unlike the complete darkness of the sea, the area around the core was a world of ash gray, which formed a clear contrast with the soundless sea. The moment I crossed the threshold of ash gray and darkness, the pressure around me instantly jumped to 1.5 million atmosphere.


    My laser probe was unable to detect any of the core''s structural makeup, but it was clear from my observation that the core was supposed to be constantly moving. In fact, the state in which the core existed had surpassed what our current technology could process in terms of form or makeup.


    For a moment, I felt at a loss. Of course, it was perfectly normal for a rookie interstellar explorer like me to not know what to do in this situation. I started scanning the massive chaos sphere, trying to find an entrance. At that moment, my probe suddenly beeped. According to the data feedback, a massive object was heading toward me at high speed.


    "What is it this time? Why is it so fast?" I cursed.


    I hurriedly turned on the various weapons I had on me and prepared for the incoming danger. But according to the probe, the newcomer was actually about the same size as me. That revelation stunned me.


    "Is that the team leader, perhaps?" I wondered.


    Before I knew it, the newcomer arrived.


    "Team Leader! Is that really you?" I grew excited. "You''re still alive?"


    Anyone who encountered a team member who was thought dead in such a situation would feel ecstatic. Due to the failure of our communication channel, I was the only one who heard me. However, with my laser probe, I was able to see Team Leader Chen Qiang''s bright eyes. He nodded at me and placed both his hands on my shoulders.


    Neither of us could hear the other, but the feeling of encountering a companion in such a hopeless situation was something no word could describe. In the world of interstellar explorers, this was basically a miracle.


    I was so excited I couldn''t keep still. The team leader gestured at me, but I couldn''t understand him. When I looked at where he was pointing, I realized that he was telling me to activate my five-dimensional analyzer.


    "Five-dimensional analyzer?" I wondered. "I did have the knowledge of quantum physics downloaded into my brain, but out in the physical world, what was the point of activating the five-dimensional analyzer?"


    Nevertheless, that was the team leader''s command, and all I needed to do was follow it. I obeyed. The moment I turned the device on, a whole new world was unveiled before my eyes.


    According to my downloaded knowledge, a five-dimensional space was defined as a space with five dimensions and was the basis of all existence in the universe. If interpreted physically, the five-dimensional space had more dimensions than the usual three spatial dimensions and the fourth dimension of time used in relativistic physics.


    The five-dimensional space was an abstract concept frequently encountered in mathematics. How would one feel when an abstract concept turned into reality, presented before your eyes? I finally understood why I couldn''t see the core with my naked eyes. That was because the naked eye was incapable of perceiving the fifth dimension.


    Based on the five-dimensional analyzer''s projection, the core was an ever-shifting thing, existing in the form of white light, its edges constantly changing between seven different colors.


    Time and space of the entire Jupiter II were presented upon the core''s different nodes. Even more astonishing was the fact that on each level of the core, a multitude of possibilities for an event was being played out. Every single second, countless changes could occur to every ice geyser on the surface.


    This was a body of overlapped time, a multidimensional world where countless alternate realities existed at the same time. Even within a single reality, there were still countless variations for each event.


    Different points in time, alternate universes, and space mingled together, constantly colliding against each other, branching into new timelines with each collision. Appearing, disappearing, again and again, a scene complicated beyond comprehension played out before me.


    Simply put, imagine that countless dimensions surrounded you, and countless alternate versions of you surrounded you. All versions of you constantly walked in different directions, and when the different versions collided, a new reality would open up. Meanwhile, what the core displayed was something on an infinitely larger scale, depicting the space and time of the entirety of Jupiter II.


    I felt myself going dizzy. I lowered my head to rest my overworked brain. A sight like this was complicated enough to hurt the brain of a Blueling. The people of Blue were still incapable of adapting to something of this level. Both my eyes and brain couldn''t take it.


    Suddenly, a thought surfaced in my mind, ¡®If all possibilities of Jupiter II are being depicted here, then both of us must be in there as well. And if there are countless alternatives to our fate, it is inevitable that there must be at least one where we are able to escape. If we can find it, we will be able to find our path out of here!¡¯


    ¡®Yes! That must be the case! That idea took root in my mind. But how should I find the alternate realities of myself and Chen Qiang from this five-dimensional space? The analyzer is only capable of visualizing this space, but it can''t search through it. There must be a way to search for what I need.¡¯


    When I glanced at Chen Qiang, I found that he was recording the core''s data with his analyzer. Truly worthy of being the team leader. He was much more dedicated to his job than I was. I was only busy thinking of escape while Chen Qiang was actually recording all possible timelines of Jupiter II as depicted by the five-dimensional core, attempting to uncover the secrets of the moon we''re on.


    Suddenly, Chen Qiang waved at me, gesturing at me to approach him. And when I went over and followed the team leader''s hand, I saw a scene of the north pole''s geyser spurting an unending stream of red, icy liquid onto the surface. And when I paid more attention to where the team leader was pointing, I saw a massive storm.


    Suddenly, I recalled what Xiaoming told us earlier. A storm was slowly approaching our drilling site from the north pole. The storm would arrive in about a hundred minutes. Using that as the benchmark, we could search the five-dimensional space for our initial location. From there, we could search for our current situation and the way out of this mess. Also, using the storm as a footnote in time, we could even search for Old Du and Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m such a genius!" I looked at Chen Qiang in excitement and started wildly gesturing at him.


    He nodded and patted my shoulder, gesturing that he had the same idea as well.


    ¡®Fine. In any case, I''m still a genius to reach the same conclusion as the team leader!¡¯ I comforted myself.


    Chen Qiang gestured for me to start scanning the five-dimensional space from different directions. He would be in charge of the upper and left portions, while I would be in charge of the bottom and right portions. We would communicate through our flashlights upon any discovery. Feeling myself going dizzy once again, I checked my energy supply. I had 20 hours left. After about 40 minutes of great perseverance, I found a timeline containing Old Du.


    "Found it!" I roared in excitement.


    Then, I saw countless alternate Old Dus. In the majority of the timelines, I saw a massive beast coming out of the storm. Shrouded in storm, lightning, and snow, it was akin to a fabled dragon god. It madly attacked Old Du as he alone resisted at the geyser, seemingly trying to lower the mechanical probe into the hole before it closed.


    "Old Du is truly a brother," I muttered as a warm current swirled in my heart. "He will be my brother for life!"


    From the various timelines, I saw countless possibilities. Old Du was sent flying, Old Du was skewered, Old Du was trampled upon, and even one with Old Du running away.


    "There must be one where I''m there!" I told myself.


    I immediately signaled Team Leader Chen Qiang. He rushed over, and from his gaze, I could feel that he had already found his answer. When he looked at the image sent to his helmet, he gestured at me to stay calm. That gesture did manage to loosen my taut nerves.


    After another gesture by the team leader, he started scanning the deeper part of the five-dimensional space with our analyzers. After a few minutes, the team leader suddenly pulled at me. When I looked at where he was pointing, I saw myself.


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    I saw myself dropping into Jupiter II''s interior upon the collapse of the geyser. In that timeline, I spent a long time searching for a way out to no avail. I observed the other alternate timelines, but I couldn''t find one where I managed to find a way out.


    I even saw Team Leader Chen Qiang''s timeline. He had fallen into a tube-tunnel even deeper than the one I was in. He alone fought three massive creatures, and he had eventually noticed the explosion I set off with my warhead. Only then did he start trying to move toward me.


    Still, it was pointless to look at the timeline of someone else. I continued looking at my own timelines. I saw myself battling the creature, and it turned out that in most of the timelines, I was the one to perish. Truly, my successful escape was all thanks to my genius improvisation.


    While I was feeling proud of myself, Chen Qiang pulled at me again, reminding me to stop looking at myself and focus on the task at hand. I hurriedly looked at where the captain was looking, and an astonishing scene was revealed before my eyes.

 CH 10

    I widened my eyes in shock. When I looked at Chen Qiang, he nodded. Perhaps he had already suspected this way earlier. He had merely been keeping his suspicion to himself. From this one timeline with an infinitely low probability of occurring, we were able to glimpse the secret of this celestial body.


    Team Leader Chen patted my shoulder before gesturing at me to be silent. He gestured that I shouldn''t say anything. He then pointed at his weapon compartment, specifically at the warhead''s compartment. The team leader had two warheads remaining. Coupled with the one I had left, there were three warheads at our disposal. Chen Qiang gestured at me to set up the three warheads in a triangular formation.


    The team leader also reminded me through hand signals to ensure that the resulting explosion would create a pressure not exceeding the critical point of 1.5 million atmosphere. There was a possibility that we would never leave the five-dimensional space alive.


    Thus, what we needed to do was set up a target before blasting the warheads into the five-dimensional space. As for what would result from it, well, that would be a gamble as to whether the timeline with infinitely low possibility of happening would actually happen.


    We agreed to regroup three hours later at the location of the final warhead. We started moving. Following the plan, I ran toward the first point. The core was oval in shape. It was rather peculiar, but I constantly saw timelines involving Old Du and Zhang Bao''er while I was heading toward my destination.


    I saw Old Du and Zhang Bao''er busy mounting a rescue operation with Mimas. They had arrived at the ice sheet zone, leaving the geyser zone. The enormous storm seemed to have passed. I also saw many other timelines where the rescue operation failed, the icy surface exploded, and many other possibilities. However, not one depicted the success of the rescue operation.


    While observing the timelines as if watching a movie, I arrived at my destination. This was it. The very gamble that determined whether we could leave this place. I activated the warhead and tossed it into the five-dimensional world as per our plan. Instantly, the warhead sank into the world of infinite possibilities. After several seconds, the warhead appeared in numerous timelines projected by the core.


    I then rushed toward my next destination. An hour and a half later, I arrived. Team Leader Chen Qiang was already done with his warheads and was there waiting for me. Communicating through hand signals, Chen Qiang nodded at me. We then activated our thrusters at the same time, shooting upward at the fastest speed possible. Our next target was the carrier-sized creature.


    Searching for an aircraft carrier within an area 1,200 kilometers wide had exceeded the difficulty the US army faced when they searched for the Japanese fleet during the Battle of Midway. Fortunately, we had the help of our laser probes. As for the warheads, we had set them to detonate after three hours, which meant that we had to locate our quarry within three hours.


    We searched madly, scanning our surroundings unceasingly. One second after another, time passed. The clock ticked, and the warhead detonation was near.


    "What the hell? Where did that stupid fish go?" I cursed.


    If we couldn''t locate it, the timeline with an infinitely small probability of occurring would not come to be. Before we realized it, two hours and fifty minutes had passed.


    "It''s over. It''s over. I, Li Canyue, am running out of time," I couldn''t help but become nervous. "Looks like we won''t be able to find it."


    I shook my head at Chen Qiang to indicate the failure of my search. When the team leader sensed my mood, he patted my shoulder comfortingly.


    I understood his implication. "The time has come for me to sacrifice for the motherland. As an interstellar explorer, I should be ready to die. I bid you eternal farewell, Father and Mother."


    When I raised my head next, a massive shadow loomed above.


    "Goodness, this joy has arrived so abruptly. It refused to be found when we were searching. Why is it suddenly here?" I wondered. "Invisibility. The invisibility ability must be the culprit. This fellow can turn invisible. I must make sure to not lose him again."


    With five minutes left, the team leader signaled at me to follow the creature closely. We activated our gecko gloves and stuck our limbs on the creature''s back, fixing us tightly to the monstrous creature. While the team leader wasn''t paying attention, I took the chance to extract a sample from the back of the creature.


    "Invisibility is such an incredible ability to have. I need to procure it for myself, hahaha!" Despite my still uncertain fate, I was able to laugh at myself.


    Ten seconds before the explosion, we checked our energy supply: 16 hours left!


    Then, a blinding sun bloomed inside the moon''s core. The detonation of three nuclear warheads was bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. To be precise, it was the explosion of 3,000, or 300,000, or even 300 million nuclear warheads across numerous timelines.


    The three actual, physical warheads exploded, damaging the five-dimensional space. The explosions tore across the many alternate realities, reducing the five-dimensional space into a four-dimensional space. In a four-dimensional state, time no longer existed in parallels, leaving only a singular timeline behind.


    The timeline with an infinitely small probability of appearing had arrived! The core and even the entire Jupiter II shook violently. The calm sea churned, while the many tubes dropped down into the sea.


    The invisibility of countless objects was dispelled. The previously empty space became filled with numerous objects, freshly reduced into four-dimensional objects from five-dimensional objects. The many creatures, big and small, started entering the objects in an orderly fashion, as though they were grains returning to the granary.


    The entire world rocked as seawater, rocks, and chunks of ice rained down like rain. It was as though the moon was on the brink of crumbling apart. Numerous massive rocks broke off within the moon''s crust and pierced through the surface. It was an apocalyptic scene, as though two celestial bodies had collided.


    Both Chen Qiang and I turned our suits'' defensive functions to the maximum capacity. Facing the detonation of countless warheads, our energy supply drained rapidly. In the blink of an eye, we only had less than 2 hours'' worth of energy left.


    "It''s over, it''s over. This explosion is too strong. We don''t have enough energy to protect ourselves. Once out of energy, we will turn into vapor in less than 0.1 seconds. My god, I don''t think a second miracle will occur," I told myself.


    However, it would seem like I, Li Canyue, would not meet my end just yet. As massive boulders rained down all around us, rays of light appeared in our vision, and Jupiter itself became vaguely visible to us.


    "The sky!" I cried out.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?" Old Du''s anxious voice rang out in my earpiece.


    "Yes! Yes! Old Du, I heard you!" I replied loudly.


    I grew emotional upon hearing Old Du''s voice. I could feel that help was not far away.


    "The moon has suddenly exploded. We can hear you, but we can''t pinpoint your location yet," Old Du said anxiously.


    "Team leader, why can''t they pinpoint our location?" I asked Chen Qiang.


    "Because time has yet to realign fully. The critical point in time has yet to come. We''re not actually on the same timeline," came the team leader''s reply.


    "This is too confusing for my brain," I grumbled.


    Chen Qiang did not have the time to give me a more detailed explanation. Instead, he ordered Dodo and Old Du to keep trying to pinpoint our location. Suddenly, countless five-dimensional projections erupted from the core. The history of the universe and the Solar System played out before us in full glory.


    I bore witness to the dawn of the Solar System and the growth of the various celestial bodies, including Blue. Then, 4.5 billion years ago, a young Blue collided against the ancient planet Theia, ultimately giving rise to the current Blue. Part of the debris from the collision also proceeded to form the moon orbiting Blue.


    I saw the ancient Mars, a world lush with life, high mountains, and flowing rivers. On the other hand, the young Jupiter actually existed in the form of twin planets. Ultimately, the twins collided, creating massive shockwaves that swept through Mars, extinguishing all life on it. From that collision, the massive Jupiter we knew today formed.


    Scene after scene appeared before me, memories from antiquity that had been faithfully recorded by the five-dimensional core, proving that the core had actually existed for at least 4.5 billion years. Suddenly, a dazzling ray of light appeared before us. The creature opened its mouth, and below its mouth was where the ray of light had come from.


    "This is our chance! Canyue, stick with me!" shouted Chen Qiang.


    I followed closely behind him as we rushed into the creature''s mouth.


    "Team leader, coordinates determined. We will arrive in 30 seconds," a voice rang out in our earpieces.


    I felt my eyes glaze over while my body felt like it was passing through a layer of mushy substance. Only after the event did I know that the mushy sensation was the sensation of time made physical brushing against me. After traveling through time itself, we arrived at our initial timeline.


    "The genius Li Canyue is back! Hahahahahaha!" Having survived the disastrous encounter, I couldn''t help but shout in an exaggerated manner, completely forgetting that the crew on Saturn and Blue could hear every word spoken. That was embarrassing.


    Mimas soon reached us. I saw the anxious eyes of Old Du and Zhang Bao''er, who were in the cockpit. Mimas''s rescue arm then hurriedly brought us back into the vessel.


    "Canyue, I¡¯ve missed you to death!" Inside, Old Du and Zhang Bao''er jumped on me. The three of us hugged each other tightly, emotions filling our hearts.


    "Dodo, leave immediately. This moon is in an extremely unstable and dangerous state," said Chen Qiang.


    Dodo obeyed and brought Mimas back to the sky. Below us, icebergs crumbled and stones flew everywhere. Dodo and Maerdo, who were in charge of piloting Mimas, activated manual flight and moved the vessel deftly, avoiding the many debris flying about in the air. The vessel soared rapidly, quickly reaching an altitude of 30,000 meters above the surface.


    At this time, I could finally see the entirety of Jupiter II with my naked eyes. Jupiter II started collapsing from within. It split open, and eight massive cylindrical stones split out of it, as though they were the pillars of the creation of legends. The north and south poles became massive geysers, constantly spurting out gigantic streams that reached far above the moon. The very end of these streams reached even Jupiter itself. The spherical moon transformed into an irregular shape akin to a wriggling worm.


    And at the head of this "worm," I saw an eye. The eye was small when compared to the moon itself. The "eye" I saw was the massive creature we had used to escape. The spot where the eye was seen was actually the spot of a degenerated eye.


    "The entire Jupiter II is actually a creature," I mumbled.


    "That''s right. This is an ancient creature," Chen Qiang replied. "I started suspecting this soon after entering the inner part of Jupiter II. The many things we saw down there hinted at the fact that we had fallen into the body of a massive creature. Now, it is proven that the moon is a frozen creature that has been slumbering for many years. Utilizing Jupiter''s gravitational force, it maintained the functions of its five-dimensional heart as the creature hibernated."


    "This is not scientific at all," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Nothing is absolute in the boundless universe," said Chen Qiang. "The creatures we have seen in there are actually part of the biological system serving and keeping this creature alive. When we saw a scene with only one in a million chance of occurring, we forced it to occur with our warheads. After detonating the warhead, we escaped through its degenerated eye. Because the eyes had degenerated, the creature did not have any protective mechanisms. That was our sole path of escape."


    Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were filled with astonishment after hearing the tale. Their mouths were stuck agape. At this time, a piercing hiss rang out as Jupiter II stretched its body and started swimming into the boundless universe, leaving countless debris, ice chunks, and rocks floating where the moon used to be.


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    Just like that, a moon had transformed into a living creature before vanishing before our eyes. A moon was actually a living creature. I was having a hard time convincing my brain that all this was actually happening.


    I was one who had seen the timeline with a one-in-a-million chance to occur, but Chen Qiang had forbidden me from revealing what I had seen. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and Maerdo did not have the luxury of seeing what I had seen. Thus, the sight of a moon-turned-creature swimming away into the universe was completely unbelievable.


    I slumped onto the floor. This trip had been too tiring. I almost felt like I had died. When I thought back to all that I had experienced, everything felt like a dream.

 CH 11

    We returned to Saturn, and on the mothership, our return was welcomed in a ceremonious manner. Chen Qiang and I handed over all the samples we had gathered. We even gave a detailed account of our experiences. We then smoothly returned to Blue. The League Exploration Headquarters held a grand welcoming ceremony for us. I saw my father and mother present. Everyone was happy that I had returned alive.


    I then spent several days resting at home. Over the past few days, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had been harassing me without end for stories of my experience. Zhang Bao''er, in particular, had been bragging by retelling my story as his own experience, gaining fame for himself within his family.


    Everyone was in disbelief whenever the story reached the part about five-dimensional existences. A human brain was simply not equipped to even imagine what a five-dimensional existence looked like. We still had much evolving to do.


    A few days later, the analysis of our samples and account was done. The headquarters had named the massive creature Primal.


    According to our experts, Primal was a drifting creature that had arrived from other stellar systems in the Milky Way during the inception of the Solar System. Initially, it drifted about in the Solar System. Upon approaching Jupiter, it affixed itself to the planet''s orbit. It used Jupiter to protect itself from meteors and asteroids and started hibernating.


    A conclusion was also reached that the previous conjecture of Jupiter II being a young celestial body was wrong. From its stored memories, it was an ancient creature probably as old as the sun.


    The spraying holes at the north and south poles were probably the cloacae of the creature while the other spraying holes were its pores and sweat glands. As they endlessly secreted excrement out of the creature''s body, the creature became covered in waste after a long period of time. And thanks to Jupiter''s gravity, the waste eventually took a spherical form. The famous red streaks of the moon were actually the blood vessels of Primal, and Fe did exist in its blood. At the moment, the exact quantity of blood Primal had was still unknown.


    As for the so-called invisibility, it was a unique state of a five-dimensional being. In order to obtain the secrets of invisibility, we required a complete five-dimensional specimen so that comparisons could be made between our system and the five-dimensional system. Compared to iron, invisibility was evidently much more important for the league. Thus, new ships had been sent after Primal.


    As for the crew members of Saturn, all of us were on holiday. Due to the impactful discovery of our exploration, the entire crew had been awarded. Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and I were promoted by a single rank, becoming middle-ranked officers in the army. Since I had gone deep into Jupiter II to gather all these samples, I was further awarded the Silver Star Medal. As for Chen Qiang, he was awarded a higher-tier medal, the Golden Star Medal.


    Holidays were always comfortable. And without knowing it, two weeks passed. While resting, we did not forget to participate in the numerous maintenance jobs on Saturn to further increase our work experience.


    One day, while I was still lazing about on my bed, I received the order to return to the ship. I jumped off my bed, dressed myself, and rushed to the gathering point. Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had arrived before me. I hurriedly returned to my unit.


    Captain Angela could be seen standing in front of everyone with a solemn expression. Beside her was a young woman who was apparently a major. From her suit, she seemed incredibly impressive and capable. However, her complexion also looked wan and sallow.


    "Warriors, we have an urgent situation today. The headquarters suddenly lost all contact with the Milky Way Ship in charge of exploring the planet Sirius I at the Sirius System for minerals at about 5 billion kilometers away from the Sirius System. The person piloting the ship was the renowned Captain Zhang Han. The woman beside me is his daughter, Miss Zhang Xingxing," introduced Captain Angela. "This is an emergency, and the headquarters needs us to set off immediately and mount a rescue operation. Major Zhang Xingxing will be joining us in this operation. It has been ten hours since the ship''s disappearance. Everyone, ready up. We will depart in one hour."


    "Captain Zhang Han? That''s a living legend," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah. His footsteps can be found in Mars, Saturn I, Triton, other neighboring stellar systems, the Algol System, the Seven Sisters, the Nubecula Major, and even the Andromeda Galaxy. His most successful exploration involves the discovery of a stage-5 star with a high density of pure iron. From this discovery, he had discovered enough iron to fulfill the league''s energy requirement for three whole years. I would never expect someone like him to go missing at Sirius," said Old Du.


    "He went missing once at Andromeda before," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah. At the time, Captain Zhang Han wanted to explore Andromeda''s black heart (Andromeda''s black hole) and almost perished. Subsequently, the rescue personnel found him near the black hole," said Old Du.


    "I wonder what''s the reason for his disappearance this time? It must be pretty serious," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. It''s obvious from his daughter''s expression," I said. "Get ready, guys. We''re going to perform the wormhole jump in a bit."


    Once, I yearned greatly to leave the Solar System. Unexpectedly, the moment had come just like that. After experiencing the harsh Jupiter II incident, I should have stayed calm despite how novel all this was, but I still couldn''t stop myself from feeling excited when I was about to perform a wormhole jump and see the universe outside the Solar System with my very own eyes.


    Without a doubt, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were as excited as me. This was especially true for Zhang Bao''er whose excitement was written all over his face. It was as though he wouldn''t be satisfied before exploring the entirety of the universe.


    Sirius, the brightest fixed star visible in Blue''s sky with a visual apparent magnitude of 1.5, was a binary star system in the Canis Major constellation. The main-sequence star in the Sirius System was known as Sirius A, a whitish blue star. It was slightly bigger and much hotter than the sun. It was 8.6 light-years away from the Solar System.


    Its companion star was known as Sirius B, a white dwarf with a mass slightly higher and a diameter much smaller than the sun. Together, the main star and the companion star orbited each other.


    In 2091, the Hans telescope discovered a planet in Sirius A''s orbit. Probes indicated that the planet might be rich in iron. Thus, the league sent the experienced explorer, Captain Zhang, to explore the newly discovered planet. Surprisingly, an accident had happened right after he reached the Sirius System.


    Our preparation time was over before we knew it. All crew members had arrived at their posts, and Saturn soared into the sky, entered the atmosphere, and flew toward the moon. About 30,000 kilometers above the moon, the wormhole was waiting.


    For the few of us, this was our first wormhole-jump experience. Zhang Bao''er was so nervous that he tightly gripped the handrails of his seat.


    The countdown started: three, two, one¡­launch!


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    With one command, our ship leaped into the wormhole. The hull shook violently before the flight smoothed out. The stars and the universe outside the window seemed to fuse into a glossy wall of light as we traversed the wormhole. About three hours later, with a jolt, Saturn arrived somewhere else. For the very first time, we had left the Solar System and come to the Sirius System.


    ''Voyager 1 had taken 37 years to leave the Solar System while we only took 3 hours. I hereby offer my respect to the pioneers of stellar exploration who were from Blue,'' I chanted inwardly.

 CH 12

    The wormhole had delivered us to a safe distance of 12 billion kilometers away from the Sirius System. There, the brightest star in the night sky could be clearly seen. The main-sequence star was a giant blue star with a volume equivalent to about five suns. Its entire body glowed with a bright bluish-white radiance, and one could almost mistake it for a massive, boiling white moon in the night sky.


    A mesmerizing blue halo surrounded the star, and the central and white part of the star roiled violently due to the nuclear reaction within. Countless white particles of an extreme temperature surged like an endless volcanic eruption, creating something similar to solar flares that reached as far as hundreds of millions of kilometers from the star. The loud explosions could be heard as far as 2 billion kilometers away.


    When we three laid eyes on Jupiter, we felt fear. But compared to the star before us, Jupiter was nothing. About 3 billion kilometers away from Sirius A was the companion star, Sirius B, a white dwarf. It was dark red in color and was about the size of Blue. Compared to the berserk Sirius A, the companion star seemed unnaturally calm. The two celestial bodies slowly moved in accordance with their orbits. Before these majestic celestial bodies, everything, including time itself, seemed to have stopped moving.


    After receiving the notification about the pre-mission meeting, we went to the meeting room. There, Captain Angela and Chief Maerdo were laying out the mission arrangements.


    Chief Maerdo said, "Captain Zhang Han went silent about 8 billion kilometers from Sirius B''s orbit. That place is near the boundary of Sirius B''s escape velocity. We are to perform a detailed search at the area between 6 billion kilometers and 8 billion kilometers from the star and return with either clues or our missing comrade. This operation is code-named White Storm."


    "White Storm? Since we''re at Sirius, why not Blue Storm instead?" muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Sirius B''s surface temperature reaches 10,000 degrees, and its surface pressure is 190,000 times higher than Blue''s, with constant electromagnetic storms around the surface. from these storms, we discovered a consistent pattern of electromagnetic waves. This will be one of the clues that can help us in our search and rescue operation. Remember, do not go nearer than 5 billion kilometers from the star at all costs. That is the nearest we can get safely. Any farther and the massive gravity of the white dwarf will pull your ship into it. You won''t be able to escape. Mimas I and Mimas II will be the modes of transportation for the two teams moving out," said Maerdo.


    Then, Captain Angela named the team members. "First team will be headed by Major Zhang Xingxing, with team members Li Canyue, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and Dodo. The second team will be headed by Lieutenant Colonel Chen Qiang, with team members Maerdo, Xiaoming, Li Dahai, and Jiajia. Everything is ready. The operation shall commence now."


    "How little do they think of us to have a young lass lead us? Have they forgotten that we''re the genius explorers of Jupiter II?" mumbled the three of us.


    We weren''t too happy about our leader, but rank was everything in the military. We had to obey our orders. With everything ready, the two shuttle ships were launched from the mothership.


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    "Dodo and I will be in charge of piloting. Canyue and Old Du will be in charge of scanning our surroundings. Bao''er will be in charge of security," commanded Leader Xingxing.


    I immediately started scanning our surroundings with the laser probe. Compared to Sirius A, Sirius B was much less dazzling. Despite this, my gut was telling me that a great danger was hidden within this star.


    Everyone started carrying out their tasks faithfully. Due to the large area we needed to search, it took us 24 hours before we covered our assigned area. No wreckage was found, and no signals were picked up either. Chen Qiang''s Mimas II found nothing either. Everyone was weary after the long search, but our leader, Zhang Xingxing, did not intend to stop. She, Maerdo, and Chen Qiang started discussing the next course of action.


    Meanwhile, us three brothers slumped lazily in our seats. Zhang Bao''er even started snoring while Old Du was deep in thought.


    Suddenly, Old Du said, "Those electromagnetic waves! We only scanned Sirius B''s surface earlier. What if the patterns are actually distress signals or signals of some other intelligent life forms? How did they overcome the surface pressure? Is it possible that the pressure is one-sided and one will be fine after going through the surface? You know, a shield for the life forms within like Blue''s atmosphere?"


    "That is possible," Dodo joined in. The android still looked as simple-minded as ever.


    Dodo continued, "In Mali, West Africa, there is a tribe called the Dogon. According to one of their legends, a high-level intelligent life form lived on the faraway Sirius II. The Dogon named this life form the Nommo. After arriving at Blue, the Nommo landed at the Dogon tribe and imparted upon them a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to astronomy, medicine, and warfare."


    "Take that legend with a grain of salt. If the Dogon were really so incredible, they would have conquered Blue in its entirety long ago," Zhang Bao''er retorted. Our conversation seemed to have awakened him from his nap.


    Dodo glanced at Zhang Bao''er with their robotic eyes and said, "Sirius B is known to them as Po Tolo, and in their language, po means smallest seed and tolo means star. They also believe that Sirius B is the heaviest star and is white in color. In other words, they have accurately described the three characteristics of this star. Small, heavy, and white, since Sirius B is indeed a white dwarf."


    "When did the scientists on Blue discover Sirius B?" asked Old Du.


    "1844," Dodo replied. "The German astronomer, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, deduced from the changes in the proper motion of Sirius that it had an unseen companion. Further studies revealed that it had a companion star with an orbital year of 50 years."


    Dodo paused shortly before continuing, "In 1862, Alvan Graham Clark and his father, Alvan Clark, saw the companion star with their self-manufactured telescope. After years of advancement in astronomy instruments, humanity finally concluded in 1928 that the companion star was a small white dwarf with a high mass. The first picture of the star was taken in 1970."


    Old Du said, "In this aspect, Blue''s technology had truly progressed rapidly. At Gliese, we had been gazing at Sirius for a very long time. Unfortunately, without advanced telescope technology, we had assumed that Sirius was an active fixed star. We did not realize that it actually had a companion star."


    "The primitive Dogon obviously do not have access to these advanced telescopes. In that case, how did they learn of the companion star?" I asked.


    "That might be the question we need to answer this time," said Old Du.


    Dodo continued the lecture, "It''s not that simple. The Dogon even managed to draw out the orbit trajectory of the companion star with high accuracy. According to the Dogon, the companion star has an orbital period of 50 years. The Dogon also believed that there is a third star called Amma, with a planet orbiting the star."


    "Amma? Isn''t that the other name for Sirius I, the planet we suspect has a high amount of iron?" I asked.


    "Exactly," answered Dodo.


    "This is inconceivable," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed. "Sure, they can probably discover the two stars. But with how bright the stars are, how did they manage to discover the planet?"


    "In the ancient records of the Dogon, their ancestors described that their knowledge of astronomy was learned from the Nommo, not from their own observation. More importantly, they also claimed that the Nommo came from the northeast of their ancestral lands. The Nommo arrived in an ark that spun as it descended with great noise and wind, leaving great marks on the ground. The Nommo was an ugly, amphibious life form resembling mermen and mermaids that live in water. The legends of the Nommo frequently appear in the drawings and dances of the Dogon," explained Dodo.


    ¡®So did the Dogon really gain their incredible knowledge of the stars from the intelligent life form of Sirius? Did a Sirius spaceship really visit Blue in the past? If not, how had the Dogon learned of Sirius? Legends aren''t supposed to be so accurate, right?¡¯


    I told myself in excitement, ''The researchers of Blue have been perplexed by these questions for many years. But if Sirius B really contains extraterrestrial life forms, that will be good news for our search and rescue mission. Not only can we find more clues of the captain through the aliens, but we can also even solve an unanswered question in science. Furthermore, the name Li Canyue shall grace yet another chapter in the history of stellar exploration.''


    "Dodo, bring the ship to 5 billion kilometers from the star," Zhang Xingxing commanded firmly.


    ''I knew it,'' I told myself.


    ''Zhang Xingxing definitely isn''t going to give up. With our fruitless search, she will definitely search closer to the star. That''s understandable. If it were my father lost, I would have done the same as well. In that case, I''ll just have to do my best,'' I encouraged myself.

 CH 13

    Under the leader''s command, our ship went as near as 5 billion kilometers from the star. That was the limit of the escape velocity from the star. Anything past this point would be sucked toward the star by the star''s powerful gravitational pull.


    We all knew that a white dwarf was a result of the decline of a fixed star, a prelude to black hole.[1] As the star declined, its gravitational pull would only grow stronger. The league''s technology had reached a level where we could brazenly explore the various planets, but a star was an entirely different case. Regardless of the stage a star was in, it would remain a force of nature, a forbidden zone of all life.


    We started searching in the new search zone. After more than 6 hours, Old Du suddenly exclaimed, "A flying object has been discovered! A flying object has been discovered!"


    We all looked at Old Du''s discovery. Sure enough, an escape pod could be seen. The pod was a pleasant sight, as at the very least, it proved that all our efforts weren''t pointless.


    "It''s Milky Way''s escape pod," said Dodo.


    "Get closer immediately," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "Milky Way''s escape pod, this is Mimas I. We''re the rescue team. Please reply if you hear me. Please reply if you hear me," Zhang Xingxing spoke repeatedly into the communicator.


    However, no reply came. It was unknown if the person in the pod was still alive.


    "Approach it," commanded the leader decisively. At the same time, she also commanded Dodo to update Chen Qiang and Angela on the discovery.


    As we approached the pod, we saw no movement coming from it. We sent our docking bridge over, and while waiting, we looked at the pod through our windows. However, we saw nothing. Our laser probe did not indicate any signs of life in the pod either.


    "I''ll go with Canyue," Zhang Xingxing said.


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    "Roger," I replied.


    When the docking bridge finished attaching to the pod, the door opened. Both of us stepped into the pod. There were three rooms in the pod. In the outer and middle rooms, everything was arranged neatly, as though nobody had been there before. When we scanned the rooms, we found nothing.


    "Check the monitoring records in the inner cabin and see what happened exactly," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We rushed to the inner cabin''s door, but we found with surprise that the door had been locked from the inside.


    "Is anyone inside?" I asked.


    I looked at Zhang Xingxing and found that she looked even more nervous than me. The door and the speech command system were fully locked, leaving Zhang Xingxing with no choice but to knock on the door. She hoped to at least get some response from within, but only silence answered us. Our probe was still showing no signs of life.


    "Canyue, blow the door out with directional blasting," commanded the team leader.


    As ordered, I installed the directional cluster bomb on the door. Then, we retreated back to the middle cabin. With an oppressive boom, the door opened.


    Just to be safe, I took out my gun and stepped into the inner cabin before Zhang Xingxing. It was completely dark inside, so I turned on my lighting equipment in a well-practiced manner. The inner cabin was messy, as though someone had intentionally damaged it. But after a search, I still failed to detect any signs of life or any other trails.


    "It''s safe," I said.


    The team leader immediately entered and turned on the monitoring device. The screen only showed a sheet of white. Evidently, the video portion of the recording had been damaged.


    However, the audio still worked. The voice from the final minutes of the ship rang out: "Captain, captain, we lost all power and are rapidly approaching the companion star."


    "Prepare the escape pod. Try to see if we can catapult it to a safe distance."


    "The pod has been shot out. From its energy readings, it will be able to barely reach a safe distance."


    "Captain, the outer sensor indicated that we will enter the atmosphere of the companion star. The pressure is too strong. None of our signals can be sent out anymore. We have lost all contact with the headquarters."


    "Cassie, why didn''t you board the pod?"


    "I want to face all danger with the crew."


    "Sigh, foolish girl."


    "Everything has been installed. Don''t worry, Zhang Han. I will accompany you till the end."


    "Captain, captain, we are encountering an unknown situation."


    "Di! Di! Di! Di!" The recording ended.


    "Father. Aunt Cassie," Zhang Xingxing''s eyes brimmed with tears when she heard her father''s voice. "Looks like Aunt Cassie had given up the chance to escape in order to accompany Father."


    I wanted to comfort her, but I had no idea what to do since I had very little experience with women.


    While I was hesitating, Zhang Xingxing lifted her head with determination in her eyes. "Aunt Cassie mentioned that everything has been installed! Canyue, search around! Try to find the things Aunt Cassie left behind," said the leader.


    "Yes!" I replied. After seeing how calm she remained, my respect for her grew.


    We carpet-searched the pod. From the freezer compartment, I found a black hexagonal case.


    "Is this it?" I asked.


    Zhang Xingxing rushed over. The case was pitch-black, with delicate patterns carved on its surface. The design resembled the starry sky with clouds, and we could see that the case was actually three components being closely assembled together. However, we couldn''t find a way to open the case.


    "This must be it! Return to Mimas I and look for a way to open it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    And thus, we returned to Mimas I. Old Du studied the box, but he didn''t find anything.


    After Dodo scanned the box, it said, "This case is composed of an element unknown to us. It was made of a material we have yet to discover."


    Even after spending a long time thinking, Old Du couldn''t discover how to open the case. "This case is probably something that can''t be opened with force. It is most likely an insurance installation. Only by opening it correctly would the things within be preserved," opined Old Du.


    We nodded in agreement.


    "Are we sure that this thing here can only be a case? A container for something else?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked.


    That made me realize something. "Zhang Bao''er, oh, Zhang Bao''er, we have truly underestimated you. It seems like, at times, great intelligence may appear to be stupidity."


    An alien object like this could not be judged with our common sense. I lifted the case, and we started to study the case carefully.


    "The pattern on the case is a map. That might be a clue," I said.


    Hearing that, Dodo instantly scanned the case and duplicated the patterns onto the screen.


    "Well done, Canyue!" Zhang Xingxing suddenly praised me.


    A sense of pride rose involuntarily in me, and I smugly thought, ''So for scenarios like this, they still have to rely on my genius brain, heheheh.''


    A star chart could be seen on the screen. The Sirius System was easily recognizable due to the two stars that orbited each other. Additionally, there were four smaller celestial bodies depicted to the left and right of the two stars. Beneath the two stars were numerous clouds, and beneath the clouds seemed to be a sea and a forest. Beside the forest and the sea was a massive path. And beside the path were numerous circles. One of the circles had a square in it.


    "So what does this mean? This seems like a map," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, I think it''s a map, too," said Old Du.


    Everyone agreed that it was a map, but it was also crucial for us to actually decipher it.


    "Can I say something?" I asked.


    "Spit it out," said the leader.


    "In my opinion," I started. "The two bigger celestial bodies are definitely the two stars of the Sirius System. As for the four smaller celestial bodies, they are probably the planets orbiting Sirius A. We have already discovered Sirius I. There might be a Sirius II, Sirius III, and Sirius IV yet to be discovered.


    "The clouds probably symbolize a protective layer akin to an atmosphere or something. The forest and sea are probably something you can find on one of the planets. As for the path and the circles, the path may be a trajectory while the circles might be spaceships."


    In truth, the part with the path and circles was beyond my understanding. I was basically creating my theory out of thin air.


    "I agree. But since there are four planets, which planet does this map refer to? Also, we have only discovered Sirius I so far. Where are the other three planets?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    ''Are there a lot of planets around?'' mumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "In that case, let''s return to the mothership to further analyze the case. We don''t have enough brain power here to solve this," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We obeyed and prepared to return. An hour later, everyone was gathered in Saturn''s meeting room.


    1. White dwarfs can''t transform to black holes as far as we know. I don''t know if this is simply an author''s mistake or intentional, but it doesn''t really affect the story much. ?

 CH 14

    As Chief Technician Maerdo studied the hexagonal case in his hand, he said, "This is a case with a very long history. It can probably be opened as well. I think the patterns are actually the code to open it."


    "How accurate is Canyue''s guess?" asked Angela.


    "Mostly accurate, but we have one big issue," replied Maerdo.


    "What is it?" asked Zhang Xingxing nervously.


    "Before exploring the planets in the Sirius System, the league had scanned everything within the stars'' safe distance. The system is 3.5 light-years in diameter, while the league had spent eight years scanning the system. The only planet we found was Sirius I. If there are three other planets, let''s not even speculate if they actually exist. If we intend to perform a more detailed scan for those planets with Saturn''s technology level, we will need thousands of years," said Maerdo.


    Zhang Xingxing slumped into her chair. In short, the search and rescue operation would not succeed.


    "I have a different opinion," Chen Qiang suddenly said.


    Everyone looked at Chen Qiang. Zhang Xingxing, in particular, had a look of reignited hope in her eyes.


    "What if the four circles don''t actually represent planets? What if they represent something else entirely? We can all see the path on the map. Perhaps it''s a spatial tunnel or something like a wormhole? In that case, we can answer why there is only one planet here. But why are there four planets on the map?" asked Chen Qiang. "If this case was made for the purpose of transmitting information, there is no point in setting unnecessary and misleading targets on it. Perhaps these circles mean something else as well."


    Everyone nodded. What did the circles mean, then? Everyone started voicing their thoughts. Some said that the circles referred to the biggest fixed stars of Canis Major, and some said they were comets, but no one could provide a convincing conclusion.


    Meanwhile, my comrade, Zhang Bao''er, and I stayed out of the speculation like usual. Lounging comfortably on his seat with his legs crossed, Zhang Bao''er had an expression of someone who knew everything as he said to Old Du, "A bunch of chirping birds, but none of them is an actual expert at this. In the end, it will still come down to the few actually important people to solve the puzzle. Let''s not waste our energy on this."


    Old Du agreed, so he slumped down and started resting like Zhang Bao''er.


    "These lazy fellows," I muttered.


    For some reason, I suddenly found myself wanting to help Zhang Xingxing solve this puzzle. I wanted to help her find her father. It was as though a sense of honor in me was telling me to help her.


    "A bunch of fools. A bunch of fools!" Zhang Bao''er continued prattling.


    That might not be Zhang Bao''er''s intention, but a thought appeared in my mind when I heard his words. ''Zhang Bao''er is truly a genius!''


    "I understand!" I shouted.


    Everyone looked at me, including Zhang Xingxing and her hopeful eyes.


    "Canyue, don''t make a fool of yourself," Zhang Bao''er hurriedly pulled at me.


    "I think that the four circles might not be planets. They are probably four individuals. These are the individuals that will arrive at the forest and sea. This map might be a prophecy!" I declared confidently.


    Everyone widened their eyes. Maerdo nodded, while even more hope covered Zhang Xingxing''s face.


    "You''re a genius, Li Canyue!" Zhang Bao''er jumped and pounded my chest. "How did you think of that?"


    I grinned foolishly instead of answering him. How would I tell him that he was the one who had given me the inspiration? If he knew, he would probably broadcast his genius to the entirety of the Milky Way Galaxy after this.


    "Yes, I agree. Now that he mentioned it, I also feel like these four circles represent four individuals," said Chen Qiang.


    "That answers the question about the circles. What about the forest and sea? Which celestial body is it on? We have three options," asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Well, good thing nobody thinks it''s on Sirius A. That''s probably a trip we won''t return from," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Captain Zhang Han and Head Cassie paid with their lives to uncover this secret. We need to solve it. Although we still can''t find the captain, with no signals picked up by our gamma probe, what if they had been forced to make a landing on Sirius B? The gravitational force of a white dwarf is strong enough to sever all signals. They might even still be alive," said Angela in excitement.


    "Let''s not waste time. We should set off immediately!" said Zhang Xingxing as she stood up impatiently.


    "No. The gravitational force of a white dwarf is too strong, and the temperature is too high. Our current technology is still not good enough to overcome these problems. Our first priority should be this wormhole or spatial tunnel," said Chen Qiang as he pointed at the path on the map. Captain Angela found herself agreeing.


    After the leaders discussed, they decided to split into two teams. One ship would head to Sirius I while the other would head for Sirius B. Both would search for the possible wormhole. Although we believed that our answer mostly lay in Sirius B, the captain decided to be safe and make a more comprehensive search.


    Who would be going to Sirius B? The time had come again for one''s perceived value to play a role.


    Without a doubt, Zhang Xingxing would be in the team. To save her father, she had to go if she did not want the others to give up on her father. From the league''s point of view, someone like Chen Qiang was naturally a talent they wished to preserve.


    Thus, the ultimate team composition was decided: Sirius B team, Major Zhang Xingxing as its team leader with Li Canyue, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and Dodo; Sirius I team, Lieutenant Colonel Chen Qiang as its team leader with Maerdo, Xiaoming, Li Dahai, and Jiajia.


    "But won''t we have five individuals then? According to the prophecy, only four can reach," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    Everyone was momentarily stunned. Yes, that made perfect sense. For something like an ancient prophecy, everyone would rather believe than outright disregard it. And thus, an awkward atmosphere rose. Which members would be cut out of the teams, then?


    "Androids don''t count, right? They are machines! The individuals on the map refer to actual biological life forms!" I said.


    "Li Canyue! This is racial discrimination! You''re a racist!" Dodo, Jiajia, and three other androids started raging.


    Their anger was understandable. For many in this era, androids were akin to family. However, that might not be the case for those from ancient times, and this case was most certainly an ancient one. Everyone accepted my explanation, but the androids on Saturn were still furious and continued to grumble non-stop.


    Nevertheless, my theory solved our predicament. Captain Angela even told me how pleased she was at my flexible thinking. Thus ready, everyone set off. Even after getting onto our ship, Dodo was still grumbling at me. I knew I was in the wrong, so I did not say anything. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du seemed to find the entire thing amusing.


    "I won''t forget this, fellows," I cursed the two.


    "Hahaha!" They roared with laughter.


    All our tasks had been distributed clearly. Angela was in charge of support and guidance in the mothership. When we were ready, we departed for Sirius B.


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 CH 15

    Piloting Mimas I, we rapidly approached Sirius B. This time, Zhang Xingxing did not hesitate and brought the ship to the critical distance of 5 billion kilometers away from the star. After arriving, we released several probe robots to assist us in our search for the prophesied spatial tunnel.


    After 72 hours, when I felt like we had searched everywhere we could within this distance from the star, we found nothing. Team Leader Chen Qiang had not been able to find anything either. However, he did transmit one important piece of information to us. Landing on Sirius I would be possible after fulfilling certain requirements.


    They were planning to land directly without relying on wormhole transportation and then search for more clues. Meanwhile, our party had found zero clues and had no plan as to what to do next. Thus, for our search, we decided to open a meeting between us.


    "We have searched the entire area within this distance. No spatial tunnel or wormhole was found. I want to hear everyone''s thoughts. I¡¯ll start. I want to get closer than 5 billion kilometers from the star," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The three of us jumped at her proposal, especially Zhang Bao''er.


    "That won''t do! That won''t be a rescue mission anymore. It''ll be suicide!" he shouted.


    "You must stay calm," I said. "If there is proof that going farther will be beneficial, we will be willing to make the sacrifice. But we got nothing! We can''t throw our lives away for nothing," I said.


    "What else can we do, then?" said Zhang Xingxing, her face turning disheartened. My heart ached when I saw her expression.


    While everyone was at a loss, Old Du spoke. "I suggest that we withdraw our probe robots. Let''s have the robots go first. If there are signs of the spatial tunnel we seek, we can then muster our courage and take the risk."


    "Good idea. Old Du, you make complete sense," I praised.


    "But we also need to be ready for the destruction of all our robots. The white dwarf might be able to absorb all electromagnetic waves. We will wait at each search area for 30 minutes. If the robots do not return and no signs of the tunnel are found, we will think of our next course of action," said Old Du.


    Everyone agreed with Old Du.


    Dodo was the only one to speak. "See how great us machines are? My fellow brethren are always the ones to make the first sacrifice."


    It was obvious the android still held a grudge against me for what I said earlier.


    Having decided on a plan, we put it into motion. We might have worked for 72 hours straight, but the sense of excitement kept up stimulated.


    ''After all, we''re the pioneers of actual white dwarf exploration in the league. If we are able to discover something major, I might even be able to get an actual medal after this,'' I thought to myself smugly.


    Soon, the calculation for the ten optimal search areas was completed. We went to the first spot and launched our first probe robot. The moment the robot surpassed the boundary of 5 billion kilometers, it accelerated rapidly. On our screen, the robot looked like a comet, flying with a trail of light behind its path. The white dwarf had showcased its powerful gravitational pull the moment the robot went over the critical range.


    "So this is the prelude to a black hole, something that would eventually possess such powerful gravity that not even light and time would be able to escape it," remarked Dodo.


    After ten seconds, the robot vanished from our vision. After 30 seconds, we lost all connection with the robot. The powerful gravitational force had severed all connections we could think to establish between us and the probe robot. Even after 30 minutes, we received no feedback.


    "If it doesn''t work here, we''ll move to the next spot," said Dodo.


    We moved according to our plan and released the probe robots at all the determined spots. As a whole, we spent over 30 hours just to gain nothing. A sense of defeat and hopelessness gradually enveloped us.


    At this point, we''re left with our final probe robot. We arrived at our final spot, which was between the two stars of the system. The surface of the massive Sirius A churned and roiled, seemingly telling us that this was a sacred place that could not be violated. The star''s gravity pulled at our ship with enough force that we could feel it. At this point, everyone was already exhausted and demoralized while Dodo was busy preparing to launch the final probe.


    Suddenly, Zhang Xingxing said, "Let me do it."


    Dodo moved aside, allowing Xingxing to press the button carrying her final hope. In truth, we had already given up since nine probe robots had vanished without fail. The repeated failures had erased all our hope. Unsurprisingly, we lost all connections after 30 seconds. And after waiting for 30 minutes, we received no feedback like all the other previous probes.


    Suddenly, Zhang Xingxing broke out in tears. She shouldered too heavy a burden. From what we could see, it seemed unlikely that we would be able to find her father. Old Du and I hurriedly tried to comfort her. All of us felt dispirited¡ªwe no longer had a backup plan. Our only course of action after this was to return and put an end to this rescue mission.


    Dodo did not press the return button because we intended to let Zhang Xingxing spend a little bit more time here at the place where she had lost her father. We took the chance to take a rest. After all, we had been working continuously for over a hundred hours, fueled only by hope. But the moment we lost hope, weariness overcame us. I fell asleep before I knew it.


    Pa! I felt a burning pain on my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Dodo had slapped me.


    "Have you gone mad?" I cursed.


    "Hehe, I was worried that I couldn''t wake you up," said Dodo.


    "You''re using this as a pretext to take your revenge on me! Do you want me to take you apart?" I said while acting as though I was going to pry Dodo''s head open.


    "Canyue, over here!" Zhang Xingxing suddenly called.


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    Only then did I notice that everyone was gathered before the display screen. I hurried over.


    "There is feedback from the robot!" Old Du said in excitement. "We were all asleep when it came. About an hour after the probe was launched, we received a transmission from the robot. The signal is extremely weak, with the very end of the waveband barely reaching the shuttle. Dodo was the one who noticed it. In other words, if we had returned, we would have missed the transmission!"


    It was as though everything had been arranged by fate, making the ancient prophecy seem even more divine than it was. Due to the powerful gravitational force, the signal was extremely weak. But according to Dodo''s analysis, the signal came from somewhere 100 million kilometers from Sirius B. That was a death zone, a place where failure would guarantee our deaths. It was time to make a decision.


    "You can all return. I''ll go with Dodo," said Zhang Xingxing. "I''ll take the escape pod. You can meet up with Chen Qiang and the others. There is no need for all of us to go."


    Zhang Xingxing sounded earnest.


    "That would be the right choice in accordance with the league''s principles of optimal selection. According to the risk evaluation, the risk level is too high for all of us to go," said Dodo.


    "Screw the league''s principles," I said.


    True, there was no need for all of us to take this risk. But at a time like this, a new principle was blooming in my heart, the principle of heroism.


    "I have no issue. I''ll go with you. You two can return," I said firmly.


    "I can go, too!" said Old Du.


    And then, silence reigned. I gazed at Bao''er, hinting at him that he could choose not to go.


    He felt insulted, so he loudly said, "I''ll take the lead!"


    The spirit of brotherhood bloomed, and we embraced each other. Having decided on a new course of action, Dodo transmitted our new plan back to Saturn. Surprisingly, Captain Angela rejected the plan and commanded us to return. According to her, going as close as 100 million kilometers from the star was far from our original plan. The risk level was too high, and we would most likely perish from the plan. That was something the league could not accept and was definitely not in accordance with the league''s principles.


    As members of the fleet, we were required to obey her every command. Otherwise, we were punishable with permanent exile from the Milky Way Galaxy. Zhang Xingxing did not expect the veto, so for a moment, she was completely at a loss. She had been encountering setback after setback in the search. Now that new hope was finally visible, yet another setback had come to extinguish that final spark of hope.


    We did not know if the wormhole would move. It hadn''t been easy for us to find it. If we do not act immediately, we might miss out on something that could very well be the discovery of a century. Everyone sank into silence, not knowing what to do.


    At this time, I felt my blood rushing to my brain as I stood up, stepped forth, and turned off our communication with the mothership. I, Li Canyue, was destined for a greatness that would shake the universe!


    "Depart!" I commanded coldly.


    Looking at the look of adoration in Zhang Xingxing''s eyes and the encouraging look of Zhang Bao''er and Old Du, I grew even more determined. Even if I had to die, I would go out with a bang. Even Dodo was convinced by my heroic charisma. The android did not say anything and immediately prepared to set off.

 CH 16

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    After finalizing the navigational route, we put on our morph-capable suits in the cabin. We needed to enter the area 100 million kilometers from the star. As Mimas I was far larger than the probe robot, we weren''t aware if the ship could even reach that far.


    At this point, it was too late for any of us to back off. With our preparations done, I nodded at everyone. Dodo controlled the ship and dove right into the critical distance around Sirius B. The moment we crossed into the area within 5 billion kilometers of the star, we could feel a powerful force dragging our ship in a certain trajectory.


    So powerful was the gravity that Mimas I''s navigational system failed completely. The data displayed on our screens became a mess of random characters as we lost all control over the shuttle that was moving completely in accordance with Sirius B''s gravitational pull.


    The ship''s automatic defense system activated, protecting us from the vast majority of the pressure coming from outside the ship. However, the pressure was still strong enough that we were having trouble breathing.


    After 30 seconds, we could see with our naked eyes that a blanket of pure white had appeared outside our windows. What we saw was consistent with what the probe robot had sent back to us. However, the prophesized spatial tunnel was still nowhere to be seen. Based on the system, we were rapidly approaching the star.


    4 billion kilometers from the star, 3 billion kilometers from the star, 2 billion kilometers from the star...


    Before we knew it, 40 minutes had passed. Dodo had provided us with a consistent stream of updates on what the system reported. At this time, the massive pressure surrounding our ship seemed to have reached a certain critical point as the system indicated that our hull would break apart after 10 minutes.


    There was nothing we could do. The only thing I could do was to pray inwardly, hoping that we could smoothly enter the wormhole. The pressure around the ship grew stronger and stronger. Some smaller pieces of equipment in the ship were starting to deform because the pressure outside the ship had reached a level 180,000 times higher than Blue''s surface pressure. Nothing physical could remain in the same state under such pressure. Even with our morph-capable suits, we suffocated from the pressure. Everyone knew that our morph-capable suits were going to fail us soon.


    "The final minute and 500 million kilometers," said Dodo.


    ''It''s over. Due to the size of the shuttle, the resistance is too strong. We won''t be able to last for more than 100 million more kilometers. Are we going to prove the prophecy wrong after all?'' I asked myself.


    During this moment when a firm decision was required, Dodo made a decision that saved everyone''s life. Abruptly, Dodo shut off the morph-capable energy shield. At the same time, Dodo concentrated and directed all the energy to the ship''s wormhole-leap system. Darkness blanketed us as we entered a dark tunnel and exited from the other end of the wormhole.


    A hundred million kilometers from Sirius B! From the shuttle''s wormhole leap, we had arrived straight at the prophesized wormhole of Sirius B!


    "Dodo! Daddy Dodo!" Zhang Bao''er hugged Dodo''s mechanical head and shook it in excitement.


    "Automatons are the brothers of Bluelings. Automatons should not be racially discriminated against," Dodo began yet another lecture.


    Both Zhang Xingxing and I looked at each other before breaking out with laughter. As for Old Du, he constantly rubbed his tail after surviving a close brush with death. This was truly an impossible mission, yet we had stubbornly and fearlessly completed it. After entering Sirius B''s wormhole, the pressure around us instantly dropped. All operations of the ship returned to normal.


    "Inspect the ship''s damage immediately and start repairing whenever possible," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We carried out our respective tasks and started troubleshooting the entire ship.


    The wormhole we were traveling through was shaped like a cylindrical tube about 300 kilometers wide. The pressure around us had stabilized at an acceptable level, and beyond the tunnel was a stretch of outer space so terrifying we wouldn''t dare imagine being there.


    Slowly, our ship traveled through the tunnel toward Sirius B. Through our inspection, we confirmed that the ship could no longer withstand powerful pressure due to the pressure-defense system being damaged by over 50 percent. Other systems were still operating normally. In other words, we could no longer return the same way we came. We would have to look for alternatives.


    "Should we inform the mothership about our status?" asked Dodo.


    After a short discussion, we decided to not inform the mothership of anything for now. It was pointless to inform them right now. After all, disobeying a direct command carried grave consequences in the fleet.


    Thus, we requested Dodo to prepare proper records and transmit them back at fixed intervals through one-way communication channels. As for whether the mothership could receive our transmission, that would be all up to luck. We continued approaching Sirius B, and at 300,000 kilometers from the star''s surface, our probe indicated that we had left the pressurized layer surrounding the star.


    The pressure around the ship dropped to normal levels, and soon, the pressure stabilized at a consistent level. The tunnel around us melded into the environment, heralding us into Sirius B''s atmosphere. Like entering Blue''s atmosphere, the ship''s hull ground against the atmosphere, creating bright sparks. After five minutes of intense shaking, we went through the atmosphere.


    "So beautiful!" we all cried out.


    The massive Sirius A hung on the horizon. Through the highly pressurized layer, the rays of light from the star became gentle and soft. Apart from that, we could see nothing else in the sky apart from a wide sheet of light purple.


    High in Sirius B''s sky, numerous seven-colored clouds could be seen. Also in the sky were numerous balloon-shaped objects that were akin to life forms that were extracting their required nutrients from the clouds. Together with the clouds, they drifted through the air, with their rear parts releasing some sort of droplets that fell onto the surface like rain.


    "Is this really a white dwarf?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, it must be," Dodo replied.


    Such a world was actually hidden beneath the layer of high pressure and temperature surrounding the star. It was truly astonishing.


    As our ship descended, the surface became more and more distinct.


    The world seemed to be dominated by three layers, with the highest layer being a layer of clouds, the middle layer being a layer of mountain peaks, and the lowest layer being a layer of liquid ocean. The mountains occupied about half the area occupied by the ocean. These layers came together to form a single entity, yet each also existed independently from the others.


    At each layer, we saw numerous peculiar life forms with strange shapes. Guided by our laser probe, we landed on a clearing in the mountain layer.


    "With such an environment, if your father managed to enter the wormhole, he is probably kicking back and relaxing here, waiting for us to find him," I said to Zhang Xingxing with a smile.


    "Yes, I have a strong feeling that Father is still alive. Our top priority now is to search for the wreckage of Father''s ship," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We will work hard to find them!" I promised.


    As a response, she gave me a firm nod.


    "Everyone, prepare to exit the ship. Dodo, analyze the air composition and the pressure of Sirius B. Everyone, inspect your weapons and equipment. We will set off after a 3-hour rest," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Yes, rest was much needed. We had been working non-stop for way too long. In fact, Zhang Xingxing had barely finished her words when Zhang Bao''er''s snores rang out. This brother of mine was truly tired. He was, after all, born into a wealthy family and had not seen much hardship in life.


    I poured myself a glass of beverage before leaning against the window. Shortly after, I sank into sleep. I dreamed of my parents, dreamed of my entry into the interstellar fleet, dreamed of my magical experience on Jupiter II, and dreamed of myself entering Sirius B''s wormhole.


    Suddenly, I woke up. I saw Zhang Xingxing. She was staring blankly out the window, seemingly in deep thought. I poured a glass of beverage and handed it to her.


    "What are you thinking about?" I asked.


    "My father. I wonder if he and Aunt Cassie were aware that they needed to initiate a wormhole leap, if they managed to enter the wormhole, and if they were able to reach this place. Every action we had taken to come here had relied on chance, a chance with an extremely low probability of happening for anyone else. The more I think about it, the more scared I am," confessed Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t be afraid," I comforted her. "With your father''s rich experience in interstellar exploration, he is most definitely better than Dodo when it comes to reacting to unexpected circumstances."


    A cough rang out. I hurriedly corrected myself, "To be exact, he is probably a professional with the same level of expertise as Dodo. Don''t worry."


    Then, I heard the satisfied mumbling of an android. The android was both obstinate and cunning at the same time. It seemed like my words had worked; Zhang Xingxing''s eyes had become filled with hope yet again.


    "Let''s rest for a bit more before setting off," I said. "We will succeed!"

 CH 17

    The three hours were over in the blink of an eye. Dodo''s data had been finalized as well. Oxygen was present in Sirius B''s air, and its surface pressure was similar to Blue''s. In fact, this was a celestial body rather suitable for Bluelings'' habitation. A fixed star, a white dwarf, actually had a habitable environment. This discovery alone was enough to shake the league.


    After the team finished their preparations, Zhang Xingxing suggested that Zhang Bao''er and Dodo remained in the ship to repair and maintain the ship due to the extensive damage to the ship. Meanwhile, she, Old Du, and I would explore our surroundings with the Kangaroo vehicle. As we no longer had any probe robots with us, we had to personally perform all the explorations.


    After everyone received their tasks, the Kangaroo vehicle was lowered from the ship. Zhang Xingxing granted me the honor of placing the first footstep on Sirius B. Although I believed that Captain Zhang Han and his group were the first ones to step foot on Sirius B, it was still unconfirmed. Thus, I intentionally left a deep footprint on the ground while Old Du recorded the entire process.


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    ''This is the footprint of Li Canyue, the first footprint the league placed on a white dwarf!'' I couldn''t help but grow excited at that thought.


    Done with our photo shoot, the three of us climbed onto the Kangaroo and departed. This was a world of blue and purple. The plants here were purple in color while their leaves were in the shape of tentacles. These plants seemed rather sensitive and would actually withdraw the moment they sensed movement around them.


    Meanwhile, numerous life forms glided through the air, kept afloat by their featherless wings. We also saw numerous tiny, chubby life forms merrily flying through the air with complete disregard for aerodynamics and physics.


    We were very curious. With the existence of gravity, how were these little fellows hovering in the air? Unfortunately, we were on a search and rescue mission. Thus, the uncovering of this secret would have to wait.


    On the ground, numerous crustacean-like animals with six limbs were crawling about, living in flocks. The particularly large one we saw was most likely the alpha of the flock because it alone was leading a group of smaller animals. The animals appeared curious about our vehicle. In their eyes, we were the actual aliens.


    Driven by Old Du, the Kangaroo did not take long to reach the edge of a forest. The trees were towering, their massive canopies completely covering the forest from sunlight. However, many tiny dots of light could be seen in the forest itself, as though there were countless sparkling stars in it. These were most likely the eyes of the forest''s residents or actual glowing plants.


    After exchanging looks, we drove into the forest without hesitating. The moment we entered, our surroundings darkened. The plants in the forest were rather peculiar. There were two general types of plants, which in Blue''s terms, were basically shrubs or ancient trees. In short, the plants here were either knee-length or as high as a skyscraper, with no in-between.


    We drove our vehicle through the dense shrub that completely covered the ground, encountering many tiny, leaping animals as we traveled. What left the deepest impression on me was an animal that looked like a worm with bamboo joints and the ears of a rabbit. That creature had been startled by our vehicle and had quickly jumped out of our way.


    While traveling, Old Du constantly scanned for the Milky Way ship''s signal. Our Kangaroo vehicle was capable of scanning a range of 100 square kilometers at a time. Thus far, our scanners had not picked up any signals.


    Suddenly, the vehicle''s communicator rang out, "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?"


    "Yes, Dodo. Please speak," I replied.


    "Canyue, we detected an odd electromagnetic signal moving in a consistent frequency. After tracking the signal, we found that it originated 800 kilometers to your east. I suggest you take a look," said Dodo.


    "Roger. Please send us the exact coordinates. We''ll go immediately."


    We turned the vehicle around and started heading toward our new target. After driving for about 500 kilometers, the landscape before us opened into a basin. The basin had appeared rather suddenly, as though someone had forcefully pushed a cork into a bottle. The edge of the basin was flat and smooth, and the basin itself was at least 1,000 meters deep. The basin was large, and at a glance, it was probably over a thousand square kilometers in size.


    "Looks like there''s no driving around this basin," I remarked.


    Old Du replied, "I believe we will need to travel through the basin to complete the final 300 kilometers of our journey."


    Zhang Xingxing agreed. Since nobody objected, we prepared our equipment, weapons, scanners, and suits before leaving the vehicle. Outside, the wind and sunlight were gentle. The environment was intoxicatingly beautiful.


    After setting up our respective anchors, we descended to the bottom of the basin. When we checked our energy levels, we noted that we had 36 hours'' worth of energy left. To save energy, we decided to make the trip on our legs.


    The bottom of the valley was similarly a world of purple shrubs. As we advanced, many tiny, glowing, translucent animals jumped about in a manner similar to the insects of Blue. We were perhaps the first intruders in hundreds of millions of years.


    After walking for about three hours, we did not encounter any surprises. At that time, Zhang Xingxing told us to stop and rest. Thus, we rested below a rather big tree and started chomping on our space rations.


    Although Dodo had said that the environment here was fit for human habitation, to be safe, we decided to take our meals in our suits. After having a space cracker, I leaned against the tree root and rested. Suddenly, I heard rustling sounds behind me. I jumped to my feet and turned to see a silly-looking little thief trying to steal my crackers.


    Zhang Xingxing and Zhang Bao''er heard the commotion and came over as well. We could see that the creature had a body filled with sparkling blue dots. It had four short limbs and an even shorter tail, with a head the shape of a cat''s and a pair of big eyes. It looked incredibly lovable as it hid in the underbrush while reaching out for my crackers with one of its limbs.


    "Sooo cute!" Zhang Xingxing exclaimed.


    "You little fellow," I said.


    Just as I was about to grab the creature, Old Du stopped me. He then removed the cracker wrapping and placed it on the ground. When the little creature saw that we showed no malice, it hobbled out of the bush before chomping on the cracker hungrily. It turned out that one of its rear limbs had been injured. While eating, the creature cooed at us. Before long, it finished the cracker. Then, it looked at my pack before cooing at us, telling us that it was still hungry.


    "If I give you more, I''ll starve to death myself," I said, amused.


    At this time, Zhang Xingxing crouched down and offered her own cracker. The little fellow took the gift without any hesitation.


    "It''s injured. Let''s take it with us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    In fact, from the moment Zhang Xingxing fed the little fellow, I had known that she would take it with us. After all, those of the fairer sex were usually more susceptible to the charms of a cute and pitiful animal. At her demand, Old Du took out his laser probe and performed a full scan of the little creature before nodding at me.


    I lifted the little fellow whose belly was bulging from the meal and placed it into my bag, leaving only its head outside. The little fellow seemed aware that we were taking it with us. It constantly cooed at Zhang Xingxing while gazing at us with its big eyes.


    "Since this little fellow is such a glutton, why don''t we name it Little Pig?" I suggested.


    "What a horrible name for such an adorable fellow. It has been abandoned by its companions after sustaining an injury. We should name it Dondon," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Dondon, Dondon," she called out to the little fellow.


    The little creature stared at Zhang Xingxing with its big eyes, and the two seemed to be exchanging affection through eye contact alone. With Dondon in tow, we continued our journey. After about 3 hours, Old Du''s probe indicated that we were only 100 kilometers away from our target.


    "Perhaps the secret is right before us. Hang on, everyone. We''ll arrive soon," said Old Du.


    Fueled by hope, we advanced with renewed vigor. Soon, we reached the other end of the basin. A cliff about a thousand meters tall stood ahead of us. With our thrusters, we soared to the top of the basin. And after advancing for a few more kilometers, the flora around us started turning sparse. Suddenly, an entirely new terrain appeared before us.

 CH 18

    A kilometer ahead of us, the forest ended. A plain of purple rocks appeared before us. The rocks scattered around the landscape irregularly, forming numerous hills, and on top of those mounds were countless lava lakes.


    The lava lakes seemed extremely unstable as they constantly spurted plumes of lava around them. Due to the heat, nothing grew on the mounds. And even further ahead was a massive black mountain. That was the first thing I had seen on Sirius B that wasn''t blue or purple. The mountain was majestic, steep, and towering.


    "That was where the signal came from," said Old Du.


    We scanned the mountain with our laser probes, and the image we received in return was a massive artificial object in the middle of the mountain. The object was oval in shape, and it was obvious this object wasn''t something naturally occurring.


    "The signal came from that object! The secret is right before our eyes! We did not come for nothing," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    At the thought that our questions were going to be answered soon, our blood boiled with excitement. To reach the black mountain, we needed to cross the lava plain. The black mountain was about 100 kilometers ahead of us. I planned to fly over with the energy in my suit. That was the most optimal method of reaching the mountain. We checked our energy level and noted that we still had 30 hours'' worth of energy, enough for us to make this trip by flight.


    "High technology is truly the constant source of comfort," I remarked.


    All three of us agreed with flying, so we activated our flying systems, preparing for the journey across the lava plain. The thrusters on our backs erupted, lifting us into the sky toward the black mountain. But just as we approached the edge of the plain, our alarm blazed. Based on the data, the pressure in the air above the field had spiked, and it would rise higher the higher we went. We were only a meter above the ground, and the pressure had already reached 2 million atmospheres.


    "My god," I exclaimed. "Everything was fine just a moment ago. Where did this pressure come from?"


    "Did our appearance ruin the balance here?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "That''s possible. The environment here has probably remained stagnant for tens of thousands of years. Our arrival might have triggered something that resulted in this change of pressure," said Old Du.


    With such heavy pressure, flying would be too much of a waste of our energy. After a brief discussion, we decided to give up on flight and walk instead. And thus, we traversed the rugged landscape through the lava plain. I included Dondon in my energy shield to protect it from the heat.


    Our laser probes indicated that the temperature of the lava was near the limit of our suits at about 1,000 degrees. Thus, we carefully avoided the splashing lava all around the lakes. We advanced slowly, and even after 2 hours, we had merely advanced by 30 kilometers. Suddenly, Dondon shouted in agitation. My system indicated that it was in fear. Something seemed to have spooked it.


    "Dondon? What''s wrong? Did you sense something?" I asked.


    Right that moment, a sharp roar rang out behind us. A scarlet giant emerged from the lava lake behind us. The creature''s entire body was red, as though it was a flame demon. It had a sharp horn on its head, and its four massive arms looked like they were made of lava. It was standing on two massive and powerful-looking legs.


    ''My god. We¡¯re encountering a freak like this so soon after arriving. This world is probably a dangerous one,'' I thought to myself.


    "Careful, everyone. Maintain combat formation," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We seemed to have disturbed the flame demon from its rest, and the flame demon seemed angry as it roared loudly at us. With a wave of its massive limbs, about 30 dog-like lava creatures appeared beneath the giant. These lava hounds were massive, with six limbs and massive jaws drooling with lava. With one command from the giant, the hounds charged at us while roaring madly.


    "Shit! What''s happening? Is this thing giving birth in real time?" I cursed.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Alas, it was already too late to run.


    "Get into combat formation immediately," Zhang Xingxing commanded. "Triangle formation, maximize our offensive system output, and blast to your heart''s content!"


    Standing in a triangle formation, we turned our defensive shield to the maximum capacity, took out our cluster bombs, laser guns, and tracking bullets, and started firing at the massive hounds. I bombarded the monsters with my cluster bombs, injuring them with massive explosions. Some of the giant hounds had their limbs blasted apart, and my tracking bullets dug into their bodies, leaving lava spraying everywhere, creating a bright scene of splashing lava.


    These creatures seemed intimidated by our firepower as they started hesitating and slowed their intense assault. When the flame demon saw, it became even more furious. It brandished its massive claws, roared, and stomped toward us.


    "That freak is coming personally. Xingxing, Old Du, be careful," I yelled to them.


    "You two! Focus on the big fellow. I''ll deal with the smaller guys," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Old Du and I focused our firepower on the flame demon, but our bullets and cluster bombs seemed harmless against the monster''s massive body. Additionally, the flame demon''s inner body temperature was high enough that most of the bullets melted by its body heat alone. As for the cluster bombs, the flame demon blocked most of them with its arms.


    "This won''t work. Canyue, our energy is draining at an alarming rate. We need to think of something," said Old Du.


    "There''s no other choice. We need to use nuclear warheads," I replied.


    Using a nuclear warhead so soon after arriving might immensely damage this world. Thus, Zhang Xingxing hesitated to approve my suggestion.


    "Using nuclear warheads might result in the destruction of this entire world. Is that our only option?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Meanwhile, the flame demon was still striding toward us. If we faced its attack head on, our suits might fail to withstand its high-temperature attacks. At this point, it was too late to run, and our chances at defending seemed wanting. When the flame demon was five steps away from us, we sank into despair. We were truly left with no other options.


    "Xingxing, issue the order," I yelled.


    Just as Zhang Xingxing was about to issue the order to use our nuclear warheads, a spaceship appeared on the horizon.


    "Canyue, Canyue, I''m here to save you!" Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out.


    "Old Zhang, you must be the messiah!" I yelled.


    Zhang Bao''er''s arrival was timely.


    Over a hundred cluster bombs were launched at the flame demon from Mimas I, creating massive explosions and intense shockwaves. The hounds were unable to withstand the shockwaves and fled back to the lava lake.


    The flame demon, on the other hand, was remarkably impressive. It stood tall despite the intense attacks, but due to the high-intensity barrage, it was forced to stop advancing and to instead focus on defending against the cluster bombs.


    Zhang Bao''er used that opening and launched numerous smoke bombs toward the ground, covering all three of us in thick smoke. Then, Dodo piloted Mimas I toward us, grabbed us with the ship''s mechanical arm, and flew away.


    ''We''re saved,'' I thought to myself.


    The flame demon raged when it saw that we had escaped. It faced us and roared furiously. I felt a massive shockwave blast out of the monster''s mouth. The powerful shockwave blasted through the ship''s defensive system, which had yet to fully recover. As a result, the ship was violently thrown aside.


    Flying in accordance with the flow of the shockwave, Mimas I drifted tens of kilometers before slamming heavily into the peak of the black mountain. A large portion of the peak crumbled from the crash. Inside the ship, all of us fainted from the impact.


    "Canyue, Canyue, wake up!"


    After an indeterminate amount of time, I heard someone calling my name urgently. When I opened my eyes, I saw Dodo''s square head. I rubbed my head, still feeling light-headed from the crash.


    I scanned the cabin and noted that Zhang Xingxing, Old Du, and Zhang Bao''er were still unconscious. Even Dondon was unconscious, with its head drooping low and its blue tongue trailing out of its mouth.


    "That blast was too powerful. Just how did that beast obtain such strength?" I asked.


    "That was a fatal attack," said Dodo. "The shockwave had the might of 4 million atmospheres, reaching the limit of the ship''s defenses."


    "A pressure of 4 million atmospheres? That''s 3 times higher than the pressure inside Jupiter II''s five-dimensional core!" I exclaimed.


    How could a life form possess such strength? That was inconceivable.


    "The flame demon also exhausted itself too much when it released that attack, and it collapsed into the lava lake right afterward," Dodo said. "We never did manage to fully repair the ship. Fortunately, the black mountain acted as some sort of buffer and absorbed some of the impact from the shockwave. Otherwise, our ship would have been shaken into pieces."


    "What a close call," I said. "How did you get here in time?"


    "Zhang Bao''er got worried after not hearing from you for too long. Thus, we left before completing the repair since he insisted on coming to look for you guys," said Dodo.


    ''Truly a brother who had grown up with me! Perhaps this is the connection of brotherhood, allowing him to sense when his brother is in danger,'' I thought as I looked at Zhang Bao''er with gratitude.


    What I saw was a drooling, unconscious Zhang Bao''er.


    "Old Zhang is the perfect example of someone whose form of intelligence might appear stupid for some when the contrary is the truth," I mused as I laughed at his appearance.


    Just as I was feeling relieved from having escaped danger, a massive shadow appeared outside the window. A massive hand stabbed into the mountain and pulled out the ship stuck inside the mountain. Clanking sounds rang out repeatedly, and the ship was on the verge of breaking apart.


    "It''s over. That freak is too strong. It''s incredibly relentless as well!" I despaired.


    In that moment of despair, an intense blue flash covered the world.

 CH 19

    A blinding blue covered the sky, and with a wail, the flame demon dropped us and started struggling against something in the sky. A massive blue creature was gliding through the air. It had the appearance of a fish and had a pair of sharp claws. It clawed at the flame demon''s head.


    As the flame demon madly tore at the flying creature, feather-like things started falling off the flying fish''s body. Surprisingly, the moment the feathers separated from the flying fish, they all turned into blue radiance before slowly fading into nothingness.


    The two giants wrestled, and due to the flame demon''s earlier exhaustion, its body turned from a lava state to a purple rock state, a transformation that greatly weakened the beast.


    The blue flying fish clawed at the flame demon''s head madly, filling the world around them with countless rocks and blue radiance, the fight growing more and more intense.


    Apart from me, everyone else in the ship was still unconscious. The repeated impact filled my entire body with aching pain, and I felt too weak to even lift my finger.


    While witnessing the battle between the two colossus beasts, I suddenly recalled that my weapons were rather effective against the stones during my fight with the massive creature in Jupiter II. Now that the flame demon was no longer covered in lava, this should be my perfect opportunity to attack. Sure, I might be in pain and couldn''t move, but Dodo was still around.


    "Dodo, Dodo, check the weaponry system and see if it''s still functioning," I said.


    "Weaponry system? I''ll check immediately. All data normal. The ship is still combat capable," said Dodo.


    "Gather every single cluster bomb we have and bombard the flame demon," I yelled.


    "About that¡­I''m a pilot droid. I am forbidden from operating any weapons by law," said Dodo after some hesitation.


    "Screw the law. It''s merely something put in place on Blue to avoid a machine insurrection. Don''t forget that there is also a law that decrees that all androids must obey Bluelings unconditionally. As a Blueling, I hereby command you to remove your weapon restriction. Aim the cannons at the flame demon''s legs and fire. Take care not to harm the blue creature."


    "Roger. On it," Dodo replied.


    After calibrating the targeting system, Dodo pressed the confirmation button and unleashed hundreds of cluster bombs upon the flame demon. After a series of ear-splitting explosions, the world before us became covered in dust. When the dust settled, we could see that the flame demon had been seriously injured. Both its legs had been annihilated, and it was sprawled on the ground.


    "We succeeded!" Dodo yelled in excitement.


    I nodded in joy. Instantly, the blue flying fish shrieked and pounced on the flame demon''s head. The fish clawed madly, ripping the single horn from the flame demon''s head, causing the flame demon to wail in pain.


    Because the flame demon was on the verge of death, it used all its remaining strength and wrapped its four limbs around the flying fish and squeezed with all its strength, pressing the fish against its rocky body.


    "This is bad. The dying flame demon seems to be intending to release yet another shockwave," I said.


    The flame demon''s body swelled up and turned deep purple. Its limbs held the flying fish in a deadlock as it opened its massive mouth in preparation to deal a fatal attack on the fish.


    "Dodo, use the translocation tech and shift over our defensive shield. Wrap it around the flame demon''s head," I yelled.


    Dodo understood what I was getting at. It did as told and extracted the energy required for a defensive shield. Then, it created a smaller shield with the ship''s weapons before covering the flame demon''s head with the translocation technology.


    At almost the exact same moment, the flame demon released a powerful shockwave from its mouth. The small shield blocked a majority of the shockwave, causing the shockwave to reverberate inside the bowl-shaped shield and jolt apart half of the flame demon''s head.


    However, the flame demon''s final attack was too powerful. Part of the attack managed to break through the shield and strike the flying fish. Then, the flame demon released its hold, allowing the fish to be blasted away by the shockwave.


    The world sank into silence. With only half a head left, the flame demon made a final howl and then collapsed and died.


    After several minutes, the tenacious blue fish staggered back onto its feet. Seeming rather intelligent, the fish glanced at me, then shrieked and flew into the sky with the flame demon''s horn. Up and down it moved as it flapped its wings, slowly flying off into the horizon, leaving a trail of blue in its path.


    ''That was too thrilling. Those two monsters are too powerful,'' I thought. ''I didn''t expect to encounter freaks like them so soon. I wonder just what kind of monsters are still waiting for me here. It''s lucky that the blue fish appeared when it did and saved all of us.''


    As my thoughts drifted back to my companions, I hurriedly checked Zhang Xingxing, Old Du, and Zhang Bao''er. Fortunately, they were merely unconscious from the crash. After about half an hour, everyone woke up one after another, leaving Dondon the only unconscious one in the party.


    When Dodo told everyone what had happened when they were unconscious, they all shivered. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er persisted in questioning Dodo about the blue flying fish, asking if the fish looked like a blue phoenix.


    After Zhang Xingxing and Dodo inspected the ship, they found that the mechanical and defensive systems were badly damaged. The ship could no longer fly. As for the Kangaroo, we had left the vehicle at the other end of the lava plain. Thus, our only option was to pack up useful equipment and travel on foot.


    The good news was that the flame demon had blasted us out of the lava plain and straight onto the black mountain. Dodo scanned the mountain and discovered an enormous artificial structure about an hour away from us. After charging our suits full of energy with Mimas I''s supply, I lifted Dondon and started walking toward our destination.


    The black mountain''s terrain was filled with massive boulders. No life could be seen on the mountain, and even the sky above the mountain seemed to have been purged of everything. None of the seven-colored clouds that were so prevalent here could be seen, and Sirius A was the sole backdrop in the sky, like a massive eye gazing upon us.


    Before we knew it, Dodo spoke. "We''re here," it said, signaling our arrival.


    When we raised our heads, a massive spaceship-like construct was presented before our eyes. We rushed toward the spaceship. Half the hull of the ship had stabbed into the mountain, and its surroundings contained signs of a massive crash. The entire spaceship was sleek and glossy, and no lifting mechanism was visible from the outside. In fact, not even a door or a window could be seen.


    "What should we do now? What secret is hidden within this ship?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Split up and search," I said.


    We thus split into two groups and scanned the ship independently. I was partnered with Zhang Xingxing. As for Dondon, it was still unconscious in my bag. Old Du and the others were in a group. Because Dodo was still unhappy with me, it insisted on joining Old Du''s group.


    This was my very first time carrying out a mission with Zhang Xingxing alone. In truth, I greatly envied her. She came from a famous family, and at a young age, she was already a major in the fleet. Things us children of the poor longed for had all been handed to her easily. A massive gap existed between our respective places in society.


    But here on an interstellar exploration mission, I had obtained the opportunity to work with the elites of society. At that thought, I became more certain that Zhang Bao''er''s action of convincing me to join the fleet had been heaven¡¯s providence.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Canyue, over here," Zhang Xingxing''s voice pulled me back to reality.


    I hurried over.


    "Look, what is this?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    I looked to where she was pointing, but I saw nothing.


    "There''s nothing there?" I questioned.


    "Look closer. There''s something atop the ship," said Zhang Xingxing.


    After checking my probe once again, I discovered that above the ship, slight changes in the air could be detected. It could very well be the ship''s ventilation system.


    "Those of the fairer gender are truly more observant," I exclaimed in admiration.


    I immediately contacted Old Du and Zhang Bao''er. Shortly after, everyone was gathered. From Dodo''s scans, nothing was found except the change in the airflow above the ship. There might be an entrance there. After a short discussion, we decided to work together and climb to the top of the ship with our thrusters.


    We moved immediately after drawing a plan. I was the first to activate my thrusters and leap onto the ship. Everyone else followed closely behind. The top of the ship was the size of a football field, and the bottom half of the ship''s hull was buried in the mountain.


    When we reached our target, we discovered a ventilation hole about one square meter in size covered in a mesh net. Dodo performed an analysis and found that there was a turn ten meters through the hole. That turn probably led directly to the inside of the ship. This hole might be our way inside.


    "Prepare to enter," Zhang Xingxing commanded without hesitation.


    "Xingxing, Dodo, and I will enter. Old Du and Bao''er, stay outside to provide support," I said. "There might be other monsters inside. If anything happens, the two of you will be able to save us."


    My suggestion was firmly rejected. Old Du and Zhang Bao''er insisted on going with us. Seeing how resolute they were, I did not try to change their mind.


    Meanwhile, Dodo was still busy scanning the composition of the ship''s hull. It determined that a large amount of alkene could be found in it.


    "Alkene? Isn''t that one of the materials for hardened plastic?" I asked.


    "Yes," Dodo replied. "At present, we mainly use alkene in the production of hardened plastic. In fact, Blue''s hardened plastic tech has reached a high level where our hardened plastics are good enough to replace steel in many instances. However, this technology only saw its rise after 2070 on Blue. But based on my initial scan, this ship must have been here for over 10,000 years. This is probably a coincidence."


    "We can''t afford to wait. If the hull is really made from a mixture of alkene and steel, it shouldn''t be too hard for us to enter. We need to think of a way to open up a path inside," said Xingxing.

 CH 20

    Old Du started cutting the hole wider with his electrofusion welder. We had thought that a hull with alkene as part of its composition could be easily cut, but even after pushing the welder to a temperature of 3,000 degrees, we weren''t able to leave even a mark on the hull.


    "What now?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I can''t think of anything either," Dodo replied.


    At times like that, I did not hesitate to take out a timed cluster bomb and installed it near the ventilation hole. With a boom, the hole was blasted apart.


    "Excessive force is still as effective as ever," I said smugly.


    While Old Du was clearing the debris from the hole, a gust of wind blasted out with a whistling sound. Instantly, the atmosphere turned somewhat eerie.


    "We''re all revolutionary proletariat warriors. We fear nothing," chanted Zhang Bao''er. "I volunteer to go first."


    For some reason, he was bustling with heroic spirit.


    "Coo, coo."


    We turned around to see that Dondon had awakened. The little creature kept blinking its eyes. It was probably still slightly dazed.


    "Since it''s going to be dangerous down there, we shouldn''t bring Dondon with us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Very well." In truth, I had the same thought.


    Thus, I opened my bag and took Dondon out. I was going to install a tiny parachute on it to help it safely leave the mountain, but the little fellow struggled as if its life depended on it. It limped over to Zhang Xingxing and hugged her leg tightly, staring at her with its big eyes. It cooed repeatedly.


    "Well. It doesn''t seem willing to leave," said Old Du.


    Since we did not have much time to waste, we couldn''t hesitate, so we decided to bring it with us. I hurriedly placed Dondon back into the bag, and this time, the little fellow was surprisingly cooperative. Seemed like Old Du was right.


    We stopped wasting more time. Under Zhang Bao''er''s persistent request, we let him spearhead the party. One by one, we followed him into the hole. The hole was narrow, just big enough for one person to pass through at a time. With his bulky body, Old Du constantly grumbled as he kept getting stuck.


    The deeper we went, the stronger the wind. It was as though some motor-like object was constantly discharging emissions at us. To be safe, we advanced with our lights off, relying only on our laser probes to provide vision.


    I noted that the wall within the tunnel was incomparably sleek. However, deep scratch marks could be seen every now and then. It was as though something had clawed the wall. Zhang Xingxing and the others also saw the marks. We all gripped our weapons tighter.


    "Watch out, everyone. Prepare to defend," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    After about 30 minutes of traveling through the winding tunnel, an opening appeared before us. The opening was similarly covered in some sort of mesh netting. Lying on the ground, Zhang Bao''er performed a scan before sending the result to everyone.


    We saw that a sealed space was below the opening. The space was completely empty apart from a hexagonal construct in the middle of the room. The construct seemed to be making use of the stream of air to remain hovering in the air. In the southeast corner of the room was a shut door.


    ''We need to go down and investigate more,'' I thought to myself.


    "Try to open the cover," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Zhang Bao''er tried to pry the cover open with his hands, but that did not work. Left with no choice, we utilized our trusty method of excessive violence. After retreating four turns away in the tunnel, the cover was blasted apart with a boom.


    With a pulley, we had Dodo hold onto one end while the rest of us descended one after another. Finally, Dodo activated its buffer mode and jumped down to join us. The room was spacious, and the wall was sleek. However, massive scratch marks could be seen on many parts of the room. From what we could see, the marks were definitely not as old as the ship itself.


    All of us activated our shields and scanned the room. Our scans found nothing, making us even more curious as to where these scratch marks had come from. At the same time, we also grew more and more nervous.


    Dodo and I approached the center of the room. There, a stream of air was blowing straight upward, holding the hexagonal construct in the air. The construct seemed familiar. For some reason, I felt like I had seen it somewhere before.


    "The ancient prophecy!" Zhang Xingxing, Old Du, and I exclaimed at the same time.


    Yes, this construct was an exact replica of the case we had obtained from the escape pod, with the only difference being its size. This was a much larger version of the case. Captain Angela had left the case on Saturn, but we still remembered the ancient prophecy carved on it.


    ''Does that mean that this case would also have some sort of prophecy carved on it? Perhaps this prophecy will be the key to finding Captain Zhang Han and unveiling the mystery of Sirius B,'' I thought to myself.


    Everyone came to the same conclusion, and everyone grew excited. We started discussing the way to safely remove the case from the air.


    "Were these scratch marks left by monsters that were also here for this case?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked.


    "Most likely. But where are these monsters? Are they dead or are they hibernating?" I wondered.


    "I keep feeling that a pair of eyes is looking at us," Dodo suddenly said.


    Everyone''s heart jolted at Dodo''s remark.


    "I have the same feeling," Old Du agreed. "From the moment I entered this room, I had a feeling that we were not the only life forms in here. There must be a unique reason for this ship to have fallen. We must inspect the room properly for hidden mechanisms or traps before dealing with the prophecy case."


    Following his plan, we split our tasks and searched the room''s every nook and corner. However, we still found nothing.


    "How odd," said Zhang Bao''er. "I can feel that something is looking at me, but now, I can''t find anything."


    "Is it an invisible monster again?" I asked.


    "We''ll retrieve the case first and act accordingly if a new situation arises. Everyone, maintain combat formation," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We scattered into our respective positions as commanded while Old Du prepared his jump system to leap into the air to grab the case. He did not waste any time and activated his jump system, propelling himself into the air. Then, two mechanical arms reached out from his back and grabbed the case. He began to descend to the ground.


    Our hearts thumped anxiously as we gripped our weapons firmly, awaiting any sort of attack, collapse, or even explosion. However, nothing happened. The room was as calm as ever.


    "That''s a tad bit too easy, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, I keep feeling that something isn''t right," I replied. "Stay calm and quickly scan the patterns on the case."


    The moment Old Du landed, Dodo rushed forth and retrieved the case from Old Du''s mechanical arms. We promptly surrounded the case. Similar to the smaller case, it was hexagonal. Unsurprisingly, patterns could be seen on it.


    After scanning the entire case with its scanner, Dodo transmitted the images to us. This time, there were two diagrams. The first diagram was a duplicate of what we had seen on the first case: the prophecy depicting four individuals, a tunnel, and a spaceship.


    The second diagram showed us something new. A series of circles was surrounding a creature with the head of a fish and the body of a human. The creature was in the middle of the diagram. Beyond the circles was a massive creature with six limbs, sharp teeth, and two heads. Its tongue reached out of its jaws. The creature resembled a lizard, with a pair of massive wings on its back. Behind the creature were five circles. The eerie fact was that behind the five circles was a massive paw.


    "A prophecy!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in alarm.


    We all broke out in cold sweat when we recalled the scratch marks on the wall after seeing the massive paw.


    "There are five circles here. That must be us?" asked Old Du.


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    Everyone looked at each other. I did not dare to say anything, fearing that Dodo would flip out again. But it did not make sense to exclude the android in the first prophecy only to include it in the second. Just as everyone was speechless, Dondon cooed.


    "This is the fifth individual!" Zhang Xingxing cried out.


    Everyone felt enlightened. So Dondon was the fifth individual of the prophecy. Just as we were about to continue to study the diagram, little Dondon started growling. Its growling seemed to become more and more urgent, as though Dondon had sensed immense danger.


    Suddenly, a loud sound came from the door in the southeast corner of the room. It almost sounded like a big creature was knocking against it. The door did not seem like it was going to hold on for much longer.


    At the same time, the ceiling above us started shifting, turning into numerous hexagons. The many hexagons moved rapidly and spun around the central part of the ceiling. Not a single hexagon remained in the same position.


    Immediately, the hole we came in from vanished. Countless hexagons covered the ceiling. It almost seemed like the knocking sound had alarmed this ancient spaceship. About five minutes later, the ceiling stopped moving, and the knocking rang even louder.


    Everyone grew nervous as we activated our defensive shields to the maximum capacity in preparation for combat. Instantly, the ceiling opened up, releasing countless worm-like creatures into the room. Different from regular worms, these creatures each had a massive paw on its back and a mouth filled with sharp fangs.


    "A one-pawed monster!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Is this the claw depicted in the diagram?" I wondered.


    "It is likely that an even bigger fellow is behind that door. There are so many of these little monsters, but they are not the ones giving me the feeling of being watched," said Old Du.


    As we spoke, the knocking grew intense.


    "According to the laser probe''s analysis, the door will be broken in three minutes. Be careful, everyone," Dodo updated everyone with the latest data.


    "Everyone, get ready for combat. Dodo, please remain alert of our surroundings," Zhang Xingxing commanded. "If the door is broken, Old Du will be in charge of providing cover. Everyone else will focus on attacking these worm monsters."


    I yelled, "Since the prophet had depicted the paw in the diagram, there is definitely more to this place. Everyone, be on full alert and watch over each other!"


    Next, accompanied by scratching sounds, countless worms poured into the room from the ceiling.

 CH 21

    "Prepare for combat!" At Xingxing''s command, we formed a defensive circle, assuming our seamless defensive formation.


    The worms came from all directions. I could see that the leading worms were disgustingly drooling from their mouths, as though they had been hungry for tens of thousands of years. Accompanied by a buzzing sound, the worms swarmed us.


    "Everyone, use the fire circle defense. Light it up immediately," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    When Zhang Bao''er heard the command, he activated his high-powered flamethrower and erected a ring of fire ten meters wide around us. The leading worms seemed somewhat fearful of the fire as they stopped before it, not daring to charge through it.


    Nevertheless, the other worms behind the leaders continued charging forth, pushing the worms at the front into the fire. The worms ignited by fire unleashed a buzzing sound as they writhed on the ground. However, the worms behind them did not seem to care. They swarmed through the corpses of their companions and continued their assault.


    "Hold nothing back! Fire!" I howled.


    The four in charge of combat turned our weapons to the maximum setting and unleashed countless kinetic and plasma bullets. Like weeds before the scythe, the worms collapsed one after another, dyeing our surroundings blue with their blood. The many casualties did not terrify these monsters. An endless stream of worms continued pouring in from the ceiling as the monsters swarmed us as though death was their home.


    "The bullets aren''t working well. Old Du, Canyue, attack with cluster bombs," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We did as told and concentrated our cluster bombs on the hole in the ceiling. The explosions were deafening in an enclosed environment. Numerous worms were blasted apart, their corpses piling up into a small mound around us. The firepower of our cluster bombs had momentarily caused these creatures to hesitate.


    When the leading worms saw that their attack had failed, they actually slowed down their assault. After communicating among themselves, about ten of the leading worms unleashed a deafening howl toward the hole. Immediately, even more worms came out of the hole in the ceiling. The newly arrived worms were several times more than the worms in the previous wave. They charged us relentlessly, as though no price was too much for our deaths.


    ''My god! Why are there so many of these monsters? If this continues, their corpses will be plentiful enough to reach the ceiling,'' I cursed inwardly.


    As we fired without holding anything back, the battle continued on for about half an hour, and the corpses piled up into a small hill. I could see that my energy supply was draining rapidly. I now had less than 28 hours'' worth of energy. If this continued, we would die from sheer exhaustion, buried and suffocated to death in a mountain of corpses.


    The worms charged at us with complete disregard for their lives even as an unending stream of worms continued to come out of the hole. Half the room was already stuffed full with their corpses.


    Suddenly, we discovered that the worms from one side of the room were hindered from attacking us due to a large pile of corpses. A group of worms worked like worker ants to consume the corpses, opening up a path for their companions in charge of attacking.


    "Uhhhh!" Zhang Bao''er retched. "These freaks are too freaking disgusting. I won''t be able to eat anything after this."


    I hurriedly used the lull to scan our surroundings. Unfortunately, I couldn''t find any way out of our current predicament. Our sole choice was to first focus on defending. As the battle dragged on, we exhausted more and more of our energy supply. I suddenly had a feeling that these freaks were in fact intending to exhaust us to death. The worms were increasing in number as though they were being duplicated relentlessly. Perhaps that was the truth, these were all duplicated monsters.


    Instantly, the southeast door was knocked open with a loud rumble. Oddly, the moment the door opened, all the worms around us sank into silence. With their heads lowered, they prostrated on the ground. Then, a massive paw the size of a basketball court reached in from the door.


    There were seven fingers on the paw, with sharp claws decorating the tip of each finger. The entire paw glowed purple, looking both vicious and majestic at the same time. At the very middle of the paw was a round eye. The eyeball rolled about unceasingly, as though it was taking in everything in the room.


    And connected to the paw was a massive, python-like body reaching in all the way from the hole. I wondered if outside the room, the limb was connected to an even larger body. When the worms saw the giant paw, it was as though they had met their god. They all turned still, prostrating themselves on the ground in a supplicating pose.


    "Just what kind of a monster is this?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Looks like it''s the leader of these tiny freaks," said Old Du.


    "To defeat a group of bandits, it''s better to first defeat the leader. Focus fire on the leader," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    The massive paw before us emanated the presence of a domineering ancient life form. After scanning the room, it approached us. The room sank into a terrifying silence, forming a major contrast to the noisy battle just before this. The only sound left in the room was the sound of the ring of fire around us.


    The giant paw ignored the ring of fire, easily pushing through the wall of flame toward us. And when the giant eye neared us, it studies all of us. I could clearly see a black hole of immeasurable depth within the eye. The black hole did not reflect any light, and neither did it carry any sort of design. It was a spherical void of nothingness, fixed at the middle of the claw, a black hole that seemed capable of taking in everything.


    In the eerie silence, Dondon suddenly howled at the paw, issuing a challenge toward the giant creature on our behalf. The howl seemed to have alerted the paw. It raised into the air before slamming down toward me and Dondon.


    A massive pressure descended upon me, as though the air itself was being torn apart as it descended. Things were getting urgent, and I only had one solution in my mind.


    "I''m using my nuclear warhead. Everyone, prepare your defenses," I yelled.


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    Then, I launched a zero-radiation nuclear warhead at the very center of the eyeball.


    Ferocious explosions, violent shockwaves, high temperatures, deafening rumbles. I shut my eyes, awaiting the aftermath. However, apart from the initial loud sound, there was no follow-up. The room returned to silence.


    I opened my eyes and saw that the scene of the disastrous explosion I had expected had not appeared at all. The giant paw had caught the warhead, only swaying slightly from it. Then, the fingers slowly opened.


    Clang! The outer shells of the warhead dropped onto the ground. The claw had fully absorbed the might of the entire explosion.


    "My god. Canyue, this monster is too strong. It can eat up even a nuclear warhead. We should start running now," Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    "We have no escape path. Our only choice is to kill this thing," I said.


    In truth, I was also feeling very nervous. After all, this was also my first time encountering a monster so barbaric and strong that it could eat up the explosion of a nuclear warhead. The nuclear warhead had been my trump card. Now that it had failed, I could no longer think of anything else. The nuclear warhead seemed to have ignited the wrath of the giant paw. It whistled through the air as it swept toward us, placing massive pressure upon us.


    "The freak has gone crazy! Everyone, open fire with everything you got!" Zhang Xingxing commanded loudly.


    We were aware that bullets might not be able to stop the monster, but by sheer habit, we reacted by firing our weapons at maximum capacity. We roared madly and rained bullets and fire upon the monster, but no matter what bullet we used, our attacks only tickled the monster.


    Our fierce attack had angered the monster further. It opened up its fingers and moved them about. Then, all the worms on the ground started swarming us again. When the giant paw finally arrived, it struck our defensive shield. The shield''s morph-capable function protected us from major injuries, but it also drained our energy supply rapidly.


    Suddenly, a big eye appeared before me. The seven sharp claws all reached for me, the culprit behind the nuclear attack. The ferocious claws drilled through the shield, and the fingers wrapped around my waist.


    "Let go of me, monster!" I shouted.


    Despite being clad in a powerful defensive suit, I was completely helpless before the massive paw.


    "Canyue, be careful!" I heard Zhang Xingxing''s anxious voice. "Old Du, help Canyue!"


    Thus commanded, Old Du aimed his gun at the wrist of the giant paw and fired madly. Unfortunately, his bullets were completely harmless to the giant paw. I was lifted high into the air. When I turned my head, I saw that despite the group''s best efforts, the swarm of worms had managed to penetrate our defensive line.


    I had not expected this place to be where we met our end. A sense of bleakness welled up in my heart. The giant paw furiously slammed me into the wall with a loud rumble. The impact proved too much for my suit to fully counteract, and I was knocked unconscious.


    "Canyue, Canyue, are you fine?"


    In my daze, I seemed to hear Zhang Xingxing calling my name repeatedly.


    I could vaguely feel the giant paw lifting me once again. I felt my body move through the air, slowly leaving the ring of fire, before I lost my consciousness fully. After an indeterminate amount of time, I woke up with a splitting headache.


    ''Am I alive or dead? Is this the afterlife?'' I asked myself.


    I checked my equipment, finding that my suit''s defensive system still functioned. After giving my face a pinch, I confirmed that I was still alive. Slowly, I stood back up. Despite the aching pain all over my body, I was still able to regain my clarity of mind. Ahh, the wonders of youth.


    ''I''m still alive! I''m still alive! How lucky can I be?'' I thought to myself. ''How are Xingxing and the others? I need to look for them as soon as possible.''


    I observed my surroundings and saw that I was in a small room. Many objects that looked like household utensils were arranged in the room, with many of them shaped so oddly that I had never imagined that something like them would exist. And on the walls, many paintings hung.


    Studying the paintings, I had a feeling that they were actually star charts. Suddenly, I saw a chart that greatly resembled the Solar System. I performed a detailed scan of the chart. Seven major planets. There was no mistaking it. This was most likely the Solar System.


    ''Had this ship been to Blue in the past?'' I wondered.


    "Cooo. Cooo."


    I suddenly heard Dondon''s voice. I turned around and saw that this little fellow had also been shaken unconscious like me. It had just regained consciousness.


    It was a wonderful feeling to have a companion by one''s side in moments like this. I hugged Dondon, and it blinked at me, telling me that it was unharmed. I lifted it from the bag and placed it on the ground, giving it a chance to stretch its legs.


    ''I can''t waste any time. I need to help Xingxing and the others,'' I told myself.


    At that thought, I decided to further study the room and look for a way out as soon as possible.

 CH 22

    After staying in the bag for so long, little Dondon was very happy to be out and about again. After a stretch, it started exploring its surroundings. Meanwhile, I continued scanning my surroundings with the laser probe, trying to look for an exit.


    After scanning the entire small room, I found that this was a completely sealed room. It was as though the room was surrounded only by walls. I started wondering how I had gotten into the room in the first place. After searching for an hour, I still found no exit. I grew more and more agitated as I worried about the fates of Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er, and Old Du.


    ''Just what kind of a ship is this? There is no exit at all. Did I overlook something?'' I asked myself. ''In times like this, it is important that I maintain a rational mind. I need to calm down.''


    At that thought, I shut my eyes and rearranged my thoughts. It was at that time that I noticed my energy supply. I only had 21 hours left. Time was running out. Suddenly, I heard Dondon cooing at me. I looked for the little fellow by tracing its voice and the blue glow on its body. I saw it calling out to me from the corner of the room. I went over and carefully rubbed the wall, but I did not find anything special. However, Dondon continued crying incessantly.


    "There must be something here. This should be the clue I seek."


    I carefully checked the wall before me again, but I still found nothing. On the wall was the star chart of the Solar System. I had already checked the chart. There was nothing special about it. But why was Dondon continuing to cry?


    Suddenly, a thought rose in my mind. A total of five of us had come from Blue. Including Dondon, the prophecy indicated that five visitors would come. Was my appearance here an arrangement of fate?


    "I''m a Blueling, I''m a Blueling," I chanted incessantly.


    As I chanted, something unknown seemed to guide my finger to press on Blue''s position on the star chart. Where I pressed, the wall sank. Then, cracking sounds rang out from the wall. The wall started shifting in accordance with the orbit of the seven planets. Slowly, the wall opened to reveal another small room.


    "Dondon, your Daddy Canyue is truly a genius!" I said to Dondon.


    Hanging atop the room was a flickering blue lamp, and seated right below the lamp was an individual. When I scanned the individual, I noted that it was not a human but a corpse of a different species.


    The individual was seated upright at the very center of the room. He had the face of a human and the body of a fish. His eyes were still wide open as though he was staring at me, causing my hair to raise. Thus, I stepped forth and covered his eyes.


    From up close, I continued observing the creature. My probe indicated that the creature had died a long time ago, but for some reason, the corpse was very well preserved and had a serene appearance. The corpse''s face resembled that of a human, yet it was also slightly different. The mouth was slightly protruding, and this individual gave off the impression of a dependable person.


    "Nommo? Is he the Nommo of the legends?" I exclaimed.


    I was actually bearing witness to a life form that was supposed to have existed ages ago. This life form was seated before me, the same life form that had witnessed the fabled Atlantis, witnessed the construction of the great pyramids, witnessed the first emperor of Qin¡­. Such a person was now before me. An indescribable sensation welled within me.


    Nommo, the fabled alien life form that had descended upon Blue from Sirius in the legends of the Dogon people. He was an individual who had helped the people of Blue in the past, a predecessor in the realm of interstellar exploration. Surprisingly, after so many years, I was able to witness the very same Nommo in the flesh. It was understandable why I became so excited. This was yet another moment that would enter the history books of interstellar exploration.


    The recording device on my suit recorded the encounter faithfully. When I thought of how the Nommo people were the predecessors of interstellar exploration, I straightened my body and gave the Nommo before me three deep bows.


    ''Xingxing and the others are still awaiting my rescue!'' I abruptly remembered.


    That thought dragged me back to reality. My current priority was to find a way out and help Xingxing and the others. I inspected the second room and found that the second room was also completely sealed and airtight, allowing not even outside air to enter. However, my intuition told me that there must be an exit somewhere. I just hadn''t found it.


    "How should I leave? Senior Nommo, please teach me," I said to the seated corpse.


    Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Nommo''s tail. The tail seemed to be pointing at a spot on the floor. I quickly lay down and scanned the floor. Sure enough, there was a diagram on the floor.


    ''Hehe, I am truly a genius,'' I praised myself.


    The diagram on the ground depicted a massive paw wreathed in flame. The paw carried five circles and a case. Above the paw were several flying fish.


    "Prophet. So this Nommo is the prophet. He knew we were coming, so he has been waiting here for us. He seems to have something he wishes to entrust upon us," I couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment.


    But even after seeing the diagram, I still didn''t know where the exit was. Neither had I discovered a method to defeat the giant paw.


    ''Should I be using fire?'' An idea rose in my mind. ''Flaming paw. Was the prophet trying to say that I should burn his body with fire?''


    Time was of the essence. This was a conclusion I had reached with my rather lacking combat experience. I decided to put it to use.


    I gave Nommo three more bows. "Prophet Nommo, I, Li Canyue, came here following your guidance. I will definitely complete your final wish in accordance with your guidance as well. Now, I shall release you from your eternal slumber in this destroyed ship," I said respectfully.


    Then, I hugged Dondon and burned the corpse with my flamethrower. The fire burned as the corpse flickered with blue and purple sparks. Slowly but surely, the corpse was reduced to ashes.


    ''He hailed from Sirius, he roamed the universe, helped the various races, and finally returned to Sirius. This is his final resting place,'' I said to myself.


    Suddenly, the room shook alongside a deafening rumble. I hurriedly placed Dondon back into my bag. When I lifted my head, I saw that a big hole had appeared in the ceiling. The same old giant paw appeared yet again. After looking at the burning remains for several minutes, it turned around and lifted me out of the hole.


    It was only then that I discovered with astonishment that the room was actually situated within the giant''s body, or the giant''s torso, to be precise.


    The giant paw brought me back to the initial room in which we had arrived. I saw that the army of worms was still surrounding Zhang Xingxing and the others. They were completely surrounded by the monsters, but the monsters weren''t attacking. The group sat silently in the middle of the encirclement, their hands tightly gripping their weapons.


    When Zhang Bao''er saw me, he cried out in excitement, "Canyue, you''re still alive? You''re fine?"


    "I''m fine. I''m here to save you guys," I yelled back.


    "Canyue, be careful. Don''t let that giant paw harm you," Zhang Xingxing said.


    A warm current circulated in my heart when I heard her words of concern.


    Slowly, the giant paw brought me toward them. I took the chance to release my mechanical arm toward Old Du. He also sent his mechanical arm out. When the two arms connected, Old Du carried Dodo and leaped onto the giant paw. Zhang Xingxing followed their steps and leaped onto the paw as well.


    "Remember to take the case with you," I yelled to Zhang Bao''er. He hurriedly grabbed the case before leaping onto the paw with the help of my mechanical arm.


    All the worms were lying silently on the ground, bearing witness to our performance. They seemed to have been ordered to stand down, as all of them were surprisingly docile. When all of us were on the giant paw, it repeatedly winked its huge black eye at us. Then, it lifted its massive yet nimble body and moved out of the room.


    We were all curled up together atop the giant paw, allowing it to carry us through different doors. We could see numerous objects originating from numerous different star systems, each with a unique and unimaginable form and composition. One of the many rooms was filled with metallic objects. I could clearly hear Zhang Bao''er gulp when we passed through that room.


    The prophet had spent many years traversing the universe, gathering samples and technologies from many different planets. Ultimately, everything collected had been buried here before he could share all he had learned. He had been waiting for us here, the people he had seen in his prophecy. Perhaps that was why he had been waiting for us. He wanted us to share all he had learned on his behalf.


    Suddenly, the space before us opened up, and our surroundings became filled with light once again. A door had opened to our side. The radiance from Sirius A was shining upon us yet again. After carrying us out of the ship, the giant paw continued rising, all the way to the top of the black mountain before placing us on the ground.


    Then, the eye on the paw blinked at us. I could see a wave of blue flame spread out from the ship. It traveled along the long body of the giant and slowly reached the paw. The giant paw demonstrated a remarkable temperament as it remained completely calm despite the fire all over it. Its pitch-black eye almost seemed gratified as it looked at us. I stepped forth and gave it a deep bow. When the others saw, they followed suit.


    The blue flame raged, and finally, the giant paw crumbled apart. At that time, the ship below us exploded. With that, the Nommo prophet and his guardian, the giant paw, were laid to rest on Sirius B''s black mountain.


    Everyone was excited at having survived such a dangerous ordeal. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and I hugged each other. At the same time, Zhang Xingxing also hugged Dondon in joy. I then told them everything that had happened to me.


    "So everything we did had all been foretold. The prophet had known about us 10 thousand years ago," said Old Du.


    "Sigh. If the prophet was actually alive, I could have asked him how rich we would eventually get," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Screw you." I kicked Zhang Bao''er, interrupting his vulgar musings.


    However, we still hadn''t found any clues about Captain Zhang Han. The prophet had not told us of the captain''s whereabouts. After Zhang Xingxing listened to my whole story, she appeared somewhat dejected.


    "Don''t worry. I have a feeling we will discover new clues. Let''s think together," I comforted her.


    Everyone started thinking about my experience, seeking new clues.


    "Flying fish! Where''s the flying fish?" Dodo, the rational machine, suddenly asked.


    "Flying fish!" I jumped.


    Everything the diagram depicted had appeared except for the flying fish. Where were the flying fish? We started searching our surroundings, but no flying fish was found.


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    "If there''s nothing up here, why did it deliver us so high up? Won''t that waste more of our energy?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "No, this isn''t right. We must have overlooked something. Let''s think about it carefully," I said.


    Suddenly, an idea rose in my mind.

 CH 23

    "There are clues on the case. We must have overlooked the clues!" I suddenly recalled something. "Bao''er, give me the case."


    Zhang Bao''er gave me the case, and we studied it in great detail. The case was made of an unknown material. Its body was pitch black, and there seemed to be empty space within it. However, the case was completely sealed, and no opening could be found.


    ''It probably needs a secret code or some other method to open,'' I thought to myself.


    We spent an entire hour studying the case to no avail. And everyone was already exhausted from the major battle with the worms in the ship. Everyone was in terrible physical condition.


    "Why don''t we take a short rest before leaving this mountain?" Zhang Bao''er suggested.


    "No," Dodo objected. "We don''t have much energy left. That explosion had also buried Mimas I deep into the ground. We can''t even recharge anymore. Also, where are we going after leaving the mountain? We can''t fly around blindly and waste more energy."


    Everyone checked their energy supply and confirmed that we had less than 12 hours'' worth of energy left.


    "I suggest we deactivate our defenses temporarily and save it for emergencies," Zhang Xingxing suggested.


    "I am in agreement," said Old Du. "Dodo had already concluded that the air composition here is similar to Blue''s. No destructive or poisonous substance is present in the air either. We should shut off our suits to save energy. I''ll be the first one to give it a try."


    Old Du was a Gliesen, so his body was of a higher quality. Dodo nodded to show its approval, so Old Du turned off the functions of his suit one by one. Slowly, he took off his helmet. Everything seemed normal.


    About ten minutes later, all of us had deactivated our suits. The air of Sirius B was slightly warm. Apart from that, we didn''t feel any different from when we were on Blue. In fact, the oxygen level here seemed even higher.


    "How comfortable! The air here is incredible!" Zhang Bao''er started greedily inhaling the air on Sirius B.


    With our energy problem dealt with, it was time to solve the puzzle that was the case.


    "We have studied the diagram repeatedly. I don''t think the next clue lies in the diagram," I said to Old Du.


    "Will this big case only work when brought together with the smaller case we found on the escape pod?" asked Old Du.


    "Too bad we left the small case behind. We don''t have any way of returning now. Even if we could return, we will only be punished for insubordination," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Everyone sank into silence. None of us could think of anything. I placed the case on the ground and rubbed my head as I calmed my mind and tried to think of a way to solve this puzzle.


    "Coo, coo." While we were resting, Dondon stood up and started rubbing against the case on the ground.


    It kept touching the case with its blue paws. We suddenly noticed that when the blue markings on Dondon''s body came into contact with the case, the case would actually emanate a faint blue glow.


    "Don''t tell me that this little genius just activated the case''s mechanism," I muttered.


    We hurriedly surrounded Dondon and the case and watched. The blue glow on Dondon''s body seemed to trigger the multiple flying fish on the case. The eyes of the fish started glowing, and abruptly, the entire case lit up brightly. Several blinding beams of blue light shot out from their eyes, reaching straight for the sky. Shortly after, several shrieks came from the horizon. Then, four blue flying fish flew over from afar and rapidly arrived above us.


    "Dondon, you''re truly a genius! You helped us big time!" I said as I rewarded Dondon with a can of space ration. The little fellow happily feasted on its reward.


    Before long, the giant flying fish approached us. After circling the air above us, they landed near us.


    "Canyue, the prophecy has been fulfilled," Zhang Xingxing exclaimed in excitement.


    "Yes, I know. The prophet has never been wrong thus far. All his predictions have come true," I replied. "However, I''m afraid that these newcomers aren''t necessarily friendly."


    As we spoke, the flying fish communicated with each other before the leader started approaching me. A realization hit me that this was the same blue fish that had saved us from the flame demon. It was approaching me slowly. And from such a close distance, for the very first time, I got a clear look at the flying fish.


    The fish was covered in blue scales. The thick scales looked more like armor, providing it with excellent protection. It had a pair of big purple eyes, which gave it a regal appearance. Spreading out from the two sides of its body were wings similar to a dragonfly''s. Nevertheless, these wings looked much more durable and powerful than actual dragonfly wings.


    The most impressive part of the fish''s appearance was the gigantic pair of legs, which had incredibly sharp claws. Its feet were as big as half its body and were the very same weapons it had relied on to prevail over the flame demon and rescue us from our doom.


    As the blue fish approached, it made the same cooing noise as Dondon, as though it was expressing its goodwill. I mustered my courage and reached out with my hand, intending to touch its body.


    "Canyue, careful," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in alarm.


    I gestured at Zhang Bao''er to keep silent. Then, I carefully placed my hand on the creature''s claw. It did not react, allowing me to touch its claw. The claw was cold and sleek, and it felt as though I was touching polished steel.


    Suddenly, the flying fish lowered its head. I mustered more courage and rubbed it beneath its jaw. It seemed to enjoy that greatly, and it lay down on the ground with a pleased look in its eyes. After the exchange, the flying fish lowered its body and invited me to climb onto it with its eyes.


    ''Is it asking me to get on its back?'' I wondered.


    The fish continued to look at me with a gentle gaze. After a minute of hesitation, I climbed onto its back.


    Beside me, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and Zhang Xingxing were completely stupefied. They did not dare to make a single sound as I interacted with the giant fish.


    After putting in some effort, I managed to get on the fish''s back. I saw a slight recess on its back, one that was perfectly suitable for a single passenger. There were even two protruding scales at the sides of the recess, perfect for the passenger to hold on to while riding the flying fish.


    "My god. Don''t tell me this fellow is a natural-born mount," I exclaimed in astonishment.


    Just as my imagination ran wild, the flying fish shrieked and abruptly soared, shooting straight into the sky. I heard Zhang Bao''er and the others screaming in alarm, and I became extremely nervous as well. The rapid speed at which we were ascending caused my heartbeat to quicken, eventually forcing me to scream to relieve myself of my fear.


    As the blue fish soared rapidly, I could hear the shrill whistle of the wind as we sliced through the air. Soon, the mountain peak, Zhang Xingxing, and the others became tiny dots in the landscape. High in the sky, I was able to see many tiny translucent life forms that we couldn''t see on the ground. All of them hovered leisurely in the sky like dandelions, absorbing their nutrients from the air. The entire upper layer of this world was akin to an entirely new realm.


    Suddenly, the flying fish turned around and shot back down to the ground. It moved at an incredibly fast speed, and the massive force gave me a momentary sensation of weightlessness. At the same time, I felt as though my heart was about to jump out of my mouth.


    Zhang Xingxing and the others became nearer and nearer, and when we were about to crash into the ground, the fish raised its head and landed smoothly. With a thud, I fell onto the ground. My head was light, and my heart was beating wildly. It was a good thing I wasn''t also frothing from my mouth.


    Zhang Xingxing and the others rushed over and asked with concern, "Canyue, Canyue, are you fine?"


    "I feel sick in my stomach. That feels awful. My heart was pumping so fast," I replied.


    Looking at the sorry state I was in, Zhang Bao''er had a smug expression as he bragged, "Canyue, be sure to exercise more. Look at me, look at my healthy body. I will be fine no matter how high I fly."


    "Don''t be too happy now. I''ll be sure to take care of you after I recover," I cursed.


    The blue fish seemed pleased with my performance. After all, I had managed to remain on its back throughout the flight. It ambled toward me, lowered its body, and gazed at me silently with its purple eyes. It was as though the fish was praising me for my performance and also showing its concern for my current condition.


    I felt myself recover after a short rest. The several flying fish started calling out at us. I understood that they were going to take us away now. I nodded to the fish, firmed my heart, and stood up. Once again, I climbed onto its back.


    It seemed to greatly approve of my actions and nodded to me as well. It then shrieked at its three companions. The three other fish understood the command and stepped forth, each heading toward the master it had picked. Dondon, who was well fed and rested, jumped onto the back of the fish I was on. After crawling into my bag, it fell asleep.


    ''This little fellow sure knows how to pick a nice seat,'' I mused.


    Meanwhile, a chubby fish had selected Zhang Bao''er, with Dodo being arranged to share Zhang Bao''er''s mount. As Zhang Bao''er himself was rather chubby, he complained incessantly when forced to squeeze with another individual.


    "Kid, I told you to exercise more. Look at how fat you are. Look at me and my slim waist," I said.


    And thus, I had my perfect revenge on the kid. He continued grumbling for a while longer. I looked at Zhang Xingxing and saw that she had climbed onto a graceful-looking fish. For some reason, that fish gave off the impression that it was female.


    Old Du was the last to get onto his fish. He packed up all the random items everyone had left on the ground, not leaving anything of value behind. He then jumped onto the back of a sturdy blue fish. Then, the leading fish nodded at the other fish, shrieked, and soared into the sky. With us on their backs, they flew into the horizon.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

 CH 24

    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    The blue fish carried us across the sky. From atop the fish, we were able to take in the beautiful scenery of Sirius B. In a short while, we left the black mountain area, passing through a dense purple forest, tall waterfalls, beautiful seven-colored clouds, and numerous adorable small flying animals. What we saw gave us the feeling that this was a peaceful and beautiful world.


    "Canyue, Canyue," Zhang Bao''er approached me with his fat fish. "Canyue, do you still remember an old movie from a hundred years ago called Avatar?"


    "What movie is that? I never saw it," I said.


    "There is a flying mount in that movie, and the mount greatly resembles these flying fish. The strongest of their mounts is called Toruk, the last shadow in their language. I am planning to name my little fat fish Toruk as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t even think about it. Look at how obese your fish is. How is it the last shadow?" I laughed.


    "You have the leading fish. If you''re so smart, name your fish," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I sank into thought as I stroked my fish''s head.


    "What about Blueflash? Yes, Blueflash it is!" I said.


    "Blueflash? What a lame name. Yes, truly the kind of name you''d come up with," Zhang Bao''er laughed.


    I ignored him and softly stroked my mount''s head. "From now on, I''ll be calling you Blueflash. Remember your name."


    The blue fish responded by shaking its body, as though it understood my words. After about an hour, we arrived at an area filled with purple oval mountain peaks. These mountains were massive, and unlike the mountains on Blue where only the tip would reach for the clouds, the entire body of these mountains stood erect like massive walls, reaching the seven-colored clouds in the sky. The numerous mountains dotted the landscape and blocked out the sunlight from the sky.


    I could feel Blueflash suddenly accelerate toward the ground. After Blueflash circled a massive mountain and made a turn, the world before me opened up to reveal a majestic waterfall. To be precise, I was looking at a group of waterfalls of different sizes. The tallest of the waterfalls seemed connected to the very clouds in the sky.


    The water flowed smoothly down, almost like a curtain of silk that dropped all the way to the lake at the bottom. A deafening sound constantly rang out in the area as the many waterfalls crashed into the lake. The water vapor filled the entire bottom part of the mountain. Numerous tiny animals lived amid the fog. The sunlight of Sirius A caused the fog to shine slightly, making the sight before me akin to something from paradise.


    "This place is way too beautiful," Zhang Xingxing exclaimed. We were all mesmerized by what we saw.


    Suddenly, Blueflash shrieked and nodded at the other flying fish. It then shot toward the biggest waterfall before us. Droplets of water the size of beads rained down upon us. When the fish brought us through the waterfall, a massive cavern appeared before us.


    The light from Sirius A shone through the many holes in the cavern''s ceiling. All sorts of flora grew within the cavern. One plant, in particular, was a species of tree with massive branches that grew alongside the lake. On each of the branches, a beehive-shaped construct could be seen. And each construct was connected to a slide that led straight to the lake.


    "Canyue, look! Purple aliens!" Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    I could see numerous life forms similar to the Nommo prophet frolicking about in the gleaming lake. There were also a lot of these aliens on the shore. All of them seemed to be busy with their own tasks. These working aliens were tall and sturdy, while the ones playing in the lake looked like they were children.


    Unlike the prophet, these aliens all had a pair of legs and a massive fishtail behind them. The massive Blueflash and the other flying fish descended at the lakeside. They were so massive that when they hovered beside the lake, the area below them darkened, as though they were massive curtains covering the very sky.


    The aliens seemed alerted by our arrival. All of them gathered together, and I could see many sturdy aliens running over with weapon-like objects in their hands. I was somewhat worried to see so many aliens. The continuous battles we had gone through in this world had greatly exhausted us. The aliens only needed to throw enough bodies at us to defeat us.


    "Be careful, everyone. We don''t know the situation here. Be on alert and maintain combat readiness at all times," I reminded everyone.


    "Activate your suits. We don''t have to preserve our energy anymore," Zhang Xingxing commanded decisively.


    I immediately activated my morph-capable suit and drew my trusty gun.


    "We only have 12 hours'' worth of energy. What should we do afterward?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    All of us were too nervous to answer that stupid question.


    The aliens grew even more nervous when they saw us take out our weapons. The warriors among them wielded a type of round equipment that seemed capable of shooting projectiles. There were about a hundred of them. With weapons in their hands, they surrounded us. The smaller aliens, which I assumed were the females and children, hid behind the warriors and looked at us curiously.


    The weapons must have caused Blueflash discomfort¡ªit started howling loudly at the aliens. The other flying fish followed its lead, filling the cavern with thunderous howls. The aliens seemed threatened by Blueflash, and they started behaving as though they were fearful. They whispered among themselves, and none of them dared to attack.


    "Old Du, they seem afraid of these flying fish. Your fish is the biggest guy. Why don''t you go and scare them more?" I suggested.


    "Sure, I''ll give it a try," Old Du replied.


    He then rode his bulky flying fish forward and stood in the very middle of the circle surrounding us. He looked incredibly formidable, and he seemed to have awed the aliens, as they no longer dared to advance. However, their discussions grew louder as the situation became more and more intense. It seemed the situation was going to reach a tipping point soon.


    Suddenly, Blueflash howled loudly at the sky, silencing everyone. Blueflash also sank into silence and waited. Shortly after, the crowd parted, and an aged alien walked out. He had the mouth of a fish, and his whiskers were turning yellow. He seemed much older than the other aliens, and they all appeared respectful of him. Wherever he went, the aliens moved aside to make way for him.


    ''Looks like this person is probably a leader, perhaps an elder or a priest?'' I wondered.


    The elderly alien studied all of us carefully before turning to face Blueflash.


    "Nommo!" the old man suddenly yelled.


    He pressed his entire body onto the ground, and his tail lifted into the air and swung about forcefully.


    When the other aliens saw that, they all prostrated on the ground as well.


    "Canyue, what''s going on?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "I think they are treating us as the representative of Nommo," I said. "Nommo might be an ancestor of theirs. This is probably some sort of traditional ceremony to greet their ancestors."


    "Yes," Dodo said. "On Blue, the Dogon people called the alien visitor Nommo. The visitor from Sirius so many years ago could very well be their ancestor."


    All the aliens were fully concentrating on the sacred ceremony, and it was as though they had completely forgotten we were there. After about half an hour, the ceremony ended. Once again, everyone sank into silence. After several minutes, the priest stood up and started speaking. I couldn''t understand him, but from his gestures, I understood that he was inviting us somewhere else.


    "Xingxing, do you see that? This old man doesn''t seem too nervous seeing us at all," I said.


    "Yes. He acts like he had seen us before. He''s completely calm," Zhang Xingxing agreed.


    "Perhaps they had seen a Blueling before? Like your father?" Old Du speculated.


    "That is possible," I said. "I feel like he wants to bring us somewhere. We might be able to find more clues about your father''s whereabouts there."


    "Is there a chance this is a trap?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "It''s not like we have any other choice," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er lowered his head and shut his mouth.


    "We must go. This might be a perfect chance. Zhang Bao''er, keep your defensive system on and get ready for combat. Everyone else, shut your suits to save energy," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    At this time, the priest stepped forth and pointed at the distant forest, gesturing for us to go on foot. Zhang Xingxing nodded at me, and we all leaped off our mounts.


    I said to Blueflash, "Good fish. Wait for me here."


    Blueflash nodded as though it understood my words. It lay down on its stomach and started resting on the ground. I carried Dondon on my back, and we followed the priest into the forest.


    This forest was slightly different from the forests elsewhere in this world. Apart from the massive trees that the aliens lived on, the other plants were much smaller. Also, it was clear that these plants were all products of agriculture.


    Some trees were filled with beautiful translucent fruits, and I could clearly see swirling liquid within the fruits. Some plants actually looked and functioned like fencing as we could see some chubby animals being reared on the branches of these trees.


    "Look, the Sirian locals are rearing their pigs on trees," Zhang Bao''er remarked.


    We couldn''t help but burst out laughing at that remark. Slowly, we went deep into the forest. The flora around us grew denser, with the sky itself being covered by a thick purple canopy. Our surroundings became darker the deeper we went.


    I turned on my flashlight, but the priest immediately gestured at me to stop. We continued advancing. Soon, we came to a large group of purple shrubs. The priest started chanting, and magically, the shrubs parted to reveal a path. A cave was visible at the end of the path.


    "Wow, what a hidden cave," Zhang Bao''er said.


    We followed the path toward the cave. To our sides were dense purple shrubs, and a chilly wind blew on the path. I kept having the feeling that something was observing us from the thick shrubs.


    "Canyue, can you feel it? I feel like something is looking at us," Zhang Xingxing whispered.


    "Yes. The feeling is intense," I replied. "Get everyone to prepare for combat. Be ready to activate our suits."


    Zhang Xingxing relayed the command.


    Suddenly, a loud sound rang out from the purple shrub beside us. Then, an imposing creature jumped out and landed in our path.

 CH 25

    The purple creature had a pair of sharp fangs, and it had six limbs below its torso. Its face resembled a horse, and it had a pair of large ears. Its eyes carried a ruthless glint as it roared at us fiercely, acting as though it was going to attack. We nervously gripped our weapons tighter.


    "What monster is it this time?" Zhang Bao''er grumbled. "There are as many monsters here as there are ants on Blue. This is way too intense."


    The priest gestured at us to calm down. He chanted repeatedly before slowly approaching the creature. Then, he slowly reached out to the creature with both hands, lay on his stomach, and raised his tail. All the while, he never stopped chanting, and it also sounded like he had reached a crucial part of his incantation.


    I could hear the word "Domo" being repeated consistently, to the point I even wondered if that was the creature''s name.


    Slowly, as the priest chanted, the creature calmed down. The fierce glint in its eyes also turned gentle. Then, the priest nodded at his follower. The follower took out something resembling a fish from his bag and respectfully placed it before the creature. After sniffing the food, the creature howled at us a few more times before picking the food up. Then, it vanished into the thick forest.


    After the creature departed, the priest gestured at us to continue forward. We arrived at the cave entrance and saw that it wasn''t too big an entrance. Two majestic statues of the people of Sirius stood before the cave, standing imposingly with their weapons in their hands. After the Sirian locals finished their prayer, the priest brought us into the cave. We entered a world of gold.


    "My god. All these are treasures!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    We were all stunned by what we saw. The entrance wasn''t big, but inside was a massive cavern. In fact, judging from the size of the cavern, I even suspected that the entire mountain was hollow.


    Hanging right above us was a replica of the Sirius System. The replica was carved from two massive precious stones. Sirius A was a shining blue sphere that illuminated the entire cavern. Sirius B, on the other hand, was made from a sparkling ruby-like stone. Through principles and methods unknown to us, the two stones hovered in the air and orbited each other.


    Apart from the two main celestial bodies, the air above us was also filled with numerous multi-colored and shiny precious stones. They all hovered in the air, resembling the numerous twinkling stars in the universe. Beautiful seven-colored clouds leisurely drifted through the replicas. The entire cavern was grand and imposing, shaking our very souls with majesty.


    "This is too beautiful. This must be how paradise looks like," Zhang Xingxing said. "This is basically a virtual world of precious stones."


    "I don''t know which of these precious stones is the one we need. I keep having a feeling that this place is filled with danger," Dodo said.


    "We had survived so many dangers to come here. Comparatively, this place seems so peaceful. What is there to fear?" I said.


    My words seemed to trigger Dodo; the android immediately sank into silence. However, its body started ringing out with clicks as though it was simmering in anger.


    While we were taking in the amazing sight before us, the Sirian locals, led by the priest, brought us to a massive wall. Numerous star charts were drawn on it, and when we studied the charts, we found that they greatly resembled what we saw in Nommo''s room. They were the charts of various star systems alongside their descriptions.


    The priest pointed at the wall and let loose a string of words to me, but I couldn''t understand a single word. However, from his gestures, I understood that he wanted us to look for the planet we came from.


    "Blue must be somewhere in there as well," Zhang Xingxing said. "This might be the clue to my father''s and Aunt Cassie''s whereabouts. Everyone, look for Blue."


    Everyone carried out the team leader''s command. The five of us and Dondon split up and searched the wall for a star system with eight planets. Although the Sirians could not understand us, they all followed their priest''s lead and started watching silently as we searched. We carefully observed the paintings on the wall. Suddenly, I saw a familiar chart with eight planets. On the chart, the sun and planets I had seen so many times were visible.


    ''Yes, there''s no doubting it,'' I told myself.


    Unfortunately, I could not understand the description beside the chart because they were all written in Sirian script. Not even our database could detect anything similar to these scripts.


    "I found it," I called out. "Blue''s chart is here."


    Everyone came over and when they saw that I had really found Blue, they grew excited. I gestured to the priest and pointed at Blue, telling him that we came from Blue. The priest understood me and nodded. He called out and talked to a young Sirian from among his followers. The youngster nodded and walked up to us.


    "Looks like the prophecy, the secret of Sirius, and Captain Zhang Han''s whereabouts will all be solved soon," I said in excitement.


    Zhang Xingxing, Old Du, and Zhang Bao''er were just as excited as me. We looked at the young Sirian in anticipation as he approached us.


    "[email protected]*#&$^!*#^$," the young alien gestured at us while speaking, but we couldn''t understand a single word. We all looked at Dodo.


    "I already analyzed their language with all the languages in our database, including the Dogon language. However, no match was found. Their scripts do not exist on Blue," Dodo said.


    "This is impossible. If these are not scripts local to Blue, why would they be written here?" I said. "When I was searching, I noticed that each star chart is accompanied by different scripts. Thus, common sense dictates that the script beside Blue should be one that is local to Blue as well."


    "Perhaps this is the script of an ancient civilization?" Zhang Xingxing suddenly said.


    "What ancient civilization is this that none of us know of it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "In the history of human evolution, there is a blank period of about 200,000 years. It is suspected that there once existed four major civilizations in that period of lost history," Zhang Xingxing explained. "Because the civilizations are more legends than actual history, they are not included in the interstellar exploration courses."


    "That''s right. It was once suspected that four different civilizations once existed on Blue," Dodo said.


    "You must be making this up. What civilizations? List them out," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You don''t know this, but in Blue''s history, there are four lost civilizations, resulting in a blank period in history," Dodo explained.


    "Blank period in history? What are you referring to, exactly?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "First of them is the Gendaya civilization, also known as the superpower civilization. The second is the Mesopotamia civilization, also known as the food and drink civilization. The third is the Lemuria civilization, also known as the bio-energy civilization. And the fourth is the Maya civilization.


    "In fact, we have more civilizations lost at the bottom of the ocean, such as the Atlantis civilization. All these civilizations were lost to history, leaving no trace on Blue," Dodo finished his explanation.


    "Gendaya civilization? What an odd name," I remarked.


    "Yes. It was said that the Gendaya people are one meter in height, with their males having a third eye. In the legends, the third eye contains a superpower, and each third eye possesses a different superpower. The females of the Gendaya people did not have a third eye or a superpower. However, they could commune with gods through their wombs, allowing them to become the vessel of the gods that wish to be reincarnated," said Dodo.


    "That is way too mystical. The evolution of Blue is truly inconceivable. However, Blue is Blue, and Sirius is Sirius. Will there be any similarity here?" I wondered.


    "Looks like Nommo had visited Blue more than once," Old Du concluded.


    "Yes, I agree. But these characters must be the script of a lost civilization. Therefore, we weren''t able to translate it," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "What should we do, then? Canyue, think of something," Zhang Bao''er said.


    Everyone sank into silence yet again. It was truly disheartening when we were disappointed so soon after seeing hope. This vast shift in mood was not something just anyone could withstand.


    At this time, I saw the expression of disappointment and exhaustion on Zhang Xingxing''s face. For some reason, I felt deeply unwell seeing her like that. Although this was just a mission for me, my heart seemed to have formed a connection with the team leader. Whether the mission was successful had unknowingly become personal to me.


    The Sirians seemed to have sensed our disappointment as well. After an hour, the youngsters who were in charge of translating looked at his priest helplessly. The priest nodded, and they all sat down. They started chanting, as though they were praying for us.


    "I have an idea!" a loud voice rang out.


    We all looked over, and the sight of the speaker gave me a shock. Old Du, the one who had always been someone of few words, was the speaker.


    "You have an idea, Old Du?" Zhang Xingxing asked anxiously.


    "I have a train of thought, but I don''t know if it''s feasible. We can give it a try," Old Du said.


    "Tell us. Don''t keep us in suspense," both Zhang Bao''er and I were losing patience. "Kid, hurry up."


    Instead, Old Du sank into silence. He seemed to be considering his choice of words. Everyone sank into silence, including the Sirians. We all waited silently for Old Du to voice his thoughts.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

 CH 26

    "Gliese," Old Du slowly said after thinking for a while.


    A realization hit me. If Nommo had visited Gliese as well, Gliese''s chart must be on this wall as well. Perhaps our database would be able to translate the script on the Gliese chart.


    "Old Du, you''re a genius! Well done!" I praised in excitement.


    We all knew that the fixed star of the Gliese System, Gliese 581, was a red dwarf star. It was orbited by four planets, three rocky and one gaseous. Everyone split up again and searched the wall. About 20 minutes later, Dodo found the Gliese chart. After some comparison, we confirmed that it was the chart depicting Gliese 581 and its four orbiting planets.


    After the numerous shifts in emotions earlier, we were much less prone to excitement now. Everyone remained calm and collected. Dodo proceeded to analyze the script on the wall. After five minutes, it nodded at Old Du. The characters on the wall could be traced to an ancient Gliesen script.


    Hope covered Zhang Xingxing''s face, and we hurriedly gestured at the priest to make our findings known. The priest nodded and waved. From the crowd of Sirians, a Sirian who looked like a female walked out. The female alien started speaking to us in Gliesen. Our translator was able to smoothly translate her words into something we all understood.


    "Success!" I nodded at Zhang Xingxing.


    The female alien was called Amethyst. She slowly told us the story of Nommo.


    About 150,000 years ago, the Sirius people lived on a planet called Bright, a planet of the Betelgeuse System from the Orion Constellation. Their homeworld was a beautiful planet filled with lush forests and abundant water. Their species had lived there for millions of years.


    There were numerous massive fixed stars filled with energy in the Orion Constellation.  Nobody knew where these fixed stars got their energy from, but they constantly transmitted their energy to Bright, nourishing all life on the planet.


    It was during that period that Nommo was born. He was different from the others since birth. The people of Sirius were amphibians, capable of living both above and underwater. However, Nommo was born without legs, making water the only habitat he could live in. The concept of discrimination did not exist among the Sirius people. Nommo''s unique appearance was instead viewed by their high priest as a sign from the heavens. At a young age, Nommo was brought to Bright''s higher institution of learning to learn.


    The young Nommo displayed extraordinary talent in astronomy, theology, and weapon handling. He eventually became the high priest''s successor. One day, a group of aliens attacked Bright. The aliens possessed powerful energy weapons. It did not take long for Bright to fall. The people of Bright were massacred, and even toward their deaths, they were unaware of the origin of the alien invaders. At the time, they called the invaders the Darklings.


    With the defeat of their entire planet without any path of retreat, Nommo led the final survivors and escaped the planet in a spaceship. They thus drifted through the universe.


    The Darklings pursued them relentlessly, and after about a thousand days of pursuit, they arrived at the Sirius System just as they were running out of energy. Utilizing his expertise in astronomy and the high-tech equipment in the ship, Nommo calculated that a living space was present on Sirius B. The massive pressure and high temperature surrounding Sirius B acted as the perfect shield for the Bright people.


    In order to pierce through the layer of pressure and temperature around Sirius B, Nommo suggested that they used the final bit of energy in the ship to produce a wormhole. That would be their final hope. If they failed, the final 2,000 survivors would all die, and the people of Bright would thus be extinct.


    After a discussion, everyone agreed to his plan. Nommo then powered their wormhole manufacturer with all their remaining energy and flew into the wormhole with the final bit of the ship''s momentum. Sirius B''s outer layer of pressure and temperature provided the people of Bright a safe haven. The Darklings weren''t able to find these survivors, so they eventually left.


    Just like that, the people of Bright started living on Sirius B. Sirius B was a white dwarf, a product of the decline of a fixed star. It thus lacked energy in its core. When the Brightlings arrived, Nommo kept thinking of a way to defeat the barbaric invaders and bring his people back to their homeworld.


    That desire pushed him to explore the Milky Way Galaxy in search of alien civilizations and an even more powerful source of energy he could harness to defeat the Darklings. To leave, he had to find a source of energy to produce more wormholes. On a random island on Sirius B, he found what he needed.


    The island was named Terror Island. That island housed the sole opening that led to Sirius B''s core. As Sirius B had basically almost fully exhausted its energy, the remaining energy in the core only leaked out of Terror Island. That was also the only place one could harness energy on Sirius B.


    "There''s hope for us!" Zhang Bao''er cried out in excitement. "We can harness the energy source on Terror Island, produce our own wormhole, and leave!"


    Amethyst could not understand him. Looking at his excitement, she appeared confused, so she stopped speaking.


    "Ignore him. Please continue," said Old Du in the Gliesen language.


    With a nod, Amethyst said, "The energy of Terror Island can''t be harnessed so easily. A two-headed giant monster lives there. The monster derives its nourishment from the energy coming from the opening on the ground. It is very powerful, and it will be extremely violent to anyone wishing to harness the energy there."


    "Two-headed giant. Does it have six legs and a pair of big wings?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes," Amethyst answered.


    "Looks like the two-headed creature on the case refers to the one on the Terror Island," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing and the others appeared to agree with me.


    "For the energy, Nommo would have to defeat that beast," Amethyst continued her narration.


    Prophet Nommo was highly intelligent. With advanced technology under his control, he had snatched energy from that beast. However, the tribe had also lost half their numbers during that fight.


    Since then, nobody had been able to take a single step onto Terror Island. The energy supply on Terror Island was large. After obtaining the energy he needed, Nommo was able to manufacture a wormhole. Through the wormhole technology, he traversed the universe in search of something that could defeat the Darklings. He also brought Bright technology to the many races across the universe, helping these races resist hostile alien invaders.


    To prevent the rise of more destructive civilizations similar to the Darklings, Nommo had been selective about what he taught the people of each planet. That explained why the people of Blue had better knowledge of astronomy while the Gliesens had the wormhole technology.


    Imagine a reality where during the 16th century when humanity experienced a massive growth in astronomy studies, humanity had obtained the wormhole technology as well. Humanity could very well have been an invasive civilization that ran around invading other planets.


    With the energy he harnessed from Terror Island, Nommo had visited one star system after another in the Milky Way Galaxy. However, he never managed to find the energy source or the technology that could defeat the Darklings.


    He had spent around a hundred years exploring. As he grew older, the energy supply on Terror Island had also shrunk. Thus, he reduced his travels. In his final journey, he had gone to Betelgeuse in his usual search for a new energy source. During his return, an accident happened. His ship seemed to have exploded while he was landing, and the entire ship crashed into the black mountain.


    All the Brightlings were alarmed. After all, Nommo was both their prophet and spiritual pillar. Everyone had been relying on the numerous alien technologies Nommo had found to constantly perfect their knowledge base. With their knowledge base, they were able to continue living and propagating in this world.


    To save the prophet, the high priest of the time personally led a group of personnel to the black mountain. In the ship, they encountered a massive creature with a giant paw. That was the same giant paw we had encountered earlier. The creature was fierce, and it was the culprit behind the ship''s accident.


    The group battled the creature fearlessly, trying their very best to charge into the ship. After a large number of casualties, they finally arrived at the door of Nommo''s room. Only the high priest and two other youngsters were able to reach that point. After the creature killed the ones keeping it occupied, it rushed toward them.


    The high priest said to one of the youngsters, "We can only buy a little bit of time for you. Go in and protect the prophet. When you find him, take him away. The entire tribe is relying on you. So long as the prophet lives, Brightlings shall continue existing."


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    Then, the high priest pushed the youngster into the room. He and the other youngster detonated their bombs, destroying the hold of the ship and blocking the creature''s advance. The youngster fell into the room. When he raised his head, he saw Nommo, seriously injured, seated at the center of the room.


    Nommo waved the youngster over. When the youngster walked over, Nommo rubbed the youngster''s head and slowly said, "I found the weapon capable of restraining the aliens. But while trying to harness the energy, I was cursed. An ancient monster attached itself to me. Even after doing all that I could, I failed to destroy it. The monster gained control over the ship before bringing it all the way here.


    "The secret is sealed in two ancient secret cases. The secret cases are extremely durable. Only excessively powerful energy can open them. The secret of obtaining the energy required is already etched on the cases. We Brightlings won''t be able to control this energy. Our tribe can no longer afford more deaths. In the far future, several saviors will descend upon the people of Bright. I will leave the prophecy with you. Await your saviors."


    The youngster expressed that he wanted to bring Nommo out, but Nommo shook his head.


    "Child, I don''t have much time remaining. Listen to me. Remember every word I say and bring my words back to the tribe," Nommo said. "I have two secret cases here. Take the small case and toss it into the wormhole. When the savior sees the small case, he will come for the bigger case. The secret of the energy source can be found in the main case."


    Next, Nommo gave the youngster a book. The book recorded the details of Nommo''s exploration of the Milky Way Galaxy over the years. The scripts, languages, and technologies he had encountered were also recorded in the book. Nommo reminded the youngster that he had to bring the book back because the future savior might come from any of these planets.


    The youngster nodded and promised to complete the mission. Nommo then said in a gratified manner, "This giant paw is my personal curse. It can''t be killed. Even after my death, it will proceed to slaughter all life on Sirius B. After you go back, turn this place into a forbidden zone. Seal this place up and prevent anyone from coming. I will use my remaining energy to conquer the giant paw creature, fusing my mind with its mind. Both of us will exist and perish together. With that, us Brightlings will remain safe."


    Then, Nommo used the energy in the smaller case to produce a wormhole before pushing the youngster and the book into it. The youngster returned to the tribe with his mission and became the new high priest. He followed Nommo''s instructions and drew the star charts in the book onto the cavern. He also had the people of the tribe learn the many scripts and languages in the book. At the same time, the black mountain was turned into the tribe''s forbidden zone.


    The youngster also sent people to search for the wormhole mentioned by Nommo and had them toss the smaller case into it. That youngster was the current priest''s ancestor. Their family had guarded the secret generation after generation, awaiting their savior. After so many years, we were finally here.


    After finishing the story, Amethyst looked at the priest. The priest nodded to her with a gratified smile on his face. After all, they had waited a very long time for their saviors to appear.


    "No, this story is very suspicious. There are too many issues with it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Everyone looked at him.

 CH 27

    ''What embarrassing thing is this fellow going to say this time?'' I wondered.


    "Bao''er, what do you have in mind?" I asked.


    Zhang Bao''er had a smug expression as he savored the moment, delaying the explanation.


    "Start talking already. Stop dragging it out," Old Du pushed.


    "Firstly, we already have the main case. However, there are no signs on how to open it. Also, where is the energy required to open it?" Zhang Bao''er said. "Secondly, Nommo had only spent 100 years exploring the universe. However, there is a gap of at least 100,000 years between the time of the lost civilizations and the time of the Dogon people. How had he visited Blue twice during that period of time? There''s a major issue there."


    ''Interesting,'' I thought.


    "Finally, since Nommo is capable of predicting the future, he must know that we''re here for Captain Zhang Han. Why didn''t he leave any clues about the captain to us?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    It might seem like Zhang Bao''er was looking for trouble, but his suspicions were reasonable. Old Du immediately asked Amethyst about Captain Zhang Han. Amethyst in turn asked the priest. The priest then replied using the Bright language.


    Amethyst then faced us and translated the priest''s words, "The priest said that the mysteries of heaven must not be revealed. All the answer you want is within the case. So long as you can open it, you will have your answer."


    "What''s the deal with this alien? Can''t he be straightforward? Why the suspense?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    I knew that we wouldn''t be able to get more out of these Brightlings. I looked at Zhang Xingxing and saw that she was looking pensive as well. After a short discussion among ourselves, we decided to spend the night at the tribe before further discussing what to do next.


    Old Du told Amethyst our intention, and the Brightlings appeared welcoming to it. After a delicious dinner of unknown food, Zhang Xingxing gathered us up for a meeting. Against the backdrop of the massive Sirius A, Sirius B''s night was rather bright.


    Zhang Xingxing started the discussion: "To obtain the secret within the case, we need to open it."


    "We probably need a powerful energy source to open the case. According to the prophet, the energy we need can most likely be found on Terror Island," Old Du said.


    "Therefore, after consideration," Zhang Xingxing said, "I believe our only option is to go to Terror Island and think of a way to obtain the energy there. Only then will we be able to unveil the secret in the case and obtain the answer we want."


    "Terror Island. There''s a super two-headed monster there. Without our ship and with our dwindling supply of energy, going there is suicide," protested Zhang Bao''er the moment Terror Island was mentioned. He was right. Our current situation did not permit us to take huge risks.


    "Dodo, give us an evaluation of our current condition," I said.


    "Mimas I is completely lost and buried under the black mountain. Our personal suits only have 12 hours'' worth of energy. We won''t be able to carry out a major operation for an extended period of time," Dodo replied.


    "We need to solve our energy issue," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Canyue, I remember that your group left with the Kangaroo before. Where''s the vehicle? Don''t tell me it got eaten by some monster as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    His words struck us like a lightning bolt. We were suddenly reminded that we still had the Kangaroo. Before crossing the basin, we had left it at the basin''s edge.


    "Bao''er, oh, Bao''er, you always bring us surprises without realizing it," I said in joy as I punched his shoulder.


    "Hehehe, that is only natural. Hasn''t my genius saved everyone from fatal danger several times?" said Zhang Bao''er, growing smug again.


    Nobody offered a retort. He was right; his random remarks had saved everyone several times so far. The Kangaroo was left at the edge of the basin, and it was over a thousand kilometers away from us. But with Blueflash, Toruk, and the other flying fish, reaching it shouldn''t pose us much trouble. And with the Kangaroo, we would be able to recharge our suits. The emergence of hope greatly improved our mood. Slowly, the room became filled with chatter and laughter.


    "Everyone, I wish to say something," Dodo said. "Even with an ample energy supply for our suits, I''m afraid our chances of successfully obtaining the energy at Terror Island will still be less than one in a million without the assistance of a spaceship."


    Dodo''s words were akin to a pot of cold water being poured over our burning excitement. We all sank into silence.


    "Do we have any other choices?" I asked when I saw how everyone was behaving.


    "No. We have all disobeyed the command of a senior officer. In accordance with the league laws, we will all be exiled outside the Milky Way Galaxy, our return forbidden for eternity. As an android, I will be taken apart and thrown into the mechanical trash compound," said Dodo.


    "Is there a way to make up for our insubordination?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Unlikely. Only the president of the league, a Gliesen great duke, can pardon soldiers who have performed the crime of insubordination. However, only those with a large number of merits will receive pardon," Dodo said.


    "So, is it unlikely or is it impossible?" I asked.


    "Impossible. There is no precedent since the establishment of the league. A pardon happened once in Gliesen history, but it was for a legendary Gliesen hero," Dodo clarified.


    "Yes, that Gliesen hero is Kendode, one of Gliese''s mythical figures," said Old Du.


    "What did he do?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Kendode was the savior of the Gliesens. Fifty years ago, the Gliese civilization was faced with a critical energy crisis. We started searching everywhere for new sources of energy. One of the exploring teams found a unique substance at the Star Queen Nebula in the Milky Way Galaxy," Old Du narrated.


    "What substance?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "The substance is a powerful source of energy. It floats in boundless space, and even a portion the size of a matchstick box is enough to power the entire Gliese civilization for an entire day. Thus, that substance was the perfect answer to solve the energy problem plaguing the Gliese civilization for so many years," Old Du said. "Back then, the planetary alliance requested the team to return immediately with the substance."


    "If you already have such an incredible source of energy, why are we still searching everywhere for energy? From the sounds of it, that substance is much better than iron," I said.


    "The alliance deployed Captain Kendode to provide support for the team. When the captain met the team, they found that the substance was stirring and that there seemed to be signs of life in it. Kendode reported his findings to the headquarters, requesting that the substance be studied by the life research team in outer space before bringing it back to the planet. The alliance rejected his proposal. The demand for energy was too high, and they were becoming impatient for a new energy source. For the sake of the planet, Kendode disobeyed the command.


    "The leader of the exploration team was then commanded to arrest Kendode. Kendode''s team fought back, and an intense battle broke out. Ultimately, Kendode''s team won a pyrrhic victory. With the substance, they landed on an uninhabited planet in the Gliese System, a planet designated Gliese 601.


    "The moment they landed, the substance revealed its true colors. It used its powerful energy to put all signals on Gliese 601 under its control. Then, it started absorbing the energy from the planet''s core. No signal could leave the planet, so the alliance was completely unaware. Furthermore, due to Kendode''s insubordination, his team had been designated as rebels. An armed force had been deployed to attack planet 601 and retrieve the new energy source.


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    "Kendode could not afford to hesitate. If the substance was allowed to reach his homeworld, Gliese 581, the planet would suffer destruction. Thus, he came up with an extreme plan. Making use of the substance''s powerful energy, he produced a massive wormhole leading to the giant black hole at the very center of the Milky Way Galaxy.


    "The moment the wormhole appeared, Kendode commanded his team members to take off. He alone stayed on planet 601 and jumped into the wormhole with the substance, vanishing into the Milky Way Galaxy''s black hole. That was the last he was seen.


    "The armed forces witnessed everything that had happened, and they were all stunned. After finding Kendode''s team members, they returned to their homeworld. From the data and recording brought back by Kendode''s team, the Gliesens finally understood that the super energy source was in fact a vile existence. For the entire Gliese civilization, Kendode had sacrificed himself. The great duke of the planet personally pardoned Kendode and his team. At the same time, all of them were decorated with the highest order of award for their service," Old Du finished his story.


    "So only a dead messiah can obtain a pardon for insubordination? That''s too big a price," Zhang Bao''er said.


    I looked at Zhang Bao''er and slowly said, "Since we have no other choice, since it''s a dead end either way, why don''t we take the risk and go to Terror Island? Get the energy there and obtain the secret of the case. It''s not like we have any other choice. Why hesitate?"


    "I agree. We should grab onto any hope we see. We should advance and retreat together," Zhang Xingxing was the first to voice her agreement.


    Old Du also voiced his support without hesitation. Zhang Bao''er then steeled his heart and expressed his support. We laid our hands on top of each other''s hands, and after a short while, Dodo also placed its mechanical hand atop our stacked hands. Finally, Dondon placed its tiny paw on my leg.


    "Target, Terror Island. Tomorrow morning, we''ll recharge our suits and set off for the island," I commanded on behalf of Zhang Xingxing.


    Suddenly, an unknown string of words rang out. The priest and Amethyst had arrived. After a short chat with Amethyst, Old Du turned to face us and said, "The priest has a new request. He wishes to obtain our help."

 CH 28

    "The Brightlings want us to take Amethyst and the priest''s son, Titan, with us to Terror Island," Old Du said.


    "What? They want to come with us? Is this old man crazy?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    "They are here with information we don''t know," Old Du said. "Terror Island is located in the middle of Sirius B''s storm zone. Our ship is already destroyed. Our original plan of approaching on the flying fish will not work. The storm there is strong enough to crush anything. Even if we can withstand the storm with our suits, our fish won''t be able to."


    "What do we do? Do the Brightlings have a good solution?" I asked.


    "They are going to bring us to a big whirlpool near the island with their ship. We can then proceed with our flying fish," said Old Du.


    "Big whirlpool? What''s that?" I asked.


    Old Du asked Amethyst before answering, "For tens of thousands of years, nobody has reached Terror Island. They only roughly know the location from the legends. Priests of every generation had always wanted to explore the island. They discovered that there is a massive whirlpool in the sea zone near the island. No ships can go past the whirlpool. The Brightlings have only been able to reach the edge of the whirlpool."


    "Fine," I sighed. "Looks like Sirius B is filled with dangers just like I had thought. Why do the Brightlings want to go with us?"


    "The priest hopes his son can solve the mystery of Terror Island and lead their tribe back to Bright," replied Old Du.


    We could understand their desire to return to their homeland. Zhang Xingxing agreed to let them come with us. After we were finished talking, we rested. We would set off on the next day.


    When Zhang Bao''er and I went to see Blueflash and Toruk, we saw the two joyfully eating something that looked like beetles, courtesy of the Brightlings. When they saw us, they rubbed their massive fishy snouts against us.


    "Relax and enjoy yourself. We might have a hard day tomorrow," I said softly as I rubbed Blueflash''s head.


    Blueflash seemed to understand, its eyes turning domineering and aggressive. I was gratified to see that. With such a reliable and capable companion, I feared nothing. The night passed quickly. Early the next day, Old Du and Zhang Bao''er rode the flying fish toward the Kangaroo. Zhang Xingxing, Dodo, and I were left behind to fully tune all our equipment.


    Amethyst and the priest''s son, Titan, were also busy. They prepared numerous weapons we had never seen before. The Brightlings possessed a long tube capable of firing liquid bullets, a bow-like implement that could release electrical attacks, and various other weapons. The universe was a mystical place, filled with various life forms and numerous scenes beyond what humanity could imagine.


    On Bright, the transmission distance of electromagnetic waves was limited. Thus, we lacked communication devices and could only wait patiently for Old Du and Zhang Bao''er to return with our Kangaroo.


    After an entire day, we became impatient. Finally, when I was busy complaining about the efficiency of Zhang Bao''er and Old Du during dinner time, the two returned. Before I could even grumble at them, Zhang Bao''er took the lead and complained.


    "I refuse to perform such missions in the future. To avoid the basin and the lava plain, we spent ten whole hours taking a big detour. There are lava lakes everywhere. I''m starving to death!" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    As he complained, he greedily stuffed the food on the table into his mouth. As a more refined person, Old Du did not swear like Zhang Bao''er, but he was also hungrily devouring the food on the table.


    The sight caused me to swallow my dissatisfaction. That was a far journey, and after a day of rest, everyone was filled with energy. Dodo immediately charged all our equipment on the Kangaroo. At the same time, he took apart some of the vehicle''s smaller weapons and installed them on our suits.


    "Why don''t we drive the Kangaroo over?" asked Zhang Bao''er as he lounged on his bed.


    "The Kangaroo won''t be optimal because there will be a whirlpool and a cyclone there. I''m afraid that the flying fish won''t be able to withstand these disasters either," I said.


    After a night of rest, morning arrived. Under Sirius A''s immense blue sunshine, we began our expedition to Terror Island. As usual, Dondon tagged along in the comfort of my bag. Meanwhile, Blueflash followed us from the sky. Led by over twenty Brightlings, we prepared to set sail into the lake.


    The ship we boarded was actually a hollowed-out branch of the massive trees they built their houses on. It was big enough to carry even Blueflash, but the ship was also completely defenseless. Our expedition of over ten ships slowly set sail into the lake.


    "These ships seem a tad bit too crude, right?" I said to Old Du. "They already have spaceships during Nommo''s era. Why is the current generation using wooden boats?"


    "I don''t understand it either. Perhaps everything outside the whirlpool zone is completely calm, or perhaps they have degenerated," said Old Du.


    After about three hours of sailing, we left the lake and entered a river so wide we couldn''t see its other shore. The surface of the river was gleaming, and countless aquatic life forms of numerous shapes could be seen jumping out of the water every now and then, painting a picture full of life around us.


    Suddenly, the Brightling in charge of rowing the ship nodded and said a string of alien words. The other Brightlings then took out a layer of plastic-like film and covered the ships tightly, not leaving even a single opening.


    "Are they turning us into mummies?" Zhang Bao''er mumbled.


    After Amethyst said something to Old Du in Gliesen, he gestured at us to stay silent. Just like that, we proceeded in silence for about an hour. My curled body was starting to feel sore, while Zhang Bao''er had actually rested his legs on the thighs of a Brightling. However, all the Brightlings around us remained completely silent.


    Suddenly, rumbling thunder could be heard ahead of us. Then, our ships accelerated, carried by the current. I saw the Brightlings chanting, and suddenly, the ships dove downward. The rapid downward fall gave me a sensation of weightlessness, as though I was floating in the air.


    I felt like the ship had fallen into an endless abyss, and everyone within the ship appeared dazed. Even after an hour, the ship was still dropping. In fact, the speed of the descent was increasing.


    "Have we fallen into a bottomless pit? I''m getting dizzy," I grumbled.


    I could see that due to the persisting sensation of weightlessness, Zhang Bao''er had fainted. In fact, I was on the verge of fainting as well. After a period of time that felt like an eternity, the ship flipped several times and then firmly landed on water. Our fall had ended.


    "Finally, we''re there," I heaved a breath of relief. "Xingxing, how are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine, but I feel sick to my stomach," Zhang Xingxing replied.


    "Feel free to vomit on Zhang Bao''er''s body," I joked to ease the tension.


    Amethyst spoke to Old Du in Gliesen.


    "Everyone, we''ve arrived," Old Du said.


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    "Finally. Did I fall unconscious?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly woke up.


    When the Brightlings pulled the cover apart, a shocking view unfolded before our eyes. We had arrived at Sirius B''s third layer, the ocean layer. Before us, a massive tornado of water rose into the air, connecting the world''s second and third layers. It was through this tornado of water that we had entered the ocean layer.


    The massive ocean was clear and shiny. The sky above us was a massive void, and the middle layer of the world was not visible at all. In the air, numerous massive life forms that looked mammalian were floating about.


    "So many giant life forms. Just how are they supporting their weight in the air?" I wondered.


    "Perhaps they are actually lighter than the air, floating like balloons," Dodo proposed.


    The sea level around us was rather peculiar. As far as the eye could see, it was all calm, with only a small part of the zone suffering from wind and rain.


    "Canyue, look," Zhang Xingxing interrupted my thoughts. I turned around and was stunned by the scene before me.


    To our backs was a lone island. The island was formed of oddly-shaped stones, and a massive forest was at its center. Unlike the purple forests of the middle layer, this forest was actually red. I had seen red leaves before, but this was my very first time seeing an entirely red plant.


    Of course, the red plants alone were not enough to shock me. What truly shocked me was the two massive ships beached on the island''s shore. The ships seemed to be made of a steel-like material. They were pitch-black, and numerous heroic-looking Brightlings were carved on the bow of the ships. Each ship was split into three levels, and they seemed fully equipped with weapons and numerous other facilities. The size of these ships had surpassed all our imagination.


    I blinked awkwardly at Old Du. Just a few hours ago, we had complained about their crude ships. Little did we know that their truly high-tech ships were actually waiting here in the third layer.


    All the supplies had been prepared beforehand. Our group and Blueflash boarded one of the ships. Titan and Amethyst joined us. The second group boarded the vanguard ship. The two ships set off one after another, sailing into the gleaming sea.


    "The Brightlings know the coordinates of Terror Island. We will need around three days to reach the big whirlpool," said Old Du.


    "Good. We can get proper rest and enjoy the scenery of Sirius B''s sea," Zhang Bao''er said with a smile.


    Blueflash and the other flying fish lay leisurely on the deck as they rested. Meanwhile, I brought Dondon to my own room. I lay on my bed, shut my eyes, and drifted into sleep without knowing it.


    Boom!


    A massive sound woke me from my sleep.

 CH 29

    I instinctively lifted my gun and rushed onto the deck. A group of gigantic life forms had appeared from the sea. Each of them was some sort of cylindrical life form. They moved by hopping up and down from the sea, creating massive waves each time they dropped back into the water.


    "These monsters look so weird. I can''t determine which part is the head and which is the rear," Zhang Xingxing''s voice rang out beside me. I turned my head and saw that she had arrived beside me unknowingly.


    The Brightlings fired their massive cannons at the giant creatures, chasing them away from the ship''s path to prevent any collisions. The loud rumble that had awakened me came from one of these cannons.


    "These creatures move in such a unique manner. I wonder what''s the concept behind their form," I wondered.


    At this time, Old Du and Amethyst joined us.


    "We call these large migratory animals kadoka," Amethyst explained in the Gliesen language.


    "Kadoka? What does that mean?" I asked.


    "Kadoka means to disseminate. These giant creatures constantly migrate, their travels bringing with them numerous different species to different parts of the sea," replied Amethyst.


    "Will they attack other animals?" I asked.


    "No. They are very docile. They live on nutrients in the seawater. Their impressive size greatly deters all predators from preying on them," Amethyst replied.


    "Predators? What are you referring to?" I continued asking.


    Amethyst glanced at me and said, "There are no fixed forms for sea predators on Sirius B. Each new life form we encounter might be a dangerous predator. Here, only prey exists in a fixed form."


    "This world is too weird," I mused after listening to the explanation.


    The kadokas slowly moved away from our ships. The surface of the sea gleamed in a purple glow under the sunshine of Sirius A. Gradually, we entered an area enveloped in mist.


    "Canyue, do you think we''ll be able to get the energy we need from Terror Island?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    I turned to look at her. She was looking at me with an expectant look. I knew the trip would be a dangerous one, but I had never been too supportive of the league''s principle of optimal selection.


    ¡°I believe we will succeed," I replied firmly.


    A joyful smile bloomed on Zhang Xingxing''s face. She looked at Sirius A in the sky and said, "After we find Father, I''ll have him help us apply for pardon. If we really have no choice, we will travel to other star systems and search for our new home."


    I felt joy hearing her words. In truth, I had enjoyed my time with this noble lady. Although there was a gap between our positions in society, the heart of a youngster would always be more pure and kind.


    Time always flew by when one was enjoying oneself. The three days of peace and the ocean tour quickly ended. The ship''s alarm suddenly blazed, notifying everyone to man their posts. We had arrived at the whirlpool zone. We equipped our suits in accordance with the command before gathering on the deck.


    Titan, the priest''s son, was clad in Bright''s unique combat outfit. He looked rather capable in his martial outfit. He was giving an explanation about the whirlpool zone, aided by Amethyst as the translator.


    On the sea surface about 30 kilometers ahead of us, the sea was no longer visible. A storm covered the area with churning clouds and massive seven-colored lightning bolts. Here, all life forms, avian or aquatic, had vanished.


    "We are about to enter the big whirlpool zone. The massive whirlpool will appear abruptly from the seabed and open its gigantic maw and swallow everything in its path," Titan said.


    "Can we observe the whirlpool from here?" Old Du asked.


    "No. The big whirlpool is not a fixed existence. Its appearance has always been unpredictable," replied Titan.


    "How do we avoid being swallowed by the whirlpool?" I asked.


    "Nobody has managed to cross the whirlpool zone for tens of thousands of years. Today, with the flying fish, we might be able to cross this zone," Titan said.


    "The storm is very intense. Can Blueflash and the others withstand it?" Zhang Bao''er asked, worried.


    "Therefore, we need to get as far as possible on our ships. The ship ahead of us will be the vanguard. We will follow closely behind. We will be ready to leave with the flying fish at a moment''s notice. The moment the whirlpool appears to swallow the ship, we will take to the skies," Titan said.


    "We can fly away, but what about the others? The flying fish won''t be able to take so many people," Zhang Xingxing interrupted.


    Titan looked at her with eyes as profound as the universe. Slowly, he said, "They are all prepared to sacrifice themselves for the tribe. To return to our homeland, sacrifices are necessary."


    We all sank into silence. I was greatly alarmed. I did not expect the sacrifice of dozens of young Brightlings just for the sake of our mission. A sense of sorrow welled within me.


    "Yes, civilization and the rise to glory always go hand in hand with blood," Dodo remarked.


    With everything in place and ready, Titan signaled to his aid. The order was carried out immediately as the two ships entered the stormy zone. The roaring wind in the zone moved faster than 300 kilometers per hour, 2 times faster than a force 12 hurricane on Blue. The wind was so strong that everything not tightly fixed onto the ship was instantly blown off.


    The wind here might be slower than Jupiter''s wind, but I still couldn''t help but feel nervous when personally experiencing the storm and witnessing the rapidly shifting clouds and the occasional lightning bolt in the sky.


    The massive storm also constantly created gigantic purple waves dozens of meters high on the sea. The Brightlings operated their ships nimbly and charged straight into the waves to avoid the fate of being overturned by the waves.


    "I finally understand why these ships are so tall. It''s so that the waves can''t swallow us whole," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    The fierce storm was extremely dangerous, so we turned on our suits and mounted our flying fish. The Brightlings'' combat outfit was not powered by energy. They were contending against the power of nature armed with sheer perseverance and courage.


    Titan and Amethyst were respectively passengers on Zhang Bao''er''s and Zhang Xingxing''s mounts, ready to react to the whirlpool that might appear at any time. The ships continued advancing for about an hour. The closer we got to the island, the fiercer the wind. At this point, the wind had reached the speed of 500 kilometers per hour.


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    Under me, Blueflash was also having a hard time remaining on the ship due to the storm. It latched tightly onto the steel deck with its gigantic claws, barely able to maintain its balance. The mist grew deeper and our visibility dropped. Before long, our surroundings sank into darkness, with the occasional lightning bolt bringing us illumination, allowing us to see the silhouette of the ship ahead of us.


    "Everyone, turn on your laser probes. Visibility is too low for us to see around us with our naked eyes," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    At the same time I turned on my laser probe, my earpieces transmitted the voices of fearful screams to my ears. In the blink of an eye, a monstrous black cyclone appeared atop the ship in front of us.


    The black cyclone carried with it ice and water, raining hail and chunks of ice atop the ship. The massive chunks of ice smashed into the ship''s command room, causing the people in it to hurriedly move out of the way. The cyclone spun faster and faster, and from the eye of the cycle, a black hole appeared. It enlarged rapidly, slowly covering the entire topmost part of the ship. When the Brightlings on the ship saw the black hole, they did not appear fearful. Rather, they sat down and started praying, allowing the hailstones to harvest their lives.


    "Are we not helping them? They won''t last much longer," I shouted to Titan over the storm.


    Titan shook his head. Instead, he ordered to have the ship steered away from the black cyclone. The black hole in the air grew larger and larger, akin to a massive maw that chomped down on the ship below it. In the span of a few seconds, the ship was swallowed by the black cycle, and the seawater abruptly parted, revealing a black abyss of immeasurable depth.


    With the ship in tow, the black super cyclone entered the black hole. After the black rolling clouds entered, the seawater came back together, covering the black hole. Just like that, an entire ship''s worth of lives was gone in the span of seconds.


    "The divine whirlpool," Titan mumbled to himself.


    "Why did the whirlpool appear from the sky instead of the sea?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "The big whirlpool does not have a fixed form. Like this world, it can appear in all sorts of forms," Titan replied. "This is not the time to mourn. Let''s continue."


    Looking at his determined eyes, I couldn''t help but feel respect for him. At the same time, I also rejoiced at the fact that we had traveled with them. Otherwise, it was unlikely that we would reach Terror Island with such a terrible environment around it.


    Having lost a ship, we no longer had a vanguard to provide us with cover. The remaining ship continued braving the storm, akin to a piece of leaf floating about in a berserk sea. The storm continued growing in intensity while we all prayed to not encounter another one of those massive swirling clouds.


    The waves we encountered also grew in size, with some reaching a height of hundreds of meters. They were akin to water curtains covering the sky itself. Our ship constantly changed directions, stabbing through the waves, shaking intensely with each collision.


    With our suits on, we were better protected from the harsh travel by our suits'' automatic balancing function than the pitiful Brightlings and the flying fish. Just as we were busy praying to not encounter any other black cyclones, a 1,000-meter-tall purple wave rose before us. I could see that within the massive wave was a massive black silhouette.


    "Everyone, prepare for combat! Defenses and weapons at maximum setting! Do not try to save your energy! Defensive formation!" I shouted at everyone.

 CH 30

    "Follow Canyue''s suggestion," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Everyone could see the black silhouette within the wave. The team immediately activated the energy defense system and maximized the energy output to protect our mounts. The ship was too large, so we wouldn''t be able to protect it. We could only opt to protect the flying fish''s massive bodies. I could see from the data indicator that our energy was draining fast.


    In the blink of an eye, the purple wall was right upon us. The Brightlings were still steering the ship with all their effort and stabbed into the wave. The massive wave brought the ship up, to the point the ship was directly perpendicular to the sky. Instantly, a massive seven-colored bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating our surroundings and allowing us to see an ugly face in the water curtain. It was a gigantic monster. Beneath its two irregular nostrils was a massive maw filled with sharp fangs. It gazed upon us coldly with its two massive purple eyes.


    "My god. What kind of ancient monster is this? Its fangs look crazy!" Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    "Canyue, Old Du, ready your nuclear warheads," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    I immediately took out my warhead from my storage and prepared to attack. After the flash of lighting, the world descended into darkness yet again. Then, a massive impact came. The ship seemed to have crashed into the creature''s body. A loud roar rang out in the air as a big black hand grabbed the bow of the ship and lifted the ship high into the air.


    The Brightlings on the ship dropped into the berserk sea one after another, instantly swallowed by the raging waves. I could see the eyes of the falling Brightlings. There was no fear, only silent determination as the Brightlings bid us farewell with their eyes and fell into the sea. A sense of respect rose in my heart as I nodded toward them. With such fortitude, how would the Brightlings be fully destroyed by the Darklings? With a loud crack, the monster took a bite out of the ship''s bow.


    "My god. Let''s take off. This freak is too strong," Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    The monster before us was massive. Its presence was far beyond that of the giant paw monster and the flame demon we had met earlier. For us, this monster might as well be a god. It was an undefeatable existence. The monster madly tore at the ship with its mouth, breaking the ship into pieces. The situation was becoming more and more dangerous. We needed to leave as quickly as possible.


    "Bao''er, fly with me. Canyue, Old Du, cover us with the nuclear warheads," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    The blue flying fish took off with Zhang Bao''er, Titan, Zhang Xingxing, and Amethyst. When the monster saw the two flying fish attempting to flee, it became furious. It raised its arm and tossed a broken piece of the ship toward them.


    Old Du and I quickly took off from the broken ship. Zhang Xingxing''s and Bao''er''s mounts moved nimbly and avoided the flying pieces. Bao''er''s Toruk, in particular, was impressively nimble despite its chubby appearance. In fact, it even had a jeering look as it avoided the monster''s attacks.


    The insult infuriated the black monster. It charged toward Zhang Bao''er, and Old Du and I immediately launched two nuclear warheads at the monster. An astonishing scene unfolded before us. The two warheads passed right through the monster, as though the entire monster was merely a curtain of water. It was completely unharmed.


    Several kilometers away, the warheads exploded, creating two massive mushroom clouds in the air and illuminating an area several kilometers wide. The shockwaves came right after. The monster only blanked out slightly before neutralizing the shockwaves with a casual wave of its arm.


    "Shit. This monster seems to exist in a liquid form? The warheads can''t hit it!" I said to Old Du.


    "Dodo, calculate the time a warhead will take to reach the monster''s body," Old Du commanded calmly.


    "Exactly three seconds," Dodo gave an answer promptly.


    "Tune the warheads and have them explode on the third second," said Old Du solemnly.


    We each carried two warheads with us, and we only had one each left. I understood what Old Du was trying to do as I set my warhead''s detonation timer to three seconds. Then, I maximized the energy output to my morph-capable shield and launched my warhead alongside Old Du.


    A blinding radiance erupted. The temperature rose, heat waves roiled, and powerful shockwaves spread out as the two warheads exploded in the middle of the monster''s body.


    A massive fireball formed in the center of the monster''s body. Miniature droplets of water filled the air and was instantly evaporated by the heat of the nuclear explosion. The monster''s body broke into pieces and collapsed into the sea.


    Two massive mushroom clouds formed as the heatwaves and shockwaves struck me and Old Du. Because our shields also needed to protect our mounts, we stuck close to each other, trying to reduce the surface area of our shields.


    I could see my energy draining like a leaking pipe. From the initial 36 hours'' worth of energy, about half was left. The aftermath of the explosions raged for over ten minutes. Thanks to our powerful shields, we survived. The sea was still filled with lightning flashes and rolling thunder, but the black giant was nowhere to be seen.


    "Just like that, it''s over," I said.


    "Yes, it''s over," Old Du said. "This sea is too dangerous. We don''t have much energy left. We need to leave as soon as possible."


    I also wanted to leave with Blueflash as quickly as possible. After all, the energy consumption here was too high. We still needed to fight the two-headed monster on the island. I had no idea if our remaining energy would be enough for that.


    During interstellar exploration, things could always develop contrary to one''s wishes. Just as we were about to soar higher into the sky, a massive black hand rose from the sea, stabbed through our weakened shields, and grabbed the tail of Old Du''s fish.


    A timely flash of lightning gave me the illumination to see a sinister face filled with sharp fangs and a pair of purple eyes that looked like black holes. An eerie sneer seemed to hang on that face.


    "The creature is still alive!" I yelled. "Old Du, be careful!"


    The black hand was grabbing the tail of Old Du''s sturdy fish. With one pull, the two were dragged toward the sea. Old Du''s fish roared loudly and struggled as best as it could. Alas, the black hand was too strong. It had no way of struggling free.


    Blueflash grew anxious seeing its companion grabbed. With a shriek, it shot toward Old Du and his mount. I anxiously fired my arsenal toward the monster''s face, raining cluster bombs and bullets upon the sea.


    "Damn it! I''ll give you everything I have. Regardless of the effectiveness of my attacks, I can''t allow you to harm Old Du!" I howled as I fired madly.


    The explosions of the cluster bombs created massive waves on the sea. It seemed to have provoked the monster''s anger; the monster shook the flying fish in its hand, shaking off both Old Du and Dodo.


    Just as Old Du was about to be swallowed by the berserk sea, Blueflash accelerated toward them and grabbed one with each of its claws before soaring back into the sky. Seeing that the two victims were rescued, the monster unleashed yet another black hand toward us.


    Due to the increased burden, Blueflash''s speed dropped. Because of that, it did not seem likely that we would be able to outrun the massive hand. Both Old Du and I madly fired at the incoming hand. Our bullets rained down on the monster, but we couldn''t even slow the hand.


    Suddenly, Old Du''s mount unleashed a mournful shriek. At that, Blueflash stopped and shrieked back sorrowfully. As a determined look appeared on the sturdy fish, Blueflash''s sorrowful wails grew louder. However, Old Du''s mount seemed to have made up its mind, its eyes possessing an iron gaze.


    With a deafening shriek, I saw Old Du''s fish swell like a balloon. In the blink of an eye, it grew twice its original size. Then, the fish exploded.


    "Zuanzuan! Ahh! You monster! I''ll kill you!" Old Du roared at the monster and unleashed his arsenal at the monster''s ugly face.


    Only then did I learn that Old Du had named his mount Zuanzuan. From the explosion, shiny blue blood sprayed in all directions and sprinkled the monster''s hand and face. Just as the hand was about to catch us, the blue blood covered its palm.


    Then, the structural makeup of the monster started collapsing, as though the blue blood was corrosive in nature. With an odd wail from the monster, numerous holes appeared on its face. Like rotting wood, its arm collapsed loudly into the sea. The surface of the sea was covered in shiny blue blood, and Blueflash wailed incessantly at the blue blood. Its companion had sacrificed itself to save all of us.


    Almost immediately, the monster started regenerating its body. However, its hand kept collapsing due to the blue blood''s corrosion. Ultimately, it started moving its hands in a circular motion, creating a black abyss that pulled the blue blood into the depths of the sea.


    "You can do it, Blueflash! Soar! We don''t have much time!" I said to Blueflash.


    It flapped its wings with all its effort, but three passengers were too much, making the ascent slow. After the abyss swallowed all the blue blood, the sea started closing back up. Once again, a massive hand shot out of the sea.


    "Canyue, toss Dodo over to me," Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out in my ears.


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    A blue phantom descended from the sky. Zhang Bao''er had arrived with Toruk, and Titan was nowhere to be seen. I did not have the time to think. I hurriedly told Blueflash to toss Dodo over to Toruk, who used its massive claw to grab Dodo before soaring back into the sky.


    After getting rid of the additional weight, Blueflash shrieked as it shot into the sky like an arrow. By then, the sea had fully closed up, and the massive black hand was shooting toward us.


    Both Old Du and I rained bullets at the hand in our attempt to slow it down while Blueflash flew with all its strength. The clouds in the sky became closer and closer, but the pursuing giant hand was also approaching us rapidly. Suddenly, the monster seemed to have reached its limit. Sirius B''s gravity started playing its role, pulling the massive hand back into the sea. We had finally escaped danger.


    On the sea''s surface, the monster''s furious expression was visible as it roared loudly. Waves as tall as mountains rose as it vented its anger. Before long, the waves dispersed, revealing a massive black abyss as far as we could see. Rumbling sounds could be heard coming from the bottom of the abyss.


    "The life forms of this world are too inconceivable. This monster is basically a living whirlpool. It''s too scary," I exclaimed.


    Witnessing the power of nature and thinking back to my close brush with death, I broke out in cold sweat. Blueflash and Toruk continued soaring, flying through the clouds until the massive Sirius A became visible in the sky yet again. The gentle rays of purple light showered on us. The world high in the sky formed a perfect contrast to the world below. One was akin to paradise, the other was akin to hell.

 CH 31

    As I showered in the gentle purple light of Sirius A, a sorrowful shriek pulled me back to reality. I saw the blue fish that Zhang Xingxing was mounted on with Titan in its grip waiting for us. Blueflash wailed mournfully at it, and the three fish wailed together to mourn their dead companion.


    "Old Du''s mount sacrificed itself to cover our retreat. It self-detonated to slow down the black monster," I explained to Zhang Xingxing.


    "The black monster was one of the big whirlpool''s many forms," Titan said.


    "That is consistent with my and Old Du''s analysis. We did not expect the whirlpool to appear in the form of a living creature," I said.


    "The biodiversity of this world is beyond our imagination," said Zhang Xingxing. "Fortunately, you''re fine. I was worried that something bad would happen to all of you."


    "Don''t worry. Who am I? I won''t fall so easily," I declared confidently.


    Zhang Xingxing rolled her eyes and ignored me.


    When the fish were done mourning, Old Du climbed onto Blueflash''s back. Titan returned to Bao''er''s mount, and Dodo stayed in Toruk''s grip.


    "What are the coordinates of Terror Island? Now that we are high above the clouds, we can''t see the sea anymore. We can''t even get too close to the sea because that whirlpool monster is still raging down there," I said to Titan.


    "Like the big whirlpool, the island is constantly shifting as well. Everything on this world''s sea is ever-changing," Titan said.


    "You might as well not say anything. Without even knowing Terror Island''s location, you lured us here?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


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    "We will only have a chance of finding it by coming. Overthinking things will never solve anything," Titan retorted.


    "Stop arguing. Canyue, while waiting for you guys, I noticed something new," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "What is it? Tell us," I said anxiously.


    "I noticed that below the clouds to the southeast, the colors seem to be different. When I scanned with my laser probe, there seemed to be an energy source there," Xingxing said.


    "Really? That''s excellent!" I was overjoyed to hear that.


    "Dodo, perform another scan and verify my discovery," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "Roger. Commencing scan immediately," replied Dodo, who was still hanging from the fish''s claws.


    "Dondon? Where''s that little fellow?" Now that the battle was over, I suddenly realized that the little fellow had suddenly gone silent.


    I quickly opened my bag and saw the little guy obediently gazing at me with its big eyes.


    "Little fellow, did the battle earlier scare you?" I muttered as I lightly stroked Dondon''s head. I took the chance to give it a pack of space crackers.


    Dondon started eating joyfully, telling me that it was completely fine with its blinking eyes.


    "Scan result back. Fifty kilometers to our southeast is a big energy reserve. The area of the energy source is roughly 30 square kilometers," Dodo said.


    "That''s the same size as Terror Island as per the legends. Perhaps it''s Terror Island. We''re not far from it now!" said Titan in excitement.


    "To avoid losing the island due to its constantly shifting nature, check your equipment and prepare to set off to the southeast immediately," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    After checking our equipment, I found that Old Du and I had 42 percent of our energy remaining and no nuclear warheads left. Zhang Bao''er and Zhang Xingxing had 70 percent energy and two nuclear warheads left per person.


    "Old Du and I are running low on energy. We need to proceed to the next phase of the plan as soon as possible," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    "Follow Dodo''s directions. Turn your suits off for now. Move out!" Zhang Xingxing commanded. With me and Blueflash as the vanguard, the team flew southeast.


    Above the clouds, the air was fresh and the scene was legendary. It almost felt like the stormy area below the clouds was an entirely different world. Before long, we arrived at our destination. Looking at the furious storm below us, we braced ourselves for yet another thrilling mission.


    "Turn on your suits. Old Du and I will go first. The rest of you will go after us," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded with a confident look in her eyes. I then steered Blueflash and dove right into the berserk clouds. Blinding lightning flashes constantly lit up my surroundings even as the deafening thunderclaps rumbled on and on. Hailstones the size of bricks also madly struck my energy shield as we descended. Under the protection of technology, I passed through the thick layer of clouds. A small island filled with energy appeared before my eyes.


    Below the layer of clouds was an island with the outline of a basin. It was ringed by a series of towering mountains that reached for the clouds. The mountains were so steep and sleek that it did not seem possible to find a footing anywhere.


    Surrounded by the ring of mountains was a lava lake with a surface of about 30 square kilometers in size. Here, the final energy source of the white dwarf unleashed its final roar as the lava boiled and rolled, hinting at the power it once had.


    The temperature of the lake reached 6,000 degrees Celsius, far beyond the limits of our suits. The sleek mountain cliffs ensured that we wouldn''t be able to even land, forcing us to hover above the island. This was Terror Island, which we had been looking for.


    "Does anyone see the two-headed monster?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I have been scanning non-stop with my probe. No discovery so far," I replied.


    "My guess is that the beast is probably hiding in the lava lake. It will only show itself upon being disturbed," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Sirius B''s life forms are constantly shifting. The two-headed beast might be existing in an entirely different form now. Tread carefully, everyone," Old Du reminded prudently.


    "Yes. Don''t stop scanning. Locate the beast as quickly as possible before looking for a spot to land," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    At this time, the prophecy case carried by Zhang Bao''er suddenly shook violently as if it had encountered the summons of a companion. It even started emitting a howling sound.


    "Canyue, Canyue, the case is shaking violently," Zhang Bao''er called out to me.


    "Calm down, Bao''er. Keep your eyes on the case. Let us know the moment something weird happens," I said.


    "If the case is suddenly shaking, it means that we are nearing our destination," said Old Du.


    "Yes, I think so too. But I can''t find anything at all," I replied.


    "Canyue, Canyue, Titan wishes to speak to you," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Connect the call," I replied promptly.


    "Canyue, according to the legends of us Brightlings, Nommo had come here on his spaceship to harness the energy he required to explore the universe. If Nommo''s ship can land, there must be a suitable landing spot," Titan said.


    His words struck me like lightning. If Nommo''s ship could land, we would be able to land as well by finding the landing spot. We might even be able to find more clues regarding the energy source from the landing spot.


    We continued flying around the island, but after repeated scans, we still found nothing. Every single cliff stood perfectly straight, and the island itself was akin to a bucket, with a lake of lava in the middle. There was nowhere to land.


    "This is not possible. We must have overlooked something," Old Du mumbled.


    "Perhaps the landing site itself constantly shifts as well?" I guessed.


    "That''s probable. This is a world where everything is possible," Old Du said.


    To better search for the landing spot, Zhang Bao''er and I started flying at a low altitude, hovering only 300 meters above the ground. The air at that altitude reached over 100 degrees in temperature with the lava lake below us constantly bubbling and boiling. I could hear Blueflash''s breathing grow heavier due to the harsh environment, as though its stamina was not going to keep up with our activity.


    After searching for about half an hour, we still found nothing. When everyone was dispirited, Dondon suddenly started calling out to me.


    "Did Dondon sense something?" I said to Old Du.


    "Search this area one more time," Old Du replied.


    We then carpet-searched the area in great detail. Suddenly, I noticed a unique lava flow at the foot of one of the mountains. That lava flow was gold in color. Against the backdrop of red lava, one could easily miss it if one wasn''t careful. I immediately scanned it with my probe. According to the readings, the gold lava had a temperature of 500 degrees Celsius. It was within the endurance limits of our suits.


    "Found it!" I shouted in excitement. "This might be the landing site."


    Old Du notified Zhang Bao''er and Zhang Xingxing. Shortly after, the team was reassembled.


    "A golden lava flow with a low temperature exists here. I believe there might be a cave or something suitable for landing behind it," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, there is a large empty space behind the curtain of lava," said Dodo after a short simulation using the data it had gathered.


    "Excellent!" Zhang Xingxing said. "Cover Titan and the flying fish with our energy shields and go through the lava."


    Having received the command, I activated my energy shield. Just as I was about to perform as asked, I saw Zhang Bao''er take a step forward and rush into the golden lava flow, vanishing behind it.


    "This kid must have gone crazy. Is he being competitive about something like this?" I said.


    "We have been taking the lead in everything else. He probably wishes to perform something heroic for once," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, come on in! This is a nice place!" Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out from my earpieces.


    With our two flying fish in tow, we went through the golden curtain without any hesitation. A massive cavern appeared before us. The cavern was spacious and empty. At the inner part of the cavern, piles of shiny diamonds could be seen, giving the cavern enough illumination that we could see with our naked eyes. This was a sealed cavern big enough to hold a spaceship. At one corner of the cavern, we saw a small flying vehicle.

 CH 32

    "Flying vehicle discovered. Flying vehicle discovered," Dodo reported to Zhang Xingxing.


    I slowly walked up to the flying vehicle. A thick layer of dust covered it, and from its appearance, it looked to have a history of tens of thousands of years. The constant high temperature of this place had not melted the device, so one could only imagine how sturdy the materials of this vehicle were.


    "There won''t be another giant paw monster in there, right?" Zhang Bao''er mumbled.


    Dodo performed an extensive scan on the flying vehicle with its probe. No signs of life were found.


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    "We need to go in and take a look. The data of this vehicle might be the clue we need," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "I agree. I''ll go with Old Du to scout around first," I offered.


    "No. This is the ship of our ancestor. We want to go in as well. We want to know its secrets," Titan and Amethyst objected.


    "I want to enter first as well. Why must I always be the last to go?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    Zhang Xingxing and I looked at each other in dismay.


    "Zhang Bao''er, this is not the time to act all heroic," I said.


    "You get to be the hero every single time. Let me try it out this time," said Zhang Bao''er with a wide smile on his face.


    "Stop wasting time. Canyue and I will stay to keep watch. Bao''er, Old Du, enter with Titan and the others. Maintain communication at all times. Be careful of your safety," Zhang Xingxing fired off a series of commands.


    "Roger!" Bao''er replied in excitement.


    I could only helplessly turn on my probe and work alongside Dodo. Meanwhile, Blueflash and the other flying fish were lying on the ground, resting away.


    "This is an ancient spaceship. I have confirmed that the deepest layer of dust is more than 10 thousand years old," said Dodo.


    "Over 10 thousand years," I exclaimed. "In an environment like this, even a monster can''t live that long, right?"


    "I don''t know. Have you forgotten the giant paw monster?" Dodo replied.


    Zhang Bao''er was preparing to enter the ship. The ship was roughly T-shaped, propped up by four massive legs. Right below the ship was something that looked like a door. That was where Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were trying to figure out how to open the door.


    Suddenly, the prophecy case in Zhang Bao''er''s bag shook violently. Zhang Bao''er hurriedly took the case out of his bag. At the same time, intense purple light was leaking out of its seams. The shaking was so violent Zhang Bao''er almost couldn''t maintain his grip on it.


    "Canyue, did the case sense something? It feels like it''s about to explode soon," Zhang Bao''er shouted nervously.


    "What should we do now? Should we retreat?" I asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. The truth might be right before us. We have no other options. If we retreat, where can we go after this?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "True. At this point, retreat is no longer an option," I agreed.


    "Proceed with our operation. Maximize your defensive shields and protect both Titan and Amethyst," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Just as Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were trying to put the shaking case under control, over ten beams of sparkling purple light shot out of the case. The beams landed on the ship, and surprisingly, we saw corresponding purple dots appear on the ship''s body, seemingly in reaction to the case.


    The contact between the beams and the ship caused a reaction. With a hum, the ancient ship came alive while the case became dormant yet again. The ancient ship lit up and shook lightly, shaking off the layer of dust that had accumulated for over 10 thousand years on its body. The hull of the ship was finally visible, and on it, I saw Dondon''s painting.


    "Th-this...why is Dondon here?" I asked anxiously as I pointed at the painting.


    Inside my bag, Dondon also saw its portrait on the ship. For some reason, it started calling out loudly at the portrait.


    "This shouldn''t be Dondon. You''re getting too nervous, Canyue," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Why do you say so?" I asked.


    "You are really too nervous, Canyue. Let me explain?" Dodo said. "This might be Dondon''s ancestor. Perhaps it is Nommo''s companion, but it definitely isn''t Dondon."


    ''Geez. Why didn''t I think of that? I''m making a fool out of myself!'' I cursed inwardly. Then, I said aloud, trying to hide my shame, "I said that on purpose to test you all. You fell for it!"


    "Sigh. You humans think too much. None of you are pure in mind," complained Dodo.


    After several minutes, the ship seemed to have resumed normal operation. With a hiss, the door opened.


    "Hahaha! I, Zhang Bao''er, am a genius! I didn''t even break a sweat opening the door of an ancient spaceship!" Zhang Bao''er bragged.


    "Stop joking around. Prepare to enter," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    At that command, everyone turned serious. With a nod from me, Zhang Bao''er led the team into the ancient ship.


    "This is a sealed cabin. There is another door inside. We opened the door and went through it. This is a spacious room. It seems to be a storeroom filled with diamonds," Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out in my earpiece.


    "Canyue, we''re rich!" Zhang Bao''er said with a laugh.


    "Focus on the mission. If you get sidetracked one more time, I''ll change the team members," Zhang Xingxing''s strict voice rang out.


    "There are two other doors in the diamond storeroom. Old Du and I will split out and go through one door each," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Be very careful. Maintain your communication channel at all times," I said.


    The sound of a door opening came from the earpieces. After several minutes, Zhang Bao''er''s excited voice rang out, "Reporting, everything is safe in here. We made a major discovery. Please enter as quickly as possible."


    I exchanged a gaze with Zhang Xingxing before entering with Dodo. We arrived in the diamond storeroom shortly after. Indeed, the room was stocked with piles of diamonds. The diamonds here seemed several times larger than the ones we saw outside.


    "No wonder Zhang Bao''er got excited. This is truly a treasure trove," I thought to myself.


    There were two other doors in the room. Just as I was about to ask which door to go through, Dondon leaped off my bag and rushed through the left door. We hurried after Dondon. Behind the door was a massive cockpit. Zhang Bao''er and the others were all gathered inside. They were all huddled around something on the wall while Dondon was calling out incessantly from the ground at the thing on the wall. Meanwhile, Titan and Amethyst were prostrated on the ground, seemingly in the midst of a prayer.


    Zhang Xingxing and I rushed over. When Zhang Bao''er saw us, he moved aside and said, "Canyue, look. Dondon''s ancestor."


    I walked forth and saw that on the wall facing the cockpit was a jar-like container. Within the container, a blue Dondon clad in a spacesuit hovered. It had a serene expression, as though it was merely dozing off.


    "My god. Is Dondon a downgraded version of his species while its ancestors are smart enough to operate spaceships?" I exclaimed.


    "This is Nommo''s personal guard," said Titan. He had gotten back on his feet after his prayer.


    "Personal guard? This little fellow can fight?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "In the ancient records, all Brightlings have a loyal blue companion. We know them as the Storms, and the one you call Dondon is one of them. The Storms are highly intelligent, possessing their own unique linguistic and inheritance system," said Titan.


    "Storm sounds so much better than Dondon," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Xingxing glared at him before asking, "Why can''t our Dondon speak, then?"


    "The Storms had sustained heavy losses during the battle with the Darklings. To cover our escape, all the Storms had decided to stay behind and sacrifice their lives. Only a single couple left with the fleeing Brightlings," said Titan.


    "So this Storm is one of the pair?" I asked Titan.


    "Likely. The two that came with us were Nommo''s personal guards. The male was called Plum and the female was called Crystal. Back then, Crystal was pregnant. After arriving on Sirius B, she gave birth to eight little Storm cubs. Plum had stayed by Nommo''s side, but he had gone missing after the battle at Terror Island," said Titan.


    "Then this must be Plum. How about Crystal?" I asked.


    "On the day Nommo returned from Terror Island, Crystal learned that Plum had not returned. She then left alone in her spaceship. Apart from her eight newborns, she left not even a message behind. As the Storm language and knowledge had always been passed on from individual to individual, the departure of Crystal also severed the inheritance of the Storms," Titan said.


    "And because of the loss of the inheritance, the eight newborns did not manage to gain the ability to speak?" I asked.


    "That''s correct. The eight Storms managed to grow up, but without the inheritance, the culture of the Storms was gone. But thanks to their powerful reproductive abilities, their species have been able to survive until today," said Titan.


    "Dodo, can we wake Plum up? That way, everything can be solved easily, including the matter of their inheritance," I provided a genius solution.


    "Canyue, what a genius! That''s an excellent idea!" Zhang Bao''er agreed in excitement.


    I could see that even Zhang Xingxing had an expectant look in her eyes. She seemed to agree with my proposal as well.


    "Let me check how well he''s preserved. It has been over 10 thousand years. In our history, we have only ever revived a microorganism so old," said Dodo.


    "Do not use common sense on a life form of Sirius B," I said firmly. "This is our best option."


    "Dodo, do your thing. Canyue, I''ll show you a different room. We also found something major there," said Old Du. "Bao''er, bring the prophecy case with you."


    We grew excited upon hearing that clues regarding the prophecy case had been found as well. We immediately followed Old Du to the other room.

 CH 33

    We followed Old Du into a different room. The room looked like a workshop; hanging on the walls were all sorts of projectors. Old Du pointed at something that looked like a workbench. There, an empty hexagonal depression could be seen.


    "Is this where the prophecy case should be placed?" Zhang Xingxing exclaimed in excitement.


    "Yes, and it fits perfectly," said Old Du calmly.


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    The good news came so suddenly we couldn''t get used to it. From the workbench, it was clear that the prophecy case was most likely a key to activate something.


    "Bao''er, give me the case," I said to Zhang Bao''er.


    He gave me the case, and just as I was about to place the case on the workbench, he shouted.


    "Canyue, will this cause an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or the appearance of the two-headed monster?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    My heart skipped a beat. Yes, too many odd things had happened in this world. I couldn''t convince myself that we would be able to solve this mystery so easily.


    I looked at Zhang Xingxing. "Team leader, what do you think? Do we place it?"


    After thinking about it, Zhang Xingxing said, "Turn on the shields. Canyue, place it. We''ll cover you."


    At her command, everyone turned on their shields. I then lightly placed the case into the hexagonal depression.


    "Ka, ka, ka, ka," mechanical clicking sounds rang out as the workbench started moving.


    "Success!" Zhang Xingxing cried out in excitement.


    Everyone grew excited at the prospect of finally unveiling the case''s secrets. The workbench shifted and moved, ultimately moving the case into one of the devices in the room. A ray of white light shot out from the device, connecting to the circuit on the wall before moving through the circuit.


    Ultimately, the white light ended up in a projection device. The device was spherical in shape and had the appearance of a ball with countless camera lenses. After the white light entered the device, it started spinning rapidly.


    "We will have our answers soon. Everyone, pay close attention," said Zhang Bao''er joyfully.


    Everyone was waiting expectantly when suddenly, the sound of a machine slowing down rang out. The device slowed down as a purple alarm light blazed.


    "Come on. Did it malfunction at such a critical moment?" I complained inwardly. "This is way too lame."


    Before long, the spherical device stopped spinning, leaving only the purple alarm to flicker on and off. Everyone sank into silence, and I could see the anxiousness covering Zhang Xingxing''s face.


    "Old Du, you''re the tallest here. Go take a look," I said.


    Old Du walked forth and raised his head to get a closer look at the device and the purple light.


    "There is a paw-shaped handprint here," Old Du said.


    "Handprint?" I asked.


    "Yes, and there is a button beside the device. The imprint is on the button. It looks similar to a fingerprint lock," said Old Du.


    "Dondon has paws. Is this a lock of the Storm race?" I asked.


    "That''s possible. Bring Dondon here," said Old Du.


    "Dondon is not here. It''s still looking at its ancestor in the other room," I said.


    "I''ll go get Dondon," offered Old Du. He then ran out of the room. In less than a minute, he returned with Dondon.


    Old Du lifted Dondon and pressed its paw on the print. But even after trying all four paws, nothing happened.


    "Old Du, this isn''t right," I said. "This lock belongs to Dondon''s ancestor."


    At this time, Amethyst ran into the room. "Canyue, come, quick. Something new is happening."


    I placed Dondon back into my bag, and we returned to the other room.


    "Team leader, Canyue, come. There''s a new discovery," said Dodo.


    We looked at where the android was pointing and saw a small blue tube behind Plum''s glass container. The tube was connected to some sort of machine.


    "I already performed a detailed scan. The temperature inside the vacuum container is negative 300 degrees. The air in there is made up of pure solid-state hydrogen that is perfectly transparent. In short, Plum is actually frozen, not hovering," Dodo said.


    "Is he hibernating? Why can''t we see the solid-state hydrogen at all?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, the purity of the hydrogen is extremely high. To revive Plum, we need to slowly increase the temperature in the container," said Dodo.


    "How should we control the temperature?" I asked.


    "We don''t have to do it. Everything we need is here. Earlier, I had studied this machine," said Dodo as he pointed at the machine connected to the tiny blue tube. "We only need to activate this machine and we might be able to revive Plum."


    "Really? Excellent. How do we turn the machine on?" Xingxing asked impatiently.


    "We need energy. Beside the machine are three empty slots where the energy crystals can be inserted. I already scanned one of the existing crystals in the slot. The crystal is made from an element unknown to us," said Dodo as he pointed at the three crystal balls on the ground.


    I picked up one of them and studied it. It was perfectly round, and at the top, bottom, left, and right of the crystal were tiny round holes, seemingly there to allow the flow of energy. Without any energy, the ball was silvery white in color.


    "Where can we get the energy? There''s no clue about that at all," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "There''s no need for any clue. I know where we can get the energy," I replied calmly.


    Everyone looked at me, awaiting my answer.


    I pointed at the lava lake. "Terror Island''s lava lake is the energy source. We need to look for the correct spot to harness the energy and charge the energy spheres with the energy of Sirius B''s core. We will then be able to revive Plum."


    Everyone grew excited at the idea, especially Zhang Xingxing who looked exceptionally joyful that we were getting closer and closer to solving this riddle. After so long, after so many difficulties, success was finally before us. We were at the final step.


    "I''m curious about one thing. When we landed, we searched around for a long while without being able to find a suitable landing site. If so, where should we go to harness the lava lake''s energy?" asked Dodo, the sole person who remained calm when everyone else was busy getting excited.


    Dodo''s question was simple yet critical. Everyone sank into silence.


    "Comb through the entire ship and see if we can find any other clues," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Everyone split up and started searching as ordered. After half an hour, we reconvened and confirmed that nothing was found. We had reached an impasse. Everyone sank into deep thought, trying to think of a way to harness the energy here.


    "I''ll go search outside one more time with Zhang Bao''er," I volunteered.


    "Have your little Storm come sniff this ball before you go. This ball must have been charged at least once before," Titan suddenly said.


    Zhang Bao''er took out Dondon from my bag. The little fellow then sniffed the energy ball and started pawing at it, leaving blue footprints on the energy ball. The footprints glowed, but the energy ball itself remained dormant.


    "This fellow thinks the ball is a toy. I doubt we can count on this thing that is acting like a cat," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, a clang rang out when Dondon accidentally pushed the ball onto the ground. The ball landed loudly before rolling onto the corner of the room.


    "Little guy, what if you broke it?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    As a response, Dondon hissed defiantly at Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, look! Something is different with the ball!" Old Du''s voice rang out.


    I turned around and saw Old Du holding the ball in his hand. The part that had faced the ground when it dropped was now shining. A pattern akin to a spiderweb spread around the ball as the ball turned bright red. The pattern was black, and the very middle of the pattern was connected to the inside of the ball. At the bottom of the pattern was a flickering purple sun.


    "A map! This must be a map containing the location we can harness energy. Dondon actually found us a map! This ball will only activate from the footprint of a Storm and an intense collision," I cried out.


    "Why is your Dondon so lucky all the time?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I couldn''t be bothered to reply. "Dodo, analyze the map and pinpoint the location."


    "I already performed a full scan of the island before entering. The map refers to a spot about three kilometers from us, halfway up the northwest mountain," said Dodo.


    "That must be where we can harness the energy," said Zhang Xingxing. "The answer is really before us this time."


    Dodo then had Dondon repeat what it did earlier to the two other balls.


    "Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and I will each take a ball to the three spots. Xingxing and Dodo can stay here and provide support through the communication channel," I said.


    "Old Du can stay. I''ll go. I know my fish, Little Snow, better," said Zhang Xingxing.


    ''So Xingxing had named her fish Little Snow,'' I mused inwardly.


    "It''s better if I go. You''re the team leader. You should stay here to retain command over the mission. Your task is much more important than ours," said Old Du calmly.


    "I agree. Remember the principle of optimal selection? Xingxing, I hope you can provide us with the required support," I said.


    In truth, apart from her suit, Xingxing had nothing else that could actually provide us with support. I might not be a supporter of the optimal selection principle, but I did not want her to take risks if I was being honest with myself. Thus, this was the perfect timing to hide behind the shield of the optimal selection principle the league favored.


    "Fine. Be careful. You have to return safely," said Zhang Xingxing with concern.


    "Don''t worry. We will complete the mission," I said.


    Seeing the concern she showed, the fear in my heart vanished, replaced by heroism.


    "Canyue, Old Du, Bao''er, remember to pay close attention to the potential two-headed monster outside. That fellow has yet to show itself. Something isn''t right. Be very careful," Dodo replied.


    "Thank you, friends. Prepare to set off!" I declared loudly.


    Blueflash, Toruk, and Little Snow had recovered much of their stamina after their short rest. They carried the three of us on their backs. After taking one final look at the ones staying behind, I lifted Dondon, turned on my shield, and took off.

 CH 34

    After leaving the cave, we each picked a location through our communicator and reaffirmed that we would maintain contact with each other at all times. Then, I flew northwest.


    Terror Island''s gravity seemed to be much higher than the second layer''s gravity. After less than two kilometers, the gravity interception had severed my connection with Old Du and the others.


    Blueflash flew quickly. In a few minutes, we arrived above our destination. I could see a diagram resembling the spiderweb map at the waist of the mountain. However, at the center of the spiderweb, the supposed entrance was nowhere to be found. When I scanned the area with my probe, I found signs of the land there being artificially filled in the past.


    ''There is probably a cave down there, but someone had covered the entrance. I wonder how the others are doing,'' I wondered.


    After confirming that this was my target, I did not hesitate and fired several cluster bombs at the waist of the mountain. When the loud explosions settled, a hole big enough for one person to pass appeared. The hole was pitch-black and led deep into the ground. It seemed like this cave was connected to the bottom part of the lava lake. Since the hole was too small for Blueflash, it merely hovered near the cave. I turned my shield to maximum output before leaping off with Dondon in tow.


    "Wait for me nearby. I''ll try to come out as quickly as possible," I said.


    Blueflash was intelligent, and it nodded at me before spiraling around the air. Before proceeding, I checked my energy supply. I had 14 hours'' worth of energy left. Dondon opened its big eyes wide and tightly grabbed onto the bag. Suddenly, I doubted why I had even brought this little fellow with me.


    "Perhaps I''m already used to having this little guy with me, to the point I even brought it to such a dangerous place," I muttered, feeling a sense of guilt.


    To be safe, I entered the cave only after my weapon was turned on. The cave was narrow, and the tunnel inside was only large enough for one person to pass at once. The walls around me were jagged, as though this tunnel was punched into existence.


    With my head low, I advanced slowly. The tunnel was leading downward. The deeper I went, the higher the temperature. At this point, my surroundings had reached 300 degrees centigrade.


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    After about 20 minutes, my data indicated that I had gone 1,000 meters underground. At this point, the tunnel was most likely surrounded by lava; I could clearly hear the sound of the bubbling lava from beyond the tunnel.


    ''Due to how unstable this place is, a landslide might happen at any time. Even a single landslide will bury me here forever. I need to be fast,'' I told myself.


    After about five more minutes, I reached the end of the tunnel. A tiny space of about three square meters was before me. Confusingly, there was no other path for me to take. I was at a loss. I knew there had to be a cavern somewhere beyond the walls, but I did not know its exact position. If I rashly tried to blast my way through, I might cause an eruption of lava.


    ''Canyue, oh, Canyue. You are so quick-witted and resourceful. A mere wall can''t stop you,'' I told myself.


    With my low level of energy, I did not waste too much time. I quickly scanned the small room with my probe. But due to the high temperature, I wasn''t able to detect the cavern. A sense of despair assaulted me, and I felt completely dispirited. I knew the answer was right before me. I only needed to reach out for it, but a mere wall had stopped me.


    ''No, I need to calm down,'' I told myself. ''Dondon, yes, I''ll try using Dondon.''


    An idea rose in my head. I turned around and lifted Dondon from my bag. The temperature of the room was as high as 500 degrees centigrade. It was impossible to have Dondon touch the scalding walls and ground because its paws would probably be immediately charred. With Dondon in my arms, I started speaking.


    "Dondon, there is a cavern at the other side of these walls. There is something super delicious in the cavern. Try sniffing and see if you can find the cavern''s position. If you can, call out to me," I said.


    Dondon seemed to have understood¡ªthe moment I had mentioned food, it had blinked its big eyes in agreement. I started moving around the room with Dondon, allowing it to sniff around. A while passed, yet the little fellow remained completely silent.


    "Damn it. Is this not working either?" I cursed.


    Whatever the reason, I suddenly had a firm belief that Dondon had a third method of sensing its surroundings and that this third sense would be able to locate the cavern. I also believed that my encounter with Dondon was probably yet another hint left behind by the prophet.


    ''Calm down. I must stay calm. Canyue, think again. Did you overlook something?'' I told myself.


    Suddenly, I recalled something. I took out the crystal ball from my bag. The diagram on the ball was clear. At the very bottom of the map was a shining purple sun.


    "Bottom. The cavern should be under me," I exclaimed in excitement.


    I then carried Dondon and continued helping it sniff around. In the left corner of the room, it started calling out.


    "It''s here!" I grew excited. "Well done, Dondon!"


    I then placed Dondon back into my bag and installed a timed cluster bomb on the ground. Then, I retreated back into the tunnel. After a muffled explosion, I returned to the room. A hole about a square meter in size had appeared on the ground, and a purple glow could be seen beyond the hole. The glow illuminated the entire room.


    "Energy source, I finally found you!" I cried out in joy.


    There was a massive cavern below the hole. At the very center of the cavern was a purple ball of light floating atop a pedestal. After scanning the cavern to confirm that there were no abnormalities, I entered.


    This was a massive enclosed cavern. The entire cavern was well-lit by the purple ball of light. Sculptures of numerous different life forms stood all around the room alongside the walls. These life forms were majestic and ferocious, all of them looking attentively at the energy ball.


    I shivered at the sight of these monsters. Many of the monsters from the stories that used to give me nightmares during my childhood were among the collection. That was proof that these monsters actually existed.


    ''These are probably here to suppress this energy ball. They are statues, right? Don''t suddenly come alive. I better finish up quickly and leave. This is not the kind of place one should stay long,'' I told myself.


    I then walked up to the purple ball. It floated above the pedestal. At the front of the pedestal was a circular depression with two protrusions. Without a doubt, that was where I should install my crystal ball.


    I studied the pedestal and found that the bottom of the pedestal was sculpted into a powerful paw. The paw rested upon a red rock, as though it functioned as a lock for the red rock. Not finding any abnormalities, I carefully took out my crystal ball and slowly installed it on the pedestal.


    And thus, two objects that had been separated for over 10 thousand years were reunited. The instant the crystal ball was installed, the purple ball shook. Then, a purple current flowed out of the ball of light and wrapped around the crystal ball.


    I could see the red within the crystal slowly turning purple. Meanwhile, the ball of light started dimming. The energy transfer was probably in process. After over 10 minutes, the purple in the crystal ball became deeper and deeper in color. Success was imminent. Suddenly, the ground shook and rocks started collapsing all around me. Alarmingly, the red rock had moved.


    ''Am I seeing things?'' I asked myself doubtfully. ''An earthquake might be happening. This is bad. I must leave as fast as possible.''


    The energy transfer was still ongoing, and the shaking around me was becoming more and more intense. The sculptures started falling one after another, breaking apart as they fell onto the ground. It almost felt like I was in a room that was being lifted and flung around. The cavern was going to fully collapse soon.


    With a clang, the energy transfer finally finished. The dazzling ball of light had turned into a black ball. It wasn''t even floating anymore as it dropped onto the pedestal. On the other hand, my crystal ball was entirely purple. Within, energy swirled around constantly, demonstrating the sheer power contained within this ball.


    "Success!" I exclaimed.


    I stored the crystal ball in my bag and hastily withdrew from the cavern that was on the verge of collapse. The instant I turned, Dondon started crying out. I looked back and saw that the paw below the pedestal was breaking apart. Two red and powerful arms shot out of the ground and crashed into the ceiling.


    Massive black stones dropped from the ceiling, and the entire cavern shook violently. Terrifying sounds of friction thundered. Its full collapse was imminent. The red arm suddenly changed its direction and slammed into the wall, creating a big hole and releasing a spurt of scalding lava from beyond the cavern.


    ''My god. Is this the slumbering two-headed monster? Did I wake it?'' I asked myself.


    The situation was urgent, and I could not afford to focus on thinking. I hurriedly leaped onto the tunnel I came in from and ran out. Behind me, rumbling sounds continued ringing as the cavern collapsed. Then, a torrent of lava shot into the tunnel, coming after me.


    The lava was as hot as 6,000 degrees. It swallowed everything in its path as it chased after me. The roughly meter-wide tunnel was also widening as the lava torrent crashed through. The torrent widened the width to something akin to a river. It was continuously growing as well.


    My suit could only protect me against a maximum heat of 1,000 degrees centigrade. The moment I was swallowed by the lava, it would be over for me. I ran with everything I had, but the violent shaking hindered my movement.


    Finally, I saw a dot of light ahead of me. Instantly, I felt the entire mountain start to collapse. After the base of the mountain was swallowed by the berserk lava, the mountain had destabilized and was fully collapsing.


    As the exit was about to disappear due to the collapse, time seemed to slow down in my perception. I recalled how Chen Qiang had maintained calm in the face of the crisis on Jupiter II and ultimately succeeded in grasping the chance to escape.


    ''This is my final chance!'' I told myself.


    I activated the leap system of my suit and directed all the remaining energy to it. The concentrated energy successfully produced a spatial phenomenon similar to a wormhole. Then, I shot out of the exit and into the air in the span of less than 0.01 seconds.


    The massive black mountain collapsed behind me, vanishing completely into the sea of lava below. In the span of several seconds, a massive mountain had vanished completely. The powerful leap had launched me hundreds of meters into the air. Suddenly, a notification came from my earpiece. My suit had been exhausted of energy, so I could only helplessly freefall toward the burning hot lava lake.

 CH 35

    A massive blue phantom flashed before me, and a powerful paw grabbed me, carrying me back into the air.


    "Well done, Blueflash. You arrived at the perfect moment," I praised.


    This was what I had been betting on: whether Blueflash was near enough to save me. I had bet correctly. The lava lake erupted as the massive arms acted like a blender, turning the entire lava lake upside down.


    At this time, I noticed two changes at two spots several kilometers away from me. Massive red arms had appeared at each location, causing massive damage to the area''s terrain.


    ''Looks like the two-headed monster has fully awakened because of us. Since there are six arms, have Old Du and Zhang Bao''er successfully charged their energy balls as well?'' I wondered.


    However, I did not see their mounts in the air. Without the support of my suit, I couldn''t even try contacting them. I climbed up Blueflash''s arm onto its back. Apart from a deactivated suit, I was completely unprotected. I was basically useless at the moment.


    ''I need to return to the cavern as quickly as possible and reconvene with Xingxing and the others,'' I told myself.


    Just as I was about to turn around, the entire island shook violently. It was as though a magnitude 12 earthquake was happening. The surrounding mountains collapsed, sending a rain of boulders into the lava lake. Scalding lava splashed everywhere.


    Then, a massive figure appeared before my eyes. It was supported by 6 massive limbs, standing at a towering height of nearly 200 meters. All around it, the mountains were being melted by the lava.


    The monster was bright red in color. I could see with my naked eye that lava constantly churned in its body, a clear indication of how powerful this creature was. Slowly, a pair of wings over a hundred meters long unfurled behind the monster. The wings flapped, sending lava raining everywhere. The monster was completely immune to lava. In fact, it even seemed to enjoy showering in lava.


    Then, the head of the monster, which had been submerged in the lava lake, slowly emerged as well. Two lizard-like heads revealed themselves. The monster had sharp fangs, and its long tongues were left sticking outside its mouths, dripping with lava thousands of degrees in temperature.


    ''Two-headed monster, you''re finally showing yourself,'' I thought to myself. ''This monster is not as big as the whirlpool monster, but it seems to contain much more energy within its body.''


    The two heads rotated, almost making a rotation of 270 degrees. It was as though the monster was stretching a body that had been dormant for tens of thousands of years.


    ''This is certainly a scary freak. I need to leave,'' I thought as I turned to flee.


    Immediately, one of the two lizard heads noticed me. Scarlet eyes shining, it unleashed a massive sound that I had never heard before, something similar to a slowed version of the sound of a microwave.


    Then, a massive beam of light shot toward me and Blueflash. The hissing sound of air being torn rang as the beam approached. Just as we were about to be struck, Blueflash made a turn and barely avoided the attack.


    ''My god, this freak can even shoot light beams the size of pillars. It''s much stronger than the other freaks I have encountered,'' I thought.


    At this time, the other lizard head saw us as well. The two heads opened their massive mouths, releasing four larger light beams toward us. The beams came from four different angles, completely sealing our path of escape.


    The attack, leaving no opening, stunned us. Blueflash was so frightened that it became rooted to the spot.


    ''It''s over. Is it really over this time?'' I asked myself.


    A deafening rumble rang out as a massive energy wall appeared between us and the beam of light. The energy wall reflected the beam, sending it toward a nearby mountain. The mountain was instantly cleaved into two, and it crumbled into pieces that rained down onto the lava lake.


    I broke out in cold sweat, looking at the fate of the mountain. When I turned my head, I saw that Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had arrived in the nick of time to save me and Blueflash with their energy shield.


    I nodded at Zhang Bao''er, pointed at my suit, and signaled to him that my suit was turned off and I wouldn''t be able to talk to him. Zhang Bao''er signaled to me to retreat immediately. The energy wall would only last ten seconds. We took this chance to fly back toward the cavern.


    ''Did the massive shaking cause the cavern to collapse? How are Zhang Xingxing and the others?'' At that thought, I became even more impatient.


    Old Du extended his energy shield and protected both me and Blueflash as well. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er unhesitatingly launched a nuclear warhead at the monster. A massive mushroom cloud bloomed while the shockwaves created massive, towering lava waves. For a moment, the scene of a massive lava flower appeared midair.


    The powerful explosion successfully shifted the monster''s attention for now. We hurriedly left. The ground in the cavern was littered with rocks and diamonds. The intense shaking of the island had dealt massive damage to the cavern. Fortunately, the spaceship still stood proud, and its powerful hull seemed to have protected the crew.


    The three of us rushed into the spaceship. Inside, I saw Zhang Xingxing and the others waiting anxiously. Soon, sounds of discussion broke out. Zhang Xingxing stepped forth and said something to me with concern. I hurriedly pointed at my earpiece, indicating that I couldn''t hear anything. When Dodo saw, it hurriedly took out an emergency battery and installed it on my suit, restoring my communicator.


    "The two-headed monster has awakened. It is unimaginably powerful. We need to leave immediately. Only after reaching a safe place can we plan our next step," said Old Du.


    "I agree. In a few minutes, the monster will probably come for us. This place can collapse entirely at any time," I supported the suggestion.


    "Even if we leave, we must leave with this spaceship. Otherwise, we would have come for nothing. The secrets of this place will remain forever buried as well," said Old Du.


    "After you guys left, Dodo studied the spaceship''s system extensively," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That''s right, and after studying the spaceship, I found that the ship had been preserved excellently. It is as though the prophet had intentionally left this ship behind to be used in the future," said Dodo.


    "More importantly, can this ship still fly?" I asked anxiously.


    "Yes, but energy is required. Also, only Brightlings can pilot it," said Dodo.


    "We''re running out of time. Can you give us more details?" I said.


    "We will provide the ship with all the energy we have, allowing it to recover its flight functions. The Brightlings will then be able to operate the ship through the thought-navigation system," said Dodo.


    "Thought navigation? What is that?" Old Du asked.


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    "When I checked the flight system, I found that there were no interfaces or control panels. Only the Brightlings can operate the ship by placing their palms on the sensors. I did remember that the legends mentioned this as one of the abilities Nommo possessed," said Dodo.


    "That was Prophet Nommo. But the two Brightlings we have with us have never operated a spaceship before. Can they even do it?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    While we were discussing things, the world around us suddenly shook. Massive boulders started falling from the ceiling, creating loud thuds as they dropped onto the hull. The same microwave-like roar rang out outside the cavern.


    "The two-headed monster is coming. Don''t hesitate. Let''s move," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Dodo then gathered the remaining energy in everyone''s suits to power the ship.


    I also handed the three crystal balls we had charged to Zhang Xingxing and said, "If we can''t escape in time, you, Titan, and Amethyst must leave on the flying fish. The monster''s energy attack is extremely powerful. It will be easier to escape in a smaller group. So long as you have the crystal balls with you, there is still a chance you can unveil the secrets of this world and find your father."


    Zhang Xingxing appeared touched.


    "Life or death, we shall stick together," she declared firmly.


    The ship shook as its engine received an injection of power. I could feel that the ship was slowly turning operational.


    "We have limited energy in our suits. After transferring all our energy to the ship, we have just enough energy for flight. The energy is indicated by the ship¡¯s system as being in the yellow range. We will only have one chance to escape," said Dodo.


    "One chance. Now, we rely on Titan and Amethyst," I said.


    Old Du relayed our findings to Titan and Amethyst. The two nodded, indicating that they would try their best. The fearless spirit of the Brightlings where they would stare at death itself to accomplish their goals was something worth respecting.


    "They have never operated a spaceship before. Canyue, do you think we can rely on them?" Zhang Bao''er was still worried.


    "You are free to provide a different solution if you have one," I said.


    He shut his mouth. Everyone started praying silently, putting our hopes on the shoulders of two pilots who had never flown before. Several shrieks broke the silence. When I looked back, I saw Zhang Xingxing gesturing at Blueflash, Toruk, and Little Snow to leave because the situation was becoming too dangerous. Blueflash lingered at the exit and looked at me with reluctance. I gave it a reassuring nod, telling it that we will meet again outside. Only then was it willing to leave.


    ''Well, now that they''re going, we''re really in this together until the very end,'' I thought to myself as I looked at Zhang Xingxing.


    A look of praise covered my eyes. Zhang Xingxing had once again acted against the league''s principle of optimal selection in favor of supporting me. Suddenly, a massive thump rang out. When I looked over, I saw a massive red hand smashing into the cavern. Rocks flew everywhere while the world shook. The two-headed monster had arrived.


    "Titan, Amethyst, activate the thought-navigation system immediately," commanded Old Du firmly.


    Yet another loud rumble rang out as a massive boulder knocked against the window of the cockpit. From the ceiling, a stream of lava poured down like a waterfall. We could not afford any delay. Titan and Amethyst immediately placed their palms on the sensors. The moment their palms touched the sensors, they fell unconscious.

 CH 36

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    "Are these two fellows trying to kill us? I knew they weren''t reliable. How can they fall asleep at a time like this?" Zhang Bao''er complained anxiously when he saw the two Brightlings fall unconscious.


    "Stop. The ship is moving," I stopped the torrent of abuse coming out of his mouth.


    We could see the eyeballs of Titan and Amethyst moving rapidly behind their eyelids. Gradually, their bodies started shaking as well.


    Suddenly, a shield appeared around the ship, protecting the ship from the stream of lava falling from the ceiling.


    "Success, the ship is starting!" Dodo said.


    Under Titan and Amethyst''s thought control, streams of air spurted out from under the ship. The four legs of the ship withdrew, allowing the ship to hover in the air.


    "Everyone, find a seat and buckle up. The ship is moving soon," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone went looking for a seat. I found a big seat for myself and sat on it with Dondon. I did not forget to put the seatbelt on. After everyone was seated, the ship started moving shakily. The duo''s raw piloting skills caused the ship to crash into the collapsing walls every now and then. Even with the shield''s protection, we could feel the massive impact.


    "I wonder how long the ship''s energy supply can last. We must focus on leaving this place," Dodo said to Old Du.


    Another heavy punch slammed into the wall, causing the entire cavern to collapse. At that moment, Old Du suddenly shouted at the unconscious Titan and Amethyst in Gliesen. The two seemed to have heard him; with a jolt, the ship shot through an opening between the lava and the rocks right before the cavern caved in completely.


    "Finally, we''re out. That place nearly became my eternal grave," shouted Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    A red silhouette appeared before us as a massive palm slapped at our ship. The massive force behind the slap sent the ship flying into the lava lake.


    ''Did we just escape a tiger''s den just to enter a bear''s lair?'' I wondered.


    Half the ship was submerged in the 6,000-degree-hot lava lake, causing the little bit of energy the ship had to drain rapidly.


    "Reporting, the ship does not have sufficient energy. The shield will last 5 more minutes while the flight capability will only last 300 kilometers," reported Dodo.


    On the pilot seats, Titan and Amethyst trembled violently as the ship slowly struggled out of the lava lake. A massive microwave-like sound rang out as the two-headed monster lifted two arms as big as mountains and brought them down upon the ship.


    "Shit! Danger!" I shouted.


    The Brightlings'' thought-navigation system was truly impressive. After breaking free from the lava, the ship regained its deftness and barely avoided an incoming slap by gliding sideways before shooting through between the monster''s legs and soaring into the sky.


    Two energy beams followed behind the ship. They slammed into the ship, causing the ship to spin in the air. The ship''s energy supply drained rapidly as its shield worked overtime, reaching the critical point. Immediately, the ship regained stability and soared farther, reaching the clouds. Right that moment, the ship''s energy level broke the critical point, and the ship''s shield deactivated. Fortunately, the flight system was still active.


    "I wonder if 300 kilometers would be enough to outrun the monster," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I could feel the ship moving about nimbly, constantly changing directions in an attempt to shake off the monster. The monster was clearly furious at our escape as it unleashed over a dozen energy beams toward the sky. The beams shot through the cloud below us and weaved around the ship. The two heads were obviously working together to weave some sort of energy net in the sky to trap us.


    With the thought-navigation system, Titan and Amethyst controlled the spaceship as it weaved about in the air. Their control reached such perfection that the so-called veteran pilots like us felt embarrassed.


    The attacks of the monster grew more and more concentrated as the gaps in the energy net became smaller and smaller. We felt like we were slowly being trapped to death within the net.


    "Does the monster have unlimited energy? Why is it shooting non-stop?" Zhang Bao''er grumbled.


    "That''s right. It''s making use of its environment, replenishing itself with the energy in the lava lake. Unless the lake is extinguished, it will have endless energy," said Old Du.


    "We can''t just sit here and wait for death. We need to think of something. The ship won''t last long," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Dodo, can you see Blueflash and the others?" Old Du asked.


    "The clouds are too thick. I can''t detect them. I did try scanning, but I can''t find them," said Dodo.


    Suddenly, one of the beams struck the ship. The beams were growing so concentrated one of them finally hit.


    ''It''s over. Without the shield, the ship will explode soon,'' I thought inwardly.


    The ship was sent spiraling away, but surprisingly, the ship did not explode.


    "They shifted 80 percent of the remaining energy to the shield at the last moment, protecting everyone''s lives," said Dodo.


    By a stroke of luck, the attack sent the ship outside the energy net. Titan and Amethyst took the chance to shoot up and to the left, hiding the ship amid a thick layer of clouds. The ship streaked over 20 kilometers in one go. Meanwhile, the net of energy closed in behind us. If we were even a second slower, we would have all died.


    We all broke out in a cold sweat from the close brush with death. This was the most dangerous moment we had encountered so far. At this time, the monster''s microwave-like roar rang out again. It seemed to be seeking us through soundwaves, replicating the functions of a radar. I felt the ship slow down abruptly. Then, the ship turned almost still.


    "The ship can still fly for 40 kilometers. After 15 minutes, we will run out of energy. I scanned the terrain and found no suitable landing site," announced Dodo.


    Everyone had a look of defeat on their faces, especially Zhang Bao''er, who looked incredibly dispirited with his head hung low. He despaired so much that he wasn''t even complaining anymore. He merely sat there in a daze.


    ''No, there must be a way. We can''t fail just like this. I need to calm down and think,'' I told myself.


    "Can the ship float on water?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes, but then we might be attacked by the whirlpool," said Dodo.


    "Can the ship utilize the crystal balls?" I asked. "Since the ship had been powered by the lava lake''s energy in the past, it should work, right?"


    "No. I checked. The energy in the crystal balls can only be extracted by a special device. The device''s blue tube is only connected to Plum''s container. It can''t be connected to the ship''s flight system," Dodo replied calmly.


    "Can we extract it forcefully?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "If we do, we will lose control over the energy. It might explode instead," said Dodo.


    "Can Plum be revived instantly?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "No. According to my calculations, to gradually reheat something at negative 500 degrees, we need at least 5 hours. Otherwise, Plum''s cells might break apart, causing his death."


    "Damned robot, nothing works with you. Can''t you give us something that will work, then?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I can only tell the truth. I do not have the white lie protocol programmed into me," Dodo replied.


    Nobody had any idea what to do. At this point, the ship only had ten minutes left.


    "I have an idea. We are desperate enough that we can give it a try," said Old Du calmly.


    Everyone looked at him in astonishment. As for Zhang Bao''er, he had an impatient look, seemingly angry that Old Du wasn''t speaking fast enough.


    Old Du looked at me and Zhang Bao''er before pointing at his neck. He said, "Lucky charm."


    It was as though I had received enlightenment from the heavens. How could I have forgotten the treasure hanging on my neck? Before our mission on Jupiter II, Old Du had given each of us a survival tool. I had jokingly called it a lucky charm. It was a tool that could provide our suits with 12 hours'' worth of energy. I had actually forgotten something like that.


    "Use mine first," I said as I moved to give Dodo mine.


    "No, use mine. Keep yours for now," said Old Du.


    Just as I was about to argue, with a crack, Zhang Bao''er inserted his tool into the ship''s socket. The energy instantly gave the ship the ability to fly 3,000 more kilometers. Everyone cheered in joy. Hiding behind the cover of the thick clouds, we flew more than 200 kilometers away from the island, leaving the two-headed monster far behind us.


    "Finally, we''re safe. What a dangerous mission," said Zhang Bao''er, who still looked shaken from the harrowing experience.


    "Dodo, look for a new landing site," commanded Zhang Xingxing impatiently.


    "There''s no need. The Brightlings understand Sirius B much better than we do. They will bring us to a suitable site," said Dodo.


    I looked at Titan and Amethyst. The two were still shaking all over. I rejoiced at the fact that they had joined us on this mission. Otherwise, it was unlikely that we would have escaped.


    Everyone relaxed after we escaped from the danger zone. For this mission, one could say that we had sacrificed every little bit of energy we had left. We had barely slumped into our seats to enjoy the feeling of surviving death when a massive silhouette charged at us from the clouds.

 CH 37

    The ship accelerated to the side and avoided the attack. A pair of massive scarlet eyes became visible through the cockpit window. Flapping its massive wings, the two-headed monster had caught up to us, attacking from above.


    "This fellow is way too good at tracking, right? It''s relentlessly chasing after us!" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "Although we have released it from its seal, we have also stolen the island''s core energy. That''s why it is relentless," said Old Du.


    "I''m guessing that the crystal ball also has some kind of tracker. That''s why the monster is able to keep following us," Dodo speculated.


    "Our top priority is to escape its tracking," said Old Du.


    That was simple to say but much harder to carry out. The monster continued flying toward us, propelling itself forward with its powerful wings. It was about to catch up to us soon. I could clearly see the monster opening its massive mouths and the scalding lava within. The mouths constantly aimed at us, preparing to unleash more energy beams toward us.


    Titan and Amethyst kept changing directions to avoid being locked on by the monster, but the ship wasn''t even as fast as the monster. Eventually, the mouths became close enough to enclose us from all directions.


    Several shrieks rang out as three blue streaks started attacking the monster''s necks and back.


    "Little Snow and the others are here to help us!" Zhang Xingxing cried out emotionally.


    "Toruk, well done!" Zhang Bao''er also shouted.


    I could see Toruk and Little Snow madly clawing the monster''s back. At the same time, Blueflash was unleashing a frantic assault on the monster''s necks. The monster couldn''t shoot beams toward itself, so the three flying fish were able to temporarily catch the monster''s attention.


    "Take this chance and withdraw quickly," Old Du said.


    "No. Since the monster can track us, it''s pointless to withdraw. We need to think of a way to deal with this monster. Otherwise, Blueflash and the others will also be in danger," I said.


    The monster kept swinging its six massive arms around, attempting to swat down the flying fish. Although the fish were nimble and were able to avoid all the attacks, this might not continue if the battle dragged on.


    "This monster is too big. If we don''t deal with it, it will definitely follow us so long as we remain on this island. It will even cause unnecessary deaths to the other life forms living on the island," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We don''t have any weapon we can use to kill it," said Dodo.


    "We don''t need to have a weapon. Let Sirius B perform the killing," said Zhang Xingxing calmly.


    We all looked at Zhang Xingxing in astonishment. Listening to her calm words, I suddenly realized that she had grown from this experience.


    "Use the whirlpool to destroy the monster," said Zhang Xingxing as she pointed at the sea.


    "Good idea. But we need to get our timing right. Also, Old Du, tell Titan and Amethyst our idea," said Dodo.


    A wail rang out. When I looked outside, I saw Toruk''s back being clawed by the monster. Broken scales scattered in the air as Toruk''s back dripped with blood.


    "Careful, Toruk! We must help them! They aren''t going to last much longer," urged Zhang Bao''er painfully. "Xingxing, carry out your plan."


    "We have no other choice. This might be the best method to deal with the two-headed monster. Let''s do it," I said.


    Everyone nodded and agreed to the plan. Old Du then spoke loudly to Titan and Amethyst in Gliesen. The ship suddenly changed direction, zooming through the clouds and approaching the sea. Soon, we were about a hundred meters above the sea. The ship then turned on its lights and started gliding close to the sea''s surface.


    The sea was still the same world of howling wind and torrential rain. The two-headed monster was furious when it saw us fleeing. With a roar, it flew after us, ignoring the three flying fish''s attacks. The sea roared and churned, but the whirlpool monster was still nowhere to be seen.


    "You''re nowhere to be seen when we need you, and you are insistently coming after us when we don''t need you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, fire some cluster bombs at the sea to attract the whirlpool monster," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger. On it," I replied.


    I lifted my gun. Although my suit was out of energy, my gun could still fire the ammunition in it. I walked to the door, tied myself to a handle near it, and then opened the door. Due to the speed at which we were moving, the blast of wind from opening the door nearly lifted me out of the ship.


    "Careful, Canyue," Zhang Xingxing said with concern.


    My blood warmed at her voice of concern. Suddenly, I felt my veins course with strength.


    "I''m fine," I said.


    With one hand, I held onto the rail and stabilized myself. With my other hand, I took aim and pulled the trigger, launching over ten cluster bombs downward. The explosions created massive splashes on the sea alongside a deafening rumble. The explosions attracted the attention of the two-headed monster. Two red energy beams came immediately. The ship moved aside to dodge the beams while I used all my strength to balance myself. Immediately, two more beams came for us.


    "You annoying bastard. Take this!" I grew furious seeing how relentless the monster was.


    In my fury, I unleashed a barrage of bullets at the monster''s heads. Although I couldn''t deal much damage to it, I still felt good at having to vent my anger. The two-headed monster continued approaching us, glaring at us with its pair of hateful crimson eyes. At this point, the two-headed monster was completely ignoring the flying fish. From its eyes, I could see how determined it was to end us.


    "Canyue, shut the door. Our friend is here," Old Du''s voice rang out behind me.


    I looked out the cockpit''s window. Outside, a wave had risen to a kilometer high. Thanks to the ship''s light, I was able to see the familiar pair of sinister purple eyes.


    "Five minutes until contact with the big whirlpool. Eight minutes until contact with the two-headed monster," Dodo reported diligently.


    "Next, it''s up to the Brightlings," said Old Du.


    Everyone returned to their seats. The only thing we could do now was to pray that the Brightlings could time the two contact timings so that the two monsters would clash. The ship charged toward the mountainous wave. I could see the sharp fangs and the abyss of immeasurable depth, which was the whirlpool monster''s throat. We continued ahead until we were about a hundred meters from the wave. I could see the ship enter the whirlpool monster''s mouth.


    ''It''s over. Looks like the two Brightlings have fallen asleep for real this time,'' I thought.


    The whirlpool monster immediately shut its mouth to prepare to swallow us. Right that moment, I felt the ship lift; the ship had made an abrupt turn and shot toward the two-headed monster with the same upside-down position. It was such a close call that the monster''s fangs grated against the ship as we exited. We were extremely close to death.


    "Beautiful, Titan!" I couldn''t help but praise Titan for the excellent control.


    On the other hand, the whirlpool was infuriated at being toyed with. The wave behind us enlarged, becoming double its size before crashing down on us. Right ahead of us was the rapidly approaching two-headed monster. Its two heads guarded two different directions, preventing us from escaping.


    We approached the monster, and about one kilometer from it, eight energy beams were shot at us. The beams came from different directions, sealing our path of escape. My mind blanked as I hugged Dondon, awaiting the explosion to come.


    Just as the massive wave and scalding beams were about to surround us, I felt the ship descend rapidly. It was dropping right into the deep sea. Titan and Amethyst had actually made the split-second decision to use the sea to protect us. We did not see that coming. From below the sea, I saw a bright red above me. Furious roars resounded repeatedly as the two monsters started fighting each other.


    "Success! We succeeded!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in joy.


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    Countless spinning pillars of water existed underwater, and anything that had dropped into the sea would be pulled into the depths of the sea.


    "These pillars are the source of the whirlpool monster''s power," said Old Du. "Fortunately, it is too busy to care about us at the moment."


    The Brightlings controlled the ship and avoided the pillars with great difficulty. After traveling hundreds of meters, the ship ascended and shot out of the sea, soaring back into the sky.


    We were pleasantly surprised to see Blueflash and the others circling in the air as well. They had successfully escaped the battle. Hundreds of meters behind us, a world-shaking battle was ongoing. Sirius B''s two strongest hegemons had finally encountered each other. The whirlpool monster covered the entire two-headed monster with its massive curtain of water, madly trying to drag it into the depths of the sea.


    Meanwhile, the two-headed monster constantly unleashed its energy attacks. Unfortunately, the attacks merely pierced through its watery opponent without being able to deal much damage.


    Then, a series of cracks rang out from the two-headed monster''s body as it started tearing at the curtain of water that was keeping it trapped. With its supernatural strength, it tore the wave apart, freeing itself from the curtain of water.


    Then, it flapped its wings, attempting to get out of the sea. An even larger wave rose up from the sea with an indescribable rumble. The wave was so tall that its peak could reach even the clouds. As the wave rose, the water around the wave abruptly turned into ice. Within the massive wave was the terrifying whirlpool monster. It pounced at the two-headed monster, covering the very sky with its gigantic body.

 CH 38

    The two-headed monster tried to escape the sea. Lifting its body into the sky flapped its massive red wings as fast as a dragonfly flaps its wings. However, the massive wall of water completely covered all possible escape paths. The wave of frost then crashed into the two-headed monster.


    The great impact smashed the two-headed monster back into the sea. Its entire body was covered by cold water which proceeded to drag it to the bottom of the sea. The bright red all over its body dimmed.


    ''Just what terrifying power is that? It had taken only a blink of an eye for a freak powered by Sirius B''s core to be put down,'' I thought.


    Suddenly, a gigantic red beam shot out of the sea, reaching straight for the clouds. The beam tore an opening in the sea. After being weakened by the seawater and underwater whirlpools, the two-headed monster, with its glow dimming, launched its final attack.


    Its final attack was astonishingly powerful; the two-headed monster had finally pierced through the watery shackles around it. This was its final hope. It flapped its wings, shot out of the sea, and soared into the sky.


    However, the whirlpool monster was not going to give up when it was so close to success. Thus, 12 massive icy arms shot out of the sea and tightly grabbed the limbs of the escaping two-headed monster. The extreme chill caused the two-headed monster''s arms to rapidly darken as heat escaped its body at a high speed.


    With death coming nearer and nearer, the two-headed monster unleashed a deafening microwave-like roar and continued soaring through brute force. It lifted the icy limbs of the whirlpool monster as it rose.


    But without the core to replenish its energy, the two-headed monster had exhausted a majority of its energy in the battle with the whirlpool monster. Its final attempt at escape was akin to an arrow at the end of its flight.


    It carried the icy limbs and soared to almost 800 meters above the sea. At that altitude, we could see that its scarlet eyes had lost their glow. It was almost fully exhausted of energy. Despair filled its eyes.


    The two-headed monster finally exhausted all its energy, and it released a despairing roar. The whirlpool monster dragged it back into the sea. The chilly seawater surged violently and consumed the two-headed monster, turning the powerful bright red body an icy white.


    Then, a chilly wave rose over a hundred meters to reach the monster''s two heads. I saw the two lizard heads abruptly bite each other at the monster''s moment of destruction, facing death with a defiant attitude.


    When the wave washed over, the red vanished. The two-headed monster had disappeared into the sea''s black hole. Just like that, the world-shaking battle was over.


    "An ancient creature that had been sealed for more than a hundred thousand years had ultimately walked toward destruction so soon after its awakening, all because of its greed for energy," remarked Old Du.


    "It had not done anything wrong. It was the greed of other life forms for energy that had broken the balance of its life," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "There is no absolute right or wrong. The wheels of history will continue rolling forward. Any sacrifice for advancement would be the best utilization of one''s purpose," I comforted everyone.


    Titan and Amethyst brought the ship higher into the air, pulling it far away from the whirlpool monster''s attack range. The ship flew into the distance. Following our ship, Blueflash and the other fish also left the battlefield. After a series of thrilling brushes with death, I found myself unaccustomed to the sudden peace. In fact, I still had lingering fears in my heart from the dangers I had faced.


    Finally, the ship entered a stable flight mode. Everyone relaxed, and exhaustion caught up. Old Du was snoring thunderously while little Dondon was also sleeping with its belly and four limbs facing upward.


    I also saw Zhang Xingxing sleeping in her seat. Her slightly messy hair gave her the image of an exhausted person who had just escaped disaster. Surrounded by the leisurely atmosphere, I also felt a weight pushing on my eyelids. Slowly, they dropped down, and I fell asleep as well.


    That was a deep sleep. After an indeterminate amount of time, I was awakened by the feeling of something crawling on my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw a tiny red bug curiously moving around on my face.


    I flicked the bug away and sat up before looking around me. Zhang Bao''er was still sleeping, drooling all over his own face. Everyone else was gone. The ship''s door was wide open. Evidently, we had landed. A wide expanse of red could be seen outside the door.


    I walked out the door and saw that the ship had landed on a relatively even area within a red forest. In this forest, the trees, the animals, and the insects were all red. The gentle rays from Sirius A shone upon the land, giving the place a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.


    In the field, Old Du and Dodo were in the midst of a discussion. Zhang Xingxing was observing the bizarre plants of the forest with her arms around Dondon. Titan and Amethyst were sitting on the grassy ground with their backs to each other. It seemed like this was their way of resting after the tiring flight.


    Old Du raised his head when he saw me. "Canyue, you''re awake as well."


    "Yes," I replied. "How long have I been asleep? Where is this?"


    "After three hours, the ship returned to where we set off. This is the red island at the very start of our expedition. The Brightlings call this place Brightstart Island," Dodo said.


    "Three hours? I was only asleep for three hours?" I asked.


    "No, you have been asleep for over ten hours," Dodo replied.


    "Why didn''t you wake us up? We could have started the revival process immediately. We don''t have the luxury of time," I said.


    "That was my order," said Zhang Xingxing, walking up to us from the side. "I was awake the moment the ship landed. I made the decision to let everyone have an ample rest before moving to the next stage of our plan."


    Rank meant everything in the military, and since a senior official had spoken, I stopped questioning the decision.


    "Wow, the view here is nice!" praised Zhang Bao''er, walking out of the ship drowsily.


    Old Du took out some canned space rations from his bag. With that, the group of survivors started partaking in the meal. I did not forget to open a can for Dondon. The little fellow then started happily eating away.


    "Where''s my Toruk? Where are the fish? How''s Toruk''s injuries?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I already treated Toruk. The injuries weren''t serious. They''re out at sea, hunting for food," said Old Du.


    "What a thrilling mission this is. We suffered several really close brushes with death," I said, still feeling some lingering fears in my heart.


    "Yeah. But after everything, reality and results proved that the prophet was right," said Zhang Xingxing confidently.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, how did you charge your crystal balls?" I asked.


    Just as Zhang Bao''er was about to excitedly tell the story of his heroic deeds, Old Du interrupted him.


    "We have limited time. The more time we save, the higher the chance we have of saving Captain Zhang Han. Since everyone is almost fully rested, we should proceed to the next part of the plan," suggested Old Du calmly.


    "I intend to install the crystal balls and activate the revival equipment to revive Plum," said Zhang Xingxing.


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    Old Du woke Titan and Amethyst. Then, everyone entered the cockpit. Plum was still resting in his stasis pod with the same serene expression, as though the numerous dangers we braved earlier were completely unrelated to him.


    Zhang Xingxing took out the crystal balls I gave her from her bag. The three balls were different in color. They were respectively purple, gold, and red. Dodo took the balls and, after a short inspection, inserted them into the control station.


    With the long-awaited truth about to unfold, we finally felt like all the dangers we had faced had been worth it. After inserting the energy balls into the control station, the flowing energy inside them turned into chaotic currents. Three different colors moved violently inside three different crystal balls.


    Then, each ball started transmitting a flow of energy into the blue tube. The three energy streams converged into one before entering Plum''s pod together. The combined stream was actually green in color. Bit by bit, the green permeated the pod. Before long, the first motes of energy touched Plum''s body.


    We saw a blue glow slowly spread through Plum''s flesh and veins from his face to his hands. The energy was progressively activating his bodily functions. As more and more energy entered, the pod became filled with green energy. The green energy worked, restoring life to Plum. His face began to look more and more lifelike, as though he was going to open his eyes at any moment.


    "Plum is waking up soon. The secret will be unveiled shortly!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That might not be the case. This is a life form over a hundred thousand years old. Perhaps he can give us some clues, but Captain Zhang Han''s disappearance is a recent event. He might not know anything at all," said Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing appeared slightly displeased when she heard his words. When everyone was brimming with hope, Old Du''s calm analysis sounded too cold.


    "So long as there is a clue, we can continue advancing. We have been working so hard. Isn''t this what we have been waiting for?" I said.


    "The energy has been transferred. The recovery and awakening of his cells require five hours. Everyone, be patient," said Dodo.


    "Five hours? That''s way too long!" Zhang Bao''er said.


    Everyone sat down. It would be quite a while before the wait was over. Everyone watched silently as Plum''s body kept changing.


    "Canyue, after experiencing so much, do you think we''ll get an answer this time?" Zhang Xingxing suddenly asked.


    "Yes, we can. Isn''t that what the prophecy said?" I replied firmly.


    After experiencing so many hardships, Zhang Xingxing seemed to be much less hopeful than before. A determined look covered her face when she heard my words.


    Everyone waited for Plum''s awakening in silence.

 CH 39

    The wait of five hours might be a rather torturous wait, but none of us was distracted. Everyone was fully focused on every single change Plum was undergoing. Energy constantly flowed from the three crystal balls into the container. The signs of life on Plum''s face also grew stronger and stronger. By the time three hours had passed, we could already see his blue blood slowly flowing in his veins.


    "Everything is progressing smoothly. The temperature in the stasis pod has increased to three degrees Celsius," reported Dodo.


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    Everyone was filled with expectation. After all, we had worked very hard to reach this far. After four hours, we saw Plum''s body shiver slightly. The solid-state hydrogen had fully melted. Surprisingly, Plum still remained floating, as though he himself possessed the ability to float.


    The three crystal balls slowly dimmed as all their energy was transferred to Plum''s body. In fact, Plum appeared glowing. Apart from the fact that he was asleep, he basically looked as alive as Dondon. Then, with a beep, the control station stopped transmitting the energy. The three energy balls had dimmed completely.


    "Time for the actual revival process," said Dodo.


    Everyone approached the pod and scrutinized Plum, trying to look for any changes.


    "Why is he not awake? I thought it''s time?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "He''ll probably be awake soon. Keep watching," I said.


    While we spoke, Plum suddenly opened his eyes, looking straight at me with his sharp gaze. With the help of technology, an ancient life form from over a hundred thousand years ago had really been revived. With his sharp gaze fixed on me, all my hair stood on end. Nobody made a single sound, observing Plum''s action.


    After looking at me for an entire minute, Plum finally shifted his gaze and scanned everyone present. After looking around, he waved his hand. The pod opened, and Plum floated out before landing on the control station. There, he sat down. I could see Zhang Bao''er''s eyes widen in disbelief. I was also in disbelief. How had he defied gravity to float in the air?


    After a short moment of silence, Titan and Amethyst suddenly charged over and prostrated themselves before Plum. Chants started coming out of their mouths. It seemed like they were praying. Dondon seemed to have been affected by its ancestor''s powerful presence as well. It ran forward and sprawled before its ancestor to pay its respects.


    With Titan and Amethyst speaking in Bright non-stop and Plum sitting upright on the station, we all waited respectfully. After all, this was a super senior in the field of interstellar exploration. Even Zhang Bao''er appeared respectful, a behavior he rarely displayed.


    After more than ten minutes, Plum seemed to have recovered from his long slumber. He looked at Titan and Amethyst and suddenly spoke in Bright. Titan and Amethyst grew even more emotional when they heard him speak. A stream of Bright words came out of Titan''s mouth as he spoke with Plum. After about half an hour, Titan and Amethyst appeared agitated as they continued describing something to Plum. Meanwhile, Plum mostly assumed the form of a listener.


    "Canyue, what do you think they''re talking about?" Zhang Bao''er asked me.


    "They''re probably telling their ancestor the history of the past hundred thousand years," I said.


    "A history of a hundred thousand years? How long will that take?" Zhang Bao''er stuck his tongue out.


    Just as we were solemnly observing the discussion, Titan suddenly turned toward us and pointed at us as though he was telling Plum about us.


    "You came from Blue?" Plum suddenly spoke in a language that resembled ancient Chinese.


    I nearly fell off my chair in shock. It was one thing to have something I viewed as an animal talk, but this animal was even speaking ancient Chinese!


    "Yes, we came from Blue. We''re here in search of a missing spaceship, the Milky Way ship. The captain''s name is Zhang Han," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Your divineship, do you know the whereabouts of the missing shop?" Zhang Bao''er asked a rather foolish question.


    Plum looked at Zhang Bao''er and shook his head. "The last time I saw a Blueling, it was over a hundred thousand years ago."


    "We were guided all the way here by Prophet Nommo''s prophecy," said Old Du.


    "I know of the prophecy. I had known that you were going to come," said Plum.


    Everyone grew excited when we heard his words. It seemed like the prophet was the real deal. We were going to keep getting more clues for our quest.


    Plum looked at everyone and said, "I don''t have much time left, and I have a lot of things to do. Come with me."


    After saying that, Plum lightly tapped his spacesuit. He then hovered and drifted toward the room with the projection device.


    "This is similar to the molecule-fission hover technology. With this technology, the spacesuit can analyze and control the molecular makeup of the air, creating a fission reaction that works as a counter to gravity," Dodo explained.


    "That is an incredible technology. Where did you hear about it?" I asked.


    "I read about some ancient legends describing the existence of this technology in the Milky Way Galaxy. However, this is my first time seeing it at work," said Dodo.


    We followed Plum into the new room. There, Plum called Dondon over and had Dondon stand beside him. He then looked at the control station. When he saw that the prophecy case was already there, he placed his hand against the handprint in a well-practiced manner. Evidently, the long slumber had not eroded his memories.


    Ka! Ka! Ka!


    A string of mechanical sounds rang out as a white ray spread across the room, activating all mechanisms in the room. The projection device spun rapidly as a three-dimensional image slowly took form in the air.


    "Finally, the secret of the prophecy is going to be revealed," I said with a breath of relief.


    I could see Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er, and Old Du waiting expectantly for the mystery to be revealed. The scene of a planetary war appeared before us. It was most likely the scene from the Darklings'' initial attack against the Brightlings. One could obviously see that the Bright ships were much slower and weaker in terms of energy compared to the Darklings. One ship after another was destroyed by the Darklings'' superior firepower.


    The sole surviving ship managed to escape to Sirius B, allowing the remaining Brightlings to hide away. The scene then changed to the battle of Terror Island. There, Nommo piloted his ship and led Plum and Crystal in a battle against the two-headed monster. Ultimately, Nommo utilized some sort of energy net to trap the two-headed monster before sealing it at the bottom of the lava lake with three crystal balls.


    Nommo had gone to Terror Island for energy, but surprisingly, he found a large deposit of diamonds there. The deposit was rich enough for the Brightlings to recruit an army of mercenaries to fight against the Darklings.


    It was an enormous sum of wealth, so, to be safe, Nommo stationed his most trusted Storm, Plum, and a spaceship there to perform the mining operation. Each year, Plum would deliver the mined diamonds to a secret location. The diamonds would be gathered to hire an army of mercenaries to deal with the Darklings.


    To hide the secret of the diamonds, Nommo even hid the truth regarding Plum. Because of that, Crystal left, resulting in the loss of the Storm culture and inheritance. In the blink of an eye, over 90 years had passed. Plum had grown old, but Nommo also had more and more arrangements placed all over the universe. They were about to succeed in organizing an army, and their dream of retaking their homeland was about to be fulfilled.


    One day, Nommo suddenly arrived at Terror Island personally. Plum was surprised, and there, he had a premonition that something major was about to happen. Sure enough, Nommo told Plum that he had discovered the energy source of the Darklings. He would lead an army to launch a surprise attack at that place, trying to destroy the Darklings'' energy source. However, that was a dangerous mission with a low chance of success. In truth, the army was not fully ready yet. But due to Nommo''s ailing age, he couldn''t afford to wait.


    Nommo promised that he would return no matter the result of the attack. If the attack failed, he would hide the secret of the Darklings, leaving the secret for the four alien warriors and the one inheritor of the Storms that would appear in the future. He looked forward to these warriors helping the Brightlings regain their homeworld.


    He would ensure that the warriors and the Storm successor arrived before Plum. Plum was to be the sole person to know the only lead to the answer they sought. Only by facing Plum would the warriors be able to obtain their answer.


    However, Plum told Nommo that he was already old. He might not be able to live long enough for the warriors to arrive. Nommo gripped Plum''s paws tightly and said that if he did not return in a year, Plum was to freeze himself. Outside, Nommo had described Terror Island as an island of death. In the future, only the five chosen ones would be able to arrive. Nobody else would be able to disturb Plum''s rest.


    Three years passed, and Nommo was nowhere to be seen. He hadn''t even shown himself at the secret location where the diamonds were delivered. When Plum sensed the end of his life span, he froze himself with the stasis technology, awaiting the arrival of the ones who would awaken him.


    "The more than a hundred thousand years of stasis had harmed my body greatly. I might have been revived, but I only have a lifespan of 24 hours. Warriors, what I''m about to tell you is very important. I believe that Nommo would not choose the wrong individuals," said Plum.


    "Only 24 hours? Only a day?" I cried out in alarm.


    "Slumbering for over a hundred thousand years just to buy the 24 hours'' worth of time he could use to pass on a message¡­the Storms are truly a great race," said Old Du.


    "Nommo is too magical. He managed to foresee the four of us and the blue cat!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    When I looked at Dondon''s face, I saw a face deep in thought, completely different from the pure and innocent animal it was before. Atop the projector, a series of buttons appeared. Plum stepped on it and used all four of his limbs to insert a complicated code. Finally, a secret that had been hidden for over a hundred thousand years was about to show itself.

 CH 40

    A three-dimensional hologram of a shiny cloud of dust appeared before us. The scope of the projection was massive, and the dust cloud constantly spiraled like the Milky Way Galaxy. Inside the cloud, a massive clump of radiance could be vaguely seen.


    Around the dust cloud, countless gigantic flying machines hovered. All the machines were directly facing the dust cloud, and below each machine was a massive cylindrical device. From each cylindrical device, six slender long tubes extended into the dust cloud. They seemed to be absorbing the energy within the cloud.


    Suddenly, a fleet launched a surprise attack on these machines. The leading spaceship was none other than Nommo''s spaceship, which we had seen at the black mountain. The attack was fierce, and it was clear the machines were completely unprepared. A series of massive explosions erupted, creating a mess among the mining machines.


    "This is probably the surprise attack Plum mentioned. This is the Darklings'' energy source," I said.


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    "Based on the hologram, wasn''t the attack a success?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    After the successful attack, the fleet was about to retreat when numerous fighter spacecrafts flew out of the dust cloud. There were probably over ten thousand of them, and they launched a fierce counterattack on the ambushers.


    The ambushers fought back, and an intense battle erupted. Both sides suffered disastrous losses, with the hologram turning into a world of explosions. Thanks to their superior numbers, the fighters finally gained the upper hand. The ambushers were about to be defeated.


    After a loud and bright explosion, the ambushers'' wormhole was blown up. The scene then shifted to the cockpit of the ambushers'' capital ship. There, the familiar face of Prophet Nommo could be seen. Around him was a group of leading military officials of various races.


    The situation seemed to have descended into chaos. Evidently, they had not imagined that they would encounter such a level of resistance. Suddenly, the conversation shifted into the Chinese language. It would seem like the hologram had been set to accommodate the language of the prophesized warriors.


    "Our retreat wormhole has been destroyed. The enemy''s numbers are over a hundred times greater than ours. We can no longer retreat," said a long-nosed alien.


    "Why did they hide so many fighters here? Someone must have leaked our attack," said Nommo.


    "This is urgent. Since we can no longer escape, we can go all out on them," said an alien with a sturdy body and the head of an ox.


    Suddenly, someone clad in black whose face was also completely covered walked up to Nommo and pointed to the window. The hologram followed the direction in which the person in black pointed. A massive black cloud could be seen beside the energy-filled dust cloud.


    "Because we hadn''t been able to investigate the situation within the black cloud, our escape plan did not include the black cloud. There might be uncertain dangers hidden within it," said Nommo.


    The person in black whispered in Nommo''s ear. We could see a look of disbelief appear on Nommo''s face.


    "All ships, cease combat immediately! Enter the black cloud!" Nommo commanded firmly.


    Thus, the remaining dozen ships followed Nommo into the black cloud. An endless darkness was presented before everyone''s eyes. The pursuers did not give chase once they escaped into the black cloud.


    It appeared they had escaped, so all the aliens in the ship relaxed and even started celebrating. Meanwhile, Nommo deployed the robotic scouts and had them scan the surrounding area.


    Soon, the result of the scan returned. The black cloud was unlike the regular space in the universe, which was predominantly dark matter. Apart from hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, the cloud also contained numerous gaseous unknown metallic elements. Together, these elements came together and formed this massive black cloud.


    Despite the pitch-black darkness, the cloud also felt like it was filled with life. At this time, we saw the person in black approach Nommo and whisper something to him again. While whispering, the person in black pointed to something outside the window. When he raised his finger, I noted with astonishment that it was actually the hand of a Blueling! I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, but the hand was lowered yet again, perfectly covered by the dark robe.


    "Canyue, did sand get in your eyes?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "No. I think I saw that the person in black had a human hand when he lifted his hand," I said.


    "Why didn''t I notice? You must be seeing things. During Nommo''s age, Blue was still in the prehistoric age," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Perhaps, but a lot of things don''t make sense," I said.


    "What are you referring to?" Old Du suddenly asked.


    "A lot of what we saw does not make any sense," I replied. "If Blue was really so primitive during Nommo''s era, why can Nommo speak ancient Chinese?"


    "Yes, I have the same doubts. Plum had been secluded on Terror Island. How did he meet Bluelings?" Old Du also voiced his questions.


    "That''s simple. Plum might have met some on Blue," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Sure, that explanation was acceptable, but I kept having a feeling that there was an even more complicated puzzle here. After listening to the person in black, Nommo commanded the fleet to travel at sublight speed. At that time, the recording ended. But immediately after, a different hologram formed, showing a completely different scene.


    Countless clumps of shining dust had appeared within the black cloud. The clumps looked like they were actually growing stars. They were madly absorbing the energy within the black cloud, obtaining what they needed to grow.


    "The black cloud is actually the birthplace of stars? This explains why this place is such a massive source of energy. After all, this place is also the birthplace of energy," said Dodo.


    The recording continued, and as they passed by countless dust clumps, we eventually started to see fully formed stars and their orbiting planets.


    "This black cloud can actually give birth to so many fixed stars. I wonder where it gets its energy from," Dodo said.


    "The Big Bang. All energy originated from that point in time," said Zhang Bao''er teasingly.


    Suddenly, I noticed that Zhang Xingxing had been silent. When I looked at her, I saw her staring at the person in black, an odd expression on her face. Suddenly, the hologram changed again, revealing three massive fixed stars to us.


    The three stars were respectively red, yellow, and blue. The yellow star was devouring the red star''s energy, the blue star was devouring the yellow star''s energy, and the red star was devouring the blue star''s energy. Together, the three formed a cycle.


    It was too bizarre a sight, to the point all of us were stunned. Truly, the universe was so vast that we couldn''t even begin to imagine what could exist out there.


    Nine massive planets were orbiting the three stars. The closer the planet was to the stars, the bigger it would be.


    I found with astonishment that the nine planets were almost akin to nine glossy metallic balls of nine different colors. They were so perfect they almost looked manufactured. Even Nommo and the others in the recording appeared to be in disbelief.


    Nommo said to the person in black, "Is this our final destination?"


    The person in black nodded.


    "Lower our speed. Activate our shields. Approach the outermost planet," Nommo commanded.


    The fleet slowed down and approached the red-orange planet, the smallest of the bunch. Through the hologram, we could see the planet''s sleek surface. It was perfectly round, and it was untainted by even a speck of dust. On its glossy surface, one could see the projection of the three stars.


    "Look for a landing site," Nommo commanded.


    In truth, there was no need for that. With how smooth the planet¡¯s surface was, they could land anywhere. The fleet penetrated the red-orange planet''s thin atmosphere and landed on its surface.


    "Surface temperature, 30 degrees," reported the long-nosed alien.


    ''A surface temperature of 30 degrees? This is quite a livable planet,'' I thought.


    The ships landed in succession beneath the three stars which hung overhead forming a perfect painting in the sky. After scanning the air''s composition, everyone left the ships and stepped onto the planet''s surface.


    "The surface looks smooth, but there also seems to be an attractive force coming underground, allowing us to stabilize ourselves," remarked the sturdy ox-headed person.


    "Scan the planet with our probes. I keep having a feeling that the planet is unstable. It''s so peaceful that it feels wrong," said Nommo to a Brightling guard beside him.


    The Brightling returned to the ship. Shortly after, over a dozen mechanical spiders were released. These spider probes ran toward every corner of the planet and started performing a detailed scan. While everyone was feeling relieved after surviving a great battle, something unexpected happened.


    A small ship suddenly lifted into the air and flew far away. About ten kilometers away, an opening appeared on the glossy ground. The ship flew into the tunnel and vanished underground before anyone could react.


    "That''s not good. Incoming danger! Everyone, return to your ships!" Nommo commanded loudly. Everyone hurriedly retreated, but it was already too late.


    Suddenly, numerous holes opened up across the planet, and countless worms with giant paws swarmed out. Each worm group was also led by an incomparably large worm.


    "My god. Aren''t those the same giant paw monsters and worms we encountered before?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in alarm.

 CH 41

    The monsters in the hologram looked slightly different from the ones we had encountered at the black mountain. Apart from the sheer number they had, each worm also had eight thick and solid sickle-like limbs.


    Nommo and everyone hastily mustered up a defense, but they became helpless when more and more worms crawled out of the ground and climbed all over their bodies. One after another, they fell.


    Nommo''s guards tried their best to protect him. That was especially true for the ox-headed warrior. With a massive axe in his hand, the warrior cleaved countless worms to death. Eventually, the giant worms also started attacking. With a single swing of their sickle-like limbs, a ship would be destroyed in a loud explosion.


    One ship after another exploded, and before long, only Nommo''s ship was left. As for the warriors, only a few more than ten were left. We could see the valiant ox-headed warrior was already ridden with wounds.


    The ox-headed warrior and the others fought back with all their strength, finally managing to escort Nommo and the long-nosed individual closer to the ship. At this time, a powerful giant worm was also approaching the ship.


    After nodding at Nommo, the ox-headed warrior pushed Nommo, who was in his hover chair, and the long-nosed individual into the ship. He shut the door and turned, preparing for a final battle with the approaching giant worm.


    The scene then changed, showing Nommo inside the ship. He was looking at his many guards fighting valiantly to their deaths, his tears flowing with self-reproach. The long-nosed individual activated the spaceship, and they started ascending. By that point, all of Nommo''s guards had perished in the battle.


    When the ox-headed warrior saw that the ship had safely departed, he used his final strength to cut a worm down. He then finally collapsed weakly onto the ground. A sickle-like limb swept past, cleaving his head into two.


    "Adoka!" Nommo howled with grief.


    ''So this brave warrior is called Adoka. What a valiant alien,'' I thought to myself.


    The ship left the planet''s surface and was about to continue ascending when, suddenly, a massive worm suddenly leaped toward them from afar. Its body rose high into the sky, and it caught the ship''s hull with its sickle-like limbs.


    "This is bad, a monster is invading our hull!" said the long-nosed individual.


    "Accelerate. Throw it off with speed," said Nommo.


    The ship immediately accelerated. The massive speed and the friction with the atmosphere ignited the worm''s body. Even with six of its limbs burning, it was still able to forcefully pry open the hull before charging inside.


    The seriously injured worm flailed about violently in the ship in an attempt to alleviate its pain. The burning wound was so painful that the worm eventually fainted. A white pearl rolled out of its mouth.


    Pushing Nommo on his floating chair, the long-nosed individual carefully entered the room with the worm inside. Nommo picked up the white pearl on the floor.


    "This is an energy ball. This pearl seems to contain three different types of powerful energy. I wonder if this is related to the three fixed stars we saw," Nommo muttered.


    "Elder, should we eject this monster?" asked the long-nosed person.


    "Yes, Xanks. Expel the monster with air pressure," said Nommo.


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    ''So this long-nosed alien is called Xanks,'' I thought.


    "Yes," Xanks replied.


    Just as the two were about to return to the cockpit, the unconscious worm suddenly woke up. Its six crippled limbs were causing it great pain, causing it to wail in suffering. Nommo and Xanks rushed back into the cockpit when they heard the worm''s voice. The worm suddenly raised its head and inhaled with all its strength. Its body enlarged, and its stomach swelled as though it was undergoing some sort of physical transformation.


    "Go to the pressure control room and open the pressure door to expel the monster," Nommo commanded.


    Xanks moved the moment the command was given. Instantly, the swelling worm roared, unleashing countless smaller worms from its mouth. The swarm filled every corner of the ship. It turned out that the swelling transformation the giant worm did earlier was actually for the sake of mono-gender propagation.


    The worms filled the spaceship, controlling all passages inside the ship. Indirectly, that action protected the giant worm. After all, Xanks could no longer reach the pressure control room.


    "If we stay in the cockpit, it will only be a matter of time before those monsters reach us. We need to send news about this back as soon as possible," said Nommo.


    "Without our wormhole, we need 15 lightyears to reach Sirius B. Even when flying at our top speed, we need 15 years to return," said Xanks.


    "I want to give this thing a try. See if we can create a new wormhole with it," said Nommo as he lifted the thing in his hand. The object was none other than the white pearl that had rolled out of the giant worm when it was unconscious.


    Nommo acted on his plan immediately. He placed the energy ball into an installation. Immediately, a shining flow appeared around the ship. Soon, the flow turned into a transparent light beam, shooting over a hundred kilometers away from the ship. Then, a transparent sphere appeared a hundred kilometers away. A wormhole was successfully created.


    ''Creating a wormhole with only one of these white balls. This thing seems to contain a large amount of energy,'' I thought.


    Xanks navigated the ship into the wormhole. The scene in the hologram shifted again. It returned to Sirius B from 150,000 years ago. Nommo had returned with the wormhole. At this time, the giant worm and the other smaller worms were in the process of assaulting the cockpit. The situation was becoming urgent.


    "Xanks, we need to split up to ensure that we can bring the news back," said Nommo.


    "We have lost our entire army. This loss is massive. The enemy had actually discovered our plan and had even used us to discover a new energy source," replied Xanks.


    "Yes, and it''s my fault for believing the wrong person, resulting in this great loss. The only thing we can do now is bring the news back and let those from the future end this for us," said Nommo.


    "How should we do it?" Xanks asked.


    Nommo went to the massive control panel in the cockpit and took out two hexagonal cases, one big and one small.


    "Aren''t those the prophecy cases we found?" said Zhang Bao''er when he saw what Nommo took out.


    I gestured at him to not speak. This was the critical moment where the puzzle would be solved.


    "This is the ship''s recording system. Everything that happened in the last battle is recorded here. Only Plum can unlock the recording," said Nommo.


    I saw Plum tremble slightly upon hearing Nommo mention his name.


    "Plum? He''s still alive?" Xanks asked.


    "Yes, he''s still alive. He is carrying out an extremely important mission," said Nommo.


    "But I heard that Crystal left because of his death. Even after so many years, we haven''t heard from her," said Xanks.


    "Crystal," Nommo hesitated to say something. It seemed like there was a big secret related to Crystal, one that he found hard to talk about.


    I saw an expectant look on Plum''s face, but Nommo quickly shifted the topic. The little fellow that had been asleep for over a hundred thousand years had disappointment written all over his face. The knocking sounds on the door grew louder and louder. The situation was growing urgent by the minute.


    "Xanks, my talent has allowed me to sense that in the future, a group of warriors will come to finish our unfinished undertaking. What we need to do now is protect the secret, leave clues behind, and await their arrival," said Nommo.


    "When will they arrive? How should we send them the information?" asked Xanks.


    "Perhaps it will take a very long time. The clues have been carved onto the two prophesy cases. As for the information, they are preserved in the cases. Take the smaller case and leave with the escape pod," said Nommo.


    "You can come with me. The escape pod is big enough for two of us," said Xanks.


    "I can''t leave. My life is nearing its end," said Nommo. "This giant paw monster might be strong, but without the energy ball, I reckon I can control it with my will."


    "Will control?" Xanks said in astonishment.


    "Yes, and I promised Plum before that I would return with clues. However, we can''t allow this monster to leave and expose Sirius B. We also don''t have the ability to clear all of them," said Nommo.


    "Are you going to use your will to control them and have them kill each other?" Xanks asked.


    "No. I''ll bring them back to Sirius B and control the giant paw monster. Their strength will help protect the ship and this secret," said Nommo.


    "Are you really not leaving with me? We can take the cases with us and detonate the ship. That is enough to kill these monsters," said Xanks, still hoping that Nommo would leave with him.


    "The two cases can''t appear at the same time. Otherwise, it might result in a calamity for the Brightlings and the others of the alliance. This army of giant paw worms comes from a source of vastly powerful energy. The person who obtains control over such a powerful energy source will be able to control a powerful army and slaughter the universe. Its location must be kept secret," said Nommo.


    "But¡ª" Xanks kept trying.


    "Enough. My life span is at its end. Xanks, you must leave immediately with this case. Protect and pass on the secret. The Darklings had only obtained a tiny portion from the edge of the energy cloud, but they were already powerful enough to destroy our civilization. This massive energy source hides even more secrets that can topple the universe''s natural order. We must bring this information back," said Nommo. He then opened the door of the escape pod.


    Xanks no longer hesitated. He followed Nommo''s command and entered the escape pod with the prophecy case. After seeing Xanks leave safely, Nommo set a coordinate for the spaceship''s flight before sitting down. From the hologram, it was as though his eyes were looking straight at us. His gaze even landed on me, causing my heart to skip a beat.


    "Warriors of the future. The remnants of the interstellar rebels require your guidance and leadership. The equality of life in the universe will be yours to maintain," said Nommo, his gaze fixed on me.


    Then, a massive black nebula appeared on the hologram. From outside, the nebula looked like a stallion raising its head proudly. Then, with a click, the trip back to the past ended.


    "Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation," Dodo said.

 CH 42

    "Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation? Are you certain? The horse''s head looks slightly different," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, I''m certain. The Horsehead Nebula is the most conspicuous observable celestial body. It is a dark dust cloud, and like all clouds, it can shift in shape. This was especially true since we are looking at how it looked over a hundred thousand years ago. Looking at it as a whole, we can confirm that this is the Horsehead Nebula," said Dodo.


    "He''s right. This is the Mythic Horse Nebula of the Orion Constellation, the birthplace of gods and stars," said Plum as he turned to face everyone.


    "Have you seen this before?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "This is the Creator. Our Bright Planet is orbiting Betelgeuse, a star in the Orion Constellation. Every single night when we look up at the sky, the Mythic Horse Nebula will be clearly visible. There, the immense Creator creates the various life forms of the Milky Way Galaxy, and it is the birthplace of the gods and stars of the Milky Way Galaxy.


    "Mere superstition. Where are the so-called Milky Way gods? Though it is true that this is the birthplace of stars," mumbled Zhang Bao''er.


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    "In short, the energy source is within the Horsehead Nebula. To solve the final riddle and defeat the army of monsters, we need to head to the Horsehead Nebula," I said.


    "Yes, I think so too. But how should we even get there? That place is 15 lightyears away from us. This tiny ship won''t be able to reach it," said Old Du.


    "Nommo might have prepared the ship you need," said Plum.


    "Is that true? Where''s the ship?" asked Zhang Bao''er in excitement upon hearing about a ship.


    "The ship might be in the underground base of Brightstart Island. In Sirius B''s third layer, apart from Terror Island, there are no other islands. To make the transport of the diamonds easier, he created an artificial island there¡ªBrightstart Island," said Plum.


    "That''s an artificial island?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed incredulously.


    "Yes, and that''s why everything on the island is red. It was made from the energy of Terror Island," said Plum. "Nommo told me that he had had an intense premonition from a long time ago that powerful friends would appear to help the Brightlings. Thus, he had prepared a gift for you on the island. I believe that gift must be a spaceship."


    "How can we reach the base? What are we waiting for?" urged Zhang Xingxing impatiently.


    "Only those from the Storm race can locate the base. However, I have something more important to handle right now," said Plum.


    "What is it? We can help you with it. We''ll do our best," I said.


    "You won''t be able to help with this. I need a few hours to transfer the Storm race''s inheritance to this little fellow beside me. You gave him a name such as Dondon, but in truth, he is a talented warrior," said Plum.


    "Inheritance? So will Dondon be able to speak in the future?" asked Zhang Xingxing, delighted at that thought.


    Plum nodded. "Only those of the Storm race may be present for the inheritance. I hope everyone can wait outside the ship."


    This was an important moment. We naturally wouldn''t disturb them. After everyone left the ship, Plum shut the door. I checked the time and noted that it had been over three hours since Plum had woken up. Everyone sat in the meadow outside the ship and waited for the inheritance session to end. As for Titan and Amethyst, they sat facing each other and started meditating.


    "Were all of you paying attention to the history lesson? Did you find issues with it?" Old Du was the first to speak.


    "I noticed that one person was missing from the battle," I said.


    "The person in black?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes, him. I tried searching for him during the battle, but he was nowhere to be found," I replied.


    "Is he the person who had suddenly flown away on a ship?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Possible, but we can''t confirm that yet. The escape was too sudden. Even when I tried scanning it, I couldn''t get a clear look at the pilot," said Old Du.


    Suddenly, I recalled Zhang Xingxing''s odd appearance when she saw the person in black.


    "Leader Xingxing, tell us your thoughts on the recordings," said Zhang Bao''er before I could say anything.


    "I think that in the Horsehead Nebula, there is a massive living warriors factory. These warriors are immensely powerful. The one to control them will control the universe. More importantly, what is the energy source of these monsters? It has been over a hundred thousand years. How far have they progressed?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes. Betelgeuse is a red giant star on the verge of collapse. Also, the league has never entered the Orion Constellation," said Old Du.


    "Xingxing, what do you think about the person in black?" I suddenly asked. I had yet to expose the fact that I had seen that person''s arm.


    "He gave me an odd feeling, familiar yet indescribable. Also, he had been whispering the entire time. We couldn''t even hear him clearly," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I believe that the person Nommo referred to when he talked of a traitor must be the person in black. As for the pilot of the escaped ship, it''s most likely him. What is his relationship with the giant paw army? What was the conspiracy, and what is the truth? Perhaps only by personally going there would we get an answer," I said to everyone.


    "Yes, I''m in favor of Canyue''s suggestion," said Old Du.


    "We''re going to Orion? Great! There are a lot of breathtaking stars there. The sights we can see will be spectacular," cheered Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    "We''re not there to sightsee. We''re there to look for the truth, a truth that can avoid a war spanning the universe. We''re also looking for clues that can lead to my father," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At those words, I recalled one question, a question that I needed to ask Plum. Suddenly, blue light erupted from within the ship. It seemed like passing on the inheritance was a rather intense process. The blue light flickered on and off. It was understandably difficult to pass on an inheritance of over a hundred thousand years in the span of only several hours. Time passed, and before we knew it, it had been five hours. The door of the spaceship remained shut while the blue light continued flickering, showing no signs of stopping.


    "Canyue, why are the two little animals taking so much time?" Zhang Bao''er was becoming impatient.


    "What are you being so impatient for? We have plenty of time. We must wait until the inheritance is over."


    Several shrieks rang out from the sky. Blueflash and the others were back. Having returned from its hunt, Blueflash was happy to see me. It immediately dropped beside me and started rubbing against me. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er rubbed Toruk''s injury with an aching heart, but Toruk appeared to be in glowing spirits. It was completely unbothered by the injury.


    "Canyue, since Dondon is not done yet, why don''t we fly around for a bit on Little Snow and the other flying fish?" Zhang Xingxing suddenly acted her age.


    "No problem. I had the same idea. We will probably leave soon, and this might be our last time flying on them," I said as I rubbed Blueflash''s head, feeling reluctant to part with it.


    Zhang Xingxing then got onto her mount with a confident leap. Zhang Bao''er and I hurriedly followed suit with our respective mounts. Then, with a long shriek, the three flying fish lifted into the clouds.


    The warm sea breeze and Sirius B''s gentle light sprinkled over my face. After the many close brushes with death, this was the first time in a while we had some time to actually live life. Little Snow followed closely behind Blueflash, but Toruk, injured, was unable to keep up with us. It cried out in protest as we left it behind.


    Zhang Xingxing and I soared higher and higher into the sky. This far up, the sky was bright and filled with many shining little life forms. Under the sunshine, they all went about their daily lives. Every single life form in the universe needed to constantly work hard to stay alive. It was as though that was a trait the Creator had installed in all living beings during the creation of life.


    After flying for an indeterminate amount of time, I stopped Blueflash high in the sky. At this altitude, I had a wide field of view. I could even vaguely see the sea and the berserk storm there.


    That was the same sea we had fought in, the sea where we had experienced numerous dangers. We solemnly sank into silence when we recalled our close brushes with death and the Brightlings that had sacrificed themselves.


    Time spent flying had always been enjoyable yet short. I suddenly recalled that we still had something important to do. When I checked the time, I noticed that it had been 13 hours since Plum''s awakening. We had spent a total of five hours flying around.


    "This is bad. We spent too much time. Xingxing, we need to return quickly. The passing of the inheritance might have ended," I said urgently.


    Everyone immediately turned back toward Brightstart Island. The fish carried us back to the island. The first thing I saw upon returning was Old Du dozing off on the ground. I rejoiced inwardly that the inheritance was not yet fully passed on. At the exact moment we landed, the ship''s door opened. With a flash of blue, Plum and Dondon walked out.


    "Little guy, can you speak now?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    Dondon looked at Zhang Bao''er. He remained silent, but the expression on his face was clearly very different from before.


    "He still can''t speak, but I''ve passed on the entire inheritance to him. The Storms had stopped using their voices over a hundred thousand years ago, so they had degenerated slightly. He needs several hours of practice before he can slowly speak," said Plum.


    "Will he understand our words?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes, he is basically the same as me now. We should delay no more. I don''t have much time left. We need to go look for the hidden cave," said Plum.


    I checked the time. It had been 14 hours since Plum''s awakening. Out of habit, I tried lifting Dondon to place him into my bag, but he refused. He blinked at me, deciding to walk on his own legs.


    We moved quickly toward the depths of the forest. As far as we could see, it was a world of red. Sounds of little animals filled the forest, painting a tranquil scene. At such a moment, it was hard to relate this world with the many vicious beasts we had encountered earlier. Deep in the forest, our surroundings darkened. Without sunlight, the red grassy land started looking black.


    Suddenly, Plum nodded at Dondon, then turned to face us. "Everyone, please look for a glowing red diamond somewhere on the ground here."


    We split up and started searching. The area wasn''t too big. Before long, Titan and Amethyst found the shining stone within a bush. After parting the bush, we could see the diamond emanating a faint yellow glow. When Dondon saw it, he immediately stepped on it. Several blue footprints appeared near the diamond. When Dondon stepped on the new footprints, more footprints appeared ahead of him. And thus, the group followed the footprints, taking a detour around the dense bush and rugged tree roots before reaching a cave that looked incredibly deep.


    "It''s here. Try to think of a way to get down there," said Plum.


    Our suits had long run out of energy, so we couldn''t even hover down. Just as we were busy thinking of a solution, Plum casually took out a rope from my bag and tied one end to the root of a massive nearby tree. Then, he activated his suit''s molecular fission technology and floated into the cave while holding the other end of the rope.

 CH 43

    Not long after Plum entered the cave, Dondon gestured at us that we could enter. I had Blueflash wait outside as we followed Dondon into the cave one by one. We entered a narrow tunnel, and after dropping perpendicularly for about 300 meters, we reached a horizontal tunnel. We followed the tunnel, and after several turns, we reached an imposing red door. There, Plum was waiting.


    The door had a peculiar design. It was as though the door was made of rock, giving it a tough and durable appearance. It also gave off the feeling that it was filled with energy. At the top and sides of the door, red diamonds were embedded into a sort of frame. They shone brightly, illuminating the entire cave.


    "Dondon, open the door as I taught you," said Plum.


    Dondon nodded in understanding and pressed his two tiny paws against a protruding platform to the right of the door. A holographic interface identical to the interface of the ship''s projector appeared before the door. Once it appeared, Dodo stepped all over the keyboard-like interface. Then, the door slowly opened with a crack.


    "Dondon is way too impressive. Canyue, there''s no monster hidden behind this door, right?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    My heart skipped a beat as I took out my gun and assumed a defensive posture. After the code was verified, the red door parted. A thick layer of dust fell from the cracks of the door, and when it settled, we saw an empty circle surrounded by diamonds. At the very middle of the circle was an immense spaceship over a hundred thousand years old.


    The ship looked completely different than the one that had crashed into the black mountain. It had a T-shape, supported by six legs of different sizes at the bottom. The legs made the ship look like it could also walk on land when required. At the same time, the legs could be withdrawn back into the ship when it took flight.


    "This is an amphibious spaceship capable of walking and flying. But can it still fly?" Dodo asked.


    "This is the spaceship Nommo had taken great care to preserve. It should function well," said Plum.


    While speaking, Plum floated toward the bottom of the ship. We could clearly see a circular door.


    As Plum aligned his face against the door, the ship whose system had been dormant for over a hundred thousand years turned on. A series of red rays appeared from the door and scanned Plum. After the scan, numerous lights lit up around the ship''s hull. The door slowly opened, and a stair extended out. The ship had been activated.


    Plum was the first to enter. We hurriedly followed after him. The ship was separated into three levels. The undermost level housed the cargo bay and the engine room. There, we found food and countless diamonds that had been stored over a hundred thousand years ago. The middle level was the living area and meeting rooms while the topmost level housed the cockpit and combat control room. The layout of the ship was simple to understand.


    Plum brought everyone to the cockpit. Once there, he placed his blue paws on the operation panel and started moving around. In a few minutes, the entire cockpit lit up. The flight system had been fully activated.


    The dormancy of over a hundred thousand years did not seem to have affected the ship''s functions. From its activation, it seemed to be completely normal. Both Plum and Dondon worked together to perform a full diagnosis of the ship and conversed with each other non-stop.


    "This ship is too beautiful. It is much better than our Mimas," said Old Du.


    "Yes, a giant spaceship like this is required for long-distance flight. It also needs to be equipped with combat abilities. But I don''t know if it can recharge the energy of our suits," I said.


    "Before leaving, we need to retrieve our Kangaroo from the world''s second layer. We still have our nuclear warheads and other supplies in it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, that is part of my plan. We might still need it at the Orion Constellation," said Dodo.


    After activating the ship, Plum turned to face us. He looked at Dodo and said, "Are you a machine with artificial intelligence?"


    "Yes, I am a type of intelligent automaton," said Dodo.


    "Excellent. Come take a look at the core data of the ship''s system. Try to access it and send it to everyone. This ship requires two pilots. The combat control room also needs a number of corresponding personnel," said Plum.


    Dodo walked up to the control panel and tried its adaptation system on the ship.


    "They will need some time on this," said Plum. "We don''t have much time. I already inserted the coordinates near the Orion Constellation. The wormhole production and leap system have also all been prepared. You can set off any time."


    "Why not go straight to the Orion Constellation itself?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. This is the most optimal destination as indicated by the system. Also, in the system, Bright Planet has an even higher priority than the Horsehead Nebula itself. Nommo himself had set up these priorities. There must be a reason for that. I suggest you go to Bright Planet first to understand why," suggested Plum.


    "How long will the ship''s energy core last?" asked Old Du.


    "This ship utilizes Sirius B''s nuclear fusion materials, which provides enough energy for interstellar travel and combat. The energy in the system has 1,000 levels, and the ship will need to be replenished once the level drops below 100," said Plum.


    "Where should we replenish our energy? Should we return to Sirius?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "No. Nuclear fusion works the same everywhere. So long as you''re at a place with fusible atomic nuclei, you can replenish your energy. Your artificial intelligence will be in charge of doing all the calculations. I''ve inserted all the data into the system to fill up his knowledge base," said Plum.


    "Honored Plum, do you know which planet Warrior Adoka came from?" I asked.


    Plum looked at me and said, "He is a member of the Wargod race. They dwell on a green planet in the outer orbit of the Hamal System of the Aries Constellation. I''ve never met them before. I had only learned of their existence after Nommo had found them during one of his travels."


    "Yes. On Blue, Aries also refers to the Greek god of war, more commonly known as Ares. He is one of the 12 gods of Olympus and is the son of Zeus and Hera. Ruling over war, he is a handsome, violent, and warlike god. He is bold and tenacious, the symbol of power and authority, a god of war that loves war and slaughter," said Dodo.


    "There''s actually such a valiant race living there. The ancient humans are truly impressive for their myths to actually be so prophetic," praised Zhang Bao''er.


    "How do you know that the myths and legends aren''t left behind by Nommo in the first place?" asked Old Du.


    Zhang Bao''er found that argument agreeable, so he stuck his tongue out and stopped talking.


    "Canyue, why did you ask that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I have a feeling that this race might be our friend in the future, so I''m trying to learn more about them in advance," I said.


    While we were talking, Dodo walked over.


    "I have obtained the ship''s basic data. This is too perfect of a ship. Its name is Fearless," said Dodo.


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    "Fearless. What a great name," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, and its mechanics and weapon systems are ridiculously advanced. After linking my database with the ship, we can now recharge our suits with this ship," said Dodo.


    "Excellent. If so, we can bravely continue on with our plan," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "Let¡¯s do it. Dondon and I will be in charge of piloting the ship. As for the ship''s weaponry, I''ll teach you how to operate them. Unfortunately, there is no knowledge-download equipment here," said Dodo.


    "With flight and energy solved, we can replenish our food at the Brightling tribe. I reckon we can''t use the supplies here anymore. I already told Titan about it," said Plum.


    We looked at him with gratitude. Someone who had been slumbering for over a hundred thousand years just to pass on a message and an inheritance to the future was still so attentive. We couldn''t help but be touched.


    "Everyone, I have completed my mission. I hope you can complete your mission of protecting the universe''s peace. I hope Nommo made the right choice," said Plum.


    I checked the time and saw that Plum only had three hours left. He was about to depart from this world.


    "Titan, can you send me to the cave left by Nommo? I want to pass on peacefully there," said Plum.


    A sense of sorrow engulfed everyone upon hearing his words. Nobody knew how to react in this situation. Nobody knew what they could do to help. I felt completely helpless.


    "I still have a request," Plum suddenly said. "If you find information regarding Crystal, please let Dondon know. Give him a chance to obtain the Storm race''s full history."


    "Don''t worry. We will definitely do that," promised Zhang Xingxing.


    "I hope that you, instead of Dondon, can personally complete this history," I said.


    Everyone looked at me. Zhang Bao''er said, "Canyue, what idea do you have?"


    "Honored Plum, we are incapable of extending your life span, but can you return to the stasis pod until we find a way to extend your life?" I asked.


    "The stasis pod can still work, but the energy balls needed to revive someone from stasis are no longer powered. We need to recharge the crystal balls at Terror Island if we want to repeat another revival," said Dodo.


    "But the charging station has been destroyed," said Old Du.


    "Yes, but that''s not an issue. The two-headed monster is no longer there. We can harness the energy on the island at any time. Our priority should be to look for a way to extend life span," I said calmly.


    "In that case, everyone agrees to first have Honored Plum return to stasis before looking for a way to resurrect him?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes," I answered firmly.


    "Then it''s agreed," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Plum listened to us and nodded in agreement. It was obvious he longed for life as well. Only those who respected life would respect the living beings of the universe.


    "Dodo and Dondon, pilot the ship with the stasis pod to his cave to ensure the ship''s safety," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    The team started carrying out our new plan. Dondon and Dodo activated our brand new ship. Above us, a massive hole opened in the cavern. The ship then left with Titan and Amethyst. After more than ten minutes, the two ships returned one after another.

 CH 44

    During the final hour, Plum expressed his wish to spend it alone with Dondon. Everyone entered Fearless, allowing the two Storms a final session of privacy to share tales more than a hundred thousand years old.


    Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for Plum''s farewell. We were filled with sorrow and reluctance. Everyone gathered in the small shop to bid the pioneer from the Storm race farewell.


    Titan and Amethyst prostrated themselves on the ground and performed the Brightling prayer ceremony. Dondon watched on with grief all over his face. The scene brought sorrow to all our hearts. Plum, on the other hand, looked completely relaxed. He had finally completed a mission over a hundred thousand years old. What he had left was boundless hope.


    "Child, take this. It can''t be repaired anymore, but it was made from an extremely precious material. It can be very useful," said Plum as he took his spacesuit off and draped it over Dondon''s body.


    Without the suit, he had to slowly climb into the stasis pod. There, he would resume his endless slumber.


    "Stasis pod activating in five minutes," Dodo reported.


    Immediately, I recalled something important. "Damn it, how can I forget that?"


    "Honored Plum, regarding the Blueling you met over a hundred thousand years ago, where did you meet? Do you remember that person''s identity?" I hurriedly asked.


    Plum was already halfway into the pod. When he heard the question, he turned around.


    Everyone held their breath in anticipation. The answer to that question was very important.


    "On Brightstart Island. I saw him, but he didn''t see me," Plum said.


    "You saw him, but not the other way around. What does that mean?" I asked.


    "He came with Prophet Nommo. When I saw him, he was conversing with Nommo. I was hiding and didn''t show myself. Only after he left did I talk about that Blueling with Nommo," Plum replied.


    "What did he look like? What was his name? How did a Blueling come all the way here from Blue?" Zhang Xingxing asked urgently.


    "He was clad in a black robe. His face was completely hidden. He called himself Starscar," said Plum.


    "Starscar. This name never appeared in history," Dodo reported.


    At this time, the system indicator lit up. It was the final 60 seconds. Plum entered the pod, and the door slowly closed.


    "Honored Plum, how did he arrive here? Where is his ship?" Zhang Xingxing shouted anxiously.


    "He did not come from Blue. He came from the time tunnel," said Plum before the door completely closed.


    Then, the stasis system activated. Plum shut his eyes, and in a few seconds, he returned to his slumber with a serene expression.


    "Time tunnel. Is there really a time tunnel? Is the man in black really him?" Zhang Xingxing muttered to herself.


    "Not necessarily. I know who you''re thinking about. But if it''s really him, he shouldn''t be alone," I said.


    "Who are you talking about? You act like you know the man in black," Zhang Bao''er said.


    I gave him a glare but did not answer. I understood that Zhang Xingxing suspected that the man in black was her father, Zhang Han. But if the man in black was really Zhang Han, why would he want to destroy Nommo''s race? How had he reached the planet with the giant paw monsters? That was a big riddle with numerous contradictions we couldn''t explain.


    "There is no need to think too much. We can only find the answer when we arrive at the Orion Constellation. Let''s set off," said Old Du calmly. He seemed to have seen through what I was thinking about.


    "Act according to our plan. We''ll leave immediately," commanded Zhang Xingxing after recovering her calm.


    After bidding Plum a final farewell, we entered Fearless. The ship ascended as the ground beneath us slowly closed up. Underground, Plum, the ancestor of the Storms, resumed his slumber.


    Blueflash, Toruk, and Little Snow were waiting for us outside. I brought them into our giant hangar. The magnificent Fearless was able to rapidly pass through the massive pillar of water connecting the second and third layers of the world, arriving at the land-based world of the second layer.


    We brought Titan and Amethyst back to their tribe. There, sounds of discussion broke out. Under Titan''s arrangement, the Brightlings were able to resupply us quickly. During that time, Dodo also managed to recharge all our suits. After a comfortable night, it was time to depart.


    At this time, the high priest came to us. "Brave foreign aliens. I hope Titan and Amethyst can go with you, seeking a chance to return us to our homeland."


    "About that, we''re all considered criminals now. We might bring trouble to them," said Zhang Xingxing tactfully.


    "For freedom, Brightlings are fearless. We only hope to get a chance to return to our homeland. This is what Titan should do as the future priest," said the priest firmly.


    Zhang Xingxing looked at us. I saw an approving look on the face of the others. I also gave Zhang Xingxing a firm nod. With everyone''s agreement, Titan and Amethyst joined our crew. Then, it was time to bid farewell to Blueflash and the others. I walked over and gently stroked Blueflash. The big fellow lifted its head high, seemingly unwilling to show its emotion.


    I knew inside that Blueflash was reluctant to part with me, but the environment and pressure of space travel might not suit a large life form like Blueflash. We could only leave them on Sirius B and have the Brightlings look after them. However, I also believed that with Blueflash''s strength, that wasn''t even needed. I saw Zhang Bao''er hugging Toruk tightly. Zhang Xingxing and Little Snow also looked like they were at a funeral.


    "Blueflash, we''re leaving. Believe me, I''ll come back for you," I said softly as I stroked Blueflash''s head.


    The fish continued lifting its head high, not giving me even a look. However, I could feel its sadness. All farewells would come to an end. Eventually, we entered Fearless. Inside, Dondon and Dodo activated the wormhole production system in accordance with the trajectory Plum had set for us in advance.


    A massive tear appeared in the sky. The spaceship slowly rose toward the wormhole. At this time, I heard a loud sorrowful shriek. From the window, I saw Blueflash, Toruk, and Little Snow spiraling beneath our ship while whining, bidding their final farewell to companions that had braved countless dangers with them.


    Before the wormhole, everyone approached the window. Looking down at the beautiful yet dangerous world, scenes of the many close encounters with death flitted past my mind. I thought of the sacrifices of the Brightlings and thought of Prophet Nommo, the slumbering Honored Plum, the eternally loyal guardians Blueflash and the flying fish, and many other creatures we had encountered. This world would be forever etched in my mind.


    "I, Li Canyue, will definitely return," I vowed to Blueflash.


    "Wormhole activating in one minute. Everyone, return to your seats," Dodo reported.


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    Everyone returned to their seats. As the countdown ended, Fearless turned into a white streak and leaped into the wormhole. With a bright flash, the ship traversed a distance of 15 lightyears, reaching the Orion Constellation.


    The space outside the ship was dark and serene. Far ahead of us, a massive red ball of flame hung by its lonesome self. Betelgeuse, a red star that was visible on Blue even when looking with naked eyes was revealed to us with such clarity for the very first time.


    Once, Bluelings regarded Betelgeuse as the brightest and biggest fixed star. As it was a red supergiant, Bluelings speculated that in probably several million years, the star would turn into a supernova. Due to the constant threat of collapse and the instability of the star, the league had not carried out any mining operation in the Orion Constellation.


    "The Bright Planet is located 13 billion kilometers away from the Betelgeuse, 750 million kilometers from the ship," a brand new voice rang out.


    "Dondon, you can finally speak?" Zhang Xingxing grew excited.


    Dondon nodded to everyone. He then looked at me and said meekly, "My throat is slowly recovering. However, my appetite has also increased. I feel like eating something."


    "Are you a pig? It''s not even mealtime yet," said Zhang Bao''er with a laugh.


    I was happy to learn that Dondon was actually a humorous little fellow. A companion like him was essential for any journey. Old Du tossed a pack of space crackers to him. The little fellow bit in without hesitation.


    "Team Leader Xingxing, I discovered a planet 100 million kilometers from us. Signs of life can be found on the planet," Dodo reported.


    Everyone immediately went to the control panel and looked at the navigational display. In between us and Sirius B, a black planet could be seen on the star chart. The conspicuous part about this planet was the fact that it was filled with flickering dots of light.


    "Those dots are probably something similar to the lamps of Blue. With so many of them, this is probably a planet with an active high-tier civilization," Old Du said.


    "Approach for observation," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "Roger. I''ll approach its low orbit," replied Dodo.


    Suddenly, a loud sound rang out. Above Fearless, a massive black battleship appeared. Flanking the battleship were three smaller fighters. The black battleship was transmitting something to us loudly. The weapons on its bow were all activated, as though it was going to attack at any moment.


    "This is the Dark language. Our translation system is capable of translating it," said Amethyst.


    ''Darkling? Did we encounter a powerful enemy the moment we arrived?'' I thought to myself.


    Dondon activated the translation system and said, "Unknown vessel, stop your ship immediately and accept the imperial guards'' inspection. Any resistance will be dealt with extreme prejudice."


    "How did they react so fast? We just arrived," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is a new star system. From Nommo''s star chart, the Darklings come from a high-tech planet. Do not act rashly. Prepare your defenses and act according to what we encounter," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "What is our plan?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Stop and accept their inspection. Let us meet our new friends from the Orion Constellation," I replied for Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, I have the same thought," Zhang Xingxing added.


    ''Orion Constellation. After spending so much effort to come here, how can I, Li Canyue, retreat so easily?'' I thought to myself.

 CH 45

    "Everyone, activate your morph-capable defenses. Dodo and Dondon, keep Fearless prepared for a leap at any time. Old Du, head to the combat control room and prepare for battle. I''ll deal with the Darklings," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What about Titan and Amethyst? They''re the Darklings'' arch-enemies," Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "It has been over a hundred thousand years. We can only gamble on the Darklings forgetting this race. Do you even remember how Bluelings looked 150,000 years ago?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    That seemed reasonable.


    "I''ll go with you," I offered.


    "I''m going as well," Zhang Bao''er said after me.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded at us in agreement. We then walked toward the door together.


    "Open the door immediately for inspection," commanded a voice from the miniature fighter that had arrived before our door.


    Zhang Xingxing then signaled at Dodo to start the docking process. After a series of mechanical sounds, footsteps rang out from outside the door.


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    "They''re coming in soon. Stay calm, everyone. Improvise your actions according to the situation," I said softly.


    For some reason, I felt extremely nervous. Even after undergoing so many dangers, I still couldn''t control my adrenaline when facing the unknown.


    The door opened, and five individuals, each clad in armor and carrying a massive weapon, walked in. They were tall and sturdy, and their physiques resembled Old Du''s. Different from Old Du, they also had a pair of massive fangs exposed outside their mouths.


    The leader was clad in simple-looking black armor. He was obviously of a higher military rank than the others behind him who were only clad in ash-black armors. His airtight helmet only allowed his vicious eyes and sharp fangs to be seen.


    ''What a barbarous-looking race,'' I remarked inwardly.


    "Lando, perform a scan on this ship. Check if they house the escaped criminal," commanded the leader, completely disregarding us.


    "Who are you? Why are you boarding our ship fully armed? We were only passing by," questioned Zhang Xingxing. Thanks to the translation system, her words were translated into the Dark language.


    The leader glared at us with his vicious eyes and said, "This is the territory of the Divine Empire. All outsiders deemed to pose a threat to the empire are to be deported from the Orion Constellation without exceptions. Those who resist are punishable by death."


    "Divine Empire? We have never heard of that," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You''re a group of freaks with humans, a robot, some fish people, and even a dwarf. Where did you come from?" questioned the leader.


    ''Fish people? Looks like the Darklings really did not notice the Brightlings. Zhang Xingxing was right,'' I thought in joy.


    "Dwarf? Where the hell is the dwarf?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    When the leader pointed at Dondon, Zhang Bao''er shut his mouth.


    "We came from Blue. We intend to do some ore business here," I said.


    "Blueling? Hmph," the leader snorted with derision, not even bothering to say anything else.


    After a while, the Darkling called Lando shook his head at the leader, indicating that no criminal elements were found. However, he did point at the cockpit and made a unique gesture.


    The leader raised his hand, and all the Darklings aimed their weapons at us. Additionally, two darklings rushed toward the combat control room Old Du was in. The situation was becoming tense. Soon, Old Du was escorted out by two armed darklings.


    "Hand over your weapons immediately and leave. Otherwise, die," demanded the leader.


    "Excuse me, which of your empire''s laws have we broken that we need to be disarmed?" I asked.


    "All Gliesen barbarians are to be deported. None are to take even a step into the empire," said the leader.


    "Why is that? We Gliesens have never offended the Orion Constellation," asked Old Du.


    "You Gliesens have been intending to compete against us. A fleet has even been stationed at the Canis Major Constellation. Does your Interstellar League think the Divine Empire is a pushover? The emperor has decreed that all Gliesens from the Interstellar League and other races who are helping the Gliesens are to be barred from entering our territory," said the leader loudly.


    ''Canis Major? Isn''t that where the Sirius System is located? It''s right beside the Orion Constellation. The league has always claimed that they''re not stepping foot into Orion. Is there an even bigger conspiracy somewhere?'' I wondered inwardly.


    "The Interstellar League has never entered the Orion Constellation. You are spreading fake information!" retorted Old Du loudly.


    The leader glanced at Old Du coldly and said, "Barbarian, your rank is too low, so the empire won''t be bothered about you. You may leave after handing over your weapons."


    "What if we refuse?" said Old Du unyieldingly.


    "Then die," said the leader. He raised his gun, revealing the spinning red energy within the muzzle. A battle was imminent.


    Suddenly, the Darkling called Lando approached the leader and whispered into his ear. I tightened my grip on my gun and braced myself for battle. After the leader heard Lando''s words, he raised his head and scanned all of us. He then said something that almost caused me to faint.


    "Who is Li Canyue?" asked the leader.


    ''My god. I only had a single expedition, which was going to Jupiter II. Was that enough to spread my fame all the way to Orion?'' I wondered inwardly, even feeling somewhat smug.


    "I am Li Canyue. How do you know my name?" I asked.


    The leader sneered and said, "Your wanted poster has been spread all over the Milky Way Galaxy. All of you are wanted criminals of the Interstellar League. It was said that you, Li Canyue, are the leader."


    We all sank into silence. We had not expected the league to be so heartless. Before even giving us a proper trial, they had issued arrest warrants for all of us. Such were the consequences of disobeying orders. The news might be shocking, but the tension in the ship actually eased up. Upon learning of our status as wanted criminals of the Interstellar League, the leader lowered his gun.


    "What are you here for?" he asked.


    "We''re being hunted by the league. We wish to seek shelter here," Zhang Xingxing''s nimble mind came up with a reasonable reply.


    "That is an acceptable reason. Blue is also a Gliesen-conquered colony. The Bluelings will be granted entry. As for this Gliesen, I need to check with the captain," said the leader. He then gestured at Lando before leaving, probably to ask for instructions from their superior.


    "Why do you have so many diamonds with you?" asked Lando.


    "When traveling, don''t you need currency just in case? You will eventually need to buy something, right?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "These diamonds are too big. Can we take some back for inspections? To check if there are prohibited items hidden within them, you know?" asked Lando.


    I nearly burst out in laughter. That was basically blackmail, but he actually made it so righteous-sounding. Inspection? What inspection? I gave Zhang Bao''er a meaningful look. He understood immediately and brought Old Du to the cargo bay at the third level. Before long, the two returned with a massive diamond.


    The leader just happened to return at the same time the diamond arrived. He said, "Since you are wanted criminals, the enemy of our enemy is our friend. The empire has agreed to grant you entry."


    We all heaved a breath of relief. The tension in the ship eased up even more.


    "By the way, who is the escaped criminal you mentioned earlier?" I asked, taking the chance of the eased tension to learn more.


    "It''s an escaped theologian from the Imperial Academy of Sciences. His name is Fode, and he had gotten hold of the empire''s secrets. Those who discover him are to report to the imperial guards immediately. Those found aiding or hiding him will be subjected to the harshest punishment," said Lando.


    Two of the Darkling soldiers laid down their guns and bowed down to lift the massive diamond. It was quite a peculiar posture to behold.


    "The Interstellar League has been hunting for you guys for a very long time. Your pictures have been spread all over the Milky Way Galaxy," said Lando.


    "How long has it been?" I asked.


    "About 30 Betelgeuse days," said Lando.


    "Thirty Betelgeuse days? Your fixed star has such a fast rotation speed?" I asked.


    "There are 48 hours in a Betelgeuse day," said Lando.


    "That isn''t right. We just left the fleet a few days ago," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yeah. According to you, shouldn''t it be over two months since our departure?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in alarm.


    "Did the white dwarf''s gravitational force slow down the flow of time for us?" Old Du speculated.


    "Are you going to Planet Lidu?" Lando asked.


    "Yes, we intend to go there. That''s the planet ahead of us, right? We don''t know its name," I replied.


    "This is Planet Lidu. It is inhabited by the various thugs, exiles, and opportunists of the races from outside Orion. It is a dangerous planet. Originally, these people wanted to head to our capital planet, Eternal, but the emperor chased all of them out," said Lando.


    ''Planet Eternal. Perhaps that''s the homeland of the Brightlings,'' I thought inwardly.


    "The emperor had people construct this planet, a planet built with iron and flesh. These scoundrels thus all settled here. In a way, they indirectly gained a place to call home," said Lando.


    "Artificial planet? Is something like that possible? This is truly a level of technology beyond that of the league," said Old Du.


    "Are there a lot of races here? Are there any Bluelings?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, there are many exiles here. Therefore, I believe you must also be heading there. With your wanted level, you will all probably be celebrities there. But I don''t have concrete details about the people on the planet. This planet was constructed over 200 years ago. There are too many races living there. It is impossible to keep a proper record of them," said Lando.


    Zhang Xingxing looked at everyone before saying, "Let''s go and take shelter at Lidu for now. We''ll plan our next step there."


    Everyone agreed.


    At this time, the leader of the Darklings walked back to us again. He handed a pass to Zhang Xingxing and said, "With this, you will be able to gain entry into Lidu. You won''t be able to enter otherwise. Remember, do not mention your diamonds to anyone."


    ''Looks like there really is a reason for Nommo to prepare so many diamonds for us,'' I thought.


    After finishing his words, the leader led his people and left with the massive diamond. I saw the fighter withdraw rapidly. The black flagship slowly turned transparent. Before long, the entire fleet had vanished from view. It seemed like the invisibility I had been coveting badly since my Jupiter II expedition was already a mature technology here at Orion.

 CH 46

    "Do we really need to go to that Planet Lidu? It isn''t in the priority list set by Nommo''s prophecy," said Titan.


    ''Looks like Titan''s top priority is still the homeland of the Brightlings,'' I thought.


    "I think we know too little about the Orion Constellation. The situation and order here are not as relaxed as we had imagined. Heading there hastily will only increase our risks," said Old Du.


    I looked at Titan and said, "I suggest we visit Lidu first and obtain more updated information about the Orion Constellation before deciding on our next plan."


    "I agree. We need to gather sufficient information before making a move. After all, we are now wanted criminals. Planet Lidu shall be Fearless''s first stop," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    The order was carried out. After the trajectory was adjusted, the ship flew toward Lidu. As we approached, the planet''s appearance gradually became clearer. The planet had a diameter of about 2,200 kilometers. It was about two-thirds of the moon''s size, and it appeared like a pure metallic construct. The moment our ship entered the planet''s outer orbit at about 15,000 kilometers from the planet, three layers of defensive systems aimed their weapons at us.


    "My god. Why are there so many defenses around this tiny planet? Is this still considered a defensive system, or is it more accurate to call this a monitoring system?" Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    "It probably functions as both," Old Du replied.


    The three layers each functioned differently. The outer layer seemed to be designed to handle large-scale battleships and smaller fighters. The middle layer was filled with massive forts and laser towers. The inner layer was a circular checkpoint, which was where the Darklings stationed their immigration personnel.


    Because the Darklings earlier had reported our arrival, we passed through the outer layer smoothly. After getting through two layers, we reached the inner layer, the immigration checkpoint.


    "Please stop and present your pass for inspection," a robotic voice rang out.


    Fearless approached the checkpoint platform. There, the door opened, allowing two Darklings to enter. One of them held a weapon while the other carried a suitcase. We handed our pass to the person with the weapon. He then studied the pass in great detail.


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    "You sure don''t look like that group of wanted criminals," said the immigration official.


    "I wonder why the empire gathered all these defectors. They''re only adding more work to us, making us guard this place every single day," complained the other Darkling.


    "With so many thugs together, it''s only a matter of time before something bad happens," said the Darkling holding our pass. After checking the pass, he stamped it and returned it to us.


    "Dear criminals, welcome to Planet Lidu. Please park your spaceship in the inner dock of the immigration center. You may head to the planet on our shuttle," said the leader.


    "We can''t land our ship on Lidu?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    The man with the weapon glared at Zhang Bao''er before saying, "The empire does not allow any large-scale weapons to enter Planet Lidu. Also, aren''t you afraid that the thugs will steal your spaceship if you land it there?"


    "That makes sense," Old Du said.


    Upon hearing Old Du''s words, the Darkling seemed to remember something. The person with a suitcase took out a small case from the suitcase and handed it to us.


    "What is this?" I asked.


    "People of numerous races live on Lidu. To prevent conflicts, the empire had the Imperial College create an accurate translation device for the Divine Empire''s language. All visitors are required to change their translation equipment and converse through only one language," said the Darkling.


    When I accepted the device, the man holding a weapon said, "Follow the guide ship to the docking bay."


    Then, the two Darklings left, and a guide ship appeared before us. Dondon and Dodo controlled our ship to follow it into the inner dock. There, countless ships of all sizes and forms were hovering silently. Some ships even had the appearance of a cube, completely defying the rules of aerodynamics. However, that was precisely how mystical the universe was. Shuttles could be seen moving back and forth, and some ships could also be seen leaving the docking bay.


    "Looks like the Darklings did not totally restrict the freedom of the people on Lidu, as long as one follows their rules," said Old Du.


    "That''s great. I was afraid they would put severe restrictions on my freedom," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Soon, Fearless finished docking. We then boarded a shuttle before entering the planet. The shuttle was an unmanned vehicle. As it approached the planet, we were able to get an even clearer look at it.


    The planet was a perfect sphere, and it had a glossy surface. Some sort of solar energy installation covered the planet''s surface facing Betelgeuse, supplying the planet with its required energy. Beside the installations was a massive power plant. There were no other buildings on the side facing the star. The side facing the star was fixed, and the planet constantly orbited Betelgeuse in the supergiant''s outer orbit.


    The other side of the planet had a much lower temperature, and its terrain was white and frosty. Five deep canyons could be seen on the planet''s surface, and there were many blinking lights in the middle of them. All the residents of the planet lived underground. Nobody lived on the surface.


    The shuttle brought us straight underground. We could see countless buildings constructed in a disordered fashion at the inner wall. The air was filled with ropeways, and vehicles that looked like cable cars could be seen moving everywhere.


    Additionally, many other vehicles of numerous shapes were traveling on the ground and in the air. I could see people from various races on them. Zhang Bao''er''s eyes were wide open as he took in the unusual sight. Everyone else was also fully engrossed in observing the planet. This place was basically a melting pot of races.


    After passing through the messy area, the shuttle arrived at its destination.


    "Air condition, normal. Regular breathing is possible. Everyone, please carry your translation device with you," said Dodo.


    "To save energy, turn off your suits and breathe freely," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Breathe freely? Excellent! Haha, this is a nation of freedom, a nation of sin!" said Zhang Bao''er with a laugh.


    The shuttle''s door opened, and we all walked out. Countless other shuttles were also landing, and countless aliens were lining up to board a shuttle. Armed Darklings were constantly patrolling and maintaining order.


    "These aliens sure look weird," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    I could see many different races of different shapes and colors. Some were tall and sturdy, some were small and thin, and there were even some with constantly shifting four-dimensional shapes.


    There were also some who looked like humans, some who looked like beastmen, and many whose shapes couldn''t even be described in words. Some walked on two legs, some walked on eight, and some on even more. In truth, for these aliens, we most likely also looked like freaks. We eventually walked out of the shuttle station.


    "Canyue, I''m getting hungry again," said Dondon.


    "You must be a pig. You weren''t such a glutton before," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I became hungry faster because I needed to use my brain more," replied Dondon.


    "In truth, I''m getting hungry as well. Team Leader Xingxing, should we find a restaurant and grab a meal?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    And thus, the crew arrived at the main avenue. The place could be described as dirty, messy, and poorly maintained: crowded streets, a filthy ground, awful odors in the air.


    "Warriors, come check out my energy ores," said a fellow with a slender body and long limbs while showing us a yellow stone.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to push the hawker aside, but then Dodo stepped forth and asked, "Excuse me, may I ask if there is a restaurant here?"


    The alien pointed at the corner ahead of us. There, I saw a shining signboard. The words on it could be translated as "World In Chaos."


    At the discovery of a restaurant, Dondon led the charge. When we arrived, we saw the shabby door of the restaurant and a massive painting of a fish head hanging above the door. Old Du pushed the door open, and a loud clamor assaulted us in the face. The entire restaurant was completely crowded with people.


    "My god, how good is their business?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    With their sturdy bodies, Old Du and Titan opened a path for us. We followed the two as we walked into the restaurant. The restaurant was a boiling cauldron of voices. I could see that the left side of the restaurant was filled with shabby dining tables, but nobody there was actually eating. Numerous aliens of all shapes were standing atop the tables.


    "Sigh, looks like our food has gained intelligence," remarked Zhang Bao''er when he saw a dancing pig-headed alien on one of the tables.


    The right side of the restaurant was filled with some big fellows, with some tiny flying aliens moving back and forth. We had no idea what these aliens were looking at.


    At that time, a loud broadcast sounded, "Fellow spectators, the main show of the night is about to start! The eternal wrestling champion, the Pulverizer, Violent Steel of the Wargod race. Tonight, he will be met with an honorable challenger."


    The entire restaurant bustled with excitement. It almost felt like the sounds were going to blast through the roof.


    The broadcast continued, "The challenger is a fugitive prince from Planet Akko, Prince Toruse."


    Another burst of cheers sounded.


    "Even a prince has become a fugitive? This is inconceivable," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "I suppose it''s some throne conflict or dynastic rebellion. Isn''t that how it is in the movies?" I replied.


    "Old Du, please open a way for us. I want to see the fight between the prince and the war god," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Me too," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With the team leader''s command, Old Du and Titan used their sturdy bodies to squeeze a path through the crowd. We followed them to the front of the crowd. A rectangular pit appeared before us. A black door could be seen on each side of the pit. All around the pit, the spectators were madly cheering, clamoring for the two combatants.


    At this time, I felt someone pull the leg of my pants. When I looked down, I saw Dondon blinking at me. He said, "Canyue, I can''t see. Can I borrow your shoulder?"


    I burst out in laughter as I thought, ''What a surprise. This little fellow is also quite a curious one.''


    I lifted Dondon and placed him atop my shoulder. At that time, a series of intense drumrolls sounded.

 CH 47

    After a series of intense drum rolls, an ox-headed individual stepped through one of the doors. He was wearing an iron helmet and wielding a pair of hammers. He wasn''t too tall, but his body was sturdy.


    "Let us welcome Lidu''s Pulverizer, a descendant of the Wargod race¡­the undefeated Violent Steel!" yelled an announcer with a big square head and a small round body.


    ''Is this a member of the Wargod race? But his physique looks very different from Adoka''s,'' I thought to myself.


    "Violent Steel! Violent Steel!" the spectators chanted his name.


    Violent Steel nodded at his worshiping audience with a pleased smile. He spun his massive hammers around, spinning them so fast that a whistling sound could be heard, demonstrating his powerful arms.


    After allowing the clamor to last over ten minutes, the square-headed announcer yelled at the top of his lungs, "Next, let us welcome our heavyweight contestant of the night, the noble prince of Akko, the imposingly oppressive Prince Toruse!"


    An even louder cheer erupted from the crowd when they heard that a prince was going to enter the pit. The same intense drumroll rang out.


    We all waited expectantly to witness the grace of a prince. Even after about 20 minutes of clamor, the door to the right was still shut. The prince was nowhere to be seen, and the crowd''s cheers turned into insults.


    "Why is the prince taking so long?" asked Dondon from my shoulder.


    "He must have escaped because he wasn''t ready to fight," I said. "Look at that Wargod fellow, he looks so vicious. I don''t think his opponent will have a very good time at all."


    The square-headed announcer seemed to have realized that something was amiss. He gestured at two armed, burly, long-haired individuals beside him to go take a look. The sounds of insults gradually turned into sounds of discussion about the mysterious Prince Toruse.


    After a short while, the cheers resumed. When we looked over, we saw Prince Toruse being forced into the pit by the two long-haired individuals.


    "What a surprise. This is a very young prince," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The prince greatly resembled a Blueling except for his azure eyes and long blue hair. He looked young, about 14 or 15 years old in appearance. He also had a thin and frail body. The two long-haired individuals shut the door after the prince entered the pit.


    "Prince Toruse, please accept Planet Lidu''s grand wrestling challenge. The victor will be granted the right to free movement," said the announcer.


    "I reject the usage of such a barbaric method to regain my freedom. This is a criminally violent form of punishment! I, as a prince of Akko, reject this treatment!" declared the frail prince haughtily.


    "Hehe. Honored Prince Toruse, I might be addressing you as a prince, but you need to understand that you''re no longer a prince. On Lidu, you must follow the laws here," said the announcer.


    "Looks like this prince was forced to participate," said Dondon.


    "That''s clear. The prince must have been subjected to unfair punishment," I said.


    "Fando, what the hell are you doing? Why are you having a Wargod''s descendant like me fight a little kid? This is an insult to my race. I refuse to fight trash like this," Violent Steel suddenly yelled.


    "Violent Steel, feel free to concede if you do not wish to participate. You will then lose your right for free movement. Your hard labor will be reinstated," said the announcer.


    Violent Steel shut his mouth the moment hard labor was mentioned.


    The spectators started discussing spiritedly amongst themselves. They were here for a good show, but this one-sided fight had clearly extinguished their interest.


    Old Du suddenly came up beside me and asked, "Canyue, can we save that prince?"


    "Old Du, we''re new here but we''re already going to make a name for ourselves? I''ll be looking forward to that! Come on, let''s do it!" Zhang Bao''er said in excitement the moment he heard the request.


    "The prince looks like someone kind and honest. I think we should think of a way to save him," I said.


    "Everyone agrees, then. I''ll go ask the major," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, you''ve asked everyone so quickly?" Zhang Bao''er said in astonishment.


    ''Looks like Old Du was planning this the moment the prince appeared. After all, they''re both nobles. Perhaps he found himself emphasizing with the prince,'' I thought.


    "Canyue, draw up the plan. Get ready, everyone," said Zhang Xingxing as she approached us. Old Du was following behind her, having finished his request.


    At this time, a loud roar sounded. Violent Steel was swinging his massive hammer at Toruse. With a loud thud and an outburst of cheers from the crowd, the hammer struck the ground beside the prince, creating a miniature crater.


    "The prince remained still even when the hammer was coming. He does not seem to know how to fight," said Old Du.


    "Violent Steel, if you don''t fight seriously, we''ll send you back to hard labor today!" said Fando.


    Threatened by Fando, Violent Steel could no longer hold himself back. His hammers lashed out rapidly, swinging at the prince''s head. Some spectators shut their eyes due to the expected gruesome scene, while a smug smile formed on Fando''s face.


    With a clang, an energy barrier blocked the attack. The massive impact even bounced the hammers away. Old Du had activated his morph-capable shield during the critical moment and blocked the fatal attack for the prince. A bright light erupted amid the crowd, followed by a burst of smoke from Zhang Bao''er''s smoke bomb. Taking the opportunity, Old Du and I leaped into the pit.


    "Prince, come with us. We''ll take you out of here," said Old Du.


    "Who''re you? Why help me?" asked the prince.


    "We''re vagabonds, not criminals. There''s no time to explain. Leave first," I said urgently.


    We worked together and pushed the prince up the pit. Then, we leaped out of the pit as well.


    "Capture the prince! Do not allow the prisoner to escape!" Fando''s voice rang out behind us.


    The two long-haired enforces obeyed and lifted their energy guns, aiming their weapons at us.


    "Screw you!" Zhang Bao''er and Titan each delivered a to the enforcers, sending them flying away. Titan, especially, appeared hateful of the long-haired enforcers, and he followed up with even more attacks, beating the two so badly they dropped their weapons.


    Zhang Bao''er placed the two weapons together and installed a small-scale cluster bomb on them, blasting the two weapons apart with a burst of smoke. Urgent whistling sounds rang out outside the restaurant. The commotion and explosion had attracted the patrol.


    "Bao''er, Titan, retreat immediately. The patrol is here!" I said.


    With the presence of law, the people in the restaurant scattered in all directions, rushing out the door like a swarm of bees. We took the chance to cover the prince and rushed out amid the crowd before the officers could control the chaos. Our rich combat experience allowed us to avoid the search and reach an alley.


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    Meanwhile, the situation was still chaotic in the restaurant. Numerous individuals were arrested by the officers, and I could see Fando gesturing and talking to the leader of the patrol in an agitated manner.


    "This place is dangerous. We need to leave as quickly as possible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Do you have a place to hide?" asked the prince.


    We all looked at each other in dismay.


    "We have been here for less than two hours. We don''t have any shelter yet," I replied.


    "Come with me, then," said the prince.


    The whistling sounds continued ringing from the restaurant''s direction as the officers searched for the prince. With the prince leading the way, we traversed numerous alleys. Before long, we stood before a manhole cover. The prince lifted the cover in a well-practiced manner and jumped down.


    "We''re going to enter the sewer so soon after arriving? This bodes ill," said Zhang Bao''er as he covered his nose.


    "Stop complaining. Hurry, go," I said as I kicked him into the hole.


    As we entered, the hole opened up to a medium-sized tunnel flowing with sewage. After walking for about ten minutes in the sewer, we arrived before a ladder. The ladder led to a closed cover. The prince climbed up and opened the cover before telling us to follow him.


    Above the cover was some sort of intersection with eight exits. The prince selected the third exit from the left and entered. We followed him for about ten minutes. After two turns, we reached a shut iron door. The prince took out a key and opened the door. When we entered, we found ourselves in an enclosed room.


    "We''re here. This place is safe," said the prince.


    "The route here is way too complicated. Who would follow you into the sewers?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The imperial patrol is equipped with robotic scouts. They can search for escaped criminals by tracking one''s genetic signature. They are very capable. Only by traveling through water can we mask our path," said the prince.


    I looked around and saw that this was actually a three-storey building. All the windows and doors were sealed shut, and only a single window on the top floor could be opened to keep watch.


    "Dondon, go up there. You''ll be in charge of keeping watch," I said as I offered Dondon a canned space ration.


    "We didn''t even manage to eat anything. Come on, let''s have some rations. I''m starving," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    Everyone sat down on the floor and started eating our personal rations. I handed the prince a pack of space crackers and a space can. The prince then ate hungrily. Zhang Bao''er also finished one can after another. Meanwhile, Titan and Amethyst appeared somewhat shy, each stopping after a single can.


    ''Sigh, Bao''er has such terrible table manners,'' I thought.


    After allaying our hunger, everyone rested.


    "Where are you from? Why did you come to save me?" asked the prince.

 CH 48

    "We''re from Planet Blue. We had just arrived when we saw you in danger, so we decided to help," I said.


    "I came from Gliese," said Old Du.


    "I know you''re a Gliesen. It''s obvious from your appearance," said the prince.


    "You''ve met Gliesens before?" Old Du asked.


    "More than that. I know Gliesens well," replied the prince.


    Old Du was about to ask more when the prince said, "Lidu is a chaotic place. Why did you come?"


    "We''re wanted by the league so we came here for shelter," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Wanted," muttered the prince, seemingly recalling something.


    ''Looks like this prince might know something,'' I thought.


    "You must be Major Zhang Xingxing. The other person must be Li Canyue of Jupiter II?" asked the prince suddenly.


    "Yes. I''m Major Zhang Xingxing. This is Li Canyue," Xingxing introduced as she pointed at me.


    "Excellent! Canyue, I wish to find a time to discuss with you about the five-dimensional properties of Jupiter II," exclaimed the prince in excitement.


    I couldn''t help but feel somewhat smug when the prince mentioned my deeds at Jupiter II. It would seem like my work on Jupiter II had earned me a little bit of fame in the universe after all.


    "That''s not an issue. But Prince Toruse, as a noble, what are you doing here?" I asked.


    "Sigh. That''s a sad story," said Toruse with a sigh.


    A clamor suddenly broke out on the street outside. The officers seemed to have started searching the buildings in this area.


    "There is no entry leading to this building. Don''t worry," said the prince.


    "Prince, where had you seen Gliesens before?" asked Old Du solemnly.


    "About three months ago, a fleet from the Interstellar League suddenly arrived at Planet Akko of Canis Major. The fleet was led by a Gliesen called Jingan," said the prince.


    "Jingan? I know him. Wasn''t he sent to tail Jupiter II?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. Jingan entered Akko''s territory with the excuse of pursuing Jupiter II," said the prince.


    "Based on our laws, Jingan is only allowed to conduct the pursuit in space and cannot land on any planets with an active government," said Old Du.


    Pensive, Prince Toruse said, "That''s true, and the Kingdom of Akko is the Divine Empire''s vassal. According to our laws, we''re not allowed to admit foreign troops into our land, either. However, my father, King Xido, was filled with admiration when he saw the fleet''s advanced technology. Thus, he welcomed the captain passionately.


    "I made a great effort in objecting to their docking, but I was reprimanded by Royal Father. On the second day, the principal of the Imperial College suddenly visited. I was extremely nervous because I believed that our act of receiving a foreign army had been exposed.


    "However, Principal Sosse seemed to have come for Jingan as well. He had arrived hastily and had immediately requested to meet the captain. When I attended to Royal Father, I caught a glimpse of the principal handing a document to the captain."


    "I told Royal Father immediately, but my brother, Arude, jumped out and claimed that I was inciting a conflict between the Kingdom of Akko, the Divine Empire, and the Interstellar League. My father, as the king of a small planet, clearly did not dare to offend two powerful nations. Thus, he immediately had me put under house arrest. A few days later, an even bigger fleet appeared. The captain was someone called Angela."


    "Captain Angela? She had also gone to Akko?" Zhang Xingxing exclaimed.


    "Yes, she had come from Sirius, and she was the one who brought news of your defection and exploration of Jupiter II," said the prince.


    "Weren''t you under house arrest? How did you get to meet Captain Angela?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I did not see her. One of my loyal guards managed to infiltrate the king''s guards. He was the one who told me about her," said the prince.


    "Why did Captain Angela go to Akko?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "She sought an alliance with us. A week after her arrival, news of Principal Sosse''s defection spread. The empire sent a fleet to pursue him with all they had. However, Principal Sosse was placed under the Interstellar League''s protection," said the prince.


    "Alliance? An alliance between the Interstellar League and Akko? I thought the league claimed that for the 100 years after the Invasion of Blue, they would not take part in any war," Old Du exclaimed loudly.


    "Hehe, the Gliesen ruling class is not as pure as you, Old Du. Those slogans are only meant for those who would think of resisting their rule," said Zhang Bao''er with a sneer.


    "Yes," the prince said. "I was also worried that the alliance would lead to a war with the empire. Sosse is already a wanted criminal, but there is no need for Akko to get involved in the mess. I disregarded my guard''s advice and rushed out while under house arrest. I went looking for Royal Father and advised him against an act that would lead to war.


    "At that time, my brother, Arude, came out yet again. He accused me of having made promises to the Divine Empire that would be fulfilled after I rose to the throne. He claimed that I did not wish to offend the Divine Empire due to selfish reasons.


    "Because I had violated the house arrest and even tried overturning King Xido''s decision, Royal Father raged and stripped me of my position as a prince. Of course, my brother''s many accusations did not help either. I was then imprisoned.


    "Before long, the imperial army arrived with Emperor Fille IV''s decree. We were commanded to hand over Principal Sosse in three days. Otherwise, they would attack. With war drawing near, I thought of escaping the prison to plead with Emperor Fille IV for leniency so that we could avoid war.


    "Under the help of my guard, who was also in the king''s guard, I managed to escape the prison and reach the empire''s territory on a little spaceship. Since I did not have the chance to return to my palace, I did not have on me the golden pass that would grant me an audience with the emperor. Thus, I was intercepted by the imperial guards at the empire''s outer fringe.


    "I requested an audience with the emperor, but at that time, my brother started spreading news of my defection. He even blamed me as the culprit for the alliance with the Interstellar League. Before knowing the truth, the empire decided to temporarily detain me on Lidu," finished Prince Toruse.


    "If the detainment was only temporary, why did Fando from the pit try to get you killed?" I asked.


    "There is a rule on Lidu. Through pit fighting, one can be excused from hard labor," said the prince.


    "What kind of hard labor?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "On Lidu, any prisoner, regardless of whether one is guilty or not, will be subjected to hard labor at the Light Energy Plant on the surface. It''s a terrifying place. Only machines and prisoners work there," replied the prince.


    "Light Energy Plant? That''s probably the building we saw while on the surface," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I can''t fight in the pit, nor am I willing to fight. However, my brother bribed the governor and had me sent to a pit fight in order to kill me," said Prince Toruse.


    "That Arude is too cruel," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, he is. The night before the fight, an Akkon came to rescue me. He helped me escape," said the prince.


    "Someone helped you? Who?" I asked.


    "His name is Fanin, a wanted criminal from Akko. He had been on the run for over ten years. After hiding me here, he told me that war had not broken out, so I should remain calm. He also promised to deliver food to me at a fixed interval," said the prince.


    "Where is that Fanin, then?" I asked.


    "A week ago, he did not appear at the time for food delivery. I waited for three days before leaving due to hunger. Then, I was captured by the patrol. As for what happened next, you all saw it," said the prince.


    "We are all exiles from our homeland. Don''t worry, prince. We''ll help you," promised Zhang Xingxing.


    The prince nodded gratefully. Even at times like this, his profound blue eyes were still filled with worry for his kingdom.


    Dodo, who had been listening silently, suddenly asked, "Respected prince of Akko, may I ask you a question?"


    "It''s fine. You''re an android, right? I saw both Jingan and Angela with your people following them as well," said the prince.


    "Thank you, prince. I want to ask about the Divine Empire. When did it appear? It is not in our historical records," said Dodo.


    "The Divine Empire does not have a long history. It is only about 300 years old. It was founded by Emperor Fille I," said the prince.


    "Fille I? What kind of a person was he? I have never heard of him," asked Dodo.


    "The emperor comes from Planet Eternal. Many years ago, the Eternals had come here from an alien system and driven off the indigenous population," said the prince.


    "Indigenous population? Are you referring to the Brightlings? A life form resembling fish people?" asked Dodo.


    "Yes. The details of these indigenous life forms are recorded in ancient history. They have the body of a fish, the face of a human, and the lips of a fish," said the prince, suddenly noticing that Titan and Amethyst fitted his description exactly.


    I could see a look of astonishment on the prince''s face.


    "Are you from the Bright race? No, that''s not right. According to history books, this race had long gone extinct. Also, they have no legs," said the prince.


    "Yes, we are from the Bright race. Us Brightlings are still around. We have been hiding on Sirius. The one without legs is our prophet, Nommo," replied Titan.


    "This is too inconceivable. A lost race has reappeared. The Royal Academy''s library can be updated yet again," said the prince.


    "Let''s talk about Emperor Fille," Dodo brought the prince back to the actual topic.


    "The Eternals are a barbaric race. They obtained an energy source from somewhere unknown, and with that energy source, they were able to conquer a small portion of the Orion Constellation," said the prince.


    "They stole our homeland and slaughtered our race!" said Titan hatefully.


    "Yes. Because they were too barbaric, their development had always been slow. That lasted until 300 years ago when Emperor Fille I appeared. Fille I was the commander-in-chief of their War Department, someone with a grand and ambitious vision. Under his leadership, the Eternals extended their territory far and wide. Due to his glorious military achievements, the army worships him like a god.


    "Finally, during a parliament session 300 years ago, while the conservatives and radicals were electing a new leader, Fille I placed the entire upper echelon of the planet under his control with the help of the army.


    "Fille I believed that the parliament was an obstacle to the nation''s growth. Thus, he demanded to abolish the parliament and replace it with a monarchy. Everything had happened too suddenly. All the parliament members were under arrest. To protect their benefits before the powerful army, they decided to compromise. Thus, the Divine Empire was born, with Fille I taking the position of emperor.


    "To placate the nobility, the parliament was kept, but the emperor was given veto power. With imperial power at hand, Fille I held nothing back and started a period of rapid expansion, conquering a large part of the Orion Constellation and small parts of the nearby constellations. Just as the emperor was about to continue his grand ambitions, he was shot dead by a defected soldier at close range during an army inspection," said Toruse.


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    "The emperor was assassinated? Who did it?" I asked.


    "The assassin immediately blew himself apart after the assassination. That person was a complete unknown in all databases, so the emperor''s death became an unsolved mystery," said the prince.


    "Who became the new emperor?" Dodo asked.


    "Fille II, who was ten years old at the time, inherited the throne. Both Fille II and Fille III were rather weak-willed, so they did not have any noteworthy military achievements to their names. Fille IV changed everything," said the prince.


    "Fille IV, is he the current emperor?" Dodo asked.


    "Yes. Fille IV is someone as ambitious and wise as his ancestor Fille I. Since his coronation, he has conquered three star systems and expanded the empire''s territory. He is a great ruler," said the prince.


    Suddenly, Dondon, who was keeping watch, sounded the alarm.

 CH 49

    "Canyue, come up! The Darklings sent a big monster," Dondon shouted.


    "Darkling? What race is that?" asked the prince.


    "Your so-called Eternals. We know them as Darklings," said Titan.


    At this time, a loud sound came from outside. Old Du, the prince, and I climbed to the lookout window. A massive beast that looked like a manatee appeared before us. The beast was filled with octopus-like tentacles that were glowing purple, and it was scanning the surrounding buildings with the purple glow.


    Every time the purple glow turned red, the guards would break the door down and enter to search the property. With its four thick and short limbs, the beast slowly moved forward. Wherever it went, chaos broke out. It would seem like Lidu was truly a planet filled with a lot of criminal elements.


    "The Eternals are actually using the juxi beast just to look for me?" said the prince in astonishment.


    "Juxi beast?" I asked.


    "A magical animal that, with a powerful scanning ability, can record all things that have left a mark in the passage of time. For the information it has not personally recorded, one can provide it a search target in advance. It will still be able to locate the target," said the prince.


    "That is way too magical. How did this animal obtain a brain with such powerful capacity?" I asked.


    "That''s why the juxi beast is so precious. A female will take 1,000 years to give birth to a little beast. In the entire Orion Constellation, there are no more than ten of them," said the prince.


    "Canyue, when the beast arrives, we will be exposed. We can''t delay anymore. Time to retreat," said Old Du.


    "Prince Toruse, are there any other exits?" I asked.


    "There''s one. Come with me," said the prince.


    We then followed the prince out. We entered a tunnel and went deeper underground.


    "Canyue, what should we do next?" asked Zhang Xingxing when we were fleeing.


    "I want to meet the emperor. Only by meeting the emperor and helping the prince solve his current predicament can we stop an interstellar war. A major accomplishment like that is required to offset his charges of defection," I said.


    "We need the golden pass to meet the emperor. Where are we supposed to get one of those?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "There are three golden passes on Lidu. The governor, the fleet admiral, and the Imperial College''s representative each hold a pass," said the prince.


    "Then we''ll think of a way to get a pass from one of them," I said.


    Under the prince''s guidance, we came to an ascending tunnel. After about 20 minutes, we reached the end of the sewer. An iron stairway lay before us.


    The prince nodded at us. "This is the exit. I''ll go first."


    "I''ll go. I have my defensive shield. You can go after me, prince," said Old Du.


    He then climbed upward. After several minutes, his voice came above us, telling us to climb up as well. The prince, Zhang Bao''er, Dondon, Amethyst, and I climbed up one after another. The exit was within a small alley. It was a rather hidden location. Just as I was about to turn around and help Zhang Xingxing up, a guided missile dropped down beside me. A massive blast sent all of us flying. Dazed, I only felt my head buzzing. After several seconds, I saw a juxi beast scanning us incessantly beside a collapsed building.


    "Canyue, Bao''er, are you fine," asked Old Du while he fought the Eternals.


    "Thanks to Old Du''s timely activation of his shield, the prince and Amethyst were protected. Otherwise, both of them would have been killed by that blast," said Zhang Bao''er after recovering. He stood up and joined the battle.


    After several seconds, I recovered enough to hear Zhang Xingxing''s voice coming from the communicator.


    "Canyue, Canyue, how is it up there? The exit has collapsed," she said.


    Only then did I realize that Zhang Xingxing, Titan, and Dodo were still trapped in the sewer.


    "Xingxing, there''s a juxi beast here. We have engaged the Eternals in combat. Are you fine down there?" I asked.


    "We''re fine. Dodo is looking for a new exit," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We will try to retreat with the prince. The tunnel you''re in is a dead end. Leave as soon as possible. Let''s meet at the crossing. Keep in touch," I said.


    More than ten Eternal guards were attacking us with energy weapons, and they were leaving numerous charred holes in the buildings around us. Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and I activated our shields. To avoid creating a big enmity with them, we used our paralyzing bullets. Each dose of one of these bullets would cause one to lose consciousness for 24 hours. And thus, we started exchanging bullets.


    The Eternals'' light beams were extremely powerful. However, our laser-guided bullets were far more accurate than their ray guns. After downing around six or seven guards, sounds of a flying machine came from the sky.


    "Canyue, watch out. Their reinforcements are above us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    When I raised my head, I saw two small flying air defense drones above us. Each air defense drone was hovering with the help of four circular installations. They were currently unleashing energy beams upon us.


    "Be careful! Those beams are very powerful," warned Prince Toruse behind us.


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    Anything the red beams touched would be sliced into two. It was obvious that the moment it reached us, we would also be split into two.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, shoot freely at the air defense drones!" I said.


    I then adjusted the automatic rifle attached to my back and fired at the air defense drones with everything I had.


    "Prince, look for a way out immediately," I yelled while shooting.


    Our bullets struck the drones, creating numerous sparks. However, the air defense drones remained undamaged. Obviously, the two drones were also protected by shields.


    "Canyue, their reinforcements have arrived," said Old Du calmly.


    I saw over 20 newly arrived Eternals join the battle. With a high concentration of beams, they were able to strike our shields repeatedly despite their weapons'' low accuracy. I could see my energy draining rapidly. We couldn''t afford to let this drag on.


    "Prince, did you find anything?" I yelled.


    "Yes. Right ahead of us. It''s a dead end behind us," said the prince.


    "Canyue, looks like we need to break through from the front this time. How thrilling. I have been itching to go crazy," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "The three of us will be fine. You guys, stick to our shields. We need to break free. The energy is draining too quickly," said Old Du.


    We continued desperately dodging the beams from the air defense drones. The red beams looked powerful enough that we did not dare to try taking them on with our shields. The encirclement around us slowly closed in. At this point, about 50 of them had already gathered. In a semi-circular formation, they slowly pushed in on us.


    Furthermore, the attacks from the two air defense drones increased in strength, but we were still able to avoid the beams because their speed didn''t change. But because we were forced to focus on the air defense drones, the ray guns struck us more and more.


    "Every two hits will reduce our energy by an hour. If this continues, we won''t be able to last long," said Old Du.


    Instantly, a wave of green light swept through all of us. I could see the juxi beast performing a detailed scan of the area. After the light wave swept through us, red projections appeared around us.


    The scan revealed the prince and the others hiding behind us. Thus, the air defense drones changed direction and attacked them instead. The ruined building the prince was hiding in was split into two, causing the building to crumble loudly. The prince, Amethyst, and Dondon rushed out of the building and hid behind Old Du.


    Fortunately, they had not received any serious injury from the attack. The juxi beast continued scanning us. It constantly guided the attacks, sending a concentrated hail of beams toward us.


    "Old Du, get rid of this goddamned juxi beast," I roared.


    Old Du immediately adjusted the riffle attached to his back and aimed the muzzle at the juxi beast. With a roar, a torrent of over 10,000 bullets shot out. At that exact moment, one of the air defense drones returned and hovered above the juxi beast. It activated its shield, blocking all the bullets.


    When the Eternals saw that we were aiming for the juxi beast, they increased the intensity of their attacks. The persistent battle seemed to have triggered Zhang Bao''er¡¯s bloodlust; I saw him furiously down over a dozen Eternals in a row with his gun.


    "Canyue, we''re trying to not kill them, but these bastards are aiming to kill with each attack," he yelled.


    "Our defensive line is on the verge of collapse. I''m protecting four people with the energy supply for one. If this continues, all of us will die here," said Old Du.


    "Let''s use the nuclear warhead," said Zhang Bao''er as he gnashed his teeth in fury.


    "If we use nuclear weapons, we will truly become the enemies of the Divine Empire," I said.


    The situation was critical, but we couldn''t decide what to do. Suddenly, a red beam struck the ground about half a meter away from Dondon. The ground exploded, instantly blasting Dondon''s tiny body away.


    "Dondon!" A roar akin to a beast''s came out of my mouth when I saw Dondon injured.


    "Old Du, fire the nuclear warhead. Shields to maximum output. We''ll blast them to death!" I roared.


    Then, I jumped out and caught Dondon. The little fellow had scraped against the ground, tearing his tiny limbs and covering the ground with blue blood.


    "Dondon, are you fine?" I shouted with the little fellow in my arms.


    "I''m fine. My limbs hurt badly, but my body is not hurting. I probably won''t die," said Dondon as he looked at me with his big eyes.


    Only then did I notice that the little fellow''s torso seemed fine. Plum''s suit had protected his torso perfectly.


    ''Thank god for Plum and everything he did to protect the Storm race''s inheritance,'' I thought to myself.


    Seeing that Dondon was fine, I was relieved. At this time, Old Du and Bao''er had set their shields to maximum output and protected everyone else in the shield. Then, Old Du activated the nuclear warhead firing system. The nearest Eternal to us was less than a meter away. I knocked him down with my hands before nodding at Old Du.


    "Since there is no escaping, fire the nuclear warhead," I said.


    Yes, with the possibility of death, who couldn''t we offend? Just as Old Du was about to press the launch button, massive sounds of explosion erupted from behind the juxi beast.

 CH 50

    A blinding flash erupted, temporarily blinding the Eternals. The shields they erected to withstand our nuclear warhead failed to protect them against the light.


    "Canyue, are you fine? I''m here to help you," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    The heroine had arrived at the perfect timing.


    "We''re trapped. Try to blast open a path and cover us. Try not to harm them too badly," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing''s surprise attack from behind the Eternals had messed up their formation. While they were in chaos, I saw a blue phantom jump onto the juxi beast''s back. The Bright warrior, Titan, had a lightning longbow in his hand as he rushed from the beast''s back to its head. There, he raised his bow high, manifested a lightning arrow, and released it at the beast''s massive head.


    The energy of Sirius B clashed with Betelgeuse''s life form intensely. A powerful enough energy attack was something no life form could withstand. After a dazzling flash, the juxi beast was in so much pain it stood up on its rear legs. It shook its head and roared before finally collapsing onto the ground. The collapse of the juxi beast coupled with the flashbangs created a momentary opening in their formation.


    "Canyue, move immediately. Ahead of you to the right, at three o''clock," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    We did as told and sprinted toward the three o''clock direction. Two red beams shot at us from our path, attempting to cut our escape.


    "The two air defense drones are getting annoying," cursed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dodo, hack their system and ruin the air defense drones'' database. Provide support to Canyue and the rest," commanded Zhang Xingxing when she saw the two air defense drones attacking us.


    Dodo, who was hidden in a corner, rushed toward the juxi beast. It stabbed a probe into the beast''s tentacle and started hacking into the Eternals'' database to obtain control over the air defense drones. The drones continued attacking us as we dodged in a sorry manner, moving amid the numerous cut rubbles. At this time, I saw some Eternals slowly recovering from their temporary blindness.


    "Dodo, are you done yet?" I shouted.


    Right after I asked, the two air defense drones released zaps, then dropped from the air.


    "Well done, Dodo. I''ll treat you to a drink of some top-quality engine oil!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    Taking advantage of this chance, we rushed out of the encirclement. With its big head heaved high, Dodo led the way ahead of us. After running about a hundred meters away, we saw several parked patrol cars. Dodo gestured at everyone to get in one of the cars. It then took the driver''s seat and operated the car according to the data it had gathered from the Eternals'' database. We fled rapidly. About 400 or 500 meters away, countless whistling sounds rang out ahead of us. When Dodo saw that, it quickly hid the patrol car in a dark alley. About three minutes later, we saw at least ten patrol cars drive by the entrance of our alley, heading toward the combat site.


    "That was too close. If you were a few minutes late, the Eternals would have swarmed us with their sheer numbers," said Zhang Bao''er as he stuck his tongue out.


    "Too bad we killed a juxi beast while escaping. That is a treasure that needs 1,000 years for one to appear. I wonder if that will infuriate them," I said with a sigh.


    "It''s not dead. I used the tranquilizing arrow. It''s not fatal," said Titan.


    "Not bad at all, Titan. You look rough, but all in all, you''re quite attentive to detail," praised Zhang Bao''er.


    "Team leader, we shouldn''t stay here too long. We also need to think of our next plan before they start scanning for us with another juxi beast," said Old Du to Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Xingxing did not reply for quite a while. Only then did I notice her focusing on the signboard of a dark shop in the alley. I walked up to her and looked at the signboard. The shop''s name was Jido Race''s Shop. Below the name was a row of words: Darkness comes from concealment.


    "Jido race''s shop? Jido race? What planet is this race from?" I asked.


    "That''s a Jido shop? I did not expect there to be Jidos on Lidu," said Prince Toruse.


    "Are the Jidos from the Riger System''s Planet Kadote?" Dodo asked.


    "Not bad, Dodo. Your database is truly impressive. Why wasn''t I taught about that planet?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I just learned it from the Eternals'' database," said Dodo.


    "Yes, the Jidos are a minority race on Kadote," said Toruse.


    "Minority race? What do you mean?" I asked.


    "There are two main races on Kadote. Both are fierce and warlike. The Katar race is one of them, and the other is the Liyate race. The two races make up 99 percent of the planet''s population. The two races had been warring with each other for over a millennium for territories," said the prince.


    "You mean the two races make up for 99 percent of the planet''s population while the other 1 percent is the Jido people?" I asked.


    "Yes. The Jidos are short and small with comparatively weak bodies. Stuck between two warlike races, they lived terrible lives. For the sake of survival, the Jidos maintained some sort of balance with the two races through trade. Eventually, they evolved and obtained a unique ability," said the prince.


    "What ability?" I asked.


    "They''re good at concealment. They can change into different appearances, and they can even manipulate time and space itself to hide in the cracks of timespace," said the prince.


    "With such a powerful concealment ability, we can borrow the ability to hide from the manhunt. We can even use it to steal the golden pass we need," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "That''s a good idea. I did not expect that the frail Jidos would also live a life of exile. However, the Jidos are a merchant race by nature. It won''t be cheap trading with them. Because my escape had been too hasty, I don''t have much money on me," said the prince.


    Hearing about money, I said, "Prince, don''t worry about money. Since you are familiar with the Jido ways, take us there. We need shelter."


    Suddenly, the roars of a juxi beast started coming from far away. The Eternals were starting their manhunt yet again.


    "There is no time to hesitate, prince. Please take us there," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Prince Toruse did not hesitate. He immediately led us to the small black door under the black signboard.


    We all walked through the door, entering a cramped and dark room. Some sort of lighting was installed in the four corners of the room, flickering like candles which caused the room to be occasionally dark and bright. The careless Zhang Bao''er immediately hit a bell, creating a loud sound that reverberated in the room.


    "Damn it. What building is this? Why is it so short with pillars everywhere?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    At this time, a voice rang out from a corner, "Who are you? Why are there so many of you? What do you need?"


    I looked over and saw that there was a small table near the room''s southeast corner. Seated behind the table was a Jido with a small body. The Jido''s body was completely covered, leaving only a pair of eyes visible.


    "Isn''t this a shop? Since this is a shop, we''re naturally here as customers. Why else would we be here?" replied Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is an expensive shop. We don''t serve common customers here. If you do not have sufficient funds, please leave," said the Jido.


    The Jido had barely finished his words when a palm-sized diamond dropped onto his table with a clang.


    "Little dwarf, see if this is enough funds," said Zhang Bao''er.


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    The Jido looked at Zhang Bao''er before looking at the diamond. He then silently whisked the diamond under the table.


    "Honored guests, welcome to my shop. I am Domo. We offer all sorts of services here, and we strive to satisfy all our customers¡¯ needs," said the Jido with a far friendlier voice.


    "A group of Eternals is pursuing us. Can you help us hide?" I asked.


    "You''re already well hidden. They won''t be able to find you," replied Domo.


    "Are you kidding? They only need to rush through that door and everyone here will be caught," complained Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at the door.


    It was then that we found to our surprise that the door we walked through had vanished. Zhang Bao''er noticed that as well. His mouth was wide agape from surprise. The moment he had made a move, he showcased his incredible concealment ability. We couldn''t help but be impressed.


    "Domo, can you help disguise us as Eternals to help with infiltration?" asked Zhang Xingxing eagerly.


    "Where do you plan to infiltrate? A different place poses a different level of difficulty," said Domo.


    Everyone looked at Prince Toruse.


    "The governor is a sinister individual. He is colluding with my brother to get me killed. Let''s take his golden pass," said the prince.


    "You''re intending to steal the governor''s golden pass? That is punishable with death," said Domo.


    "It is also punishable with death for an imperial official to lose a golden pass," replied the prince indignantly.


    "Yes, but do you know how tight the governor''s security is? No fewer than 50 guards and 10 air defense drones are guarding the mansion. There are also two Gando warriors," said Domo.


    "Gando warriors," the prince sank into silence.


    "And what sort of a monster are the Gando warriors?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The Gando warriors are not undefeatable. We can apply a good disguise and try to avoid them," said the prince.


    "I need to remind you, honored prince, that you can hide from everyone except a Gando warrior. The Gandos are monsters that exist in multiple dimensions," said Domo.


    "How did you know that I''m a prince?" asked Toruse in astonishment.


    Domo had a peculiar glint in his eyes, but he did not reply. Instead, he looked at us and asked, "Who''s in charge of the money?"

 CH 51

    "I''m in charge of the money. What do you want to say? Let it out already," replied Zhang Bao''er in a boorish manner.


    "I will accept the payment earlier as a deposit. Since you want to infiltrate the governor''s mansion, the full fees will be three times the deposit," said Domo.


    "Is this daylight robbery? Do you want me to take your place apart?" Zhang Bao''er grew agitated when he heard the price.


    "Bao''er, calm down." I waved my hand and stopped Bao''er from flipping out.


    Domo glared at Zhang Bao''er and said, "You have a mixed group with all sorts of shapes. I need to design the entire infiltration plan, the characters you play, and the route you take and consider many other additional factors. The price I quoted you is already at a discount on account of you having a prince with you."


    "Bao''er, how many diamonds do you have on you?" I asked.


    "I have two more. They''re so heavy. Nobody is going to carry too many of them. I was the only one willing to bear the weight," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I turned to face Domo and said, "Great master, our diamonds are in our ship. The ones we have on us aren''t enough to pay. Help us first. We''ll settle the balance later."


    I then fished out two diamonds from Zhang Bao''er''s bag and placed them on the table. Domo fixed his gaze on the two diamonds. His hands shot out and promptly brought diamonds under the table.


    "Fine. Out of respect for the honored prince, I believe you won''t renege on the debt. I''ll make an exception for you guys," said Domo.


    I heaved a breath of relief.


    "Please wait here. I need to make my preparations. Don''t walk around. There is still a group of guards looking for you outside. Time has been dilated in this room, so the juxi beast''s scans won''t be able to detect you," said Domo.


    Then, he vanished into the wall behind him with a turn.


    "That fellow hasn''t escaped with our diamonds, right?" said Zhang Bao''er nervously when he saw Domo melt into the wall.


    He walked forth and knocked on the wall. It was solid. He then checked under the table, but there was nothing there. The diamonds earlier were nowhere to be seen.


    "It''s over. That fellow must be a swindler. He escaped with our diamonds," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Infected by Bao''er''s agitation, Zhang Xingxing looked at me questioningly.


    "Calm down, everyone. Be patient. If that Jido was really a swindler, we would have been caught by the juxi beast by now," I said.


    "Yes. The Jidos take their reputation seriously when it comes to business. Don''t worry," said the prince.


    Thus, everyone sat down and waited patiently.


    "Canyue, how confident are you at successfully infiltrating the governor''s mansion?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "That depends on how good the Jidos are. They are the only ones here who know the governor''s mansion well. From what we know so far, it isn''t realistic for us to mount a frontal assault. Stealth is our best option," I said.


    "I wonder if they will be using disguise or actual invisibility," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Disguise will be better. The Gandos can see through invisibility," said Toruse.


    "I once watched an old movie called Mission Impossible. The movie is about a detective going undercover. I think our mission can be called the New Mission Impossible," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    "What a lame name. But sure, as a gesture of support for Zhang Bao''er, we''ll call this mission New Mission Impossible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone burst out in laughter, something rare as of late. After experiencing the dangerous battle earlier, this little black room had turned into a harbor for our hearts. While everyone was relaxing, Domo returned. We immediately focused on him.


    "The plan and the materials are all ready. Select four people to form a group with the prince. You will enter the mansion as guards on rotation for the next shift," said Domo.


    "Only five of us?" I asked.


    "Yes. Each Eternal patrol squad has five members. Several squads are in pursuit of your group. We can take this opportunity to infiltrate the mansion," said Domo.


    "The most dangerous place is also the safest. Why don''t we go as two squads?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Tired of Zhang Bao''er, Domo retorted harshly, "I don''t have that much material to prepare the disguise for useless people."


    Zhang Bao''er was caught by surprise, and he was about to retort just before Old Du stopped him.


    Soon, we picked the group of five¡ªPrince Toruse, Zhang Xingxing, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and me, Li Canyue. Dodo and Titan would be waiting for us in the little black room.


    "Everyone, come with me. Walk through this door quickly. Remember, you must walk fast," said Domo before walking through the wall behind me.


    "Where''s the door? Isn''t this a wall?" grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    When Zhang Bao''er wasn''t looking, I kicked his rear, sending him through the wall magically. Seeing that Bao''er managed to pass through smoothly, everyone was relieved. One after another, we walked through the black wall. Behind the wall was a white room with several mats placed side by side.


    Dommo handed a blue capsule to each of us and said, "Swallow them and lie down on the mats."


    I accepted the blue capsule and swallowed it. Shortly after, my lids started feeling heavy. Lying on the mat, I fell asleep. I could faintly feel someone brushing all over my body, but my drowsiness kept me asleep. After an indeterminate amount of time, I slowly woke up. When I opened my eyes, I saw Domo sitting before me, staring right at me. I was given a fright, and my body bolted upright. There were four Eternals lying around me.


    "It''s done. Your appearance has been changed with virtual projections. Their security system won''t be able to detect your transformation. The facial hairs on your faces are actual physical objects because fake beards can''t escape their detection," said Domo.


    I sized up my own body and saw that I was already clad in the black armor of the Eternal guards. My face had changed into a ferocious face of a boar with a pair of nasty fangs.


    Soon, Zhang Xingxing and the others woke up one after another.


    "Damn it! You changed me into a pig head? This is inauspicious!" complained Zhang Bao''er when he saw his own face.


    After putting on the disguise, everyone looked similar. Thus, we could only recognize each other through our voices.


    "Please pay close attention to what I''m about to say next. It''s very important," said Domo.


    Everyone sank into silence as the team waited silently for Domo to lay out his plan.


    "I will open a time door for you. The door will lead you to the alley beside the governor''s mansion. After the bell in the mansion chimes six times, enter directly through the front gate," said Domo.


    "Enter from the front? Won''t they notice us?" I asked.


    "No. For the first step of the plan, you will only be facing their scanners. There are no complicated procedures to follow," said Domo.


    "How about the second step of the plan?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Your team will be assigned to patrol the area around the first level. Remember, the entire mansion is constantly under the monitoring of their air defense drones. The drones will switch locations every five minutes. During the switch, you will have an opening of five seconds to run indoors," said Domo.


    "What do we do after we''re in?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "I don''t know. Our informer never managed to enter the mansion. We only know that the governor''s office is located on the third level. The Gando warriors will be patrolling indoors. That is all I can tell you," said Domo.


    "Just what kind of people are the Gandos?" I asked.


    "They are the strongest race to serve as bodyguards. The warriors patrolling indoors are the governor''s personal bodyguards, and their race specializes in providing security to influential individuals. The regular guards are not allowed to enter the mansion without a proper reason. Those caught entering without permission will be executed without question by the Gandos," said Domo.


    "Then what should we do if we encounter the Gandos?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "I have no advice on that," said Domo.


    "Looks like this plan has a fatal weakness, and this operation is fraught with danger," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "No matter how dangerous it is, we have to go. We have already faced so many dangers to come this far, anyway," I said firmly.


    "By the way, to remove your disguise, just press the red button on your arm three times," said Domo.


    With the planning stage done and after performing a final check on each other, I nodded at Zhang Xingxing.


    "Everything is ready. We can set off immediately. Domo, you may open the time door now," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Happy to help," said Domo.


    With a laser pen, he drew a small rectangle on the wall.


    "This is way too small, right?" I said as I stepped forth and studied the tiny door.


    I had barely spoken when I sensed an impact on my rear, sending me through the wall into a drain. The other four members of the team dropped through the wall one after another.


    "Zhang Bao''er, are you looking to die? You ambushed me!" I said.


    "Haha, that''s karma. Now we''re even," said Zhang Bao''er with a cheery smile.


    The time door had brought us to a dark alley. Opposite the small building beside the alley was a black building that looked as solid as something made of steel.


    "This building was built in a way that there is almost no opening. Old Du, Canyue, go scout," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We walked to the corner of the street and hid there before taking out our probes. With the probes, we performed a full scan of the black building. I could see that to the front of the black building was a courtyard surrounded by walls. From the scan, there were about 10 people posted at the front entrance, 2 on the watchtower in the courtyard, and 20 at different positions in the courtyard. Meanwhile,20 people were patrolling outside the building. In the sky, 10 air defense drones covered different altitudes and constantly patrolled around, endlessly monitoring the entire mansion.


    "That damn Jido. Why didn''t he mention the watchtower?" I said.


    "The security here is extremely tight. Canyue, there seems to be an anti-scan system in the building. My probe can''t pick up anything inside," said Old Du.


    "Yeah, same here. We can only improvise after entering," I said.


    "To the right side ahead of us are several patrol cars. The cars will enter from there when the shift changes," said Old Du.


    After we were done, we returned to the group and told them our findings. We then waited silently for the bell that indicated the change of shift to ring. After about 10 minutes, a series of chimes rang out.

 CH 52

    "Four, five, six, move!" Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    We then jogged out of the alley and headed toward the mansion. I could see several squads in the midst of changing shifts. Old Du led the team and approached the cars to the right and avoided the people walking on the street. After walking around the cars, we stumbled upon a squad of guards.


    ''Old Du did not anticipate this situation in his plan,'' I thought as my heart thumped nervously.


    The two squads looked at each other as an awkward silence hung in the air. At this time, Prince Toruse coughed and casually walked past the squad, completely ignoring them. We did the same and ignored the squad as well, walking away from the awkward encounter.


    Both parties did not bother each other. We smoothly arrived before the main entrance. There, about 10 guards were busy changing shifts. According to Domo''s plan, we prepared to rush into the mansion.


    A squad of five was in charge of the entrance itself. To the upper right of the entrance was a face scanner. Prince Toruse walked in front of us and allowed the scanner to scan his face. A green wave of light swept past the prince''s face. After about five seconds, the screen indicated that the identity verification was successful.


    ''The Jido disguise is really quite impressive,'' I thought.


    Under the guards'' gazes, we allowed the scanner to scan us one after another.


    This was my first time carrying out such a mission. Thus, I was extremely nervous, especially when I was walking through the entrance. I could feel my entire body being pumped full of adrenaline.


    Surprisingly, the guards at the entrance did not say even a single word to us. Just like that, we completed the security checks in complete silence. We soon reached the patrol zone specified by Domo, and we started patrolling the area.


    "Canyue, are these Eternal guards all mute?" asked Zhang Bao''er softly.


    "You''ll know by asking them," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er shut his mouth. We started patrolling the first level while observing our surroundings. A big dark purple door was visible from where we were patrolling.


    "Canyue, the door is there, but the situation on the first level is still unknown. Also, we have yet to decide on the plan after getting indoors," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Prince, Domo said that the Gandos will execute any guard who enters the mansion. Are the Gandos easy to deal with?" I asked.


    "No. They are troublesome opponents. The Gandos are natural-born killers. Since they will execute those who enter without a proper reason, can we look for a proper reason?" said the prince.


    "Can we have the prince pretend to be our captive? We''re here with the prince to get our rewards from the governor," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Good idea. That''s quick thinking, Bao''er," I praised.


    "Of course. During crucial moments like this, it is always my inspiration that saves the day," Zhang Bao''er said smugly.


    "I agree with the plan. Prince, what do you think?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "If there is no better plan, we''ll do it. First step, enter the building," said Toruse.


    "And thus, the plot of New Mission Impossible enters its climax," narrated Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "The watchtower is able to monitor the entire courtyard. How are we supposed to avoid it?" Old Du asked calmly.


    Everyone blanked out, not knowing how to hide from the watchtower. At this moment, I felt someone pull at me from behind. When I turned around, I nearly fainted from shock. An ugly canine had been hiding in my backpack.


    Just as I was about to drag the animal from my bag, it spoke, "No, no, I''m Dondon!"


    "Good lord. Dondon, how did you get here?" I asked in astonishment.


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    "When you were being disguised, Domo told me to come with you. He disguised me as the governor''s pet," said Dondon.


    "Looks like Domo is still rather professional with his job," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The plan has been drawn. Dondon, you''ll draw the watchtower''s attention. Everyone else, make use of the gap in surveillance to rush into the building," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Dondon jumped out of the bag and ran toward the middle of the courtyard. The patrolling guards immediately noticed Dondon. They sounded the alarm, and the watchtower was the first to react, sending a wave of green light over to scan the intruder.


    The Jido disguise proved to be of great quality; the scan determined that Dondon was the governor''s pet. With the green light focused on Dondon, several guards immediately surrounded Dondon from several directions. At that moment, our window of opportunity opened.


    "Everyone, move. Enter as per our agreed-upon order," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Prince Toruse took the lead and everyone acted according to Domo''s plan, rushing into the building while the air defense drones were switching positions. I was the last to enter. When it was my turn, I turned to take a look at Dondon. The little fellow was still running everywhere, making the watchtower''s scanner and the guards chase him all over the courtyard.


    Seeing that, I relaxed somewhat and rushed through the black door. We arrived at a spacious living room. Everything in the room seemed to be made of black iron, and everything, apart from the lighting, was black. Above us was a massive spiral staircase leading to the second and third levels.


    "Canyue, do you see the Gandos anywhere?" Bao''er asked.


    "No," I replied. "Prince, do we still follow the plan?"


    "Yes. I''ll remove my disguise and act like a captive. Remember, the governor''s name is Daka," said Toruse.


    Just as we were about to carry out our plan, heavy footsteps came from the staircase above us.


    "Gandos!" whispered the prince.


    Clang! Clang! Clang! Sounds of steel thumping against the ground came from above, slowly approaching us. The Gandos'' imminent arrival caused me to break out in cold sweat. Instinctively, I placed my hand on the activation button of my morph-capable shield. After the prince took off his disguise, he nodded at us.


    "Attack if you see an opening. Don''t let the Gandos discover us first," said Zhang Xingxing softly.


    The heavy steps continued down the stairs. Just as a Gando was about to come out of the spiral staircase and see us, the prince walked out with his hands raised. Zhang Xingxing immediately followed him with her gun aimed at him. I lifted my gun and did the same. A giant in white armor appeared before us.


    The Gando was massive with a height of 2.5 meters. He was clad in white seamless armor covered with spikes. He held a white giant war hammer in his hand and was dragging it behind him. Oddly, his eyeballs were completely white, and with those white eyes, he looked at us with his head slanted to the side, looking like the mythological Grim Reaper.


    "We caught the Prince Toruse wanted by Governor Daka. We''re here to report to the governor and claim our reward," said Old Du.


    The man in white remained expressionless and stared at us silently with his slanted head. Under his stare, I felt my hair stand on end. My instincts were telling me that something even more powerful was focused on us.


    I turned instinctively, and what I saw nearly caused me to faint. On the second level''s corridor, a three-meter tall Gando holding a massive sword with both hands was also staring at us. Different from the Gando before us, the one on the second level had black eyeballs.


    ''The black and white killers have us surrounded. This is too unfavorable for us,'' I thought.


    Just like that, the deadlock continued in awkward silence for several minutes before the white-eyed person spoke.


    "Governor Daka''s order is to have the prince killed and to return with his head, not return with him alive," he said.


    "For disobeying the governor''s order, they should be killed," came the grim voice of the black-eyed person behind us.


    The white-eyed Gando then raised his giant war hammer. We all gripped our guns tightly. A battle was imminent. Suddenly, the door opened with a loud thud. Dondon rushed inside with a group of guards behind him. When the guards saw that Dondon had entered the building, they stopped the pursuit. After all, they were also afraid of being killed for entering without permission.


    When Dondon saw us, he rushed toward us and stopped beside me. When the white-eyed Gando saw Dondon, he lowered his giant war hammer again. A kind look even appeared in his eyes.


    "Little Pea, where did you go today? We have been looking for you the entire day," said the white-eyed Gando.


    We were all stunned. This Gando seemed to believe that Dondon was the pet they had been living with. I hurriedly blinked at Dondon, hinting at him to not speak so that the disguise won''t be ruined. Dondon understood me and walked to the prince before snuggling against the prince. The two Gandos were stunned. The black-eyed Gando jumped down from the second level and landed with a loud thud.


    "Little Pea, this is Master''s enemy. Did you sense a secret yet again?" asked the black-eyed Gando.


    ''Is the governor''s pet some sort of prophetic pet? These two might even listen to the pet. This is a great opportunity,'' I thought.


    Dondon looked at me, and I hinted at him with my eyes. I did not know if he could understand me, so I could only hope that he was smart enough to know what to do. At this time, the white-eyed Gando approached the prince. Standing between the Gando and the prince, Dondon looked incredibly small.


    I was worried that Dondon would expose himself. My grip on my gun tightened as I prepared to attack. The tense situation gave me a sensation that the air itself had frozen, and cold sweat covered my back. Right then, Dondon did something astonishing.

 CH 53

    Dondon stretched out his tiny blue feet and drew on the ground with the blue glow on his body. The drawing depicted someone with a crown seated high on his throne. A second person was tied and left kneeling on the ground. To the side was a rectangular object.


    "Emperor. That is probably the emperor. The kneeling person must be the prince," said the white-eyed Gando.


    "Little Pea, you think this person should see the emperor?" asked the black-eyed Gando.


    Dondon nodded hastily.


    "What is the rectangular object? It isn''t like a document or a golden pass. A golden pass is round, after all," said the white-eyed Gando.


    Everyone broke out in cold sweat. I knew Dondon was drawing a golden pass, but he did not know that the pass was round. When Dondon heard that, he continued drawing, turning the rectangular object into some sort of iron club. Behind the weapon, he drew a round object.


    ''Dondon is very smart. But this is too clumsy. Only a fool will fall for it,'' I thought.


    Surprisingly, the fierce Gandos believed the lie.


    "Little Pea wants us to escort this prince to meet the emperor. Go get the golden pass," said the white-eyed Gando.


    "But Master is not around. Are we doing this ourselves?" asked the black-eyed Gando.


    "Didn''t Master say this before? If Little Pea has a prophecy, we need to help to the best of our ability without waiting for him," said the white-eyed Gando.


    "Alright. I''ll go get the golden pass," said the black-eyed Gando before turning and walking away.


    The mission was progressing so smoothly I started doubting myself. My mindset had been prepared to face a fatal calamity, so it was hard to believe we were going to get the golden pass so easily.


    The white-eyed Gando regarded us and said, "You lowly guards, you will be in charge of escorting the prince with us. If you disobey, die."


    We hurriedly nodded.


    ''We have to focus on getting the golden pass for now. We''ll think of a way to get rid of these idiots later,'' I thought.


    With another clang, the black-eyed Gando jumped down from the third level.


    "What the hell is wrong with this guy? There''s a perfectly good staircase, but he refuses to use it and insists on jumping everywhere," I heard Zhang Bao''er grumble.


    "Little Pea, see, the golden pass is here," said the black-eyed Gando.


    A bright golden round object could be seen in the black-eyed Gando''s hand. Countless words were carved on it. I immediately gestured at the prince to confirm if that was the real deal. The prince blinked, confirming that it was real. I then blinked and nodded at Dondon. When he received my confirmation, he reached out and grabbed the golden pass from the Gando before tucking it into his bosom.


    "Let''s set off. The emperor is on Planet Eternal. We need to go get a ship from the spaceport," said the white-eyed Gando.


    That was just what we wanted. None of us wanted to spend more time than necessary here. The longer we stayed, the higher the risk. The black-eyed Gando hung his sword on his back before opening the door. Everyone followed him into the courtyard.


    The patrolling guards were shocked to see us walking out of the building with the Gandos. Instinctively, they aimed their guns at us. The air defense drones in the sky also aimed all their guns at us, ready to fire at a moment''s notice. My heart thumped nervously while cold sweat drenched my body.


    "Canyue, have they discovered our disguise?" asked Zhang Bao''er softly.


    "Not sure. I don''t think they would dare to question the Gandos. I don''t think they would dare to open fire against the Gandos either," I said.


    I was proven correct. The Gandos had a ferocious enough reputation that not a single guard dared to question them. Just like that, we strutted out of the mansion with a wanted criminal, Prince Toruse, while numerous guns were pointed toward us. When the guards at the front gate saw the Gandos, they didn''t even bother scanning us. They directly opened the gate and allowed us passage.


    "Just like that," muttered Zhang Bao''er in disbelief.


    Yes, I was in disbelief as well. After leaving Blue, this was the only mission that was so dangerous yet was completed so easily. After walking through the gate, we headed toward one of the patrol cars parked outside. I saw Dondon sitting directly on the driver''s seat.


    ''Did this little fellow learn how to drive Eternal vehicles from Dodo? I need to find a chance to learn as well,'' I thought.


    The Gandos were too big, so the car wouldn''t fit them. Thus, the two guarded outside the car as we headed toward the spaceport.


    "Canyue, we need to throw them off. Otherwise, all of us will be exposed at the spaceport," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Understood. I was thinking of a suitable place to throw those two fools off," I replied.


    "Prince, you have been here for quite a while. Do you know a good place to escape someone?" asked Old Du.


    Prince Toruse remained silent. After all, he was someone who had been hiding in the sewers. He probably didn''t know the planet much better than us.


    The car continued on with the Gandos. I started to see massive spaceships flying past in the sky. Clearly, we were approaching the spaceport. At this time, a peculiar building appeared within our vision. The building seemed to be made of countless broken vehicles piled together, reaching a height of 100 meters.


    "What landmark is this? Why did they pile so many vehicles together?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Everyone looked at the peculiar building after hearing Zhang Bao''er. At that time, I noticed an excited glint in the prince''s eyes.


    "Steel Current Championship. I''ve heard of this competition on Lidu before. This might be our best chance to escape," said the prince.


    "Steel Current Championship? What''s that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "It''s some sort of activity invented by the exiles on Lidu. It is a kind of festival for them. No application is required, and anyone with a vehicle can participate," said the prince.


    "What''s the point of a competition like that? It''s going to be a mess of everyone crashing into each other," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The race circuit runs around Lidu''s underground zone. There are countless entrances for new participants to join the race. There are also countless exits for those who wish to stop participating. I heard that those who survive for more than 3 hours or destroy 20 vehicles will be rewarded with an energy club from the empire. Those who survive for more than 24 hours or destroy 100 vehicles will obtain residentship on Planet Eternal," said the prince.


    "Did anyone manage to survive 24 hours or crash 100 vehicles before?" I asked.


    "I have never heard of anyone getting a residentship," said the prince.


    "This is probably one of the ways the empire trims the number of exiles here," said Old Du.


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    "It doesn''t matter. This is our best chance to escape. There won''t be a better idea than this. We can join the current of steel and throw off the two fools," I said.


    "With this shitty patrol car? A single collision is enough to destroy us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "What happens to the injured?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Prince Toruse looked at her and replied, "In the event of death due to the competition, there won''t be any punishment."


    "Stop hesitating. We''re running out of time," I said as I pointed at the row of towering buildings ahead of us.


    The massive spaceport was only 20 kilometers away from us.


    "Do it, then. Enter the race circuit," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    I then sat beside Dondon, the driver. The patrol car''s controls were rather simple. It was in the unmanned cruise mode. Only by manually switching out of the unmanned mode would one be able to pick a different mode.


    "Dondon, switch to the pursuit mode," I said.


    Dondon immediately did so. A holographic arrow-like button rose before me. More arrows appeared, over 10 of them in total, pointing in different directions. When I checked, I noted that the car was probably meant to be controlled through the many holographic buttons that had risen alongside the arrows.


    ''This system is way too complicated,'' I cursed inwardly.


    I couldn''t afford to waste any time as the spaceport was right ahead of us. I could even see some Eternal soldiers looking at us from afar.


    "Maximum speed," I said.


    Dondon then pressed one of the red holographic buttons. I was pushed into my seat as the car sped forward. Right as the car was about to crash into the white-eyed Gando, I pressed the right button. The car made an abrupt turn into an alley to the right.


    Dondon and I controlled the car and moved at maximum speed through the alley, heading toward the race circuit of the Steel Current Championship, ignoring the Gandos behind us. A vague black silhouette appeared on the roof of the car. When I looked up, a massive sword was descending upon us. The black-eyed Gando was using his gigantic sword against us.


    "Good heavens. Canyue, go faster," Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    In a moment of desperation, I stopped holding back and pressed all the buttons on the holographic interface. The car accelerated so much that the front even rose to the sky as it shot forth.


    After drawing a perfect arc in the sky, the front of the car started dropping back to the ground. The car''s automated system was powerful enough to create a powerful buffer in time to stabilize the car as it landed.


    A loud sound came behind us. When I looked back, I saw a massive Gando sword on the ground. A massive crater surrounded the sword, and the surrounding buildings had been leveled.


    ''My god. Luckily we sped up in time. How would we have survived that brutish attack?'' I thought.


    Then, the sound of steel clanging against the ground rang out successively. I saw the two Gandos chasing us on foot.


    "Canyue, what you did exhausted all the car''s reserve energy," said Dondon anxiously.


    Without its reserve, the car could no longer speed up. The two Gandos were getting closer and closer. Behind them, more than 10 patrol cars were also chasing after us.


    "Canyue, faster! They''re catching up!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    "This is troublesome. We probably created a massive commotion," said Old Du.


    Right at that moment, the small building before us vanished, and a big race course framed by iron chains appeared.

 CH 54

    Countless vehicles of all shapes and forms could be seen speeding through the race track. Some were small and nimble, and some were domineering monsters, destroying their surrounding vehicles with mechanical arms. Every single second, a vehicle could be seen flying or exploding. Above the iron chains, countless sensors were installed. These installations were probably what they used to record the participants'' race duration and destroyed vehicles.


    "My god. There are so many vehicles. We''ll definitely be destroyed the moment we enter," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Canyue, I notice that most of these vehicles don''t have drivers. They are probably being controlled from outside the track," said Old Du calmly.


    When I focused, I saw that one of the speeding vehicles really had an empty driver''s seat. These vehicles were all being controlled remotely.


    Zhang Bao''er also noticed, and he shouted, "Prince, are you trying to get us killed? All these vehicles are without drivers. What do you mean by ''no punishment for causing deaths'' here?"


    "I did use the term ''in the event of,'' " said the prince.


    "I¡ª " Zhang Bao''er was about to start cussing when Old Du stopped him.


    "Canyue, they''re catching up soon. If we don''t enter the race track, we''re dead anyway. Don''t hesitate," said Zhang Xingxing.


    From the rearview mirror, I could clearly see the two Gandos. They were only a few steps away from reaching us.


    ''Looks like I can only bet everything on this,'' I thought.


    To the right side ahead of us, there was a minor lane that merged into the race track. I pressed one of the holographic arrows and steered the car into the lane. A stream of steel quickly whistled past ahead of us, not leaving us an opening to actually drive into the track.


    At that moment, I saw a small vehicle coming toward us. Behind it was a bigger vehicle that looked like a truck. It moved to smash the small vehicle with a massive mechanical arm. The small vehicle dodged nimbly and avoided the attack. But to the left of the small vehicle, a big fellow that looked like a tank on four wheels appeared. The tank rammed into the small vehicle, sending it flying into the sky.


    Immediately, an opening appeared on the track. I grabbed the opportunity and joined the unending stream of steel. About three seconds after I entered the track, the two Gandos reached the track''s entrance.


    We could see that the two Gandos were immensely furious. All the patrol cars also stopped at the track entrance. The powerful current of steel and the violent competition had caused them all to shrink back.


    "Finally, we''re free of those idiots," said Zhang Bao''er as he heaved a breath of relief.


    "We''re not safe yet. Now, we''ll have to rely on Canyue''s driving skills," said Old Du.


    With great difficulty, I kept the car going forward on the track. A rookie racer could easily catch the attention of veteran racers. Generally, these rookies would serve as free points for the veterans.


    "Contestant number BXD589, your participation has been approved. Please remember your number. There are no rules to the Steel Current Championship. Your result will be determined by how long you last on the track. You need to last at least three hours before an exit will be made available for you. The robots of the organizing committee will personally tally the number of vehicles you destroy. The usage of ranged weapons is prohibited. And now, feel free to start your glorious racing career. Your timer starts now," the system notification sounded from the car''s communicator.


    "Wow, this really is a race. No weapons are allowed. Canyue, we''ll be relying on you. You must survive three hours before we can leave," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I feel like I can''t even survive 10 minutes," I replied.


    I saw a blue truck appear to my left. The big fellow was adorned with eight massive wheels, each bigger than my car itself. The truck was madly running over the vehicles in front of it. In the blink of an eye, three vehicles were crushed. Instantly, the blue truck seemed to notice our slow patrol car. It drifted to the side and rushed toward me like a giant landslide.


    "Danger! Watch out, Canyue!" Zhang Xingxing cried out nervously.


    The blue truck''s wheel approached us, causing me to hastily swerve to the right to avoid it. To my right was a black bulldozer, which immediately sent its mechanical fist smashing down at us the moment it saw us. Everyone in the car screamed.


    I managed to avoid most of the attack, but the iron fist grazed the back of our car, lifting the front of our car from the impact. I hurriedly pressed the acceleration button. The car might have lost most of its speed, but I made use of the remaining speed to bring the front of the car back to the ground.


    ''That was way too dangerous. We almost flipped, and all of us were almost turned into mincemeat,'' I thought as cold sweat drenched my body.


    The truck and bulldozer seemed to have realized how weak we were. Thus, the two squeezed us from both sides, attempting to crush us between them. As they were about to close in on us, I pressed the brake button. With a bang, the truck''s massive wheels flipped the bulldozer. The bulldozer spun five or six times before being reduced into scrap iron. I then removed my hand from the brake and dashed forth from the left of the truck.


    "Beautifully done, Canyue," shouted Zhang Bao''er behind me.


    My maneuver seemed to have infuriated the blue truck. It accelerated and chased after us. At that moment, I saw a convoy of smaller vehicles to the left ahead of me. The smaller vehicles were sticking close together to help each other against the bigger vehicles.


    There were more than 10 of them, and they were nimble. When I joined them, they immediately adjusted their formation to ensure that each vehicle maintained a similar distance from each other. Meanwhile, the blue truck chased after us relentlessly, ramming into the formation.


    "This is too much! Canyue, I''ll flip it with my cluster bomb!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. Something bad might happen if we break the rules, such as not having any exit made available for us. We need to focus on surviving three hours before leaving," said Old Du calmly.


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    Hearing Old Du''s words, I checked the time. Only 30 minutes had passed so far. With its powerful engine, the blue truck quickly came near us. The small vehicles moved deftly and evaded the blue truck with a series of ingenious maneuvers before reassembling into a new formation further ahead of us to the right.


    My patrol car was not powerful enough. I pressed the accelerator button and tried my best to stick to the formation. Unfortunately, my slow speed allowed the blue truck to catch up yet again.


    "Canyue, its big wheels are going to run over us soon," reminded Dondon after checking the rearview mirror.


    I placed my hand atop the defensive button and prepared to activate the car''s defense at the moment of collision. Just as the blue truck was about to reach us, a massive sickle dropped from the sky and cut the truck into two. The broken pieces of the truck rolled on the track and then erupted in fiery explosions. A monstrous racing tank appeared before us. This was the vehicle that had ambushed the blue truck.


    "Dang! This fellow is too ferocious! It occupies two lanes all by itself!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    After destroying the blue truck, the racing tank casually destroyed a random small vehicle beside it.


    "Prince, are you sure you''ve never heard of someone destroying 100 vehicles?" I asked.


    "Yes. I''m certain," replied the prince.


    "Shouldn''t a monster like this complete that goal easily? Who can stop it?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "There is always someone bigger out there. These racers are overly specialized," analyzed Old Du calmly.


    The racing tank slowly approached us. With our pitiful speed, everyone wanted a piece of us. In truth, I was already fed up with the endless pursuit. With the condition of our patrol car, we wouldn''t be able to last three hours.


    "We should break free with our firepower. If we continue like this, we''re going to die. We might as well fight it out," I said.


    "Do it. Destroy all these toys! I have been waiting to crush all of them!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Our goal is an audience with the emperor, not a race. Let''s make a little change to this unhealthy game," I remarked.


    "Will something bad happen as a result?" asked Old Du calmly.


    "Just do it, consequences be damned. I''m tired of playing around with these scraps of metals. Perhaps Domo will be able to locate us afterward," I said.


    "Time door. Yes, I look forward to him discovering us and opening the door for us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    While we were talking, the racing tank was already close to us. It pressed on and raised its sickle high in the sky.


    "Permission to open fire granted. Fire at will. Hold nothing back," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Old Du and Zhang Bao''er then unleashed both their hand-carried guns and their back-attached guns at the same time. The guns roared with fury, unleashing countless tracking bullets toward the weaker parts of the racing tank.


    While the hail of bullets was creating numerous sparks on the tank, Zhang Xingxing launched three cluster bombs at the tank''s wheels, flipping the giant with a massive explosion. The tank made several turns in the air before crashing and exploding on the ground.


    "Contestant number BXD589, you have violated the rules of the Steel Current Championship. Please self-detonate in 10 minutes or you will be destroyed on the track," the system''s voice rang out in the car.


    "Self-detonate your mother," scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    Then, he lifted his gun and sprayed his bullets at the installations beside the track, causing the race monitoring devices to explode. The surrounding vehicles seemed to have noticed something unusual going on, so they hurriedly distanced themselves from us.


    Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er, and Old Du, who were in the mood for more destruction, started firing at these vehicles as well. No matter how fast or how big they were, the vehicles couldn''t withstand our ferocious firepower. One vehicle after another exploded, and chaos erupted on the race track. While we were happily firing away, over 10 air defense drones arrived above us.

 CH 55

    Zhang Bao''er raised his gun and fired at the drones. However, their shields stopped all the bullets.


    "Their shields are too strong. They''re the same type of shields we had met during our alley battle. They''re very hard to penetrate," said Old Du.


    More than 10 red beams shot down from the sky at our car.


    "Watch out, these beams are very powerful," said the prince.


    Right as the red beams were about to strike the car, I activated my morph-capable system and protected the entire car with my shield. The shield protected our car, but my energy level was visibly and rapidly dropping. At this rate, my energy would not last more than an hour. The air defense drones constantly fired at us from different directions. Whenever a red beam hit something, a vehicle or the ground, an explosion followed.


    "Old Du, think of something. We can''t continue like this," I said.


    "We need to shoot those drones down. Otherwise, they will just prolong the battle until we''re all dead," said Old Du.


    "But their shields are too strong. We can''t penetrate them. I doubt even our nuclear warheads can do it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I suddenly recalled the sight of the air defense drone protecting the juxi beast with its shield during the alley battle.


    "Old Du, is there a target we can attack to shift the drones'' attention?" I asked.


    "No valid target. The race track is completely empty. Even the other vehicles are staying away from us," said Old Du.


    ''Completely empty. Completely empty,'' I thought.


    "This damn place doesn''t even have an escape route. Prince, I thought you said there were a lot of exits?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "That was what my information agent told me," said the prince.


    "Too bad Dodo isn''t around. Otherwise, we could have hacked their system and destroyed them," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "No use complaining now. We need to deal with them as soon as possible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Old Du, we did see a lot of exits when we were coming, but they all vanished when we entered the track. Is this some sort of projected illusion?" I asked.


    "If the exits really exist, they won''t disappear for no reason. This must be the work of some projection. We can solve this by seeking the projector and destroying it," said Old Du.


    "But where is it? I already blasted all the monitoring installations around us. Nothing works," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Instantly, intense explosions erupted behind us. The damage the air defense drones had done to the race track had caused a chain collision of racers, creating a series of explosions.


    "Where''s the projector? Old Du, Bao''er, freely fire around us to search for the projector," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t waste your energy. The projector is definitely not within our attacking range," I said.


    "Canyue, what do you mean? Are they placing the illusion from afar? Is this entire race track an illusion?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Since there is an actual road leading into this track, then this must be real. I believe the source of the projection is right here on our car," I said.


    Everyone came to a certain realization, and they all agreed with my assessment.


    "From the moment we entered the track, the system had put a virtual projection on us. I plan to try abandoning the car," I said.


    "Do it, then. Minimize your shields to individual sizes. Canyue will cover Dondon, and Old Du will cover the prince," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Dondon, have the car cruise in autopilot. Everyone, prepare to jump," I said.


    We had the car cruise beside the track. After Dondon set the car to cruise at about 80 kilometers per hour, I nodded at Xingxing. The team leader opened the door and jumped out. With the protection of our morph-capable shields, the impact from the fall did not harm us. We jumped successively, with me being the last to jump with Dondon in my arms.


    After a roll, I stood back up. Without our shields, the patrol car was instantly decimated by the red beams. An exit appeared about 300 meters ahead of us.


    "Canyue, what a surprise. You can be quite a genius at times," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Let''s not waste time. Leave immediately," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We set our shields at maximum capacity before making a run for the exit while behind us, a rain of red beams continued falling.


    Soon, we left the track to enter a ghetto area with small buildings. When the people there saw that we were being pursued by air defense drones, they hastily moved out of the way.


    "Damn that Domo. Where is our door? This place is no longer a projection," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Try hiding in a building," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    We rushed into a random building. About 10 red beams followed us, blasting the building into pieces. We continued running, causing the destruction of three more buildings.


    "This won''t work. The air defense drones are fully locked on to us. We need to evade their detection," said Old Du.


    At this time, my system indicated that I only had 30 minutes'' worth of energy left. The emergency indicator was already lit up. Urged by our survival instinct, we continued running through buildings with the air defense drones hot behind us. In one of the buildings, I saw that several hiding aliens were instantly sliced into pieces.


    "This can''t continue. We will only bring trouble to more innocent people," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At this time, an idea appeared in my mind.


    "Dondon, your suit has air fission technology. Can you create a gaseous reaction above us and hide all of us?" I shouted at Dondon.


    "I have only attempted to create the small area effect required for floating before. Creating the effect for such a large area might drain all my energy in one go," replied Dondon.


    "This isn''t the time to worry about that. What''s the point of energy if we''re all dead? You''re going to turn into a roasted cat soon," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''ll help you recharge your suit in the future. Create a molecular fission area and see if you can shift their attention from us," I urged Dondon.


    "Roger. On it," replied Dondon.


    Dondon pressed all the buttons on his arm before aiming both his tiny paws at the air defense drones in the sky. A transparent light wave then swept out of his cuffs. The wave rippled out, creating a molecular fission reaction around the drones, separating them and us in different parallel dimensions.


    The air fission reaction worked immediately, and the air defense drones that had been attacking us relentlessly seemed to have lost their targets. The rain of red beams stopped. Everyone heaved a breath of relief. When I looked at my energy level, I only had five minutes of active shield usage remaining.


    "There is limited energy powering the fission reaction. It won''t last long," said Dondon.


    "Retreat immediately," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    I saw that chaos had erupted among the air defense drones as we took the opportunity to dash into a small alley.


    "How should we locate the Jido shop?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Let''s find an enclosed place to hide first. Running on the streets is too dangerous. The guards will arrive soon," said Old Du.


    I saw a building that looked like a grocery shop beside the street. I nodded at Zhang Xingxing, and the group entered the shop.


    The store wasn''t big, and it was filled with groceries from many different planets. We all hid in the storeroom behind the shop.


    "We can''t hide here forever. The moment the juxi beast arrives, we''ll be discovered," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We need to get in contact with Domo and let him know where to open the time door if we want to avoid capture," I said.


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    "We need to move fast. Things will get even more troublesome when the Gandos arrive," said Prince Toruse.


    "How should we contact the Jido?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone sank into silence. Suddenly, an idea came to me.


    "We can''t contact Domo, but we can try contacting Dodo," I said.


    "How? I tried the communicator earlier. They''re out of coverage," said Old Du.


    "Not with our communicators but with Eternal communicators. Dodo has accessed the communication network''s database before. Since the network runs through the entire planet, we can definitely contact them with an Eternal communicator," I said.


    "Where are we supposed to get one? Our patrol car has already been destroyed on the race track," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I looked around the storeroom we were in and said, "This is a grocery shop. We can probably find some communicators here."


    Hearing that, everyone started searching the shop. The shop wasn''t too big, and it was separated into two partitions. Numerous items of different sizes filled the shop. Hanging above the counter was a signboard with "Big Brother Qiao''s Store" written on it.


    ''That must be the owner''s name. The air defense drones were attacking indiscriminately earlier, so the owner must have fled,'' I thought.


    Shortly after, Dondon shouted, "Found it! This might be a communicator!"


    Everyone surrounded Dondon and saw a simple-looking device that constantly blinked green. On the device were a red button and a round speaker.


    ''A small shop like this actually has a communicator. Perhaps Prophet Nommo is still blessing us with good luck?'' I thought.


    Zhang Bao''er carried the device to the counter. Just as I was about to press the red button, Old Du stopped me.


    "Canyue, we don''t have Dodo''s frequency. If you send an open message, all the guards will receive it as well," said Old Du.


    I was left speechless. Yes, that was a serious issue that we needed to face. Suddenly, scanning sounds rang out, and then the breathing of a massive animal rang out from afar alongside heavy metallic clanking.


    "Shit! Looks like the juxi beast and the Gandos have arrived together," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed anxiously.


    Contacting Dodo might expose us immediately, but if we did not contact Dodo, the juxi beast and the Gandos would probably decimate us upon their arrival. I couldn''t make up my mind about what to do.


    "There''s no better choice. Don''t hesitate. Do it. At worst, we''ll fight to the very last drop of our blood," commanded Zhang Xingxing when she saw that I was hesitating.


    "Yes. If push comes to shove, I''ll just drag them down with me as I die. Do it, Canyue," said Zhang Bao''er with fervor.


    Old Du, Prince Toruse, and Dondon also looked at me with faith and conviction in their eyes. I steeled my resolve, pressed the red button, and called out for Dodo through the speaker.

 CH 56

    "Dodo, can you hear me? Provide support to our location immediately. We are going to be surrounded soon," I shouted to the speaker.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, keep watch at the door," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    I continued calling out for Dodo through the communicator, but there was no reply. The commotion outside the grocery shop grew louder. I knew that the enemy had located us through the communicator. The final battle was upon us.


    "Xingxing, my morph-capable system only has five minutes'' worth of energy left. I wasted too much energy protecting the patrol car earlier," I said.


    "You can share my energy," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I felt a warm current in my heart upon hearing her offer. Suddenly, the sounds of a firefight sounded outside.


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    "Team leader, Canyue, the enemies are already shooting at us," Zhang Bao''er''s voice came.


    "Canyue, regardless of whether this will be our final battle, let us face them together and give them everything we have," Zhang Xingxing said.


    I nodded firmly, grabbed my gun, and walked through the door with her.


    The sound of gunshots filled the world outside the grocery shop. A group of Eternal guards and several air defense drones were firing at Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. The two had their shields on, defending as they opened fire on their enemies. Zhang Xingxing and I joined the battle immediately. Zhang Xingxing turned on her shield, protecting me, the prince, and Dondon in it.


    "Canyue, we need to attack to kill. Look, they have two juxi beasts with them," said Zhang Bao''er after downing an Eternal.


    I looked into the distance. Two juxi beasts were scanning the area we were in, sending waves of green light everywhere. With their scans, they provided guidance to the enemy shooters and improved their accuracy. Standing beside the beasts were the black and white killers, watching our encirclement like they were watching a movie.


    "No killing. Excessive casualties will only create enmity between us. Within 24 hours, if we win, we win. If not, we fight till the end," I said.


    "Team leader, the beams coming from the air defense drones are too powerful. Our morph-capable shields won''t last long," reported Old Du.


    "We have no alternative at the moment. Try your best to avoid the attacks. Drag this out as long as you can. Canyue already sent a message to Dodo. We need to buy them enough time to save us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At this time, a massive guided missile shot into the sky from behind the juxi beasts. The missile flew toward us, and from its size, it clearly had enough firepower to destroy all of us.


    "Careful, everyone. Avoid that missile," Zhang Xingxing exclaimed.


    We scattered, but the missile was incredibly fast. It dropped in our midst immediately. Heatwaves and shockwaves even more powerful than what our nuclear warhead could create ensued. Even scarier was the fact that the missile had created an isolated dimension of about 50 square meters in size upon detonation, compressing all the power of the explosion in the small space. It was as though the Big Bang had been restricted to an area the size of a single planet.


    Surprisingly, the Eternals that were only 100 meters from us were completely fine. They all watched silently as we suffered the explosion within the isolated dimension. After about 10 minutes, everything within the isolated dimension had turned into black ash, leaving us, with our shields, the sole survivors. Thanks to the protection of technology, we survived. Despite having the protection of our shields, the massive impact within the dimension had knocked little Dondon unconscious due to his tiny body.


    "Dondon, Dondon, are you fine?" shouted Zhang Xingxing as she shook Dondon.


    I walked to them and checked on Dondon before saying, "He''s fine. He only fainted from being thrown around."


    I then placed Dondon into my bag. The sounds of gunshots rang again. The Eternals were mounting their final attack against us, their battered enemies.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, how much energy do you have left?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I only have enough energy for about four hours of regular defense, but every two hits from the red beams will shave one hour off my supply," replied Old Du with the same calm he always had.


    "I have three hours'' worth of energy," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Same, three hours for me as well. Everyone, hang on. Prepare for our final stand," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The Eternal soldiers'' ray guns and the red disintegrating beams from the sky continued draining our energy. After about an hour, the encirclement around us started tightening up. At this range, I could clearly see the furious gazes of the Gandos and the constantly scanning juxi beasts, which were behind the soldiers.


    "Team leader, I''m running out of energy. I can''t last much longer," said Old Du.


    There were about 30 Eternal corpses strewn across the battlefield while over a hundred Eternal soldiers were surrounding us.


    "Damn that Jido. Is opening the door the only thing he does? He''s not going to provide any kind of support?" cursed Zhang Bao''er. "Canyue, it has been an honor fighting alongside you."


    I saw Zhang Bao''er turn on his nuclear warhead''s operation as he spoke. Suddenly, a massive red beam struck our shields. Over a dozen air defense drones in the sky were combining their beams into a single bigger and stronger beam to launch a final attack against our shields.


    "Team leader, final 10 minutes for my morph-capable shield," said Old Du.


    "Prince, looks like we won''t be able to get your throne for you," joked Zhang Bao''er grimly.


    "It has been an honor to fight alongside all of you," replied the prince.


    The yellow indicator on Old Du''s and Zhang Bao''er''s defensive systems started blinking, an indication that they only had enough energy to last three minutes. Zhang Xingxing nodded at me as everyone came to an understanding. We all activated our nuclear warhead systems. Suddenly, a series of zapping sounds rang out above us. Then, the air defense drones that were relentlessly attacking us spun in the sky and dropped.


    A familiar voice rang out, "Xingxing, Canyue, retreat immediately."


    I turned around and saw Dodo and an opened time door.


    "Dodo, at this moment, you''re my father!" Zhang Bao''er cried out in excitement.


    As for Zhang Xingxing, tears of joy welled in her eyes from having survived death. Everyone hastily retreated, with me covering the rear. When the black and white killers saw us escape toward the time door, they ran toward us. With his hammer raised high, the white Gando slammed it down at me. Just as the hammer was about to hit my head, I nimbly passed through the time door. With a flicker, the door vanished into thin air.


    ''Those two fools must be bursting with anger from having realized that the food they had thought to be in their mouths already flying away,'' I thought smugly.


    We had returned to Domo''s familiar black room.


    "Damn you, dwarf. Why didn''t you do anything after receiving our payment? I nearly got myself dismembered," scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    "You dare blame me, you damned fatty? Your idiotic choice of retreating through a different route from the plan caused the governor to deploy all his forces against you. All the blocks are being searched, so I can''t buy more materials to construct a new time door," scolded Domo.


    "Yes, I received your message, and we had been trying to buy the required energy source for the time door," said Dodo.


    "How did you manage to get some energy source then?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We spent two diamonds buying it at a premium from the black market. This is a loss for me," complained Domo.


    "Don''t worry. After we get back to our ship, we can pay for the expenses," I said.


    Only then did Domo stop complaining. Everyone had truly escaped from the grasp of death this time. We all sat down weakly, while Amethyst took out Dondon, who was still unconscious, from my bag and started nursing him. Titan came over to check on our condition. Fortunately, we had mostly sustained some minor wounds. The morph-capable defensive system was truly incredible.


    "Dodo, is the governor searching for us?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. The entire city is under curfew now. The original plan was to have you steal the golden pass while the governor and his pet were away," said Domo.


    "After losing the golden pass, the governor is supposed to be executed, right? Why isn''t he arrested yet?" asked Toruse.


    "Yes, it is capital punishment to lose a golden pass. Thus, the governor has sealed the flow of all information and is preventing everyone from leaving the planet. The spaceport has also been fully sealed, and it is being watched over intensely," said Domo.


    "Shit. Then we won''t be able to return to our ship!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You guys have the worst luck ever. Anywhere you go, you end up wanted," complained Domo.


    "You damned dwarf, do you want a beating?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Screw you, fatty. Do you want me to seal you in a wall?" countered Domo unyieldingly.


    Old Du pushed Zhang Bao''er back into his seat.


    "Domo, Bao''er had just survived a massive battle. Don¡¯t mind him," I said.


    Domo was still furious, so he continued nagging. Suddenly, Zhang Xingxing asked, "Do you have a way for us to board our ship? Can a time door help?"


    "Dear customer, you must be kidding. The time door leans on the planet''s electromagnetic system to work. It can only be opened on the planet, not outer space. Even if I could, I wouldn''t have enough energy to do so. This is not a wormhole," said Domo.


    "How should we board our ship and head to Planet Eternal, then?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "All visiting ships are parked at the docking bay. All those ships have been sealed by the electromagnetic system. Additionally, Lidu has three layers of defenses. Notable defenses include Lidu''s automatic rail cannons and laser towers. Both are immensely powerful," replied Domo.


    "How do we shut down their electromagnetic system?" I asked.


    "Only the control panel at the spaceport can do so. I reckon that place is under tight security right now," said Domo.


    The moment I heard the word spaceport, the image of the two Gandos appeared in my head. Those two were nightmares. They were extremely tricky to deal with.


    "Unless we try the other method," Domo suddenly said.


    "What other method? Say it. Help us. We will reward you greatly for your help," asked Zhang Xingxing urgently.


    Domo looked at Zhang Bao''er, swallowed, and said, "Cut the system''s energy supply."

 CH 57

    "And how do we do that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "The entirety of Lidu is powered by the light energy plant on the surface. By gathering Betelgeuse''s energy, the plant provides power to the entire planet," said Domo.


    "That''s similar to the solar energy systems on Blue," explained Dodo.


    "To cut the power of their defenses and remove their electromagnetic system, we need to ruin their energy provider, the power plant," said Dodo.


    "Why do we hesitate? Let''s do it," Zhang Xingxing decided.


    "Additional payment is required. Otherwise, forget it," said Domo.


    I saw Old Du push down Zhang Bao''er, who was raging.


    "Money is not an issue. We will settle the bill after getting our ship. Tell me the plan," I said.


    Domo looked at me before helplessly saying, "Fine, fine, I already made a loss. I can only trust you now."


    He fished out a map from under the table. The entire power plant could be seen on the map.


    "The surface temperature of Lidu reaches as high as 400 degrees. The massive Betelgeuse constantly bakes the artificial planet, and the power plant makes use of that to supply the entire planet with all its energy needs. Look, this is a large-scale energy conversion station," said Domo as he pointed at a construct on the map.


    "So by blowing that thing up, we can paralyze their energy system?" I asked.


    "Yes. But their light panels will have enough energy to last the planet for an hour. Thus, we need to split up and damage both the station and the panels at the same time," said Domo.


    "How do we reach the surface?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''ll think of a way to send you to the plant. You can disguise yourself as soldiers escorting prisoners to work at the surface," said Domo.


    "Who will be the prisoners?" I asked.


    Domo pointed at Titan, Amethyst, and Dodo. With the plan drawn, Domo vanished behind the black wall yet again. We rested and grabbed a meal. By this point, Dondon had awakened. He had not suffered many injuries.


    "Canyue, are we really going to meet the emperor?" Old Du asked.


    "Only by meeting the emperor can we help the prince. Only by helping the prince will we have the chance to go to Akko and have a face-to-face with the league," I said.


    "But we are wanted criminals of the league. Will the emperor offend the league for our sake?" asked Old Du.


    "The league has already offended the empire by stationing troops at Akko. This is our best opportunity," I said.


    "The political situation is very complicated. You need to be careful. We can very easily start a war," said Old Du.


    While we spoke, Domo returned.


    "Dear customers, everything is ready. You may start," said Domo.


    "Everyone, check your equipment. See how much energy you have left," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone checked their equipment. Most of us had fully drained our defensive system''s energy. Only Zhang Xingxing had three hours'' worth of energy left.


    "We must finish the mission within 45 minutes. I''ll make the assignments. Canyue, Zhang Bao''er, and the prince will escort Dondon and Amethyst to damage the inverter. I''ll escort Titan and Dodo with Old Du to damage the panels," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone agreed to the plan. After sharing the remaining energy among us, the planning phase ended.


    "I''ll go with you," said Domo. "Otherwise, I might be left unpaid if all of you get caught."


    I was rather speechless to hear that, but it was always good to have a disguise master with us. Domo then drew a new time door on the wall.


    "So, you suddenly have money for an energy source again?" Zhang Bao''er sneered.


    "All the cost will be charged to you anyway," said Domo.


    ''Sigh. These two must be mortal enemies in their past lives,'' I thought.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded at everyone. Everything was ready. She took the lead and rushed through the time door. We arrived at a public transport terminal. The terminal was filled with stranded passengers. Because the governor had shut the flow of traffic in and out of the planet, numerous passengers were stranded. All of them complained incessantly, and a group of armed soldiers were keeping watch over the crowd. At the distant boarding gateway, I saw the white Gando with a single glance.


    "Everyone, watch out. The white Gando is right ahead of us. The other must be hidden somewhere. Be alert to your surroundings," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We then split into two teams and took a detour around the passengers'' section to enter the prisoner transportation section. Fortunately, the Gandos had not discovered us. Domo had taken the appearance of a short Eternal soldier, walking ahead of us. Soon, we reached the checkpoint heading to the power plant.


    Compared to the passengers'' waiting section, this section was obviously much more relaxed in terms of inspection. The governor had probably assumed that we would not seek our deaths at a place as dangerous as the surface.


    We promptly arrived before the exit. There, Domo passed a document to the guard in a well-practiced manner. The guard performed a simple check before letting us through. Just as we were about to get onto the shuttle, the familiar sound of steel footsteps rang out behind us. When I looked back, I saw the black-eyed Gando heading toward the checkpoint.


    "Heavens. This fellow is relentless. Why is he everywhere?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    I rejoiced that we had arrived at the checkpoint before the Gando. We hastily entered the shuttle and started heading toward the power plan.


    "If we were even a step slower, things would have been troublesome," said Old Du.


    Everyone had the same look of relief after surviving a close brush with disaster.


    The shuttle moved toward the power plant quickly. After about 30 minutes, we arrived at the planet''s surface.


    Exposed to the red giant Betelgeuse, the steel ball''s surface was bright and shiny. The bright reflections were blinding, making it hard for one to see with one''s naked eyes. We covered our eyes with the lenses while Domo took out eye protectors and handed them to the prince and the others without a suit.


    Around the plant were numerous light panels. These panels were all greedily absorbing the light energy from Betelgeuse while countless massive tubes transferred the energy to a huge white building.


    "Our targets are all here. After you guys enter, I will create a mirror surface to provide cover for you. Complete the mission speedily and return to the shuttle for withdrawal," said Domo.


    "Thank you. Without your help, we would have been stumped by all sorts of difficulties," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Soon, the shuttle entered the parking area. We got off the shuttle and followed Domo as we escorted our so-called prisoners toward the entrance. We walked through a long corridor. To the two sides of the corridor were several rooms where some sort of cooling liquid was stored.


    "Follow me, everyone," said Domo in front of the door of one of the rooms. He then went through the door.


    We followed behind him. Inside the room, he took out two transparent sheets and had the two teams cover themselves with them. The moment Zhang Xingxing''s group covered themselves with the sheet, they vanished from my vision. The sheets were actually capable of turning one invisible.


    "This treasure is too magical. Canyue, after this mission, remember to take this thing with us before leaving," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I think so too. We might need it again in the future," I agreed.


    "Canyue, turn right after going out. Go through the handover section and continue ahead to reach the panel room. There is an elevator in the room. Go down to leave the building. You will then reach the surface. The surface temperature is 400 degrees. Good luck. I''ll work with the female customer," said Domo.


    "Since when did you become our leader, dwarf?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I stopped him. We were on an urgent mission. Now was not the time to argue.


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    "Canyue, our communication system has a limited range on this planet. After losing contact with each other, carry out your mission according to the plan. Gather here after 40 minutes. Remember, we only have 45 minutes'' worth of energy. Don''t stay outside for more than that," reminded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Understood. Let''s go," I said.


    We followed Domo''s plan and left the room together. Then, we rushed toward our respective destinations. I led my group to the handover section. The place was bustling with activity with people walking everywhere. Our group walked alongside the walls until we reached the exit. I waited until there were a few people around us before rushing through the exit with the team.


    We continued traveling according to Domo''s map. Soon, we reached the panel room with the elevator. The room was completely empty. It seemed like the operation in the room was completely automated. We then took the elevator to the surface. The sight that greeted me gave me a big surprise.


    There were two massive gateways. Beyond one gateway, countless prisoners in red protection outfits were each carrying a heavy battery-looking object. The soldiers were monitoring them, and the prisoners seemed to be heading out to perform some maintenance work. Beyond the other gateway was a group of prisoners who had just returned from work. Their entire bodies seemed to have been cooked by the burning temperature, and they were all sprawled out weakly on the ground, vomiting incessantly.


    "My god. No wonder these people rather fight in the pit than work here," said the prince.


    "Prince¡ªyou, Dondon, and Amethyst will hide here. You can''t go outside without a suit. I''ll go with Bao''er and finish this as quickly as possible," I said.


    "Alright. We''ll wait here to save on energy. Remember, don''t stay more than the time limit," reminded the prince.


    I nodded. "I don''t want to die either. Amethyst, you are the strongest combatant among the three of you. Protect them well."


    Amethyst nodded with a firm look in her eyes. I then nodded at Zhang Bao''er, "Brother, let''s go."


    We found a big table and hid behind it. Then, when the guards weren''t paying attention, we rushed over.


    "Canyue, your boar-headed disguise is truly well done. In fact, your disguise is quite close to your actual image. It''s like this appearance is meant for you!" joked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Screw you," I said.


    The joke eased the tension in my mind. We quickly reached the gateway. When the guards weren''t looking, we stole two red outfits and wore them over our suits.


    "We''ll take a battery each and activate our defensive systems. Get ready for the operation," I said.


    Then, we joined the line of prisoners, and we accepted a heavy battery from the guard before joining the prisoner procession walking through the gateway.

 CH 58

    Zhang Bao''er and I followed the line of prisoners out of the power plant, reaching the surface work area with all the energy panels. The first thing we noticed upon stepping outside was the massive Betelgeuse hanging in the sky, its red surface constantly churning from the nuclear fusion within the star. I could clearly see the solar prominences around the star, which were spurting far away into space.


    Betelgeuse''s boiling surface was akin to a pot of boiling red porridge, a pot of porridge that had brought the surface temperature of the planet to 400 degrees Celsius. The prisoners around us started groaning in suffering from the heat.


    "Bao''er, our energy shield will only last us 45 minutes. Let''s split up and install the timed cluster bombs. Reconvene here in 35 minutes," I said.


    "Alright. On it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We discarded the batteries we were carrying and split up to install the cluster bombs. The surface was filled with over a thousand light panels. I picked three groups of panels to install my bombs. The explosion of each bomb would cover about 10 panels around it.


    I noticed that the pedestal under each panel was installed with five massive batteries. The prisoners were the ones in charge of carrying these batteries back to the power plant after they were fully charged. Naturally, the prisoners were also the ones in charge of replacing the full batteries with empty batteries.


    ''The energy transmission technology here is too bad. Don''t they know they can just lay out some sort of wire to transmit the energy back to their power plant? They''re actually doing this manually!'' I thought.


    I pitied the prisoners forced to work here. It was most certainly painful to exchange batteries in such a vile environment. I installed the cluster bombs at a rapid speed. The sole advantage of working in such an environment was that you wouldn''t be attacked by a group of soldiers or air defense drones.


    At the speed of one bomb per minute, I quickly installed 30 cluster bombs. By my estimates, these bombs would cover more than 300 panels in their explosions. Although that did not cover everything they had here, I was running out of time.


    I quickly returned to the agreed meeting location. If Zhang Bao''er had moved at a similar speed, both of us would be able to damage about 60 percent of their panels. The remaining panels would only have enough energy to last 20 minutes. That was just enough time for us to reach the docking bay.


    After waiting for about a minute, Bao''er returned.


    "Everything went smoothly," Zhang Bao''er said.


    We immediately started to retreat. My gaze suddenly landed on the prisoners still working around us.


    "Bao''er, after our withdrawal, what about them? Some of them will be injured," I said.


    "Canyue, we''re running out of time. We can''t do anything else. These people are all prisoners. They are probably all criminals," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Some of them must have been wrongly accused as well. Just look at the prince," I said.


    "Then what should we do? We don''t have time to try anything," said Zhang Bao''er.


    After giving it a thought, I took out my gun and fired at a nearby light panel. The laser ray from my gun pierced right through the panel and created a violent explosion. The panel slowly fell apart in the midst of the explosion. All the prisoners blanked out upon witnessing the explosion.


    "Run! The panels are malfunctioning! They are going to explode soon!" I shouted.


    The prisoners immediately broke out into a chaotic run toward the gate.


    "Canyue, you''re really quite something!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in admiration.


    We ran with the crowd. At the gate, a group of Eternal guards charged toward us.


    "Did anyone see the person who fired a laser gun?" shouted the leader of the guards.


    "At the back! There are a few guys with guns at the back!" shouted Zhang Bao''er.


    The guards then ran out of the gate. Because there were more prisoners running over, the gate immediately became crowded with people. At this point, Zhang Bao''er and I were already experienced with dealing with numerous emergencies. A situation like this couldn''t pose any difficulty to us. We did not take long to get away and reach the prince''s hiding spot.


    "Canyue, over here! Fast!" the prince''s voice rang out from the side.


    Then, a transparent curtain dropped down on me and Zhang Bao''er. We immediately vanished from view. Because the hall was in chaos, nobody noticed that two people had suddenly vanished into thin air.


    "Mission completed. Let''s leave," I said.


    We returned from the same path we entered. I could see the prisoners all returning to the power plant while the guards were slowly regaining control over the situation. They were inspecting the prisoners one by one.


    ''Good thing we were able to leave in time,'' I celebrated inwardly.


    We soon arrived at the agreed-upon location. There, I called out for Zhang Xingxing and the others, but no reply came.


    "Canyue, the bombs will detonate in five minutes. We only have about 20 minutes to withdraw. When I checked earlier, there were only two shuttles that could directly reach the docking bay from here," said Dondon.


    "Why is Zhang Xingxing''s team not here yet? Did something happen?" I muttered.


    "Final three minutes," Dondon reported.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Canyue, Canyue, where are you?" Zhang Xingxing''s voice finally rang out from my earpiece.


    "I''m at the agreed-upon location. You''re finally back," I replied to the communicator.


    "We''re in position as well. There''s no time. Head to the shuttle station immediately," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Our groups rushed toward the shuttle station. Due to the explosion earlier, many additional guards had been redeployed to the power plant, so there were fewer guards at the shuttle station.


    Taking advantage of the lax security, our two groups were able to quickly go through the checkpoint and arrive before the shuttles. Only two of the shuttles at the station were heading directly to the docking bay. We all entered one of the shuttles and started heading toward the docking bay.


    The moment our shuttle started moving, a series of shockwaves rippled over the planet''s surface. Thanks to the cluster bombs, numerous light panels collapsed, and a thick mushroom cloud rose from within the power plant.


    "Good lord. Leader, how many bombs did you plant?" asked Zhang Bao''er as he stuck his tongue out.


    "We installed the bombs in the reactor to create the largest explosion possible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The explosions proved to be effective; our shuttle started shaking violently.


    "This is the result of a lack of electrical power. The remaining energy will last them 20 minutes. I hope that will be enough for us to reach the docking bay," said Domo.


    The shuttle gradually distanced itself from the chaotic power plant, leaving for outer space. We temporarily shut down our defensive systems to preserve as much energy as we could. Lidu''s residential district also seemed to have been affected by the loss of energy. The lights turned off one after another, sinking the district into darkness.


    "If the energy supply does not return in 24 hours, the temperature of the inner planet will drop to negative 500 degrees. Everyone there might freeze to death," said Domo.


    "What? Why didn''t you say that earlier?" Zhang Xingxing cried out in shock.


    "If that happens, we will be in much bigger trouble," I said.


    "Don''t worry. The energy supply will definitely recover within 24 hours," said Domo.


    "Why are you so sure?" I asked.


    "Orion Constellation does not lack powerful energy sources. The empire has long prepared backup energy in their reserves," explained Domo.


    "We will be reaching our destination shortly," Dondon suddenly said.


    Everyone looked out the window. The planet''s third defensive layer, the immigration checkpoint, was visible. Countless spaceships could be seen at the docking bay, all locked in place by the electromagnetic system.


    "We need to make this quick. The electromagnetic system here will fail in a few minutes. Take that chance to board your ship," said Domo.


    As the shuttle approached the dock, we saw countless aliens in the midst of protesting the travel restrictions.


    "There are so many people here. There''s no longer any need for the cloaks of invisibility. The cloaks are running out of energy anyway," said Domo.


    Then, I saw Domo reach out for the invisible cloak. He said, "Huh? Why is the cloak missing?"


    Upon hearing that, my head snapped to face Zhang Bao''er. That fellow was seated in the corner with his mouth shut, looking at the dock with all his attention.


    "Damn fatty! You must have stolen my cloak!" said Domo.


    "Bao''er, return it," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to argue, but with the leader''s command, he could only return the cloak helplessly.


    "I put it away because I was afraid it would get dirty," said Zhang Bao''er.


    ''That blockhead. He doesn''t even know to pick a better timing to make his move,'' I grumbled inwardly.


    Immediately, the shuttle reached the dock. We all hopped off and joined the crowd of protesting aliens. The large crowd was angrily protesting the travel restriction. Some were even throwing excrement at the Eternal soldiers standing guard.


    "These soldiers are quite well-disciplined to be able to tolerate this," said Zhang Bao''er.


    As the protest grew more and more rowdy, the dock''s energy supply ended with a crack. The entire dock sank into darkness. We immediately turned on our infrared vision system and moved accurately toward Fearless through the route mapped by our probes. Without an energy supply, the dock rapidly dropped in temperature. Layers of ice started forming on the surface of the numerous bodies on the dock.


    "This is bad, leader. Our defensive shield will only last 10 minutes. We''re stuck in the crowd. If we can''t get to the ship in time, we''ll freeze to death," said Old Du with his usual calm.


    Titan, Amethyst, and the prince started shivering from the drop in temperature.


    In a moment of desperation, Zhang Bao''er shouted, "Everyone, quickly get on your ships! The temperature is dropping dangerously fast! The ships are no longer locked by their electromagnetic system! We''re all free to leave!"


    The seemingly most ordinary trick seemed to work excellently. The protestors who were still protesting just a moment ago turned into a stampede rushing toward the docked spaceships.


    The soldiers on guard became so cold they couldn''t even be bothered with the crowd anymore. Even the soldiers were abandoning their posts to rush toward their respective spaceships. Thus, the crowd broke apart. We started heading toward Fearless with the prince, Amethyst, and Titan in tow.


    The temperature continued dropping. Eventually, it reached negative 20 degrees. The prince almost couldn''t move anymore. Zhang Xingxing and I shared our final bit of energy despite the blinking yellow light warning us of the low energy levels. While supporting each other, we sprinted toward our ship.


    I could clearly feel my breath turning frosty. The blood in my veins felt like it was no longer flowing. At that point, Fearless was only a few steps away from us. Suddenly, the world around me blacked out as I lost consciousness.

 CH 59

    In my daze, I felt a pair of strong arms lift me before bringing me into the ship. After an indeterminate amount of time, I recovered my senses. I found myself lying on the ground of the cockpit. Dodo and Dondon were busy starting the ship. Everyone had returned to their original appearances. Seemed like our disguise had run its course.


    "Canyue, you''re finally awake. You need to thank Titan for carrying you in," Zhang Bao''er said.


    I threw Titan a look of gratitude.


    "The spaceship is taking flight. Be ready, everyone," said Dodo.


    Dondon then pressed the engine button. At that time, our warning light suddenly lit up.


    "Weird. Something seems to be keeping the ship stuck," said Dodo.


    "I thought the electromagnetic system was broken?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes, the electromagnetic system no longer works. But something solid seems to have made our undercarriage stuck," said Dodo.


    "What should we do?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "We need someone to go down and manually deal with it," said Dodo.


    "What''s our suits'' energy level?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo checked the system and replied, "About two hours'' worth of energy."


    "I''ll go. I have more physical strength," volunteered Old Du.


    "Put on the suit and be careful," said Zhang Xingxing with a nod.


    Old Du then put on his morph-capable suit and left through the door.


    Shortly after, Old Du said through the communicator, "The ship is being kept in place by the electromagnetic lock. Although the electromagnetic system has failed, the lock remains."


    "Can you deal with the lock?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes. I need a few minutes," Old Du said.


    I heaved a breath of relief upon hearing that. For some reason, I wanted to leave this artificial planet badly.


    "Dear customers, don''t forget to settle the bill. Also, I am now also a wanted criminal of Lidu. Can you take me with you to Planet Eternal?" Domo asked.


    "You''ll have to pay for passage. It''s not cheap," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You''re acting like a bandit that would loot a burning house!" said Domo in anger.


    "Don''t listen to him. We''ll take you there free of charge," I said.


    "The system indicates that the lock has been removed," said Dondon.


    "Well done, Old Du," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Prepare for flight. Take off immediately after Old Du is back," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    ''We can finally go to Planet Eternal. This Planet Lidu is truly a difficult place. We had so many close brushes with death,'' I thought.


    After a few minutes, I noticed that Old Du had yet to return.


    "Old Du, Old Du, reply if you hear me," Dodo called out to the communicator.


    No reply came.


    "What in the world is happening?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    We looked out the cockpit and inhaled deeply at what we saw. The white and black Gandos had captured Old Du. One of them was pointing his massive sword at Old Du''s neck.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    ¡®Is there no end to these two?¡¯ I cursed.


    "Canyue, Bao''er, the three of us will put on our suits and save Old Du," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We did not argue and quickly put on our morph-capable suits. I also activated the fatal mode of my gun, prepared to throw everything I had at the Gandos.


    "All measures are authorized to rescue Old Du, including the usage of nuclear warheads," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "Roger," Zhang Bao''er and I replied loudly.


    We left the ship and stood on the platform. I could see that Old Du was in a semi-unconscious state.


    "This is bad. Old Du''s suit has probably been damaged by the Gandos. We need to rescue him as soon as possible, or he might die," Zhang Xingxing said anxiously.


    The two Gandos looked at us coldly, not uttering even one word. Their steel suits gleamed with an eerie light as they stood in the cold outside, staring at us with two pairs of eyes that caused all my hair to rise on end.


    "What conditions do you have to release him?" I asked loudly.


    What followed was a minute of silence as we stood facing each other.


    "We want all of you to die," the black-eyed Gando finally replied.


    "Screw you, you dumb musclehead. If you have the balls, let go of him and fight me one on one," challenged Zhang Bao''er.


    I knew that Zhang Bao''er''s words were to provoke the Gandos, but surprisingly, the black-eyed Gando actually put Old Du down and stepped forth.


    "I accept your challenge. So long as you can prevail over me, all of you may leave," said the black-eyed Gando.


    "I¡ª" Zhang Bao''er found himself speechless.


    "I''ll fight on his behalf. How about that?" I said loudly.


    "No. I have accepted his challenge. One can not go back on one''s words," said the black-eyed Gando.


    "I¡¯m challenging him, not you," I said as I pointed at the white-eyed Gando.


    The black-eyed Gando blanked out slightly. Not able to think of a counter, he looked at the white-eyed Gando.


    "I accept the challenge. So long as you prevail over me, all of you may leave," said the white-eyed Gando.


    "Canyue, my apologies. Just let me do it," said Zhang Bao''er guiltily.


    I waved off his apology. "You did nothing wrong. We''re both trying to save Old Du. I''ll fight. Observe and act accordingly if there is an opportunity."


    I finished my words with an eye signal.


    In truth, I was feeling pretty nervous. I definitely wouldn''t be this big fellow''s match. I did not know why I had decided to step up. As the white-eyed Gando walked toward me with his massive hammer, I turned my morph-capable defensive system to the maximum capacity.


    Accompanied by a biting cold breeze, the massive hammer whistled through the air toward me. I hurriedly leaped to the side, barely avoiding the attack. The gigantic hammer struck the platform, creating a spark and a depression on the floor. I hurriedly turned on my gun''s tracking functions and unleashed a ferocious torrent of bullets at the Gando''s eyes.


    The white-eyed Gando used his left hand to cover his eyes, intercepting all the bullets with his steel gauntlet. I wasn''t about to give the white-eyed Gando a reprieve; over 10,000 tracking bullets were released upon him. The bullets struck his armor, producing numerous sparks, creating the scene of the confrontation between cold and hot weapons.


    Covering his eyes with his left hand, the white-eyed Gando made a horizontal sweep of his hammer with his right hand. I wasn''t able to avoid it since I was focused on attacking, so I steeled myself and charged into the Gando.


    I crashed loudly into him, successfully avoiding the sweep. The collision forced the Gando to take a step backward. His hammer was too big to be used in such a short range while his other hand was needed to protect his eyes. Thus, he roared in fury at his helplessness. With one hand, he raised his hammer and brought the sharp end of the hammer down toward me.


    "Canyue, watch out!" I heard both Zhang Bao''er and Zhang Xingxing shout at the same time.


    I turned reflexively after hearing the warning. With a bang, the end of the hammer pierced through the ground.


    ''Good heavens. If that hits me, I am definitely dead,'' I thought.


    Suddenly, I sensed a massive force strike on my suit. Although the morph-capable suit had diverted most of the force, I was still sent flying toward Old Du. It turned out that the white-eyed Gando had kicked me away with his leg.


    I somersaulted several times before I could stabilize myself. I was close enough to see that Old Du''s lips had turned purple. He was breathing weakly as he lay under the foot of the black-eyed Gando.


    ''This is bad. Old Du can''t last much longer,'' I thought anxiously.


    My intense movement caused my gun to stop firing. The white-eyed Gando took the chance to charge me while swinging his massive hammer with both hands. Suddenly, several loud sounds rang out as a bright explosion erupted below the white-eyed Gando''s left foot. The shockwaves caused the entire docking bay to shake. The white-eyed Gando blanked out as he dropped down on one knee.


    "Hmph. You think I''m so useless that you can do anything you wish to me?" I said coldly.


    Earlier when I rammed into the Gando to avoid the hammer, I was able to plant two of my most powerful cluster bombs at my opponent''s ankle. The collision had shifted the Gando''s attention, so he did not notice the bombs. My plan seemed to have paid off. The white-eyed Gando tried to stand up, but the explosion seemed to have worked as his attempts to stand back up were fruitless.


    "Despicable ant of the universe. You think this is enough to get you a victory?" said the white-eyed Gando furiously.


    He reached out with his left arm, and the entire arm started shifting and changing. The steel wrist and palm ultimately transformed into a rapidly spinning chainsaw. The Gando raised the chainsaw and swung at his injured ankle, seemingly intending to get rid of this useless body part.


    ''Heavens. This fellow is way too ferocious,'' I thought, alarmed.


    With a loud bang, a black sword stopped the path of the chainsaw and produced sparks.


    "Enough. Let them go," said the black-eyed Gando.


    I hurriedly ran toward Old Du, lifted him, and ran to Fearless without care. I did not care if this was a conspiracy. It was more important to save Old Du. Zhang Xingxing and Zhang Bao''er provided cover as I ran and protected me as we retreated back to the ship. In less than a minute, we were back before our ship. Dondon hurriedly opened the door, and we were about to go inside.


    "Wait," a cold voice rang out behind us.


    I gestured to Zhang Bao''er and Zhang Xingxing to carry Old Du into the ship and then turned around.


    The white-eyed Gando had stood back up with the help of the black-eyed Gando. The black-eyed Gando was looking at me with a pair of murderous eyes.


    "Warn the Jido on your ship that the entire Lidu will no longer have any Jido. Before long, I''ll slaughter all living beings on Akko as well," declared the black-eyed Gando coldly.


    I couldn''t even be bothered to reply to the rash fool as I turned and entered the ship. Dondon then activated the ship and took off, leaving behind the two massive figures standing on the platform.

 CH 60

    Due to the destruction of the light panels, the batteries and laser towers of the planet''s second defensive layer were dormant, and our ship was able to quickly fly through the second layer. The third layer was protected by warships and other flying machines. To get through this layer, a battle would be inevitable.


    "Let''s just create a leap-point here," said Dodo.


    "The leap-point will take about a third of the energy required to produce a wormhole," said Dondon.


    Everyone looked at the leader, Zhang Xingxing. Her approval was required if we were going to waste five lightyears worth of energy just to make a leap of 300,000 kilometers.


    "Everyone has gone through too much. Request granted," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Prepare for a leap. Everyone, return to your posts," said Dodo.


    Fearless''s energy system then produced a leap-point about three kilometers ahead of the ship. The leap-point was a static space about three times larger than our ship.


    "Entering the leap-point," alongside Dodo''s words, Fearless charged into the point.


    Three hundred thousand kilometers away, Fearless appeared out of thin space. Finally, we were safe. Sure, Fearless was only a spaceship floating in space, but this place was much safer than an actual planet for fugitives and explorers like us.


    Planet Eternal was located about 130 billion kilometers away from Betelgeuse, 650 million kilometers from us. Zhang Xingxing commanded Dodo to move the spaceship at a slower speed to give everyone enough time to rest.


    A massive flaming ball, Betelgeuse, dominated our vision. The area within 100 billion kilometers of it¡ªabout the size of the Solar System¡ªwas filled with a gaseous planetary nebula. Anything that entered it would be swallowed by Betelgeuse, which was a massive star equivalent to 700 million suns.


    The mesmerizing sight of Betelgeuse was not enough to get rid of our exhaustion. Our injuries and our continuous state of combat had caused us to be both physically and emotionally exhausted. With the exception of Dodo, everyone fell asleep one after another. Everyone slept soundly in the silent and comfortable atmosphere. After an indeterminate amount of time, I was the first to wake up. All around me, everyone was still sleeping soundly. As for Dodo, it was still blankly piloting the ship.


    "How long was I out?" I asked.


    "All of you have been sleeping for over 12 hours," said Dodo.


    I stretched lazily. After the long sleep, my exhaustion was mostly gone.


    After a short while, the crew woke up one after another. I could see that the Jido, Domo, looked rather anxious. He was probably anxious about his people after hearing the Gando''s threat.


    "Don''t worry, Domo. After meeting the emperor and clearing things up, we can request the emperor to stop the Gandos as well," said Prince Toruse.


    Domo appeared slightly relieved at the prince''s words.


    "Customer, when can you settle your bill?" asked Domo the moment he was relieved of his worry.


    "Leader, when can we eat? I''m hungry," said Dondon.


    "Are you two debt collectors or something? You sound so demanding!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    At this time, Amethyst came in with the food we had gathered from Sirius B. Everyone started eating.


    "Prince, have you been on Eternal?" I asked.


    "Once with Royal Father when I was a child," replied the prince.


    "How is it?" I asked.


    "It is a beautiful planet filled with life. There are races from over 20 different Orion Constellation races that are loyal to the emperor living there," answered the prince.


    "Eternal is rich with commerce, and its security is also much better than Lidu," Domo added.


    My heart became filled with longing for the beautiful planet upon hearing their description.


    "But the empire has its worries as well," said the prince.


    "What kind of worries?" I asked.


    "Betelgeuse is a red supergiant. It is near the end of its life. It keeps growing in size, to the point where Eternal is now only about 30 billion kilometers away from the star''s planetary nebula. According to the Imperial College''s estimate, the star''s outermost nebula will reach Eternal in 1,000 years," said the prince.


    "What will happen when the planetary nebula reaches the planet?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The scalding cloud will ignite the planet''s surface. All life will vanish. That''s why Emperor Fille IV is always deeply worried. He is busy looking for a new planet for the empire," said the prince.


    After a short chat, Fearless started approaching Planet Eternal.


    "We''re reaching the capital of the empire, Planet Eternal," Dondon, who was piloting the ship, reported.


    Everyone looked out the window. A beautiful blue planet was presented before our eyes.


    This was the first time Titan and Amethyst had ever seen their homeland, so the two fixed their gazes on the planet, not wanting to miss any detail from this encounter, which was over 100,000 years late.


    As Fearless slowly entered Eternal''s low orbit, the blue planet became clearer and clearer to us. The massive blue sphere''s surface was decorated by numerous white clouds. The planet was about twice as large as Blue, and its surface was dotted with forests and oceans of different shapes.


    About one million kilometers away from the planet, countless spaceships, flying machines, and warships could be seen flying about. Visitors here seemed to face fewer checks than what one would face visiting Lidu. Numerous trade stations were built near the planet. Some of the haulers would only make a stop at the trade stations before leaving, not bothering to actually enter the planet.


    "To enter the planet, one needs to get through the checkpoint. All spaceships are required to do so. It is considered a crime to not do it, and it will result in an arrest by the Imperial Police Force," said Domo.


    "What kind of an organization is that?" I asked.


    "They''re basically the emperor''s personal guards, and they''re only loyal to the emperor. They''re independent of the regular army and have a higher rank in the government than the army. Their members are all clad in golden armor," said the prince.


    "We''re all considered alien races. The emperor once decreed that apart from those with a good relationship with the empire, all aliens are not allowed to land on Planet Eternal itself," said Domo.


    "We have the golden pass, right? Isn''t that the most effective entry pass?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Our pass belonged to the governor, and it''s only usable by the natives of the Orion Constellation. It only works when presented to the palace guards. It is practically worthless here at the immigration checkpoint," said Domo.


    "Can we go through with your disguise?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "My disguise won''t work here. The checkpoint utilizes a scanner that can read the genetic makeup of all Orion Constellation life forms. Any foreign genetic makeup will not be able to get through," said Domo.


    "Why is this planet so troublesome? Are there any gaps we can sneak through? We don''t really want to use force and offend the emperor," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Domo gave it some thought before saying, "I have a cousin running a trade station here. I can try to get his help."


    "That''s great! Take us to him!" said Zhang Xingxing joyfully.


    "The thing is, um, you know," said Domo as he made a gesture asking for money.


    "Apart from money, what else do you know?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Apart from reneging on your debt, what else can you do?" retorted Domo.


    "Bao''er, stop," commanded Zhang Xingxing. "Old Du, go get some diamonds from our storage."


    Old Du moved immediately. Shortly after, he returned with a diamond the size of a basketball. Domo widened his eyes at the sight of the large diamond, not able to tear his eyes off it.


    "How is it? This should be enough to pay for everything, right?" said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "Enough, enough. Yes, probably enough," said Domo as he touched the diamond all over with his tiny hands before slowly moving the diamond to under his seat.


    I did not know if I should laugh or cry looking at his antics. This Jido was truly too greedy.


    We followed Domo''s guidance and flew toward a trade station 300,000 kilometers away from the planet. After passing numerous ships and trade stations, we arrived at a trade station with an emblem of a six-clawed beast.


    "Here we are," said Domo.


    "How much have our suits been charged?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Reporting to the team leader, all suits have been fully charged, including Dondon''s suit," replied Dodo.


    "Well done. Canyue, Old Du, and I will go to the trade station with Domo. The rest of you, standby in the ship," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Bao''er appeared rather disappointed that he wouldn''t get to visit. He grumbled silently. Since the command was already given, we needed to act on it. Old Du helped Domo with the diamond as we left the ship and walked toward the shop.


    Numerous products were piled before the shop. Behind the station was the loading area where numerous goods were being unloaded from the haulers. Some sturdy-looking individuals of clearly different races were busily loading and unloading the products. The one who gave me the strongest impression was a six-armed individual that could carry six boxes of goods at once.


    "Kado, business seems well for you. You must be rich now," said Domo to a short Jido who was busy swearing at a porter.


    The Jido called Kado turned around and said, "Brother Domo, I thought you went somewhere to make some fast money from some thugs? Why are you here at my little shop?"


    "I was passing by. When I saw how good your business was, I couldn''t resist coming to see just how my brother had gotten so rich," said Domo with a wide smile.


    "Rich my hammer. The Katars and Liyatens have been paying close attention to me. They will rip me off once a week without fail. I''m just looking for a place to blow off some steam," complained Kado.


    "I can help you settle this once and for all. Shall we have a chat?" asked Domo.


    At this time, Kado finally noticed the three of us behind Domo. His attention was especially attracted to the massive diamond Old Du was carrying.


    "I knew you wouldn''t come for no reason, kid. Come on in," said Kado.


    We entered the shop together. The place looked messy, with products piled everywhere. I turned around to feel the door. When I saw that the door had not disappeared, I felt slightly relieved. Kado served us four glasses of green beverage. Some sort of bugs floated atop the beverage, almost causing me to vomit.


    "Wow, green crystal. Kado, you have always been stingy. I can''t believe you''re suddenly so generous the moment you see a big diamond," said Domo before draining his glass in one gulp.


    "Drink, this is good stuff," said Domo.


    The three of us looked at each other. Out of respect for the host, Old Du picked up his glass and drained it. However, Zhang Xingxing hesitated because the drink truly looked disgusting.


    "Why aren''t the two of you drinking? Do you look down on my own drink?" asked Kado.


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    "No. I¡¯m drinking. What the hell is this? If you keep forcing me, I''ll take this place apart!" I suddenly cursed.


    Domo and Kado did not expect me to suddenly lose my temper, so they were slightly stunned. After a while, Domo said, "Boss, do not be angry. You don''t have to drink it. Let me get you two glasses of plain water instead."


    Zhang Xingxing gave me a look of gratitude while I gave Old Du a smug look. Old Du was maintaining a solemn look after suffering from his lack of stubbornness.


    "Kado, we''re here to do a transaction with you," said Domo.

 CH 61

    "What business? I never made any money in all the business I''ve done with you," Kado asked.


    "Smuggle a group of aliens into Eternal," said Domo as he pointed at us.


    "You''re crazy! That is a capital crime! I still want to continue my little business here!" said Kado.


    "Brother, many of the things you have done are against the law. Stop pretending to be all virtuous here. Also, I won''t let you work for free," said Domo as he pointed at the diamond Old Du was carrying.


    Kado''s eyes lit up when he looked at the diamond. "The diamond will be mine if I help them enter Eternal?"


    "Not even robbers are this greedy! You can get a quarter of the diamond. Also, you get to help convert my share into imperial coins," said Domo.


    Then, Kado started making some rapid calculations. It would seem like every single Jido was a master at commerce. After a series of calculations, Kado reached out with his scrawny hand.


    "Even though it is a loss to me, deal!" said Kado.


    Everyone smiled.


    "How many people do you have? What are your races?" Kado asked.


    Old Du gave Kado a detailed explanation of their team composition. Apart from Dodo, who would remain in Fearless, everyone else would enter Eternal.


    "The two Brightlings are going as well? That is too risky. If the imperial police discovers them, I am dead," complained Kado.


    "You can disguise them into any form you want. A regular person won''t be able to see through it," said Domo.


    "No. No chance in hell. You are all fugitives, but there is still a way to explain your presence if caught. But I can''t work with Brightlings," Kado insisted.


    "We''ll double the payment. Can you do it?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Um. About that," Kado started hesitating.


    "This is too much! You''re paying so much for a small job like this? What about my job before this? I had risked my life to be paid so little? This is too expensive. We''re better off thinking of something else," said Domo.


    "Deal! That''s all!" Kado hurriedly answered as he hastily grabbed the diamond offered to him.


    I saw Domo giving me a smug silent gesture with his eyes.


    ''This person is way too good at closing deals,'' I thought to myself.


    "I have an underpass business with the Liyates tonight. You can disguise yourself as Katars and come with us. Domo will be in charge of disguising you. I don''t have the money to buy the materials," said Kado.


    "What''s an underpass business?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Probably a smuggling business," I said.


    "Looks like your cooperation with the Liyates has been fruitful. You must have earned a decent amount. Why are you being stingy about the cost of disguising them?" complained Domo.


    "That will be all. We''ll return to Fearless and get ready for tonight," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We returned to Fearless. Old Du told the rest of the team about the plan. Apart from Dodo, everyone would get to enter Eternal. Afterward, Old Du accompanied Domo to go buy the required materials for our disguises. Naturally, he was in charge of paying. Meanwhile, the rest of us checked our equipment and energy situation.


    "Canyue, you and Bao''er will need to carry more diamonds on you tonight. I reckon we will be spending a lot more money on the planet," said Zhang Xingxing when Domo wasn''t around.


    I understood what she meant so I dragged Bao''er along as we acted on the command. After an hour, Domo and Old Du returned.


    "Eternal is truly amazing. So long as you have money, you can buy anything you want!" said Domo joyfully.


    "That fellow must have gone way over the budget with the excuse of buying materials," said Zhang Bao''er with a low voice.


    "There is no doubting that. In fact, I''d find it weird if a Jido missed this chance to stuff his own pockets," I said.


    With everything ready, it was time to put on our disguises. We all swallowed the blue pills Domo gave us. With Domo''s help, we assumed the appearance of Katars. Katars were a race of people with red hair, yellow skin covered with black spots, and sturdy bodies. It was as though they were born to be warriors.


    "Kado is making use of the Katars to transport the products of the Liyates. The two races have always been mortal enemies, so Kado must be doing this to cover his tracks," said Domo.


    Planet Eternal took 48 hours to complete a rotation. When everyone was ready, we set off. The night side of the planet would be our destination for this operation.


    "Dodo, protect the ship. Wait for us to get in touch with you," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes!" Dodo replied.


    We followed Domo back to Kado''s shop.


    "Wow, such a big group. I should have charged you more for this!" said Kado with regret.


    "All Jidos are money grubbers," mumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    It was time to carry out our operation. We followed Kado into a massive hauler. The hauler was stocked full with goods. Apart from us, there were also about 20 sturdy Katar laborers in the hauler.


    The massive hauler moved slowly, and the ship rapidly turned invisible and then flew toward the night side of the planet. After about an hour, we reached an area with massive pipes. The pipes were connected to numerous massive machines in space and extended all the way back to Planet Eternal itself.


    "What are these?" I asked Domo softly.


    "These are probably asteroidal ice reception installations," said Domo.


    "Asteroidal ice reception installations? What do you mean?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Planet Eternal is a planet lacking in water. Around Betelgeuse, big asteroids are occasionally destroyed by Betelgeuse''s powerful gravity and are scattered into pieces. Among the broken pieces, many ice chunks can be found," said Domo.


    "The empire utilizes these installations to pull in the ice chunks and increase the planet''s water deposit?" I asked.


    "Yes. That''s exactly it. Your Planet Blue probably got its water deposit through this method during the period of antiquity," said Domo.


    While we were speaking, the hauler stopped, and the door opened. We all leaped off the hauler. The hauler floated above a platform of average size. This was most likely a maintenance platform for these tubes. Under Kado''s command, two Katars lifted a cover that was of the exact same color as the pipe and revealed an entrance about three meters wide.


    "Here we are. Get busy," said Kado.


    The Katar laborers started unloading from the hauler before starting their smuggling operation through the pipe.


    "This fellow is truly courageous. He is actually using the asteroidal ice pipe as a smuggling route," said Domo.


    "He is basically risking his life just for money," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Kado, what if a piece of asteroidal ice was to slide down the pipe while we''re in there?" asked Domo.


    "Don''t worry. The opening of this tube has been blocked," said Kado.


    Everyone was relieved. With Old Du taking the lead, we followed the Katars into the tube. Inside, the tube was also about three meters wide. Because no ice had passed through the tube for a long time, it felt dry inside. Scratch marks could be seen on the wall, likely left behind a long time ago when the ice chunks were still traversing this tube.


    We advanced slowly, and after about a thousand meters, a loud rumble rang out before us. We continued forward when the space ahead of us suddenly lit up. We had arrived within an even larger tube. Looking out one of the openings, we could see a raging torrent of frosty water about 100 meters below us, coursing through a different tube. About a hundred meters ahead of us was another opening leading to somewhere deeper. Between the two openings was a hanging bridge about half a meter wide.


    One Katar took the lead and walked onto the bridge with a massive case on his back. The raging torrent of water below us caused the entire bridge to shake, making this a dangerous endeavor.


    "This is way too scary. No wonder nobody considers this as one of the routes into the planet," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded at me before saying, "Everyone, watch your steps. Turn on your suit''s balance system. Go in pairs and advance steadily," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    I followed the command and stepped onto the hanging bridge with Amethyst in tow. It was loud on the bridge, and the wind was fierce. A chunk of ice whistled by in the pipe below me, knocking loudly against the tube as it passed.


    Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened. After over 10 minutes, we successfully crossed the hanging bridge and entered a different small pipe. Everyone continued onward for about an hour before we arrived at a bright empty space.


    "We''re entering the high-speed tunnel soon. Everyone, remember to not move around needlessly in your cart. The cart will move by itself. If you move rashly and cause your car to flip, nobody will be able to help you. Also, there will be no refund in the event of an accident," said Kado.


    "High-speed tunnel? What do you mean?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "You''ll see," replied Kado.


    We reached the opening, and a rather complicated space appeared before us. We were standing atop a high platform. A tube extended from the platform, and below the platform was a complicated labyrinth of tubes. I could see that these tubes were connected to even more tunnels deep below.


    "You may start installing the carts," said Kado to the Katar laborers.


    The Katars opened one of the cases and took out several smaller cases. Each case had a button on it. When the button was pressed, the case would turn into a small four-wheeled cart.


    The Katars then arranged the cart on the pipe and hooked the wheels onto the pipe. One then leaped onto the cart and fastened himself to the cart with a belt. Afterward, the Katar nodded at Kado. The Katar standing beside him gave the cart a light push, and the cart whistled down the pipe like a roller coaster, traversing the complicated pathway of pipes below us. I watched the cart traverse the winding tube rapidly before it entered the tunnel deep below.


    "We can get the goods moving," said Kado to the other Katars.


    The laborers started placing their goods on the carts. After strapping the goods to the carts, they pushed the carts down the tube. One after another, the carriages whistled down.


    "This is way too scary. I have acrophobia. I''m not going," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You paid for this. Even if you don''t go, there will be no refund," said Domo with a sneer.


    "You stupid dwarf. Do you want to get beaten up?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    As usual, Old Du calmed Zhang Bao''er. After about two hours, they were done transporting all their goods. It was finally our turn to board the carts. Old Du took the lead and leaped onto one of the carts. After he settled down, a Katar pushed the cart down the pipe.


    After seeing Old Du enter the tunnel safely, Zhang Bao''er gestured to me that we could start getting on the carts. Thus, we got on the carts one after another, including the constantly grumbling Zhang Bao''er.


    When Zhang Bao''er was pushed down the pipe, he wailed like a pig being slaughtered. His shout was deafening, and I could see Domo shaking his head beside me at the sight of that. Eventually, only Domo, Kado, two Katars, and I were left.


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    Kado gave Domo a bundle and said, "The imperial coins you want are here. I won''t be of help for what you''re doing next. Take care."


    "Watch out for the Gandos. Tighten your security," reminded Domo.


    Then, with a push by the Katar, Domo''s cart whistled down the pipe. I was the last of the group to board a cart. After I nodded at Kado, I felt a force come behind me, and my cart shot down the pipe.

 CH 62

    The shrill sound of the wind flooded my eardrums as the cart moved rapidly. Everything around me turned into numerous straight lines due to the speed at which I was moving. The cart dropped and turned along the winding pipe. I was already starting to feel nauseous when I decided to shut my eyes.


    After about five minutes of high-speed travel, the world around me darkened as the cart entered a tunnel. With my eyes still shut, I sensed the cart moving ahead like a roller coaster before it suddenly began a 90-degree descent. For a moment, the floaty sensation of the high speed roller coaster ride felt like gravity had vanished.


    The falling sensation caused me to instinctively reach for the button of my suit to make sure that my suit was on. After the weightless sensation persisted for about two hours, some sort of cushion appeared out of nowhere as the cart slowed down steadily. Light appeared before me.


    When I opened my eyes, I could see the tunnel exit not far ahead of me. Several vague silhouettes could be seen walking around the exit. After several minutes of moving ahead at a stable speed, the cart finally left the tunnel, bringing me into a new room.


    All my companions were safely waiting for me. Zhang Bao''er looked pale, and it seemed like he had just finished vomiting somewhere. I heaved a breath of relief upon seeing that everyone was fine.


    "Canyue, some of the Katars have gone up. Let''s go," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Looking at where she was pointing, I saw that we were in some sort of room that served as a hub. A rope ladder was trailing down from the air vent at the top of the room. As usual, Old Du took the lead. One by one, we climbed up the rope ladder.


    I was the last to move again. After climbing through the air vent, I entered a shabby basement. Once I was inside, a Katar put the rope ladder away, shut the air vent, and covered it up. The Katar then left after saying something to Domo.


    "Alright, my friends, this is the end of our journey together. You''re now standing on the soil of Planet Eternal. After leaving this basement, you''re free to do what you want," said Domo.


    "How do we go about learning the location of the palace?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. This is my first time here as well. Farewell, my friends. This is the end of the unprofitable transaction between us," said Domo.


    Although Domo loved money a tad bit too much, he was still capable and reliable. Thus, we found ourselves surprisingly reluctant to part with him.


    "Canyue, show Domo one of our diamonds. See if we can hire him to help us with our operation on Eternal," Zhang Xingxing said.


    I took out a fist-sized diamond from my bag. The moment Domo saw it, his eyes lit up.


    "Hehehe, everything is negotiable. So long as payment is on the table, anything is possible," said Domo as he rubbed the diamond.


    Surprisingly, even Zhang Bao''er kept his mouth shut this time.


    "That''s a deal, then. Domo will work with us and provide us with disguises and cover," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I remember the palace is a tall golden building with a conical roof," said Prince Toruse.


    "Excellent. That gives us a clear target. We can''t stay here for long. Our top priority is to look for a hiding place. From there, we can start gathering information," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''ll scout around with Zhang Bao''er. We''ll return in 15 minutes," I said.


    "Granted. Move with haste," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''ll go with you," said Domo suddenly. "I have some disguise techniques that can be of use during emergencies."


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    "Sure. Have Domo go with you, then," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With the command, the three of us left the basement. The first floor was a storeroom. We opened the door and walked out of the building.


    ''Planet Eternal, after suffering so many hardships, I, Li Canyue, am finally standing on this planet,'' I thought to myself.


    I found that we had arrived at a bazaar that was bustling with noise and activity. The place was crowded with people, and the streets were brightly lit. Countless life forms of many shapes and forms were enjoying themselves around us. This was also my first time seeing an unarmed Eternal.


    After a long period of peace, a large majority of Eternals who weren''t in the army had shed their brutish dispositions. In fact, many of these civilians had a soft and gentle appearance. Some even seemed to have evolved out of the ferocious fangs protruding from their mouths, giving them a more civilized and cultured appearance. Apart from Eternals, I also saw some Katars around with their conspicuous red hair. My disguise made me look like one of them.


    "What do the Liyates look like?" I asked Domo.


    "Look at that green-haired freak with four arms. That''s a Liyate," said Domo.


    I observed my surroundings and saw that there were quite a lot of Liyates that looked even sturdier than Katars on this planet. While speaking, I saw two imperial police officers clad in gold armor approaching on their battle-wolf mounts.


    "Canyue, be careful. The police are here," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We did not feel confident to face the police since we weren''t exactly here legally. Thus, we hurriedly withdrew into an alley. The patrolling police did not notice us and walked by us. All three of us heaved a breath of relief. We had encountered way too many dangers to reach this far. We did not intend to court even more dangers. Suddenly, a heavy hand of steel tapped my shoulder. When I turned my head, a familiar Gando face entered my view.


    "Gando!" I exclaimed and took a step back while my grip around my gun tightened.


    "Don''t be nervous. This Gando is not one of the black and white Gandos," said Domo.


    Only then did I regain my calm. I studied the Gando before me and found that the Gando was truly a different person.


    The Gando before me was also clad in white armor, but the armor was clearly in bad shape. There was no comparing this shabby armor with the shiny white armor of the white-eyed Gando. Also, this Gando wasn''t too tall. He was a similar height as Old Du at about two meters. A friendly look covered his eyes as he looked at us.


    "Excuse me, are you hiring a bodyguard?" asked the small Gando, a question I never expected him to ask.


    "You''re too small, and your armor is terrible. How dare you peddle yourself as a guard with your tiny size?" Domo''s business instincts took over as he started negotiating.


    "I might be small, but my iron staff technique is a unique technique exclusive to my family. Because this is my first time looking for a job, I can offer you a preferential price," said the Gando.


    "Name your price. We might need to stay here for seven Betelgeuse days. If hired, you will need to guard us 48 hours per day. If you''re too expensive, we will instead go hire some actual professionals," said Domo.


    The small Gando sank into silence. After thinking for a bit, he seemed to have steeled himself as he said, "Half an imperial gold coin."


    "Are you trying to rob us or something? Someone like you is probably worth only one imperial silver coin," said Domo.


    This was the very first time I saw a look of helplessness on the face of a supposedly ferocious Gando.


    "This Gando might just be a kid," Zhang Bao''er said to me.


    "Half a gold coin. You''ll be our guard. What''s your name?" I asked.


    "I''m Sarje. When do you need me to start working?" asked Sarje in excitement.


    "A rich fool indeed," muttered Domo under his breath.


    "Immediately. Are you fine with that?" I asked.


    "No problem. I can start immediately," answered Sarje cheerily.


    "Is there any place we can rest nearby? A tavern or something?" I asked.


    "Yes. Take a turn ahead of us and you''ll see a tavern. I''ll show you the way," said Sarje.


    We immediately followed Sarje when we heard that there was a tavern nearby. Only after walking out of the alley did I notice that Sarje was clad in outdated armor. He held an iron staff with his hand. Resting the staff on his shoulder, he bounced forth joyfully as he led us to the tavern.


    "Canyue, is this kid even reliable?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I guess. He doesn''t feel like the crafty type," I replied.


    After walking for about 300 meters, we arrived at a big building with a signboard saying: House of Brave. Sarje brought us straight into the tavern. We walked into a lounge staffed by a long-nosed alien.


    "Masse, I brought you customers. A room for five, please," said Sarje.


    "Where do you see five people?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Aren''t there five of us?" asked Sarje in a somewhat childlike manner.


    "Hehe, you''re treating yourself as a boss already? I really don''t understand why Gandos are considered good bodyguards with your level of intelligence," jeered Domo.


    I gestured at Domo to stop him and walked up to the reception desk. "Excuse me, do you have a big room here?"


    "How many people do you have?" asked Masse as he raised his head to meet my gaze.


    "Ten in total," I replied.


    "So many? I''ll need two silver coins per day for that," said Masse.


    "That''s too expensive! This is robbery!" exclaimed Domo, the money grubber.


    "Deal. Get the room ready," I said.


    "First room to the right on the second floor. You can check in the moment you pay. All guests are not allowed to disturb each other. Any violation will be immediately reported to the imperial police," said Masse.


    "No problem," I said.


    I turned and gestured at Domo to pay. He unwillingly fished out a gold coin from the bag he had gotten from Kado. The moment Masse saw the gold coin, his eyes seemed to light up. He accepted the coin in excitement, then busily searched his drawer. After a while, a pile of silver and copper coins was placed atop the counter.


    "Domo, how many silver coins can you get for one gold coin?" I asked.


    "One imperial gold coin is equivalent to a hundred imperial silver coins. One imperial silver coin is equivalent to a hundred imperial copper coins," said Domo.


    "What a scum. The silver coin is so worthless yet you had only offered our bodyguard one silver coin?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Since you''re so generous, feel free to be the one footing the bill," Domo retorted.


    "It''s not the time for you to be arguing," I said. "Bao''er, go bring Xingxing and the others here."


    Bao''er left to do as told. I took five silver coins from the counter and gave them to Sarje as the deposit for his service. As for the remaining pile, Domo carefully kept them all away. He even checked under the counter several times to make sure he hadn''t missed a single coin. We then went to our room together. The room was large, and it looked like a warehouse. After several minutes, Zhang Bao''er arrived with Zhang Xingxing and the others.

 CH 63

    Zhang Xingxing and company had just stepped into the room when she noticed the Gando. She instinctively brought her hand to her weapon.


    "Relax, everyone. This is a scrawny Gando that Li Canyue hired at a premium. He poses no threat to anyone," introduced Domo.


    "Do you even know how to be nice, you dwarf!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is our new friend. His name is Sarje. He probably knows Eternal better than us," I said.


    "I''m in your care, everyone. I''ll be in charge of security," said Sarje.


    "Sarje, do you know how far away the palace is?" Zhang Xingxing went straight to the point.


    "Palace? The place where the emperor stays? It''s very far away. It''s on the other side of the planet," said Sarje.


    Everyone was speechless. We had not imagined that Kado would deliver us to the other side of the planet from our target.


    "Are there any services that can bring us to the palace?" I asked Sarje.


    "That''s easy. Just get a glide-type shuttle," said Sarje.


    "Where can we find one?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I never bought one before. I''ll need to ask around," said Sarje.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded and said to me, "Go buy a shuttle with Sarje. It''s better for the rest of us to wait here to avoid any trouble."


    "Canyue, I tested our communicators. They work on Eternal. Keep your communicator on and keep in touch with us at all times," said Old Du.


    "Let me go with them as well," offered Domo.


    Zhang Xingxing agreed to the request. It was getting late, so Domo and I left the tavern with Sarje. Despite the late hour, the street was still bustling with activity.


    "The night here is twice as long as Blue''s, so their nightlife is twice as long. Canyue, you should find a chance to properly enjoy yourself here," said Domo with a cheerful smile.


    "Sarje, where do you plan to ask about the shuttle?" I asked Sarje instead of responding to Domo.


    "I''ll take you to my master. He knows this planet very well. He definitely has the answer you seek," said Sarje.


    When we arrived at a shop, Sarje told us to wait, and he entered alone to do some shopping. When he came out, I saw that he had something that looked like a bottle strapped to his waist.


    We followed Sarje on foot for about half an hour as we traversed the bustling bazaar and entered a quiet residential area. Sarje stopped at a relatively small building constructed in a style similar to a grass hut.


    "We''re here. Come with me. Master is old and erudite. We all know him as Master Crystal," said Sarje.


    "Remember to watch your mouth in the presence of the master. We will pay for any additional expenses," I reminded Domo.


    The Jido grumbled in agreement. Sarje pushed the door open, and we followed him in. We walked into a yard with blue grass. It was decorated with several rock gardens and ponds, and a massive tree was at the inner side of the yard. A series of buildings were built on the tree roots and the crown of the tree, each connected by a rope ladder.


    Sarje walked respectfully toward a building on the tree root, placed his staff on the ground, and brought his palms together. He said, "Master, two Katar friends are seeking to learn about something. I beseech your assistance, Master."


    After a long while, no response came from the building. Thus, Sarje stepped forth and pushed the wooden door open. Inside, it was completely dark. It took my eyes a while to acclimate to the darkness so that I could see an individual clad in a black robe. He was sitting upright on a cushion with his back facing us.


    We all sank into silence, and only the sound of flowing water could be heard in our surroundings. Seeing that Master Crystal seemed to be in some sort of meditation, the three of us sat down as well, waiting for him to finish.


    Sitting on the ground silently and listening to the sound of flowing water, I felt a sense of tranquility engulf my heart. After experiencing so many hardships, this was the very first time I was able to sit down with such calm. I felt my thoughts clear up and all my worries leave my mind.


    Minute after minute passed, and after an indeterminate amount of time, I saw the master stand up to turn to face us and then sit down again.


    "Master, you''re done?" asked Sarje.


    Master Crystal had a small stature. His entire body was hidden in his black robe, making it impossible for us to see his actual appearance. He reached out with his right hand, but I couldn''t even get a good look at his palm because it was covered by his robe.


    "Did you bring the thing here?" an overcast voice asked.


    "Yes, it''s here," said Sarje as he handed over the bottle-like object.


    Next, gulping sounds rang out. Clearly, Master Crystal was consuming some sort of drink.


    ''He''s not drinking some sort of liquor, is he?'' I wondered inwardly.


    After a short while, the bottle was emptied.


    "Why didn''t you bring more?" said Master Crystal angrily.


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    "Master, I''m sorry. Money is a bit tight recently. Just make do with this," said Sarje awkwardly.


    "What are they here for?" asked Master Crystal.


    "They''re here to seek your assistance, Master. They wish to learn about the planet," said Sarje.


    "Oh? They came empty-handed?" asked Master Crystal.


    I saw that Domo was on the verge of saying something, so I hurriedly cupped my fist and said, "Master Crystal, we wish to ask for a place where we can buy a glide-type shuttle."


    "Why do you need that?" asked Master Crystal.


    "We need to go to the palace, and we need a shuttle to carry us there," I said.


    The master shot forward at the mention of the palace, as though he was trying to get a clear look at my face. Within the black hood, I seemed to catch the glimpse of a pair of blue eyes.


    "Um. Neither of you is a Katar. Be honest. What are you planning to do?" said Master Crystal.


    I was alarmed. This master was too incredible. He actually saw through our disguise so easily. Sarje was also stunned, not knowing how to react.


    "Don''t worry, Master. We do not bear any ill will. Even this disguise is out of helplessness. We only hope to get an audience with the emperor," I explained.


    "Come, sit beside me," said Master Crystal as he pointed at me.


    "Canyue, be careful. This old man seems to be extremely powerful," whispered Domo.


    I nodded at him and stealthily activated my defensive system before moving to sit beside the master.


    "Give me your hand. And turn off your shield. I won''t harm you," said Master Crystal.


    I turned off my shield and handed my hand over as told. Then, the master covered my arm with his wide sleeve. I felt a small hand roam around my palm and my wrist. Oddly, the hand felt familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. The roaming persisted for about 10 minutes.


    "You''re a Blueling?" Master Crystal asked.


    "You know about Blue?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Yes. It''s a planet housing a complicated race in a different star system," said Master Crystal.


    "Have you met a Blueling before? Is it someone called Captain Zhang Han?" I asked.


    Master Crystal shook his head. "I never met that person before. I have only learned about Blue from an ancient record. According to the record, Bluelings have a unique pulse¡ªthe same pulse I had felt from you. That was why I had guessed you were a Blueling."


    "What record is it? Can I have a look at the record?" I asked.


    "I don''t have it. I saw it in the Imperial College''s library," said Master Crystal.


    "You were in the Imperial College before?" I asked.


    After a short silence, Master Crystal replied, "A long time ago."


    "If possible, can you take me to the book? How much would it cost? I can pay," I offered. An urge rose within me to take a look at the book upon hearing about it.


    "It''s a banned book. It has been sealed by the Imperial College. If you want to see it, you need to enter the Dark Hall in the college. That is where all the banned books are kept. Nobody has been able to see that book since it entered the Dark Hall," said Master Crystal.


    "Is that so? There''s no hope at all?" I asked in disappointment.


    "Nobody has ever been able to enter the Dark Hall. Even for the books that have their ban removed by the emperor himself, nobody has ever dared to retrieve the books placed in the Dark Hall," said Master Crystal.


    I felt greatly disappointed, but I did not dwell on it for long. After so many hardships, I was able to quickly recover my emotions.


    "Master, can you help us get a glide-type shuttle and take us to the palace first?" I asked.


    "It''s pointless to go to the palace. The emperor is not there," said Master Crystal.


    "What? Fille IV is not in his palace? Where is he?" I asked.


    "The emperor was enraged by Principal Sosse''s defection. Initially, he had the entire Imperial College placed on lockdown and all the scholars and theologians imprisoned, but he was eventually stopped by Empress Soffe," said Master Crystal.


    "Empress Soffe, Fille IV''s wife," I said.


    "Yes, and she''s also the mother of the future Fille V, Prince Yasse. She did her best to protect the Imperial College, but the subsequent defection of Theologian Fode infuriated the emperor."


    "Theologian Fode. I''ve heard of that name before. When I had first arrived on Lidu, a bunch of Eternal soldiers had been hunting for him," I said.


    "Yes. He had stolen the Imperial Golden Book, which Sosse hadn''t been able to steal. He had then escaped to reconvene with Principal Sosse," said Master Crystal.


    "Imperial Golden Book? What book is that?" I asked in confusion.


    "The Imperial Golden Book contains the empire''s highest level of secrets. Only the emperor and those of his blood are allowed to read the imperial book. Nobody else can read it," said Master Crystal.


    "Since nobody can read it, what''s the point in stealing the book?" I asked.


    "It was rumored that Principal Sosse intended to borrow the capabilities of some aliens to reveal the book''s secrets. The aliens he sought are none other than the Interstellar League formed by you Bluelings and the Gliesens," said Master Crystal.


    ''I did not expect the league to actually go against their promise of peace. Instead, they''re secretly planning an interstellar invasion,'' I thought to myself.


    "Fode''s escape angered the emperor greatly, so he went to the Imperial College personally. He intends to slaughter everyone at the college, and not even the empress can calm his anger. It''s rumored that she had personally visited the imperial family''s patron saint, the elder of the Sacred Wing race, to avoid unnecessary deaths," said Master Crystal.


    "Sacred Wing race?" I asked.


    "It''s a mysterious race that has been protecting the Eternals from behind the scene for many years. After the empire was established, their elder reached an agreement with Fille I. The goal of their race is to protect the imperial family unconditionally without interfering in any imperial affairs. However, the subsequent elders have become greedy for power and authority, to the point where the goal and teachings of the race were distorted," said Master Crystal.


    "You sound very familiar with them," I remarked.


    Master Crystal sank into silence. After a while, he said, "The elder then personally moved to meet the emperor, directly violating the policy of non-interference. The two held a secret discussion in the palace but were never seen afterward. The empress became worried and tried searching the palace several times, but nothing was found. She ultimately had the soldiers surround the Imperial College. That is why I had said that it was pointless for you to visit the palace."


    The explanation cleared the doubts in my mind. So it turned out that we were completely clueless about an event so major.


    "Where do you think we should go if we wish to seek the emperor?" I asked.


    Master Crystal stared at me before slowly saying, "Imperial College."

 CH 64

    "Canyue, Canyue, do you hear me?" Zhang Bao''er''s voice came from my communicator. His voice was weak, as though he had been seriously injured.


    "Yes. What''s the situation?" I hurriedly replied when I heard his voice.


    "Canyue, return as quickly as possible. We were ambushed," said Zhang Bao''er, sounding like he was using the final bit of his strength to say these words.


    "What happened? Who attacked you?" I cried out.


    A static sound came from my communicator as the connection was cut.


    "Senior, my friends have encountered some trouble. I need to go back and help them," I said hastily.


    "Where are you lodging?" asked Master Crystal.


    "House of Brave," I said as I stood up anxiously.


    "Sigh. Bluelings truly get nervous easily," said Master Crystal.


    I asked, "Master, why do you understand Bluelings so well? I really want to take a look at the book you mentioned."


    "Young man, I remember a Blue saying that I had read from the book: ''There is a cause for everything.'' The cause comes for you. The cause scatters for the heart. The cause gathers into ice. The cause ends the Purple Star," chanted Master Crystal when he saw that I was in a rush to leave.


    But at that point, I was no longer in the mood to listen attentively. I bid him goodbye in a rush and left the house.


    "How is it? How much did the old fellow charge you? It must be crazy expensive, right?" Domo asked when he saw me leave the building.


    "Xingxing and the others are in trouble. We need to return immediately," I said anxiously.


    "Hey, useless bodyguard, get up. Time to earn your pay," Domo said to Sarje.


    The three of us ran and soon reached the House of Brave.


    "Wait, don''t go over first," said Sarje when we arrived opposite the tavern.


    I could see many green-haired Liyates stopping the people that wanted to enter the tavern. They were clearly carrying weapons underneath their loose robes.


    "Who are these people?" I asked.


    "They are probably gangsters. The local gangsters in this area are known as the Brotherhood," said Sarje.


    "Are they all Liyates?" Domo asked.


    "Most of them, but there are also other races mixed among them. Look, each of them has a six-pointed star hanging on their neck," said Sarje.


    ''I wonder how the others are. Why are these people suddenly attacking the tavern?'' I wondered to myself.


    The communicator was still dominated by static. I could see that two of the gangsters were each aiming an odd device toward the sky.


    "Those are electromagnetic interceptors. They will create a sealed area where no radio waves can enter or leave," Domo explained when he saw me looking at the devices.


    "It''s already very late at night, so the pedestrians are dropping in number. The gangsters have fully taken control of the area," Sarje said.


    "We need to think of a way to enter quickly," I said.


    At this time, three individuals appeared behind us. They were rushing toward the tavern. The leader shouted while running, "You two fools. Run faster! We''re late!"


    I did not know what compelled me to do it, but when they neared me, I tripped the leader with my leg. When Sarje saw, he knocked down the two other individuals.


    I pounced on the leader and covered his mouth. "Not a peep, or you die."


    "Boss, I think I hit too hard. The other two fainted," said Sarje helplessly.


    "Good. Drag them to the alley. Domo, come help me cover his mouth," I said.


    Domo came over and covered my captive''s mouth. We then worked together to carry all three of them to the dark alleyway beside us.


    "Answer only the questions we ask. Do not shout if you don''t want to go under the ground forever," threatened Domo to the one person who was still awake.


    The captive nodded fearfully.


    "Who are you? Why did you take over the tavern?" I asked fiercely after tearing the strip covering the person''s mouth.


    My facial expression had obviously scared him; he answered shakily, "W-we received an order from Giorno. We rushed here immediately after that."


    "What order? Say it!" I demanded.


    He hesitated slightly before answering shakily, "The tavern boss, Masse, claimed that a few rich individuals had come to the tavern. The boss decided to rob them, but he discovered something important upon his arrival, so he called us over to back him up. Please don''t tell them I told you all this. And please don''t bury me under the ground. Please."


    "Damn that Masse! I''m going to kill him!" said Sarje furiously upon hearing that Masse was the one who had betrayed his customers.


    "Calm down. If you go over there like this, they''ll take you down easily," said Domo.


    "Take their weapons and tie them up. Domo, can we disguise ourselves as them and enter the tavern?" I asked.


    "I have the same idea. And remember to take their six-pointed star necklaces," said Domo.


    We worked together and tied the three up, covered their mouths, and took their weapons and necklaces. Then, Domo took out the blue pills he seemed to carry with him all the time.


    "We''re in a rush. Can we skip the pill?" I asked anxiously.


    "No. My disguise will only work alongside the pill. Don''t worry, I''ll finish as soon as possible," said Domo.


    Left with no choice, Sarje and I swallowed our pills quickly. Shortly after, I fell asleep.


    "Canyue, wake up. It''s done," I heard a voice calling for me in my daze.


    I opened my eyes immediately and saw that all three of us had each gained the appearance of one of the three captives on the ground. Apart from a slight difference in our heights, we almost look the same as them.


    Domo walked toward the three captives who were dumbstruck while looking at us. He kicked the leader, tore the strip off the leader''s mouth, and asked, "What''s your name?"


    "Kefe," replied the leader.


    "Good. Thank you very much," said Domo before putting the strip back on. "Canyue, remember your name. You''re Kefe."


    I nodded. We then walked toward the tavern. As soon as we left the alley, we encountered three Liyates in charge of keeping outsiders out. The leader was tall and sturdy, and he was wielding two rayguns with his four hands.


    "Dumb Torrians, always the last to come whenever there is an operation. Get your asses over to Giorno immediately," scolded the leader.


    We were more than happy to approach Giorno. With the six-pointed star necklaces hanging on our necks, we walked toward the tavern. Its entrance was crowded with ferocious-looking gangsters, and it took us quite a lot of effort to squeeze inside.


    With one look, I saw Prince Toruse sitting on a chair in the lounge. Zhang Xingxing and the others were nowhere to be seen. An individual with long green hair was seated across from the prince. He had a conspicuous scar on his face. The tavern boss, Masse, was standing beside him, and a large number of armed thugs were standing around them.


    "Prince, what do you think of my proposal? It''s not like you have any other choice. Rather than working with fugitives, why don''t you make a transaction with me? That way, you might still have a chance to reclaim your throne," said the guy with the scarred face.


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    The prince had his head lowered, showing no reaction to the scar-faced guy''s words. I was more worried about Zhang Xingxing and the others. After giving Sarje a signal with my eyes, we slowly moved toward the staircase leading to the second floor. Domo followed closely behind us.


    The stairs were also filled with burly chaps with vicious appearances. They were all focused on the room we had rented on the second floor. While nobody was paying any attention to us, we slowly climbed the stairs.


    Suddenly, a loud sound came from the first floor; the scar-faced guy had kicked his chair away. He ferociously said, "Prince, I''ll give you 10 more minutes to think this through. Don''t make a stupid choice, or I''ll hand you over to Prince Arude."


    The mention of Arude seemed to trigger the prince. He bolted up with a vengeful look in his eyes.


    "Yes, that''s more like it. Think carefully. At present, only our gang can help you. Those fugitives are nothing," said the scar-faced guy smugly.


    Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was focused on the first floor, Sarje rushed up the stairs, bringing us to our room. I saw Zhang Xingxing and the others lying motionless on the floor. The room was protected by the morph-capable shield, making it impossible for the gang members to enter. However, the crew was lying on the ground, and it wasn''t clear how they were doing.


    At that point, I was losing my patience. I could see a large amount of food and many glasses strewn across the room, both on the table and the floor.


    ''Looks like they had fainted from poison. If they were dead, there wouldn''t be so many people standing watch here,'' I deduced.


    Down on the first floor, the scar-faced guy was pacing around while waiting for Prince Toruse''s answer. A group of thugs constantly surrounded him, providing him with protection. I suddenly had an idea. I turned and looked at Domo who was following closely behind me.


    ''Since this is Planet Eternal, their electromagnetic system must be similar to Lidu''s. If so, can we use my suit''s energy to produce a time door here?'' I thought to myself.


    Having come up with an idea, I dragged Domo and Sarje toward the third floor.


    The third floor consisted of smaller guest rooms. Only three Liyates were standing guard at the staircase connecting to the third floor. When they saw us, they assumed that we were going to keep watch over the third floor, so they easily allowed us passage. I tried opening the door of one of the third-floor rooms. The room was empty, so I quickly dragged in Domo and Sarje.


    "Domo, can you create a time door between the scar-faced guy and the prince?" I asked.


    "What''s your plan?" asked Domo.


    "Open a time door. We jump over and attack Mr. Scarface. I''ll work with Sarje to capture their leader. Domo, you''ll drag the prince back to this room and keep hiding," I said.


    "I have the tools to open the door, but I don''t have any energy sources to do it," said Domo.


    "My suit will provide the energy. As for the rest, it''ll rely on how good you are. One diamond for this task," I said.


    "Just you watch!" said Domo in excitement as his eyes brightened at the mention of payment.

 CH 65

    Domo took out a cane. At the tip of the cane was a red stone grasped by four claws.


    "Give me your battery," said Domo.


    I detached an energy chip from my suit and gave it to Domo.


    "There is enough energy in this chip to power the suit for three hours. Will it be enough for your time door?" I asked.


    "I''ll have to give it a try first," said Domo.


    He took out another device and placed the chip on the device. The top of the device immediately lit up brightly.


    "Be careful. If this chip explodes, it can level this entire building," I warned.


    The device shone brighter and brighter. A beam abruptly shot toward the red stone at the tip of the cane, and the red stone soon turned purple.


    "I''m going to start setting coordinates for the time door," said Domo.


    "The red stone on your cane is made from the same raw materials used to produce static wormholes, right?" I said.


    "Good eyes. I did not expect you to also know this," praised Domo.


    ''You''ll never have known that my knowledge comes from downloading information. That thing costs money, so I definitely can''t let it go to waste,'' I thought smugly.


    Domo drew a circle on the wall with his cane and said, "The time door has been designed according to the coordinates. We can get to the prince through this door."


    "Sarje, when we get through, help me get the scar-faced guy under control," I said.


    Sarje nodded as he tightened his grip on his iron staff.


    "Go!" I commanded and stepped through the time door.


    In one second, I appeared in the middle of the lounge, coming face to face with the scar-faced guy. He was completely stunned.


    "Kefe, what are you doing?" a voice came from the crowd.


    Then, Sarje and Domo charged through the door. I drew my laser gun in the blink of an eye, rushed forth, wrapped my arm around my target''s neck, and pointed my gun at his chin.


    "Kefe, you useless Torrian, have you gone mad? You dare kidnap the boss?" another voice came from the crowd.


    "Don''t move, or I''ll blast his head off. I also have a nuclear bomb on me. At most, I''ll die with all of you!" I threatened the thugs.


    While I spoke, Sarje struck Masse with his iron staff.


    "Damn scoundrel! You dare betray us?" scolded Sarje.


    "You''re Sarje?" asked Masse doubtfully.


    While Sarje was beating the tavern boss, Domo dragged the prince through the time door and vanished before everyone''s eyes. The time door also shut behind them. All the thugs around us were dumbstruck. The change was too sudden, and they did not know how to react.


    "Why did I even bother paying you fools? Those guys aren''t Torrians! They''re the companions of those people! They got in by disguising themselves, and none of you noticed them!" scolded the scar-faced guy.


    The scarred man had quite a presence to him. The moment he spoke, his subordinates hurriedly pointed their guns at me and Sarje in fear. Their rayguns could instantly reduce us to ashes.


    ''These people won''t dare to fire with the scar-faced guy here. We need to make good use of him,'' I thought as I tightened my hold on my hostage.


    "You must be Li Canyue. I am Giorno of the Brotherhood. Why don''t we have a chat?" said the scar-faced guy.


    I was alarmed. I wasn''t surprised that he was Giorno, but I did not expect him to know my identity.


    "I can understand why the prince is stubborn, but you''re an explorer and a fugitive of the league. Why can''t we work together?" said Giorno.


    "There is no possibility of us working together. What did you do to my friends? If anything happens to them, none of you will live to see tomorrow," I said fiercely.


    "Calm down, great explorer. They had merely taken some sleeping water. They''re fine. Your companion, Zhang Bao''er, turned on the morph-capable shield before he fainted, locking us out of the room. I have been waiting for them to run out of energy," said Giorno.


    ''Bao''er contributes greatly when it truly matters,'' I remarked inwardly as I heaved a breath of relief.


    "Li Canyue, why don''t we talk about cooperation? Your hold over me is a tad bit too tight, by the way," said Giorno.


    "Have your people leave the tavern and give me the antidote to wake them up. I can then consider having a talk with you. If not, well, we can die together," I said.


    I could see Giorno nodding at one of the Liyates around us. The Liyate then left the tavern with the other members of the Brotherhood, leaving Giorno and Masse behind; the latter lying under Sarje''s foot.


    "Where''s the antidote?" I asked.


    "Masse, take the antidote out," said Giorno.


    Masse, badly beaten, took out a bag of white powder with shivering hands and handed it to Sarje.


    "Domo, come here. It''s temporarily safe," I shouted toward the third floor.


    Domo and the prince rushed down the stairs.


    "Domo, I''ll wrap the energy shield around the two of you. That will get you through Bao''er''s system. Go in with the antidote and wake Xingxing and the rest. Prince, go with Domo," I commanded rapidly as I wrapped an energy shield around the two.


    The two then rushed up the stairs.


    "Great explorer, are you happy now? The Brotherhood is sincere in this proposed cooperation," said Giorno.


    I relaxed my hold on Giorno, removed his gun, and aimed my gun at his head before saying, "Sit. As you wish, we shall have a chat."


    To be safe, I signaled Sarje to stand behind Giorno. With Masse in tow, Sarje stepped behind Giorno.


    "We had not offended you. Why did you attack us?" I questioned.


    "It''s not a targeted attack. This is our job. Most Katars work as laborers. It is suspicious for a group of Katars to come with so much money. We were here to take the ill-gotten wealth for ourselves," said Giorno.


    "Hehe, you''re nothing but a group of criminals. A robbery is a robbery. Why sugarcoat it into something so noble?" I sneered.


    "I did act in a civilized manner by giving them sleeping drugs. The prince had happened to be downstairs, so he had escaped the effect. Therefore, we captured him directly. As for the others, their disguises wore off the moment the drug took effect. Only then did I notice that you''re fugitives from the Interstellar League," said Giorno.


    "Looks like you''re quite a knowledgeable thug," I remarked.


    "Please show respect to my organization. You''re the actual fugitives here. Your name and your betrayal have spread your name all over the Milky Way Galaxy. I doubt the league will make such a big deal for the defection of a common soldier. There must be something special about you," said Giorno.


    "Hehe, I''m a normal person with a button I can press. There''s nothing special about me," I said.


    "No, I trust my intuition. The league will not do so much for a regular soldier. Therefore, I started considering what I could do with your people the moment I saw them. Surprisingly, I was lucky enough to even capture the prince of Akko. This is quite a profitable affair, to be honest," said Giorno smugly.


    "Prince Toruse is unrelated to our wanted status. What do you want from him?" I demanded furiously when I saw the shameless expression on Giorno''s face.


    "The prince is very useful for us. We can help him get the throne of Akko. That is big business," said Giorno with a treacherous smile.


    "Bullshit. Black and white never mix. The prince is an honorable person. How can he work with despicable criminals like you?" I said.


    "Prince Toruse is a prince. Is Prince Arude not a prince as well? If Toruse is truly so honorable, why are Arude and the Kingdom of Akko hunting him?" asked Giorno.


    His counter left me speechless. As the son of a common docker, the machinations behind the fight for the throne were beyond me. At this time, a series of sounds came from the second floor. Zhang Xingxing and the others must have woken up.


    "Canyue, where are you?" Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out.


    After a series of thuds, Zhang Bao''er ran down the stairs. He was slightly stunned when he saw us because he couldn''t recognize me.


    "Bao''er, stop staring. I''m Canyue," I said.


    "Canyue, you''re finally here. These bastards ambushed us with drugs! Good thing I was able to turn on the shield in time," shouted Zhang Bao''er in agitation.


    "I know. Well done, Bao''er," I praised.


    "I only have half my energy left. If you hadn''t come, my shield wouldn''t have lasted much longer," said Zhang Bao''er, still furious.


    Shortly after, everyone else came down. Zhang Xingxing was able to recognize me with one look.


    "Canyue, I knew you would save us," said Zhang Xingxing joyfully.


    "Everyone, keep your shields on. We''re surrounded by armed thugs," I said.


    "My great explorer, my respected prince, let me repeat myself. Do you think you can leave this place? The tavern is surrounded by my people. Even more are on their way here. Either you work with me or you stay here forever," threatened Giorno.


    "Who do you think you are? You dare threaten me? I''ll cripple you!" Zhang Bao''er lost his temper immediately.


    "Bao''er, listen to the leader and Canyue," said Old Du.


    "We will never work with treacherous scoundrels like you. Either you let us go or we fight you till the end," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That is unwise. Respected lady, even if I let you go, you have already broken the empire''s laws. The emperor decreed that no outsiders are allowed to land on Planet Eternal. Do you think the police will spare you?" asked Giorno.


    "We have the golden pass. After our audience with the emperor, you''ll see whether the police will spare us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Hehe. Emperor? Do you even know where he''s at?" asked Giorno.


    "Do you know?" I asked.


    "Ahh, so you''re here to meet the emperor. I finally understand. Without me, you won''t ever get to meet the emperor," said Giorno.


    "What do you mean? You know the emperor''s location?" I asked.


    Giorno stood up in a calm and unruffled manner as he said, "If you want to meet the emperor, come to the Miner''s District tomorrow at noon. Alone."


    He then sauntered out of the room. I blanked out slightly before deciding to ask even more questions. But when I rushed out of the tavern, the street had been completely deserted. Giorno and his people had retreated, leaving nothing behind.


    A cold breeze brushed my face. Four of the planets in the Betelgeuse System hung in the night sky, reflecting the star''s light onto the planet like three massive moons. The silvery white light sprinkled my whole body as I faced the deserted street. The transformation of a bustling bazaar into a silent street seemed to have brought me back to the beautiful Blue.


    "Canyue, do you have any new information?" Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from behind me.

 CH 66

    "Yes, I do. I was about to tell you about it," I turned to face Zhang Xingxing. "Let''s get everyone together."


    Zhang Xingxing gathered everyone at the lounge while I had Sarje hang a sign at the entrance indicating that the tavern was closed for business.


    In the lounge, I told Zhang Xingxing everything I had learned from Master Crystal. Prince Toruse appeared to be in disbelief when he heard that the emperor had gone missing.


    "What do you plan to do next?" Old Du asked.


    "I feel like Master Crystal knows the Imperial College well. I wasn''t able to get more information from him, so I think you still need to pay him another visit," I said.


    "Giorno asked to meet you alone at the Miner''s District tomorrow. It''s too dangerous. We should go visit Master Crystal together and learn more before making a decision," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "No. We can''t afford to miss out on any leads. We''re also short of time. Leader, you should visit Master Crystal with everyone and Sarje. I''ll meet Giorno tomorrow," I said.


    "I disagree. It''s too dangerous," Zhang Xingxing protested.


    "I already went against orders once. I hope you don''t make me do it again, leader. I don''t think there will be any issues. There is no need for him to make things so complicated if he intends to harm me. I''ll be careful," I argued.


    "It''s too dangerous for you to go alone," Zhang Xingxing was still worried.


    "I have an idea," Domo said.


    Everyone looked at him.


    "You''re not going to ask for money again, are you?" said Zhang Bao''er, who was getting nervous.


    Domo walked toward me in an unhurried manner and reached out his tiny hand. "Boss, let''s settle the previous bill first."


    I did not know whether to laugh or cry. But I did promise him payment, so I took out a diamond and placed it on Domo''s palm.


    "Why are you being paid before doing anything? Canyue, did you hit your head somewhere?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    Domo looked at Zhang Bao''er with derision and said, "There is no need for adults to explain their business to kids."


    "You!" Zhang Bao''er was about to rage, but Old Du stopped him.


    "Bao''er, stop messing around. Focus on the matter at hand," I said.


    "Yes, I see my beloved employer is still the polite one," said Domo as he put the diamond away before reaching out with his hand again.


    That action stunned even me.


    "Domo, I don''t have more money on me," I said.


    Perhaps even Domo himself believed that he was asking too much, so he pulled his arm back, grumbling silently.


    "In that case, you owe me 10 imperial gold coins for now," said Domo.


    "No problem," I agreed easily.


    "What rotten idea do you have? Say it." Zhang Bao''er was getting impatient yet again.


    Domo glared at Zhang Bao''er before turning to face Dondon. "Doesn''t this fellow know how to fly?"


    Dondon was hiding in a corner eating some crackers. When everyone looked at him, he was startled and dropped his crackers on the ground.


    "How did you know?" Old Du asked.


    "I saw this fellow floating in the air and eating some crackers when we were waiting for Canyue in the tunnel," said Domo.


    Everyone did not know whether to laugh or cry.


    "Canyue, give me another battery. I need to charge my concealment cloak," said Domo as he took out the cloak of invisibility we had used previously.


    "Use mine. Canyue, keep yours for an emergency," said Old Du as he took out a battery from his suit.


    "Dwarf, remember this. Fly into the sky and come under the cover of my concealment cloak. It will keep you invisible for two hours. After you find a hiding place, remember to turn it off to save energy. You''re the only one who can fly here," said Domo.


    "Good idea. Have Dondon back Canyue up. Dondon, take my gun with you. It is fully charged and is good for up to three hours of combat," said Zhang Xingxing as she handed her personal laser gun to Dondon.


    Dondon accepted the gun. It was the size of a pistol, but it still looked out of place in Dondon''s tiny paws.


    "The two of you must keep your communication networks connected. Especially you, dwarf. Remember to hide somewhere without electromagnetic interference," reminded Domo.


    "That''s the plan, then," I said to Zhang Xingxing. "Everyone, let''s get a good rest tonight. I''ll keep watch with Sarje."


    "I''ll keep watch with the Gando. You have an important mission tomorrow. Get a good rest," offered Titan.


    "That''s agreeable. Canyue, you''ll be meeting a gang alone tomorrow. Take a good rest," said Old Du.


    We were the only guests left in the massive tavern, so we all looked for different rooms to spend the night in. Masse was locked in one of the rooms by Sarje. The sequence of thrilling events had left me physically and emotionally exhausted. Thus, I drifted into a deep sleep not long after my head hit the pillow.


    My sleep was deep, and I had nothing in my mind, allowing me to recharge myself emotionally. The next day, the noise from the bazaar woke me up. I bolted upright and saw Domo sitting before my bed.


    "I reinforced your disguise just in case the imperial police find you," said Domo.


    "Thank you," I said.


    "I had the tavern boss draw a detailed map of the Miner''s District. Follow the route on the map. Consider this map and your disguise my gift to you. I''m making a loss doing business with you," said Domo as he handed me a map.


    I gave Domo a nod of gratitude. When I left the room, I saw that everyone was waiting for me in the lounge. As usual, Dondon was busy eating a canned space ration for breakfast.


    "It''s getting late. Let''s get ready to set off," I said.


    "Alright. We''ve been waiting for you to wake up. Watch your back and keep your communication channel open. We will be waiting for you at Master Crystal''s place," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Each time she expressed her concern for me, my heart would be engulfed by warmth. I nodded at everyone before leaving with Dondon.


    "Canyue, you must be careful. Take care of yourself," Zhang Bao''er''s voice came as I stepped out of the tavern.


    Outside, the street was already bustling with activity. I brought Dondon as I headed for the Miner''s District according to the map. From the map, the Miner''s District was quite far from the downtown area. We traveled according to the route on the map.


    A few hours later, the buildings and pedestrians around us became sparse while hills with oddly shaped plants appeared in our surroundings. The further we went, the taller and wilder the hills became. It was as though we were heading deep into the jungle.


    "Canyue, this does not look like a district at all. Did the tavern boss draw us the wrong route?" asked Dondon.


    "According to the map, we''ll be there after going around this rugged hill," I said.


    We continued for about 10 minutes before we finally walked around the mountain. The terrain opened up, revealing a massive basin before us. Its entrance was connected to several roads coming from the nearby mountains, and the roads were filled with people.


    Big vehicles were taking off in a constant stream and landing at a massive mountain in the distance, giving off the impression of a busy workplace. On the road ahead of us, a checkpoint could be found. More than 10 imperial police officers were there, performing inspections on those looking to enter the basin.


    "Canyue, those are imperial police officers. Do we take a detour?" asked Dondon nervously.


    "Wait here. I''ll go take a look. If anything happens, improvise. Shut your communicator for now in case their monitoring system can catch it," I said.


    I then turned on my shield. I noted that I still had 32 hours'' worth of energy left. I followed the road and slowly approached the checkpoint. I could see that every pedestrian needed to go through some sort of scanner before they could enter. Two armed officers mounted on battle-wolves were keeping watch to the side.


    ''This must be the genetic scanner Domo mentioned. I did not expect them to have this thing installed here at a place apart from the space station,'' I thought to myself.


    Noon slowly approached, and just as I was thinking of a way to enter, someone patted my shoulder. I turned, and a familiar scarred face entered my vision.


    "Great explorer, I''ve been waiting for quite a while," said Giorno with the same treacherous smile on his face. Behind him were about a dozen armed Liyate warriors.


    "There''s a genetic scanner from the police force ahead of us. How should I enter?" I asked.


    "Don''t worry about it. Everything is already prepared for a VIP like you," said Giorno as he pointed at a carriage beside us.


    I followed his finger and noticed an oddly-shaped carriage parked beside us. The beast pulling the carriage was breathing heavily. Its head was decorated with three massive horns, looking like a combination of a buffalo and a rhinoceros. An iron chain, connected to the carriage behind it, was fastened on its middle horn, and its six powerful limbs were also chained. It seemed like they relied on these chains to control this beast.


    A sturdy Liyate was sitting in the driver''s seat. He was tightly gripping the iron chain with two of his hands and was holding a sharp shining spear with his other two hands. Below the triangular carriage were two massive wheels.


    "Please board the carriage, great explorer," said Giorno.


    To avoid exposing Dondon, I got on the carriage without any hesitation. Giorno also followed me onto the carriage.


    "Go," said Giorno as he knocked at the front wall of the carriage.


    The driver stabbed the beast''s rear with the shiny spear. With a muffled bellow, the beast slowly dragged the carriage forward. Shortly after, we arrived at the checkpoint. The police officers completely ignored us. A Liyate opened a side entrance and allowed all of us to strut in.


    ''I wonder if Dondon is following us from the sky,'' I thought.


    "Welcome to the Brotherhood''s base of operations, the Miner''s District," said Giorno.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    I could see numerous laser cannons surrounding the basin. Patrolling the sky were the military air defense drones that I feared most. Countless armed Liyates and thugs of different races were keeping watch at the entrance. Everyone had a six-pointed star necklace hanging on their neck.


    ''The criminal organization here is way too powerful. They seem even better equipped than their police force. With the strict security here, how am I supposed to escape later?'' I reflected.


    Apart from the Brotherhood members who had the six-pointed star necklaces, there were also many individuals with yellow star necklaces around us. They seemed to be the small business owners in the basin with the constant hawking of their wares on the streets and in their shops.


    ''Looks like this district has formed its very own system,'' I thought.


    The carriage continued past the cannons and shopping district. Ahead of us, I saw a group of Katars without any necklaces. They were all chained, and each carried a big basket of black ores on their back. They were busy working under the supervision of several armed Liyates.


    "Why aren''t these Katars marked? What ores are they carrying?" I asked.


    "These are the captives from our war on Planet Kadote. They''re here to work on the mine," said Giorno.


    "Katars and Liyates are both citizens of the empire. Does the empire not care that you''re enslaving your fellow citizens? Are you not afraid that the free Katars will attack you after learning of this?" I asked.


    "Great explorer, you''re still too young. Nothing is impossible when the gain is great enough," said Giorno.


    "What are you mining here?" I asked.


    "These are iron ores of the highest purity," said Giorno.


    The mention of iron reminded me of the exploitation of Bluelings under the Gliesens. Everything was for the sake of iron, and even here, that did not change.


    Giorno seemed to have guessed what I was thinking. He slowly said, "Don''t think of yourself as some noble hero. Many of the ships from your league are also powered by our iron. That probably includes the ship you used to land on Jupiter II, Li Canyue."


    ''All the promises the league made us are nothing but lies,'' I thought to myself.


    While I was deep in thought, the carriage stopped before a big cave.

 CH 67

    "Great explorer, we''ve arrived," said Giorno.


    I followed Giorno off the carriage. We had arrived in front of a massive mining cave. The cave entrance was guarded by numerous armed guards. Countless haulage vehicles were parked randomly outside the cave, waiting to be filled. There were even more Katar prisoners working here. Most of them were already as thin as a bag of bones. My communication channel was still completely silent. Either Dondon had yet to turn on his communicator or the signal was blocked here.


    ''I hope Dondon can keep up with me,'' I thought.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    We walked through the entrance and entered a spacious cave. This zone seemed to have been mined to depletion. From the walls of the cave, this place was probably filled with ores in the past. Now that the ore deposit here had been emptied, the cave had become filled with weapon ammunition and numerous excavating machines.


    Deep inside the cave was a dark tunnel. A stream of mining carts filled with ores constantly came out from the tunnel. The moment a cart came out, a group of Katars would step forth to unload the ores before carrying them to the haulage vehicles outside the cave.


    "Why did you take me here? Does this place have anything to do with the emperor?" I asked.


    "You won''t be disappointed," Giorno said as he opened an iron door beside the tunnel entrance.


    An elevator was revealed before me. Giorno made an inviting gesture, and I stepped into it. Giorno stepped in next, followed by two burly armed individuals who stood behind me. The elevator rapidly descended toward the depths. During the descent, I noticed that there were countless mining sites in the area. About every five minutes, we would pass by a new mining site. Countless Katar prisoners were laboring for free for the Brotherhood.


    My communication channel remained silent. I started regretting telling Dondon to shut off his communicator. To preserve energy, I stealthily shut off my morph-capable shield. Just like that, we descended for three hours before we reached the bottom of the tunnel with a thud.


    Giorno pressed a series of buttons in the elevator as though he was inputting some sort of code. The ground below the elevator suddenly parted, allowing the elevator through before closing up.


    ''Where is this fellow taking me? It''s so hidden,'' I wondered inwardly.


    We continued descending for about five minutes before the elevator stopped. This should be the true bottom of the tunnel. The elevator door opened, allowing me to see that we were in a relatively small cavern. The cavern was filled with shelves lined with preserved goods such as food and water. There were also tens of wooden chests in the cavern.


    A small iron door was vaguely visible at the end of the cavern. A sturdy Liyate was sitting before the door. From his heavy breathing, it was obvious he had fallen asleep. Giorno signaled a burly guy behind him with his mouth, and the guy stepped forth to kick the sleeping Liyate to the ground.


    "You''re here to guard, not sleep," said Giorno coldly.


    "Y-ye-yes!" the Liyate hurriedly got back up and replied in panic.


    "Open the door," Giorno commanded.


    The guard quickly took out a key and opened the door. A dimly lit room could be seen beyond the door.


    "Please enter, my great explorer," said Giorno with an inviting gesture.


    I took big strides forward. It took my eyes a short while to adapt to the dim lighting. A long-haired, hunchbacked Eternal was seriously studying something on a table, completely ignoring our arrival. The long nose and fangs of this Eternal had degenerated, and he looked more like a scholar than a warrior. However, he also looked incredibly decadent.


    "Lord Fode, I brought you a friend," said Giorno to the Eternal.


    ''So he''s Fode? He''s wanted everywhere! I did not expect him to be hiding somewhere so hidden,'' I thought.


    "I don''t need any friends. I don''t have the time to meet anyone. These characters. There is no way to study them," said Fode without even turning his head.


    "I brought him here to help you with it. Respected Fode, he''s a Blueling," said Giorno.


    The moment Fode heard the word Blueling, he ran toward me, grabbed my arms tightly, and stared at my face.


    "No, this is not a Blueling," said Fode with a shake of his head. "You got the wrong person."


    "He is none other than Li Canyue, the wanted fugitive from the Interstellar League," said Giorno. "Great explorer, you may remove your disguise."


    I removed my disguise and stood before Fode as a Blueling.


    Fode started speaking non-stop to me, "Heavens. You really are a Blueling! Are you really Li Canyue? The life form known as Jupiter II, which you had driven off, had entered the Orion Constellation and vanished in the Horsehead Nebula. Why did the league turn you into a wanted criminal just for disobeying a superior?"


    "Do you know where the emperor can be found?" I went straight to the point because I found the theologian''s erratic behavior unbearable.


    "You want to see the emperor? He''s probably with the elder from the Sacred Wing race. I heard from Giorno that the emperor has been hiding for quite a while," said Fode.


    "How do you know that? And where can I find him?" I asked.


    "I can help you, but you need to first help me with this book," said Fode as he pointed at the golden book on the table.


    Only then did I start paying attention to the book. The book had a majestic appearance, and it gleamed brightly even under the dim light. Countless characters were written in the book.


    "Is this the Imperial Golden Book?" I asked.


    "You know this book? Is this book something all Bluelings know about?" asked Fode with excitement in his eyes.


    I shook my head and said, "I don''t know this book. I only learned about it from a friend after I had come to Eternal."


    Fode shook his head in disappointment.


    But he quickly recalled something and said, "Canyue, come, take a look at this book."


    I stepped forth and saw that the book was filled with characters I didn''t recognize. After flipping several pages, I could see that the book was filled with characters and star charts. These characters are probably the notes accompanying the star charts.


    "This book is the imperial family''s ancestral treasure. It was said that the secret of energy can be found in this book. However, only those of the Fille bloodline can understand this book. I have gone through this book countless times. Apart from star charts, there are only accompanying notes. However, there is not one recognizable celestial body in the star charts. Therefore, I need to decipher the characters if I want to learn the secret," said Fode.


    I stealthily turned on my translation system and scanned the book with my helmet. My database clearly indicated that these characters did not come from Blue or Gliese.


    ''Perhaps we need Amethyst to decipher these characters,'' I thought to myself.


    "I''ve never seen these characters before." I shook my head at Fode.


    Fode had a look of extreme disappointment.


    "Not even your tech recognizes these characters?" asked Giorno.


    "No, it doesn''t. No such characters can be found in the database," I said.


    "Sigh. The secret of energy. Why is it so hard to learn?" said Fode as he pulled his hair in a vexed manner.


    "Secret of energy. I seem to remember reading the same words from some history book before," I recalled something.


    I vaguely recalled my time in the cave at the Sirius System when Zhang Xingxing and Dodo had told us about the lost civilizations. The most well-known of them was the Atlantis civilization. After leaving Sirius, I once checked my database and learned that the most notable scientific accomplishment of the Atlantis civilization was their energy system.


    The center of Atlantis''s power system was the Heart of Atlantis, a massive six-sided crystal that could absorb and convert sunlight into energy. The energy system was installed at the center of the Sun Palace in their capital, Poseidonis. This civilization had learned to harness the cosmic energy that not even those of the 20th century could understand. The energy was concentrated and amplified and was ultimately spread to the world in the form of a blinding radiance.


    Not only had the Atlanteans mastered light to become an energy civilization, but it had also gained the ability to allow the old to regain their youth. Thus, Atlantis turned into a paradise. In the legends, Prophet Nommo had visited Blue multiple times.


    That was provable by the fact that Plum could speak ancient Chinese. Was it possible that right before Nommo had discovered the secret of Eternal''s energy, he had visited Atlantis? That would explain why Plum had previously mentioned time tunnel. Perhaps the language in this book depicting the secret of energy was the same language the Atlanteans used.


    The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I also cursed the stingy knowledge download system that had not provided me with knowledge regarding the lost civilizations to reduce costs. Zhang Xingxing was the only one who would be able to determine if these were the characters of the lost civilization of Atlantis.


    "Did you recall something, great explorer," asked a cold voice upon noticing my excitement.


    Perhaps it was because I couldn''t decipher the characters, Giorno was no longer as friendly as before.


    I stealthily turned on my shield. "I have some clues, but I''m not capable of deciphering these mysterious characters," I replied.


    "You have clues? Can you share them?" asked Fode in excitement.


    "I want to know what you hope to achieve by deciphering this book. Otherwise, don''t even dream of learning anything from me," I said, not showing the theologian any respect.


    "Calm down, calm down. We can always talk things out. What do you want to know, great explorer? We will not hide anything from you!" said Giorno, who returned to his previous friendly facade.


    My communication channel was still completely silent.


    ''Did something happen to Dondon?'' I wondered inwardly.


    "It is a long story if I am to talk about this Imperial Golden Book," said Fode.


    "Take your time. I have plenty of time," I said as I sat down on a chair.


    Fode shot Giorno a glance, and Giorno gave him a nod.


    "The biggest secret of the Eternal Empire is its endless energy source," said Fode.


    "The Orion Constellation has so many massive stars. The empire shouldn''t have any energy issues," I said.


    "Yes, these stars are rich in energy. However, only the ancient gods of creation can control them. A higher level of technology is required if we want to make the energy ours," said Fode.


    "And that is precisely the ability the Fille family has gained, granting them the power to rule the empire," added Giorno.


    "Yes. However, the emperor is becoming too ambitious," said Fode.

 CH 68

    "After conquering the Orion Constellation, the emperor started considering further expansion beyond the constellation. However, the many kingdoms under the empire''s rule had not received proper aid, resulting in a chaotic political system," said Fode.


    "So you defected because you did not wish to help the empire in its path of war?" I asked.


    "That''s partially true. Principal Sosse believes that to maintain peace, a powerful parliament for everyone to come together is required, not a dictator. The Interstellar League''s system fits the principal''s requirements."


    "Interstellar League? Hehe, you will understand how it really is after becoming a part of it," I sneered.


    "The emperor has always been the sole holder of the empire''s energy secret. The Sacred Wing race and the Imperial Police Force are the emperor''s loyal soldiers. Because of that, they are given a steady flow of energy. As for the rest of the army, they are allocated different levels of resources depending on their ranks," said Fode.


    "How about you? What kind of an organization is the Brotherhood?" I asked.


    "We do anything for money," said Giorno.


    "Do you have no bottom line at all?" I asked.


    "People will die for riches, just as birds will die for food," said Giorno.


    "Ca¡ª n¡ª yue," Dondon''s voice finally came from my communicator.


    His voice was cut off by static, and the channel returned to silence.


    ''There must be some sort of electromagnetic interference system here. Looks like it will be difficult to maintain contact,'' I thought.


    However, I was still relieved to hear Dondon''s voice. At least it indicated that the little fellow had reached a suitable position to use the communicator. He had done well. Meanwhile, Fode was still talking, recounting the Imperial College''s opinion on the emperor''s ambitions to further expand the empire.


    I interrupted Fode''s long-winded narration and went straight to the point, "So in short, you believe this book is the emperor''s secret in his control over energy."


    "Yes. Therefore, I hope you can help decipher these characters. Of course, that''s because the emperor is hunting me. I''ll be able to get my answer if I can actually travel to Akko and meet the people from the Interstellar League," Fode said.


    "The criminal underworld has its ways. Can''t they send you to Akko?" I asked while giving Giorno a look.


    "It won''t be hard for me to send Fode away, but the Imperial Golden Book emanates a unique magnetic field. It can be easily detected by the police. We can''t take this risk. That is why we had hidden this book so deep underground in the first place," said Giorno.


    "I thought you were colluding with the police, aren''t you? You were able to go through the checkpoint without any inspection," I said.


    "Yes, we can handle the police in charge of the Miner''s District, but we can''t handle the entire police force," said Giorno.


    "If you can help me decipher this book, we''ll help you meet the emperor," promised Theologian Fode.


    "But the emperor has been missing for a while. Do you really know where he is?" I asked.


    "Hehe, I doubt the emperor is missing. Either he is hiding or Fille V has inherited the throne," said Giorno.


    I could hear that there was a hidden meaning behind Giorno''s words. "From the sounds of it, you also harbor your own conspiracy against the emperor?"


    Giorno sneered, but he did not answer my question.


    "If the emperor is hiding to prevent being assassinated, why is the empress not aware of his whereabouts?" I asked.


    Giorno shot me a gaze and said, "Great explorer, when you become an emperor yourself, you will understand the loneliness at the top, the feeling of not having a single person you can trust."


    I might be the son of a simple docker, but I still understood what he meant.


    "Where do you think the emperor is??" I asked.


    "The Imperial College, most likely," said Giorno.


    While we were conversing, a Liyate thug rushed over, knocking a shelf on his way, throwing the books all over the ground.


    "Kid, have you gone mad? Why are you running so rashly? Do you know the rules of the Brotherhood?" rebuked Giorno.


    "Lord, there is an emergency. You need to know about this," replied the Liyate, gasping for breath.


    He was about to whisper to Giorno''s ear when Giorno stopped him with a gesture.


    "The great explorer is our VIP. Just say it out loud," said Giorno.


    "Yes, lord. We received news that the imperial police just captured a group of people. From a reliable source, they are the group from the House of Brave," said the Liyate.


    "What? My companions were all caught by the imperial police? Including Prince Toruse?" I asked anxiously.


    "Yes. Our informer in the police force personally received the group of prisoners," said the Liyate.


    "Was Master Crystal also captured?" I asked.


    "Who''s Master Crystal?" asked the Liyate.


    "A tiny old man clad completely in a black robe," I said.


    "I am sure there''s no such person among the arrested, but one of them was apparently missing. It''s the tiny fellow in the white suit from your group," said the Liyate.


    I wondered inwardly, ''That''s too odd. We have experienced so many battles. Our morph-capable shields should be able to help them fight an intense battle with the police. Why were they defeated so easily?''


    "Where are they locked?" I asked, noticing that the Liyate had left the crucial information out.


    "Imperial College," replied the Liyate.


    "Hahaha. Well, well. Looks like we will be visiting the Imperial College after all," said Giorno.


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    "Can you get my companions out? If you can, I''ll have your book deciphered. The person who can do it is among the arrested," I said to Giorno.


    "Are you sure you can decipher the book after I get your people out? You won''t renege on your promise?" asked Giorno.


    "When the time arrives, tell me what you actually want from the book. If it is not something treacherous, I''ll naturally help. Otherwise, even if I agree, the actual translator will not agree," I said firmly.


    Giorno blanked out slightly before looking at Fode.


    "By the name of the Betelgeuse God, I promise that I will only utilize the energy source for self-defense. It will never be used for offensive purposes," said Fode.


    I knew that such a promise was worthless, but to rescue Zhang Xingxing and the others, I could only convince myself to believe them.


    "If you can keep your promise, I''ll help," I said.


    "Deal," said Giorno in excitement.


    He then turned to the burly Liyate and said, "Get Team Leader Kalun here. Immediately!"


    The Liyate ran out to carry out his command. Surprisingly, the so-called Team Leader Kalun arrived in less than five minutes. Team Leader Kalun was not as sturdy as all the other Liyates I had seen. However, his six arms looked incredibly powerful, and his fierce face told the story of a veteran soldier.


    "Um. Kalun, do you have combat-ready subordinates around? How many of them do you have?" asked Giorno, pleased that Kalun had come so quickly.


    "My lord, I have 30 elite warriors available. As per your wish, they are on standby in the mine''s second layer."


    ''Oh boy. I was wondering about his speed, but it turns out that Giorno has killers hidden on standby all this while. This fellow is too treacherous. I need to be more careful around him,'' I thought.


    Giorno seemed unhappy at how honest Kalun was; a slight anger became visible on his face due to his embarrassment.


    "Contact the other four team leaders. I need 150 warriors gathered. Take your best weapons and equipment with you. Gather at the public square in four hours. Anyone failing to arrive on time will be subjected to military punishment on the spot," said Giorno fiercely.


    "Ye-yes!" Kalun stumbled over his words, most likely due to Giorno''s sudden fierceness.


    "Also, impose martial law on the surroundings of the public square. I do not want to see even one person unrelated to our operation near it," said Giorno.


    The team leader did not dare say anything else. He immediately left with his orders.


    "My respected great explorer, I have made my arrangements as per your request. We can set off for the surface in one hour," said Giorno with a smile.


    ''This person changes his expression way too fast. He is a scary individual,'' I thought.


    Giorno asked, "Lord Fode, can you give me the details on the college''s defenses and weaponry?"


    "The Imperial College is guarded by a fifty-person squad of Eternal soldiers. Additionally, there is also a twenty-person squad of imperial police to supervise the college''s daily operation. The college is surrounded by four rail cannons and four laser towers. Two of the rail cannons are installed near their front gate. The imperial police and ten of the soldiers are also stationed at the front gate. As for the other forty soldiers, they are in charge of patrolling the college," said Fode.


    "Out of Principal Sosse''s five personal guards, one is dead. The rest must have gone with him to Akko, right?" asked Giorno.


    "Yes. Heige was returning with a message for me from the principal. The police had noticed him and captured him after a bloody battle. The emperor himself decreed his execution," said Fode.


    "What a pity. The principal''s guards are all capable individuals. If they were still around, they could have helped us from the inside," said Giorno with a sigh.


    I interrupted, "Apart from those deployments, do they have other reinforcements or weaponry? If they have some sort of warship there, this operation will be the same as suicide."


    "As a precaution, the emperor once decreed that no large-scale spaceships can enter Planet Eternal''s airspace, including the army''s spaceships. I don''t know much about their reinforcements and weaponry, but from the current situation, the Sacred Wing race is probably protecting the emperor in the college," said Fode.


    "Sacred Wing race. Are they powerful?" I asked.


    "Since they can be the imperial family''s protector for so many years, they definitely can''t be underestimated. However, they are also very secretive. I''ve never seen any of them. Then again, why does it matter? We will use force to settle everything!" said Giorno in a domineering fashion.


    "We''re short on time. Let''s set off," I urged Giorno.


    "Great theologian, wait here for us," said Giorno.


    "Alright. Remember, don''t enter the restricted area. You won''t be able to bear the consequences," reminded Fode.


    We left the room and took the same elevator we had come from to return to the surface.

 CH 69

    The elevator took us on a long journey up the tunnel. Nobody spoke in the elevator, each entertaining their own thoughts. What I couldn''t understand was why Zhang Xingxing and the others were caught so easily. Furthermore, they had been caught before I could even receive any news. I did not know if Dondon was able to receive an update from them.


    The thought of Dondon reminded me that my communication channel was still filled with static. I kept the channel open, trying to see if I could receive Dondon''s message after leaving the cave system. Three hours later, we reached the surface. The iron door opened, and five armed Liyates stood in a row before us.


    Team Leader Kalun took the leading position. When he saw us, he stepped forth and said, "Boss, everything is ready. Please inspect the men at the public square."


    Giorno nodded expressionlessly before leading us to the public square.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?" Dondon''s voice came clearly from the communication channel.


    I coughed into the communicator as a reply.


    "I am hiding on the top floor of a tall building to the side. I have a clear vision of you. Don''t say anything to me. We''ll maintain contact," Dondon said.


    Hearing that Dondon was safe, my anxious heart was somewhat pacified. After about 10 minutes of walking, a massive opening appeared before me. The square was filled with members of the Brotherhood. The perimeter within 300 meters of the square was sealed off by armed individuals.


    I followed Giorno into the square and stepped onto a platform. A total of 150 burly Liyates stood before me. They were each armed to the teeth, their green hair drifting about in the wind. Five tanks that each looked like an egg were parked in the square. Above us, ten air defense drones hovered in a row. Even farther away, three massive transport ships were waiting. Everything was ready.


    "Warriors of the Brotherhood, today is a special yet important day for all of us. We are on the eve of carrying out an epoch-marking mission. The moment this mission starts, we are no longer a mere organization. Our goal? A stronger super empire," said Giorno from the platform.


    The thugs below the platform all roared fanatically upon hearing his words.


    "Today, I will take you somewhere you have never dared to dream of approaching. The Imperial College. There are countless riches waiting for us, and endless energy is there for the taking. The fall of the Imperial College will be the start of the rise of the Brotherhood!" Giorno continued his speech.


    An even louder cheer broke out from the crowd.


    ''Looks like this Giorno is quite good at stirring up public sentiment. He has successfully whipped these thugs into a frenzy,'' I remarked inwardly.


    Giorno commanded, "Everyone, take the transport ships to our appointed gathering point. Kalun, Kamo, and Edo, lead your men and attack as the main army with me. Aaron and Asa, take your men and neutralize the cannons and laser towers around the college. Take out the surrounding patrols while you''re at it. Remember this. After entering, I do not wish to see a single Eternal warrior or policeman. All combat personnel should be killed without mercy."


    The thugs answered loudly. With the arrangements made, everyone boarded the transport ships. With 10 burly guards, Giorno walked down the platform with me in tow. Kalun and the other two main army leaders were there waiting for us.


    "Kalun, spread my order. Nobody is allowed to enter the college''s final floor. Kill any who violates this order with extreme prejudice," commanded Giorno.


    Kalun immediately spread the order to everyone with his communicator.


    "Great explorer, take this. Things will get messy during the battle. Keep in touch with this," said Giorno as he handed a communicator to me.


    I accepted the communicator and hung it beside my ear before testing it out.


    "We will be boarding the ship heading to the college soon. Giorno, can you hear me?" I asked through the communicator.


    "Crystal clear," replied Giorno.


    Dondon''s confirmation also came from my suit''s communicator. Yes, my words were actually meant for Dondon, informing him of our imminent attack on the college. A small transportation ship landed before us. Giorno brought me, his personal guards, and the three leaders into the ship.


    ''Dondon will have to think of a way to go to the Imperial College,'' I thought.


    The ship took off and started flying toward the Imperial College. The three larger transportation ships followed behind us.


    I couldn''t keep my mind calm, ''We''re finally going to the Imperial College. I wonder how Xingxing and the others are. I hope they''re safe.''


    The ships flew over the rugged mountainous terrain before ascending higher into the sky. Up in the sky, I saw numerous cities, lakes, forests, and other geographical features similar to what one would see on Blue. However, the life forms here were different. A type of blue plant covered the vast majority of the terrain. The only difference was that this planet did not have large swathes of a blue sea like Blue.


    I could see many large lakes that seemed to be in the process of drying, and dried rivers could be seen all around them. A planet that was rich in water according to Nommo had been reduced to a state where water was so scarce.


    After flying for about five hours, the signal light on the ship started blazing.


    "Boss, we''re approaching the college''s zone. The ships are entering stealth mode," reported Kalun.


    Giorno nodded. All the ships slowly turned transparent, as though some sort of projection technology had turned all of them invisible.


    "Since we have invisibility technology, why don''t we land at the very center of the college?" I asked.


    "Respected great explorer, this invisibility technology won''t be able to hide from the light wave scanners on the rail cannons and laser towers. The moment we enter their attacking range, they will fire on us. At that time, we will lose both our ships and our lives," said Giorno.


    I stuck my tongue out and stopped talking.


    At this time, numerous black buildings appeared on the horizon. As the ship approached, an imposing building complex appeared before my eyes. The entire complex was painted black. The outer circle of the complex was surrounded by numerous small buildings, resulting in something similar to a city district.


    At the very middle of the district was an area surrounded by massive walls. Within the walled area, a black pointed building shaped like a sawtooth stood tall. The building was tall enough to touch the clouds, and it looked solemn and majestic. The building was surrounded by three similarly shaped buildings of different heights. These buildings were considered the Imperial College''s core area.


    As the ship continued approaching, I could clearly see the many massive rail cannons and laser towers surrounding the college. Looking at the imposing complex of armaments and strict security, I realized that a bitter battle was coming. At that thought, I stealthily turned off the communicator Giorno gave me.


    I hid in the corner and called Dondon when nobody was paying attention to me. "Dondon, calling for Dondon, can you hear me?"


    "I''m here. I sneaked into the armory of a transportation ship while they weren''t paying attention," said Dondon.


    "Well done. I''ll give you an important mission. Remember, do not try to fly over the walls while invisible. The cannons will strike you down. Remember, keep hiding and don''t take part in the battle. Wait until all the cannons and laser towers are destroyed before entering the college. Look for Zhang Xingxing and the others. According to a reliable source of information, the crew was imprisoned in the college after being captured."


    "What? The team leader and the others were captured?" Dondon was astonished.


    "Yes. The battle will start shortly. I need to maintain communication with the Brotherhood so I''ll keep my communication channel open. But to keep you hidden, I won''t be speaking to you. Just act according to what I told you," I said.


    "Roger," Dondon gave a concise reply.


    Then, I turned on the Brotherhood''s communicator again. A series of voices immediately came from the communicator.


    "Reporting, the surveillance drones have transmitted new recordings back. Please accept," a voice said urgently.


    I immediately stepped forth.


    "What happened?" I asked Giorno.


    For the very first time, a fretful expression appeared on Giorno''s face. "The surveillance drones discovered that a police squad had been stationed at a forward base in front of the college."


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    "Why is a police squad suddenly stationed there?" I asked.


    Giorno looked at me and said, "You''re a famous fugitive not among the captured. Do you think the empire is so stupid that they won''t take precautions against your attempt to save your people? However, this proves that there are important people in the college. If it''s not the emperor, then your friends are definitely here."


    "Boss, do we alter our assault?" asked Kalun.


    "No. Follow our original plan. The teams in charge of attacking the main entrance will first focus on the forward base. Have all ships land 30 kilometers away from their respective targets. The teams in charge of attacking the walls can make their offensive arrangements themselves. As for the arrangements for our offensive, I''ll let you know shortly," said Giorno, displaying the temperament of a calm leader in the face of chaos.


    As Giorno''s commands were passed on, I checked my weapons before taking out my laser gun and automatic rifle armed with tracking bullets. I knew very well that a bitter battle was unavoidable. Thus, I set my weapons to fatal mode.


    Energy remaining in my suit: 31 hours.

 CH 70

    We landed behind a small hill 30 kilometers behind the college.


    "All teams, wait for my command before attacking. The two groups in charge of the walls, get in your positions but don''t attack first. Wait for my order," commanded Giorno through his communicator.


    "Why don''t you have everyone attack simultaneously? You can confuse the enemy that way," I asked.


    "No. I intend to concentrate our main offensive on their forward base. Then, we''ll use the forward base to lure the enemies out of the college before attacking their defenses. We will suffer fewer casualties that way," said Giorno.


    At this time, everyone had already left their ships. Giorno gathered three tanks, all our drones, his vanguard, and his personal guards to form an offensive front of 120 people. With this group, he intended to attack the police force stationed at the forward base.


    "Kamo, Edo, lead 20 soldiers each to the left and right behind the forward base. Wait for my command and attack at the same time. Kalun, lead all our heavy shooters and launch a frontal assault with me. Great explorer, stick with me. After everyone is in position, we will start our assault," commanded Giorno.


    Kamo and Edo quickly left with their orders. After Kalun gathered all the heavier units, we started pushing forward. The sky was starting to turn dark while the three planets of the Betelgeuse System rose in the sky like moons. The silvery white light they reflected upon the planet shone upon the marching soldiers. An intense battle was imminent.


    When we were about three kilometers from the forward base, the situation and defensive posts within the base became clearly visible to us. Our ambushers were hidden in the bushes around the walls, awaiting Giorno''s command. Immediately, a gust of fierce wind started blowing, bringing thick purple clouds from the horizon, covering half the sky above us.


    "Looks like a storm is coming," said Giorno in joy. "Even the heavens are helping me."


    Time marched on as Giorno sank back into complete silence while sprawled on the ground in the meadow. The others did not dare to make a sound.


    "Hide yourself well. Nobody acts rashly. Wait for the command before attacking," commanded Giorno.


    "You''re waiting for the storm before attacking?" I asked.


    "Yes, great explorer. We''ll borrow the help of the storm and catch them by complete surprise. Even God Betelgeuse is standing on our side," said Giorno proudly.


    The wind grew fiercer and fiercer and thick purple clouds covered the sky. The three planets were no longer visible. Our surroundings sank into darkness. A purple flash streaked across the sky followed by a deafening rumble. The scale of this storm was at least two times larger than the largest storm on Blue.


    In less than a minute after the lightning strike, heavy rain fell. I had never seen rain so heavy with such massive raindrops. It was as though a waterfall was falling from the sky. In the span of a few minutes, a flood formed, and powerful water currents loudly roared through the landscape. Our visibility dropped to less than one meter. I immediately turned on my infrared vision. Beside me, Giorno suddenly moved.


    "Drones will open fire first. Aim at the center of the forward base and focus fire on the laser towers there. Tanks will go next. Focus fire on the very front of the base. Everyone else advances behind the tanks. Kamo and Edo, attack after our first wave of attacks," commanded Giorno.


    ''The battle is finally starting. There is no turning back now,'' I thought to myself.


    I could feel adrenaline pumping throughout my body and my heartbeat accelerating. The 10 air defense drones took off together, heading toward the forward base. The rest of us followed behind the tanks. Through my infrared vision, I could see our drones quickly arrive above the base. Thanks to the cover of the intense storm, the base did not react at all.


    The 10 drones combined all their laser beams together to form a massive red beam that dropped down at the base. The battle began. A blinding radiance flashed as the red beam struck the forward base''s defensive shield, with the point of impact caving in.


    As the torrential rain poured, the red beam continued focusing on the same spot. The purple shield turned thinner and thinner. It looked like the shield was on the verge of being broken. Next, a series of violent explosions erupted as the three tanks opened fire on the base. Over a hundred artillery shells streaked forth with yellow tails trailing behind them. The electromagnetic artillery shells struck the shield, creating countless depressions.


    "Spread my order. Do not bother to save energy. Attack with all you have. Break through their shield," yelled Giorno into the communicator.


    It was at that moment that the alarm of the forward base rang, informing our enemies of the attack that had come from behind the cover of the storm. Countless red plasma bullets shot toward us. The number of incoming bullets surpassed my expectation. The intensity of our battles on Lidu was nothing compared to this battle.


    The sounds of wind, rain, thunder, explosions, and yelling soldiers blended together to create a cruel symphony of war. A deafening explosion erupted as a pillar of fire soared in front of us, shooting high into the sky.


    "The air defense drones broke their shield. Brothers, time to attack! Charge!" Giorno roared. "Kamo, Edo, attack with all your strength!"


    I could see that a big hole had appeared on the shield of the forward base. The hole was expanding rapidly, reducing the efficacy of the shield at a high pace.


    "Kalun, take 10 men with you. Form a suicide squad and charge straight to their defensive shield device. Don''t allow them to create any new shields. Blast it apart," Giorno commanded.


    "Yes," Kalun replied before charging forward with a group of 10 elite warriors.


    Our tanks took this opportunity to fire fiercely at the forward base, bombarding our enemies with massive electromagnetic artillery shells. I saw the resulting explosions blast away many imperial police officers.


    "The imperial police is nothing special, after all," said Giorno, becoming smug.


    At that moment, the storm weakened, allowing me to see the base being attacked from three directions. Suddenly, more than 10 massive fireballs rose from the base. The fireballs whistled through the air as they shot toward us.


    "Not good. Everyone, watch out! Take cover!" I shouted.


    The massive fireballs landed, creating powerful explosions and shockwaves. The few Liyates at the very front of the line were directly blasted into smithereens. One of the fireballs struck a tank in front of me, creating a large explosion that sent the vehicle flying into the sky. The tank dropped as a pile of scrap iron. With my shield running at maximum capacity, the explosion wasn''t able to deal much damage to me.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Boss, the enemy''s firepower is too strong. The enemies protecting the shield device also have strong firepower. Over half our suicide squad is dead," Kalun''s voice came from the communicator.


    "That is not what I want to hear. If you fail, just die there," said Giorno ruthlessly.


    I noticed more than 10 air defense drones flying out of the base. They engaged our drones in combat. Massive fireballs continued raining down upon us. Due to the suppression from our opponents, the chaotic front line consisting of police regained order. Numerous beams and bullets shot toward us once again.


    I rushed toward Giorno and roared, "This won''t do. Their fireball cannons are too powerful. We need to destroy them. Have your drones switch targets. Don''t bother with their drones and focus on the fireball cannons. Have your tank provide cover for Kalun''s unit."


    He looked at me with slight hesitation before shouting at a subordinate beside him, "Do what the great explorer said. Change our plan."


    The order was carried out promptly. Borrowing the cover of the storm, the tanks altered their targets and provided cover for Kalun''s unit. As for the 10 drones on our side, they withdrew from the air battle, turned on their shields to block the numerous laser beams shooting at them, and flew toward the fireball cannons.


    The enemy''s attack was exceptionally fierce. The drones'' shields were being weakened at a rapid pace, gradually turning from gold to red in color. Suddenly, the 10 drones fired a volley of laser beams toward the base. A massive explosion erupted, and a mushroom cloud rose from the base. The dark sky was painted red by the intense light of the explosion. The drones had succeeded.


    The explosion created a disturbance among our enemies. The Liyates started gaining ground from all three directions. Unfortunately, three of our drones were struck after their shields failed due to the intense attack bombarding them. They exploded and dropped to the ground.


    "Withdraw the remaining drones. Brothers, provide cover to the drones!" commanded Giorno.


    The remaining drones hurriedly retreated while the advancing Liyates fired at the enemy drones to cover the retreat. The cover fire worked; the pursuing drones stopped aiming for our drones. Instead, more than 10 laser beams dropped from the sky and sliced numerous attackers apart, covering the ground with Liyates howling in pain.


    "Kalun, Kalun, how''s your progress?" The focus was now on Kalun now that the fireball cannons had been destroyed.


    However, no reply came.


    "Damn it! That fellow must have died," Giorno cursed. "We need to destroy their shield device. Any volunteers?"


    His personal guards and the other Liyate thugs wore fearful expressions when they heard his question.


    "Reporting, boss. A group of reinforcements has been gathered in the college. There are about 30 of them. From our initial observation, they are Eternal guards. They seem to be heading out to support the forward base," a voice came from the communicator.


    "Excellent. The enemy has fallen for our trick. All that''s left is to destroy the shield before their reinforcements arrive. Otherwise, all our sacrifice up to this point will have been for nothing," said Giorno.


    Alas, nobody offered to go.


    "I''ll go," I said.

 CH 71

    "Good. Great explorer, my faith in you wasn''t unfounded, it seems. But if anything happens to you, what should I tell your friends? And how about our agreement?" Giorno said.


    "My communication system has a storage function that will last 30 days. You can browse my database in case something happens to me. Don''t worry," I said.


    "Excellent. I''ll give you 10 warriors. Go with them," said Giorno.


    "No. I only need five," I said.


    Giorno picked five of his elites and had them go with me.


    "Take this. This is a micro-atomic bomb. Install the bomb on the device and withdraw immediately. The bomb will activate automatically the moment it is attached to something. It will detonate after three minutes," said Giorno.


    I accepted the bomb and left immediately. By then, the storm had already stopped. The three planets had revealed themselves in the sky yet again, illuminating the battlefield with a silvery light. The three offensive lines were still fighting intensely. I noted with astonishment that a majority of the drones in the sky had retreated back to the college.


    Corpses were strewn all over the main offensive line. Of course, things weren''t much better on the police''s side either. Slowly but surely, they were being suppressed. An encirclement was starting to form around them. I led my squad and advanced quickly. The visibility was much better with the storm gone. I could clearly see that at the very top of one of the walls was a purple device. The device was being charged.


    I drew my automatic rifle loaded with tracking bullets and aimed at the charging device. With a pull of my trigger, thousands of tracking bullets shot toward the device. The device hurriedly withdrew into the wall, allowing the wall to block all my tracking bullets.


    ''Good lord. This device can also hide automatically?'' I thought.


    A laser beam shot toward me, piercing through a Liyate beside me. A red hole was left in the Liyate''s body, instantly killing him.


    "Get down!" I roared.


    Concentrated laser beams rained down upon us, leaving numerous red smoking craters on the ground. I saw a crouching police gunman firing a mounted laser gun at us from a bunker. The concentrated laser beams suppressed us badly, to the point that even raising our heads was difficult.


    "Giorno, cover fire needed from the tank! Ten o''clock from us!" I shouted into my communicator.


    A few seconds later, the tank''s yellow artillery shells dropped from the sky, creating several explosions in the base and raising clouds of dust and smoke.


    "Crawl forward at top speed," I commanded.


    The four surviving Liyates followed me and advanced quickly under the artillery''s cover fire. About 50 meters later, we entered a massive crater. I saw Kalun lying on the ground with his face to the sky.


    "He''s still alive. The shockwaves had jolted him unconscious," said a Liyate.


    "You, watch over him. Retreat when possible," I commanded.


    A different Liyate stretched his head in preparation to scout ahead of us. With a bang, a beam struck his outstretched head, turning him into a headless corpse. Once again, laser beams rained down upon us, keeping us trapped in our hiding place. The enemy gunman seemed to have discovered our location and was madly firing at us. Through my probe, I saw that the charging device had come out of the wall yet again.


    "Great explorer, bomb the shield device quickly. Their reinforcements are arriving soon," Giorno''s voice came from the communicator.


    Two red beams suddenly came from my back and struck the ground beside me. When I turned my head, I saw two drones firing at me.


    ''When it rains, it pours. Looks like the enemies are aware of our goal. They''re focusing on me,'' I thought.


    With a yell, another Liyate beside me was felled. The remaining two were returning fire at the two drones.


    ''Li Canyue, charge! This falls on you now,'' I told myself loudly.


    I turned my shield to the maximum capacity, gripped my gun tightly, and took a deep breath. I then rose and charged toward the rain of beams. Large beams struck my shield, draining my suit''s energy rapidly. I threw all caution to the wind and continued charging forward.


    After a minute, I reached the gunman. He seemed dumbstruck by the prowess of my shield, staring from behind his shield blankly. I installed a timed cluster bomb on his shield before leaping to the side. With a loud explosion, the transparent shield was blown apart. I bolted up and stuck another cluster bomb on the mounted gun before firing at the still-stunned man. Surprisingly, his armor was able to block all the rays I fired.


    ''Good lord. This armor is way too strong,'' I thought.


    At that time, the gunman recovered from his shock. He immediately reached for the cluster bomb I stuck to his gun. In a moment of desperation, I pounced on the gunman. The two of us rolled off the platform housing the mounted gun.


    We wrestled each other madly. At this time, my morph-capable shield proved its superiority, blocking all of my opponent''s punches as I continued choking his neck with both my hands.


    The gunman struggled with all his might. I suddenly saw a corpse on the ground beside us. His cause of death seemed to be a bullet to his exposed face. A bright idea struck me as I reached for my opponent''s helmet.


    The evolved version of a young Eternal with soft facial features revealed itself. I immediately pulled my gun and aimed at his head. The gunman finally realized the situation he was in. He stopped resisting and raised his hands.


    "Take off your armor. Make it quick," I ordered.


    The young policeman was momentarily stunned. He quickly stripped the golden armor off his body.


    "Leave. Go as far as you can. Don''t let me see you again," I said.


    The young policeman had a hard time believing his ears. After taking a few steps backward in hesitation, he turned and ran toward the college. I then turned around to see that the air defense drones were still exchanging fire with the two Liyates. I could also see that Giorno''s people had seized control of the first floor of the base. However, those on the second and third floors were still resisting fiercely.


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    After looking at the drones one more time, I looked at the mounted gun before me. I took the cluster bomb off the gun, raised it, and fired at the drones. Powerful laser beams struck the drones'' shields. In less than a minute, the shields were overcome, and the two air defense drones were struck down. Dazzling red fireworks erupted in the sky. The attackers cheered, and their morale raised. They charged madly while shouting their battle slogans.


    "Canyue, the enemy reinforcements have set off. Estimated arrival in three minutes," Giorno''s voice came from the communicator.


    I let go of the mounted gun and rushed toward the shield device. A sealed circular shield stood around the device. Below the wall, I saw a thick locked door. After installing a high-energy cluster bomb on the door, I jumped away. With a boom, the door was blasted apart.


    I then rushed through the door. A towering iron charging device was operating at full power. An optical cable from the ground was connected to the pedestal below the charger. Countless lights were blinking non-stop on the device. In the middle of the device was a tube, with a blue beam almost reaching the top of the tube. The device was on the verge of activation.


    ''Damn it! I wonder if I have enough time,'' I thought.


    I quickly installed the micro-atomic bomb between the cable and the pedestal before leaving the room. I hurriedly jumped into the crater behind the mounted gun and lay on the ground. From my position, I could see that the two Liyates who had come with me were retreating with Kalun.


    The large number of reinforcements were only 300 meters away from us. I could clearly see the battle-wolves leading the charge with ferocious-looking Eternal soldiers mounted on them.


    ''Damn that Giorno. Why did he set the bomb to three minutes? Three minutes have never felt longer than this,'' I cursed inwardly.


    Right at that moment, the purple charger rose from atop the circular wall. A thick blue beam shot toward the sky, forming a hexagonal shield. With that shield as the core, more and more hexagonal shields activated and joined together.


    "Damn it! The shield is activating," I thought.


    When more than 10 hexagonal shields had taken form, a noiseless light flashed, and a miniature mushroom cloud rose from the shield device. A violent shockwave rushed past me, followed by an ear-splitting sound.


    ''Thank the heavens, I finally succeeded,'' I thought.


    "Brothers, Brother Canyue has successfully blown their shield apart. The enemies are defenseless. Charge!" Giorno spurred his men onward for a final charge.


    The loud explosion shocked the remaining police officers. The mad thugs that were charging without regard for their lives further frightened the police officers. They abandoned the base in droves and started running toward the college.


    A burly figure rushed past me. It was a Liyate thug, his green hair trailing behind him. He sat down on the seat behind the mounted gun and aimed it at the incoming reinforcements before pulling the trigger.


    The massive red beams instantly struck three mounted soldiers at the front of the group. The reinforcements were at a loss as to what to do when they saw the retreating police officers. They seemed to be stuck in a hard place.


    "Aaron and Asa, attack from your positions. Everyone else, assemble and give chase. Attack in a straight line. Have the drones join the offensive after charging. Do not give them a chance to recover. Attack with everything you have," commanded Giorno with his communicator.


    ''This Giorno is quite a decisive one to attack without even resting,'' I thought.


    Unknowingly, Giorno came behind me with two burly bodyguards. "Great explorer, beautifully done."


    Once again, yellow artillery shells shot out from the tank in the direction of the college.

 CH 72

    Sounds of explosions rang out. I found with astonishment that the air above the college was not protected by any shield. The artillery shells were able to land on their perimeter walls and buildings, sending chunks of buildings flying everywhere.


    "Brothers, kill!" Team Leader Kamo charged at the very front. Wielding an iron hammer, he charged into the reinforcements and started his slaughter.


    The thugs behind him were provoked by their leader''s bravery as they madly charged the Eternals and engaged their enemies without regard for their lives. With a loud explosion, a laser tower in Team Leader Aaron''s direction crumbled apart. Giorno was so excited by the smooth assault that he started dancing.


    In front of the college, the melee was still continuing. About 70 Liyate thugs fought against 30 Eternal soldiers. Their numerical superiority did not take long to display its benefit. In only 10 minutes, the Eternal soldiers were decimated.


    "Fire your cannons. Drones, charge and blast their cannons! Take the college in one charge!" Giorno roared.


    I suddenly noticed something wrong. "Wait, something feels odd."


    "What did you discover, great explorer," Giorno hurriedly asked.


    "Their rail cannons and laser towers are still inactive. Even their drones aren''t out. Don''t you think that''s weird?" I asked.


    The suspicious circumstances invoked Giorno''s suspicions as well.


    "Everyone, pause your attack. Assemble before the base and be on standby," Giorno suddenly ordered.


    Giorno''s authority was unquestionable. Even though all his men were still in a state of battle-lust, the battle stopped as commanded. Apart from the sound of burning flames, the battlefield sank into an inconceivable silence.


    "The tanks will be the vanguard. The drones will provide cover. Everyone else, advance slowly. Do not fire without my command," ordered Giorno.


    I advanced with the army at his command. The college''s imposing gate entered my eyes. We were able to push all the way to the gate. Our surroundings were completely calm with no reaction whatsoever from our enemies.


    "What is this? Where are their defenses? Have all their people escaped through a secret tunnel?" Giorno asked.


    The thug in charge of their probe robots reported through the communicator, "Reporting, boss. Someone is walking out of the college."


    "How many people?" Giorno asked.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Only one. He''s coming," replied the thug.


    "What''s going on? Everyone, do not move without my order. Execute anyone who fires without permission," commanded Giorno.


    The gate opened slowly. An old man in a yellow robe walked out and continued walking toward us.


    "Great explorer, how about you and I go meet him?" Giorno asked.


    "Sure," I replied.


    I stepped forth with Giorno and soon met the old man face to face. The old Eternal''s face had evolved to an incredibly scholarly appearance. He had kind brows and pleasant eyes, completely unlike the Eternal soldiers I had seen before.


    "Great master, we''re in the middle of a war. What brings you here all alone? Are you here to negotiate on behalf of the emperor? Be careful as bullets have no eyes," said Giorno.


    The robed great master did not say anything. Instead, he reached out and spread his palm open, revealing a six-pointed star badge. Giorno was stunned and was unable to say anything for a while.


    "You must be President Giorno. I am Great Scholar Jeferun of the Imperial College. Principal Sosse mentioned you to me before. He reminded me to not look for you unless absolutely necessary. I did not expect you to attack the college. What a surprise," said the great scholar.


    "You''re the surprising one. I have long heard of your name. However, Sosse never told me that you were also part of the Brotherhood," said Giorno.


    "The Imperial College is a product of Principal Sosse''s tears and blood. Before he left, he told me to take good care of the college. I did not expect you to suddenly attack. I have no choice but to show myself so that we can reduce the damage done to the college," said the great scholar.


    "You came alone. Is the emperor not inside? How about the Sacred Wing race?" asked Giorno in agitation.


    "The college has been sealed for almost 20 days. I have been here all this while and have not seen the emperor or anyone else," replied Jeferun.


    Giorno appeared disappointed to hear that the emperor wasn''t in the college. However, the disappointment was quickly replaced by anxiousness.


    "I only accept unconditional surrender. I still need to look for some important individuals. Do note that I''m also carrying out a mission for Principal Sosse. If you disagree, we will attack immediately," said Giorno.


    "There are fewer than 30 imperial police and soldiers here. Please allow them to live. My students and I welcome the Brotherhood to the college," said Jeferun.


    Giorno lowered his head in thought before saying, "Leave their armaments and armors behind. Have them disappear in 15 minutes."


    The great scholar nodded in agreement. "Brothers, please wait a moment. I''ll make the arrangements before opening the gate wide to welcome you."


    "Please wait." I pulled at Jeferun''s robe. "May I ask if some friends of mine are imprisoned here?"


    "You must be Li Canyue. They''re all waiting for you in the main hall," said Jeferun.


    My brain was hurting. My intelligence was incapable of grasping such a sudden change in plot. I immediately stepped forth, intending to enter and look for Zhang Xingxing and the others. However, several people grabbed and stopped me.


    "Great explorer, we should go together," said Giorno with a wide smile on his face.


    ''This fellow is too crafty. He''s afraid that I''ll go back on my words,'' I thought.


    Shortly after, disarmed imperial soldiers walked through the gate while supporting each other. They hurriedly rushed far away. I could see Giorno gesturing at Kamo with his eyes. The team leader retreated silently upon receiving his order. My heart thumped at the implication. Giorno was a gang leader. Was he intending to kill all the soldiers? But it wasn''t like I could do anything to help the pitiful soldiers.


    The gate slowly opened wide. With Jeferun in the lead, over a hundred college students walked out. With one look, I saw Zhang Xingxing, Prince Toruse, Sarje, Domo, and my other companions walking alongside him.


    I ran forth, grabbed Zhang Xingxing''s hands, and asked, "Xingxing, are you fine?"


    "We''re fine. It has been hard on you, Canyue," replied Zhang Xingxing, who was similarly happy to see me.


    "Canyue, kid, don''t use this as an excuse to take advantage of her. Watch your hands," said Zhang Bao''er as he landed a heavy pat on my shoulder.


    Only then did I notice that I was holding Zhang Xingxing''s hands tightly. It was not gentlemanly at all, so I hurriedly released her hands. Old Du and Zhang Bao''er stepped forth, and the three of us hugged each other tightly. Every reunion after a disaster was precious. After all, nobody was sure that everyone would still be around for the next reunion.


    "Canyue, where''s Dondon? He''s not with you," asked Zhang Xingxing with concern.


    I was about to answer when I thought of something. "Dondon and I went our separate ways. Since the situation here was unclear and dangerous, I couldn''t spare the time to go look for him. He is probably safe. Don''t worry."


    I was basically hinting at Dondon to keep hiding until he received further directions from me. After saying that, I turned off my suit''s communicator. The battle had ended, and Giorno''s robotic probes could now easily pick up my conversation with Dondon.


    Jeferun led us all to the college''s main hall. Zhang Xingxing and I walked at the back of the group. Behind us, several burly Liyates were shadowing us. Obviously, they were sent by Giorno to monitor us.


    "How did you end up captured by the police?" I asked stealthily after shutting off the Brotherhood''s communicator.


    "It was Master Crystal''s idea. After meeting Sarje''s master, he told me the same thing he told you. While I was thinking of a way to sneak into the college, Master Crystal gave me a good idea," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What idea?" I asked.


    "He had us roam around the college, attract the police, and have them arrest us. According to imperial law, arrested individuals can only be moved from their initial holding location after it is reported up the chain of command. Thus, we will be temporarily imprisoned in the college after being captured," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I see. Have the police deliver us to the college...that''s a good idea," I said as we arrived at the main hall.


    The hall was 30 meters tall¡ªimposing and majestic with four massive pillars supporting its roof. It was spacious enough that it could easily house hundreds of people. Beautiful statues were standing in the hall, and the four pillars were covered with lifelike carvings of beasts I had never seen before. At the center of the ceiling, a model of Betelgeuse hovered, illuminating the hall with its red radiance.


    ''Too beautiful. This is a paradise of arts. The artistic accomplishments of aliens are definitely no less advanced than Blue''s,'' I thought.


    "Brothers, we only have three hours. Move quickly. Remember, the lowest floor of the college is a forbidden zone," Giorno suddenly said.


    The Brotherhood members then scattered and started searching the college.


    "Giorno, have you gone mad? This is a holy land. Are you not afraid that the principal will punish you for doing this?" yelled the great scholar.


    More than 10 of Giorno''s personal guards surrounded the members of the college. The turbines on their rayguns were spinning, indicating that the guns were ready to attack at a moment''s notice.


    "Hmph. I suffered the loss of tens of brothers and so much equipment attacking this place. Even if the principal himself is here, this debt needs to be paid," said Giorno ferociously.


    "Fatty, you see that? That is what an actual unscrupulous businessman looks like. Open your eyes wide and look," said Domo to Zhang Bao''er.


    Facing a tyrant, the great scholar could only stop his protest despite his unwillingness.


    "Great explorer, who is the expert who knows the mysterious characters?" asked Giorno with a wide smile on his face, once again displaying his ability to change his expression at a moment''s notice.


    "President Giorno, like I said, I won''t help you if you intend to do harm with it. Do you think I''ll still help you after seeing you plunder a holy place with my own eyes?" I said coldly.


    "What? Are you thinking of reneging on our deal?" Giorno''s face sank.


    "What mysterious characters? We can always talk this out," said Zhang Bao''er when he saw that things were becoming tense.


    "The characters of a lost civilization. They''re the key to decoding the Imperial Golden Book," I said.


    "Oh, yes, I''m well-versed in that. I''ll take a look later," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Really?" asked Giorno, pleasantly surprised.


    "I can''t fake it. You''ll know after taking me there," lied Zhang Bao''er.


    Giorno raised his head in joy and signaled his bodyguards with his eyes. Two burly Liyates then stood behind Zhang Bao''er. The period of three hours ended before we knew it. The Brotherhood thugs had gathered a large number of riches from the college, piling them up in the hall.


    Among the pile, I could see numerous shiny precious stones of different colors, sculptures that were pried from the walls, and many exquisitely packaged books. The great scholar was furious, but he did not dare to protest.


    Suddenly, Team Leader Kamo charged inside the hall fearfully and said, "B-boss, this is bad! Something happened!"

 CH 73

    "Calm down. It''s not like the sky itself will fall on us," scolded Giorno.


    "I-I think the sky is really falling on us this time. You need to see this," said the team leader before collapsing weakly on the ground, losing consciousness.


    "What''s happening? How are our probes?" asked Giorno.


    I turned on the Brotherhood''s communicator and only heard static.


    "Edo, watch over Kamo and try to wake Kalun up. Also, keep your eyes on these people. Aaron and Asa, come with me. We''ll take a look outside," commanded Giorno.


    "I''ll go with you," I offered.


    "I''ll go as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Old Du and Prince Toruse stood up as well. I nodded at them, and the four of us followed Giorno and his people out of the hall. We walked along the stairs to reach the top of the college''s wall.


    Dawn was coming; Betelgeuse''s reddish light was slowly shining from the horizon, illuminating a part of the world. The illumination allowed me to get a clear look at the scene before me, a scene that caused me to take a deep breath in shock. Before the college, fully armed soldiers were standing neatly in four square formations.


    "Canyue, we''re completely surrounded," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Only then did I notice that to the left, right, and back of the college, there were two square formations facing each side. At a glance, there were over 2,000 soldiers around us.


    "It''s over. According to my previous calculation, the imperial army would take at least five hours to get here. Why did they arrive in only three?" said Giorno.


    I activated my binocular mode and saw that the soldiers standing before us were standing in a neat formation. At the front row of each square was a row of tanks that were larger and stronger than our tanks. The imperial soldiers and policemen were lined behind the tanks, their brand-new armor gleaming below the sunshine.


    At the back of each square were numerous heavy-duty rail cannons. At least 50 drones were hovering in the sky around the college. I even noticed the faint outline of a battleship in the planet''s atmosphere. It was ready to join the battle at a moment''s notice.


    "This show of force is way too excessive," sighed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Well, things are becoming truly troublesome this time. They''re the emperor''s personal guards," said Giorno.


    A sharp hiss came from far away. Only then did I notice with astonishment that an imposing imperial chariot stood at the back of the four square formations. Two massive triangular beasts were pulling some sort of square platform. Atop the spacious platform was a golden tent. Inside the tent was a golden throne on which an individual clad in a luxurious purple outfit sat.


    A relatively short individual wearing a white robe and holding a staff stood beside the man in purple. Four-meter-tall Gandos stood at each corner below the platform, standing like giant protectors. Surrounding the platform from farther away were imperial police in golden armor, and they all stood perfectly straight, their chests puffed against the wind.


    "Is the person on the chair¡ª" I asked.


    "Yes, that is the emperor, Fille IV," said Giorno.


    "What a surprise. It has only been a few years since I last saw him, and he has grown even more extravagant than before. When we met previously, he was still an amiable and simple person with only a few followers by his side," said Prince Toruse.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "What do you know? You''re only a minor prince. Our emperor has lofty aspirations. To rule an even grander empire, he naturally needs to maintain an even more impressive presence," said Giorno with a sneer.


    "Prince, the emperor is right before us. Should we ask for an audience with our golden pass?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Hehe, your golden pass is nothing but scrap paper. In our current situation, I doubt any of us will survive," said Giorno.


    Right that moment, an imperial policeman rode toward us on a battle-wolf with a purple imperial banner raised high.


    The imperial policeman did not take long to reach the gate. There, he yelled, "As decreed by the most honorable emperor of the Divine Empire, all the criminals in the college are to lay down their arms and surrender. Those who had not participated in the battle will be granted leniency. The imperial army shall attack in 30 minutes regardless of your answer."


    The imperial police turned and left after giving the message.


    "President Giorno, seems like it has become a hell lot harder for you to achieve your dream of establishing an even more powerful interstellar empire," I sneered.


    "The emperor was obviously ready for me. I feel like I have been tricked," said Giorno furiously.


    "Canyue, we''re not part of the Brotherhood. We will be given leniency?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "Hahaha, you are too naive. The great explorer himself blew up the shield device. Were you listening? Only those who had not participated in the battle will be given leniency," said Giorno.


    "True, I participated in the battle. You guys surrender first. The prince has the golden pass, and none of you were involved in the battle. Don''t take any risks. I''ll think of a different way to escape," I said to Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. We will fight alongside you. We won''t abandon you!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Are you treating me as air? I''m in charge here. It is not up to you who gets to go or stay. None of you can leave!" roared Giorno.


    "Who the hell do you think you are?" Zhang Bao''er''s temper flared again.


    Old Du quickly stopped him.


    "A great enemy is before us. We need to think of a countermeasure first. We can talk about our issues later," said Old Du.


    Giorno glared at Zhang Bao''er before asking Aaron, "How many combat-capable warriors do we have left?"


    "Minus the 17 injured individuals, we still have 81 combat-capable individuals. We also have 4 intact tanks. As for the drones, including those we caught, we have 17 in total," said Aaron.


    "So it''s 81 against 2,000. Do you think you''re one of the 300 Spartans?" sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Kill that fatty," ordered Giorno coldly.


    Ten rayguns were instantly aimed at Zhang Bao''er''s head.


    "Who dares to open fire!" I took out the activation button for my nuclear warhead and shouted at the thugs.


    "We are facing a powerful enemy. Go back to the hall and think of a solution. We can settle our debt after this. Perhaps we won''t even get that chance and only a funeral awaits," said Old Du.


    Nobody could argue against that. We were running out of time, so nobody made a move.


    "You still need Zhang Bao''er to decipher the mysterious characters. If you kill him, nobody will be able to help you," said Old Du.


    His words seemed to have reminded Giorno of Zhang Bao''er''s importance. A smile instantly covered his face as he said, "I almost forgot that. It was a mere misunderstanding! Misunderstanding! Come, let''s go back to the hall and think of a way out of this."


    After leaving two people to keep watch, the rest of us returned to the hall. I told Zhang Xingxing and the others what I saw and what I intended to do. They were all astonished, and all of them firmly rejected my suggestion.


    "We are all surrounded with no way out. We can only face them head on," said Team Leader Aaron.


    "What do you have in mind? Speak," said Giorno.


    "Concentrate our firepower and break through the back of the college. I checked. There, the encirclement is the weakest, and there are only 300 people. Perhaps we stand a chance by focusing our firepower on them," said Aaron.


    "What do we do after breaking through? They have a battleship. Even if we can break through, how are we supposed to escape?" I asked.


    Aaron was instantly speechless. He had not thought so far ahead.


    "Why were they even here? Were they hiding nearby when we had come? How did we not notice an army this big?" I asked.


    "Edo, bring Kamo here," commanded Giorno.


    Edo brought over Kamo, who had regained consciousness.


    "What is going on? Where did the emperor and his army come from?" asked Giorno.


    "I followed your order and pursued the escaping soldiers with 10 of my men. After an hour, I fell into the imperial army''s ambush. My team was completely annihilated. I was only able to escape after hiding in the river," Kamo replied.


    "Where did they come from? Our surveillance robots did not notice anything when we arrived," asked Giorno.


    "They seemed to have been hiding in some underground tunnel. A large number of them had charged out when they had ambushed me," said Kamo.


    "Looks like the imperial army had truly hidden underground, waiting for us to attack the college before surrounding us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Impossible. That doesn''t make sense. I saw their condition. They don''t look like soldiers who have been underground for a long time. Also, even if the regular soldiers can take the hardship of hiding underground, how can an emperor suffer the same?" said Giorno. "Remember, the emperor has been missing for quite a while."


    "Did they arrive through some sort of time door?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "On a planet like Eternal with high gravity and dense electromagnetic waves, it is unlikely that one can construct a time door large enough to support the transportation of such a large army. No energy source can support the expenditure involved," said Domo.


    "Could it be¡ª" Old Du muttered.


    "Old Du, what do you have in mind? Feel free to say it," I said.


    "I suspect there is an underground palace here. There might be a complicated cavern system under the ground, and the emperor might have been staying in the underground palace," said Old Du.


    "Bring Jeferun here," commanded Giorno upon hearing Old Du''s speculation.


    A Liyate thug immediately brought Jeferun over.


    "Great scholar, are there underground tunnels we can use to escape the college?" asked Giorno.


    "No. This place is completely sealed," Jeferun hurriedly said.


    "Do you think you can live after surrendering to the emperor? Let me tell you the truth. All of you will die. The emperor will not spare anyone. I understand now. The emperor had hidden precisely so that he could lure out all of Sosse''s allies and get them all in one go. Do you think you can get lucky?" Giorno said.


    Giorno''s persuasion seemed to work; Jeferun lowered his head in contemplation before saying, "The college does not have any tunnels leading outside, but I heard from Principal Sosse that the college has a history of over 100,000 years. It was built atop the palace of the fabled Brightlings. Perhaps the Bright palace has tunnels leading out of this place."


    "Old Du, what a genius!" said Zhang Bao''er as he gave Old Du a punch to his chest.


    "The ancient Bright palace is under the college?" Titan and Amethyst cried out when they heard that.


    "Yes. According to the legends, the palace is under the college. However, the sole path between the two has been unused for tens of thousands of years. It is the same place we use to store the banned books," said Jeferun.


    "You''re talking about the Dark Hall?" I asked.


    Jeferun was astonished to hear that term coming from my mouth. "Yes. Sir Canyue, you''re truly a knowledgeable person. That is the place."


    While we were talking, loud sounds of war drums sounded outside. I lowered my head to check the time and noted that the 30 minutes they had given us was over.

 CH 74

    The sounds of the war drums brought Giorno and his people to the walls. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, the prince, and I also followed behind him. Two square formations were marching forward in an orderly fashion, following the tanks at the front of the formations. Beside the imperial chariot stood a row of massive war drums. Tens of burly individuals were pounding upon the war drums, spreading the sounds far and wide.


    "They obviously have long-range weapons. Why did the emperor choose to attack like we¡¯re in a medieval battle?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Giorno was too frightened by what he saw, so he did not even react to the question.


    "Where are our tanks?" asked Giorno a few seconds later when he recovered from his shock.


    "Right at the gate. Boss, do you think we should retreat into the college?" asked Aaron.


    "No. Have the tanks and drones come out and meet them with full force while we retreat. Anyone capable of moving should carry our loot. We will go to the bottom floor," said Giorno.


    "How about our injured men and the students here?" asked Aaron.


    "The wounded still capable of walking can come with us. Have the students help us carry our loot. Lock up the ones who refuse to help. Let the emperor deal with them," said Giorno.


    "Yes, boss," said Aaron before retreating to carry out the order.


    ''He''s abandoning even his own people. This fellow is truly ruthless,'' I thought.


    A dazzling flash streaked through the sky and flew toward the imperial army. At the same time, the air defense drones on our side flew forth to engage the enemy. The imperial army did not appear flustered by the incoming artillery shells. They continued marching calmly.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of explosions sounded, but a green shield had appeared above the army. All the artillery shells were blocked, creating numerous ripples on the shield. The imperial army was completely unharmed thanks to the shield.


    "My god. What a big shield. That emperor sure is rich," said Giorno.


    The drumming stopped. Next, the tanks at the front and the cannons behind the army were raised. They fired hundreds of artillery shells our way.


    "Shit! Watch out, everyone!" I shouted.


    Everyone jumped onto the ground by reflex. Loud explosions erupted all around us, tearing through the walls and gate. Numerous craters were formed on the ground as the world around us shook.


    A Liyate thug beside Giorno was unluckily engulfed in the explosion of an artillery shell. His entire body was decimated right before our eyes. I also saw a tank be blasted into the sky. It reached a height as tall as the wall before falling onto the ground with a loud crash.


    "Everyone, maximize your shield! Pull back into the hall immediately after the bombardment ends," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    The first round of bombardment had yet to settle when the second round came. Massive artillery shells covered the entire college, making it impossible for anyone to move.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "Damn that emperor! He must be thinking of bombing all of us to death!" scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    I could see that the air defense drones were already engaging each other in the sky. Their red laser beams filled the sky above us. It did not take long for the imperial drones to benefit from their numerical superiority. Fighting one of our drones with three of theirs, Giorno''s drones were destroyed one after another.


    We did not get even a second of respite before the third volley came. Artillery shells dropped like rain, and the college that had stood tall for hundreds of thousands of years collapsed loudly. A lull in the bombardment came when the gate collapsed.


    Zhang Xingxing grabbed the chance and commanded, "Everyone, retreat immediately!"


    Giorno was running in the very front, heading to the hall with his subordinates. I looked down the wall and saw that the imperial army was rapidly approaching. About a dozen mounted soldiers at the front of the army were less than 300 meters away from the gate.


    I hurriedly ran toward the hall. Right at that moment, the other soldiers around the college also attacked. Loud explosions sounded yet again. The rail cannons mounted on the walls were blasted high into the sky. The firepower of the imperial army was far beyond my imagination.


    When I reached the hall, Zhang Bao''er was waiting for me. "Canyue, come. I''ll have Xingxing lead the others down first. I''m waiting for you."


    I saw that the students and the Brotherhood members who could still walk had all run to the bottom of the college. About a dozen wounded Brotherhood members were seated in the middle of the hall, looking at me and Bao''er with desolate eyes.


    I did not like the Brotherhood, but I also knew the terrifying fate that would befall them after they were taken prisoner. For some reason, pity rose in me. Howls from the imperial army''s battle-wolves could already be heard from the door.


    "Canyue, go. We''re running out of time. If we''re late, they will blow apart the tunnel connecting to the bottom," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I ran toward the wounded thugs and gave two high-energy cluster bombs to a one-armed thug. After nodding and saluting him, I turned and ran toward the bottom floor. We ran down the stairs, going through three floors before reaching the bottom. Two Brotherhood thugs were about to detonate the micro-atomic bomb they had installed at the entrance. Right at that moment, I heard the explosion of the cluster bombs from above me. The wounded thugs had detonated the bombs I had given them.


    "At the very least, they are true warriors," Zhang Bao''er said.


    I stayed silent. I had always believed that every life in the universe should be respected. Although there were good and evil life forms, there would be a reason for why any individual would turn evil.


    As the situation was urgent, I couldn''t waste too much time thinking. I could see the imperial army running down the stairs. The Liyate thugs activated the bomb, and we quickly ran deeper into the tunnel. A few seconds later, a deafening explosion erupted, destroying the stairs connecting several floors of the building. The path to the college''s lower floors had been destroyed.


    Zhang Bao''er and I rushed into a room. The room was relatively spacious. Hundreds of us were squeezed into it. This was our final hope. The crowd parted to give me passage. When I ran to the front of the crowd, I saw Zhang Xingxing, Giorno, and the others facing a black square opening. The black opening seemed to lead somewhere extremely deep, and the whistling sounds of wind could be heard from it.


    "Is this the entrance to the Dark Hall?" I asked Jeferun.


    "Yes. Every time we put the banned books away, we would use an iron chest to store the books before lowering the chest through this hole with a rope. When we pull the rope out the next day, the chest would be gone," said Jeferun.


    "Then wouldn''t the stored books be gone forever?" I asked.


    "Yes, and not a single book has ever been retrieved from the Dark Hall," said Jeferun.


    "Who''s staying down there to collect the cases?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The one paid to do the work," said Domo with a sneer.


    "Now''s not the time to joke or argue," I stopped the two.


    "This is our only path of survival. Do you want me to scout ahead?" Old Du asked.


    "No, it''s too dangerous. We need to think of a way to go down safely. Nobody can predict the dangers we will encounter down there," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded from above us, followed by a pounding.


    "There''s no time. Our enemies are clearing a path. We don''t have the time to think of something," said Old Du.


    "Yeah. This is urgent. Let this warrior scout ahead. All of us will be taking this path," urged Giorno, obviously harboring evil designs.


    "I''ll go with Old Du. You come with us as well," I said while pointing at Aaron.


    The team leader paled with hesitation written all over his face.


    "I agree with the great explorer. Aaron, I''ll be troubling you with this task. We''ll be there with you shortly," said Giorno coldly.


    Not capable of refusing his boss, Aaron could only agree unwillingly.


    Zhang Xingxing still objected, "Canyue, I still disagree. This is too dangerous. What if something happens to the two of you?"


    "Don''t worry. The prophet said that I won''t die so fast," I comforted her.


    "I''ll go with you!" Zhang Bao''er offered.


    "You need to protect the leader and the others. This is an order," I said.


    "What order? Since when was your army rank higher than mine?" scolded Zhang Bao''er, but he no longer insisted on coming with us.


    "Titan, fasten the rope somewhere firm. I''ll get ready to go down with Old Du," I said urgently as the noises from above were getting louder.


    Titan immediately tied our ropes firmly to a pillar. I exchanged my gaze with Old Du before jumping into the black tunnel. Cold wind blew past me as I entered. My heart was beating rapidly due to my nervousness. After all, this was the Dark Hall where nobody had visited for tens of thousands of years.


    After descending for about three meters, the wind vanished for no apparent reason. My surroundings were still completely black. Apart from the little bit of light from above me, I felt like I had entered a world of pure void, with no air, no energy, no light, and no time. It felt like all of creation had been suspended.


    I turned my shield to the maximum capacity and turned on my laser probe, allowing me to see Old Du and Aaron come down one after another.


    Energy level remaining: 24 hours.

 CH 75

    I continued to descend by sliding down the rope. My current situation gave me the same feeling as when I was sliding down Jupiter II''s mouth. My surroundings felt like some sort of viscous void.


    I continued descending aimlessly for five more minutes before a multi-colored light appeared in my vision. The light seemed to be floating in the void. It looked like some sort of amber that was on the verge of exploding.


    "Canyue, how are you? Is it safe down there?" Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    "It''s safe, but no exit is found so far," I replied.


    "You need to go faster. The enemies are arriving soon," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Upon hearing that, I increased the speed at which I slid down the rope. The colorful radiance before me became brighter and brighter. The light appeared to be scattering in an irregular manner. Pink and blue dominated the color spectrum. The various colors seemed to glow naturally in constantly shifting forms, as though an abstract painting was unfurling before me.


    "Old Du, are you seeing this odd painting-like thing?" I asked.


    "These colors are dominating our vision. Of course I see them," said Old Du.


    "I wonder what it is. Its shape is way too weird. It''s like a glowing oil painting that you can''t understand," I said.


    "Canyue, try to feel the space right in front of you with your hand," Old Du said.


    I reached out and felt some sort of gelatin. I tried pushing my arm into the substance, and my arm immediately vanished from my view. As for the space below us, it seemed to be a void where not even the gelatin-like substance existed.


    "This place is obviously a tunnel, but I don''t know where it leads to," I said.


    "We can have them come down first," said Old Du. It did not seem like there was any danger down here.


    I contacted Zhang Xingxing and notified her to enter the tunnel as well.


    "Canyue, I have an opinion. I feel like this substance is very similar to the vestiges of a supernova," said Old Du.


    "What? Vestiges of a supernova? That should be a nebula, and it should only exist in outer space. We''re currently underground, brother," I replied.


    "When I scanned it with the laser probe and analyzed its characteristics with my system, I discovered that the laser was unable to penetrate the sponge-like substance. From its condition, it seems to be the supernova vestiges left from a star explosion," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, we''re coming," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came, interrupting our conversation.


    "Xingxing, can you see the colorful radiance?" I asked.


    "Yes. It''s like Old Du said¡ªit greatly resembles the vestiges of a supernova," said Zhang Xingxing.


    ''Odd. Why would there be such a substance here? Is the core of Eternal an imploded star? That''s too inconceivable,'' I thought.


    The team continued descending. At this time, a white radiance entered our vision from afar. I scanned it with my laser probe and discovered that the white light was an exit.


    "I found the exit. Hurry up, everyone," I shouted.


    With our goal in sight, we received a brand new dose of motivation. I slid down the rope quickly and left the tunnel filled with a sponge-like substance. I let go of my rope and dropped into a brightly illuminated room. A blindingly white chandelier hung from the ceiling, emanating the white radiance illuminating the room.


    The room was in the shape of a long and narrow corridor. The end of the room couldn''t be seen, and countless chests with neatly arranged books were piled inside. The banned books that had been delivered here for successive generations were all stored here.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    Suddenly, I heard some sounds from behind me. When I turned back, I was given the scare of my life. A smoking silhouette that looked like a freak draped in a cloak of viscous substance was silently crouched behind me. It was using its hands to rub the ground I had walked on. Old Du and Aaron jumped in shock.


    "My god, what monster is this?" Aaron cried out before raising his raygun.


    "Don''t open fire," Old Du stopped Aaron.


    The monster did not seem to notice our arrival. I slowly stepped forth and looked at the monster from a closer distance. I noted with astonishment that the monster did not have a nose, eyes, or ears. It only had a relatively small mouth. A sharp sword was deeply embedded into its back, as though it had become a part of its body.


    Looking at how the creature was constantly rubbing the ground, an idea suddenly rose in my mind. I turned and lifted a chest, which I then placed before the creature. The moment the creature felt the chest, it stood up with the chest and walked deeper into the room.


    "So it''s the creature in charge of arranging these chests with banned books," said Aaron.


    I waited under the tunnel for Zhang Xingxing and the others. More than 10 minutes later, the crew slid down the rope one after another. Titan was the last to arrive, and he put the rope away after he was done with it. Everyone was temporarily safe.


    "Wow, there''s a whole new world down here. What a surprise. So many books. They can all possibly be treasures. Truly, fate is smiling at me yet again after the heavens dropped disaster upon me. Hahaha," said Giorno happily.


    Listening to Giorno, I suddenly recalled the banned book Master Crystal had mentioned previously.


    "Great scholar, is there a book describing Planet Blue here?" I asked Jeferun.


    "How did you find out about that book?" Jeferun was astonished.


    "Canyue, are you referring to the book Master Crystal talked about?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes. I have a feeling we can discover some of Prophet Nommo''s footsteps from that book. Perhaps we can even find clues pointing to your father in that book," I said.


    "Master, do you know about it?" Zhang Xingxing asked Jeferun.


    "It''s a famous book. We all know about it. Supposedly, it''s a book left behind by one of the ancestors of the Sacred Wing race. For an unknown reason, it had been kept in the college for a very long time," said Jeferun.


    "Sacred Wing race, the mysterious and low profile power behind the emperor," said Giorno.


    "What''s the name of that book? Can you find it?" I asked.


    "It''s called Blue Path. About 20 years ago, Principal Sosse requested to have the book put away in the Dark Hall," said Jeferun.


    "Blue Path. A rather poetic name. Why was it put away? How should we find it?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Principal Sosse believed that this book would mislead one''s view about the world. Thus, he banned the book. From how neatly these chests are arranged, the book shouldn''t be hard to find," said Jeferun.


    A sense of excitement rose in my heart. I was getting close to yet another ancient mystery. Suddenly, the sounds of explosions came from the tunnel above us.


    "This is bad. The imperial police seem to be throwing bombs into the tunnel," said Old Du.


    "Find the book as quickly as possible and leave. This place keeps giving me a weird feeling," Zhang Xingxing said.


    We thus followed Jeferun and searched for the chest that was lowered 20 years ago. As for Giorno, he led his people carrying the treasures he had plundered and went deeper into the room.


    "Canyue, this place is so silent that it''s making me uneasy. If it is really so peaceful down here, why is it that nobody has dared to come down here in tens of thousands of years?" Old Du asked.


    "I''m wondering the same. Did you discover anything unusual?" I asked.


    "When we were passing through the supernova vestiges, I performed some tests. Anything would vanish from our vision after being submerged in the sponge-like substance. But why can we clearly see the vestiges? Isn''t that odd?" Old Du replied.


    His speculation sank me into deep thought.


    "Do you mean that we''re not actually looking at the present?" I asked.


    Old Du was about to speak when Jeferun stopped walking.


    "According to my calculation, this should be the place. Everyone, split up and search. Each chest has a list of books on it," said Jeferun.


    "Everyone, split up and look for the Blue Path," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    We started searching. With the help of my laser probe, I soon found a chest with Blue Path written on it.


    "Found it! We really found it!" I exclaimed inwardly, my hands trembling from excitement.


    Just like that, the book I had been longing for had appeared before me.


    "Found it!" I shouted at everyone.


    They hurriedly gathered around me. After a minute of silence, Old Du reached out and tore off the label on the chest. We then allowed Zhang Xingxing to do the honor of opening the chest. After all, the book might be related to her long-lost father. She opened the chest, and a book with a light blue cover appeared in our eyes. The words Blue Path could be seen on the cover.


    Zhang Xingxing was trembling as much as I was. With shivering hands, she picked the book up and flipped to the first page. The preface written on the page leaped into my eyes: The light of creation grants us life and power. Lowering our heads, we pursue history. Looking up at the starry sky, we pursue the universe.


    "The secrets buried by history are right before us," I said in excitement.


    The sounds of an explosion suddenly came from near the tunnel. Shortly after, powerful shockwaves spread out of the tunnel. The explosion turned the chest before us over, and the white chandelier above us shattered, sinking the corridor into darkness.


    "Not good. The imperial army is here. The emperor has actually broken his own ban on the Dark Hall?" said Jeferun.


    "Xingxing, put the book away. Retreat immediately," I said.


    After putting the book away, we ran deeper into the corridor and soon caught up with Giorno''s group, which was advancing slowly.


    "The imperial army is here. We need to retreat quickly. Aaron, set up defenses and cover us," commanded Giorno.


    Aaron was naturally unwilling, but he still did as told and started setting up defenses with five other thugs. The rest of us continued running down the corridor, passing by numerous chests containing banned books.


    ''Over the period of tens of thousands of years, so many books have been banned. There is probably also a lot of hidden history pertaining to the Bright people here. Too bad we don''t have the time to study these books,'' I thought to myself.


    At this time, Old Du suddenly said, "Weird. Where is the creature in charge of arranging the books?"

 CH 76

    "Yeah. That creature seems to have disappeared," I said.


    Suddenly, light magically returned to the corridor, but it wasn''t as bright as before. Rather, the light was flickering in an unstable manner. Sounds of combat came from Aaron''s position. The imperial army was at our tails. Giorno led his people and ran like their lives depended on it, gradually pulling ahead of us. Our crew, Jeferun, and two members of the college lagged behind the main group.


    "Canyue, it looks like Aaron won''t be able to hold on for long. Do we need to set up a defensive line and cover the crew''s escape?" Old Du asked.


    "Yes. Count Bao''er in as well. We''ll stay and cover everyone''s retreat," I said.


    "I''ll stay as well. Have Titan and Domo lead everyone out of here. Our equipment makes it easier for us to work together during combat," said Zhang Xingxing firmly.


    "I''ll stay too. After all, I''ve already been paid," said Sarje.


    I nodded at him.


    "Forget it. We should stay together. Besides, it is much more reliable to stay with those with guns," said Domo.


    His remark left us speechless. At this time, Aaron arrived with two surviving Brotherhood members.


    "W-we can''t hold on. Run, everyone! The imperial army''s firepower is too strong," Aaron said and ran deeper into the tunnel, covered in blood.


    "Leader, let''s try to bomb this place," said Old Du.


    "No. The books here are precious history covering a period of over 100,000 years. They will all be gone if you bomb this place," said Jeferun.


    "Do you think the emperor will keep these books around?" asked Old Du.


    The footsteps of our enemies were nearing us.


    "Everyone, prepare for combat. We''ll retreat after beating them back. I''ll be the first shieldbearer," said Zhang Xingxing.


    She then turned her morph-capable shield to the maximum capacity. Everyone hid behind her shield. A battle-wolf was charging toward us. Mounted atop the wolf was a sturdy Eternal policeman. While charging, the policeman madly fired at us, striking our shield with laser beams, leaving numerous ripples on it.


    We fired back at the policeman, focusing our laser guns on the wolf. The policeman was encased in a green shield, and under our rapid fire, the shield turned dimmer and dimmer. Then, with a pop, a hole was opened in the shield.


    I heard the sound of an arrow streaking by me. When I turned my head, I saw that Titan had released a lightning arrow alongside our laser beams. The arrow stabbed right into the wolf''s head.


    The struck wolf collapsed onto the ground, throwing the mounted policeman off its body. Due to the momentum, the wolf eventually fell atop the policeman, and the two slid across the ground. Eventually, the policeman fainted from the pressure.


    We had barely heaved a breath of relief when three other battle-wolves appeared in our vision. One of the warriors mounted on the wolves raised a rapid-fire raygun and madly fired at us.


    "Heavens. This attack is too fierce. It''s never-ending!" Zhang Bao''er said.


    Laser beams of different colors met, creating sparks in the air. The mighty firepower of our enemies made it difficult for us to focus on a single opponent. In the span of several seconds, the three mounted warriors reached us. Shields of green and red clashed violently as they approached closer.


    The three enemies were right before our eyes. I could clearly see the bloodlust in their eyes. The close distance rendered long-range weapons ineffective, so one of the imperial soldiers lifted a massive hammer hanging on his mount.


    With a loud clang, a burly figure struck the imperial army''s green shield with an iron staff. The staff was brutish and powerful. It worked with our morph-capable shield to deal a massive enough impact to break through the green shield.


    "Gandos are truly impressive," I exclaimed in amazement.


    Sarje gallantly charged into the enemy shield and swung his iron staff to sweep a soldier off his mount. The wolf opened its maws wide and pounced at Sarje. A lightning arrow arrived at an opportune time and stabbed into the wolf''s chest. With a whine, the wolf collapsed.


    I turned back and saw that Amethyst was preparing to unleash another arrow from her bow. Her new target, yet another battle-wolf, turned tail and ran in fear after seeing its collapsed companion. The remaining mounted soldier roared in fury and raised his massive hammer. He brought it down at Sarje''s head.


    With a confident pose, Sarje casually flicked his staff up to block the strike before rapidly maneuvering behind the wolf. He swept his staff at the wolf''s rear limbs, resulting in a loud crack as the wolf dropped to the ground. Obviously, its limbs had been broken by Sarje''s mighty strike.


    The imperial soldier was rather nimble; the moment the wolf dropped, he jumped off the wolf before engaging Sarje in melee combat. The close-range battle made it impossible for us to help. Gandos might be incredible combatants, but Sarje clearly lacked combat experience. Thus, the experienced imperial soldier could fight him to a draw.


    While the two fought, about a dozen imperial policemen appeared. When the police saw the fighting, they fired their guns without saying anything. The imperial soldier did not expect to be attacked from behind. A laser beam pierced through his chest, leaving a big hole and instantly claiming his life.


    "Dang! These people are killing their own men!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    I quickly turned on my shield and covered Sarje with it, protecting him from the shots.


    He quickly retreated behind us. Once again, two parties exchanged fire, each protected by a shield.


    "This won''t do. I can see more and more reinforcements coming. We won''t outlast them," said Old Du.


    "Old Du and I will stay behind. The rest of you need to retreat. There are too many of us to fight effectively. Stop being stubborn. Take the smart choice!" I said anxiously.


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    In our current situation, it was indeed more favorable for us to retreat in batches. After thinking about it, Zhang Xingxing agreed. When I saw that Zhang Bao''er was about to say something, I gave him a furious glare. He hurriedly shut his mouth.


    "Canyue, Old Du, be careful. I''ll retreat with them. Catch up to us as soon as you can," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Go, now. We don''t have much energy left," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing then led the other team members and the few from the college as they retreated deeper into the corridor. Old Du and I turned our shields to the maximum capacity to cover their retreat. About 50 enemies had gathered before us, filling the corridor and exchanging fire with us.


    Facing 50 opponents by ourselves, we were struck repeatedly, causing our energy to drain like a leaking pipe. About 10 minutes later, I saw that I only had 18 hours'' worth of energy left.


    "Old Du, this is enough. We need to retreat as well," I said.


    "They seem to be recharging," said Old Du.


    I looked at the enemies before us. They were all assembling into a formation. Seemingly having noticed that there were only two of us, they started marching toward us after entering into formation.


    "This is bad. The enemies are charging. We won''t be able to resist them. Retreat!" I said.


    "No. If we retreat now, the leader and the others will still be nearby. Use all our high-energy bombs and see if we can collapse this tunnel," said Old Du.


    "How about these books? We will be the ones to destroy them if we bomb the tunnel," I said.


    Old Du looked at me and said, "You Bluelings have a saying. Imperfection is true beauty. There is providence in everything."


    That was fallacious reasoning, but it did relieve me from the burden of morality. I did not hesitate and installed the six remaining high-energy cluster bombs onto the corridor. I saw Old Du install the ten bombs he had on him.


    "My god. The explosion of these bombs can probably rival a nuclear warhead," I said.


    After finishing the installation, we turned and ran madly, ignoring the gunshots from the enemies behind us. After running for over three minutes, a deafening explosion erupted behind us. The heat wave and impact from the explosion traveled along the corridor, heading toward us.


    We couldn''t run faster than the shockwaves as the might of the explosion engulfed us. Both of us were blown into the air before crashing heavily into the ground. Even more of my energy drained from hitting the ground. The aftereffects of the explosion lasted for over five minutes before calm returned. The entire corridor was pitch black as the explosion had fully damaged the lighting system.


    We lay on the ground in a dazed state, as though we were stunned by the explosion. Our infrared vision activated automatically, allowing us to stare at each other in a daze. Suddenly, a silly smile formed on Old Du''s face. I also smiled. We couldn''t control ourselves from smiling after surviving such an explosion.


    "I have 16 hours'' worth of energy left. How about you?" Old Du asked.


    "I have 13 hours left," I replied.


    "Turn off the suit for now. Perhaps there are bigger difficulties waiting for us," said Old Du, returning to the same calm tactician he was.


    A void seemed to have cut the corridor in half, reducing the part where we came from into nothingness. All around us were books and overturned chests. I looked up from the severed end of the corridor but all I saw was nothingness, as though we were surrounded by a space devoid of anything, not even air. Everything out there seemed to be in a state of stasis.


    "Canyue, let''s leave. I wonder if Zhang Xingxing and the others were harmed by the shockwaves. We need to catch up to them," said Old Du.


    We then continued deeper into the corridor. But we had barely taken a few steps when I heard the sound of a raygun being fired behind us.

 CH 77

    When I turned my head, I saw a policeman that was burnt all over standing up from a pile of chests. The turbine of his gun spun rapidly while green smoke leaked out from its muzzle. I could guess that he had used up the final bit of his strength to pull that trigger one last time. After firing, he collapsed weakly onto the ground, unmoving. I snapped my head to the side and saw Old Du collapse while holding the right side of his chest.


    "Old Du!" I howled and rushed toward him.


    The raygun had left a hole in the right side of his chest. Yellow blood was flowing out of his wound.


    "Hang on, you''ll be fine. It''s your right chest, not your heart. Hang on, I''ll stop the bleeding," I said, holding back my tears from flowing.


    "The hearts of us Gliesens are on the right side of our chest," said Old Du with a helpless smile.


    "It''s fine. I checked. The wound is quite far from your heart. You''ll be fine. Hang on!" I said as I poured a large pack of body restorative liquid onto his body.


    The restorative liquid seeped into Old Du''s body, closing his wound and rejoining his veins. A layer of crystal formed at the surface of his wound to prevent more blood loss.


    "See, much better. Hang on. I''ll help you up," I said as I propped Old Du up with my arms.


    He seemed to be resisting his pain and stood up with pure willpower. The two of us walked deeper into the corridor, one step at a time. I had my shield turned on. I could not allow something like that to happen again.


    We advanced slowly for about 10 minutes, passing numerous chests and books strewn messily on the ground. Surprisingly, the lighting that the shockwaves had damaged earlier had recovered yet again. However, the lights were flickering, seemingly unstable.


    Suddenly, I saw a dark figure running toward us. As a precaution, I raised my laser gun. The figure gradually became clear, allowing me to see that it was Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why did you come back?" I asked.


    "There is an exit ahead of us. Xingxing had me come support you. Was Old Du injured?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I''m fine. Just a minor wound," said Old Du.


    Both of us supported Old Du as we continued onward. About 10 minutes later, we arrived before an opening. Zhang Xingxing and the others were waiting for us there. Everyone surrounded us with concern when they saw that Old Du had been injured. Amethyst took out the special medical equipment from Sirius B and bandaged Old Du.


    "Canyue, take a look at this exit with us," said Zhang Xingxing when she saw that Old Du''s condition had stabilized.


    I followed her and Jeferun to the opening and saw a tunnel made of some transparent substance. From the opening, I could see even more crisscrossed tunnels inside coming together to form some sort of four-dimensional structure. I also saw a group of black silhouettes moving in the distance.


    "Is that¡­?" I asked.


    "Yes. That''s probably Giorno and our students. They entered the tunnel before us," said Jeferun.


    "We should enter quickly then. We need to get out of here and take Old Du back to Fearless for treatment," I said.


    "I entered earlier and checked three crossings before coming out. Each crossing is connected to six paths from up, down, front, back, left, and right. I can''t figure out which is the real path to take," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At that time, I also noticed that the space before our opening was linked to several other openings.


    "Completely transparent, no signs, and numerous forks. What concept did they use when they built this place?" I muttered to myself.


    "Leader, we need to leave as quickly as possible. Old Du is coughing blood again," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Right-hand rule. Why don''t we try the right-hand rule?" I asked.


    "What right-hand rule?" asked Jeferun.


    "By always taking the right turn in a maze, you will find the exit," I replied, making use of my downloaded knowledge.


    "In a layered or combined maze, this rule might not work," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I believe there must be some sort of pattern to this maze. We just haven''t found it," I said.


    "From the makeup of this maze, it looks like a combination of multiple mazes. Also, from its overall form, it resembles a three-dimensional cube. However, I''m not sure," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Three-dimensional cube? Are you referring to a Rubik''s cube?" I asked.


    "Yes. I suspect so," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That''s not possible. The Rubik''s cube was invented in 1974 by a Blueling called Ern? Rubik. This maze has probably been here for more than 100,000 years," I said.


    "Truth is eternal. It is only a matter of discovery. Perhaps a secret we have just discovered has long been discovered by someone else. The discovery had merely been lost to history," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Great scholar, is your civilization familiar with this structure?" I asked.


    "No, I have never seen a structure this complicated in any books," said Jeferun.


    "I saw this structure before. It resembles an astral box game from my planet," answered a different voice. I turned and saw that it was Titan.


    "Astral box game? What kind of a game is it?" I asked.


    "It''s an ancient puzzle survival game. The astral box is a cube-shaped item with numerous tunnels in it. We can place a rock through an opening and rotate the cube according to the star chart on the cube''s surface. One beats the game by ensuring that the rock comes out from the other end. I once dismantled a cube to study it. The structure is very similar to what we''re looking at," said Titan.


    "Titan''s words make sense. If the Bright palace is really beneath the college, this maze might be something built by the Brightlings. That is why Scholar Jeferun has never seen it before," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Titan, do you have the solution for the maze?" I asked.


    "Yes, I have it memorized," said Titan.


    "Give it a try, then. Old Du''s injury is heavy. We can''t delay," I said.


    "Isn''t it too risky for us to decide so easily?" asked Jeferun.


    "We don''t have any better options. We can only take the risk," I said.


    Everyone sank into silence. Without an alternative, Zhang Xingxing decided to act on our current plan. With Titan in the lead, we entered the maze. The interior of the maze was extremely beautiful. It was constructed from a completely transparent substance that was completely invisible. We left a black line at the opening as a sign. Walking in the transparent maze felt like floating in the air.


    The maze was also extremely sturdy. The walls felt ice-cold and gave off a similar sensation to the touch of metal. Under us, we could only see a boundless white.


    We soon arrived at the first crossing.


    "Up, left, down, right, down, front, up, back. Travel according to that order," said Titan.


    We followed him and started traveling through the maze. Every now and then, we would encounter a crossing where there would be a new set of directions we needed to follow. I felt respect from the very bottom of my heart toward the inventor of something so complicated.


    We moved according to Titan''s directions and gradually went higher in the maze. We could see Giorno''s party at the lower part of the maze. They had traveled in the opposite direction from us. Furthermore, their group seemed to have separated.


    "Is there a way to save my students?" Jeferun asked.


    "We need to prioritize sending Old Du out for treatment. We don''t have the time to waste on dealing with the Brotherhood," Zhang Bao''er said.


    Zhang Xingxing gave it some thought before taking out a recording device and had Titan record the directions in it. She then handed the device to Jeferun.


    He nodded in gratitude before pulling one of the two students with us and said to Zhang Xingxing, "Barak is my best student. I''ll have him go with you. Perhaps he will be of help."


    We respected his heroic gesture to save his students. After Jeferun bid his farewell to Barak, he walked away with the other student. Through the transparent walls, we could see Jeferun go down the maze with the student. Meanwhile, we continued our journey according to Titan''s directions. Farther and farther up we climbed.


    As we climbed, we felt the temperature begin to drop. Eventually, we were forced to turn on our shields to protect the group. Our arrival in the maze had caused the flow of air. That coupled with the low temperature had resulted in the transparent walls turning hazy. We could no longer see Giorno, Jeferun, and the others. The temperature continued dropping until it was negative 10 degrees.


    "This place is so cold. How will they get out later?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Negative 10 degrees is Eternal''s normal winter temperature. All life forms from Eternal can withstand this temperature," said Barak.


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    Suddenly, the group stopped. I looked ahead and saw that Titan had stopped before a fork.


    "This should be the exit. The tunnels here are bigger than the ones we had come from," said Titan.


    I saw two larger tunnels before us. The tunnels continued straight ahead, reaching so far that the end couldn''t be seen.


    "Let''s go, then. What are you waiting for?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    Titan turned and said, "The solution no longer matches."


    "What? Is the solution wrong?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. But according to the solution, this tunnel should go up, not left and right," said Titan.


    Everyone was stunned. We were supposed to be at the exit, but a simple selection of left or right had stumped us.


    "On Blue, we always stick to the right when walking. Let''s stick to the right," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Domo rolled his eyes and said, "On Eternal, we walk on the left lane. Since these tunnels are on Eternal, let''s pick left."


    ''These two are still bickering even now. Truly a pair of clowns,'' I sighed inwardly.


    "There are only left and right tunnels here, so that in itself might have a special significance. Amethyst, can you recall if there is any saying related to left and right in your culture?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "I don''t recall anything like that," said Amethyst.


    We seemed to be at an impasse.


    "How about this? Canyue and I will each scout one tunnel while you guys wait here," Zhang Bao''er suggested.


    "If that''s the only choice, we can only do so," I added.


    "I have an idea. Let''s think about it, everyone," a voice came beside me.


    I turned my head and saw that the speaker was Old Du, who was being nursed by the prince. He seemed to have regained more of his awareness.

 CH 78

    "Old Du, how are you?" Zhang Xingxing asked with concern.


    "I''m fine. There won''t be any issues for now," replied Old Du.


    "Old Du, did you make any new discoveries?" I asked.


    "Do you remember the creature in charge of arranging books when we first arrived?" asked Old Du.


    "Of course. The creature with no eyes, no ears, and only a mouth," I said.


    "Do you remember the sword''s position on its back?" Old Du asked.


    "If I''m not wrong, the sword was on the right side of its back?" I said.


    "We have not encountered the creature on our way here. I think it must have continued onward through this path and is ahead of us. If this V-shaped intersection is truly an exit, with a trap between the two paths, since the creature has a sword on the right side of its back, which path would it take?" Old Du asked.


    "A sword on the right side of its back¡­if the divider between the two paths contains the trap mechanism, the monster was probably stabbed when taking the left path. In that case, we should pick the right path," I concluded.


    "That makes so much sense. Old Du, you''re a genius!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "What if the creature was stabbed after it turned around to flee?" countered Domo, being as nitpicky as usual.


    "That''s possible, but from our observation, the creature does not have any sensory organs. Therefore, it is more likely for it to flee after being stabbed. Probability-wise, the right path has a higher chance of being the correct choice," explained Old Du.


    His analysis was reasonable. Everyone agreed to take the right path. Before entering the right path, Barak left a mark indicating the right path for the ones that would come after them. Everyone helped Old Du and proceeded through the tunnel. The white tunnel was exceedingly long, as though there was no end to it.


    After walking for an hour, a different view apart from an endless tunnel was presented before us. Countless subsidiary tunnels had appeared at the two sides of the tunnel. We could clearly see the subsidiary tunnels shift their positions constantly. At that point, the temperature around us had reached negative 15 degrees.


    "We should stick to the main tunnel and ignore the constantly shifting tunnels," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The main tunnel was completely silent. Even the constantly moving tunnels did not make any noise. It was rather unsettling to see so many movements without any sound. We advanced quickly. At this time, a mournful scream came from one of the moving tunnels.


    "What monster is it? Its scream is so terrifying," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It almost sounds like the cry of Eternal''s vengeful spirits," said Prince Toruse. "I heard from Royal Father that in the legends, Planet Eternal has a black hell. There are countless vengeful spirits in it."


    "There are no ghosts. There is a reason for anything to exist. Some are unexplainable merely because we have yet to understand them," I said.


    "There must be a lot of life forms we don''t understand under the ground. Everyone, we need to leave as quickly as possible and not waste any time with them," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We continued onward for several minutes. The cries became more and more concentrated, to the point it almost felt like there was a tempo to it. However, no creature was visible in the tunnel. As a precaution, we turned on our shields and gripped our weapons tighter our grips on our weapons. Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the distance. It looked like we were reaching the end of the tunnel.


    "We''re reaching the end! Go faster, everyone," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    We continued helping Old Du as we accelerated toward the black dot. Everyone wanted to leave this eerie place as fast as possible.


    The black dot became nearer and nearer. We were finally able to see that the black dot was really an exit. In the middle of the exit crouched a big creature with a sword in its back.


    "Canyue, this must be the creature you talked about," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Yes, it is. I did not expect it to be crouching here. That means we picked the right tunnel," I said.


    For some reason, the crouching creature was motionless. We slowly approached it.


    "This fellow is blocking the exit. We can''t leave," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Barak, does the college have any records on this creature?" I asked.


    "No. The Dark Hall is the place to store banned books. From the founding of the college, the first principal had issued a ban forbidding anyone from entering."


    "That''s a rule set by the first principal?" I asked.


    "Yes. It is rumored that Principal Yiman died of illness during the construction of the college building. The succeeding principal buried him under the college," said Barak.


    "Are you saying that Principal Yiman''s body was buried here? How many people are buried here?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Nobody apart from Principal Yiman," said Barak.


    "Are you suspecting that this creature is..." I asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "That was my initial thought, but that doesn''t seem possible. A life form can transcend the limitations of time, but how can one survive this long without being put in stasis? That is unexplainable," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Just attack. Why are we wasting time talking?" said Zhang Bao''er who was getting impatient.


    "No, we can''t. I don''t think it''s there to stop us," said Domo.


    "Domo makes sense. I agree," Old Du slowly said. "This creature has never shown any aggression since our arrival."


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    While everyone was talking, the wails around us were getting louder and louder. Suddenly, several clumps of black gas spurted out from the side tunnels and advanced toward us. A part of the black cloud extended like an arm reaching out to touch our shields. Our powerful shields were able to block its advance, resulting in the formation of some sort of smoke ring around us.


    "My god. There really are ghosts here!" Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    "Shut up. Ghosts don''t exist. This is simply something unknown," I stopped Zhang Bao''er from further shouting.


    At this time, our radiation detector indicated that the radiation around us had reached 500 electron volts.


    "Canyue, the radiation is too high. This level is already comparable to a black hole''s radiation field," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, we need to leave immediately," I said.


    More and more black smoke covered our surroundings while the wails around us intensified. I suddenly saw a palm swinging at the smoke, dispersing some of the smoke.


    "It''s the creature. It seems to be helping us!" Zhang Xingxing exclaimed.


    "Looks like it can sense the radiation field as well," I analyzed.


    "Yes. Look at its appearance. It is smoking with pus all over its body. That is probably a result of long-term exposure to radiation," said Old Du.


    The smoke around us continued growing thicker. Suddenly, the creature opened its mouth and spat a clump of green liquid at the smoke. Any bit of smoke that touched the liquid would solidify into a clump before dropping onto the ground. A few minutes later, the thick cloud of smoke had been fully cleared by the creature.


    "Just what is this smoke made of? Why is the radiation level so high?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Ever since we got down here, I have been feeling that this place is like the vestiges of a supernova," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, did your injury affect your head? This is a planet, not a star," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It is very difficult to explain. Perhaps this is some sort of fake appearance," said Old Du.


    "Look, the creature is coming," Prince Toruse suddenly shouted.


    Only then did we notice the creature with festering pus all over its body walking toward us. I could see Bao''er slowly raising his gun as the creature approached.


    "Everyone, stay calm. Move aside and let it pass," I said.


    Everyone parted to the side of the tunnel. The creature continued ahead, completely ignoring all of us. Everyone heaved a breath of relief.


    "Looks like it was really here to help us," said Domo.


    "Yes. I agree with Zhang Xingxing. There is a possibility that the creature is Principal Yiman. At the very least, this is Principal Yiman''s body," said Old Du.


    "But it''s very hard to explain its appearance. Perhaps we''ll get an answer later," said Zhang Xingxing.


    After she spoke, the wails started to return as though the black smoke was going to reappear.


    "Everyone, move quickly. Get through this exit and leave this place," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Everyone started moving immediately. After helping Old Du up, we resumed our journey to leave the maze. After going through the exit, a massive cavern probably as large as an ocean was presented before us. Multi-colored dots of light hovered in the air, constantly drifting about. Right in front of us were two paths, one up and one down.


    The lower path led to a massive black hole. The black hole was completely still, a ball of pure darkness. The upper path led to a massive star resembling Betelgeuse, which was emanating gentle rays of light.


    The two paths were akin to two staircases, one leading up and the other leading down. Each step was supported by a massive pillar that stabbed down into the immeasurable abyss below us, making the two pathways look even more majestic.


    "Why are there two paths again? Which do we pick this time?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is spectacular. This place is like the birthplace of the many star systems in the Orion Constellation," exclaimed Barak in admiration as he took in the sight before us.


    "You''re right. This is the birthplace of the Orion Constellation. However, this is not the actual birthplace. I have a feeling that this is a replica at a compressed scale," said Old Du, ignoring the pain from his wound.


    "Old Du, tell us more about your theory," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "After coming down here, we encountered the solid form of the vestiges of a supernova, something that only the explosion of a star will leave behind. A regular star explosion will fling nebulous substances away while the star''s core will turn into a black hole. Only the powerful gravity of a black hole is capable of creating the highly radiated smoke we encountered in the tunnel. Now that a black hole has appeared before us, I can confirm that my guess is correct," said Old Du.


    "How do you conclude that this is a compressed version of the real thing?" I asked.


    "The supernova vestiges we encountered were dormant, existing in a sponge-like state. I believe this is a static image space," said Old Du.


    "Wait, something doesn''t add up. If that is a black hole, we would have been crushed from this distance. No life form can survive standing so close to a black hole. Look, apart from the black hole, everything else in this place is moving. Nothing is static about them," argued Zhang Bao''er.


    "Your argument is reasonable. That is also why I''m still confused," said Old Du.


    "Is that an actual black hole?" I asked.


    "From its shape, yes," said Old Du. "Look at the edge of the thing. All light vanishes upon reaching that point. That is the typical characteristic of a black hole."


    "The black hole symbolizes the end, while the star symbolizes life," muttered Barak.


    "In that case, should we pick the upper path?" I asked.


    "There is a saying on Blue that two negatives make a positive. Are we supposed to brave death before obtaining our salvation? Is the black hole the right choice instead?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "If that is our sole option, of course we will give it a try. But there is a choice of life and hope. I suggest we pick the star," I said.


    "I agree with Canyue. We should pick hope, not death," said Prince Toruse.


    Bao''er and Old Du did not say anything else, tacitly agreeing with me.


    "Alright. In that case, let''s take the upper path," concluded Zhang Xingxing.

 CH 79

    The group started advancing toward the upper path as per my suggestion. As usual, Barak left a mark indicating our choice at the fork.


    "Old Du, do you really think all this is some sort of image? How do we explain that creature and black smoke? Their existences are real," Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "It''s probably similar to a movie, or perhaps it''s similar to the five-dimensional alternate realities Canyue saw on Jupiter II, with the reality being presented in a three-dimensional form," said Old Du.


    "I still don''t understand. How can a three-dimensional projection feel so real?" muttered Zhang Xingxing.


    The upper path was rugged. Some of the steps were as tall as two meters, forcing us to climb with all four of our limbs. Slowly, the group spread into a long line. Just like that, we advanced for about half an hour. We were approaching the floating star at the end of the path.


    The star before us was shining with a gentle radiance. Instead of a churning surface caused by the constant nuclear fusion within the star like a regular star, we were only faced with a bright red ball that was calm and serene.


    "Canyue, something feels wrong. This is too calm," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why? Are extreme dangers supposed to be normal? You''re too nervous. Don''t worry, trust me," I consoled Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Bao''er seemed to still have something to say, but he held his tongue. We tried our best to climb up before we finally reached the star. The platform before the star was the very peak of this upward path we had been climbing. A massive red chest was there. Behind the platform was a ropeway connecting to the inside of the star. A cable car was hanging from the ropeway.


    "Look, there''s a cable car here. My guess was right," I said.


    "Look at that chest. There are probably treasures there. Or perhaps the chest is a switch for some device," said Domo.


    Everyone stepped forth and studied the red chest. It was sealed shut with no words on it. Instead, something like a star chart was carved on it.


    "Xingxing, does this look familiar to you?" I asked.


    "Yes. This seems to be the Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation," said Zhang Xingxing.


    That reminded me. Yes, this was a chart of the Horsehead Nebula.


    "Do you see the cable car? This chest is probably the switch to turn it on," I said.


    "Canyue, look under the Horsehead Nebula. There seem to be more diagrams," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I used the light of my suit to check the side of the chest and saw that below the Horsehead Nebula was a diagram depicting the full process of the explosion of a star.


    "The explosion of a star is depicted here. It seems to be related to the recording left by Nommo," I said.


    "I remember that the recording only shows the attack on the dust clouds and the explosion caused by the energy-harnessing devices. I don''t recall seeing the explosion of a star," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "What do you think this diagram represents?" I asked.


    "There is a star before us. Don''t you think that the diagram would be related to the star before us?" said Zhang Bao''er, displaying a level of calm uncharacteristic of him.


    "Don''t listen to the fatty''s bullshit. We will know if it''s related to the star by opening the chest," said Domo. He urged us, "Let''s leave this place already. I feel very uneasy staying here."


    "Should we open the chest first, then?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "The chest might also be the fuse that will detonate this place," warned Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, you feel weird today. This doesn''t feel like you at all," I said.


    "Bao''er makes sense. We should be safe," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I also want to be safe, but only if there are other choices. Look at the path we came from. Do you think we can still return?" I said as I pointed at the abyss of immeasurable depth behind us.


    "Check the cable car. See if it can be started from the car itself," suggested Old Du.


    Zhang Bao''er and Domo immediately stepped forth and studied the cable car.


    "We can''t even open the door. The car is locked. There is no way to turn it on," Domo returned with their findings.


    "Then we''ll have to open the chest," said Old Du.


    With the majority agreeing to take the risk and open the chest, Zhang Bao''er stopped objecting. Zhang Xingxing stepped forth and opened the chest. Within the chest was a silvery white pedestal. A purple gem sat atop it, flickering from the reflection of the starlight. Nothing else happened, and everyone heaved a breath of relief.


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    We observed the purple gem. The gem was placed atop the pedestal, seemingly placed there to maintain some sort of balance. The surface of the gem was sleek, looking like a delicate art piece. Suddenly, a tiny hand reached into the chest and picked the gem up. I turned back and saw Domo holding the gem in his hands with the expression of someone staring at the most precious thing ever.


    "Dwarf, have you gone mad from greed? How can you touch the gem without making sure it''s safe? What if you ruin the balance?" scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    Our surroundings were still completely calm, but cracking sounds started coming from the cable car. The vehicle trembled before the door by its side opened.


    "Haha, what were you saying, fatty? I am the actual genius here," said Domo smugly.


    Everyone was relieved to see the cable car opening its door.


    "Everyone, enter the cable car immediately. We need to leave this place," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    My heart was no longer beating rapidly. I stepped forth and supported Old Du alongside Bao''er. Abruptly, the world around us shook. The star in front of us swelled rapidly, and before I could react, the ground beneath me vanished as the path we stood on collapsed. The three of us fell.


    We were in a state of freefall. The three of us held onto each other tightly as we dropped. As we were about to continue dropping into the abyss, I tossed my rope toward one of the pillars supporting the pathway. The hooked end of the rope coiled around the pillar, and the momentum swung us around the pillar.


    All around us, one pillar collapsed after another, followed by the platforms they supported. Everything was falling into the dark abyss below us. A screaming figure dropped down beside us. I could clearly see that the dropping figure was Barak. My right hand was clutching Old Du and Zhang Bao''er. With the help of our shields, the three of us remained hanging below the path.


    "Canyue, are you all fine?" Zhang Xingxing''s anxious call sounded from above.


    "We''re fine. Barak fell down. How about the others?" I asked.


    At this time, the intense shaking stopped as abruptly as it came. I saw that a gap of over 100 meters had formed between the pathway Zhang Xingxing was on and the pathway above us. Zhang Bao''er shot another rope with a hook at its end toward the pathway above us. Balancing ourselves with the two ropes, we slowly climbed back up.


    As we climbed, I could see the star at the end of the path grow larger and larger, looking like it was going to blow apart soon. The star''s previously calm surface was now churning and boiling from the fierce nuclear fusion occurring within it. The molten lava spraying from its surface burned through the ropeway. With a loud creak, the cable car dropped into the bottomless abyss.


    "Xingxing, don''t worry. I''ll save you," I shouted at Zhang Xingxing.


    There was a gap of over a hundred meters between us. I immediately shot another rope toward her. The rope coiled itself around the platform before fastening itself.


    "Use a pulley and slide down the rope. The star is going to explode soon," I shouted.


    Domo was the first to slide down the rope. In less than a minute, he reached our side of the pathway.


    "It works. Come on, everyone," I shouted.


    I saw the prince getting ready to slide down the rope. Even now, Zhang Xingxing insisted on being the last to escape. A deafening explosion erupted as tens of red chunks spurted from the star. The star was finally going to explode. The terrifying power creation had granted a star was something beyond current technology. The temperature of the red substance was as high as 5,000 degrees Celsius. Instantly, the red substance swallowed Zhang Xingxing, Titan, the prince, and Amethyst. Before my eyes, all of them vanished.


    "Ahhhh!" We wailed in despair, unable to accept what was happening.


    "Canyue, team leader and the others...are gone just like that," said Zhang Bao''er in between sobs.


    "It''s my fault. I should''ve listened to you. This wouldn''t have happened if I did," I said in despair, deeply blaming myself.


    The intense explosion created more shaking. The pillars supporting the pathway trembled violently.


    "Bosses, focus on running. We can''t afford to grieve here," said Domo anxiously before running down the pathway.


    With a boom, more detonations erupted from the star. It grew larger and larger, looking like a ball of destruction that was going to swallow everything in its wake. We could not afford to delay. Zhang Bao''er and I helped Old Du as we quickly ran down the pathway.


    Suddenly, a scream came from ahead of us as Domo fell down on the pathway. We saw that the intense shaking had caused the pillars to collide before collapsing. Our way back had been destroyed as well.


    "There is no way out, Canyue," said Zhang Bao''er helplessly.


    "It''s my fault. I was the one who brought this disaster to everyone. The universe can actually be such a scary place. I did not expect that I would bring everyone to such a disastrous situation with no hope of escape," I said, tortured by guilt.


    In the massive empty space, only the pillar we stood on remained. No other path was available for us.


    "Canyue, it''s not your fault. If this is the end, I have no regrets because I got to walk toward the very end with my brothers," said Old Du.


    "Same here. Life or death, advance or retreat, we''ll face it together. Remember our oath," said Zhang Bao''er as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.


    The three of us huddled together tightly. The star was still expanding, and it was on the verge of swallowing the three of us.


    "Bring it on. We don''t fear you," I roared defiantly.


    My vision was completely dominated by the massive red ball of flame. As the burning sensation enveloped my face, I shut my eyes.

 CH 80

    "Canyue, Canyue, are you fine?" A voice urgently called out to me.


    I opened my eyes and saw Old Du hanging beside me. He was shouting anxiously at me, holding onto one of my arms, an arm that had just been pulled out of the sponge-like supernova vestige.


    "Canyue, stop daydreaming. The system has detected high levels of radiation at the bottom of the tunnel. Do we continue descending?" came Old Du''s anxious voice.


    I looked at the spot my hand was pulled out from. A glowing red mark was left there. I patted my head harshly.


    "I''m alive? What is happening?" I asked myself with complicated emotions.


    "Canyue, how is it down there? The imperial army is getting closer!" Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Canyue, the radiation is too high down there. Let''s return and fight them to the death," said Old Du.


    ''Looks like I''m really still alive. Thank the heavens for giving me a second chance.'' The sensation of being alive was like a warm current in my heart.


    "Canyue, what''s going on with you? You were dazed for a very long time," shouted Old Du.


    "When I touched this substance, I might have time traveled and witnessed the future," I replied.


    "What did you see? Do we turn back?" asked Old Du anxiously.


    "We can''t return. Tell everyone to continue downward. Those with shields, keep the shields on to protect everyone," I said.


    "There are hundreds of us. Our energy will drain too fast protecting so many people," Old Du reminded me.


    "It should be fine so long as we don''t get into a fight. Returning and fighting the imperial army will basically be suicide," I said firmly.


    After the message was brought to the others who were waiting above, both Zhang Xingxing and Giorno made the choice to descend into the Dark Hall.


    "Everyone who is descending, don''t touch the sponge-like substance before you. That thing can very well be solidified time. Touching it will take you across time and result in hallucinations," I warned.


    Everyone moved according to my suggestions. I acted as the vanguard and became the first to jump out of the tunnel. Unsurprisingly, a corridor presented itself before me. Different from what I saw in my vision, the place was enveloped in complete darkness. Dust covered the room, while the temperature was as low as negative 15 degrees.


    This differed greatly from the brightly lit room in my vision. I turned on my infrared vision and turned my head. Where the creature was crouched in the vision, I saw a wooden coffin.


    ''It seems that apart from the structure itself, the scenario and characters in the scene have changed greatly,'' I thought.


    Soon, everyone else arrived in the corridor through the tunnel. Old Du and Bao''er turned on the lights of their suits to illuminate the way for the group. With the help of the light, a deserted corridor entered everyone''s vision. Dusty chests were piled on the two sides of the corridor, looking like this place had been deserted for perhaps tens of thousands of years.


    A rope and a mechanical arm could be seen directly beneath the tunnel we came from. A messy pile of newer books could be seen around the rope, giving the impression that it had been a while since someone arranged the books in the room.


    "Jeferun, come take a look. Is that perhaps Principal Yiman''s coffin?" I asked.


    "Who''s Principal Yiman? Who are you talking about? Why have I never heard of him?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Jeferun quickly stepped over and studied the coffin. A thick layer of dust covered the dust. When Jeferun reached out to wipe the dust off, the entire coffin crumbled into a pile of powder. Jeferun paled from the sight.


    "It''s fine. This is proof that this coffin might really be Principal Yiman''s," I said.


    "Honorable Canyue, you are truly incredibly wise. How did you know that Principal Yiman''s coffin was in the Dark Hall?" asked Jeferun.


    "Canyue, how did you know?" Zhang Xingxing also asked.


    I did not answer the question directly. Instead, I said, "According to the legends, Principal Yiman was the college''s first principal. He passed away over 100,000 years ago. It was rumored that his body was buried under the college. The coffin has been resting here for more than 100,000 years. Our arrival had caused a change in the air here, resulting in the rapid corrosion of the coffin."


    Everyone exclaimed in wonder. I gave the remains of the coffin three deep bows. After all, this was the senior who had saved me in the alternate future that I had witnessed. Jeferun and the other students also offered their respects to the coffin remains.


    "Where should we go now?" Giorno asked.


    "First, bomb the entrance here," I said coldly.


    "There are so many chests here. Should we check them for treasures first?" asked Domo as he reached for one of the chests.


    The same thing happened. The chest turned into a pile of dust.


    "Everything here has been corroded by the air. Also, the radiation here is too high. Don''t touch anything. Old Du, install the high-energy cluster bombs. The imperial army will be here soon," I urged.


    Seeing how firm I was, Zhang Bao''er agreed. Old Du and Zhang Bao''er immediately started installing the bombs.


    "Everyone, stick close. Retreat immediately," I said.


    The group followed me as we retreated to the depths of the corridor. A few minutes later, a loud explosion erupted behind us.


    "The shockwaves are coming. On the ground!" I shouted.


    The intense shockwaves swept through us, turning the chests around us into dust. Looking at the scene around me, I realized that I would not be able to get my hands on the book called Blue Path. After the shockwaves were over, we stood up and continued onward. Soon, we reached the transparent maze. There were no signs of the imperial army closing in on us.


    "Titan, use the solution of your people''s cube game and help us navigate through this maze. Everyone, stick close. Don''t split from the main group," I said.


    Everyone was stupefied, except Old Du who seemed to have understood something.


    "Canyue, did something hit you in the head?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Just follow Canyue''s words. I believe he''s right," said Old Du.


    Titan, still confused about my apparent knowledge of their cube game, started leading the group through the maze.


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    "What shitty place is this? We keep going round and round. Are you sure you know your way?" complained Giorno.


    "Patience. You will get your answer soon," I said.


    Before long, we arrived at the familiar fork. I did not pause and told everyone to proceed into the right path. Shortly after, we arrived at the exit. This time, there was no creature waiting there to help us. The eerie wails sounded all around us.


    "My god. What monsters are these? Canyue, are you sure this is the right way?" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, Xingxing, turn on your liquid cooling system. Black smoke will appear later. Blast the smoke with your cooling liquid," I quickly said.


    Everyone did as told and prepared their cooling sprays. As expected, black smoke started appearing near the exit.


    "Blast the smoke," I commanded.


    The crew immediately fired the cooling liquid at the smoke. The moment the liquid touched the smoke, the smoke turned into solid clumps and dropped onto the ground. I grabbed the opening and led everyone through the exit. The familiar breathtaking scene of the star and the black hole appeared before me.


    "This is too beautiful," praised Zhang Xingxing as she took in the sight before her.


    "Often, great danger is hidden behind the most beautiful scenery," I said.


    "Canyue, why are you so weird today?" asked Zhang Bao''er. It seemed like our role had been reversed in a different timeline.


    "Great explorer, there are two paths. Which do we take?" asked Giorno.


    "The lower path. Go through the black hole," I replied calmly.


    "Canyue, have you gone mad? Black holes symbolize death. Why don''t we take the path of light?" Zhang Bao''er protested.


    I didn''t know if I should laugh or cry upon hearing his words. It turned out that across different timelines, the two of us would have opposing opinions.


    "Two negatives make a positive. Brave death before receiving salvation," I returned Zhang Bao''er''s words from a different timeline to him.


    "Great explorer, nobody has ever gone through a black hole. Are you sure we should take that path?" asked Giorno hesitantly.


    "I''ll go first. You can decide if you want to come," I said.


    "I support Canyue''s decision," Old Du voiced his support for me yet again.


    I was gratified to see a healthy Old Du in this timeline. Oftentimes, one would only recognize the important things upon losing them.


    "We''ll follow the honorable Canyue as well. Perhaps he had received the guidance of Principal Yiman in all his decisions," said Jeferun.


    "Let''s follow Canyue''s suggestion," Zhang Xingxing finalized.


    I looked at her with gratitude. Across timelines, she had remained my solid supporter.


    "Don''t touch anything on the pathway. Watch your hands," I warned Domo.


    "Boss, those people have profited greatly from this operation. On the other hand, we have risked our lives for nothing," complained Domo.


    "Is your life more important than wealth?" I scolded.


    Looking at my grim expression, Domo grumbled for a bit before shutting his mouth. Seeing that everyone had agreed, Giorno compromised and brought the Brotherhood as he followed behind us.


    We followed the downward path with me in the lead. We soon reached the silent black hole. Before the black hole was a gaseous door about two meters tall. A blue shining stream of air was spiraling in the middle of it.


    The black hole floated silently and unmoving. If it wasn''t for the swallowed light at the edge of the black hole, we would have probably assumed that a dark cave was before us instead of a black hole.


    "I have never envisioned myself standing so close to a black hole. I feel like I can touch it just by reaching out. If I do, will I be the first person in the league''s history to physically touch a black hole?" muttered Zhang Xingxing.


    "If we weren''t fugitives, this shaking discovery would probably earn us purple star medals," said Zhang Bao''er with a sigh.


    "Are you Bluelings sure this is actually a black hole? Perhaps it''s merely a prop? The powerful gravity of a black hole will never disappear. Without such gravity, this is definitely not a black hole," argued Amethyst.


    We couldn''t find a reply to her argument. Even someone who had time traveled once like me had nothing to say.


    "This is a black hole. Also, its gravity is extremely powerful just like any other black hole. What you are witnessing is merely the visual image it had left in the passage of time, a snapshot from a point in time," a clear voice suddenly rang out behind us.

 CH 81

    I turned my head and saw that Old Du was the one who had spoken.


    "What do you mean by ''image in history''? Isn''t it in front of us right now?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "From the moment I saw the supernova vestiges, I have been suspecting that this whole thing is a preserved chunk of time," said Old Du.


    "Go on," Zhang Bao''er and Prince Toruse urged him to continue.


    "The supernova vestiges are presented in a nebulous form of the debris thrown out of a star after an explosion. They will most certainly slowly fade away. What we saw was instead some sponge-like substance, which is essentially solidified time," Old Du said.


    "Liquid and gas can both be touched and frozen, but how do you freeze time?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "What is it that you have in your bag if it can''t be touched?" Domo suddenly said.


    Zhang Bao''er touched his bag instinctively before scolding, "Dwarf, what nonsense are you saying?"


    ''Don''t tell me Zhang Bao''er stole some of the solidified time when going down the tunnel,'' I thought.


    "There is no proof that time can''t be frozen. The temperature here is between negative 10 degrees to negative 30 degrees. Perhaps this is the perfect temperature range to preserve the solidified time?" Old Du said.


    Everyone returned their attention to Old Du.


    "But the supernova vestiges themselves are frozen in solidified time. That doesn''t seem to be the case for this black hole," said Zhang Xingxing.


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    "Therefore, we can''t physically move through solidified time because that will result in chaos in the proper passage of time. As for this black hole, it is probably a replica, so it will be fine for us to enter it," said Old Du.


    ''As expected from someone who had received a knowledge download with a level higher than mine. During moments like this, the difference between us is especially pronounced,'' I thought, feeling a slight sense of injustice.


    "I think Old Du makes sense. If this is only a replica and not an actual black hole, and if it isn''t padded with solidified time, we can try entering and searching for an exit," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Let''s not waste time. Our energy supply is limited. I''ll scout ahead," I offered.


    "I''ll go with you," said Old Du and Zhang Bao''er at the same time.


    Suddenly, the sight of the injured Old Du from the other timeline appeared in my mind.


    "You go with me, Bao''er. Old Du, you should provide support from here," I said.


    "Fine," said Old Du after taking a look at Giorno and Domo. It was a good idea to have him stay and watch over the others.


    "Be careful. Stay in contact with us," said Zhang Xingxing with concern.


    My heart was filled with warmth as I nodded to her. Then, I stepped into the door that had a whirlpool at its center. After going through the whirlpool door, I arrived at a dark room. Zhang Bao''er arrived immediately after.


    "My god, what place is this? It''s so dark. There''s nothing here. Canyue, the door we came through is not here as well!" Zhang Bao''er cried out.


    I turned around and saw that the door had truly gone missing.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me? How is it in there?" Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    "We''re fine. It''s pitch-black in here. Not even my suit''s lighting can pierce through the darkness here. Infrared doesn''t work as well. We can''t see anything," I replied.


    "Luckily, the communication channel still works. Why is it that light waves don''t work while electromagnetic waves work? Odd," Zhang Xingxing said.


    I noticed that the ground under me wasn''t sponge-like. Instead, it was solid and hard.


    "Old Du, light doesn''t work in here. We can''t find any exit, but we are indeed standing on something solid," I said.


    "You must have entered the final remains of a collapsed star''s core. If the ground under you is solid, then this is most certainly a replica," said Old Du.


    "Even if this is proven to be a replica, it doesn''t change the fact that we can''t see anything. There is no way to leave," I said anxiously.


    "Calm down. Let me think," said Old Du.


    I grabbed onto Zhang Bao''er''s arm, worried that we wouldn''t be able to find each other after separating.


    "Canyue, is it cold in there?" Old Du asked.


    "The system indicates that it''s negative 25 degrees here," I said.


    "Perhaps we have made a major discovery in terms of astronomy studies, confirming that light can''t pass through black holes but sound waves can. Either that or it''s the other possibility," said Old Du.


    "Sound waves traveling through black holes? That seems unlikely. What''s the other possibility?" I asked.


    "The basis of our communication system is heat. That''s not the case for our lighting system. I have a feeling that for both the solidified time and this replica, everything is preserved at a low temperature. Canyue, try to change the temperature of your environment," said Old Du.


    I switched my gun to the flamethrower mode and pulled the trigger. When the tongue of flame spurted out, clicking sounds rang out in the air. The flame became larger and larger before eventually providing the illumination to see Zhang Bao''er. The temperature around me rose, reaching five degrees.


    The heat from the flamethrower seemed to have altered the environment we were in. I could also see two whirlpool doors around us. The one near us was probably the door we came in from. The one farther away might be the exit.


    "Success. The change in temperature enabled our lighting system. The exit has appeared," I reported to Old Du.


    I could hear cheers coming from the communicator. We started slowly walking toward the exit. The atmospheric drag in the dark space was rather high, giving one the sensation of walking through cotton. Eventually, we came close to the exit. The whirlpool door stood before us, emanating a mesmerizing light blue radiance.


    "Who will go first?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Can we maintain communication after going out?" After returning from the other timeline, I felt like I had turned more and more conservative in my actions.


    While I was hesitating, Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator, "Canyue, how is it in there? We''ve noticed that the star is growing larger."


    My heart skipped a beat as I roared urgently, "Come in immediately! The star is on the verge of exploding! If you''re slow, you won''t make it in time!"


    Soon, I saw the others coming through the door one after another.


    "Use your flamethrowers to change the temperature before walking toward me," I shouted to them.


    "Canyue, we can see you. We''re heading your way," said Zhang Xingxing.


    While I was speaking to Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er rushed through the door.


    "Bao''er, can you hear me? How is it out there?" I called out.


    Only static came from the communicator.


    "That guy. I wonder how it is out there," I muttered.


    With some difficulty, Zhang Xingxing finally arrived beside me.


    "Where''s Bao''er?" she asked.


    "He rushed through this door. I can''t connect to his communicator," I said.


    "Everyone is already here. We should move as well. Death or survival, we have to try this," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I nodded.


    "See you on the other side," I said before turning and walking through the light blue whirlpool door.


    I entered an expansive room filled with blue radiance. The space around me constantly shrunk, slowly closing in on me. Then, with a flash, I was in a large warehouse. Zhang Bao''er was in the same warehouse.


    "Canyue, you''re finally here! I can''t contact you with the communicator, so I''ve been waiting here for a while," said Zhang Bao''er joyfully.


    Before long, Zhang Xingxing and the others arrived one after another. Every time a person arrived, the whirlpool door would automatically shut behind them.


    "Where is this?" asked Zhang Xingxing when she saw me.


    Seeing that everyone was safe, I finally shifted my attention to our surroundings.


    "From my earlier observation, this seems to be a deserted warehouse," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is a large deserted warehouse, and it looks quite old as well. However, it certainly doesn''t look like it has a history of over 100,000 years," said Old Du.


    While everyone was studying the surroundings, Giorno arrived through the whirlpool door. Shock was plastered all over his face when he saw our surroundings. He then lowered his head with a pensive expression before whispering into Aaron''s ears. Next, Aaron rushed away with two Liyate thugs.


    "President Giorno, do you have a new discovery?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "We should be safe for now," he replied.


    At this time, Aaron rushed back and nodded at Giorno.


    "What a surprise. Truly a surprise. The whirlpool door actually brought us straight to outer space," said Giorno.


    "Outer space? This is outer space?" Domo asked.


    "This is an abandoned trade station. Many years ago, it was placed in lockdown by Fille I," said Giorno.


    "Fille I?" I exclaimed in astonishment.


    "Yes. The founding emperor of the Divine Empire. Back then, he had established imperial power after seizing control over parliament. However, one person managed to escape the parliament during the chaos," said Giorno.


    "Are you referring to Dida, the leader of the parliament?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "The prince is right. In the legends, he escaped to a trade station in outer space and started organizing a resistance. The trade station is filled with numerous tunnels, making it easy for the resistance to hide from the imperial power. The emperor tried to take the resistance down for a long time without success. In a fit of anger, he placed the entire trade station in lockdown for a period of 10 years with his battleships," said Giorno.


    "For 10 years? Did Dida not try to escape?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. It is said that at the time, a powerful surveillance system was installed with a massive energy field around the trade station. Not even a speck of dust could avoid detection. After failing to escape twice, he vanished from existence," said Giorno.


    "I know about that too. This place was surrounded for 10 years without supply. After that, when the imperial police came in, they found a lot of corpses," said Prince Toruse.


    "Those people were starved to death by the emperor," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "However, Dida''s corpse was never found," said Giorno. "After exhausting a large amount of energy on the 10-year lockdown, the emperor finally lifted it. However, he did not fail to make this place a forbidden zone."


    "A lockdown of 10 years and starving people to death. That Fille I was too cruel," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At this time, the silhouette of a large hauler appeared outside the warehouse.

 CH 82

    The sounds of a hauler docking came from outside the warehouse. I immediately gripped my laser gun and prepared for combat.


    "Don''t worry. It''s my people," said Giorno.


    Shortly after, three Liyate thugs came in from outside. The leader had an eye patch covering one of his eyes, revealing only a single intact eye on his face.


    "Boss, you''re finally back. I set off the moment I received Aaron''s message," said the one-eyed Liyate.


    "Um. I won''t die so easily," said Giorno. "How''s our emergency passage? I need to return immediately."


    "Our headquarters is gone," said the one-eyed Liyate.


    "What?" Giorno exclaimed in shock.


    "The imperial police swept through the Miner''s District and our stronghold. Fode was captured, and our brothers were scattered. Only my trade station out of the original four is left," said the one-eyed Liyate.


    Giorno dropped weakly onto the ground.


    "Boss, are you fine?" asked Aaron with concern.


    After staring blankly for a few minutes, Giorno said, "My hard work for over a period of 10 years¡­just like that, that dogshit emperor, Fille IV, destroyed everything I built."


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    "Boss, don''t worry. We obtained so many treasures from raiding the college. We can easily rise again," consoled Aaron.


    Seemingly agreeing with Aaron''s words, Giorno slowly regained a little of his confidence.


    "Great explorer, the Golden Book is gone. We weren''t able to unveil its secret. Seeing that you have helped us escape, I''ll send you to our trade station. We will part ways there," said Giorno.


    "Thank you for the help, president. How about these students?" I asked.


    "I will take them to the trade station before arranging passage to Lidu for them. After all, Jeferun is a member of the Brotherhood. I won''t make things hard for him," said Giorno.


    "Many thanks," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "However, if I can get my hands on the Golden Book in the future, this fatty must decipher it for me," said Giorno.


    "Agreed," I said.


    At this time, Zhang Bao''er whispered to me.


    "This Giorno guy is a two-faced snake. I can''t believe he''s letting us go so easily. Is there a trick somewhere?" he asked.


    I blanked out slightly. Yes, Bao''er''s worries were reasonable.


    "I had contacted Dodo. They will arrive soon with Fearless," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Really? Great!" I said.


    "Great explorer, let''s go," said Giorno with a wide smile on his face.


    "President Giorno, you can go without us. We will withdraw ourselves," I said.


    Giorno''s face sank when he heard that we weren''t willing to go with him.


    "Bao''er, I''ve arrived," Dodo''s voice came from the system.


    I was greatly relieved to hear Dodo''s voice.


    "Our ship is here. Giorno, do you want to visit our ship?" I said with a wide smile on my face. While speaking, I tightened my grip on my gun.


    "Boss, a battleship appeared outside," said a Liyate thug after running into the room in a flustered manner.


    Evidently, Giorno''s hauler couldn''t compare with our battleship.


    "Hehe, since ancient times, heroes have always risen from among the young. This is it, then. I''m sure we''ll meet again someday," said Giorno before leaving unhappily with his people.


    The team was finally returned to Fearless, our aimlessly drifting yet warm home. After a series of thrilling experiences, including dying in a different timeline, I felt that Fearless was a paradise. Everyone took their suits off and rested on the ground the moment we boarded the ship. Dodo collected our suits before putting them away to recharge.


    "Canyue, Dondon is still on Eternal. We need to pick him up as quickly as possible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I tried contacting Dondon with our communication channel, but it didn''t work. Planet Eternal''s electromagnetic field is too dense, interfering with our channel," said Dodo.


    "We need to return to Eternal as fast as we can. The Miner''s District and the college have been swept through by the imperial army. I don''t know how he''s doing alone," I said.


    "The imperial police has probably placed the entire planet on lockdown. The emperor will be on alert after our escape," said Zhang Bao''er, who was lying on the ground.


    "Domo, we''ll have to trouble you to take us to Kado yet again," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That fellow is an unscrupulous businessman. I reckon he will charge us double this time," said Domo.


    "We are willing to pay him," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Even so, I can''t work for free," Domo put forth his own request.


    "We will pay you as well," I said before Zhang Bao''er had the chance to rage.


    "Let''s go, then," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo brought the ship to Kado''s grocery store.


    "Canyue, did you really travel through time?" Old Du asked me in private.


    I shared my entire experience in the alternate timeline.


    "I finally understand. The Dark Hall is an imprint preserved by solidified time of the moment after a supernova. The solidified time functions similarly to Jupiter II''s core you saw before, capable of showing alternate timelines," said Old Du.


    "Keep this a secret. I don''t want everyone to remember this operation as a nightmare," I said.


    Old Du nodded in agreement. Fearless traveled quickly through space. After experiencing the world of darkness in the black hole, the red Betelgeuse before me looked so very mesmerizing. After about 10 minutes, Kado''s shop appeared before our eyes. The place was still bustling with activity. After the ship docked, Domo was the first to rush into Kado''s shop.


    "Brother, I''m here again," said Dodo to Kado''s back.


    Kado, who was fully focused on his accounts, was startled. He scolded, "You guys have created a massive mess. What a miracle that you were able to escape alive."


    "What? You learned of my heroic deeds?" said Domo smugly.


    "Heroic my ass. You fled like rats after losing to the imperial army and escaped through the sewers," said Kado.


    "What? They''re claiming that we escaped through the sewers?" said Domo in astonishment.


    "Are you going to claim that you left on the emperor''s carriage with your heads held high?" Kado sneered.


    We did not know whether to laugh or cry upon learning about the empire''s official version of the conflict.


    "Kado, can you take us to Eternal again? We still have a friend stuck there," I asked.


    "You still want to go to Eternal?" Kado asked.


    "Yes. I need to pick up a friend. I also wish to continue to try to find a chance to meet the emperor," I said.


    "Sigh. It is true. Birds of the feather flock together," said Kado.


    "Brother, your face is looking very punchable. How much would you charge for this? Get to the point," said Domo.


    "You think I''m like you?" said Kado. "The emperor wishes to meet Zhang Xingxing, the prince, and you."


    Everyone was alarmed.


    "The emperor has announced that he has agreed to an audience with Zhang Xingxing, Li Canyue, and Prince Toruse. Nobody is allowed to stop them. You can strut openly to the planet, and nobody can stop you," said Kado.


    None of us had expected that.


    "Is this a trap?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "What do we do after you go?" Sarje asked.


    "Since the emperor is giving us this chance, we should take the risk," I said.


    "I agree with Canyue. Everyone else should wait here for us. We can also take this chance to look for Dondon," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Why didn''t the emperor ask for me as well?" Zhang Bao''er grumbled.


    "Canyue, I believe the emperor intends to talk terms with you. Exercise your judgment carefully," said Old Du.


    "Don''t worry. We won''t agree to anything that goes against our conscience," I promised.


    "Dodo, how are the suits?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Fully charged. You can set off anytime," said Dodo.


    "I''ll prepare a small hauler and send you to the checkpoint. I won''t charge you for this, but if you want all these people to stay at my place, they will need to pay," said Kado.


    "I thought you weren''t greedy like me?" Domo cried out.


    "This is a fair transaction," said Kado.


    Everyone smiled seeing the antics of these Jidos who were natural-born merchants. The tense atmosphere also calmed somewhat.


    "Since you''re charging, you better supply us with nice food and drinks," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t worry. So long as you pay, I can provide the food of any race here," Kado declared with a wide smile.


    Nevertheless, the three of us were not in the mood for a meal. We intended to set off immediately.


    "Team leader, Canyue, prince, be careful. We will wait for you here," said Old Du.


    "You be careful, brother," Zhang Bao''er said to me.


    We nodded to them before heading to the hauler Kado had prepared for us. The hauler was an unmanned ship with a green light flickering at its front end. It carried us and flew toward the checkpoint leading into the planet.


    "Prince, don''t be in a rush to talk after seeing the emperor. Let''s gauge his intentions first," I said.


    The hauler reached the checkpoint after about 20 minutes. I saw that the patrolling battleships and fighters had doubled from when we were first here. It seemed like our successful escape had caused the emperor to tighten the security around the planet.


    "All haulers line up according to the system''s specifications before entering the checkpoint. Violators will be struck down," a mechanical voice rang out in our ship.


    There was a long queue before the checkpoint. In fact, the line was so long that they had to make two circles in front of the checkpoint. The ships in line had various shapes and forms, displaying the numerous different cultures and technologies of the various civilizations. A countdown to inspection appeared on our display screen. We had to wait for 100 minutes before it was our turn to enter the checkpoint.


    "I did not expect to see so many races entering the planet. A powerful empire is truly a place many people yearn for," remarked Prince Toruse.


    "Don''t worry, prince. Perhaps you will have your very own powerful kingdom in the future," consoled Zhang Xingxing.


    We stood at the window and gazed upon the flourishing scene around us. The massive silhouette of Betelgeuse continued enveloping the planet with its radiance. Everything was moving in an orderly fashion. Witnessing the hustle and bustle of the planet, I momentarily forgot about war.


    Di! Di! Di! The system started blinking. Without realizing it, our turn had arrived.

 CH 85

    "Young man, are you serious?" asked Master Crystal with a trembling voice.


    "Absolutely," I replied. "However, can you prepare more food? I''m getting hungry as well."


    In a flash, Master Crystal offered all the food he could on such short notice.


    "Wow, so you actually have so much good food hidden away!" Dondon started stuffing his face with food without hesitation.


    "Master, you''re also a Storm?" I asked while eating.


    "Um. Let''s talk about you first. Why did you return? I thought you were all on the run," said Master Crystal.


    I told him about our meeting with the emperor and our mission. I also told Master Crystal what Master Wind had to say to him.


    "Sigh. That fellow is still so stubborn after so many years," said Master Crystal with a sigh.


    "Master, what is the meaning of that poem?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "It has been tens of thousands of years of waiting in silence, yet that fellow perseveres," said Master Crystal. "Forget that fellow. The emperor is sending you to Planet Abyss? That is a dangerous place."


    "Just what kind of a life form is it? What does the emperor want with it? Don''t tell me he wants it for his zoo," I said.


    "There has been a rumor that Eternals have the ability to control beasts. However, that rumor has never been proven. It is said that about 100,000 years ago, an army had ambushed the empire''s beast-rearing base. Not one of the attackers was able to survive the attack. Thus, the empire''s beast-rearing base remains a rumor. Even today, no one has seen the base with their own eyes," said Master Crystal.


    Hearing those words, I was reminded of Nommo''s projection I saw on Sirius B. I described what I saw to Master Crystal.


    "So the prophet was the one who had attacked the beast-rearing base. That answers a lot of questions. It is extremely possible that the beast-rearing base is hidden in the Horsehead Nebula. No wonder the empire classifies that place as a restricted area, even going to the point of spending a large number of resources to guard it," said Master Crystal.


    "Are you saying that the emperor wants this beast for his beast-rearing base as well?" I asked.


    "Likely. The empire has spent decades trying to catch that beast only to fail over and over again. It is said that the beast has extremely powerful sensory organs, capable of detecting anything that approaches it," said Master Crystal.


    "Are you aware of the senses it relies on?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Stealth, infrared, vibration, air movement, temperature, and so on have been taken into consideration by all the teams before, but none has succeeded. Every single team suffered a total defeat," said Master Crystal.


    "Do they want this beast to enhance the genes of their beast army?" I asked.


    "Yes. Apart from its sharp senses, the beast also has an extremely powerful control ability. It is said that the beast can control the brainwaves of other life forms. But nobody knows for sure since nobody has survived an encounter," said Master Crystal.


    "That emperor is clearly sending us to our deaths. How are we supposed to capture a monster like that?" I scolded.


    "You have no choice. At this point, you can only risk it," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, are you also a descendant of the Storm race?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes, but this is related to a major secret. I can''t tell you much. That was also why Feng had delivered this fellow to me immediately. Otherwise, our race''s hard work for over 100,000 years will all go down the drain," said Master Crystal.


    We stopped questioning upon learning how important the matter was to them.


    "Remember. The emperor will have a complete grasp over anything you do on any planet in the Orion Constellation. For now, this fellow''s identity is my grandson. He met you on Lidu with the prince," reminded Master Crystal.


    "Why am I suddenly your grandson? Like I said, I have higher seniority than you!" Dondon protested.


    "Stop complaining. Eat your food," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, we will return to our friends tomorrow to get ready for the mission. I''ll be taking Dondon with me," I said.


    Master Crystal nodded. "Rest early."


    For some reason, after drinking Master Crystal''s beverage, I was able to get an extremely restful sleep. The moment the morning sunlight sprinkled over my face, I knew it was time to set off. I got off the bed and walked out of the room. There, I saw Zhang Xingxing, Dondon, and Master Crystal already waiting. Master Crystal even had a backpack on him.


    "Master, what are you doing?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Cough, ahem. You have yet to pay me the gold coins you promised. Also, I''m bored of staying here, so I decided to take a stroll at the trade station," said Master Crystal.


    I did not know whether to laugh or cry. He did not sound like a master at all. Zhang Xingxing seemed happy that Master Crystal was coming with us. Together, we walked to our shuttle.


    "This thing won''t reach outer space directly. We need an actual space shuttle. Since the emperor has issued you temporary passes, we can go to an immigration checkpoint to leave," said Master Crystal.


    We did as told and took the shuttle to an imperial checkpoint. Countless haulers were landing and taking off all around us. After parking our shuttle properly, we walked toward the inspection gate.


    There, the imperial police reached out and stopped us. I did not say anything and walked toward the genetic scanner. A green light swept over my body. After verification, I was allowed passage.


    "Looks like Wind is still as efficient as ever," praised Master Crystal.


    With legal identities, the three of us were able to easily pass through the checkpoint with Master Crystal. We took a shuttle and quickly reached the orbital station. There, we contacted Dodo. Before long, Fearless arrived. When the door opened, I was the first to enter.


    "Boss, you have been hiding your wealth too well, big boss," Domo quickly said before anyone could say anything. "Some people came and delivered a bunch of stuff for free. Also, there are 10,000 gold coins in storage. Do all of us get a share?"


    "Canyue, Xingxing, Dondon, it''s great to see all of you fine!" Old Du said.


    "Master, why are you here too?" Sarje exclaimed in surprise when he saw Master Crystal enter behind us.


    The sight of Old Du and Zhang Bao''er filled me with joy. We gave each other a firm hug.


    "Huh? Where''s Prince Toruse? Why isn''t he with you?" Zhang Bao''er asked in astonishment.


    I told them everything that had happened, and an uncomfortable silence descended.


    "Canyue, team leader, we should just run. The universe is so wide. After leaving the Orion Constellation, where can they find us?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We can run, but Blue can''t run. Can you really bear to see Blue embroiled in war once again?" I asked.


    "Maybe that was only an empty threat? Furthermore, the league won''t sit around doing nothing if Blue is attacked," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Emperor Fille never goes back on his words. Do not look down on his determination," said Master Crystal.


    "We are fugitives. The league will not go to war with the Divine Empire for us. In fact, they will probably hand over Blue to the empire," said Old Du.


    Zhang Bao''er sank into silence.


    "I refuse to believe a life form that can''t be captured exists. At this point, our only option is to head to Bellatrix," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''ll follow the team leader," said Old Du.


    The rest voiced their agreement one after another. It warmed my heart to see the unity of the group. Wealth? Power? Nothing was more important than unity and the team!


    Suddenly, a shout came from Fearless''s communicator, "Ship ahead of us, prepare for docking. The imperial battleship is going to engage the docking mode soon."


    I looked outside the cockpit and saw a massive battleship coming out of stealth.


    "What is the emperor doing now?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "Calm down. Let them dock. There must be a new development. Fille IV is not one to go back on his words," said Master Crystal.


    "Dodo, activate the docking procedure," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo did as told. A massive bridge extended from the battleship and clamped down on our docking bridge. With a clack, the bridges connected. A few minutes later, three individuals in imperial police uniforms arrived with several large chests.


    "Team Leader Zhang Xingxing, as decreed by His Majesty, the three of us will accompany Fearless on the mission at Planet Abyss," said the leader.


    "We can do this ourselves. We don''t require any help," rejected Zhang Bao''er.


    The three policemen did not say anything. Rather, they each found a seat and sat down, completely ignoring Zhang Bao''er. Old Du once again pressed the furious Zhang Bao''er down.


    "We''re grateful for the empire''s help. How may I address the three of you?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    The leader stood up and said, "Respected team leader, I am their squad leader, Lifu. They are my deputies, Snow and Adelan."


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    "With that done, let''s disconnect the bridge and prepare to set off," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo immediately detached the bridge from the battleship before piloting the ship into outer space.


    "We are 390 lightyears away from Bellatrix. Fearless will be activating the wormhole procedure," said Dodo.


    "Everyone, get to your positions. Dondon, assist Dodo," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Upon arriving at the designated spot, Fearless started producing the wormhole. After a constant shaking, a transparent tear in existence appeared before the ship.


    "Activating leap," reported Dodo.


    I could feel a burst of speed as the ship entered the wormhole. After about 10 minutes of wormhole travel, the ship left through another tear, appearing in the middle of dark space. A blue star appeared in the distance. Bellatrix. This was probably the first time any Blueling had ever been this close to this ancient star.


    Compared to Betelgeuse, Bellatrix was dimmer. It had the appearance of a light white star. The system indicated that we were 110 billion kilometers away from it.


    "Be on the alert, everyone. We have gone through Bellatrix''s outer nebula and have entered the low orbital zone," said Dodo.


    Bellatrix''s orbital zone was rather peculiar. Unlike the Solar System where the star was orbited by nine big planets and countless smaller celestial bodies, this star seemed to be enveloped in only darkness, an empty expanse of darkness. Only the lonesome figure of Bellatrix was visible.

 CH 86

    "This place is eerily calm," said Old Du.


    "The dark space here feels like how things were like prior to the big bang, a static space with no matter or time," said Dodo.


    "How are you certain that prior to the big bang, space was completely empty? A lot of Blue theories still need to be verified," said Master Crystal.


    "True. There is another theory claiming that the universe was the result of the collision of two black holes. There is also a theory claiming that the universe came into existence after countless high-energy particles exploded, causing the universe to swell before condensing," Old Du added.


    "Perhaps we will only get the answer when we truly reach the edge of the universe," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Just like that, Fearless hovered silently surrounded by darkness. Zhang Xingxing unfurled the scroll Master Wind gave us. Surprisingly, the scroll was actually an image projector. On the scroll, the exact coordinates of Planet Abyss were projected. But when we checked the location given by the scroll, we saw nothing.


    "Weird, is the planet constantly changing its coordinates?" said Old Du.


    "Impossible. Each time our explorers came, they landed on the same coordinates," said Lifu.


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    "That''s odd. Don''t tell me this planet also knows how to hide," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Ignore that for now. Dodo, head to the coordinates," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Old Du continued browsing the scroll. The next scene displayed by the scroll was a team that had landed on Abyss. The scene was pitch-black, and relying on their lighting system, they could see that it was a world of darkness.


    "From how it looks, there shouldn''t be anything on this planet," I said.


    "The fact that the monster lives in such an environment should be enough to show how powerful it is," said Lifu.


    "Have you not studied these recordings?" asked Old Du.


    "This is the empire''s highest-level secret. Only his majesty and those from the Sacred Wing race can know about it. This is my first time seeing it," said Lifu.


    "Why is there no sound from the scroll?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah. The audio files of the recordings have been lost. Even the scenes we''re looking at are reconstructions from the words of the explorers. The original recordings have all been lost," said Lifu.


    "What? Video reconstruction from words?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er. "I thought they were filmed by the crew on the ground."


    "At the same time your eyes see something, your words are recording your sights. That is the theory of five-dimensional technologies," said Lifu.


    Zhang Bao''er stuck his tongue out.


    ''Looks like the Eternals have already grasped five-dimensional technologies. Good thing I didn''t decide to let them attack Blue,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Team Leader, Canyue, come take a look!" Old Du cried out.


    We huddled around the scroll and saw that the scroll was displaying a series of white lights. In the midst of the white light, a massive mountain-shaped silhouette could be vaguely seen.


    That was where the recordings in the scroll ended.


    "What? It''s over just like this? Just what kind of a clue is this supposed to be?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "Even after spending so much time and energy on it, this is all the empire has learned after all these years. Sigh," said Master Crystal.


    "There is already a lot of information in this scroll," a voice rang out.


    Everyone looked over and saw that it was Dodo.


    "Ah, big-brained robot. Come tell us. What did you glean from the scroll?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    "The scroll carries several important pieces of information. Firstly, the planet consists of a black substance, resulting in a planet that does not reflect the light from Bellatrix. Its surface temperature is probably low. Also, when I checked, the outer space''s temperature here is negative 150 degrees.


    "Secondly, the white light we saw was probably the range of the creature''s light control. In other words, the area beyond the white light is also the area out of the creature''s reach with its control ability.


    "Thirdly, a mountain-like silhouette was shown. I had a 3D model of it constructed, and it might be the creature''s lair," said Dodo.


    "What a surprise. Your robotic brain is quite capable, after all," even Zhang Bao''er was impressed.


    "There is still something we don''t know. How many of these creatures are there? If there''s only one, we can send some robotic scouts to search the planet''s surface before landing beyond the creature''s range after locating its lair," said Dodo.


    "If there is more than one¡­?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Then we can only rely on luck when landing," said Dodo.


    "How many of these creatures are there in existence?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''m unclear. But I have a rough idea of the landing site. All our previous teams landed in the center of the planet''s equator," said Lifu.


    Immediately, Fearless''s sound wave reflector sounded.


    "This reflector will only activate when it encounters something solid," said Old Du.


    Everyone looked outside the window, but apart from the blanket of darkness, we could see nothing else.


    The reflector was getting louder and louder.


    "Team leader, we have arrived at Planet Abyss''s coordinates," said Dodo.


    "Stop the ship immediately. Stop advancing," commanded Zhang Xingxing urgently.


    Dodo immediately had the spaceship stop.


    "Is this where your people came before?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes. However, it was never mentioned that the planet would disappear," said Lifu.


    "When was the last time a team was here?" asked Master Crystal.


    "Five years ago. A team of 15 was here. However, they were wiped out," said Lifu.


    "Five years. That is nothing for a planet. Nothing so major should have happened," Master Crystal muttered.


    The mood in the ship turned heavy, as though a mountain was pressing down upon us.


    "Activate the laser scanners and perform a full scan around the ship," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "The laser and infrared scanners found nothing. Only the sound wave reflector is reacting," said Dodo.


    "How far is the feedback coming from?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "About 50,000 kilometers," said Dodo.


    Everyone looked out the window again. Apart from darkness, nothing could be seen. When I looked at the blue Bellatrix to the left of the ship, a brazen idea suddenly rose in my mind.


    "Dodo, have the ship retreat in a straight line for 50,000 kilometers. After that, adjust the front of the ship to directly face Bellatrix. And then, slowly make a full circle around our current location while maintaining the same distance. Keep paying attention to the reflector''s feedback," I said.


    Dodo looked at Zhang Xingxing. She nodded to indicate her agreement.


    "Roger. Dondon, assist me," said Dodo.


    As Dondon pressed down a button, the ship started slowly retreating.


    "Slowly increase the speed," said Dodo.


    The ship gradually increased its speed. About one hour later, the sound wave reflector indicated that we were 100,000 kilometers away from the source of feedback.


    "Activating circular movement. Keep the ship facing Bellatrix," said Dodo. Slowly, the ship moved in a circular trajectory.


    I was extremely nervous, but my intuition was telling me that I was right. The ship slowly moved in a circular trajectory. After about 10 minutes, a massive black silhouette appeared, blocking the dazzling Bellatrix from our view.


    I felt a chill creep up my spine. To have something so massive near us without being able to see it felt the same as having a massive creature staring at you while swimming in the sea.


    "My god. Is this Planet Abyss? It blends perfectly with the space around it," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    The ship continued circling Planet Abyss, borrowing Bellatrix''s light to measure the planet''s size.


    "Canyue, you''re really quite something! How did you determine that the planet was right ahead of us?" Zhang Xingxing praised.


    "Natural sixth sense," I joked with a smile.


    "Canyue employed the principle of a solar eclipse to look for the planet itself, making use of the fact that the planet would block the starlight. On Blue, this is known as transit photometry," explained Dodo.


    "Yes, but transit photometry is usually used on the planets surrounding distant stars. It is quite original that Canyue is using it on a planet so near," said Old Du.


    "The Interstellar League does have a lead in observations of the universe when compared to the empire," said Lifu.


    "How did your people find and land on this planet previously?" I asked.


    "I don''t know how they got the coordinates of the planet, but I believe our explorers had directly charged straight toward the coordinates," said Lifu.


    "In that case, we should avoid making the same mistake as best as we can," I said.


    "The data is out. This planet has a diameter of roughly 8,000 kilometers, about two-thirds of Blue''s size," said Dodo.


    "Launch the robotic probes according to our data and perform a scan on the planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "The probes have been launched. They will return in about two hours," said Dodo.


    "Alright. Let''s wait for the results," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Team leader, I have an idea," I said.


    "Just say what you have in mind. Why are you being so formal?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Just say it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Planet Abyss has complicated and dangerous terrain. The six teams before us have all perished. We can''t let everyone land at once when our chances of succeeding are so low. It''s too risky," I said.


    "Do you intend to have everyone land in batches?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I suggest that we send a team down while the rest remain on Fearless on standby while performing support duties," I replied.


    "That makes sense. I agree," said Old Du.


    "But who are we sending? Everyone would want to play a part in completing this mission," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I already have suitable candidates in mind," I said.

 CH 87

    "Who do you have on your list?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, Titan, Dodo, and me," I replied.


    Nobody could argue against that list. Even Zhang Xingxing knew that as the leader, she wouldn''t be in the landing team.


    "As decreed by His Majesty, the three of us also need to land," said Lifu.


    I nodded. I knew he was on a mission.


    "Cough, cough. Why don''t you let me go with you as well," Master Crystal suddenly offered.


    "Old man, don''t joke. We''re not going on a tour," said Domo.


    "I only look old and am not actually old," argued Master Crystal.


    I was very surprised that Master Crystal would actually offer to come.


    "Master, I must go with you," said Sarje.


    "No, you stay. It will be hard to move around with too many people," said Master Crystal.


    I understood that that was Master Crystal''s way of protecting the youth. "Sarje, stay in the ship and help the team leader."


    He wanted to say more, but when he saw the firm looks Master Crystal and I had, he gave up.


    "Team Leader, the probes have returned," said Dodo.


    Everyone grew excited. Since the probes could return, there was a chance we could return from this trip.


    "The data is not optimistic. Of the three probes, only one returned. Because image transmission is not possible here, we can only hope that the probe is back with the information we need," said Dodo.


    "You Eternals can transform sound into image, right? Can we perform a sound wave scan on the planet before transforming it into images?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The five-dimensional equipment needed requires an excessive amount of energy. It is also not feasible for us to carry the machine with us. However, we can send the sound data back to the empire. In this short while, my assistants have gathered all the data from the sound wave scans. However, it will take 390 years if we send the data back from here. We can only bring the data back during our next wormhole leap. As for the sound-to-image transformation, it will take 50 Betelgeuse days," said Lifu.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "In other words, the service won''t be available for us during the duration of this mission. In that case, let''s check the recordings of the probe and see if there are any treasures on this planet," said Domo.


    "Upload complete. Should I play it?" asked Dodo.


    "Yes, let everyone have a look," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This probe did not penetrate the planet''s atmosphere. It took the recording from an altitude of 250,000 kilometers. All contact was lost with the two probes that went through the atmosphere," said Dodo.


    While Dodo explained, the recording started playing through the projector. We could clearly see that under the light analysis mode, all light within 150,000 kilometers around the planet would drop straight into the planet and be absorbed. The planet seemed to fuse with the dark matter in outer space, making it impossible for a recording to be made of its surface.


    From the sound wave scan of the probe, half the scanned surface was craggy and uneven. The data also indicated that the planet was a sphere, but the other half of the data was very odd because the data made it seem as though the planet was also completely flat.


    "What is this? Dodo, can you analyze this with your database?" said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I made a comparison between the data and all records in my database. Similar readings will only be obtained from meteorites or irregular asteroids. Large-scale planets have never given off such readings before," said Dodo.


    "Perhaps this is a planet with an irregular form?" I asked.


    "That is likely. I also believe that the planet has an extremely odd shape," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, what shape do you think this planet has?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, do you remember the saying, round sky and square land?" asked Old Du.


    "Of course. In ancient times, the people of the East believed that the sky is round and the land is square. Of course, that is a misconception due to the lack of knowledge in ancient times," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I believe this planet literally has a round sky and square ground," said Old Du.


    "Genius! That would perfectly explain these confusing readings," said Dodo.


    "However, the sky is not actually the sky. It is the outer layer of the planet. I believe the outer layer has the same composition as a black hole. I also believe that the flat side is the actual land of the planet. We need to first look for a suitable landing site before doing anything," said Old Du.


    Everyone was engrossed in Old Du''s explanations.


    "Just what in the world are you talking about? What makes you believe this planet has such a shape? If you''re wrong, the consequences will be grave," said Domo.


    "Yes, that might sound unbelievable. But I have seen records of planets with such shapes in a Gliesen duke library," said Old Du.


    "Duke library? Even libraries are ranked?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. Some top-secret information is not available to commoners," said Old Du.


    "That is the source of inequality," I said.


    "Let''s not talk about that for now. We need to stay united for our current mission. Old Du, do you think that Gliesens have landed on such planets before?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Planet Gliese is located at the place known as Libra on Blue. Beside the Libra Constellation is the Scorpius Constellation. There are three popular stars there, Sigma Scorpii, Antares, and Tau Scorpii," said Old Du.


    "Yes, those three stars are very popular on Blue as well. Antares, in particular, is also known as the dragon star," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "But to be precise, the three stars are actually double-star systems with massive primary stars. Both Antares and Tau Scorpii have blue dwarf stars as their companion stars, which they are suppressing. Sigma Scorpii is the exception; its companion star being is just as massive as it. In the past, the league believed that there was some sort of energy maintaining the balance between the two stars," said Old Du.


    "When was that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Three hundred years ago. A group of explorers discovered the system while searching for iron. They even discovered a black object that couldn''t be scanned between the two stars. They used the same transit photometry technique to finally discover the planet," said Old Du.


    "Big guy, can you get to the point already?" urged Domo.


    "The team discovered that the object had a semi-circular shape. It seemed to be slowly absorbing and dissolving the energy of the two stars. The gravities of both stars had a nonexistent influence on it. Thus, the league concluded that the object was made of some unique substance," said Old Du.


    "Perhaps the black object is actually half a black hole?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Time, light, and sound can''t escape a black hole. However, that object only absorbs light. Thus, this does not seem to be the case," said Old Du.


    "What happened next? Did the league have people scout the object?" I asked.


    "The league believed that the object might be a powerful energy source. Thus, arrangements were made to have a team perform a detailed study on it," said Old Du.


    "And? Get to the point already," said Domo impatiently.


    "There is no next. That was where the record stopped. There was only one extra description. The celestial body had a flat ground while the circular part of its body was most likely not part of the ground. The league should take heed of this fact when encountering a similar celestial body," said Old Du.


    Everyone sank into a disappointed silence.


    "Old Du''s explanation proves that such a planet exists. Furthermore, we are sure that it''s not a black hole. Rather, it is something that exists in a different state of matter," said Dodo.


    "A different state of matter? Have we stumbled upon a brand new state of matter?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly exclaimed.


    His words reminded everyone that this black celestial body could very well be a brand new state of matter. Everyone grew excited at the major discovery, completely forgetting about the upcoming dangerous mission. Including Lifu, everyone started chatting passionately.


    "I believe the honor of this discovery should be credited to the Divine Empire. After all, we were the ones who brought you here," said Lifu.


    "By that logic, Gliesens had discovered the same 300 years ago," countered Zhang Bao''er.


    That left Lifu speechless. Unable to argue, he sat down silently.


    "I suggest naming this new celestial object after Old Du, Dudal," suggested Zhang Xingxing.


    "No, don''t use my name. I had merely made a simple observation. The discovery stems from the sacrifice of our predecessors, including Eternals," said Old Du.


    That was reasonable. Many people had contributed to the discovery of this black celestial object. We were merely here to draw a conclusion from the results of our predecessors.


    "This celestial body exists in an irregular semi-spheroidal form with an appearance that resembles black holes. I suggest we call it a grayroid for now," said Master Crystal.


    Most of us agreed.


    "Alright. Let''s call it a grayroid for now," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Why did no one propose to name it after Bao''er? If I can return to the league, a discovery so major will be enough to get me all the medals I want," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why don''t you name it Steamed Bun? I can even give you a diamond medal when we go back," I said.


    "I never expected a world with a round sky and square ground to actually exist. What a surprise," muttered Dodo to himself.


    "This isn''t exactly a world with a round sky and square ground. This is a celestial form that we are still unaware of. Only by landing on it will we get our answer," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "According to Old Du''s theory, we can''t land on the coordinates the Eternals used. They point to the spherical part of the planet. We already know that the spherical part is dangerous," said Dodo.


    "Yes. According to my analysis, if we land on the spherical part of the planet, we will share the fate of the teams before us," said Old Du.


    "Do you also believe that the creature is hidden in the spherical part?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Not necessarily. But I believe that the white light and the creature''s control ability are probably related to the spherical part," said Old Du.


    "In that case, we should land at the intersection of the sphere and the flat part of the planet. I''ll send more probes over there," said Dodo.


    Lifu and the other Eternals nodded with praise at how meticulous we were and at our rich knowledge of astronomy. At this time, I saw Master Crystal walk up to the ship''s control panel before staring at it.


    "What are you looking at?" Dondon asked.


    "Grandson, the design of this panel seems slightly different from what the successive generations of Storms have passed on," said Master Crystal.


    Dondon was unhappy at being called grandson, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    "How is it different?" he asked.


    "The panel can be further simplified, and the leap capability can be further strengthened," said Master Crystal.

 CH 88

    "Since you''re so smart, why don''t you optimize it for us? Or are you all talk?" said Dondon.


    "I''ll need to think about it. This control interface is too unintuitive. The power system also needs to be retuned a bit. Move aside," said Master Crystal.


    Dondon then moved out of the pilot''s seat, grabbed a random can of food, and started eating.


    "Canyue, come over here," Zhang Xingxing whispered to me.


    "I followed her to the inner room and asked, "What is it, Team Leader?"


    "I noticed earlier that Lifu and his team have a big blue liquid bomb in the big chest they carry. I don''t know what the bomb is for, but be careful when you''re on the grayroid with them," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Warmth wrapped my heart at her words. After I had left my parents, the team leader was the only one who had given me such a warm feeling.


    "Understood. I''ll pay close attention to them at all times. Don''t worry," I said.


    "Even now, I still think our mission has a less than 10 percent chance of success. Earlier, I tried calculating our odds several times using the system, but I did not get a single favorable result," she said anxiously.


    "Don''t worry. Even 10 percent can be considered high. Haven''t we survived even situations with less than a one-in-a-million chance of survival?" I consoled.


    "Luck will not be by your side forever. Only by being attentive and thinking everything through would the odds of success increase," said Zhang Xingxing.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Roger. We''ll remember your words, Team Leader," I replied.


    Once again, sounds of notification rang out from the system. The probes we sent had returned. Zhang Xingxing and I rushed back to the cockpit. When we entered, we saw that everyone looked excited.


    "Team Leader, Canyue, all three probes have returned safely," said Dodo.


    "Excellent. Show us the recordings," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo immediately played the recordings taken by the probes. A massive black world appeared on the screen. Nothing could be seen as the three probes slowly approached with their lights turned to the maximum. It was as though the light rays were swallowed by something; the closer they got to the atmosphere, the shorter the distance light could travel. And when the probes also reached the darkness, the darkness swallowed them. At that point, the only thing we saw on the screen was complete darkness.


    "What is this? Is something broken?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Be patient. Keep waiting," Zhang Xingxing said.


    The darkness persisted for about 10 minutes. Everyone breathed slowly and waited silently, not daring to make a sound. I could feel my heart beating rapidly. After about 10 minutes, the darkness lifted suddenly. The probes seemed to have gone through the dark zone to reach a new zone. A massive crack became visible, and everyone cheered.


    "We finally have something on camera! What a miracle!" Dodo exclaimed.


    The probe slowly descended toward the massive crack. The three probes gradually split up to scout from different directions. We could see that the crack was flanked by deep black rocks. Although the rocks were black, they looked nothing like what we knew about black holes.


    "This is probably the intersection between the round sky and square ground that Old Du mentioned. Looks like Old Du is right," said Dodo.


    "Genius!" said Zhang Bao''er as he gave Old Du''s chest a punch.


    The probes continued advancing. We discovered that the rocks to the right, the part that was probably the inner layer of the planet, were exceptionally sleek yet filled with holes. To the left of the crack was uneven terrain.


    The probes continued advancing for about 10 more minutes. Gradually, we got a good look at the left side of the crack. From the edge, the ground rose at a conical angle, forming a piece of land akin to a massive volcanic crater. The top of the crater was too far away to be visible. Based on the system''s analysis, the peak was probably high enough to reach the round sky part of the planet. At that point, the probes reached the allocated time limit and started returning.


    "This piece of land is like a super volcanic crater. It is extremely tall, but the land slopes upward gradually, so it isn''t actually steep," said Dodo.


    "This greatly resembles the Olympus Mons on Mars, the mountain with the tallest peak in the Solar System," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "The shape is similar, but the height is different. Olympus Mons is 21.9 kilometers high. Based on the planet''s diameter, if the peak borders the outer layer of the spherical part of the planet, this volcano is higher than 40 kilometers. It is also many, many times wider than Olympus Mons," said Dodo.


    "A height of 40 kilometers," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    "To make it simpler, it is basically the Qinhai-Tibetan plateau times five," I told Zhang Bao''er.


    "The taller a place is, the colder it should be. That creature generally lives in the extremely cold part of the planet," said Lifu.


    "The probes had not caught any signs of white light. It means the intersection between the round and flat part of the planet is the safest landing site," said Old Du calmly.


    "Old Du makes sense. From what we know, the original landing site is a place where light can''t be transmitted. As for the secret of the core and the proper landing site, both can be found in the planet''s inner layer," said Dodo.


    "Then it is decided. We will go through the crack at the intersection between the round and flat parts and land inside the planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Lifu nodded in agreement.


    "Finally, I''m done. This technology is too out of date," Master Crystal''s voice came from the control panel.


    "All done?" Dondon asked.


    "You should stick to being a foodie. While you were eating, I finished upgrading the operating system and the power system," said Master Crystal while putting his tools back into his backpack.


    "Thank you very much, Master. That was a great help. I don''t know how to thank you," said Zhang Xingxing with gratitude.


    "You''re welcome. I''ll be happy with a suitable amount of compensation," said Master Crystal.


    "You''re too polite, Master," said Zhang Xingxing, who was still overwhelmed with gratitude.


    "He had merely installed a piece of software that could be bought for one silver coin on Lidu," muttered Domo to the side.


    "System, plan, and destination. Everything is ready. Everyone, prepare your equipment. We''ll take off in 10 minutes," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Fearless will carry the landing team near the intersection before flying. The ship will stop 250,000 kilometers away from the planet. Since sound wave transmission works, keep the communication channel open at all times," said Dodo.


    "Finally, it''s time to get the show going!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "All that is impossible can be conquered as long as we, the ZDL squad, are the ones on it," I said.


    "What ZDL squad?" asked Old Du blankly.


    "Old Du, you spent too much time studying instead of immersing yourself in the local culture. You''re stuck behaving like a typical member of the upper class. Give it a thought and you''ll understand," said Zhang Bao''er with a laugh.


    "ZDL," Old Du sank into thought.


    We started inspecting our equipment. Dodo had long recharged all our gears, so everything was ready to go. Fearless started approaching the planet. Taking the same route the probes had taken, Fearless slowly neared the square ground part of the planet. We were still seeing nothing but darkness. The distance our light could reach became shorter and shorter.


    "We''re right in front of Planet Abyss. Prepare to pass through the dark zone," said Dodo.


    "Go," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Fearless immediately accelerated and dove into the dark side of the planet. The cockpit sank into darkness, giving us a feeling as though we had reached a world where life in the universe had ended. Silently, Fearless trawled through the darkness, destroying the calm of the place.


    "Old Du, what do you think the darkness around us is made of?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Probably solid dark matter," said Old Du. "This substance can fuse with outer space, so it is very hard to discover. Thus, there must be something on this planet that is similar to outer space yet even more powerful than dark matter."


    After over 10 minutes of travel, the ship finally flew through the dark zone and arrived at the place the probes had discovered the massive crack.


    "Turn on your laser probes and scan the composition of our surroundings. Start calculating the landing duration as well," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    The inner part of the planet was pitch-black as well, but here, light and time were able to operate normally. Our laser probes started working at full throttle.


    "It is negative 120 degrees outside. As for the air composition, it is 20 percent helium, 30 percent hydrogen, and 50 percent oxygen. It is not recommended for you to breathe in the air here," said Dodo.


    "Negative 120 degrees? Will the highest peak surpass the limits of our suit?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Theoretically, that shouldn''t be possible. However, everything is also possible," I replied.


    "It''s like you haven''t said anything at all," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "We have no reference in our database for the substance that makes up this planet. It is a completely new element. If possible, collect a small sample for studies. After all, the discovery of new elements will also make one eligible for a medal from the league," said Dodo.


    "Medal from the league? We should be happy about not getting a bullet from the league instead," said Zhang Bao''er.


    While everyone was speaking, the ship''s alarm suddenly blazed.


    "Dodo, what''s going on?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Reporting to Team Leader, the ship seems to have encountered massive resistance originating from the ground. We are unable to approach the ground," said Dodo.


    "Analyze the source of the resistance," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "It seems to be some sort of magnetic force akin to the repulsive force between magnets of the same pole," replied Dodo after one minute.


    "I have upgraded the ship''s propelling force. Grandson, try using the leap-system I installed. See if it can break through the resistance," said Master Crystal to Dondon.


    Dondon did as told and activated the leap-mode. The ship trembled as it accumulated power. A massive force appeared, propelling it forward. The scene outside the cockpit window vanished, giving me the sensation that we were traveling at the speed of light. With a loud clang, the ship broke through the resistance and then landed on the inner part of the planet.


    "Success! Grandpa, you''re quite incredible after all," exclaimed Dondon in excitement before realizing what he just said. Instantly, a displeased look covered his face.


    "Everyone, get ready. Go to the airlock and prepare to exit the ship," said Dodo.


    Lifu brought his people and their chests to the airlock before the rest of us. We entered one by one, and Dodo gave Titan an Eternal spacesuit before he entered.  After everyone entered, I stood up and prepared to enter as well.


    "Canyue, make sure everyone returns safely," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from behind me.


    Warmth wrapped my heart, but I controlled my emotions and did not turn around. Rather, I merely raised my hand and made an "ok" gesture at her before walking away.

 CH 89

    I entered the airlock and went through the decontamination protocol like everyone else. This was a standard practice to avoid contaminating the planet with alien bacteria. Master Crystal put on the spacesuit he had brought. The spacesuit appeared rather outdated.


    "Does your spacesuit work? Do you need a new suit?" asked Lifu.


    "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing." Master Crystal tactfully refused the offer.


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    "Decontamination complete. You may step into the exit chamber now," the system notification sounded.


    Everyone moved into the exit chamber as the door to the airlock closed behind us.


    "All preparations complete. Dodo, open the door. Everyone, prepare to leave," I said.


    When the door opened, I signaled at Old Du to exit. He was the first to walk out of Fearless and left his footprint on the ground of this grayroid. I was certain that this was the very first footprint in the inner layer of a grayroid by someone from the league.


    "Ground surface is solid. The planet is stable. Everyone may exit the ship," Old Du said.


    Everyone exited in the agreed-upon order. When everyone was outside, Fearless lifted into the air and flew away.


    "Canyue, we are fixing our position. The communication channel will be open at all times," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    The ground below us was rather loose. Unlike Jupiter II with its furious gale, this place was relatively calm. Despite the temperature being at negative 150 degrees, the ground was not frozen. Apart from the extreme chill, the place was rather peaceful.


    "From my calculation, to climb uphill from here to the peak, we need to travel roughly 3,500 kilometers," said Lifu.


    "That will take us two weeks on foot," said Old Du.


    I commanded, "We need to act separately. Two groups will set out. The first group will search the areas where the white light might be found. The second group will maintain a distance behind the first group and be on standby to provide assistance."


    "There is no need to work. We have a vehicle with us," Lifu announced the good news.


    Under Lifu''s command, Snow and Adelan placed the massive chests down. From two of the chests, they took out two rectangular objects and placed them on the ground.


    Lifu said to Snow, "Activate the armed off-road attack vehicle."


    When Snow pressed the button on the remote control in his hand, the rectangular objects started shifting rapidly. The connecting parts within each object extended outward one after another. After several minutes, two off-road attack vehicles armed with rail cannons appeared before us.


    "My god. Isn''t this basically a Transformer?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "No. The Transformers are actual life forms. These are still machines," I said.


    Lifu had his assistants help him load the remaining chests onto the vehicle on the back before taking the driver''s seat of the front vehicle. Once seated, he drove the vehicle toward me. I discovered that the vehicle was actually hovering on the ground, so its movement was smooth despite the rugged ground.


    "Great explorer, you may get on with your forward party," Lifu said.


    "Old Du, Dodo, come with me. The rest, get on the vehicle behind us. You will set off after 10 minutes. Follow behind us and be on standby to provide assistance," I said.


    I could see a disappointed look on Zhang Bao''er''s face for not being picked, but he remained silent. Dodo immediately notified Fearless of our plan. The vehicle carried us and advanced smoothly.


    "I do not notice any power installations, and there are no wheels either. How does it move while floating in the air?" Dodo asked curiously.


    "It''s the maglev technology. A magnetic device of the same magnetic poles was installed in the chassis. One part of the device slopes downward to face the ground while the other part provides a lifting force to the vehicle, reducing resistance when the vehicle is moving. Earlier, I noticed that this planet''s ground is magnetic in nature. When I adjusted the magnetic system to the same pole as the ground, the vehicles gained the ability to float," said Lifu.


    "How is the vehicle moving forward?" I asked.


    "Under the vehicle, there is a molecular fission device. By altering the molecular makeup of the air, a pushing force is created to bring the vehicle forward," said Lifu.


    ''Good lord. Isn''t this the same technology the Storms use? Looks like the Divine Empire''s relationship with the Storm race isn''t simple at all,'' I thought inwardly.


    With the headlight on, the vehicle slowly advanced through the rugged landscape. Thanks to the headlight, I could see that the ground was made of a deep black substance.  Lifu took out a scanner and scanned our surroundings.


    "What kind of scanner is this?" Dodo asked.


    "This is a vibration detector, used to detect alien life forms. Any vibration within 300 kilometers will be detected by the wave band. The wave band encompasses numerous forms, such as sound waves, light waves, radio waves, and so on," said Lifu.


    "But aren''t we moving as well? The wind is moving as well. How does the device separate all that?" I asked.


    "My device is excluding all of us. As for wind movement or other similar movements made by nature instead of a life form, we have a full set of algorithms in the database that allows the system to differentiate between natural movements and movements of a living being. After all, there is a clear difference between the two," said Lifu.


    "In short, this is a usage of big data, an application of the elimination method on big data," said Old Du.


    "Yes, precisely," said Lifu.


    The armed off-road vehicle continued onward. Suddenly, a geological fault appeared in the path ahead of us, with the ground rising to a height of 20 meters. The middle of the fault was rather conspicuous because, unlike its surroundings, it was a pale yellow. The vehicle slowly approached the fault. As the vehicle advanced, it started making sounds. Seemingly affected by the fault, the vehicle started trembling and losing balance.


    "Stop the vehicle here. We''ll go take a look. With the fault there, we can''t continue ahead anyway," I said.


    Everyone got out of the vehicle and walked ahead. The fault appeared like a steep 20-meter-tall cliff. The cliff walls were glossy and sleek, as though the ground had been cleanly cut through by a sharp hatchet. The yellow in the middle of the fault formed a clear contrast to its black surroundings. Dodo scanned the yellow rocks with his laser probe, and Old Du carefully took some samples of the yellow and black rocks before storing them in his bag.


    "Canyue, Old Du, according to the probe, this yellow substance is actually a type of iron," said Dodo.


    "Iron?" Both Old Du and I were exceptionally sensitive to that term.


    "Yes. From the atomic makeup of this yellow substance, it is definitely iron. But the black substance does not return any results. It is most likely a new element. The combination of the two elements seems capable of creating a massive magnetic force," said Dodo.


    "Looks like this is a magnetic planet. Is it possible that the powerful magnetic force is the thing that has absorbed all light?" guessed Lifu.


    "Possible. Perhaps this planet was originally shaped like a slab and was composed of magnets. An asteroid formed of iron was attracted by the magnetic force, resulting in a collision, creating this grayroid we''re standing on," said Old Du.


    "Let''s find a path forward before thinking about all that," I said.


    We couldn''t see the end of the fault with our naked eyes. Its height of 20 meters made it impossible for us to jump over it with our vehicle either.


    "Canyue, I suggest we take a detour around the fault and see if there is a new entrance," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    We followed her suggestion, and Lifu started taking the vehicle around the fault. After traversing nearly 100 kilometers, we still couldn''t find the end of the fault. The vibration scanners weren''t able to find anything either.


    "We need to find a gap in this thing and continue inward. The temperature out here is reaching negative 170 degrees. It is putting a lot of strain on our suits. If we really have no choice, we might have to abandon the vehicle and walk," said Old Du.


    "Why don''t we blast an opening and create a less steep slope?" I suggested.


    "The noise of the explosion might alarm the beast. That should remain our last option," Lifu objected.


    "I have an idea," Dodo said. "But I don''t know if it will work."


    "What is it?" I asked.


    "Use a pulley to lift the vehicle over," Dodo said.


    "We have the ropes to do it, but where do we get a pulley? How should we hoist something as heavy as this vehicle up?" I asked.


    "By dismantling this rail cannon. Its components will be enough for us to make one. Canyue, you will need to climb the cliff and find a spot to serve as the fulcrum. After the pulley and rope are fixed, we can get the others to come with their vehicle. We will use the weight of their vehicle to lift our vehicle," said Dodo.


    "Alright. We''ll do that. Let''s get moving, everyone," I said. Old Du and I started dismantling the cannon.


    About 10 meters later, Snow arrived with Master Crystal and the others in the second vehicle. After Dodo explained the plan to them, Titan did not hesitate to climb up the cliff with a rope to look for a suitable position to act as the fulcrum. I was envious of Titan''s fit body. I would be happy if I could be even half as fit as Titan.


    "The cannon has been dismantled. Only one wheel was found," said Old Du.


    "One wheel is not enough. That will only allow us to move weight on a one-to-one ratio. That might not be enough to lift a vehicle with the other vehicle," said Dodo.


    I looked at the other vehicle and said to Old Du, "Dismantle the other cannon as well."


    Old Du immediately got started. The cannon was promptly dismantled, and a second wheel was taken out of it. At this time, Titan had already found a suitable spot on the cliff. A support pillar had been installed there and a rope dropped down from the pillar.


    Old Du tied one end of the rope around Dodo''s body before tying the other end around himself. Then, Titan pulled them up the cliff one after another. Up there, Dodo personally assembled the two wheels into a U-shaped pulley combination. To preserve energy, each wheel was attached to four ropes. With everything in order, Lifu and I tied the two ends of the rope to the two vehicles.


    "Snow, slowly move the vehicle," I said.


    Snow moved the vehicle in the opposite direction. As the force applied itself through the pulley system, the other vehicle was slowly lifted. Everyone worked in silence, and only the sounds of a rope being pulled taut could be heard in the air. For some reason, my heart started thumping nervously.


    As Snow continued driving his vehicle onward, our vehicle finally reached the peak altitude of the geological fault. Old Du and Titan immediately tossed their hooks out and worked together to pull the vehicle toward them.


    "Success!" Dodo exclaimed in joy.


    Cheers from the crew left in Fearless also came through the communication channel. Zhang Xingxing and the others were clearly paying close attention to everything we were doing. We did the same thing and lifted the other vehicle up the cliff with the help of the first vehicle.


    With the two vehicles safely at the top of the cliff, Lifu had his two assistants start reassembling their cannons. Suddenly, the alarm signal of the vehicle''s vibration scanner blazed.

 CH 90

    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    When Lifu noticed the blazing alarm, he dropped what he was doing and rushed back to the off-road vehicle. The vibration scanner indicated that a massive vibration in the air had been detected and that it was rapidly heading in our direction.


    "According to the graph, the detected newcomer isn''t too big. It will arrive in 30 minutes," said Lifu.


    The change was too sudden, so I was still feeling stupefied.


    "Canyue, Lifu, and I will get in the car and go ahead. We''ll try to lure the beast away while the others will set up a defensive perimeter here. Zhang Bao''er will lead the defensive efforts," said Old Du.


    We followed Old Du''s plan and hopped onto the vehicle before moving quickly toward the left. After traveling about five kilometers, Lifu turned on the vehicle''s siren. The loud siren was especially piercing in this dark and silent environment. After traveling for about 50 kilometers, Lifu suddenly braked.


    "What''s going on?" I asked.


    "The vibrations are gone," said Lifu as he stared at the screen in astonishment.


    I looked at the screen as well. The graph showing the detected movement had indeed vanished. Suddenly, a blinding white radiance erupted from the darkness in the distance.


    "White light!" Lifu exclaimed.


    The moment the white light appeared, the vibration scanner started ringing again. The monster was heading right toward us.


    "The beast is successfully baited. The scanner indicates that it is moving quickly. Contact in 10 minutes," Lifu said.


    "Turn off all lights and the vehicle. Start using laser probes. Lifu will be in charge of the rail cannon. Let''s get ready to defend ourselves," I said.


    Everyone immediately got to their positions. Old Du and I turned our morph-capable shields to maximum capacity.


    "Canyue, a powerful net was prepared for us to capture the beast. When the beast appears, try to see if we can catch it," Lifu said.


    "Excellent!" Old Du was getting excited.


    I tightened my grip on my gun even as my palm sweated. Even after experiencing so many close brushes with death, I still couldn''t stop feeling nervous when meeting a new monster.


    "Contact in six minutes," Lifu reported.


    ''Bring it on! Let me see just what kind of a beast it is!'' I told myself.


    "Contact in three minutes," Lifu continued the countdown.


    I turned off my gun''s safety.


    "Canyue, the signal has suddenly vanished," said Lifu nervously.


    My heart skipped a beat. The world before us was still shrouded in darkness. The laser probes weren''t able to pick up any signs of life or movement. Our surroundings were completely silent, and only the sounds of my breathing could be heard.


    I had the feeling that a pair of massive eyes was gazing upon us from the darkness, but I did not know where the eyes were. Just like that, the silence persisted for several minutes. The beast was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, I saw Old Du stand up from his hiding spot and walk ahead.


    "Old Du, what are you doing?" I quickly called out.


    He shivered before standing still.


    "What''s wrong with you? Why did you walk out?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. What happened to me? Why am I standing here?" Old Du replied.


    "Withdraw immediately," I said.


    Old Du quickly ran back.


    "This doesn''t look good. That beast seems capable of controlling one''s mind," said Lifu.


    "That white light is probably the appearance of some powerful energy wave that can control one''s brainwaves," said Old Du.


    "Brainwaves are essentially electrical impulses discharged by the cortex in the brain. That beast has probably obtained the ability to capture the impulses to control its prey," said Lifu.


    "Canyue, Canyue," an urgent voice rang out.


    I was brought back to reality. When I looked down, I saw that I had walked 30 meters away from my hiding spot.


    "Canyue, wake up!" Old Du''s voice kept coming from the communicator.


    "Good lord, I was also controlled!" I exclaimed in alarm.


    While I was thinking, Old Du rushed over and pressed me to the ground.


    "The beast is testing our reactions," Lifu said.


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "The beast is controlling us with electrical waves so weak that we can awaken those controlled with just our voices. But I don''t think it''s that simple," said Lifu.


    "I agree. If anyone else is controlled after this, we should wake them with electrical shocks," said Old Du.


    "We will be too passive that way. With us out in plain view while the beast hides, it''s like we''re its toys," I said.


    "What idea do you have?" Lifu asked.


    "Block all electromagnetic waves, stop using wireless communication, and communicate through hand signals. Also, cover our heads fully with the morph-capable shields," I said.


    "Good idea. I''ll help cover Lifu up," said Old Du.


    The shields immediately worked their magic. We were able to last five full minutes without having any of us controlled.


    "That creature is definitely not far away. I need to think of a way to catch it," I thought to myself.


    My sixth sense told me that there was a life form moving about near me, stopping to study me every now and then. However, I was completely incapable of seeing it. That was an extremely uncomfortable sensation.


    However, I could also feel that the creature harbored no malice toward us. Suddenly, I had an idea. The temperature around us had reached negative 180 degrees. I signaled Old Du and Lifu to let them know that I wasn''t under control before walking out of our hiding spot.


    After walking about 400 meters, I placed three timed flares on the ground before quickly withdrawing. Three minutes later, the flares suddenly erupted, changing the temperature around us. Amid the greenish-white blaze, I vaguely saw a translucent silhouette in the air.


    "Indeed, curiosity kills the cat indeed. It''s there! Move!" I shouted.


    Old Du and I charged forth while firing more flares around the silhouette. Meanwhile, Lifu shot forth on his vehicle. The numerous flares illuminated an area of over 100 square meters. Some even hit the body of the translucent figure. We could clearly see the creature struggling fearfully against the flame.


    A massive net dropped from the sky, fired by Lifu from his vehicle. It tightly wrapped around the creature. The net then contracted and even seemed to fuse with the creature''s body, turning into a blue layer around the creature''s skin.


    With nowhere to hide, the creature started growing and then started shrinking. The creature repeated the process several times. When it found that it couldn''t throw the net off, it lay down on the ground and stopped moving.


    ''It''s over. That was easy,'' I thought in astonishment.


    We stepped forth to get a better look at the creature. Beneath the blue net, the creature lay listlessly on the ground. Not a single part of its body was in a regular form. Its head was vaguely visible, constantly flickering, making it hard for us to get a clearer look at its head.


    It lay motionless, looking like it was sulking angrily. Lifu kicked the creature with his leg, but the creature remained motionless. I stopped Lifu. The creature had been forced to reveal itself after I forcefully changed the temperature with the flares. Prior to this, it had not displayed much aggression toward us. Thus, I felt rather guilty when I looked at its trapped state. Seeing that the creature wasn''t responding, Lifu signaled Old Du to remove the shield around him.


    "Snow, lock onto our position immediately. We have caught our target," said Lifu through the communicator.


    Old Du and I crouched down and continued studying the alien life form. I noticed that on its head, there seemed to be a transparent feeler. The feeler seemed to extend deep into the creature''s body.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" A series of intense sounds rang out behind us. When I turned around, I saw Lifu furiously knocking his head against the vehicle''s iron door. That was quite an eerie scene to behold.


    Old Du rushed forth and shook Lifu''s body violently, trying to wake Lifu up. However, it did not work. I even wrapped the shield around Lifu''s head, but that did not change anything either.


    "This is bad. Lifu is being controlled by something with a stronger control ability," I became anxious.


    I signaled Old Du to try using an electrical shock on Lifu. Old Du understood my signals and aimed his stun baton at Lifu''s head.


    "This fellow is starting to play his tricks now," I muttered as I looked at the creature. It was still lying motionless, but I could vaguely see something flowing out of its shining feeler.


    I gestured at the creature to stop what it was doing, but it ignored me. Old Du gave Lifu three electrical shocks, each stronger than the previous, but Lifu showed no signs of waking up.


    In fact, the electrical shocks merely caused him to faint. However, his brainwaves were still controlling his body like a zombie, making him knock his head relentlessly against the door. Seeing that the electrical shocks weren''t working, Old Du tossed the stun baton away and jumped onto Lifu, attempting to wrap his arms around Lifu.


    A shocking scene suddenly occurred. A powerful electrical current erupted from Lifu''s body and blasted Old Du away. I was alarmed. After all, Old Du was protected by his shield and shouldn''t be sent flying so easily.


    Old Du stood up and shook his head. Seeing that he was most likely unharmed, I was relieved. At that point, Lifu''s blood had already dyed the door blue. If that continued, he would probably knock his head off his body.


    It was at that moment that I understood how scary the creature was. I recalled everything that had happened. It was likely that Lifu had angered the creature when he kicked it earlier.


    ''Will it also be angry with me since I was the one who had burned it with the flares?" I wondered inwardly.


    While thinking about all sorts of possibilities, I continued gesturing at the creature, trying to express a sign of goodwill, but nothing seemed to work. Seeing that Lifu was on the brink of death, I steeled myself and switched off my shield.

 CH 91

    I shut my eyes and waited for my brainwaves to be controlled. What I waited for did not come, but Lifu did stop knocking his head against the vehicle.


    ''Success!'' I thought in joy.


    But when I opened my eyes again, I saw myself in a world of white. I was surrounded by white fog, and the ground I stood on was loose and sandy. A doppelganger that looked exactly like me stood facing me.


    ''Is this a mirror?'' I thought as I stretched out my hand. However, my doppelganger actually stepped away from me.


    ''I''m not haunted, am I?'' I thought, alarmed.


    My doppelganger appeared to be in an unstable state as its body kept flickering in and out of view in a semi-translucent state. I suddenly realized that this doppelganger might be a form created by the creature. I might have been brought into the creature''s four-dimensional world after my brainwaves fell under its control.


    "Hello. We won''t harm you. I''m Li Canyue. Can you understand me?" I tried asking.


    My doppelganger opened its mouth to talk, but the only sound that came out was an ear-piercing static, resembling the zapping sound of an electrical current.


    ''Shit, we can''t talk to each other. I must think of something,'' I thought.


    Just as I was about to start gesturing at my doppelganger, I noticed the sandy ground beneath me. I crouched and started drawing on the sand. First, I drew a massive star. Then, I drew a smaller planet beside it. I then pointed at the planet before pointing at myself, pointing out my origin to the creature. Next, I drew Bellatrix, the grayroid, and the creature before gesturing to indicate that the creature I drew represented it.


    I pointed at the drawing of the creature and said, "How about I give you a name? How about Bulu?"


    Finally, I drew two interlocked hands between us. My doppelganger stood with its head askew while it stared at the sand. It seemed to have understood my meaning. It crouched as its back turned transparent and light green. It extended a transparent finger to the ground and drew over 10 circles before pointing at itself.


    "That is you. There are a lot of you. You''re Bulu. That is the name I give you," I gestured.


    Bulu did not answer me. Rather, it drew a massive circle on the ground.


    "What does this mean? What does this circle represent?" I was confused.


    I shook my head at Bulu to express my confusion. Bulu seemed to understand what I meant, and it turned around and wiped away half of the smaller circles before drawing the smaller circles within the big circle.


    "Oh. This is your lair," I said. "Can you take us there?"


    Bulu stood up and reached for my face. It started rubbing my face with its transparent fingers. I shut my eyes, allowing the creature to study me through touch. I felt an icy sensation wash over my face. About a minute later, the icy sensation receded. When I opened my eyes again, Zhang Bao''er''s big face entered my eyes.


    "He''s awake! He''s awake!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    Everyone was huddled around me. Lifu''s broken helmet lay on the ground. It seemed like his assistant had given him a new helmet.


    "Thank you for saving me," said Lifu.


    "You''re welcome. Are you fine?" I asked.


    "I woke up before it was too late. For now, I''m fine," said Lifu.


    "So? Did you manage to communicate with it? Did you learn anything new?" Old Du asked.


    I told everyone what I saw, not forgetting to speak through the communication channel for the benefit of those in the spaceship.


    "Looks like there are a lot of these creatures on this grayroid," said Master Crystal.


    "They likely have a lair here. We don''t need to take more risks. We can retreat since we already have one with us," Zhang Xingxing suggested.


    I turned my head to look at Bulu. It was still laying motionless with the net tied firmly around it. Suddenly, a sense of sympathy rose in my heart. How was this a beast? I found it unreasonable to send it to a monster factory.


    "I intend to release it," I said coldly, almost gnashing my teeth as I spoke.


    "Have you gone mad? The emperor will attack Blue if you do so!" Zhang Bao''er reminded me.


    "It hasn''t been easy to catch one. We can''t release it!" Lifu objected.


    "Do you wish to resume knocking your head against the door?" I asked.


    "This is my mission. If we fail the mission, we will be punished harshly upon our return," said Lifu.


    "Think this through," Old Du said.


    "My mind is set. I can''t sacrifice the life of a planet in exchange for the survival of another planet. Since I am the issue here, I''ll personally explain myself to the emperor," I said.


    A long silence descended.


    "I support you." Old Du was the first to voice his stance.


    "I don''t care either way. At worst, I''ll just fight a war," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The entire crew of Fearless supports your decision," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Lifu shook his head in disappointment when he saw that we had made our decision.


    "Don''t worry. This is not your fault. I''ll give the emperor an explanation," I said.


    "Sigh. Young man, you don''t understand how terrifying and shrewd the emperor is. You overestimate yourself. At the same time, you''re underestimating the emperor," said Lifu.


    I ignored him and took out the net withdrawal device to release Bulu. Bulu remained motionless on the ground while the flow from its transparent feeler slowed. With a whoosh, I pulled the net off Bulu''s body.


    The moment Bulu was freed from restriction, its body swelled like a balloon. In the blink of an eye, it grew to the size of an elephant. White electrical currents continued flickering from its feeler. It moved its massive body toward me. I could see that its body was rippling like waves as its body flickered continuously. It seemed to be sizing me up.


    "Canyue, careful!" Zhang Bao''er called out.


    I waved my hand to silence Zhang Bao''er and signaled everyone to stay silent. Although I was very nervous, I knew that I had to remain calm and not anger the creature before me. I still had my shield off, leaving my brain unprotected. In fact, I was looking forward to connecting with Bulu once again.


    Alas, the connection did not come. After looking at me for a few minutes, Bulu shrunk into the size of a beach ball, which was most likely its regular form. While facing Bulu, I pointed at my head, hoping to once again connect our minds. While hovering in the air, Bulu circled me and then suddenly turned to leave.


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. I turned back and saw them lower their weapons. It turned out that we had been close to crossing the point of no return. My safety might be guaranteed, but I still felt somewhat disappointed. The second mind connection I wanted did not happen. Also, I had a vague sensation that there was an indescribable connection between me and Bulu.


    "Canyue, is everything fine there?" Zhang Xingxing''s concerned voice came from the communicator.


    "Everything is fine. The creature has been released," said Old Du.


    "Well, now we''re in trouble. You''re quite a stubborn child, you know that? Then again, this might be the best course of action for you," said Master Crystal.


    Lifu and company appeared dispirited. They were so close to making a massive contribution to the empire. But now, they had to return empty-handed and face the empire''s harsh punishment. I understood their feelings.


    "That creature can change its size at any time. It can even control one''s brainwaves. Furthermore, it does not exist in a fixed form. This is probably the biggest discovery ever when it comes to alien life forms," said Dodo.


    "It doesn''t matter how big of a discovery it is. Time for us to embrace war. Bring it on, I say. I won''t mind facing the incoming storm. In fact, I would welcome a stronger storm!" declared Zhang Bao''er madly.


    "We need to try to avoid war. There must be a way," said Old Du.


    "Dondon, we''re ready to return. Take Fearless to the pickup point. We will be there in about an hour," Dodo said.


    We hopped on our off-road vehicles and headed toward the pickup point. The vehicles advanced smoothly while the passengers wallowed in silence. The group morale was still low. After about 40 minutes, the system indicated that we had arrived.


    "Canyue, something feels wrong," Old Du suddenly said.


    "What is it this time?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "When we came, we had to go through the steep cliff. However, the cliff was gone on our way back," said Old Du doubtfully.


    That reminded everyone. I recalled that we had to make a pulley to get us past the cliff.


    "What in the world happened? What kind of a place is this? Don''t tell me that this planet can also change its landscape at any moment." Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "That might be true. However, is there a second possibility?" Old Du said.


    "What second possibility? Come on, stop keeping us in suspense," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Are we perhaps in an illusion? Are our brainwaves still under our control even?" asked Old Du.


    A chill crept up my spine. That was rather unbelievable. Was it possible that we were still in the creature''s illusion?


    "I can''t take this anymore. What is real and what is fake? Damn this mission. Damn the emperor for forcing us to this shitty place," cursed Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Bao''er''s odd condition made me suspect that we were really all trapped in an illusion.


    ''I must calm down. Calm. Calm,'' I chanted inwardly as I slowly shut my eyes.


    A minute later, I opened my eyes. Nothing changed. Zhang Bao''er was still cursing endlessly beside me.


    "Dodo, we have reached the pickup location," Dondon''s voice came from the communicator.


    "We''ll be there soon," said Dodo.


    Five minutes later, we arrived at the destination as guided by the system. However, the landscape around us was still an endless expanse of flat land. The massive crack that we had seen when we had arrived was nowhere to be found.


    "Dodo, where are you? According to the system, you''re already here, but we can''t see you," Dondon asked.


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    "We''re here, but the terrain and surroundings are completely different from before. We can''t see Fearless either," said Dodo.


    "What the heck? Did the terrain change for real? But how do we explain the fact that the system is showing that we''re all at the same place? Are we really trapped in an illusion?" Zhang Bao''er muttered as he started beating his own head.


    I stood up and performed a full scan of my surroundings with the laser probe. I found with astonishment that apart from the distant volcanic crater that had stayed the same, the entire border between the inner and outer layers of the planet had vanished. An ominous feeling rose in my heart.


    "Dondon, take Fearless away from the planet immediately!" I roared to the communicator.

 CH 92

    "Canyue, what''s happening?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "All of you must leave immediately. Everything we see now might be a trap. If the people on Fearless have their brainwaves controlled as well, things will get troublesome," I said.


    "Fearless, retreat. Maintain communication," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Looking at the dot representing Fearless going farther and farther away on the screen, I was relieved.


    "Our terrain has changed completely. Only the distant mountain peak still seems stable. I believe our brainwaves are currently under control," I said.


    "Are you saying that we have been placed in an illusion? How should we wake up from it?" Old Du asked.


    "If we''re in an illusion, was the Fearless earlier really Fearless?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I don''t know. But I suggest we take the vehicle back to the planet''s inner land area. We will go deeper to search for our answer," I said.


    "But the creature''s lair might be there. It was difficult dealing with even one of them," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "How do you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger''s lair?" I said firmly.


    "Looks like your knowledge download is working really well for you," teased Zhang Bao''er.


    The team agreed with my suggestion, including Lifu. Rather than returning to Eternal, he seemed more willing to take a trip to the creature''s lair. Just how afraid was he of the emperor?


    "Canyue, we''re at a safe distance of 25,000 kilometers from the planet. Fearless will be on standby here. We will be waiting for your update," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Very well. We''re heading deeper inland. Keep in touch," I said.


    We traveled on the two vehicles, moving quickly inland as the ground rose higher and higher. This time, Master Crystal was the one sitting beside me. As we went higher and higher, the temperature around us became even lower. Eventually, it reached negative 200 degrees. At that point, the ground was no longer as loose and soft as the ground where we landed. Instead, the ground around us was solid and hard.


    ''I wonder where Bulu is. Is this an illusion it created?'' I wondered inwardly.


    We continued ahead. After about three hours, the system indicated that we had traveled 600 kilometers and had risen in altitude by 2,000 meters.


    "This is too slow. At this speed, it will take us 18 more hours to reach the peak," Old Du said.


    "Fortunately we still have plenty of energy," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Something doesn''t feel right," said Master Crystal.


    "What do you have in mind, Master?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I don''t think everything we see is an illusion. Rather, only a part of our surroundings is covered by an illusion. It is probably very energy intensive to control so many of us. It doesn''t seem like we had encountered such a powerful energy source here. Even Bulu only has a small amount of energy in it," said Master Crystal.


    "How do you judge the energy level? And aren''t all of us in an illusion right now?" I asked.


    "That''s why I feel like there is an issue we''re not seeing here. Rather than being trapped in a complete illusory world, we are being herded by partial illusions to head in a certain direction," said Master Crystal.


    "You mean our surroundings are real with partial illusions inserted among them for the purpose of pushing us toward the peak?" I asked.


    "Yes, I believe so," said Master Crystal.


    "Impossible. That''s impossible!" Zhang Bao''er denied.


    "Why not? Think about it, Bao''er," I said.


    "If it''s partial illusions, that cliff is probably real. Illusions can mislead your eyes, but they won''t be able to make our off-road vehicles go over a non-existent cliff," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You''re right. Therefore, I believe we hadn''t even returned earlier. We had merely been traveling in circles," said Master Crystal.


    "Old fogey, are you silly? Even if we hadn''t managed to reach our pickup point, the system had clearly indicated that Fearless had arrived at the same location. We might be under the effect of the illusions, but the people in Fearless are definitely still in a regular condition," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "But are you sure you really spoke to the team leader?" asked Master Crystal, alarming the entire group.


    Snow stopped the vehicle in shock. Our advance was halted.


    "Xingxing, can you hear me?" I called out.


    "Yes. Where are you? Everything is normal here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Xingxing, do you remember the name of my mount on Sirius?" I suddenly asked.


    Only static noise came from the communicator.


    "Xingxing, Xingxing, can you hear me?" I continued calling out.


    The sound of the machine being turned off came before the communication was severed. I broke out in cold sweat.


    "Good lord. Have we been speaking to a ghost?" said Zhang Bao''er as he shivered.


    "Nonsense. There are no supernatural beings here. This is our brainwaves being controlled, resulting in us seeing and hearing things. However, we are still capable of thinking straight," said Old Du.


    "Where does the creature want us to go? With its powerful brainwave control ability, won''t it be easier for it to just take over all of us?" I said.


    "I have a feeling the illusions are made by Bulu. It might need our help to accomplish something. There is probably a big problem it can''t solve and needs our help," said Master Crystal.


    Master Crystal''s words were akin to a ray of light in the darkness. If that really was the case, then we would have a chance to meet Bulu again.


    "I still believe that Bulu can fully control all of us if it wants. It can just do so and make us perform that task. There is no need to go through so much trouble," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, do you still remember the mass-energy equivalence formula proposed by the Blue scientist, Albert Einstein?" asked Old Du.


    "Of course. You''re referring to E=mc^2?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. E for energy, m for mass, and c for speed. To control the brainwaves of so many of us in our current environment will require a large amount of energy. Due to this planet''s magnetic environment, our brains have been working overtime. Our brainwaves are probably moving rapidly. I don''t believe Bulu has enough energy to control all of us that thoroughly," said Old Du.


    "Let me think about it. This is a planet with controlling life forms. Bulu has limited energy, so it can only control a part of our brains. It intends to make us help it with something. But it is so powerful. What can we possibly do to help it?" I said.


    "I remember you said that Bulu had erased the circles it drew on the ground. The erased circles were redrawn inside the big circle. If the big circle is really their lair, it can directly add those circles into it. Why draw them outside before erasing and adding them back inside the big circle?" asked Old Du.


    "Is it possible that the big circle is something else and not their lair?" I wondered.


    "Yes, it''s probably something else. Perhaps it''s a different life form, a gigantic life form that feeds on them. That is probably Lifu''s true target," said Old Du.


    "I can''t keep up anymore. This is hurting my brain," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Either you Interstellar League folks are too incredible in logical deduction or you folks are too imaginative. If there really is a massive creature that preys on Bulu''s species, why haven''t we seen any signs of it?" questioned Lifu.


    "I understand. Because that creature is not here!" I suddenly exclaimed in excitement.


    "Where is it, then?" asked Lifu.


    I pointed above, "Up there. It is in the round sky section of the planet, the outer layer! Bulu is leading us to the peak, so that is probably the only path to the outer layer!"


    "Canyue, you have improved greatly! Usually, Old Du is the one who makes these conclusions. What a surprise that you''re the one doing it today," Dodo remarked.


    "Organic brains are capable of autonomous evolutions. A machine brain like yours won''t understand," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I wonder how Zhang Xingxing and the others are. I tried the communicator, but I can''t establish contact," I said.


    "The planet''s magnetic field has probably disrupted our signals. Zhang Xingxing and the rest won''t act rashly after losing contact with us. They will wait for more updates," said Old Du.


    "Lifu, let''s work together and catch that big creature. That way, you''ll also be able to complete your task," I said.


    "Good! Who cares how big it is? We''ll catch it! This time, there''s no letting it go!" said Lifu.


    Master Crystal said, "We need to draw a proper plan. Even a smaller creature here can already give us so much trouble. The big creature that preys on these smaller creatures is probably even scarier. Our odds of success are too low."


    "Focus on getting to the peak leading to the outer layer first," I said.


    Through deduction, the forward team reached a conclusion and decided on a goal. A unanimous decision was reached to work toward the new goal. We continued heading toward the peak on our off-road vehicles, our morale much higher than before. Dodo continued trying to contact Fearless, but no communication was established.


    "Canyue, how do you think Bulu had produced the voice speaking to us earlier?" Zhang Bao''er whispered to me.


    "It had probably skimmed our surface memories and used the information to recreate the voice," I said.


    "From the five-dimensional core you saw in Jupiter II, any chain of events can branch into countless realities. Is it possible that the voice actually belongs to Xingxing from a different reality?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Damn you, fatty. My brain is already being worked to its limits. Please stop pouring such complex possibilities into my brain," I scolded.


    Zhang Bao''er snickered before shutting his mouth. I could see that the fellow had definitely done it intentionally. He was trying to give me some trouble.


    Our vehicles continued tearing through the pitch-black darkness. The temperature around us lingered around negative 200 degrees. We kept our headlights on, hoping that Bulu would show itself again.


    "Old Du, do you think the creature can actually keep up with us? After all, this is quite a long journey," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "So long as our communication channel remains shut, it means we''re still within range of its control. Also, I had seen that it could even fly," said Old Du.


    After we traveled non-stop for 10 hours, the ground before us rose into a steep cliff.


    "Leader, the cliff is sloping upward at an angle of almost 60 degrees," reported Snow, who was in charge of driving.


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    "Why did the terrain ahead of us suddenly become a cliff?" I muttered.


    Master Crystal said, "Perhaps we are going to reach Bulu''s lair soon. Everyone, be on high alert. Pay attention to your surroundings and do not fire your weapons unless absolutely necessary to avoid provoking them."


    The vehicles continued onward. We all breathed deeply to calm ourselves while observing our surroundings carefully.

 CH 93

    Our surroundings were still silent and calm as we started climbing up the steep slope. The higher we went, the lower the temperature was. The temperature had been negative 200 degrees on the plains. Now that we had reached an altitude of 1,000 meters, the temperature had dropped by about one degree.


    "If the temperature continues declining at this rate, when we reach the peak, the temperature would surpass the absolute lowest temperature possible," said Dodo.


    "If it gets lower than negative 273 degrees, it will be beyond our suit''s ability to withstand," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s not possible. Lower than that and all particles will stop moving altogether. Nothing can be colder than that. Our mere appearance has changed the activity level on this planet, so that will never happen," said Old Du.


    We continued climbing up the slope. As the journey dragged on, it felt like we were climbing a mountain without end. After about three more hours, I heard an odd sound coming from the vehicles. A few minutes later, a series of zapping sounds rang out as the vehicles stopped moving.


    "The off-road vehicles can''t go further. It''s negative 250 degrees here. The vehicle has been damaged by the cold," said Snow.


    "We''re currently at an altitude of 25,000 meters. We still have a journey of 300 kilometers to reach the peak. We will have to go on foot from here on out," said Dodo.


    "Everyone get off the vehicles and carry any equipment you can. We''ll be walking," I said.


    "Canyue, there is no turning back anymore, right? If there is no exit at the peak, that might be where it ends for us," said Old Du softly.


    "I know, but don''t say it. That will affect morale. We still can''t contact Fearless either. I wonder how Xingxing and the others are doing," I said.


    Lifu had everyone put on the unique temperature-regulating outfits he brought in his chests.


    "We might be facing the lowest temperature in the universe soon. Everyone, be ready," said Lifu.


    "I did not expect to experience the textbook coldest possible temperature so soon," said Old Du with a sigh.


    "If we can discover a temperature below negative 273.15 degrees Celsius, we will leave our names in the history books throughout the universe," said Dodo.


    "Our names? No, no, Zhang Bao''er and Li Canyue are enough. Why does a machine like you need your name in history books?" Zhang Bao''er teased.


    "Why do you keep calling me a machine?" Dodo complained.


    The group prepared to proceed on foot. Suddenly, I noticed Snow and Adelan carrying the chest with the liquid bomb Zhang Xingxing had warned me about behind the group.


    "Canyue, look at this," Old Du called out to me from behind the off-road vehicle.


    I walked toward him and saw a clear imprint on a seat at the back of the vehicle. The imprint had a clearly different temperature than its surroundings, and it looked like the imprint was left by the weight of something that was there previously.


    "Bulu. It has been hitching a ride with us all this while," I said.


    "This creature''s temperature is clearly different from its surroundings, but our infrared temperature probe can''t detect it," said Old Du.


    "Maybe the body heat of these creatures is entirely different from the concept of heat we understand. It is probably right beside us right now," I said.


    Both Old Du and I looked around us. But apart from the freezing terrain, our probes did not pick anything up.


    "Bulu is definitely a life form with a molecular and atomic makeup we are completely unaware of. That''s why all our devices can''t detect it. We can only rely on our naked eyes to see it," said Old Du.


    "Just ignore it for now. Let''s get going. It does not seem to harbor any malice toward us anyway," I said.


    The team set off with all sorts of equipment and started the difficult climb. The final leg of the journey was extremely steep. The higher we were, the steeper it was, giving us the sensation that we were actually climbing a pathway to the heavens.


    At such an altitude, the air composition was also very different from below. According to our data, nitrogen made up 70 percent of the air up here, while oxygen had dropped to about 10 percent.


    We continued climbing while carrying our various equipment. The higher we went, the more we gasped for breath. Suddenly, the alarm light on the vibration detector carried by Titan and Dodo blazed. When Lifu saw it, he rushed forward to get a better look at what the detector had picked up.


    "About 250 kilometers above us, an area is shaking violently. As per the system, the shaking area is over 10 square kilometers in size. The air flow up there also varies," Lifu said.


    "Canyue, looks like you''re right," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I raised my head and saw that the mountain peak we were heading to was still shrouded in darkness. Something told me that a difficult trial was waiting for us there.


    "Approach the peak slowly. Lifu, keep your eyes on the data picked up by the detector. We need to gather as much information as possible before making our plan," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone continued the slow climb. I turned off my gun''s safety in preparation for anything unexpected. The temperature around us kept dropping, eventually reaching negative 270 degrees. At an altitude of 38,000 meters, the system indicated that we were only 100 kilometers away from the peak.


    "Master Crystal, the low temperature is draining our energy too fast. We won''t be able to continue moving with so much equipment. Old Du and I will go light and scout ahead. You guys wait here," I said.


    Master Crystal gave it some thought and agreed.


    "Do not be rash. We will draw up a plan together after gathering enough information," reminded Master Crystal.


    Old Du and I then started running up the slope. We ran as fast as we could with our suits running at maximum capacity. Gradually, the ground around us turned from black to white. The temperature kept dropping, and the environment around us looked like it had remained the same for millions of years.


    Our suits'' warning alarm rang non-stop. I could see that the temperature had reached negative 273 degrees Celsius. At this absolute lowest limit of temperature, our energy was being drained rapidly.


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    "Canyue, if the temperature really goes lower, we will freeze to death," Old Du said.


    "That shouldn''t be possible theoretically. If we''re really breaching the limit, we''ll burn something," I said.


    "The oxygen level is too low at this altitude. We will have to waste more of our energy to produce energy for burning. That will only accelerate the drain," said Old Du.


    Instantly, the system warned us that the temperature had reached negative 273.15 degrees. Both of us slowed down and stared with bated eyes at our system. Our surroundings were so silent it was scary. It almost felt as if everything was still here. Abruptly, the system erupted with an even louder alarm. The temperature had reached negative 273.16 degrees. Our defensive system was on the verge of collapse.


    "Burn," I roared.


    Old Du immediately turned on his flamethrower, increasing the temperature around us.


    "The energy is draining rapidly. Let''s advance as quickly as we can," said Old Du.


    We ran madly forward, falling over and over on the hard ground only to climb back to our feet before continuing to run. About 10 minutes later, I noticed that the ground around us had changed from white to light red.


    "Wait. The ground coloration seems to be different here. Old Du, slowly turn your flamethrower off," I said.


    As Old Du slowly turned his flamethrower off, the temperature stabilized at negative 272 degrees. We heaved a breath of relief before collapsing onto the ground.


    "I did not expect the two of us to experience a temperature below the absolute limit. This is a discovery that will shake the existing knowledge of physics," said Old Du.


    "That area does not look special. Why is the temperature there so low? It''s too odd. Nevertheless, our system has successfully recorded our experience," I said in excitement.


    "I only have 21 hours'' worth of energy left. The cold area drained too much of my energy," said Old Du.


    I started calling for Zhang Bao''er through the communicator.


    "Bao''er, Bao''er, can you hear me?" I called.


    "Can-Canyue, ye-yes I-I can," Bao''er''s reply came, but it was unclear and kept cutting off.


    "The absolute cold zone has probably interrupted our signals due to the stagnation of the particles there. However, we still need to update them on our discovery," said Old Du.


    I tried to tell Bao''er as much as I could through the problematic communication channel before turning to face Old Du again.


    "Come on. Let''s continue," said Old Du.


    I was about to step forward when I felt someone knock against my back. I turned around and saw a transparent copy of me with red ripples around its body standing behind me. I was startled, but I quickly calmed down when I recalled that the doppelganger was most likely Bulu.


    "This is Bulu. Look at the red ripples. It probably failed to stay hidden due to the increased temperature," I said as I stopped Old Du, who had quickly drawn his gun.


    "It has been following us all this while. Why is it showing itself now? Canyue, try removing the shield protection around your head," Old Du said.


    "I wonder how it went through the absolute cold zone," I muttered.


    I walked over and tried to have Bulu form a connection with my mind. I reached out with one hand, trying to have Bulu shake my hand. However, Bulu moved aside and avoided my outstretched hand. It walked around the two of us and then walked farther ahead.


    "It must be trying to show us the way. Old Du, follow it," I said when I realized what Bulu was doing.


    And thus, on the final leg of the journey, we followed Bulu. We were only two kilometers away from our destination. The peak was a world of darkness. When I used my laser probe to scan the ground, I detected a tunnel with a higher temperature somewhere below us. Suddenly, Bulu stopped. Only then did I notice that a massive black cave had appeared before me.


    "We''re here. This might be the tunnel connecting the planet''s inner and outer layers," said Old Du.


    Bulu gave me a look before turning to enter the cave.


    "Leave a signal here before following Bulu. Keep the probe on," I said.


    Old Du left a signal behind and turned on his laser probe. Then, we followed Bulu into the cave. There was a clear increase in temperature in the cave. Our system indicated that the temperature inside the cave was negative 250 degrees. The cave was expansive, and the tube-like tunnel stretched farther ahead. Bulu was standing silently, waiting for us. When it saw us enter, it continued walking.


    "This might be their lair," Old Du said.


    "It has been trying to direct us here. There must be a reason. Old Du, keep your guard up," I said.


    We walked silently behind Bulu in the seemingly endless tunnel. As time passed, Bulu''s translucent silhouette slowly faded.


    ''I wonder if this fellow will turn completely invisible again later,'' I wondered.


    We walked for over one hour before fierce hissing winds sounded ahead of us. It seemed like a perpendicular tunnel lay ahead of us. In front of us, Bulu stood before an opening. I walked forward and saw a perpendicular black tunnel beyond the opening. It was several kilometers wide and led deep down and high up. Within the tunnel, the wind was fierce, forming a great contrast to the still environment outside the tunnel.


    I tried scanning the perpendicular tunnel with my laser probe, but I found nothing. When I looked at Bulu''s fading body, an idea rose in my mind. I turned on my searchlight, and an inconceivable sight unfolded before me.

 CH 94

    Under the searchlight, countless irregular forms with translucent and rippling bodies were revealed. These forms were all crawling up the walls in the black perpendicular tunnel. A stream of broken transparent substances was constantly falling down from above.


    "These things are probably Bulu''s kin. What a surprise that a life form that not even the laser probe can detect is actually visible with the naked eye," I said to Old Du.


    When we aimed our searchlight up the tunnel, an even scarier scene appeared before us. At the top of the tunnel was a layer of thick darkness where not even light could pass. Hundreds of thorned tentacles extended out of the darkness, and three clawed digits tipped the end of each tentacle. The tentacles were constantly grabbing at the transparent bodies climbing up the wall.


    The moment a tentacle caught one of Bulu''s kin, it vanished into the darkness. At almost the same time, a different tentacle shot out of the darkness and dropped the remains of the transparent creature down. Then, the tentacle would resume its job of capturing the transparent creatures.


    The tentacles were so fast that I could barely see any creature reach the darkness successfully. Despite their grim fate, the transparent creatures continued streaming up from deep below. The scene repeated itself again and again, and it was truly eerie to behold.


    "This is basically a slaughter. These transparent creatures look like they''re trying to escape, whereas the creature at the top is feeding on them," I said.


    "Can these transparent things even be considered life forms? Perhaps they are merely part of the local ecology?" Old Du wondered.


    "Well, it seems like the top is the exit. If we want to go out, we have to go through the darkness. I wonder what ability the creature up there has and what kind of form it exists in," I said.


    "That powerful creature is probably what the emperor wants us to catch. Bulu can control our brainwaves, but the creature up there is eating Bulu''s kin like snacks. It is clearly a powerful creature," said Old Du.


    I suddenly realized that we had been focused on the new tunnel and had neglected Bulu. When I turned around, I saw that Bulu had stopped assuming my form and had returned to an irregular spheroid form. Its body flickered with red ripples as it lay blankly on the ground.


    "Canyue, why isn''t it attacking the shadow with its kin? Has it evolved into a higher level of intelligence?" asked Old Du.


    "Do you think this is an android that can self-upgrade? I don''t think that''s the case," I said.


    I bent down and studied Bulu. I saw the substance in his feeler start flowing quickly, and the red ripples on its body flickered.


    "I believe it might have been injured. This unstable invisibility is probably also related to its injury. Therefore, it was unable to join the assault," I said.


    "That makes sense. We need to try communicating with it," Old Du said.


    "Who''s doing it? I do have experience communicating with it once," I said.


    "I''ll do it. I want to give this experience a try. The substance in its feeler is flowing as quickly as when it had communicated with you. This must be a signal," said Old Du.


    I nodded. Old Du then shut off the shield around his head. Before long, I saw Old Du sitting down on the ground. The communication must have started. Since there was time to spare, I continued observing the scene before me. I discovered that the creatures attacking the shadow creature were not uniform in size. One thing they all shared was the rapidly flowing substance in their feelers. It seemed to be a form of attack.


    Suddenly, I understood something. Bulu''s species could only attack through brainwaves. Meanwhile, the shadow creature was not only resilient to such attacks, but it was also capable of physical attacks, an ability Bulu''s species lacked. Thus, they could only be slaughtered helplessly.


    What I couldn''t understand was why they would charge unceasingly upward. Just what was it on the outer layer that attracted them so much?


    "Canyue, where are you? We''re inside the tunnel," Zhang Bao''er''s voice suddenly came from the communicator, breaking my concentration.


    "Go along the tunnel. There is only one way. Old Du and I are at the end," I replied.


    "Roger. On our way," said Zhang Bao''er.


    About an hour later, footsteps sounded behind me. Zhang Bao''er and company had arrived.


    "We wasted a large amount of energy going through the coldest zone," complained Zhang Bao''er the moment he appeared.


    I gestured at him to be quiet.


    "Old Du? Is he communicating with the creature?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    I nodded before pointing at the opening behind me, gesturing at everyone to take a look. Unsurprisingly, everyone was greatly stunned by what they saw.


    "Looks like this is the path to the outer layer. That shadow is probably our target," said Lifu.


    "I just can''t understand why these creatures are running to their deaths. What''s the point?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Old Du is probably talking to Bulu right now. We''ll know more after he''s back," I said.


    Time passed, and eventually, two hours had gone by.


    ''Why is it taking so long this time?'' I wondered inwardly.


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    Immediately, the substance within Bulu''s transparent body started flowing rapidly. The red parts on its body, which I had assumed were wounds, gleamed brightly.


    "Old Du is fine, right?" I grew nervous.


    The red shone intensely for a while before calming. After a few minutes, the flow in its body slowed down again, and Old Du opened his eyes and slowly stood up.


    "How was it? What did you talk about?" Zhang Bao''er asked before I could say anything.


    Old Du looked at everyone, then said, "We must help them go through the black layer. Only then will we be able to face the giant monster above."


    "What kind of a monster is above us?" asked Master Crystal.


    "This planet''s outer layer is actually a chunk from the core of a star that was thrown out after a black hole had evaporated. The chunk was highly radioactive, and when it collided with a magnetic asteroid, it became what it is today," said Old Du.


    "Black hole evaporation? Th-that does not seem right. Are we going to throw physics upside down yet again?" exclaimed Dodo.


    "Iron brain, just be straight with your doubts," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Dodo turned its head as it thought. What Old Du said was too different from the records in their database. Thus, it was performing an intense calculation to take in the new information.


    After a long while, Dodo said, "In 1975, a Blue scientist named Stephen Hawking proposed the popular black hole evaporation theory. He believed that any object thrown into a black hole would not cease to exist. The object would merely exist in a new form. Even when a star is swallowed by a black hole, the memory of the star will be preserved. After swallowing a large amount of energy, temperature and radiation would exist in a black hole.


    ¡°According to Hawking, as a black hole emanates energy and radiation, the mass and rotational energy of the black hole would reduce. The black hole would shrink and ultimately vanish. Old Du''s theory that the outer layer of this planet is the remains of an evaporated black hole is problematic because the time it takes a black hole to fully evaporate spans a larger amount of time than the current age of the universe itself. If we assume that the universe is far older and that it would never shrink, there still shouldn''t be any black hole that had finished evaporating at this point in time.


    ¡°That is because, currently, all black holes are growing more than they are evaporating. The speed of evaporation will only surpass the speed of growth when the universe is old enough that the temperature is lower than these black holes. That will take a very long time. The universe itself will probably expire before a black hole vanishes. It will probably take an insane period of time like 1099 years. Thus, no black hole should have evaporated as of yet."


    "Dodo, you missed a few points. Time to give your database an update," said Old Du.


    "What do I need to do? Let me know. I''ll get to it immediately," said Dodo.


    "Two points. Firstly, according to existing theory, collisions between black holes and collisions between stars have been happening. Therefore, is it possible that this substance is a byproduct of a collision between two parallel universes?


    "Secondly, micro black holes exist. For regular giant black holes, the process of releasing particles is very slow, the process we know as evaporation. For micro black holes, the process is quick and like an eruption," said Old Du.


    "Micro black holes have mostly remained a theory. An outer layer so big theoretically couldn''t come from a micro black hole," argued Dodo.


    "I believe there is a possibility that this might be the byproduct of the collision between parallel universes. In the books of the Eternal civilization, our current universe originated from the collision of two parallel universes. The heat energy resulting from the collision brought about the formation of stars. In that case, this black outer layer might be a fragment from that time," said Lifu.


    Dodo argued, "But Old Du said that Gliesens had discovered a similar celestial body in the Scorpius Constellation. Let''s suppose the black outer layer really comes from the collision of parallel universes, fragments of evaporated black holes from a different universe. The magnetic celestial bodies in our universe are not all blocky in nature. And yet this celestial body we named grayroid is a unique planet with flat land and a round sky."


    Dodo made his argument well. We weren''t able to argue against it. We sank into thought, contemplating the issue. After a long while, I suddenly thought of something.


    "There is no issue with what we define as a grayroid. However, we were wrong in our assumption on the form of a grayroid," I said.


    "Canyue, what do you mean?" Dodo asked.


    "Coincidence. This is a mere coincidence. The planet with the round sky and the flat ground that the Gliesens had seen previously is the same as this planet due to pure coincidence. I believe that this grayroid should be redefined as a new celestial object that is created after an evaporated black hole collides with a magnetic celestial object and spits out fragments of a star''s core. This classification should disregard the object''s shape," I said.


    "I agree," Lifu said.


    Dodo argued, "But according to Hawking, when a black hole evaporates, what it releases is not physical in nature."


    Zhang Bao''er boorishly interrupted, "Even the great physicist himself mentioned that it is merely a possibility. Time to give your iron head an upgrade."


    Finally, the discussion on black hole evaporation reached an end. Although Dodo was still grumbling non-stop, nobody bothered to continue the discussion.


    "Old Du, go on. What happened after the collision?" I asked.

 CH 95

    "Bulu''s species have been living on this magnetic planet. They possess powerful electromagnetic senses and control abilities. Some of them survived the collision," said Old Du.


    "Where did the monster in the outer layer come from?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "It had appeared after the collision, and it has been controlling the sole path connecting the planet''s inner and outer layers," said Old Du.


    "The ecology here is very weird. I don''t understand why Bulu''s species wants to leave the inner layer to the point of being suicidal about it. If this has persisted for many years, how have they been reproducing?" I wondered.


    "They have a single mother. The mother resides deep below, constantly producing more of them. It has been many years. Based on my talk with Bulu, I believe it relies on the planet''s remaining magnetic force and the corpses of the dead transparent creatures to provide enough energy to continue giving birth to more transparent creatures. However, it doesn''t seem like it would be able to last much longer," said Old Du.


    "I understand. The energy in the core of the planet is not enough to supply what they need for their survival. Thus, their mother must leave if they want to preserve their species. However, that monster is blocking their path," said Master Crystal.


    "I believe they have been wanting to charge through the shadowy layer so that they can finally make use of their brainwave control abilities. The shadowy layer must be the main culprit blocking them from attacking the monster with their brainwave attacks," said Lifu.


    "Yes. Bulu hopes that we can help its kin deal with the physical attacks and break through the shadowy layer to return to the outer layer. There, they will be able to unleash large-scale attacks on the monster," said Old Du.


    After learning the issue and the origin of the issue we were here to solve, everyone became even more determined and confident.


    "The monster up there must be very strong. It probably has an even more powerful brainwave control ability. If Bulu''s kin can''t attack through the shadow layer with their brainwave control ability, it means that the monster''s control ability can''t go through the shadow either," said Master Crystal.


    "Yes. Its tentacles probably rely on a different sense when attacking," said Old Du.


    "From the size of the tentacles, the monster must be massive. To defeat it with brainwave control, we need to get enough of Bulu''s kin up there," I said.


    I stretched my neck out and had another look at the shadow layer above us. There were over a hundred tentacles, and they were almost perfectly covering the entire path. Each tentacle was lined with sharp barbs, looking like a work of art. At the tip of each tentacle were three curved claws. The tentacles were constantly accurately grabbing the climbing transparent creatures before dragging them into the shadow.


    "Canyue, look at the claws when they are grabbing the transparent creatures," said Old Du, who had also been observing the tentacles.


    I paid more attention to the process of the tentacles capturing the creatures. I discovered that each time the claws captured a creature, a long barb would grow out of the middle of the three claws. The barb would stab into the captured creature, and the creature would instantly stop struggling, allowing the claws to easily drag it away.


    "The tentacles seemed to have injected something into the captured creatures to turn them helpless," I said.


    The others also noticed the same thing.


    "Our only question is how should we break through this forest of tentacles, protect the creatures as they charge through the shadow layer, and help them attack the monster''s mind and put it under control," said Master Crystal.


    "Why don''t we try bombing the tentacles?" Zhang Bao''er suggested.


    "The tentacles can be withdrawn back to the outer layer at any time. If our first strike fails, we might even spook the monster, possibly resulting in the path''s closure," said Old Du.


    "Lifu, I remember seeing a type of space-manipulating missile on Lidu. The missile was able to restrict the explosion in a limited space when it attacked us. Do you have something similar here?" I asked.


    "That missile was from the rail cannon''s spatial bombardment, and it''s an attack that can only work alongside a juxi beast. There is no juxi beast here, so we can''t replicate the feat," said Lifu.


    Everyone sank into contemplation, thinking of the best solution for this issue. Meanwhile, the transparent corpses continued dropping from above. Bulu was completely motionless on the ground, as though it had fallen asleep. I removed the shield protecting my head, hoping to communicate with Bulu again. Unfortunately, nothing happened.


    "The monster''s tentacles are defending in a fixed pattern. Thanks to their pattern, the tentacles can mount an impenetrable defense, not allowing even a single transparent creature through," Old Du observed.


    "Can we figure out the pattern?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Not at the moment. The tentacles look completely random and chaotic, but they are actually moving in a completely cooperative manner," said Old Du.


    Everyone started observing the tentacles.


    "I seem to have seen this pattern somewhere before," said Dodo after a few minutes of observation.


    "What do you recall? Out with it!" urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "In Blue''s history, a space observatory called Gaia was launched into space. The observatory had drafted a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way Galaxy based on its observations," said Dodo.


    "I''m aware of Gaia. It was a major breakthrough at the time. Blue''s very first three-dimensional map of the Milky Way was created thanks to Gaia," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "On the map, most of the celestial objects in the Milky Way Galaxy revolved in the same direction, but there were some that moved in the opposite direction or straight through the galaxy itself, resulting in the mix of orbits, creating a disordered looking pattern that actually followed a certain order," said Dodo.


    "The anomalies were moving in the opposite direction due to collisions. They fell under the control of the invisible dark matter and started moving in a certain pattern. Alas, we have yet to crack the secret of dark matter," said Old Du.


    "That''s right, and these tentacles are moving in a pattern similar to what we saw on the three-dimensional map of the Milky Way," said Dodo.


    We observed the pattern of the tentacles with the help of our system. Sure enough, we discovered more than 10 tentacles that were moving in a direction opposite the other tentacles.


    "If the celestial bodies of the Milky Way had only started moving in the opposite direction after colliding, then are these tentacles also moving in the opposite direction because of an external factor?" I guessed.


    "Were their natural movements perhaps affected by the planet''s powerful magnetic field?" Old Du speculated.


    However, everyone felt that his explanation was too far-fetched, so the discussion came to a halt.


    "I believe that this monster had suffered an injury due to the collision that had formed this planet. Because of that, the natural movement of some of its tentacles had been altered. The injured tentacles are in fact moving randomly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Initially, I did not think much of his suggestion. But the more I thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.


    "I think Bao''er makes sense," Old Du said.


    "If those are injured tentacles, they might even be slower than the others. We can try to tear an opening through them," I said.


    I could see Bao''er lifting his head proudly. This fellow had yet again guessed the correct answer by luck. Having come to a decision, Dodo immediately made an accurate calculation of the number of injured tentacles. There were 17 of them in total, with 3 of them operating in the same zone we had identified as the ideal breakthrough point.


    I said, "Lifu, Snow, Adelan, and Master Crystal will use the air fission hover technology while Old Du, Bao''er, and I will use our energy thrust technology. We will progressively approach the breakthrough point. Those from the Interstellar League will attack the injured tentacles with our cluster laser guns. Those from Eternal will use their rayguns to strike any tentacle that comes to help. Remember, do not use any explosives. We don''t want to blow up the exit."


    "What about me and Dodo?" Titan asked.


    "After destroying the tentacles, Bao''er and Old Du will immediately establish a defensive perimeter and cover everyone''s retreat. When that happens, Titan and Dodo, you two will use your suits'' air fission technology to dash through the shadow layer with Lifu''s chests," I said.


    "Canyue, Old Du and I only have 18 hours'' worth of energy left," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Based on the data we have, there is no chance of failing this operation," Dodo said.


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    "If we do fail our assault, do we have a backup plan? No matter what, we need to destroy that monster," said Old Du.


    I looked at Lifu. Lifu gave it some thought before he bent down and opened his chest.


    "This is an exceptionally powerful virus bomb manufactured by the empire. We know it as the Pointed Snake. It can make all electrical impulses in life forms go into chaos, overwhelming the internal organs responsible for thought. It will then kill the life form with an explosion," said Lifu.


    "Why didn''t you mention earlier that you had such a treasure? Can''t we just blast it to death? It''s not like a virus bomb will cause the exit to collapse," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "This bomb has a wide range, wide enough to cover the entire planet," said Lifu.


    Everyone sank into silence.


    "This is our ultimate mission. We are to carry this bomb to the planet at all costs. In the event that we can''t complete the mission, we are to detonate the Pointed Snake and destroy all life on this planet, as decreed by the emperor," said Lifu.


    A sense of sorrow enveloped everyone, but I quickly recovered. I picked up the virus bomb''s spare remote controls and handed them to both Titan and Dodo.


    "If we fail, don''t hesitate. Press the button and have this monster cease to exist. That is what we''re destined to do," I said.


    Titan nodded firmly. As for Dodo, they were a machine and would definitely carry out the order given to them.


    "If the Pointed Snake does not achieve the desired effect, I will detonate two nuclear warheads to destroy this place," I added.


    With the plan finalized, everyone started preparing. I turned back to look at Bulu, who was still lying on the ground. An idea came to me, and I walked over and lifted it up. Surprisingly, Bulu did not resist. It felt like some sort of frozen glue in my hands. According to my system, Bulu''s body temperature remained at negative 200 degrees. A chill continuously emanated from its body into mine.


    "Little fellow, we''re going to start attacking the monster. Stick with me. I''ll take you up," I said.


    The substance in Bulu''s transparent feeler started flowing rapidly, as though it had understood my words. I made a brave decision to place it in my backpack. When everyone was ready, I nodded at them. We were going to begin our operation.

 CH 96

    We all turned on our respective flying systems and entered the black tunnel. The black tunnel was still filled with a fierce wind. Countless transparent creatures continued climbing past us, charging upward. The tentacles grabbed, destroyed, and threw them back down, the entire process completely noiseless.


    I slowly approached our targets. As I soared with my light, the tentacles became clearer and clearer to my eyes. Eventually, I was able to see the steel-like qualities of the tentacles'' skin. When the distance between us and the tentacles was four times the tentacles'' length, we stopped and hovered in the air.


    "We have reached the attacking range. Our targets are the three injured tentacles moving in an opposite direction from the others. Old Du will take the upper left tentacle, Bao''er will take the middle tentacle, and I''ll take the right tentacle. According to the system, each tentacle will remain outside for 10 seconds once it appears from the darkness. Make sure to hit your targets within that time frame," I said.


    As hovering like this was very energy intensive, we immediately raised our guns without wasting any time.


    "Three, two, one, fire!" I commanded after a short countdown.


    Three green beams shot toward the tentacles and struck them with surgical precision. The cluster laser guns displayed their powerful might. One tentacle was sent flying away, and one had a claw blasted apart, but unfortunately, Bao''er''s target happened to be holding onto a transparent creature, resulting in the creature taking the hit for the tentacle.


    At this time, we saw our proof that the injured tentacles were indeed slower than the others. The two damaged tentacles were quickly pulled back, leaving the sole undamaged tentacle behind. It remained at the same spot, as though dumbstruck. Meanwhile, the normal tentacles were still busy capturing the transparent creatures.


    "Fire at the final tentacle. We can''t allow it to retreat undamaged," I said.


    We shot our guns at the same time, sending three laser shots toward the tentacle. This time, we hit the tentacle and blasted its tip apart. Even so, the other tentacles still did not react and were still busy minding their own business.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, establish the defensive energy tunnel immediately," I said.


    Old Du and Zhang Bao''er released their shield and formed a cylindrical shield where the three tentacles had withdrawn. This shield served as a tunnel, and everyone rushed toward it, with Titan and Dodo following behind the main team with the chests they were tasked to carry. The entire operation progressed so smoothly that it was hard to believe.


    Suddenly, a tentacle beside the tunnel faced its tip at the group and fired a spike. A wail came from the group. When I turned around, I saw that a spike had stabbed Adelan''s eye.


    "This is bad! Watch out, everyone! The tentacles have discovered us! Move at top speed!" I roared.


    When we were less than three meters from the tunnel, a rain of spikes headed toward us. All the tentacles were attacking us. I immediately pushed my shield to its maximum capacity and protected everyone as we made the final push toward the tunnel.


    Countless spikes struck the shield. The powerful shield was able to block the spikes, but the sheer number of spikes was like a curtain covering our surroundings, making it impossible for us to see ahead. I could also see my energy draining at a terrifying rate.


    "My god. These attacks are too terrifyingly concentrated," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    We braved the attacks and finally rushed into the tunnel after great difficulty. Even in the tunnel, we were still surrounded by spikes. In fact, the entire tunnel seemed to be wrapped in a layer of them. And when we looked down, we could see a rain of spikes dropping down from having bounced off our shield.


    "Our energy level is dropping rapidly," said Old Du.


    When Lifu checked Adelan''s injury, he saw that a steel-like spike had stabbed through Adelan''s helmet and pierced into his eye, filling his helmet with his blue blood.


    "This is grave. We need to go through the shadow layer and leave as soon as possible," I said.


    "Where are Dodo and Titan?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked.


    Only then did I realize that the Dodo and Titan were supposed to be behind us. I quickly turned around. The scene that entered my eyes shook me to my very core. Dodo was using their steel body to protect Titan. Countless spikes were stabbed into Dodo''s body, making Dodo look like a porcupine.


    Bang!


    Snow started shooting the tentacles, reducing the tentacles to ashes with his powerful raygun. His attack seemed to cause a chain reaction, and even more tentacles turned around and attacked our tunnel. The massive impact caused the shield tunnel to turn red. At that moment, I noticed with astonishment that a transparent creature had climbed into the tunnel. The second creature followed, and the third creature also followed.


    "Cover the transparent creatures. I''ll go help Titan," I roared.


    Dodo, who was stabbed full of spikes, was still about five meters away from me. I turned off my thrusters and allowed myself to drop down. I then instantly activated the thrusters again, arriving beside Dodo.


    "Dodo, are you fine?" I asked.


    "Remember to help me pull the spikes off later. This is too uncomfortable," said Dodo.


    Titan was hiding behind Dodo and the chest, so he was fortunate enough to still be uninjured. I expanded my shield to include the pair. We braved the rain of spikes and finally reached the tunnel.


    "How many creatures have passed?" I asked Master Crystal.


    "About a dozen," Master Crystal said.


    At this time, the monster seemed to have noticed that the creatures were going through our tunnel, as a majority of the tentacles had started attacking us.


    "Canyue, I feel like fewer corpses are dropping down now," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I looked down and saw that there were indeed fewer corpses dropping now. It seemed like we were keeping the tentacles occupied enough that the transparent creatures could now start escaping.


    Because the tunnel was completely covered in spikes, we couldn''t even see the world outside. When I stretched my neck out to get a better look, tens of spikes instantly shot toward my head and bounced off my energy shield. During that short instance, I was able to see countless transparent creatures rushing out of the shadow layer from the opening we managed to create.


    "Lifu, you and your men go through the shadow layer first. Bao''er and Old Du, continue maintaining this tunnel. Try to last a few extra minutes to help more transparent creatures through," I said.


    "Canyue, we only have 10 hours'' worth of energy left," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I took a look at my energy. I still had 50 percent of my capacity, enough to last me 18 hours.


    "Try to persevere only a bit more. When your energy level drops to only eight hours, go through the shadow layer. We need to buy more time for Bulu''s kin," I said as I channeled some of my energy into the tunnel.


    Lifu and his men did as told and rose through the shadow layer with Dodo in tow. Master Crystal stayed back to fight alongside us. When we reached the top, the tentacles became even more frantic in their attacks. We struck back with our laser guns whenever possible while Master Crystal attacked with a miniature raygun, unleashing purple beams upon the tentacles.


    "Canyue, we''ve reached the surface. There is no light here, but the transparent creatures are visible," Lifu''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Group up. We''ll try to hold on a bit longer," I said.


    We continued for about 15 minutes. At that point, I only had 14 hours'' worth of energy left.


    "Canyue, both Old Du and I only have six hours'' worth of energy. A lot of the transparent creatures have gone through. We need to retreat," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I could see how fast our energy was draining, but when I saw that there were more transparent creatures trying their best to climb up, I gnashed my teeth and waited one more minute.


    "Retreat!" I finally commanded.


    We quickly rushed to the shadow zone. Covering the rear, I took a final look at the scene behind us, which I would never forget. I then turned and rushed into the shadow layer. The experience was akin to going through a thick layer of black gas. I arrived at a pitch-black world.


    It was a world where light ceased to function. Only an eerie darkness surrounded us, with the light green radiance from the transparent creatures being the only source of light. There were over a thousand of them up here, tightly packed around us.


    Directly above us, countless dots of light were moving in a chaotic manner like fluttering fireflies. I could feel a pair of strong arms reaching for me. With the arms'' help, I was able to find my footing on solid ground.


    "Follow these transparent creatures to their gathering spot," Old Du''s voice came from beside me.


    Only then did I notice that the transparent creatures were gathering at a spot about a kilometer away. The sounds of moving tentacles suddenly rang out.


    "Everyone, go to the shining creatures'' gathering spot!" Master Crystal''s voice rang out.


    Guided by Old Du''s hand, I approached the gathering spot. The sight before us was bizarre. All our devices, in addition to our naked eyes, could only see the shining transparent creatures. Everything else, including the ground beneath us, was shrouded in complete darkness. The experience gave me massive pressure as my mind started imagining that my next step would bring me into an immeasurable abyss.


    "What shitty place is this? Why won''t any of our lights work?" Zhang Bao''er scolded.


    "This is the true grayroid, a planet with the characteristics of a black hole and the capabilities to swallow time and light," said Master Crystal.


    "Sure, light can be swallowed, but how in the world is time supposed to be swallowed? Aren''t we experiencing the passage of time talking to each other?" Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Look at the stars above us. Look at how fast they''re moving. It''s a memory of the universe over a period of probably hundreds of millions of years. We are within a zone where time itself has stopped. That is why we get to see such a scene," said Master Crystal.


    "I remember. This is the black hole surface observation theory. If a planet is not destroyed after entering a black hole, time itself will be observable from the black hole''s surface," said Dodo.


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    "Dodo, have you removed the spikes piercing your body?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Half of them have been removed by Titan so far," said Dodo.


    "Leave one for me as a souvenir," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "I''ll keep 10 for you," said Dodo.


    Old Du said, "Light should not exist here, but surprisingly, the light of these transparent creatures is visible. However, the light from their body is incapable of illuminating their surroundings. This is some sort of luminescence light."


    "It doesn''t matter. Let''s follow Master Crystal''s suggestion and head to their gathering spot first. We need to get away from the tentacles," I said.


    While we were speaking, I felt a vibration come from behind me. Then, the ground beneath me started shaking. I turned around and saw a massive shiny silhouette rising from the horizon.

 CH 97

    "Looks like the big fellow finally can''t hold back from showing up anymore," Old Du''s voice came from the communicator, our surroundings still pitch black.


    A massive shining ball slowly appeared on the distant horizon, revealing just how big it was. The ball emanated a light-yellow light, and like everything else here, its light did not spread farther than its own body. Like a giant blue whale, it slowly moved toward the gathering place of the transparent creatures.


    "What can we do?" I asked.


    "Observe. Observe silently first. Is everyone here?" Master Crystal asked.


    "From the sounds around us, we are all near each other," said Dodo.


    "I''m with Snow and Adelan. Adelan has lost the ability to fight," said Lifu.


    To be honest, I felt like my entire person was suppressed by a sense of fatality. Everything around me was pitch black, with only some light flickering here and there, light that did not illuminate its surroundings, a reality completely different than the one I was accustomed to. Because of that, my brain was under indescribable discomfort.


    While the big shining ball was approaching, the many transparent creatures were quickly assembling. Around a thousand gathered, and from afar, they looked like they had transformed into a large shining creature that could contend against the first big shining ball.


    On one side was a massive light-yellow shining body. On the other side was a light green transparent silhouette of many creatures. The two slowly approached each other, and a massive battle was imminent.


    "Hold, everyone. Don''t move until I say so," Master Crystal suddenly assumed command.


    The large shining ball came nearer and nearer to the green shining creatures, and something could be seen flowing rapidly within its body. At the same time, I heard the sound of a huge volume of electrical energy being charged.


    "The big fellow seems to be ready to attack," said Old Du.


    "Yes, and I can feel it charging the electrical energy in its body. The charging is also getting faster and faster," I said.


    Immediately, a loud crack sounded, and a thick light-yellow beam shot toward the transparent creatures.


    "Wow, an energy attack!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    In the blink of an eye, the gathered transparent creatures collectively unleashed a thick light green beam toward the incoming light beam. The two light beams clashed, and light rippled from the point of collision as the two beams tangled like two giant wrestlers. I could see the substance in the transparent creatures flowing rapidly. It looked like they were supplying as much energy as they could to the beam of energy.


    Around 10 minutes later, I saw that the light-yellow beam was starting to gain the upper hand. The green beam was finding itself outmatched as the yellow beam slowly pushed it back.


    "This is bad. Bulu''s kin are not its match," I exclaimed.


    At this time, a ball of light jumped out from my back. Bulu, who was emitting a red light, rushed toward its kin. At the same time, I saw even more transparent creatures climb out of the tunnel we came from. Clearly, our attack had created a crack in the tentacle''s perfect defense.


    There weren''t a lot of new transparent creatures, and they did not seem capable of changing the course of the fight. The yellow beam was slowly devouring the green beam as it pushed forth steadily.


    "This is bad, Canyue. Bulu and the others are losing," Zhang Bao''er said.


    I could feel that Bulu and its kind were on the verge of defeat.


    "Master Crystal, shouldn''t we help the transparent creatures fight the big fellow?" I asked anxiously.


    Master Crystal was completely silent.


    "Master, say something. Otherwise, we''ll go ahead and make a move," Zhang Bao''er''s twitchy voice rang out.


    "Wait a little bit more. Wait for the monster to waste more of its energy," Master Crystal finally opened his mouth.


    "Do we shoot directly later?" I asked.


    "Use rayguns to aim at the yellow part in the middle of the monster. That is where the monster''s internal substance flows the fastest. The color there is also the deepest. I suspect that the creature''s core organ is there," said Master Crystal.


    The green beam became shorter and shorter, looking like it was on the verge of complete collapse.


    "Take aim at the deep yellow spot, fire!" Master Crystal commanded.


    I immediately raised my gun and shot at the monster. Shooting sounds came from my companions all around me. A scene that was peculiar yet unsurprising appeared. The laser rays we shot out were not visible at all. The only sign that our attack had struck was the ripples appearing on the monster''s body.


    "Did we even hit it?" Zhang Bao''er grumbled.


    "Don''t mind it. Continue shooting. Don''t stop," I said.


    We stopped thinking and started firing madly based on our instincts. Instantly, a loud hum came from the monster. Our attacks seemed to have done something. The massive light-yellow body took two steps backward. At the same time, we noticed that the green beam was actually able to push forward.


    "Our attacks are working. Continue firing. Hold nothing back," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone fired madly, working alongside Bulu''s kin to push the light-yellow beam back.


    "Hold nothing back! Blast it apart!" I roared.


    The assault proceeded exceptionally smoothly. No clear damage was visible on the monster''s body, but we could clearly see the rapidly spinning yellow substance in its body. The light-yellow beam was pushed back again and again, to the point it was nearly pushed back into the monster''s body.


    "Keep going! We''re going to completely beat the light beam soon!" I said.


    Just as victory was within grasp, I saw the monster''s body rise. The substance within its transparent body started moving at a far faster speed.


    "This is bad. The monster is probably using some ultimate attack. Watch out, everyone!" Old Du said.


    The substance within the monster moved faster and faster. In a few minutes, an ear-piercing shriek rang out. The deep yellow slowly spread over the monster''s body as it turned into a dazzling deep-yellow creature.


    The deep yellow continued spreading along its body, and its tentacles withdrew from the tunnel, turning translucent in the process. The tentacles gathered in front of the monster. The monster stood up straight, becoming over 100 meters tall.


    ''So is this the complete form of this monster?'' I thought inwardly.


    A shrill shriek rang out as the substance in the monster''s body spun like a wheel, its light intensifying greatly.


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    "This is terrible. The monster is going to turn berserk," said Zhang Bao''er.


    He had barely finished his sentence when a much thicker yellow beam shot forth in the same path as the light-yellow beam. The powerful new beam rapidly pushed the green beam back. Defeat was imminent for the transparent creatures. We shot frantically at the monster, but the berserk monster completely ignored our attacks.


    "This isn''t looking good. The monster is too powerful. Conventional weapons are useless against it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Either we use the Pointed Snake or we use nuclear warheads. We have no other choice," said Old Du.


    "Using the Pointed Snake will kill everything here. If we use the nuclear warhead, we still have a hope of surviving," I said.


    "Shit! Bulu and the others can''t hold on anymore!" Lifu''s anxious voice rang out.


    I saw that the green beam was now less than three meters long. For some reason, a massive sense of defeat rose in my heart. Facing a monster so powerful, my instincts were telling me that the weapons we had on us wouldn''t be able to harm it. Only destruction awaited us.


    "I''ll launch the nuclear warheads. Everyone, prepare your shields," I said.


    I fished out two nuclear warheads from my suit. Facing the unequaled monster in this place of extreme cold, I was prepared to unleash the attack that carried my final hope.


    "Five, four, three, two..." While I was counting down, intense vibrations and sounds suddenly came from my left.


    An incredibly big life form with a shining dark green body emerged from the tunnel. The newcomer''s appearance resembled Bulu, with its size about a thousand times bigger. Its transparent body flickered with a dark green light while the substance in its body flowed like a torrential river.


    "Mother. This is their mother. It has appeared," said Old Du.


    "This is the mother you saw when you were communicating with Bulu?" I asked.


    "No, I didn''t see it. I had merely heard of it. This mother beast is the one propagating their species, keeping their species alive to this day," said Old Du.


    The loud appearance of the mother beast attracted the monster''s attention. Its front part, including all its tentacles, turned together to look at the mother beast. For the very first time, the two life forms that had been battling for hundreds of millions of years were standing face to face.


    With a thundering shriek, the mother beast accelerated toward the yellow monster. In less than 10 seconds, the mother beast reached the monster and pounced on the monster''s head.


    The mother beast''s attack placed the monster in an awkward position where it was attacked from the front and the back. The thick yellow beam that was holding the upper hand immediately turned smaller, allowing the green beam to regain some foothold.


    "Everyone, stop shooting. We don''t want to hit the mother beast by accident," said Master Crystal.


    We all lowered our guns. I saw a massive spiked tentacle come out of the mother beast''s body and stab into the monster''s head. A dark green liquid was then pumped into the monster through the tentacle. Slowly, the green liquid spread through the monster''s body.


    An odd roar rang out as the yellow monster wailed miserably. It twisted its body, and as all its spiked tentacles latched out at the mother beast wrapped around its head, the yellow beam vanished. The monster could no longer pay any attention to the transparent creatures because it had to fully focus on the mother beast.


    The transparent creatures naturally wouldn''t let go of such a chance. Their mother beast''s assistance raised their morale, and an even brighter green beam shot forth and struck the monster''s back.


    This was a world-shaking battle between creatures that were essentially ancient mythological beasts. Our surroundings were shrouded in darkness, but from the dazzling light beams and shining bodies, we could clearly see how bitter the fight was.


    Numerous wounds appeared on the mother beast''s body due to the spiked tentacles. Through the tentacles, a yellow substance was injected into the mother beast''s body. Both parties were poisoning each other, and the final victor had yet to be decided.


    All of us watched on with bated breaths, not daring to make any sound for fear of interrupting this epoch-making battle. Suddenly, with a pop, the green beam pierced through the monster''s skin. The substance that had flowed forth alongside the beam instantly invaded the monster''s body through the newly made hole.

 CH 98

    The monster instantly felt the pain from having its back penetrated. Yellow substance instantly gathered on its transparent back as a reaction to the attack. I could clearly see the flowing substance gathering in its head and back as it attempted to resist the invasion of the green substance.


    Things did not look well for the mother beast either. The monster''s powerful attacking tentacles had injected a large amount of yellow substance into the mother beast''s body. The battle between the two substances was akin to an intense and cruel chemical reaction.


    As the three parties battled, even more transparent creatures emerged from the tunnel. These were probably the final remnants of Bulu''s race. After hundreds of transparent creatures rushed out of the tunnel, no new creatures came out.


    "These are probably the mother beast''s last children," said Old Du.


    Although the transparent creatures had a much lower number than before, the newcomers granted them enough strength to form a brand-new green beam. The smaller green beam quickly penetrated the monster''s waist, and the green substance carried by the green beam immediately started devouring the weak spots in the monster''s body.


    That seemed to be the final straw as the tide of the battle immediately shifted. The monster started losing ground against the three attacks. It realized that the foe it had suppressed for hundreds of millions of years thanks to a geographical advantage was a foe it couldn''t defeat face to face.


    That was a moment of life and death for the monster. Shrill shrieks started ringing again as it gave up completely on its back and gathered all the yellow substance in its body into its tentacles before stabbing them into the mother beast''s body. The powerful attack wreaked havoc in the mother beast''s body as the tentacles madly pulled at the mother beast, attempting to tear the mother beast off the monster''s head.


    However, the mother beast stubbornly resisted the violent battle within its body and remained wrapped around the monster''s head. At the same time, it injected even more dark green substance into the monster''s body through its tentacle.


    The other transparent creatures accelerated their attacks when they saw their mother''s predicament. Two thicker green beams shot out with a far higher intensity than their previous attacks.


    The intense attacks continued pushing the monster back. It suffered so much damage it wobbled as it walked forward. Its wobbling revealed an opening on its back, giving us an excellent opportunity to attack.


    "Fire with everything you have! Help the mother beast!" Master Crystal commanded.


    I immediately raised my laser gun and madly shot at the monster''s back. The powerful attacks finally surpassed the monster''s limit. Its tentacles continued tearing at the mother beast madly while its body swayed about. Then, it lost its balance as it took a step forward and dropped into the tunnel.


    "Shit! That fellow brought the mother beast into the tunnel," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Looks like they will have another intense fight down there. But the monster looks like it is already badly injured," said Old Du.


    As we spoke, the ground started shaking, to the point I lost my footing and fell onto the ground. A violent white shockwave shot out of the tunnel and then rippled outward.


    "Shit! The monster is probably trying to self-detonate! Careful, everyone," shouted Master Crystal.


    I roared, "Everyone, turn your shields to the maximum capacity. Don''t bother saving energy. The core of this planet might explode."


    Immediately after I spoke, I felt the white shockwave ripple out even more violently. Although I couldn''t see my surroundings, I could see the green creatures extinguished one after another, as though they had all been subjected to a powerful attack.


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    "Everyone, try to protect as many of them as possible," I roared.


    These intelligent green creatures noticed that my surroundings were safe, so they started gathering around me. Suddenly, I noticed a flickering red light not far away from me. It remained in the same spot, looking like it was stranded.


    ''Bulu! It''s trapped!'' A thought rose in my mind. ''I need to help it.''


    I immediately tried to expand the range of my energy shield, but Bulu was too far for my shield to reach. One green light after another extinguished around Bulu while the shaking intensified. It felt like the entire planet was going to break apart.


    I steeled my heart, removed my shield generator, and tossed it at Bulu. The moment the shield moved away from me, a solid object struck my head. I immediately lost consciousness.


    Everything sank into silence. I remained unconscious for an indeterminate amount of time. My hazy brain made me feel like I was floating amid the beautiful outer space, bearing witness to the universe''s mesmerizing star systems while bathing in the warmth of a star. While enjoying the rare peace and comfort, a voice suddenly intruded, a voice calling upon my name.


    "Canyue, Canyue, where are you?" a familiar voice rang out.


    "Canyue, where are you? Please reply," more familiar voices came.


    "Canyue, are you fine? Say something!" Zhang Bao''er''s voice came.


    Slowly, I regained consciousness. I found myself lying on the ground in darkness. The flickering green creatures were nowhere to be seen. Similarly, the intense earthquake had stopped.


    "Canyue, Canyue, please reply if you''re still alive. Fearless will be withdrawing in 10 minutes," Zhang Xingxing''s calm voice came.


    "I''m still alive, but my head hurts," I gathered all my strength and mustered a response.


    "He''s alive. See, I knew he wouldn''t die so easily," Zhang Bao''er''s excited voice rang out.


    "Canyue, don''t move. We will pinpoint your location from your reply and come for you right away," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I lay on the ground silently. After a few minutes, the loud sounds of an engine rang out above me. Soon, I felt four strong and familiar arms grabbing me.


    "Canyue, it has been 24 hours. We finally found you. We had thought that the shockwave had killed you," said Old Du.


    "Thanks, brother. I''m alive," I said.


    "Titan, lift him and get him back," said Old Du.


    Four strong arms lifted me and brought me toward Fearless. My surroundings were still pitch black, but I felt safe. A sense of gratification from having survived death filled my heart.


    ''Looks like the heavens still care for us,'' I thought to myself.


    Suddenly, I felt an intense shaking. The grayroid started rocking violently as if it had been activated by some mysterious power.


    "What is happening now?" Old Du said.


    The sound of the ground tearing apart rang out. When I turned my head to look in the direction of the sound, I saw an even bigger shining figure emerging from the ground. The transparent creature was shining with yellowish-green light and was a few times larger than the yellow monster I saw before. It was as though the yellow monster had undergone a rebirth and become this new monster.


    "What is this? Don''t tell me that our brainwaves are being controlled again?" Old Du said.


    His words confused me. I started wondering if I was still alive, wondering if this was a dream. I tried biting my tongue. Yes, I could feel the pain.


    "Old Du, Titan, ignore the monster. Retreat immediately," Zhang Xingxing''s urgent voice rang out.


    I felt myself enter Fearless with Titan''s and Old Du''s help a few seconds later. Due to the grayroid''s effect, it was completely dark inside the ship.


    "Take off immediately. Leave this place," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "We might need to eliminate that monster with the Pointed Snake. If we let it survive, it will become a calamity to the universe," said Master Crystal.


    A blinding beam shot past the ship.


    "This is bad. The monster is attacking us, and that was a real attack," Dodo exclaimed.


    I did not know from where I gathered my strength, but I suddenly stood up and looked outside the window. The yellowish-green monster could be seen standing straight while blindly firing light beams into the sky.


    "That fellow has gone crazy. It''s like it has too much energy, so it''s letting the energy leak everywhere," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We need to put it down. If it is allowed to reach outer space, more planets and lives will be lost," I said.


    "Release the Pointed Snake and destroy its brain functions," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Lifu, how should we operate the Pointed Snake?" asked Master Crystal.


    A long silence descended.


    "Lifu, what''s wrong?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Pointed Snake only has the option of instant detonation. It also can''t be fired from a distance. Its range of explosion is big enough to cover an entire planet," Lifu''s voice came from the darkness.


    "Instant detonation? Why in the hell would your people design a bomb like that?" roared Zhang Bao''er.


    "Because the emperor does not intend to let the one carrying out the mission return alive," I said.


    "What should we do now? Do we really need to leave someone behind to detonate the Pointed Snake?" Old Du asked.


    Everyone sank into silence.


    After a long while, a voice rang out, "I''ll go."


    "No, Master! You still have many important things to do. You can''t sacrifice yourself so easily. I''ll go instead!" Sarje protested loudly.


    "You can''t go. You''re too young. You have yet to experience the myriad beauties of the universe," said Master Crystal.


    Outside the window, the yellowish-green monster was still madly shooting energy beams into the air. The beams were powerful enough to shoot through the atmosphere and reach outer space.


    "A sacrifice must be made. Don''t hesitate. After leaving, we won''t have any chance to return anymore. Put it down. This fellow must have successfully devoured the mother beast and accomplished a goal it has been working on for hundreds of millions of years. If it leaves this planet, many other planets will suffer," said Master Crystal.


    "No! I firmly disagree, Master!" Sarje continued protesting.


    Suddenly, an overcast voice rang out, "Stop arguing. I''ll go."

 CH 99

    "Adelan, you''re injured. Just focus on resting. We will get you home," Lifu said.


    "Squad Leader, let me go. I know how my injuries are. Also, nobody here is more familiar with the Pointed Snake than me. This is my destiny," said Adelan.


    ''I did not expect to see such a heroic individual among the Eternals,'' I thought to myself. Adelan''s words caused me to change how I viewed the Eternals as a race.


    "No, brother. You''re already injured. You can''t take this mission," Lifu disagreed.


    "Leader, the Pointed Needle is highly radioactive. I can no longer recover from my injuries. There is no need to sacrifice someone healthy," Adelan said firmly.


    The mood turned sorrowful. Adelan''s words were reasonable. He was the best choice. However, nobody could bring themselves to make that decision.


    "Team Leader, the monster seems to be trying to escape the planet," said Dodo in astonishment.


    Everyone looked out the window and saw the outline of a pair of wings taking form on both sides of the monster.


    "Stop hesitating. Carry the Pointed Snake into the life pod. We''re running out of time!" Adelan roared.


    "Snow, you have the chest containing the Pointed Snake, right?" Lifu asked.


    "Yes, it''s right beside me," answered Snow.


    "Can anyone show us the way to the life pod? Let us warriors of the Divine Empire shoulder this burden." Lifu finally agreed to Adelan''s request, likely due to the fact that he couldn''t think of a better choice.


    "Dodo and Old Du, feel the way around and lead them to the life pod," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    Everyone worked silently. I could hear the sounds of people walking toward the life pod on the bottom level of the ship.


    "Brother, we will be relying on you. We will take care of your family," Lifu''s voice came from the communicator a few minutes later.


    "It has been my honor to fight alongside so many warriors. Please tell my loved ones and brothers that I love them," said Adelan.


    The sounds of the life pod detaching from the ship rang out. With the Pointed Snake, Adelan approached the dark planet below us.


    "Give me the address of his family. I will donate some money to them to express my gratitude," said Domo, who was surprisingly melancholic.


    "Farewell, my brother," said Lifu, choking with emotions.


    "Dodo and Dondon, prepare the ship for departure," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    "Roger. Fearless will be activating the space travel mode," Dodo replied.


    The ship immediately accelerated as the engine roared, carrying us farther away from the planet''s ground. As we left, I saw the monster finish the formation of its wings. It flapped its wings, trying to adapt to using them.


    ''We''ll be relying on you, brother. You can''t let this monster escape,'' I thought inwardly.


    Fearless continued accelerating, finally leaving the planet''s dusky atmosphere. The instant we charged out, light returned to the ship. However, everyone was wallowing in grief, and nobody was celebrating this escape from death. I could see that even Zhang Bao''er''s eyes were misty.


    "Warriors, I''m in position. The Pointed Snake will be detonated in five minutes. Farewell, my companions," Adelan''s last words came from the communicator.


    Fearless floated above the dusky zone, and we all stared silently at the darkness below us. We could see nothing, but we were aware that a heroic sacrifice was going to unfold before our eyes.


    Abruptly, a yellowish-green beam shot out of the void alongside a deafening rumble. Before long, the yellowish-green beam was running through the entire planet, piercing out from two sides of the planet in the form of berserk rays.


    "This looks quite like a gamma-ray burst," said Old Du.


    "Looks like Adelan had succeeded. The Pointed Snake had blown the monster''s brain apart. Because of that, it lost control over the energy in its body, and now the energy is running berserk," said Lifu.


    "I did not expect a life form to be able to produce the effects of a gamma-ray burst. Just how terrifying is this monster?" Dodo remarked.


    "As a show of respect for Adelan''s heroic action, I think we should rename this newly discovered celestial object from grayroid to Adelanoid," Zhang Xingxing suggested.


    Everyone agreed. And thus, the invisible celestial object bursting with gamma rays became a new astronomical monument that served as a reminder of Adelan''s heroic sacrifice. Looking at the intensely spraying streams of particles, I understood that the spraying would probably persist for tens of thousands of years. This might probably be the best way Adelan could be remembered.


    The period from when we landed on the Adelanoid and escaped felt like a lifetime ago. Now that I was suddenly not surrounded by danger anymore, my entire body relaxed, and I collapsed weakly onto the ground.


    Suddenly thinking of something, I sat up and asked, "Bulu¡­where''s Bulu and the other creatures? How are they?"


    "Canyue, can you still walk? If you can, come with me," Zhang Xingxing said.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    A new burst of strength came out of nowhere, helping me stand and follow Zhang Xingxing to the ship''s cargo bay. When the door opened, I was stunned. It was filled to the brim with over a thousand transparent dark green creatures. When they saw me, their feelers were aimed in my direction.


    "Th-this? Why are all of them here? They even changed colors?" I asked in astonishment.


    "When we went to pick you guys up, these little fellows charged into the ship the moment the door opened. Old Du told us to not stop them and to let them retreat with us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    A fellow that was partly shining red hopped before me and touched my leg with its feeler.


    "Bulu, you''re fine? That''s great to see!" I said in joy.


    Bulu''s body was mostly dark green in color. I guessed that the change in temperature was most likely the cause. These fellows had been living in an extremely cold environment for many years.


    I bent down, lifted Bulu with both my hands, and brought it close to my face. In this new environment with a higher temperature, Bulu actually felt moist when it touched my face. Its body was no longer ice-cold like before, having become the same temperature as the room.


    "Canyue, the little fellow in your hands seems to be injured. Take it to Amethyst for a checkup," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Yes, you''re right. We should also let the other creatures rest," I nodded quickly.


    Placing Bulu on my shoulder, I followed Zhang Xingxing back to the cockpit. There, the others were in an intense discussion.


    "Yo, Canyue, you got yourself a new pet? Let me see," said Zhang Bao''er cheerfully when he saw Bulu.


    "Bulu is not just a toy. Be careful lest it controls your brainwaves," I said.


    That scared Zhang Bao''er enough to shut his mouth. I handed Bulu to Amethyst to have its injuries looked over, and then I joined the discussion.


    "So were the scenes we saw actually real or were they illusions? I honestly can''t tell anymore," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Part illusions, most likely. We concluded before that Bulu''s brain wave manipulation was not powerful enough to make all of us head to the tunnel," said Master Crystal.


    "I remember that after the yellow monster dropped into the tunnel and created a massive explosion, I was struck unconscious by some big object while trying to save Bulu," I said.


    "No, that''s not the case. Your brainwaves were struck by a super powerful energy attack," Master Crystal said.


    "How are you so sure? Are you saying that everything we saw there was an illusion?" I asked.


    "Yes. What we saw were actually illusions created from the manipulation of our brainwaves. The light on these creatures is not supposed to be able to overcome the Adelanoid''s gravitational force. Thus, we actually weren''t supposed to see the light their bodies emanated," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone found the entire thing inconceivable.


    "The monster''s so-called explosion was actually the final exchange of brainwave attacks between the monster and the mother beast. All of us fell unconscious at that time, and I was the first to wake up," said Master Crystal.


    "Yeah, we woke up one by one later, but the world around us was completely dark. I couldn''t see anything at all when Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator," said Old Du.


    "Everyone was found, with Canyue being the only one missing. Now I understand why. To save Bulu, Canyue gave up on protecting his own head, so he was struck heavily, resulting in a longer period of unconsciousness," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah, you need to thank Zhang Bao''er, Canyue. He believed firmly that you were alive. At that time, Lifu was in a rush to return and seek treatment for Adelan. Bao''er was the one insisting to keep searching, extending the search from 3 hours to 24 hours. At that point, everyone was losing hope, but Zhang Bao''er still believed that you were alive," ZhangXingxing said.


    I gave Zhang Bao''er a look of gratitude. In moments of crisis, my brother would still be more reliable.


    "Canyue, apologies. At the time, I was worried about Adelan, so I kept urging everyone to end the search and return early," Lifu walked over and apologized to me.


    "Don''t say that, Lifu. I understand your reason. Also, don''t forget that an Eternal had actually made a major sacrifice this time," I said.


    "I have a question," Zhang Bao''er interrupted the awkward exchange.


    "What is it this time?" Domo asked.


    "If the light these creatures emit is a cold light that we can''t see with just our naked eyes, how about the yellowish-green beam at the end? All of us saw that. Was it possible that all of us were still looking at illusions at that time?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Bullshit. Sure, you might be sleepwalking or something, but I was definitely fully aware," Domo said.


    "You might be a hologram or some projection. Come, let me check your pockets and see if there are any treasures inside. If there aren''t any, then you must be fake," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dream on!" Domo quickly covered his pockets.


    In fact, Zhang Bao''er''s words were actually rather reasonable. I could see everyone instinctively rubbing their own heads and looking at their own shadows. I also gave my tongue a bite to confirm that I could still feel pain.


    "I believe Bao''er is reasonable. Then again, our entire situation only serves to prove how magical the universe is," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, what do you think?" Old Du asked.


    "This planet hides many secrets. The fragments of a star''s core granted it powerful gravity, resulting in the lack of light and in nothing being able to leave the planet. However, the yellow monster had one option. It could devour the mother beast of Bulu''s race, take her energy for itself, and gain the chance to leave," said Master Crystal.


    "If that was the case, why didn''t the mother beast keep hiding? Why did it keep sending its children to their deaths?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Brother Bao''er, that is a wise question. It''s also what I believe is the most profound part of this situation. The yellow monster wanted to devour the mother beast and leave the hellish planet, but that was also the case for the mother beast," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone came to a realization.


    "In other words, Bulu and the others were merely cannon fodder? As for the final creature we saw, we aren''t even sure if that was actually the monster or if it was the mother beast," said Old Du.


    "Exactly. The two monsters had been competing for hundreds of millions of years. Each wanted to devour the other, and only by their combination would they be able to create the effects of a gamma-ray burst, producing enough power to leave the planet," said Master Crystal.


    "The power of a gamma-ray burst is enough to overcome the gravitational force of this dark planet," said Dodo.


    "Therefore, we did see the monster''s actual body, and we''re not currently in an illusion?" said Zhang Bao''er in joy.


    "Like I said, you''re sleepwalking," said Domo with a sneer.


    "Watch your mouth, dwarf!" Zhang Bao''er raged and was once again pressed down by Old Du.


    "Did Bulu and the others get on Fearless by themselves?" I asked.


    "Yes. They rushed in the moment the door opened. In the darkness, I was able to feel their soft bodies. I had the team leader let them in because I didn''t want to make them stay on that hellish world," Old Du said.


    "These fellows are quite magical. They''re able to adjust to the temperature change so quickly," said Master Crystal.


    We all clicked our tongues in amazement.


    "We already made such a major sacrifice. Now that you have so many of these creatures here, can we have one to complete the mission given by the emperor? If not, even our families will be dragged down with us," Lifu suddenly asked.

 CH 100

    I refused, "No. Let''s think of a better idea. We can''t sacrifice one life to save another. Let me think of something."


    "I hope you can save us," said Lifu. He did not persist.


    Fearless started circling the Adelanoid, which still had a gamma-ray burst spurting out of it.


    "Team Leader, what is our next goal?" Dodo asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Should we look for a new home for these transparent little fellows?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Yes, we must. It won''t do to have so many of them staying in our cargo bay. However, the new home should be safe and hidden from the Divine Empire. Otherwise, they might all end up captured by the imperial police," said Old Du.


    "Don''t we have two imperial policemen here? Can you keep the secret?" Zhang Bao''er asked Lifu.


    "We only need one of them. As for what you do with the rest, we can back off from the operation," said Lifu.


    "There is no need to act like that. We fought alongside each other, and an Eternal had sacrificed for the team. There is no need for us to doubt each other," I said.


    "Master Crystal, is there a suitable planet in the Orion Constellation we can use to house these transparent creatures?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "There are a lot of planets in the Orion Constellation. These transparent creatures are probably more suited for planets with low temperatures. But if we house them in the Orion Constellation, the emperor can probably find them easily," said Master Crystal.


    "Then we''ll go to different star systems to look for a suitable place," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Each planet has its own unique ecosystem. Introducing such a large number of powerful and new creatures to the planet might cause a collapse in the ecosystem," said Master Crystal.


    That was right. It was not easy to find a suitable home for so many creatures. Everyone sank into silence.


    "Master, do you still remember a planet in the Orion Constellation called Amoeba?" Lifu suddenly asked after a short silence.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "Yes, that reminds me. Amoeba is a drifting planet. About 25 years ago, it moved rather close to Planet Eternal. At the time, the empire activated the emergency contingency to blow up the planet if it got too close. Fortunately, nothing bad happened," said Master Crystal.


    "Drifting planet? What is that?" Domo asked curiously.


    "I shall give you a lesson and cure you of your ignorance," said Zhang Bao''er. "The drifting planets are also known as interstellar planets or orphan planets. Simply put, these planets do not orbit stars. They originally orbited their mother stars, but due to many reasons such as the gravity from other planets or celestial bodies, they were tossed out of their original orbit. Because of that, they started drifting randomly around the universe.


    "A large majority of drifting planets become extremely cold worlds after separating from their stars. Naturally, some can still maintain some of their heat due to their geothermal activities."


    "That''s right. Planet Amoeba is a planet with basically a freezing atmosphere. Probes indicate that parts of the planet are still hot and that there''s even a liquid sea. Furthermore, it does not have a proper orbit. Its temperature and characteristics make it the perfect place for these little fellows to live and hide," said Lifu.


    "Good idea. But it was last sighted 25 years ago. We don''t know where it is right now," said Master Crystal.


    "No wonder I''ve never heard of it. I wasn''t even born yet 25 years ago," said Domo.


    "Does this planet travel in a fixed trajectory?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. During its last sighting, it was heading toward Bellatrix, but a drifting planet will always move around randomly. We don''t know if it is still moving in the same direction, especially after 25 years have passed," said Lifu.


    "Twenty-five years is really not a long time for a celestial body and the universe. A drifting planet does not move at a fast pace either. We can calculate the potential current location of the planet based on its speed and trajectory 25 years ago to get a general area and search through scanning," said Old Du.


    "Good idea. If we have the records of the astronomical observation in the Orion Constellation, we can use the gravitational microlensing method to observe the continuous changes of a specific area. Through this method, we will be able to find traces of this drifting planet," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "What''s the gravitational microlensing method?" Lifu asked.


    "It''s a method used by a physicist on Blue to observe distant celestial bodies that do not emit light. It''s based on Einstein''s general theory of relativity. When one star in the sky appears to pass in front of another, the light rays of the background source star become bent due to the gravitational "attraction" of the foreground star. The gravitational microlensing method allows planets to be found using light from a distant star. The path of the light from this star will be altered by the presence of a massive lens. Thus, for a short period of time, the distant star will appear brighter. Of course, this will only work when the two celestial objects are facing the observer in a straight line," explained Zhang Xingxing.


    "I see. In the Divine Empire, this method is known as the Light-Cause Observational Technique. The celestial object in between the observer and the other celestial object will gather light at its edges, giving its edges greater illumination," said Lifu.


    "Yes. As microlensing events are unique and not subject to repeat, if we can get reliable records of the astronomical observations during that period of time, we will be able to deduct the planet''s current general location," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "But we do not have the records. There is no chance we will be able to hack into the Interstellar League''s database," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "There is no need to hack. Use the system of our ship to access the Imperial College''s database. I have the access password," said Lifu.


    "Great! That will make things so much easier!" said Zhang Bao''er in joy.


    "However, the Divine Empire is far weaker than the Interstellar League in terms of astronomical observation. I hope the data is actually helpful," said Lifu honestly.


    Dodo immediately turned on Fearless'' wireless network system, and Lifu started working on it. Shortly after, we entered the Imperial College''s database. We started browsing through the astronomical pictures and records in the database.


    The database was massive, and there was a large amount of information within it. In a well-practiced manner, Lifu set up proper search parameters before performing the search. The system indicated that the search would take eight hours.


    "Everyone, return to your own rooms and get some rest. We will hold another meeting in eight hours after we get the search result," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We all relaxed and returned to our respective rooms. While I walked, I saw Bulu, with an adhesive bandage stuck on its waist, hopped over to me.


    ''This little fellow seems to enjoy staying with me. Bulu, oh, Bulu, how should I solve the issue between you and Lifu?'' I thought gloomily.


    In my tiny room, I lay on the bed silently. Beside me, Bulu was also silently lying on its stomach. Through the cabin window, I could still see the gamma-ray burst from the Adelanoid. Behind it, the blue Bellatrix hovered indifferently. Looking at these celestial bodies which had existed for billions of years, I suddenly realized how miniscule a living organism was compared to them.


    Under the gentle blue light of Bellatrix, I fell asleep without knowing it. My sleep was deep. The intense battles had led me to be physically and emotionally exhausted. My brain greatly needed a full rest. After waking up from deep sleep, I looked at the time and saw that it had been seven and a half hours.


    "The search result will be out soon. I''ll grab myself a meal first," I muttered to myself.


    The moment I stood up, I saw Bulu and a doppelganger that looked exactly the same as it. I sat back up on my bed in shock.


    "Am I seeing things? Is this an illusion?" I muttered doubtfully.


    One of the two creatures saw me knocking my head in confusion and leaped onto my lap. Only then did I notice that there was a difference between the two. One had an adhesive bandage on it, while the other didn''t have it. The pain when I bit my tongue confirmed that I wasn''t in an illusion, but why were there two Bulu in front of me?


    I lifted Bulu and asked, "Don''t tell me you''re capable of asexual reproduction. But why is your child the same as you?"


    At that moment, I noticed something else. The other Bulu was still on the ground, and unlike the Bulu in my hands, it was rather inactive. Apart from the flowing substance in its body, it lay there completely still. I gave the second Bulu a scratch, but it merely slightly shifted its body before going back to sleep.


    "Is this a clone Bulu created by itself?" I muttered.


    Suddenly, a lightbulb lit up in my head. The dark clouds looming over my emotions cleared as I lifted the clone up and rushed to the cockpit in excitement. The real Bulu followed behind me with its usual hops.


    "Lifu, Lifu, where are you?" I shouted before I even reached the cockpit.


    "What is it? Why are you so excited?" Lifu and the others were in the cockpit waiting for the search result.


    I handed the Bulu in my hands to Lifu.


    "What? Is this little fellow unwell?" asked Lifu when he saw the sleeping Bulu.


    Right at that moment, the Bulu behind me leaped onto my shoulder.


    "Th-th-this, what is this? Did it procreate by itself?" Lifu asked in astonishment.


    "No, this is not procreation. It had duplicated itself," I said.


    "Is there a difference?" asked Zhang Bao''er from behind me.


    "Yes. The duplicate is not an actual sentient life form. However, it is very helpful to us," I said in excitement.


    "You mean to swap the real deal with a fake? Hahaha, Canyue, incredible!" Zhang Bao''er said in excitement as he immediately realized what I was up to.


    I gave the clone to Lifu and started dancing hand in hand with Zhang Bao''er. Meanwhile, Lifu was completely confused, standing blankly with the clone in his hand.


    "Foolish child, Canyue meant that you can use Bulu''s clone to complete your mission," said Master Crystal.


    Finally, Lifu''s doubt was dispelled. He stood there, the clone still in his hands, and smiled in a silly manner. A joyful atmosphere enveloped the cockpit. Everyone laughed heartily as Zhang Bao''er and I clowned around with our dance.


    "Alright, alright, stop. The search result is out."


    I turned around and saw that Dodo had just projected the latest search result on the display screen.

 CH 101

    From the system projection, we could clearly see that over 10,000 drifting planets had passed through the Orion Constellation in the past 25 years.


    "What now? There are so many of them. How do we find that Amoeba?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "This is actually good. The sheer number of drifting planets in existence will serve to hide the transparent creatures," said Master Crystal.


    "Lifu, when Amoeba had passed by Planet Eternal, data on its size must have been taken, right?" Old Du asked.


    "Of course," Lifu answered.


    "Dodo, use the spectroscopic parallax method to filter out all the drifting planets of similar size before eliminating gaseous planets from the result," said Old Du.


    "Alright. According to the apparent magnitude of the planet and its absolute magnitude, we will calculate its size and distance. Formula set. Filtering will start shortly," said Dodo.


    As we were only searching through around 10,000 planets, the result was out in only a few minutes. Ultimately, three solid planets met all the search parameters.


    "Which is Planet Amoeba?" Zhang Bao''er wondered.


    "This planet is heading straight toward the star Rigel. We can take it out of consideration. According to Master Crystal, Amoeba was heading toward Bellatrix, a completely different direction. It is very unlikely that this would be what we''re looking for," said Old Du as he pointed at one of the planets.


    "In that case, will these two be our final targets?" Zhang Xingxing confirmed.


    "Yes. From their direction and distance, they are both likely heading toward Bellatrix. From the records, they are probably still within the Betelgeuse System," said Dodo.


    "Then let''s lock on to the projected general location of one of them first and get working," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger. Initiating wormhole leap in 10 minutes. Fearless will return to the outer fringe of the Betelgeuse System," said Dodo.


    When all preparations were in place, a wormhole was produced before Fearless.


    "Before we go, let us offer the interstellar warrior, Adelan, a final minute of silence," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone faced the window in the direction of the dark planet with gamma-ray bursts, and we lowered our heads to express our gratitude to the heroic warrior in silence. When the moment of silence ended, Fearless entered the wormhole. After about 10 minutes of wormhole travel, we were back at the Betelgeuse System.


    Following the location guidance, we arrived at the outer fringe of the Betelgeuse System. We were very far away from the Betelgeuse star, and despite its massive size, the distance made the giant star look as small as the Solar System''s sun.


    "Betelgeuse''s outer fringe, 0.9 light-years from the mother star," Dodo reported.


    "My god. How big is this star system? Looking for a planet here is like looking for a needle in an ocean," I said.


    "Yeah. I had thought that we had minimized our search range sufficiently, but isn''t this a joke?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "I have identified several zones. I''m preparing to produce leap-tunnels and send our probes out," said Dodo.


    "Let''s do it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo immediately started searching the different zones according to the plan. Each robotic probe would take three hours to finish a search. The wait was dry and dull. After three hours, the first batch of probes returned. Apart from some small asteroids and rocky celestial objects, nothing was found.


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    "This is too hard. Searching like this is even harder than gold panning," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "We don''t have a better alternative. Dodo, determine the next set of coordinates and send the probes out," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger," Dodo replied.


    And thus, we endured our boredom for three more hours. During that period, I watched as Dondon ate at least five packs of crackers. The new result returned and was projected. A large silhouette appeared on the screen.


    "Found it!" Zhang Bao''er jumped in excitement.


    Everyone else was just as excited.


    "This doesn''t look like our target. It''s a brown gaseous planet. Clearly, it''s not the planet we''re looking for," Lifu said.


    I paid more attention to the image and noted that the silhouette was indeed a gaseous planet. Everyone sat down in disappointment.


    "Don''t be discouraged. Dodo, continue the search," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Canyue, why don''t we just send them to Sirius B?" Zhang Bao''er stupidly mentioned a name we had all been trying to avoid saying.


    I saw Titan and Amethyst turn anxious. That was understandable as life on Sirius B was already hard enough. If a species so powerful was injected into the ecosystem, the Brightlings would find it even harder to survive. Everyone suffered another three hours of boredom before a new batch of images returned.


    After going through a series of celestial objects, another massive black silhouette appeared on the screen. Due to the previous disappointment, everyone was prudent to not celebrate too quickly. The planet was black, and from the data gathered by the robotic probe, it was clearly a solid planet.


    Due to its distance from Betelgeuse, the planet appeared to be extremely cold. Its thick atmosphere was covered with some whitish frosty substance, giving it the appearance of a frozen planet.


    "Looks like this planet resembles the planet we''re looking for," said Old Du.


    Dodo quickly compared the trajectory, orbit, and size of the planet with the information we had obtained from the Imperial College about Amoeba. Shortly after, Dodo looked up and shook their head.


    "No. It''s not Amoeba," said Dodo.


    "How did you come to that conclusion?" Old Du asked.


    "This black planet is not a drifting planet. It has a circular orbit, meaning it is a planet orbiting Betelgeuse," said Dodo.


    "There is a planet orbiting Betelgeuse from so far away?" Old Du asked in astonishment.


    "Yes. This planet requires three billion years to revolve once around Betelgeuse. It probably hasn''t finished even one rotation since its formation," said Dodo.


    "That is unbelievable. A star''s influence can actually reach so far away. How incredible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Alas, the search for Amoeba continued.


    "Why don''t we just settle Bulu and the others on this planet?" Zhang Bao''er suggested.


    I refused, "No. This planet might be far from Eternal, but it''ll take them one minute to come here using the wormhole-leap technology. We can''t settle them on a planet with a fixed orbit."


    "I notice something weird," Dodo suddenly said.


    "What is it?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "There seem to be two parts to this planet''s atmosphere. Half of it is frozen while the other half is gaseous. I can''t understand why," said Dodo.


    "Well, there are way too many weird things in the universe. If even a life form can release gamma-ray bursts from its body, what''s impossible?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Since our target isn''t here, should we search a different area instead?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "I agree to change our search area. But everyone has been up for more than 10 hours. I suggest we take a meal before we continue," said Master Crystal.


    Both Dondon and Zhang Bao''er perked up at the mention of food. Amethyst and Dodo worked together to prepare the meal. Before long, a sumptuous feast was arranged before us. Apart from some space rations, Amethyst had also prepared some local Sirius B dishes. I saw Domo leisurely take a seat before an aromatic roasted meat dish.


    "Do Bulu and its kin need food as well?" I asked.


    "When I was cooking, I saw Bulu drink a large amount of water, so I gave them an abundant amount of drinking water," said Amethyst.


    We started gorging ourselves. Our current mission was only to look for a planet. That was much lighter work compared to our previous mission where death was on the line. For some reason, I did not have an appetite, so I left with a loaf of bread and a cup of coffee. I sat blankly before the screen, staring at the images that were played on repeat like a robot.


    At that time, I saw that Bulu''s clone seemed to have awakened from sleep. It was jumping around on the panel. Suddenly, it jumped before the projector, standing right before the black planet. From my point of view, the clone looked like a green ball with a white frozen hat with a silhouette that for some reason reminded me of Santa Claus.


    I was amused. Looking at the clone surrounded by the planet''s atmosphere, I suddenly recalled Dodo''s previous words that this planet''s atmosphere was split into two. An idea came to me as I placed my bread down and pushed the clone away. Then, I enlarged the projection slowly. As I did so, a vague silhouette appeared behind the black planet.


    "Dodo, come look at this! Look behind this planet, is there a second planet there?" I shouted urgently.


    Dodo immediately stopped waiting on the table and rushed over. The android cut the planet out from the image in a well-practiced manner before enlarging it on the screen. Then, Dodo performed another analysis based on the data the probes had collected. A few minutes later, Dodo looked at me and said, "There is another planet behind it. The planet was blocked when the image was taken."


    "Oh my god, how did you find that, Canyue?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "I followed Dodo''s clue that the black planet has two forms of atmosphere. From that, I wondered if the atmosphere had been invaded because that is something that will generally happen in a system with two stars," I said.


    "According to the data, the trajectory of the second planet is unstable. It can very well be a drifting planet that had coincidentally encountered the planet orbiting Betelgeuse. In about 20 days, the two planets will go their separate ways in accordance with their own trajectories. In fact, they are probably as close to each other right now than they ever will be," said Dodo in excitement as well.


    "This is too big of a coincidence. Why is Canyue always the one to make a major discovery?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Regardless, that is the truth. See, Canyue is smart because he doesn''t eat a lot. Unlike someone who finished a giant roasted beetle all alone, someone who is unsurprisingly not smart," sneered Domo.


    Zhang Bao''er stood up in fury and was pressed down again by Old Du.


    "Stop arguing, everyone. It is very likely that this planet is Amoeba. I suggest we perform a leap immediately and go after this planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger. Initiating a wormhole-leap immediately," said Dodo.

 CH 102

    With a leap, Fearless quickly reached the appointed search area. The area was filled with countless asteroids. The ship carefully navigated the forest of asteroids, and after going through an asteroid belt, two massive silhouettes appeared ahead of the ship.


    "Sure enough, there is a second planet here. Looks like we have really found it," exclaimed Lifu in excitement.


    The ship approached the two planets. We could clearly see that Amoeba had accidentally encroached upon the black planet''s ring. The asteroid belt we had just passed through was probably a result of the intrusion. The drifting planet looked even colder than the black planet. Thus, its frosty atmosphere had struck the black planet''s atmosphere and dispersed almost half of it. Oddly, the two planets had not fully collided. The two continued moving in opposite directions, slowly separating from each other.


    "Data comparison confirmed that the silver white planet on the left is Planet Amoeba," said Dodo.


    "Great! We finally found it!" I exclaimed in joy.


    "I have another piece of good news. Due to the collision, a gap had opened up in Amoeba''s frozen atmosphere. This is an excellent and rare opportunity to perform an actual landing on the planet," said Dodo.


    "Good heavens, are we actually this lucky? I remember that when the planet approached Eternal, the imperial fleet had tried penetrating its frozen atmosphere, but the endeavor had failed," said Master Crystal.


    "Take this chance and send these little fellows to their new home," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Through the laser scans, I calculated that the gap will close in an hour," Dodo''s urgent voice rang out.


    "Shit. If we were any slower, things would have been troublesome," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dodo, immediately scan the planet''s surface. Dondon, help Dodo pilot the ship and go through the gap," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With a jolt, Fearless shot toward the gap in Amoeba''s atmosphere. The ship did not take long to reach it. The atmosphere was hundreds of kilometers thick, with a temperature of negative 150 degrees. The gap was closing up at an astonishing speed visible to the naked eye.


    "Go through it quickly and look for a suitable landing spot," Zhang Xingxing said.


    Fearless descended, heading quickly toward the planet''s surface. The world beyond the atmosphere was filled with an unknown white gas. It was likely that the collision and the gap in the atmosphere had resulted in a change of temperature that resulted in the rise of these steam-like substances in the air.


    "According to the laser scans, Amoeba''s surface is covered by a thick layer of ice. However, there seems to be an area with a comparatively higher temperature at the planet''s equator," Dodo reported.


    "We don''t have much time. The gap is closing up soon. Head for the high-temperature zone immediately," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger. Estimated arrival in 10 minutes," said Dondon.


    As Fearless flew toward our destination, we could see through the window that the world outside was a world of white with no signs of life.


    "This place is way too desolate. There is nothing here at all! Can Bulu and its kin even survive here?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "The environment here is much better than the Adelanoid. In fact, it is possible that a drifting planet could have an environment suitable for life to thrive. Even after the external gravitational force knocked the planet out of its orbit, a decent amount of resources will still remain," said Old Du.


    "That''s right. Furthermore, there are no competing life forms on this planet, so we won''t be ruining the balance of this planet either," I added.


    While we were speaking, Fearless approached our destination. A dark area with steam-like substances in the air appeared before us.


    "Wow, this place looks quite like a paradise," I exclaimed in astonishment.


    Amid the world of ice and snow, several sharp protrusions rose up from the ground, each spread randomly around the dark zone. The protrusions were constantly emitting a large amount of steam. Within about 100 square kilometers of the area, a wide expanse of black flora resembling cedar trees could be seen.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Looks like the core of Amoeba is not dead. It is still generating geothermal heat," Lifu remarked.


    "Exactly. The planet''s frozen atmosphere had preserved the energy system of this drifting planet, protecting its surface from being encroached upon by the cold of the universe," said Master Crystal.


    According to our system, the dark zone had a temperature of roughly zero degrees, making it a greatly livable area.


    "Dodo, perform a scan on the ecosystem of the planet. At the same time, release the sterile probes," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Immediately after she spoke, a loud cracking rang out in the air.


    "The gap is on the eve of fully closing up. We need to speed this up, everyone," Dondon reminded.


    Dodo performed a scan on the dark zone as quickly as possible as the probes worked tirelessly to relay a stream of information back to the ship. About 10 minutes later, the final result was out. From our scans, this was a planet with only flora and no fauna. It was also filled with abundant water and a suitable source of heat.


    "Finally, we have an easy mission with a happy result. Like I said, we can''t be so unlucky every single time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "From the data, the core of this planet will continue working for hundreds of millions of years," said Dodo.


    "This is it, then. Let''s release Bulu and its kin speedily. These transparent creatures are finally free," said Zhang Xingxing.


    It was time for farewell. Everyone went to the cargo bay. The moment the cargo door was opened, the little fellows cautiously aimed their feelers at us. Bulu, still with the adhesive bandage on, was the leader of the group.


    "Bulu, I found a suitable planet for you and your people. The temperature and resources here are very suited for your species. Also, it is a hidden planet so you guys will be safe. We''ve arrived. Let me show you the way," I said.


    Bulu seemed to have understood my words; the substance in its transparent feeler started flowing rapidly. The little fellow took the lead and hopped out of the ship, its kin in tow.


    "Permission to escort them with Old Du?" I asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Granted," Zhang Xingxing replied.


    Old Du and I thus followed Bulu and its kin to the airlock. After I turned on my suit, the room''s indicator lit up, and the door opened. The transparent creatures rushed out of the door, entering a world that was extremely suitable for them.


    After reaching Amoeba''s surface, the transparent creatures slowly turned from dark green to light green. They also returned to their normal lively selves. After hopping around randomly, some transparent creatures started heading out. About 10 minutes later, all the transparent creatures had departed, looking for a new home. Before me, only Bulu with his adhesive bandage remained.


    "Little fellow, go. This will be your home from now on," I said as I crouched down and lightly stroked Bulu when I saw that it was unwilling to leave.


    However, the red light in Bulu''s body turned brighter because Bulu refused to leave.


    "Canyue, we need to leave now. We''re running out of time," Old Du reminded me.


    For some reason, I found myself extremely hesitant to part with Bulu. This little fellow had formed a bond with my heart and had been silently helping us all along. Alas, there was an end to every beginning. It was time for us to part. I stood up, waved my hand at Bulu, and turned to walk back to Fearless.


    Old Du and I walked forward one step at a time. Just as I was about to take the final step into the spaceship, I turned to give Bulu my final farewell. But when I did, the little fellow had already vanished, leaving only an empty frosty expanse and the swirling mist in the air. The sight before my eyes was akin to a scene out of a fantasy, vague yet clear at the same time.


    Beside me, Old Du said, "It left. We had helped them gain their freedom. You should be happy. Let''s go."


    I was sad to part with Bulu, but Old Du was right. I should be happy with this ending. We returned to the spaceship. The mood was turning nervous due to how little time we had left.


    "Dodo, immediately prepare for take off," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The cracking in the air was turning louder and louder as the gap closed and the frosty atmosphere ground against itself. Fearless soared rapidly toward the atmosphere''s fringe, but after passing through a thick layer of mist, a terrifying scene unfolded before our eyes.


    The gap in the atmosphere had nearly fully closed up. Because the gap had closed up in an inconsistent pattern, the edges of the gap were grinding against each other, sending a hail of massive ice spikes down. Each spike was as large as a mountain, falling at an incredibly dense concentration from the sky.


    "Good lord. It feels like an entire iceberg is dropping from the sky," remarked Zhang Bao''er fearfully.


    "Dodo, perform a calculation on these spikes and draw up an optimal flight trajectory. How long before the gap fully closes? Do we have enough time?" asked Zhang Xingxing rapidly.


    "Don''t worry, Team Leader. It''s time for me to perform. Everyone, get seated. I will be displaying the supreme piloting skills only an android can possess," said Dodo.


    Both Dodo and Dondon performed rapid calculations before drawing a flight plan. Then, Fearless started weaving nimbly amid the rain of icebergs.


    Fearless was truly a treasure left behind by Nomo. Even under such a concentrated rain of icebergs, the ship could still perfectly avoid all the icebergs apart from the few the ship''s energy shield had pushed aside relying on data. A few minutes later, the ship passed through the rain of icebergs and reached the gap. Thundering sounds came from the gap as it continued to close.


    "Shit! The gap is closing! We''re too late," I exclaimed when we were halfway through the atmosphere and I saw that we were still several kilometers away from exiting. In fact, the atmosphere had fully closed up behind us.


    My heart raced as the sheer power of this massive atmosphere was something beyond any sort of technology. We could very well be crushed by it. During the critical moment, Dodo decisively performed a short-distance leap, causing the ship to shoot out of the atmosphere at the very last moment like a bolt of lightning.


    A loud thud rang out in the cockpit. The massive acceleration had actually snapped Zhang Bao''er''s belt, sending the fellow tumbling to the ground. A loud crash sounded behind us; the gap had fully closed. Silence returned.


    In a short span of time, all of us had experienced a close brush with death. My heart was still beating rapidly. The relaxed joy Zhang Bao''er had displayed earlier was shared by all of us, and that had nearly been a mistake that had cost all our lives.


    Suddenly, a loud curse came behind me.

 CH 103

    "Stupid robot, I almost broke my back!" Zhang Bao''er roared from the floor.


    Old Du hurriedly went over to help Zhang Bao''er up. He was fine.


    "I had no choice. If I did not activate the leap, all of us would have been crushed by the atmosphere. You were unlucky because your seat was facing the wrong way, resulting in you facing stronger momentum," said Dodo.


    "Nah, he''s just fat," said Domo.


    I stood before the window and gazed at the frozen planet. Slowly, we drifted away from Amoeba.


    "I wonder where they will go in the future. Perhaps I will never get to see Bulu again," I muttered.


    "We don''t know that for sure, but don''t worry. With Amoeba''s speed, it will probably take tens of thousands of years to leave the Orion Constellation. It won''t stay, but it won''t go far either," Dodo comforted me.


    I was slightly consoled by Dodo''s words.


    "Everyone, our mission has been completed. Time to return to Eternal," said Lifu.


    Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Yeah, it has been quite a while. I should also go back home and see if anything has changed," said Master Crystal.


    "Let''s return to Eternal, then. Dodo, make the flight arrangements," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Having been given an order, Dodo immediately prepared for the return trip. As we were already at the outer fringe of the Betelgeuse System, we only took several minutes to reach Eternal.


    Looking at the bustling trade centers and Planet Eternal, which was full of life through the window, I couldn''t help but lament the cruelty of those harsh planets. I was also reminded to further treasure these livable planets. A massive battleship suddenly appeared from stealth. Then, someone from the ship spoke through our communicator.


    "Welcome back, explorers. We have been waiting for a long time. Please be still. We will initiate the docking procedure immediately," said the voice from the communicator.


    Then, a small shuttle flew out of the battleship and approached us.


    "Since the mission has been completed, we shall part ways here. I hope we can meet again in the future, and I also hope to get a chance to fight alongside all of you again," said Lifu as he nodded at everyone.


    After experiencing life and death together, we had developed a sort of brotherhood. Thus, Lifu and Snow shook our hands one by one as they bid their farewells.


    When it was my turn to shake hands with Lifu, he whispered into my ear, "Don''t worry. The events on Amoeba won''t be leaked."


    I nodded gratefully, believing that this officer would keep his promise.


    Clanking sounds came from the docking bridge. Several minutes later, three armed individuals in golden armor entered the ship.


    "Lifu, welcome back. How was the mission?" asked the leader.


    "Holde, I did not expect you to personally come," said Lifu in surprise.


    "I have been waiting for a few days," said Holde.


    Lifu nodded at Snow, and Snow took out Bulu''s clone.


    Holde nodded in satisfaction upon seeing Bulu''s clone. One policeman behind him stepped forth and stored the clone in a transparent chest.


    "Adelan sacrificed himself," said Lifu.


    Holde blanked out slightly before saying, "Every warrior of the empire needs to be ready to sacrifice themselves. It is a supreme glory to be able to sacrifice for the empire."


    The policeman walked to Holde with the clone. Holde observed the clone for a bit before a satisfied expression appeared on his face.


    "As decreed by His Majesty, all Interstellar League warriors involved in this mission shall be granted an audience with His Majesty," declared Holde.


    "We need a short rest. We can go tomorrow," I said.


    Holde looked at me with an odd gaze before nodding in agreement. Lifu followed Holde out of Fearless. Just before he stepped through the door, he expressed his appreciation for us, who had fought alongside him, yet again.


    "Where do we go now?" asked Zhang Bao''er after the imperial police left.


    "Go to my place first. It won''t be too late to head to the palace after a discussion," said Master Crystal.


    "Sure. We''ll do as suggested by Master Crystal," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo did as told and navigated to Master Crystal''s home. We passed through all the checkpoints smoothly. Before long, we arrived at Master Crystal''s home. The glide-type shuttle we had taken here previously was still silently parked in the same place.


    At Master Crystal''s place, everyone acted like they were back in their own homes. We lay down randomly on the floor while Amethyst and Dodo started preparing dinner. Instead of constantly being alert, we all went into a vacation mindset.


    "Canyue, I have some suggestions for your visit to the palace tomorrow," Master Crystal suddenly said.


    "Please go on, Master," I replied respectfully.


    "Emperor Fille IV is someone with lofty ambitions beyond what an ordinary person can imagine. From what I know, the empire is not afraid of the Interstellar League''s attack. Rather, I suspect that the empire even intends to gobble up the Interstellar League," said Master Crystal.


    "I can see that the emperor is ambitious, but is the empire strong enough to defeat the Interstellar League''s powerful fleet?" I asked.


    "On paper, the imperial army might be slightly inferior to the Interstellar League, but from the information left by the prophet, I believe that the emperor had concealed a part of his military strength," said Master Crystal.


    "And the secret is probably hidden in the Imperial Golden Book," I said.


    "That''s probable, but it won''t be so simple either. Anyway, the Imperial Golden Book has returned to the emperor''s hands. Getting it again is basically impossible. For now, you should accept a compromise and try to figure out the emperor''s next plan before thinking of what to do," said Master Crystal.


    "I can accept a compromise, but we will definitely not participate in anything we consider unjust," I said firmly.


    "That is the main reason I wanted to talk to you. What is just? What is unjust? A proper judgment can only be given after everything is over. The Storm race has been waiting patiently for tens of thousands of years. Have any innocents sacrificed for our sake? I believe the answer is yes. But for our ultimate goal, some sacrifices are needed," said Master Crystal.


    "I can accept the need for sacrifices, but I definitely won''t accept anything traditionally considered unjust," I said stubbornly.


    "My suggestion to you is to judge the hour and seize any opportunity you get. When contending against an entity as powerful as the emperor, don''t hesitate to take a step back when necessary. So long as it doesn''t go against your values, do not let your anger get to you and keep you stubborn," warned Master Crystal.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Master Crystal. I understand. I''ll take the big picture into consideration and make necessary compromises," I said.


    "Alright. Also, don''t even mention me. It will only bring you unnecessary inconvenience. The emperor won''t ask about me anyway, as Wind has done what needed to be done," said Master Crystal.


    After the conversation with Master Crystal, a slight nervousness welled within me when I thought about the coming audience. By the time we finished our talk, a sumptuous dinner had been prepared. Amethyst and Zhang Bao''er started singing, Domo started dancing a peculiar dance of the Jidos, and even the usually serious Old Du started shaking his body and enjoying the celebration.


    It was a rare moment of leisure and joy. Everyone was fully immersed in the relaxation, leaving all our hardships and troubles behind. Alas, a joyful time always felt fast. In the blink of an eye, the night passed and the sky was bright again. I hopped off my bed, ready to face a new challenge. Zhang Xingxing and the others were already waiting in the courtyard. Everyone was fully armed and ready for the audience.


    "Titan, Amethyst, Domo, Sarje, and Master Crystal do not need to come with us. Horde mentioned yesterday that the audience is only granted for Interstellar League members," I said.


    "Great. I was afraid that the appearance of Brightlings might bring some unwanted consequences," said Old Du.


    "Also, everyone needs to take off their equipment. Leave it here with Master Crystal. We need to take it all off before the audience anyway. If we leave it here, Titan and the others can still make use of it in case something happens to us," I said.


    "Don''t worry. After capturing a rare creature that the empire had never been able to catch, the empire will recognize your ability. Perhaps you will receive even more important missions. He won''t make things difficult for you," consoled Master Crystal.


    With all preparations in place, the four of us, coupled with Dodo and Dondon, walked toward the shuttle outside.


    "We will use this shuttle. Fearless will be left here for now," I said.


    "Go. I will keep an eye on everyone," said Master Crystal.


    We entered the glide-style shuttle. This time, Zhang Xingxing and I acted as pilots. Zhang Xingxing entered the imperial palace''s coordinates, which we had obtained previously. With the destination set, the shuttle''s massive wings spread out.


    "With such massive wings, the flight must be really smooth," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, it will be a comfortable experience," I said.


    I had barely finished my words when Zhang Xingxing activated the flight mode. The massive wings pulled back, and the shuttle shot straight up into the sky at a 180-degree angle. The massive thrust instantly caused everyone to be unable to breathe.


    "What bullshit plane is this? What a terrible flight experience," Zhang Bao''er cursed.


    I stopped myself from bursting with laughter, not wanting to further provoke Zhang Bao''er. The shuttle flew straight to outer space before fanning out its massive wings. It then started gliding toward the palace. Zhang Bao''er, who was furious moments ago, found himself mesmerized by the beautiful view outside the window.


    "The water on this planet is rather scarce compared to Blue, but the planet''s population is also less dense," said Dodo.


    "Every planet has its own unique ecosystem. In terms of overall technology, I feel like the Divine Empire surpasses the league," said Old Du.


    The shuttle flew according to a fixed air route. It glided along, and soon, an imposing palace appeared before our eyes. An alarm blazed as three air defense drones appeared around us.

 CH 104

    "Unidentified flying vehicle, you have intruded upon the restricted area of the imperial family. Leave immediately, or you will be shot down," a mechanical voice warned.


    "Please check the serial number of the shuttle. We are guests of the emperor," I replied.


    The drones performed a full scan on us.


    "Verification successful. A flying vehicle registered with the inner palace. Relevant individuals have been registered in the database. Entry granted." The three drones transformed from military drones to guide drones as they started showing us in.


    We followed the drones and arrived at the plaza in front of the emperor''s dwelling place. After getting off the shuttle, a familiar silhouette appeared before me. Master Wind and the same two Gando warriors were waiting for us at the square.


    "I knew you would succeed. Looks like I wasn''t wrong," said Master Wind.


    "It was a very close brush with death. We nearly all died," I replied.


    After the short conversation, we followed the Gandos and Master Wind to the emperor''s dwelling place.


    "His Majesty is in a good mood today. There might be a new request for you. Be careful," whispered Master Wind with a tug at my sleeve.


    I nodded and continued following them toward the palace building. Since we were unarmed, we were able to quickly go through the checkpoint. After passing through a familiar courtyard, I was once again brought upon Emperor Fille IV sitting upright in the audience hall.


    "Young man, you shock me endlessly with how capable you are. A mission the empire hasn''t been able to complete over decades was finished by your group in one try," praised the emperor.


    ''Will he burst with rage if he finds out that we only gave him a duplicate?'' I wondered inwardly.


    "Since you fulfilled your promise, I will abide by my words. You will be granted shelter in the empire," said the empire.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. The Eternals had also contributed greatly. Lifu was gravely injured and Adelan sacrificed his own life," I said.


    "The empire has given them the commendations for their sacrifice. Adelan''s family has also been compensated suitably," said Master Wind.


    "Thank the empire," Zhang Xingxing said.


    "Recently, an incident cropped up between the empire and the Interstellar League. Since your group seems concerned about interstellar peace, I wish to have a talk with you," said the emperor.


    "What incident? Please instruct us," said Zhang Xingxing anxiously the moment she heard that the incident was related to the league.


    "The Interstellar League had dispatched a large fleet to Planet Akko. Stationing troops right in front of our doorsteps with our vassal has created much resentment in the imperial parliament. The threat of war lingers for both nations," said the emperor.


    ''The imperial parliament is unhappy? I reckon you''re the one unhappy,'' I thought.


    "With the empire''s powerful military, we do not fear any external threats. I intend to launch a large-scale attack on the army stationed at Akko. Since you are fugitives of the league, you are no longer on their side. However, you still have a high level of understanding of the technology available to the league. I wish to hire you as military advisors for the upcoming war," said the emperor.


    Everyone was alarmed at his proposition. None of us had expected the situation to deteriorate to such an extent.


    "Did Prince Toruse not try to stop a conflict from happening after his return?" I asked.


    "After the two princes returned, Prince Arude was placed under house arrest by King Xido," said Master Wind.


    "What? Am I hearing things? Arude was under house arrest?" I exclaimed in shock.


    "Yes. Arude was placed under house arrest. Your friend, Prince Toruse, had betrayed the empire and allied with the league. He is now the sole heir to the Akkon throne and is mustering an army to go to war against the empire," said Master Wind.


    "Th-this is not possible! Prince Toruse is an advocate of peace! He won''t do something like that!" I argued.


    "Any traitorous act against the empire will be met with extreme prejudice. All lands under the sky belong to the empire. The Divine Empire will not tolerate any infringement upon our lands. A war is already brewing. I will accept your help if you''re willing, but even if you''re unwilling to help, you won''t be able to stop us from eliminating the traitors," said the emperor firmly.


    "I have a suggestion. We might be able to avoid war," said Old Du.


    The emperor looked at the big guy he had never seen before.


    "You must be a Gliesen. Your kind rules the Interstellar League. What do you have in mind? Feel free to say it," said the emperor.


    "Your Majesty, I am unclear as to why the league had suddenly stationed a large fleet right at the empire''s doorsteps, but I believe there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. If we can clarify things for both sides and perhaps establish a friendship between the two nations, we will be able to prevent a massive loss of lives," said Old Du.


    "Can you even do so? Don''t forget you''re all fugitives. The moment you show yourselves to them, you''ll be arrested," said the emperor.


    "We might be fugitives, but if the empire appoints us as the envoys for the peace talks, I believe the league will not act rashly," suggested Old Du.


    "You''re hoping that the empire will appoint you as representatives to prevent this war?" asked the emperor.


    "Yes. For interstellar peace, we are willing to make this trip," promised Old Du.


    "Fine. Out of respect for the great contribution you''ve just made, I will give you a chance to resolve this peacefully. Seven days. If we don''t receive a proper reason to abort the war in seven days, the empire will launch a full-scale attack," said the emperor.


    I turn to look at Old Du. He looked rather confident. Zhang Xingxing also looked at him. Old Du nodded resolutely at her.


    "Ok. We are willing to accept this difficult mission. To avoid war and preserve peace, we shall visit Akko as envoys," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Very well. Warriors, if the peace talk fails, the door will still be open for you to serve as my military advisors," said the emperor.


    We thanked the emperor and were then escorted out of the hall by Master Wind.


    "Master Wind, is a war really happening?" I asked Master Wind while standing before our shuttle.


    "You''re still too young. The mission you had volunteered for was precisely what the emperor wanted out of you. He was able to easily lure you into volunteering with a few simple words," said Master Wind.


    "In that case, the threat of war is fake?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


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    "No. There is indeed a threat of war. We had merely failed to find suitable candidates to make a show at a final attempt at negotiation. The empire needs to uphold its reputation, after all," explained Master Wind.


    "It will be a great contribution if we can persuade both sides to stop," I said.


    "Hopefully. But I have a feeling there is a massive inside story to this whole incident. It will probably be very hard to stop. Good luck," said Master Wind.


    After bidding our farewells, we began to board the shuttle.


    "Tell Jin that when push comes to shove, forget about me," said Master Crystal out of nowhere just before I stepped into the shuttle.


    I nodded before entering. As we took off, I saw Master Wind''s tiny figure waving at us.


    The audience with the emperor had ended faster than we had expected. After receiving our mission, we returned promptly to Master Crystal''s place.


    "You dare to accept a mission this dangerous? You youngsters are truly gutsy," said Master Crystal reproachfully.


    "Old Du, how are you sure that the league won''t just arrest us?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m not. I was only trying to find a chance to open dialogue with the league," said Old Du.


    "Don''t worry about being arrested. After being appointed envoys, I reckon suitable staff members will be sent your way soon," said Master Crystal.


    "Master Crystal, what do you mean when you say that this is a dangerous mission?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "While you were away, I had gathered sufficient information on the incident. War is brewing between two powerful empires. The emperor is truly ruthless for sending you as envoys during such a delicate moment," said Master Crystal.


    "Whatever. At worst, we''ll fight a war," said Zhang Bao''er uncaringly.


    "You''re from the Interstellar League, yet you''re negotiating on behalf of the empire. If war really breaks out, the blame will be put solely on the Interstellar League''s side, claiming that the whole war was orchestrated by them. In that case, who will be able to properly explain the truth to the masses? Even if it is obvious that the emperor was the one itching for war, the truth can be bent in a way that the league was the one to trigger the war," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone blanked out in shock, and I broke out in cold sweat.


    "We did not think that deeply into it," muttered Old Du.


    "Master Crystal, do you have a better idea? Please give us guidance," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. You''ll have to improvise as best as you can. You''ll have to reach Akko before deciding on your next course of action," said Master Crystal.


    "Excuse me, is Lord Zhang Xingxing here?" A loud voice came from outside the courtyard.


    "Hehe, as expected. Help has arrived. You weren''t even given any time to think about your decision," said Master Crystal with a laugh.


    Everyone walked out and saw that a medium-sized shuttle was outside. Five imperial policemen were standing in salute, led by a Liyate. The green-haired Liyate was rather different from the Liyates we had seen in the past. He did not look muscular and instead looked like a gentle scholar.


    "Pleased to meet you, Lord Zhang Xingxing. I am the envoy''s assistant for this mission. My name is Tasse. I''m honored to join you on this mission," said Tasse, stretching out his thin arm.


    Zhang Xingxing shook his hand.


    "The emperor is a genius. Even the assistant is someone from Giorno''s race. That way, if things turn out for the worse, he can completely absolve himself of all blames," whispered Master Crystal.


    "Let''s get ready and set off," said Zhang Xingxing as she turned to board Fearless.


    "Please wait, lord. His Majesty has arranged an even larger battleship to escort you on this mission to Akko," said Tasse.


    "You mean this shitty shuttle?" asked Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at the shuttle.


    "No, no, no. Warrior, this is merely a shuttle to taxi us around. The actual battleship is over there," said Tasse as he pointed at the sky.


    We looked up and saw the vague outline of a massive battleship.


    "Aren''t you afraid that we will be misunderstood if we go in a battleship?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "His Majesty believes that a powerful military is required to protect everyone on this mission," replied Tasse.


    "In that case, let us get ready," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo immediately took out the morph-capable suits that had been fully charged. When we were fully equipped, we stepped into the medium-sized shuttle. When I saw Master Crystal following us silently, gratitude for this chivalrous old man welled in my heart.


    "Lords, please be seated. We will be taking off." With one command from Tasse, the shuttle soared toward the battleship.


    About a dozen minutes later, the shuttle broke through the atmosphere. For the very first time, I was able to lay eyes on an imperial battleship from such a short distance. The battleship was in stealth mode, and it was as large as a small island. The front of the ship was a semicircle filled with weapons while the back of the ship was also a semicircle, but was instead filled with control rooms and storage rooms. At a glance, I could see over ten thousand rail cannons, laser cannons, and other weapons at the front of the ship.


    "This ship''s firepower is too strong," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in stupefaction.


    The shuttle arrived below the battleship. There, we were shocked yet again by what we saw. Hanging below the battleship were countless micro-fighter planes numbering in tens of thousands.


    "This battleship alone is enough to conquer a planet," exclaimed Old Du.


    The sounds of docking came in from outside as our shuttle landed smoothly in the cargo bay.

 CH 105

    The door of the bridge opened, revealing a high-level military official standing there waiting for us.


    "Greetings, lord envoys. I am the commanding officer of Starpath, a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship. My name is Wesex. Welcome abroad. I am honored by your presence," said Wesex.


    "Pleased to meet you, Commander Wesex. Should we worry that the presence of such a powerful battleship for a diplomatic mission might be considered a show of force?" asked Zhang Xingxing worriedly.


    "Please be at ease, lord envoys. According to our intelligence, this battleship is necessary for the mission. At the same time, we can showcase the might of the empire and awe our enemies," said Wesex.


    Seeing how confident Wesex was, we stopped arguing.


    "Everyone, please come in and take a rest. I''ll be waiting for you at the command room after lunch," said Wesex.


    And thus, a mid-rank military official led us all into our rooms. I took the chance to observe the powerful battleship. Every single crew of the ship seemed to be Eternals. Not a single one of them was of a different race. From what I saw, I estimated that the ship was crewed by over 10,000 people.


    "Canyue, the combat personnel here seem lower in number than the hanging fighters we saw below?" Zhang Bao''er whispered, having discovered the same issue I noticed.


    "Yeah. I suspect some of the fighters are actually automated fighters," I said.


    "The crew members are all Eternals, making supervision and control rather easy as well. The Divine Empire has maintained a purity of bloodline when it comes to their super battleships, it seems," said Old Du.


    We had entered the semicircle portion of the ship, and each section within the semicircle had a height of roughly five meters. From the layout of the sections, the semicircle was probably separated into different levels according to function. We followed the middle-rank official as he led us to the topmost level.


    Numerous imperial soldiers could be seen walking all around us, but not one of them paid us any attention. All of them were fully focused on their tasks. The strict discipline hinted at their prowess. I couldn''t help but raise my evaluation of the strength of the imperial army.


    We eventually reached the rest rooms at the top level. The rest area was located to the right of the flight command room, and the place looked much more luxurious compared to Fearless. Zhang Bao''er and I were led to the same room. Shortly after, a military aide brought us food and drinks.


    "Canyue, the treatment we get on this ship sure is high class. We weren''t even treated like this on the Saturn ship," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Saturn is only a Poseidon-class battleship. If you can get on one of the league''s Zeus-class battleships, it will probably be as luxurious as this ship," I said.


    "With our ability, it would be nearly impossible to get on a Zeus-class battleship," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, Bao''er. I believe that with your strength, a day will come when you get to command a ship comparable to a Zeus-class battleship," I said with a smile.


    "Hahaha, you are truly great when it comes to daydreaming!" said Zhang Bao''er with a laugh.


    While joking around, we finished the food and drinks. Soon, the aide returned and notified us to visit the command room. We followed the aide to the flight command room. Zhang Xingxing and the others were already there.


    "Lord envoys, Captain Wesex will set the trajectory to Planet Akko of Canis Major soon," announced Tasse.


    "Canis Major. Sirius is also in the vicinity. Blueflash and the others won''t be that far away from there," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Akko is a planet orbiting Epsilon Canis Majoris in Canis Major. It is quite close to Sirius at about 400 light-years away from it," said Dodo.


    "What? It''s that far? Sirius is like 8.6 light-years away from Blue!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "About 47 million years ago, Epsilon Canis Majoris, the binary star system, was only 34 light-years away from Blue. At that time, it was still the brightest object in the night sky. However, the primary star moved in a massive parabolic trajectory, bringing the entire system far away from us," added Dodo.


    "This system moves too fast. How can the system be stable?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Epsilon Canis Majoris''s primary star is very weird. It is a massive bluish-white star, and it is the brightest star with extreme ultraviolet rays and super powerful gravity known to the league. It can both move quickly and maintain control over all celestial objects in its system at the same time," said Dodo.


    "Extreme ultraviolet. No wonder Prince Toruse has blue eyes and deep blue hair. He must have bathed in ultraviolet rays too much," remarked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The most important thing we must do when heading to Akko is prepare our ultraviolet defense. Otherwise, the extreme ultraviolet will cause your skin to fester immediately," said Tasse.


    "Do we need to be clad in spacesuits at all times?" I asked Tasse.


    "No, you only need to smear a special Akko cream and swallow a resistance pill. The empire has prepared everything," said Tasse as he took out the pills and creams.


    I looked at Master Crystal, and he nodded at me.


    "I''ll go first," I said as I stepped forth and swallowed the pill. Then, I smeared the cream over my exposed skin.


    The rest followed suit and prepared themselves for the extreme ultraviolet rays.


    "Please get ready, lord envoys. Starpath will set off shortly," said Wesex.


    The spaceship suddenly stopped. From the window, we could see a transparent ball of light appear around the battleship. Inside the ball, transparent ripples moved repeatedly, and they gradually faded with the ball after several minutes.


    "Welcome to Canis Major, lord envoys," said Wesex.


    "My lord. We arrived just like that?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    Not only Zhang Bao''er, but all of us were shocked by the empire''s travel technology. We did not feel anything and were directly transported through space. It was a completely different experience from the traditional wormhole travel we were used to.


    "Looks like the Eternals have truly reached an astonishing level of technology," muttered Old Du beside me.


    In the distance, a massive bluish-white star could be seen. The peculiar star, which was 3,600 times brighter than the sun, was right before our eyes. Epsilon Canis Majoris was a binary star system, but due to the brightness of the primary star., the secondary star was not visible.


    "Everyone, we have arrived at Epsilon Canis Majoris. Planet Akko is located 15 billion kilometers away from the primary star. According to reliable sources, the Interstellar League''s fleet was gathered around the planet. Thus, the Starpath intends to approach through stealth mode," said Wesex.


    Following Captain Wesex''s command, the ship entered stealth and approached Akko at sublight speed. About an hour later, the ship arrived near Akko. A slowly rotating ash-gray planet entered our vision.


    Although this planet was 15 billion kilometers away from the primary star, 100 times farther than the distance between Blue and the sun, the powerful energy of the star still constantly filled Akko with heat. Due to the powerful ultraviolet radiation, the planet''s flora was all blackish-gray.


    A type of yellowish liquid could be seen on the surface of the planet. That was the water source of the planet, and the yellowish liquid mainly came together to form lakes. In fact, no large-scale oceans could be seen on the planet at one glance. Under the cover of stealth mode, Starpath slowly approached the planet. Suddenly, alarm sounds blazed within the ship.


    "Captain, the Interstellar League''s fleet was discovered in front of us to the right," reported an intelligence officer.


    Everyone looked in the indicated direction through the window and saw a satellite of white rocks. The ship continued forward and took a detour around the satellite before a massive fleet appeared before our eyes.


    "My god. So many Zeus-class battleships," exclaimed Zhang Xingxing in astonishment.


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    A spectacular scene was visible before our eyes. Nearly a hundred Zeus-class battleships were hovering outside Planet Akko. The massive battleships were akin to numerous floating aircraft carriers. With their powerful laser towers, cannons, tracking bullets, and morph-capable system, this was a fleet capable of defeating all foes the universe had to offer.


    Around the Zeus-class battleships were at least 300 other battleships of different classes, including space carriers specializing in transporting fighters. Each space carrier was capable of carrying tens of thousands of fighters at once.


    "At least one-third of the league''s military power is gathered here. Looks like the league really intends to fight the empire," said Old Du in a worried manner.


    "Captain, there is also a fleet to our left. The two fleets form a perfect blockade. We won''t be able to pass through," reported a different intelligence officer.


    We looked out the left window and saw over a hundred battleships of different sizes. This fleet was far smaller than the Interstellar League''s fleet, and the difference in ship design could be clearly seen.


    These battleships were shaped like birds, and all their weapons were attached to their backs with cockpits in the heads. Surrounding the bigger battleships were thousands of small manned fighters.


    "Clearly, this is Akko''s army," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "They are still using manned fighters. In both quantity and quality, they are far inferior to the fighter drones used by the empire and the league," said Old Du.


    "Sigh, if the prince really gets himself dragged into the war, Akko will be reduced to cannon fodder between these two juggernauts," I sighed.


    "Therefore, we''re here to help the prince and restore peace," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Lord envoys, we can no longer proceed in stealth. We intend to exit stealth and inform them of our purpose with light signals," said Wesex.


    "Alright. We better maintain some distance from them. The aggressive appearance of Starpath can easily create misunderstandings," reminded Zhang Xingxing.


    Wesex nodded and issued his command to the command desk, "Exit stealth. Activate the empire''s internal light transmission system to make our purpose and identity clear."


    Starpath slowly exited stealth, starting from its two wings. The moment the ship appeared, the hundreds of lights in front of the ship lit up following a certain tempo. The ship was communicating our purpose for being here by signaling with its lights.


    "This code is rather different than the one we use," remarked Dodo.


    "Yes, it is different from both our signal language and Morse code. This is probably something developed internally in the empire," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "In that case, only the Akkos will understand us, not the league," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Immediately, we saw a Zeus-class battleship, three Poseidon-class battleships, and hundreds of fighters start to fly toward us. Following behind them was a space carrier filled to the brim with fighters.


    "Not good. The Akkos are not responding while the Interstellar League does not understand our signal. They won''t assume that we''re here to attack, right?" said Zhang Bao''er, turning nervous.


    He had barely finished his words when a powerful laser beam shot toward us from the Zeus-class battleship.

 CH 106

    "Careful, captain!" Zhang Xingxing yelled.


    Starpath abruptly descended, barely avoiding the incoming laser beam.


    "Immediately activate the defensive shield," commanded the captain.


    "Reporting to captain, shield deployment successful," replied the pilot official.


    Three additional massive green beams came after the first attack. The beams struck the shield, but the powerful shield was able to absorb all the attacks. The beams rippled out into light waves that gradually faded away.


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    "Captain, do we counterattack?" asked an official.


    "Dodo, can we contact the Blue ships with our communication channel?" I asked.


    "No. All our frequencies have been blacklisted. I tried earlier. No connection is available," said Dodo.


    "Do not open fire rashly. That is a fleet from the Interstellar League. Can you let me try to send a light signal to them?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    Wesex gave Zhang Xingxing a glance and said, "Request an immediate ceasefire, or we will start hitting back."


    Zhang Xingxing rapidly entered the codes into the system before requesting that the intelligence officer transmit it using light signals.


    "What is that?" asked Domo.


    "Idiot. That''s Morse code. Any Blueling should understand it," sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Do you understand?" asked Domo.


    "The team leader probably requested a ceasefire and informed them that we''re envoys of the empire," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The Morse code soon displayed its result; the league battleships had stopped their assault. A Poseidon-class battleship approached us, and its lights lit up to transmit some sort of information to us.


    "What are they saying?" asked Wesex.


    "They are requesting more information pertaining to our identity," said Zhang Xingxing. "Please reply that I am Major Zhang Xingxing of the Interstellar League and am currently representing the Divine Empire in engaging the Interstellar League in peace talks."


    The intelligence official immediately sent the message out. The other party replied promptly, "A shuttle will be deployed to initiate a docking process with the battleship."


    "Deploy the docking process," said Zhang Xingxing.


    A small shuttle separated from the battleship. Soon, it reached us and connected itself with our docking bridge. Three heroic-looking Bluelings walked through the bridge. The one in lead was a young woman. From the stripes on her shoulders, she was also a major like Zhang Xingxing. She stood with her back perfectly straight, her long blonde hair cascading down her back. With excitement on her face, she walked toward Zhang Xingxing.


    "Kelly, I did not expect to see you here!" exclaimed Zhang Xingxing.


    "Xingxing, I''m glad to see you safe. I immediately requested to be the one to come when I saw your message," said Kelly joyfully.


    The two women held hands and exchanged greetings.


    "Alright, alright, we''re not here for personal talks. Who is this?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is the daughter of General Edward. She was probably Zhang Xingxing''s classmate in university," said Old Du.


    ''Yet another noble,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Why are you here?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "I should be the one asking you that question. I came on a mission with my father," said Kelly.


    "It''s a long story. I''ll tell you later. Your father, General Edward, is here as well? Is he here for war?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''m not sure. Father is only carrying out the league''s orders. I''m not privy to a lot of information. I am now the vice-captain of a Poseidon-class battleship, so my presence is required for the mission," said Kelly.


    "Wow. A vice-captain of a Poseidon-class battleship at such a young age? Comparing myself with her will make me feel inferior," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why don''t you look at her temperament? There''s a big gap between you and her," said Domo.


    "Congratulations! You have improved greatly!" said Zhang Xingxing enviously.


    "Sigh, if it wasn''t for the incident you were in, you would probably be a captain already with your qualifications," said Kelly.


    "Lord envoy, let''s focus on our business here," Tasse reminded.


    "Oh, yes. Kelly, we''re here as envoys of the Divine Empire. We hope to engage the Interstellar League in peace negotiations," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Understood. Prior to coming, I had asked the grand commander of the Divine Sword Operation for advice. Due to your unique identities, we will temporarily stop enforcing your wanted status," said Kelly.


    "Divine Sword Operation?" Zhang Xingxing asked doubtfully.


    "Yes. That is the name for this operation," said Kelly.


    "Divine Sword Operation. Sounds like a military operation," I said.


    "Looks like the league is determined," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Who is the grand commander?" Old Du suddenly asked.


    "Duke Yidon of Planet Gliese," said Kelly.


    "Good lord, even Duke Yidon is here?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Who''s that? Why the reaction?" asked Domo.


    "Duke Yidon is a Gliesen general who has never lost a battle. He has participated in over a hundred campaigns in his life and has never suffered defeat. He must have an important mission if the league is sending him here," said Old Du.


    "Then take us to meet Duke Yidon," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Alright," Kelly replied. She then sent a message back to the Zeus-class battleship, and we immediately received a reply.


    "Your battleship can''t continue onward. All envoys will be escorted to Akko by a shuttle provided by us. Fighters will be deployed by the league to protect the envoys," said Kelly.


    Zhang Xingxing looked at Tasse and Wesex. The two gave it some thought before agreeing.


    "Captain Wesex, please remain on Starpath. I''ll go with the envoys," said Tasse.


    With Kelly leading the way, we boarded the shuttle. Under the escort of four unmanned fighters, the shuttle headed toward Akko. As we approached, I was able to observe the planet better. I could see that just outside the atmosphere, some sort of odd flying animals were actually flying around.


    "This life form can actually fly in outer space? Amazing," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is an interstellar beast, a life form unique to Canis Major. Due to the amount of carbon dioxide in Akko''s atmosphere, the planet has a high temperature. This life form can freely fly through the atmosphere to reduce its body heat," introduced Master Crystal.


    "Flying out of the atmosphere just to reduce heat? The power of evolution is incredible," remarked Dodo.


    The shuttle moved quickly and did not take long to enter Akko''s atmosphere. The friction created large sparks all around the shuttle.


    "So you''re Li Canyue," Kelly, who was seated opposite me, suddenly said.


    "Yes. How may I help you, madam?" I replied respectfully.


    "So you''re the one our Zhang Xingxing had decided to follow into the life of a fugitive. You must be quite a charming one," said Kelly.


    "Hey, hey, hey! Watch what you say! Canyue was the one who had contributed the most all this time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Soldier, please keep our ranks in mind before you speak," said Kelly.


    Zhang Bao''er was at a loss for words. Although we were officially no longer part of the league''s military, the habits instilled in him to obey superiors caused him to shut his mouth.


    "Kelly, I was the one who caused the team to become fugitives. Don''t blame them. They are true warriors," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This little girl is quite an unfriendly one. She started blaming us without even bothering to find out the truth," Zhang Bao''er whispered to me.


    "Rank is everything. Let her be. The truth will always be in our hearts," I said.


    As the atmosphere turned uncomfortable, the shuttle suddenly slowed down. A palace appeared in our vision.


    "We have arrived," Kelly said.


    Everyone looked out and saw a beautiful palace. The palace was actually painted in multiple colors. The palace complex was slightly circular in design with square roofs, looking like something out of a fairy tale.


    "Wow, what a beautiful palace," praised Zhang Xingxing.


    "The palace here can''t compare with the imperial palace, but it is still unique in style," said Old Du.


    The shuttle slowly landed on an ash-gray grassland. When the door opened, we saw Prince Toruse waiting for us outside.


    "Haha, prince, how are you?" greeted Zhang Bao''er cheerfully.


    "I heard you were coming. I''ve been waiting here for quite a while," replied the prince cheerfully.


    Everyone stepped forth and gave the prince a hug while laughing heartily.


    "I did not expect the emperor to send you as envoys. What a surprise," said the prince.


    "We had no choice. Prince, why did I hear that you intend to start a war with the empire? What''s going on?" I asked, becoming somewhat impatient.


    The prince blanked out slightly before answering, "It''s a long story. Let''s enter the palace first. King Xido is waiting inside."


    Everyone followed the prince into the palace. The palace was beautiful with many small animals, making the surrounding environment comfortable. One could hardly relate this scene to the fact that a war was imminent. The palace wasn''t too large, so we soon reached the audience hall.


    "The hall is filled with high-ranking officials. Canyue, are you ready to face them?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We had fought together for so long, and we had not committed any wrongdoings. If we don''t even fear the emperor, what''s there to fear from these people?" I said firmly.


    Zhang Xingxing nodded at us before we walked into the hall with our heads held high.

 CH 107

    The audience hall was over 10 meters tall and gave off a solemn atmosphere when one stepped inside. An old man with a crown on his head was sitting upright on a throne. His deep blue hair and eyes emanated the solemn dignity of a monarch. Without a doubt, this individual was King Xido.


    Prince Toruse stepped forth and stood beside the king. To the left of the hall was a row of the kingdom''s advisors while to the right were the Interstellar League''s representatives. Seated at the head position among the league representatives was a tall Gliesen. He was most certainly Duke Yidon, the leader of the operation. In the row of league officials, I also saw Captain Angela. She was glaring at us furiously.


    "Welcome, envoys, especially the warriors who had once helped Prince Toruse," said the king.


    "Most Respected Majesty, hello. We come bearing Emperor Fille''s aspiration for peace," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Fille''s words can''t be trusted. He is extremely ambitious and never keeps his word," an Eternal from the left row suddenly stood up and exclaimed in agitation.


    "Principal Sosse, please calm down. Allow the envoy to finish talking," said the king.


    "Emperor Fille has but a simple request. The Interstellar League''s action of stationing a fleet at the empire''s border can be easily construed as a provocation for war. If the league is willing to retreat from Akko, the empire is willing to come to an agreement with the league to preserve peace," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Who are you to tell the league what to do? You''re a traitor. I propose that we arrest them immediately," shouted Captain Angela as she stood up as well.


    "Brigadier General Angela, please watch your attitude and be mindful of your identity," berated an old man with a genial expression. From his stripes, he was a lieutenant general in the army.


    "Yes, General. My apologies," said Angela. She still appeared unhappy, but there was nothing she could do but sit down since someone ranked higher than her had berated her.


    "Thank you, Uncle Edward," said Zhang Xingxing.


    ''So that''s General Edward? He looks much more reasonable than his daughter,'' I thought.


    "Children, I understand your circumstances and mission. It is still up to discussion whether what the league did to you was reasonable. Even now, you''re doing all this in hopes of earning enough merit to return to the league. I am aware of all you have done," said Duke Yidon.


    "Thank you, Duke Yidon. We''re here for peace. Compared to peace, our personal affairs are nothing," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Good. You are a responsible young woman just like your father. Although I have only met him once, his strong sense of responsibility has given me a deep impression," said Duke Yidon.


    "Thank you. However, my father is still missing to this day. He certainly isn''t going to play any role in this peace we seek," said Zhang Xingxing. She seemed somewhat resentful toward her father as well.


    "You can''t say that. I understand your father. He has a reason for anything he does," said the duke.


    "Let''s stop talking about him. Emperor Fille has given us only seven days for this mission. We need to make haste and hammer out a peace deal. Otherwise, war might really break out," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Xingxing, you don''t understand. It''s not that we''re unwilling to withdraw, but the Divine Empire is the side that has broken peace, aiming to conquer the Milky Way Galaxy," said Prince Toruse.


    "The entire Milky Way Galaxy? Presently, most of the empire''s territory remains within the Orion Constellation. Why do you make up such an atrocious lie?" retorted Tasse.


    "Youngsters, let me tell you the truth," said Principal Sosse as he stood up.


    "I''m listening," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "After Emperor Fille IV inherited the throne, the empire has grown three times larger. A total of 78 nations have been annexed and 13 races have been eliminated. That is not all," said Principal Sosse.


    "Eliminating 13 races? Just conquer them. Why eliminate them?" Zhang Bao''er muttered.


    Everyone focused as the principal continued speaking.


    "On the night of the New Age Festival, the emperor showed me an ambitious plan. He had decided to unify the entire Milky Way Galaxy within 10 years. His first target is the Interstellar League," said Principal Sosse.


    "Conquering the entire Milky Way within 10 years? Is his army even strong enough to do that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yeah. That''s a one-sided story from you. Do you have any proof? What if you''re making things up?" asked Tasse.


    "Excluding the Divine Empire''s hidden military force, just what they have on paper is powerful enough. The emperor has 3,000 Milky Way¨Cclass battleships under his command, three times what the Interstellar League has," said Principal Sosse.


    "Three thousand battleships? Good heavens. That is too scary. I didn''t expect the emperor to have such a powerful military," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er, who was standing behind me.


    "You''re an Eternal. Why did you betray your nation?" Old Du suddenly asked.


    "Emperor Fille''s clan had used unscrupulous methods to snatch power among Eternals. Not satisfied with that, he even intended to launch such a massive war. How many lives will be lost? I couldn''t accept it. For life and for peace, I could only flee. This is not a betrayal. This is justice," said the principal.


    ''That fellow fills his mouth with so many facts, but we can''t know if he''s speaking the truth,'' I thought. After my previous interaction with the emperor, I found myself increasingly skeptical of these politicians.


    "Fools, let me show you something," said Captain Angela as she placed a projector on the ground.


    A hologram appeared above the device: "88th order of the Divine Empire, deploy the army to Akko immediately. Annihilate all intruders from the Interstellar League, as decreed by His Majesty."


    "What is the meaning of this? The league was the one to first intrude upon the empire''s territory," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We had merely sent a small fleet of scouts led by Captain Jingan to follow the monster that Jupiter II had turned into," said Angela.


    "An intrusion is an intrusion, yet you''re still shamelessly lying about it? One could only imagine how shameless the Interstellar League is," said Tasse.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "What do you mean by intrusion? Akko was originally a free nation. Are you pretending that your emperor didn''t conquer the planet with his military years ago?" countered Angela.


    "Hehe, you? Talking about freedom? It''s merely the empire''s internal affair. If we follow your argument, don''t forget that Blue was also conquered by Gliesens through force. In that case, you should be pointing your gun at that so-called duke, not His Majesty," sneered Tasse.


    Angela found herself speechless, unable to muster up a retort. For some reason, I greatly approved of Tasse''s words.


    "Dear envoys, Angela is speaking the truth. Back then, my order was to wipe out the Interstellar League''s fleet, which would only result in war. I was greatly troubled when I received the order," said King Xido.


    "I also learned of the order at that time. If it is implemented, carnage will ensue. I could no longer watch on and decided to flee from the Imperial College. Instead of carrying out the order, I came here to advise the king," said Principal Sosse.


    "Ridiculous. Respected King Xido, even if I don''t question you about the authenticity of the so-called order, if you disagreed with it, why didn''t you talk to the emperor about it? Why had you opted to outright betray the empire instead? That doesn''t make sense," retorted Tasse.


    ''What a surprise. This fellow is quite an eloquent one,'' I thought in admiration.


    "Team Leader Xingxing, when I returned, I told my royal father to expel the Interstellar League for peace. But Royal Father said that according to the empire''s laws, any act of betrayal will result in the termination of the royal dynasty. That leaves us with no choice but to take the extreme option," added Prince Toruse.


    "You had indeed performed traitorous acts, but if you are willing to change your ways, I am willing to plead for leniency from His Majesty. We will write off your crimes with your contribution toward peace," said Tasse.


    "Hmph. And how can you guarantee you''re telling the truth? I reckon you will start your slaughter the moment we leave. King Xido is only doing this for peace and justice. There is no betrayal!" said Angela.


    "Hehe. Miss, your double standards are quite strong. What King Xido did is not betrayal since he did it for justice. Our envoy, Lord Zhang Xingxing, also did what she did to save lives. Why does the Interstellar League consider her a traitor? Don''t forget, the fugitive order was signed by none other than you," said Tasse.


    ''Oh my god. This fellow''s eloquence is reaching the level of perfection. How can anyone argue against that?'' I praised inwardly.


    I could see that Zhang Xingxing and Zhang Bao''er were similarly pleased to see Angela humiliating herself.


    "Seven days. You said the emperor gave you seven days?" asked General Edward.


    "Yes, Uncle Edward. The emperor himself promised us that before we came," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Duke, can this be their ruse to confuse us?" Edward asked Duke Yidon.


    "General, your suspicion is reasonable. We need to muster the army and be ready for battle," said the duke.


    "Why are you making things so complicated? If you insist on thinking like this, there won''t be any hope for peace," said Old Du.


    "Dudal Homlu, both you and your father are loyal supporters of the league. I can immediately remove your wanted order. You may return and serve the fleet immediately," offered Duke Yidon.


    ''Here we go again. The wanted order for a Gliesen can be canceled so easily. What about us Bluelings?'' I cursed inwardly.


    "Thank you for the kind offer, Duke, but our team is a single entity. We will advance and retreat together. If you want to withdraw the wanted order for any of us, you will need to do it for all of us. Regardless, we are here today for a mission," said Old Du.


    We all looked at Old Du in admiration. This was truly a unique Gliesen. Abruptly, a loud explosion sounded from the sky.

 CH 108

    The unending sounds of explosions grew louder and louder.


    "Kelly, check what''s happening," commanded General Edward.


    Kelly rushed out of the palace and returned shortly after.


    "This is bad! The Divine Empire launched a sudden offensive! An intense battle has started outside the planet!" she reported anxiously.


    "See? The sly Fille has clearly made use of these foolish kids," said Principal Sosse.


    Everyone was at a loss for words. The change had come so suddenly, and this wasn''t a twist inexperienced youngsters like us could easily wrap our heads around.


    "Everyone, return to your positions. Prince Toruse, you''ll be in charge of protecting the king, the duke, and the other officials. As for these envoys, place them under temporary arrest," commanded Edward.


    Kelly shot Zhang Xingxing a sullen glance before rushing off. Edward and Angela left next.


    "Team Leader, Canyue, come to my palace. I''ll have to inconvenience you guys for a bit," said Toruse apologetically.


    "I understand. This change is too sudden. We also need some time to think," said Zhang Xingxing.


    About twenty soldiers stepped forth to escort us. Toruse would lead us all to his palace. Before leaving, Zhang Xingxing and Old Du gave King Yido and Duke Yidon a bow to show their respects. Everyone followed Prince Toruse to his personal palace.


    "Canyue, I''ll look for a chance to release all of you. I won''t hand you guys to the Interstellar League no matter what," whispered the prince to me.


    "Thanks, brother. I''m not worried about that at all. I am, however, disgusted and sick of these politicians and their schemes," I said gloomily.


    "You need to get used to it. These people have way too complicated thoughts. I am also having a hard time adapting to them. But for the kingdom, I can only force myself to learn," said the prince.


    Soon, we arrived at the prince''s palace. The palace was actually located beside the audience hall.


    "Canyue, Team Leader, I''ll have to trouble you to stay here for a bit. I need to head to the command and learn more about what''s happening," said the prince, clearly in a hurry.


    "Go. We''ll be fine," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The prince then rushed off.


    "Canyue, I checked. There are only six guards outside. We are still fully armed. He is obviously creating an opportunity for us to run," said Zhang Bao''er the moment the prince left.


    "How should we escape? Which side are we on after escaping? We don''t even know the status of the battle," said Old Du.


    I walked to the window and looked out at the sky. Vague silhouettes of massive battleships could be seen moving around while the bright explosions outside the planet were visible all the way to the surface of the planet.


    "The battle is probably very intense," said Master Crystal, standing beside me.


    "Without a ship, we can''t do anything," said Dodo.


    "If possible, I would rather join the league and fight the Eternals with them," said Titan.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "It''s not like those from the league are good guys. All of them are unscrupulous people who only care for benefits," said Domo.


    "We can''t lump everyone together. General Edward and Kelly are both good people," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Tasse, what exactly is the emperor planning? He tricked us to set off as envoys while planning an assault at the same time. Is he trying to get us killed?" demanded Zhang Bao''er as he grabbed Tasse''s collars.


    "I don''t know, but I believe there is something we don''t know at work here," said Tasse.


    "Bao''er, don''t trouble him. I feel like he is also clueless," I said.


    "Canyue, what should we do now? The battle out there is becoming very intense, yet they have warriors like us locked here? What is the meaning of this?" Zhang Bao''er was becoming agitated again.


    "Team Leader, based on our current circumstances, I propose that we think of a way to escape before thinking of what to do next," said Old Du.


    "How do we escape? We don''t even have a ship," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I don''t believe a big kingdom like this won''t have a single battleship. Just knock one of the guards out and question him," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, that isn''t proper. There is no need to create needless conflict. I have an idea," I said.


    "What do you have in mind? Out with it already!" said Zhang Bao''er, growing visibly excited.


    "Domo, I need to borrow your cloak of invisibility yet again. I''ll use my thrusters and your cloak to leave with you and Dondon and scout around. Everyone else, wait for me here," I said.


    "No! I want to go too! Why are you always the one getting to play hero? I''ll report you if you don''t take me as well!" Zhang Bao''er threw a tantrum.


    Everyone did not know whether to laugh or cry. He was actually throwing a tantrum like a child during a moment like this.


    "Alright. Canyue, take him with you. You can look out for each other. We''ll cover your departure here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger," I answered.


    The four of us immediately approached the window. Domo took out two cloaks and handed them to me and Bao''er.


    "Go invisible. Prepare to move out," I said after lifting Dondon up.


    "Wait, I''m not working with this fatty. He''s not capable enough to be my partner," protested Domo.


    ''Great. Who can I complain to for having these two on a mission with me?'' I thought to myself.


    Not wanting to keep arguing, I lifted Domo. He draped the cloak over us, and the cloak immediately projected our surroundings to make us invisible. Meanwhile, I slowly dropped to the ground from the window with my thrusters working at minimum capacity.


    "Bao''er, are you here?" I asked through the communicator.


    "I''m on the ground," said Bao''er.


    The battle outside the planet was exceptionally bitter. I could even see the broken piece of a destroyed battleship entering the atmosphere before burning brightly.


    "There seems to be an exit at the wall ahead. Let''s take a look," I said.


    We ran toward the exit. While running, I noticed something odd. Despite the intense battle, it was extremely calm and quiet in the palace. In fact, not a single person was spotted around us.


    "Canyue, why is this palace so empty? I can''t see anyone," asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m wondering the same, but ignore that for now. Focus on looking for a flying vehicle," I said.


    Before long, we reached the exit. Since no guards were in sight, we took off our cloaks. Surprisingly, we found that the exit was locked by a dual-layered electromagnetic system upon approaching it.


    When we looked up, we saw countless electromagnetic muzzles at the upper section of the wall. These muzzles were constantly releasing invisible electromagnetic waves, forming a powerful defensive system that served to prevent any intrusions.


    "My god, this is a top-tier defensive system. It feels almost as good as what the imperial palace has," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "No wonder they don''t need guards here," I said.


    "That''s no trouble at all. Don''t you have your morph-capable shields? Just walk through it," said Domo.


    "Stupid dwarf. Our shields are morph-capable, but look at the electromagnetic waves. They cover every single angle and leave no openings. How are we supposed to morph through something like that? Why don''t you volunteer to walk through?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Domo, who didn''t understand how our morph-capable shields worked, had practically opened himself up for this abuse. He decided to shut his mouth in fury.


    "Domo, I remember you said that your time door relies on the electromagnetic system of Planet Lidu. Can you make use of the system here? It''s so powerful, after all," I asked.


    "What bullshit electromagnetic waves are these? My transportation system is very energy intensive. The energy here will be far from enough. Unless..." Domo trailed off.


    During that pause, an even louder explosion came from the sky. The constant explosions were causing all of us to slowly turn impatient.


    "Unless what?" I asked with impatience.


    "Um, for this, well, 10 gold coins," Domo slowly said.


    A loud "bang" rang out, startling Dondon, who was sneakily snacking on some crackers, and causing him to drop the pack of crackers.


    "You damn dwarf! Gold coins are completely unrelated to energy! Why are you thinking about money all the time?" Zhang Bao''er raged.


    "Gold coins are greatly related to motivation. Motivation is a type of power as well," argued Domo.


    "Deal. I''ll pay you 10 gold coins," I replied.


    "Excellent! I''ll get to it immediately," replied Domo in excitement.


    "You''re letting him scam you all the time. From now on, I''ll start charging for work as well," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    Because the explosions in the sky were intensifying, I wasn''t in the mood to be bothered with Zhang Bao''er¡¯s antics. With his device, Domo attempted to produce a time door. He did not lie. Unlike Lidu, this planet was not fully covered by an electromagnetic system. Just the little bit of electromagnetic energy on the wall was rather insufficient to create a time door. However, Domo was still rather capable despite how greedy he was. It did not take him long to activate his device. A time door appeared before us.


    "Go through quickly! My energy won''t last long!" said Domo.


    I was the first to rush through. The rest followed behind me. After leaving the palace, we were faced with an expansive grassland of ash-gray grasses. At the end of the grassland, I could actually see an airport housing all the fighter crafts. There, the Akko army''s bird-shaped fighters could be seen taking off and landing continuously.


    "Good thing we managed to get out! There really is an airport nearby!" said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "We have limited time. Move immediately. Our goal is to snatch two fighters from the airport." I added, "Dondon, send the coordinates of the airport to Team Leader Zhang Xingxing immediately."


    "Roger," Dondon answered before contacting Zhang Xingxing with the communicator.


    We prepared for the operation. After donning the cloaks of invisibility, we rushed toward the airport.


    "Canyue, I can''t contact the team leader and the others. Only static sound is coming from the communicator," said Dondon.


    "What''s going on? We''re not even 100 meters away from them. Why is the communicator not working?" I asked doubtfully.


    "It must be the electromagnetic system around the wall. It is stopping signal transmissions," said Domo.


    "That''s likely. We can''t do anything for now. Get moving. We''ll get the fighters before coming back for them," I decided.


    And thus, the mission began. The airport was roughly three kilometers away. With the help of our thrusters, we were able to move rapidly. Right as we were about to reach the airport, a massive sound came from the sky. We raised our heads and saw countless Milky Way¨Cclass battleships from the Divine Empire entering the atmosphere.


    "This is bad. The league has been defeated. The imperial fleet has probably broken through their defensive line," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed with worry.


    "There will probably be a chaotic battle once they reach the surface. We need to get the fighters promptly and ensure the team is safe," I said.


    The four of us started making a plan to snatch the fighters we needed.

 CH 109

    Because the imperial fleet had broken through Akko''s outer defenses, the fighters at the airport were frantically taking off to meet the invaders.


    "Canyue, look," shouted Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at the corner of the airport.


    I looked over and saw that near the foot of a mountain, brand-new bird-shaped fighters were parked in a row.


    "Those fighters seem to be backups. Let''s go take two of them for ourselves before going back for Zhang Bao''er and the others," I said to Zhang Bao''er through the communicator.


    "Good idea. In our current situation, it is better to hide in the sky than to take a beating on the ground," said Domo.


    With the cloaks of invisibility, we approached the parked fighters. The entire airport was in chaos, and I had a feeling we wouldn''t be noticed even if we weren''t invisible. Up in the sky, the bird-shaped fighters and the imperial fighter drones were fighting each other intensely. The pilots of the bird-shaped fighters were incredibly skilled at piloting; one imperial fighter after another was struck down.


    However, the sky was still filled with countless imperial fighters. In terms of quantity, they held the absolute upper hand. In fact, the Akko fighters were outnumbered ten to one, and they were practically flooded with enemies. As the two parties battled, we arrived before the row of fighters.


    "Looks like we''re getting lucky. These seem to be all new fighters. Canyue, let''s pick one each," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Can you even fly a plane?" asked Domo.


    "When I was flying around, you were still riding wooden horses," countered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dondon, assist Bao''er as his co-pilot. We''ll take one each. Go," I said.


    I ran toward a bright-colored fighter ahead of me. Suddenly, a row of bright fireballs appeared, and a series of explosions appeared ahead of us. The shockwaves pushed us down and blew our cloaks away. Above us, two fighter drones could be seen flying by. The Akko fighters suffered complete defeat; the imperial fighter drones had taken full control of the sky.


    "Bao''er, are you fine?" I asked Bao''er, who was sprawled on the ground beside me.


    "I''m fine. My back hurts, though. What a pity. We were so close to success," sighed Zhang Bao''er.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Domo had fallen with his face to the ground. He slowly got back on his feet and complained, "You''re moving like a snail. Because of you, I broke my nose."


    Our plan to steal two of the bird-shaped fighters had failed spectacularly. The sky was filled with imperial fighter drones. The combined army of Akko and the Interstellar League had been defeated. I could see that some of the fighter drones were already attacking the surface of the planet. Explosions were erupting everywhere, and the sky was filled with thick smoke.


    "I did not expect the Interstellar League''s fleet to be so weak. They were defeated so quickly," said Zhang Bao''er with a sigh.


    "We must think of something. Otherwise, everyone will be in danger," I said anxiously.


    "Canyue, look. I think there''s a warehouse there. Why don''t we hide there for a bit?" suggested Dondon as he pointed at a building with a flat roof.


    The building was covered with ash-gray camouflage, giving it a nice concealment from the sky.


    "It seems to be an abandoned hangar. Let''s go," I said.


    "Pick up the cloaks. We need to return to being invisible if we don''t want to be attacked," said Domo.


    Under the cover of our cloaks of invisibility, we stealthily approached the ash-gray building. The building looked like an abandoned warehouse. When we reached it, we saw that the door seemed to be locked by some electronic code system.


    "How do we open this without the password?" asked Domo.


    Bang! Zhang Bao''er''s punched the electronic lock. Some electrical currents sparked out of the lock before it shut off with a hum. The door then opened by itself.


    "Nice, Bao''er. Looks like your brute strength can even bring about a miracle," I praised.


    We entered the warehouse and found with surprise that there were two bird-shaped fighters parked inside. This was our first time observing these fighters from such a close distance. At the front of one of them, the motif of a blue cloud could be seen. Under the cloud was a delicate painting of over a dozen blue raindrops.


    ''These raindrops are probably the count of the enemies this plane had shot down in the past,'' I thought.


    "Canyue, from the arrangements here, these two units seem more like display units," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We''ll take these two planes and pick up Zhang Xingxing and the rest before heading over to help King Xido and Duke Yidon. Perhaps we can earn some merit that way," I said.


    "This is too exciting. I can''t hold myself back anymore. Let''s name this operation!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I looked at the blue clouds on the fighters and said, "Operation Blue Storm."


    "Blue Storm? Not bad at all. Let''s get to it!" said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Canyue, we have never flown these planes before. Are you confident you can fly them?" asked Dondon.


    "We can''t afford to think too much. Try starting them first. Go," I said.


    The cockpit door wasn''t shut, so Zhang Bao''er and I climbed into our respective fighters. I was faced directly with a complicated dashboard resembling what one could find in Blue''s early fighter models.


    "Brother, do you know how to fly?" asked Domo, sitting behind me.


    "Not really. This is my first time trying to fly a plane like this," I replied.


    At this time, explosions sounded from around the warehouse. The imperial fighter drones were starting to bombard the airport.


    "Find the power switch immediately and take off. We''re basically practice targets parked here," I shouted at Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dondon is already studying the plane. This plane might be an antique and something you normally find in museums," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I finally noticed that there seemed to be a switch below the dashboard, but there were actually two buttons to it. One was blue, and one was red.


    "Blue or red to start the plane?" I asked Dondon.


    "I''m trying to figure this out as well. I checked the corresponding circuit. According to my analysis, both buttons need to be pressed. One will start the engine while the other will start the communication system," said Dondon.


    Suddenly, a bomb blasted through the warehouse roof, collapsing a corner of the building. Things were getting urgent, so we did not have time to think. I immediately pressed the two buttons at the same time. The screen on the dashboard lit up as the engine roared alive.


    "Canyue, these planes are maintained very well. The control stick right in front of the dashboard is probably used for controlling vertical movements. I believe the plane can take off without needing to pick up speed," said Dondon.


    The plane''s engine roared as the plane started shaking lightly. As the engine grew louder, the plane started hovering from the ground.


    "Dondon, I''m already hovering. We need to leave immediately. Prepare to rush out," I said.


    "Let''s go," said Dondon.


    With a push of the control stick, the front of the fighter rose up and shot through the ceiling into the sky. Outside, numerous fighter drones were roaming around. When they saw the fighters piloted by me and Dondon, dozens of them immediately flew toward us.


    "Dondon, where''s the shield switch?" I asked through the communicator.


    "I don''t know. I''m still looking," answered Dondon.


    A red beam shot toward me. I reacted instinctively and slanted the fighter to the side, avoiding the attack. Immediately after, three more beams came for me. The angles they came from seemed to leave no opening for us to escape.


    "Careful, Canyue! We''re going to die!" Domo exclaimed in fear.


    In a moment of desperation, I turned off the engine. At that moment, the design of the bird-shaped fighter displayed its superiority. Even with the engine off, the fighter was still gliding smoothly due to the fighter''s streamlined design. Without the engine, the fighter glided toward the ground, moving just enough to avoid all three beams.


    "That was too close. I nearly lost my life there," said Domo as he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, Dondon wasn''t having a good time either. He was frantically evading the numerous attacks.


    "Dondon, have you found the shield system? If this continues, we won''t be able to last long!" I said anxiously.


    "It''s over," Domo exclaimed in despair.


    I looked up and saw dozens of red beams coming from all directions above us. At that moment, we were less than 20 meters above the ground. We could no longer afford to keep dropping. Out of choices, I turned my morph-capable shield to maximum capacity and included the fighter before charging toward the red beams.


    All the beams were diverted by the shield. I saw that my energy supply had dropped by 20 percent from that one collision. Fortunately, my fighter was able to emerge unscratched and escape the encirclement.


    I looked back at Dondon''s fighter and saw that he was being attacked by dozens of fighter drones. The red beams struck his fighter, but they were absorbed by a green shield around the fighter before rippling into nothingness.


    "Dondon, how did you turn on the shield?" I asked.


    "I didn''t find it, but this fighter comes with its own automatic shield. This shield is very strong. It can take on one beam with only one percent of the fighter''s energy," said Dondon.


    Upon hearing Dondon''s words, I immediately turned off my personal shield.


    "Odd. With these shields, why are the other bird-shaped fighters defeated so quickly?" I wondered.


    "I don''t think that the fighters we stole are antiques, with all things considered. Perhaps they are actually new models," said Dondon.


    While we spoke, the fighter drones continued shooting laser beams at us. Our green shields were practically turned red by the intensity of the attacks.


    "Canyue, there is a green button on the back control stick. It''s probably a firing button. We can''t keep defending. Time to counterattack," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I was still hesitating when a guided missile struck my fighter. A blinding red explosion erupted, and five percent of the fighter''s energy was drained from the attack.


    "Dondon, watch out for the guided missiles! They are very powerful! Hit back with all you have!" I roared.


    Our fighters charged forth and unleashed two different attacks. The front of our fighters unleashed green laser beams while the back unleashed a series of yellow tracer projectiles. The attacks impacted the fighter drones ferociously, but shields shimmered into existence to protect them.


    Next, an astonishing scene appeared. As the imperial shield met the green beam, a red opening appeared. The red opening continued to spread and devour the energy shield. Before long, the shield completely collapsed.


    A second attack then arrived and struck down the shieldless fighter drone. At the same time, Zhang Bao''er was also furiously attacking. Before long, over a dozen fighter drones dropped from the sky while billowing with black smoke.


    "Canyue, these fighters are amazing! Let''s beat them back!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    "Don''t get too hot-headed. There are over ten thousand fighter drones here. Fight while retreating to the prince''s palace. We need to help Zhang Xingxing and the others," I said.


    "Roger. Maintaining trajectory to the palace," said Dondon.


    We thus began retreating while occasionally striking back. The imperial fighter drones attacked relentlessly, bombarding our shields with laser beams and guided missiles. In the process, the incredible firepower of our fighters managed to strike down dozens of the imperial fighter drones. The large casualties finally attracted the attention of a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship. It turned around and flew toward us.

 CH 110

    "Canyue, this is bad! The big guy is coming," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "We can''t face it head on. Speed up," I said.


    "There are too many fighter drones in front of us. We won''t be able to charge through. Do we use our nuclear warheads?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Are you crazy? Team Leader and the others are in the palace. The warheads will also kill them," I said.


    We tried our best to break through the encirclement and head to the palace while the Milky Way¨Cclass battleship continued approaching us.


    Suddenly, a massive green beam shot out of the battleship toward us.


    "Canyue, be sure to avoid it. This beam is too strong. We can''t tank it," said Dondon.


    We each moved to a different side and evaded the massive beam. Then, I controlled my fighter to do a 360-degree turn, resulting in the front of my fighter coming face-to-face with the battleship.


    Next, green laser beams and yellow tracer projectiles shot out of my fighter, heading straight for the battleship. A thick green shield blocked all my attacks. Even the powerful red energy was unable to do anything before it was nullified.


    "Shit! Not even that is working," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Over a thousand cannons on the battleship were aimed at the two of us, and an intense barrage was unleashed. I tried to escape from the barrage, but I found that all my paths were blocked by the fighter drones.


    "This is troublesome. The enemies have us surrounded," said Domo.


    "Canyue, what do we do now?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We have no choice. Use our personal shields. Dondon, produce a fission area with your suit. We will force our way through," I said.


    "Alright. Whatever we face, us brothers will fight together until the end!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Just as we were about to mount a desperate attack, an odd scene appeared. The Milky Way¨Cclass battleship suddenly stopped attacking. Instead, it started blinking its lights at us, sending some sort of signal. The rhythm of the signal looked familiar. I felt like I had seen it somewhere before.


    "Morse code! It''s Morse code! It is the same message Zhang Xingxing sent previously!" I realized.


    "Canyue, did you see the Morse code?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Yes. This is Starpath. It''s Captain Wesex," I said.


    "Do we reply with our lights?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I''ll reply. Dondon, try to access their communication network," I said.


    I immediately replied in Morse code with the lights of my fighter, informing Starpath of our identity. Afterward, I saw them stop all their attacks, and soon, Dondon managed to connect to their communication channel.


    "Is this Envoy Canyue? We saw your face through our scans. We nearly harmed you accidentally," said Captain Wesex through the communicator.


    "It''s me. We managed to steal two fighters from the league," I replied.


    "I already included both your fighters into the imperial war system to avoid anyone from damaging you accidentally. Where are the other envoys?" asked Wesex.


    "They''re still in the palace. I''ll go help them. Why did the empire suddenly launch an attack? How is the battle?" I asked.


    "The empire launched an attack? That is a shameless lie. The Interstellar League''s fleet took advantage of your visit to launch a surprise attack on Lidu, triggering a war," said Wesex.


    "What? The league was the one who attacked first?" I was stunned. So who was telling the truth? For new and low-ranked soldiers like us, the situation was too complicated.


    "The league launched an operation they named Operation Hades, aiming to destroy Planet Lidu''s outer defense. His Majesty was furious, and since we were within the league''s defensive line at the time, we were ordered to attack. A part of our main fleet was also deployed immediately to attack the league''s command center," said Wesex.


    "This is not possible. When we arrived, we saw a third of the league''s fleet around Akko. The rest of the fleet should be too occupied with protecting the league''s various territories." Zhang Bao''er asked, "Where would they even find the extra manpower to launch this attack?"


    "A third of the fleet? Lord envoys, you must have gotten your numbers wrong. There are over a thousand battleships involved in the attack on Lidu. At the moment, 1,500 imperial Milky Way¨Cclass battleships are fighting the league outside Lidu. We have also deployed 1,000 Milky Way¨Cclass battleships here," said Wesex.


    "What? The league actually kept such a large force hidden without us being aware of it?" I exclaimed in astonishment.


    "I finally understand why they needed so much iron. Sure, they need iron for energy, but their main goal is to build a secret fleet and increase the league''s military strength," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We don''t have any definite proof yet. Do not come to a conclusion so easily," I cautioned.


    "Sure. It was merely a hypothesis," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Captain, how is the situation on the battlefield here?" I asked Wesex.


    "The imperial fleet has numerical superiority. We were able to easily defeat the Interstellar League''s fleet. About fifty of their battleships were struck down. The rest had fled in disorder. Our main battleships are giving chase. Some had stayed behind to suppress any remaining resistance on the planet," replied Wesex.


    "Captain, I have a request. Please do not slaughter the innocent," I said.


    "Noted, lord envoy. I will handle it appropriately. You may come with us," said Wesex.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "I need to get the others first. I''ll meet up with you again later," I said.


    Immediately, a massive mushroom cloud rose from the horizon. Although it was very far away, we could still see the blinding radiance from the cloud high enough to reach the clouds.


    "Canyue, did you see that? That seems to be..." Zhang Bao''er said.


    "Nuclear attack. The league is actually using nuclear attacks on Akko," I was filled with disbelief.


    "Lord envoy, our suppression army has encountered the league''s nuclear attack. I need to reinforce them. Try to join me as soon as possible after picking up the other envoys," said the captain anxiously.


    "Alright. Go. I''ll try to meet up with you quickly," I agreed.


    Next, Starpath turned around and started heading toward the source of the nuclear explosion. All the fighter drones also followed the battleship. The sky above the site of the explosion was still burning. I could feel how powerful the explosion was, and I could imagine how much of the planet''s surface had been ravaged by the shockwaves of the explosion.


    "Canyue, do you really plan to meet up with them?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Ignore them for now. Get the team leader first," I said.


    We then turned around and headed toward the palace. Before long, we stopped at the wall protected by electromagnetic waves. Surprisingly, the imperial fighters had not destroyed the wall when they were attacking the place.


    "Canyue, the wall is still completely fine," remarked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah. That only means that the imperial army had not attacked the palace. I don''t know why. It is really odd. I thought the league command they wanted to destroy was in there?" I wondered.


    "I suddenly have a thought, but I don''t know if I''m right," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Spit it out!" I urged.


    "Perhaps the empire was afraid that they would accidentally harm their own. That''s why they left the palace alone," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Their own? You mean there are imperial spies inside?" I asked.


    "Truly worthy of being my brother. You got it so quickly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That makes sense. What a surprise, Bao''er. You have improved greatly in terms of logical thinking. Well, let''s ignore all that for now. We need to get through this electromagnetic wall," I said.


    While I was still thinking, Zhang Bao''er suddenly opened fire with his fighter. The green laser beams and the yellow tracer projectiles struck the wall. It did not take long for him to punch a hole through the wall made of steel and some other hard materials.


    Something even more peculiar happened when Zhang Bao''er suddenly opened the door of his fighter. Dondon utilized his air fission technology to fly toward the hole with four high-energy cluster bombs. After installing the bombs, he hurriedly retreated.


    "Canyue, let''s pull back a bit," said Zhang Bao''er after all that was done.


    Even an idiot would understand what Zhang Bao''er was intending to do. I quickly set my fighter to soar high into the sky. A blinding explosion erupted from the ground. A part of the wall was blasted away, resulting in the deactivation of the electromagnetic wave network. We took the chance to rush into the palace.


    "Xingxing, Xingxing, do you hear me?" I immediately called out to them after the electromagnetic system went down.


    "Canyue, I hear you. Where are you?" Old Du''s voice came.


    "Old Du, we have obtained two fighters. We''re on our way to pick you up. How are the team leader and the others?" I asked.


    "The team leader and the others were brought to the underground palace by the guards to hide from the attack. I was away on a different mission, so I was able to stay in the palace. I have been trying to contact you, but I''ve kept failing," said Old Du.


    "There is an electromagnetic defensive system here scrambling our communication system. Where are you? We''ll come get you," I said.


    "I think I''m at the queen''s personal palace? It''s right behind the prince''s palace," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, what mission do you have in the queen''s bedroom?" teased Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t joke around. I have completed the mission. Come pick me up quickly. There is a type of fierce patrol dog here. They are diligently patrolling the area. Be careful," said Old Du.


    "Can''t you leave with your thrusters?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. After I completed the first mission with the team leader, I gave her my suit and only kept my gun and communicator with me. That way, someone else can use the suit in the underground palace. There is an even more important mission down there," said Old Du.


    "Where did you get all these missions?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Where did you get all these questions? Pick me up first. I''m on the third floor," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, we have arrived above your location. I''ll go down to get you. Remember, hide yourself well. Wait for me," I said.

 CH 111

    The queen''s palace was located in a secluded area behind the main palace building that housed the audience hall. Right in front of the queen''s palace was a small patch of eye-grabbing grass. This field was entirely different from the ash-gray grassland I had seen all over Akko.


    I controlled my fighter and descended slowly. I stopped and hovered before a window on the third floor of the palace. The fighter was so well-designed that its engine was completely silent when I descended.


    "Old Du, I''m outside the window on the third floor. I''m going in to get you. Where are you?" I asked.


    "I''m in a room in the middle part of the third floor. The door of the room is covered by a curtain of knitted vine. There is also a fero canine outside the door. Be careful," said Old Du.


    "Wait there. I''ll be there immediately," I said before opening the door and preparing to enter through the window.


    "Canyue, take the cloak of invisibility with you. It will help you hide. I won''t charge you this time," said Domo.


    "The fero canine probably has a strong sense of smell. The cloak won''t help. I''m going to use force. Don''t worry," I said.


    I turned on my shield and tightened my grip on my gun before jumping through the window. The palace was decorated delicately in a style suited for a woman. I wasn''t in the mood to appreciate the decorations, so I ignored my surroundings and went straight for Old Du.


    Suddenly, two red dogs, which were shining brightly as if they were burning, came out from the two side rooms. The two dogs had sharp and long ears, and their tongues drooped from their mouths, constantly dripping drops of burning saliva.


    "Good lord. Why did the queen keep such pets? This is a fire hazard!" I said.


    The moment we met, the two fero canines charged toward me without making any other sound. I raised my gun and downed the fero canine right in front of my face. However, the second canine managed to bite my thigh. Its bite force was so strong that I could feel it even through my powerful morph-capable shield.


    "This fero canine''s bite strength is too scary," I exclaimed.


    "Be very careful. I actually saw these fero canines feast on steel earlier," said Old Du.


    "What animal is it? It eats metal as food? Canyue, be careful. Do you need my help?" asked Zhang Bao''er with concern.


    "A few native dogs won''t be able to harm me. Stay where you are. I''ll come get you, Old Du," I said confidently.


    I flicked my leg strongly in my attempt to fling the canine away. However, the canine''s bite strength was beyond my expectations. It kept its jaws clamped around my shield and was stuck to me. Since I was running out of time, I did not bother wasting more time on it. I aimed my gun at its head and pulled the trigger. The canine immediately dropped to the ground.


    ''No matter how strong you are, you won''t be the match of a gun,'' I thought.


    After taking a corner along the corridor, I saw a room with a curtain of knitted vines. Three fero canines were seated in front of the door.


    "Old Du, I saw your room. Wait. I''ll be there in 30 seconds," I said to the communicator.


    The three fero canines saw me at the same time. They did not hesitate to charge toward me together. With my previous experience dealing with these canines, I turned on the tracking bullet mode immediately. My tracking bullets accurately traced and shot all three canines down. Then, I rushed to the door and pushed the curtain open. With one gaze, I saw Old Du hiding behind a table.


    "Get up. The way out is cleared," I said smugly.


    "I have been waiting for quite a while. These canines had appeared suddenly. I don''t know who released them," said Old Du.


    I was about to extend my shield over to Old Du before retreating when I saw a massive silhouette come behind me out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and saw a massive fero canine that was 10 times larger than the canines I had encountered. It suddenly jumped out of a side room and pounced at me.


    "Canyue, careful!" Old Du exclaimed in alarm.


    The massive fero canine pounced on me and pushed me to the ground. Fortunately, my morph-capable shield protected me from its fangs and claws. Both my hands were pressed down by the canine''s two paws, so I couldn''t even shoot at it. Old Du raised his gun upon seeing my predicament.


    "Old Du, don''t use the fatal mode. Use the tranquilizer," I shouted.


    I saw Old Du change the mode of his gun before firing at the massive fero canine. Surprisingly, the fero canine''s skin was impressively tough and blocked the shot. The massive beast had my arms and legs pressed on the ground with its four paws while drops of liquid flame constantly dripped out of its mouth. Although the liquid flame couldn''t break through my shield, it was still a disgusting experience.


    Old Du fired his gun continuously when three smaller fero canines suddenly rushed out of the corridor. They ran over and pounced on Old Du.


    "Shit, Old Du doesn''t have a shield," I recalled anxiously.


    With all four of my limbs pressed against the ground, I couldn''t extend my shield to also cover Old Du. I could only watch helplessly as danger arrived for him.


    I was on the verge of activating my emergency thrusters when I heard the sound of cluster bombs exploding. I raised my head and saw that a big hole had appeared on the stomachs of each of the three canines jumping toward Old Du. At the same time, the giant beast on top of me also suddenly collapsed with a big hole in its stomach. Its tongue remained hanging outside of its mouth even until the moment of its death. When I looked up, I saw Zhang Bao''er and his smoking muzzle.


    "If I hadn''t appeared in time, both of us would be in deep shit. What did you claim earlier? You can handle this alone?" said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "You''re crazy! You killed all of them!" I said reproachfully.


    "You''re too conservative. They were threatening Old Du''s life. I wouldn''t have been able to save you in time if I didn''t use cluster bombs," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It''s fine, Canyue. It might not be a good thing to leave a beast like this alive. Also, the other canines outside are still alive. I don''t know where these beasts had come from. Who reared them? And what''s that person''s goal?" said Old Du.


    Of course, Old Du''s well-being was much more important than some beasts. After I extended my shield to cover Old Du, the three of us ran toward the window.


    During our retreat, the fero canines didn''t stop us, and we were able to smoothly jump through the window and board our fighters. Both Old Du and Domo were squeezed into the back seat behind me.


    "Old Du, do we go to the underground palace for Zhang Xingxing and the others now?" I asked.


    "They''re at the underground palace, which is safe, so there is no rush. We still have one more mission to complete before we can pick them up," said Old Du.


    "What missions are you guys doing exactly?" I asked.


    "Not long after you left, Prince Toruse returned. He was able to see that you guys had escaped with one glance," Old Du started.


    "Did he make things hard for you?" I asked.


    "No. Instead, he asked for our help," said Old Du.


    "Help? What help does he need?" I asked.


    "Prince Toruse wants us to retrieve two items for him. First, he wanted us to go to his royal father''s room and get the scepter symbolizing royal power before handing it to King Xido. Secondly, he wants us to go to the queen''s room to retrieve the edict of throne inheritance," said Old Du.


    "Royal scepter and edict of throne inheritance?" I muttered.


    "Yes. War had erupted suddenly. The prince and the king need to command the war efforts, and the prince does not trust anyone else to carry out the mission. Thus, he hopes that we will help," said Old Du.


    Something did not feel right to me, but I couldn''t put my finger on it.


    "Zhang Xingxing and I agreed to help the prince. We first went to King Xido''s room to get the scepter before returning to the war command room to hand the scepter to the prince," said Old Du.


    "You retrieved the royal scepter from the king''s room. You make it sound so easy. Did you not encounter the fero canine there?" I asked.


    "No. I feel doubtful as well. The room was completely unguarded," said Old Du.


    "That doesn''t make any sense," I said.


    "Yes. That was what I thought as well. When I asked the prince, he said that the palace walls are covered by an electromagnetic system. They believe the walls can''t be penetrated. Thus, they rarely need guards inside the palace itself. That makes sense, somewhat," said Old Du.


    "Why did you separate with Zhang Xingxing after handing the royal scepter over?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "At the time, the league''s fleet had been defeated by the empire. Fighter drones might come at any time, so the prince had us and those in the command center enter the underground palace. The entrance to the underground palace is at the corner of the main palace. I was worried that we would make for a conspicuous target if we retreated together due to our large numbers. Since it is much easier for me to move around alone, I decided to go after the edict before meeting up with them. Since there are no guards in the palace, I even gave her my shield," said Old Du.


    "So did you get the edict?" I asked.


    "Yes. I notified Prince Toruse and Zhang Xingxing the moment I got the edict. The prince immediately asked me about the contents of the edict," said Old Du.


    "Who did the king design as the successor?" I asked.


    Old Du took a delicate scroll from his suit and handed it to me as he said, "See for yourself."


    I carefully unfurled the scroll and saw the contents clearly: After the 21st king of the Kingdom of Akko retires, the first in line to the throne will be Prince Arude. The second in line to the throne will be Prince Toruse.


    "Prince Arude is first in line to the throne," I said.


    "Yes. I was also surprised. I thought Arude was imprisoned by the king?" said Old Du.


    "Did you tell Prince Toruse about the contents?" I asked.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Yes, I told the prince and the team leader immediately. At the time, they were in the process of entering the underground palace. After entering, all communications will be cut off. The prince had me head to the underground palace with the edict," said Old Du.


    "How did you end up trapped here by the fero canines?" I asked.


    "When I was about to head to the underground palace, a large number of fero canines appeared out of nowhere, trapping me here," said Old Du.


    "This is so weird. Who''s trying to kill Old Du? Who released these beasts?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "While I was trapped, I had a new idea, so I assigned a new mission to myself," said Old Du.


    "What mission?" I asked.


    "I intend to go meet Prince Arude first instead of going straight to the underground palace," said Old Du.

 CH 112

    "Prince Arude? Do you know where he is?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, I only know that he was imprisoned by the king," said Old Du.


    "Where should we look for him, then? This is not a small planet," said Domo.


    "I think Old Du makes sense. Things are getting too odd, especially things concerning King Xido. He wrote the edict himself, and if he is aware that Prince Toruse isn''t the first in line to the throne, why did he have Prince Toruse get the edict? There are so many people he can order around in the palace. It is impossible for the king to not have a single person he can trust," I said.


    "I think so as well. I even suspect that getting the edict was Prince Toruse''s personal idea," said Old Du.


    "In other words, Prince Toruse wants to be the king?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Duh? Fatty, I reckon that if you were the prince, you would have rebelled for the throne long ago," said Domo.


    "You bastard. If Canyue isn''t here, I would have put a bullet in your head already," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from far away. When we looked up, we saw some imperial shuttles rushing through the atmosphere.


    "This is bad. The imperial foot soldiers are coming. They''ll probably be the Imperial Police Force. They are going to take control over the ground level as well," said Domo.


    "Those damn drones are probably coming as well," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Alright. Our top priority is to look for Prince Arude and learn more from him. This is a mysterious prince we have yet to meet. Perhaps we can figure out the truth after meeting him, which will certainly make it easier for us to decide the position we should take for this conflict," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, Old Du, I have a few questions," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    "Just say what you have in mind. Now isn''t the time to be beating around the bush," I said.


    "Old Du, you said that Zhang Xingxing and the others also have an important mission in the underground palace. What is it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "According to Prince Toruse, the situation is urgent. According to Planet Akko''s traditions, a successor to the throne must be appointed during wartime to prevent internal chaos in case a mishap happens to the king. That is why we were sent to retrieve the royal scepter and the royal edict," said Old Du.


    "Was Prince Toruse the one who requested for Zhang Xingxing and the others to go to the underground palace?" I asked.


    "Yes. The prince was afraid of mutiny, so he had us help him stabilize the situation," said Old Du.


    "That''s reasonable from the prince''s point of view. My second question is, ''Do you think Prince Toruse was the one who released the fero canines?'' " asked Zhang Bao''er.


    ''Damn, Zhang Bao''er. He finally voiced the same question everyone had but was unwilling to say,'' I thought inwardly.


    After hearing the question, Old Du sank into several seconds of silence before saying, "Initially, I suspected the same. Prince Toruse is the most suspicious since he stands to gain the most. However, he is also our brother-in-arms and had once battled alongside us. Deep inside, I don''t believe that''s the case. Thus, I still believe Prince Toruse isn''t the culprit," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, you shouldn''t let emotions cloud your judgment," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The sounds of shuttles outside became louder as they approached the ground. However, we didn''t even have a new destination in mind.


    "Emotional nerds, if you keep talking, it will be too late for you to do anything. Let me bestow upon you some of my wisdom," Domo suddenly said.


    "What do you know, dwarf?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Think about it. Who would the inheritance affect most? Without a doubt, it would be Toruse and Arude," said Domo, ignoring Zhang Bao''er''s provocation.


    "Duh? Isn''t that obvious?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Stop, Bao''er. Let Domo finish," I said.


    "It''s clear. Prince Toruse would definitely need to stay beside the king at this time to show his loyalty. If he goes after the edict himself and the king learns about it, what would the king think about him? You''re still too young. You don''t understand the deeper implications behind things," said Domo.


    What Domo said was reasonable, so Zhang Bao''er did not say anything.


    "If Prince Toruse has the ability to stick with the king and release those fero canines before entering the underground palace, he can always retrieve the edict behind the king''s back as well. Thus, your suspicion is ill-founded," Domo continued.


    "Domo makes sense," Old Du said.


    "Who else would care so much about the edict?" Domo asked.


    "Prince Arude," replied Zhang Bao''er, even if he hated to agree with Domo.


    "Fatty, you''ve finally learned to use your brain. Yes, it''s Prince Arude. He did not know who we were, but he must have been observing us from the dark and protecting the edict. Thus, I believe the fero canines were released by Prince Arude. It is very likely that he is hiding in the palace under us," said Domo smugly.


    Zhang Bao''er decided to shut his mouth because Domo''s analysis seemed very logical.


    "That''s reasonable. Domo, what a surprise," I praised.


    "Yes, what Domo said is reasonable. In that case, is Prince Arude actually hiding in the queen''s palace under us? I can go in with Canyue to search the place. Bao''er, stay in the fighter and cover us," said Old Du.


    The imperial shuttles had reached the outer fringe of the palace complex. They were near enough that we could see countless foot soldiers and tanks pouring out of them.


    "We''re running out of time. Go and return as fast as possible. Make sure you find Prince Arude," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, give your morph-capable shield to Old Du," I said.


    Dondon opened the door and flew over with Zhang Bao''er''s shield device. Old Du immediately installed the device on his wrist.


    I then controlled the fighter to land on the lawn of the queen''s palace. With Domo staying to guard the fighter, Old Du and I hopped out.


    "Old Du, be careful of your surroundings. Watch out for the fero canines. We''ll enter together," I said.


    We walked right through the unguarded front door. It was completely quiet inside the palace. There were no signs anywhere of any guards or fero canines. Old Du and I covered each other as he carefully searched every nook and cranny. We were trying to look for hidden passages or basements that would serve as hiding spots.


    "Canyue, this is weird. All the fero canines are missing," said Old Du.


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    "Yes. Let''s go upstairs and look at the canines we hit earlier," I said.


    We had searched the first and second floors and found nothing. Thus, we decided to go to the third floor. The giant canine and the three smaller canines were still lying on the ground. Oddly, the ones that were struck unconscious and not killed were gone.


    "Weird. Where are the fero canines? The tranquilizer should last 24 hours. It has only been a few minutes, yet they''re already gone?" I wondered doubtfully.


    "This makes it obvious that someone was here. There is someone else, the same person who had taken all the canines away," said Old Du.


    "Be on guard. There must be someone else here. Looks like Bao''er was right," I said.


    I could feel adrenaline being pumped all throughout my body. I did not enjoy this feeling of being spied upon from the dark.


    "Canyue, Old Du, faster. The imperial foot soldiers are starting to bombard the palace walls," Zhang Bao''er''s urgent voice rang out.


    "Canyue, look," said Old Du as he pointed at a window after scanning the room.


    I ran over and saw that on the frame of the window were signs of some red liquid that had dripped onto it.


    "That''s the fiery red saliva of the fero canine," I said.


    "Yes, it looks like someone had climbed through this window with the canines," said Old Du.


    I immediately looked out, but there was nothing when I looked down from the window. When I looked up, I saw a crystal ladder hanging from the roof.


    "There is a transparent crystal ladder leading to the roof here. I wouldn''t have noticed it if I wasn''t paying close attention. Let''s go up," I said.


    We leaped out of the window and grabbed the ladder before climbing up toward the roof. Before long, we were on the roof. The roof was basically a square platform with a thick chimney. Once we came up, rumbling sounds rang out from afar. From the roof, we could clearly see the imperial army bombarding the palace wall with their cannons.


    "Canyue, faster. The imperial army will probably break through in 10 minutes," came Zhang Bao''er''s voice.


    Old Du and I quickly searched the platform on the roof. The platform wasn''t too big, and everything was visible at a glance. There was no place to hide on the roof. Then, our gazes landed on the massive chimney.


    "Canyue, I believe this chimney is an entrance leading somewhere. Someone must have taken the ladder off the chimney," said Old Du.


    "Yeah, look, there is a faint footprint on the outside of the chimney," I said.


    We knew what to do as we activated our thrusters at the same time and flew right above the chimney. It was pitch-black inside it. I nodded at Old Du as we entered the chimney in a straight line.


    The inner wall of the chimney was not filled with ashes. Rather, the wall was so clean that not even a speck of dust could be seen. Obviously, the wall had been painted with some unique paint.


    We descended slowly. Before long, we reached the bottom. There, I saw a switch and a transparent ladder that had been withdrawn to the ground.


    "This must be it. Be careful," said Old Du.


    I turned on my searchlight and scanned my surroundings. The space was small, so it did not take me long to discover a well-concealed black door on the black wall.


    "This must be the room," said Old Du.


    I pointed at the door with my chin. Old Du immediately understood my meaning. He took two steps back and prepared to charge forth with his sturdy body to knock the door off. Just as he was about to make his move, the door opened with a creak.

 CH 113

    A bright light shone through the opened door. Standing in the bright room was a frail silhouette. Old Du and I quickly stepped forth. A young and immature face appeared before our eyes. The youngster before us resembled Prince Toruse, but he was much thinner. His hair was blue while his eyes were light blue instead of the dark blue like Prince Toruse''s eyes.


    "You''re Prince Arude?" Old Du asked.


    "Come in. I know why you''re here," said the youngster.


    Old Du and I stepped through the door and were immediately stunned. Beyond the door was a spacious and cozy room. We could clearly see that there were several luxurious suits there as well. These rooms were all hidden behind the walls of the third floor. At the corner of the room was a fero canine lying on its belly. It was observing us cautiously.


    "Please take a seat. I am Prince Arude. I have been waiting quite a while for you. I considered giving you some hints, but I ultimately decided to see if you could find this place without help," said Arude.


    "Respected prince, why are you hiding here?" asked Old Du.


    "You should tell me why you''re here instead, especially you, big guy. Why did you steal the royal edict? You''re probably with Prince Toruse," said Prince Arude.


    "Prince, do not misunderstand. There is no question that we will uphold justice and not be biased toward anyone," said Old Du.


    "The royal edict has been kept in my royal mother''s precious chest. None of us have the right to open it. Have you seen the contents of the edict? So who did Royal Father name his successor?" asked Prince Arude.


    "Respected prince, you''re the first in line to the throne," said Old Du.


    Prince Arude seemed rather emotional when he learned that he was the first in line.


    "I did not expect Royal Father to still support me. I never expected that," muttered the prince.


    "Were you the one who released the fero canines?" I asked.


    "Yes. I must protect the royal edict," said Prince Arude as my question brought him back from his thoughts.


    "Why are you hiding here? What happened?" asked Old Du.


    Prince Arude was about to answer when loud explosions suddenly rang out.


    "Canyue, the imperial foot soldiers have broken into the palace. Their drones have also gone through the defenses of the broken electromagnetic wall," Old Du''s urgent voice rang out.


    "Old Du, since the imperial army is here, we''ll talk later. Let''s leave with the prince first," I said.


    Old Du then helped the prince out. While leaving, the prince did not forget to grab a backpack on the table. The fero canine also stood up and jumped into the prince''s arms. We ran outside, and before long, we were on the roof. The two fighters were already waiting for us. I signaled Old Du with my eyes, and he immediately headed toward Zhang Bao''er''s fighter. Meanwhile, I brought the prince into my fighter.


    "Brother, watch your dog. Don''t let it bite me," said Domo nervously when he saw the fero canine.


    Then, our fighters rose to the sky. The imperial soldiers and drones immediately noticed us. About a dozen of the drones instantly flew toward us.


    "Bao''er, prepare for combat," I said.


    Oddly, the drones retreated quickly after scanning us.


    "Looks like Captain Wesex has entered our description into the imperial combat system. The system sees us as allies," said Old Du.


    "Great. I''m stressed out just looking at these drones. Every single time we fought them, they were unrelenting," said Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    We then looked down at the ground and saw that the entire palace complex had been occupied by imperial forces. Flames could be seen burning the distant airport and the town. The imperial army was slowly sweeping through the surface strongholds all over the planet. The powerful offensive had smashed through the Akko army.


    As for the location where a nuclear warhead was set off earlier, we could see the gathered battleships and fighter drones slowly dispersing. They were moving away to provide support to the ground forces that had landed on the planet.


    "I did not expect the king''s army to be so weak. The Interstellar League abandoned us so easily," said Prince Arude sorrowfully.


    Zhang Bao''er and I slowly flew our fighters through the sky. Intense sounds of explosions could be heard from the distant town. Flames were raging all over the town while thick black smoke covered the sky above the town.


    "I told Captain Wesex to not harm innocents, but I did not expect that there would still be so many casualties," I sighed.


    "Casualties can''t be avoided in war. It is impossible to protect everyone. The best option has always been to avoid war," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, we need to go underground to help the team leader and the others," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We headed toward a corner of the palace complex. A few seconds later, we arrived above the entrance to the underground palace. The place was filled with over a thousand imperial soldiers and dozens of tanks. There were also about a hundred drones hovering in the air, completely surrounding the area. Even more worrying was the Milky Way¨Cclass battleship that could be seen slowly approaching from afar.


    "This is bad. Looks like the empire is going to attack the underground palace," I said.


    "Canyue, look! There are two familiar figures down there," said Old Du.


    I looked down and saw the black and white Gandos.


    ''What a shitty day. Why are these two bastards here?'' I thought.


    "Canyue, what now? If we go down, the black and white Gandos will definitely kill us. If we attack them, the imperial system will label us as hostile," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "We can''t let them attack the underground palace and put the team leader and the others in danger. Prepare to attack. We will scatter the soldiers and get them out," I said.


    "You don''t need to throw your lives away. The enemies won''t be able to breach the underground palace," Prince Arude suddenly said.


    "Why do you say that?" I asked in astonishment.


    "The underground palace is defended by the core itself. Nothing standing on Planet Akko itself will be able to pierce through the core''s gravitational zone. This is a situation unique to Akko," said Prince Arude.


    "What principle is that? Are you telling me that a part of the planet''s core works like a black hole, capable of absorbing everything?" asked Old Du.


    "Exactly. Records of that phenomenon are clearly preserved in the royal library. The unique core is the reason this planet has been able to survive against the intense ultraviolet rays from the two Epsilon Canis Majoris stars. After the ultraviolet rays penetrate the ground, they are absorbed by the powerful core," said Arude.


    "In that case, how had your people gone through the defensive layer to the underground palace?" asked Old Du.


    "We did not go through the defensive layer. We had accidentally found an open space inside the core itself. We then made use of the open space to construct an underground palace," said Arude.


    "If that is true, wouldn¡¯t the team leader and the others be fine? In that case, we should let these imperial soldiers continue working for nothing," I said.


    "Where should we go now?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why don''t we go to my uncle''s, Prince Gede''s, place? He has a private army at the State of Henda," said Arude.


    "Might as well. How do we reach Henda?" I asked.


    "The fighter''s database should have the coordinates. You can perform a search," said Arude.


    "Dondon, perform the search," I said. I had gotten a habit of having Dondon handle tedious tasks like this.


    A few minutes later, Dondon found Henda''s coordinates. He shared the coordinates with me, and we started flying toward Henda. Looking down from high above, we could see that a majority of the ground had been occupied by the imperial army. Wreckage of many destroyed weapons could be seen all over the ground. We also saw that a large number of Akko soldiers had been taken captive.


    "The defensive system of an entire kingdom has actually been destroyed in such a short period of time. The dynasty is on the verge of collapse," the prince sighed.


    Henda seemed to be rather far away from the capital. The imperial army''s ground forces and shuttles had moved rapidly. They had taken a short time to occupy a large part of the planet. Our fighters continued flying inland. The farther we went, the fewer signs of battle we saw. A few hours later, we arrived at the area the imperial army had yet to reach.


    The citizens of Akko were in chaos as numerous vehicles were moving deeper inland. All roads were flooded with refugees, and the occasional bird-shaped fighters could be seen patrolling the sky. We had obviously come to an area still under the control of the Kingdom of Akko.


    "This is probably the last stand of the kingdom," said the prince with yet another sigh.


    "Henda is quite remote. Will this place be able to even put up a fight?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "Sigh. Prince Gede is the younger brother of Royal Mother. Royal Father had intentionally conferred him land near the equator to prevent the members of external clans from gaining too much power. This place is generally extremely hot during the day, to the point standing on the ground is extremely difficult. Most of the people here reside in caves and live underground," said Prince Arude.


    "Looks like the struggle for authority is something consistent across all planets, regardless of size," I said with a sigh.


    "However, my uncle has a powerful and loyal private army. I hope he can lead them and arrange an effective counterattack against the invaders," said Prince Arude hopefully.


    We continued flying inland. Shortly after, we reached the planet''s equator. The surface temperature was as high as 60 degrees Celsius. Thanks to the powerful ultraviolet rays, the ash-gray flora was the only sign of life on the ground.


    "The environment here is too harsh. This is truly a place you would exile someone to," said Domo.


    "Prince, do you know where your uncle''s army is?" I asked.


    As soon as I asked, four bird-shaped fighters emerged from the clouds and surrounded us. On these fighters, I could clearly see the same blue cloud marks that our fighters also had.

 CH 114

    "The two fleeing fighters. Please give us your designation number," came a voice from the communicator.


    "We don''t have a designation number. What now?" asked Dondon.


    "We''re special forces in charge of escorting Prince Arude. We don''t have a designation number. Prince Arude is with us. Please lead us to Prince Gede," I said.


    "Prince Arude? Please wait. We will perform the identity verification," came the reply.


    "Special forces? You''re quite a story maker, Canyue," said Zhang Bao''er with a laugh.


    "Please follow me. I''ll show you the landing site ahead of us. Everyone else, split up and escort the prince," an answer came a minute later.


    The four fighters around us immediately dispersed. One led the way in front of us while the other three surrounded and escorted us as we advanced. The six fighters flew over the ash-gray shrubs and hills. About 10 minutes later, the front fighter spun and then descended into the ground.


    I followed the descending fighter and saw a pitch-black tunnel between two hills. Utilizing the guided flight mode, I entered the tunnel leading into the ground. It was slanted downward. I could clearly see several thick steel doors in the tunnel that, according to my laser scans, would close after we flew through them.


    After flying through the final door, a massive underground airport appeared before my eyes. I hovered at the designated position and had my fighter slowly descend to the ground. After the fighter landed, its door opened. Prince Arude immediately jumped off the fighter and ran toward a middle-aged military official standing not far away. The red fero canine was also running behind the prince.


    Zhang Bao''er jumped out of his fighter and said, "Looks like that''s his uncle."


    "Um. It doesn''t matter. We only need to know if this is a friend or an enemy," I replied.


    We then walked forth and stopped before Prince Gede. Prince Gede had long, deep blue hair and the gruff face of someone who had experienced much in life.


    "I''m Prince Gede. Thank you for rescuing Prince Arude. I am aware of your heroic feats, warriors. Unfortunately, I can''t give you your deserved welcome due to our current circumstances. I need to go to the battle command and make my next plans," said Prince Gede as he extended his hand toward us.


    I shook the prince''s hand and voiced my request, "No problem. We don''t need to rest. We hope to participate in the strategy meeting."


    "You are more than welcome to join us. The league is the ally of Akko, after all. Everyone, please come with me," said Prince Gede.


    While we spoke, a shuttle flew over. Numerous Akko refugees and injured soldiers streamed out of the shuttle when it stopped. The airport personnel were quick to step forth and help the newcomers.


    "Sigh. The refugees and injured soldiers are constantly coming to Milk City. If this continues, I''m afraid that we will reach the limits of the city very soon," said Prince Gede.


    "Milk City?" I asked.


    "That''s the name of this underground city. We have five wells here that produce a type of milky white liquid. The wells serve as the water source for the whole city, hence the name," said Prince Gede.


    After the conversation, we followed the prince out of the underground airport toward the battle command room.


    "This prince is much friendlier than those arrogant bastards we met previously," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I hope he can help us save the team leader and the others. They are all stuck in the underground palace right now. This can''t go on forever," I said.


    After leaving the airport, we arrived at a massive underground city. The city was built underground, avoiding the high temperature of the surface while also making use of the light energy from the two stars of Epsilon Canis Majoris to provide the power needed by those living in this city.


    In the city, we saw several massive wells. Massive hauler vehicles were constantly pumping water out of the well to provide for the city. At the same time, some refugees and wounded soldiers were being led by the city residents to some temporary refugee camps in the city.


    Shortly after, we arrived at the battle command center. Two sturdy Akko warriors were standing guard outside the command center''s door. Each warrior was equipped with a raygun. The two guards looked much more spirited than the ones I had seen in the imperial palace.


    Several individuals clad in military uniforms were already in the command center. They were busy with their own job, and when they saw Prince Gede arrive, they all stood at attention and saluted him.


    Prince Gede waved at them and asked, "Aden, where has the imperial offensive reached?"


    "Reporting to the prince, the imperial vanguard has reached a town at the border of Henda, Fudo. Our fighters were forced to retreat after an intense battle with their fighter drones. Our ground troops couldn''t resist the attack from their battleships, so they were forced to go underground. The enemy foot soldiers are already starting to attack the underground city of Fudo," replied the military official called Aden.


    "Sigh. We are disadvantaged by our lack of battleships. Have the Fudo residents retreated?" asked Prince Gede.


    "About 90 percent of them have retreated. The rest are slow-moving wounded individuals. Our army is fighting with their lives to cover the retreat," said Aden.


    "What is the estimated time to complete the retreat?" asked Prince Gede.


    "We estimate that the wounded individuals will need two to three hours," said Aden.


    "I can only give them two more hours. The moment that period is up, the Fudo army must retreat to prevent encirclement and elimination. Of course, they have to make sure that the wounded individuals have all retreated before their own retreat. Otherwise, the commander of the Fudo army will be punished in accordance with military law," said Prince Gede.


    "Roger. I''ll pass on the order," said Aden.


    "Kelle, are there any new updates on our intelligence?" asked Prince Gede after he was done with Aden.


    "We captured an imperial police officer. We learned that the Divine Empire has named this mission Operation Typhoon. They aim to conquer the entire Planet Akko within 48 hours," said Kelle.


    "Emperor Fille is truly becoming ambitious. He thinks he can eliminate the Kingdom of Akko in only 48 hours?" said Prince Gede with a snort.


    "The situation is urgent. Apart from our Henda, Pulin of Prince Asulu, and Honlin of Count Fekkex, 80 percent of the planet has fallen to the enemy," replied Kelle, the intelligence official.


    "The main reason for the rapid defeat is the lame performance of the Interstellar League. The old king had been badly manipulated by the league politicians," said Prince Gede with a sigh.


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    "Uncle, we can''t surrender. No matter what, we need to reorganize our army, rescue Royal Father, and launch a counterattack," said Prince Arude.


    Only then did the other military officials in the room realize that Prince Arude was with them. They quickly stood up and gave him a salute.


    "Prince, we won''t surrender so easily. Don''t worry. The Kingdom of Akko has stood tall for hundreds of years. Not a single king and prince has ever surrendered to an enemy," said Prince Gede firmly.


    "Respected prince, can I ask if the army has a new plan to deal with the invasion?" I asked.


    "Baron Sisse is my war advisor. He will present our next plan," said Prince Gede.


    "Roger," answered a young military official beside Prince Gede.


    Baron Sisse then turned on a hologram projector, projecting a clear map into the room. According to the map, right behind Fudo was the final city between Milk City and Fudo, Goldsteel City.


    "Goldsteel City has a high terrain because it is nestled amid a series of steep mountain peaks. It is the final gate to Milk City. The city is filled with bunkers, and its sole entrance is at a steep elevation halfway up a mountain. The enemies will have to go through countless bunkers and pay a high price regardless of whether they are attacking from land or air," said Baron Sisse.


    "What if they decide to use their battleship and just level the mountains? What if they just skip the city altogether?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We''re not afraid of the mountains being leveled. We''re more afraid of them getting into the city. There are several important tunnels connecting Goldsteel City and Milk City. If the enemies skip Goldsteel City to attack Milk City directly, the people here can quickly retreat to Goldsteel City. Furthermore, Milk City is also an easily guarded and hard-to-attack city. The two cities form a perfect duo because they can support each other," said Baron Sisse.


    "I understand. To take both cities, one has to use force and take at least one down first and lock all means of escape for the other city. Rather than taking a detour, the imperial army would rather borrow their current momentum and launch an assault against Goldsteel City," said Old Du.


    "Yes. This warrior is right. The imperial army must have learned of the two cities. To take Milk City, they must take Goldsteel City first," said Prince Gede.


    "Thus, we must defend the sturdy fort known as Goldsteel City and perform well in the upcoming battle," said Baron Sisse.


    "We will follow the advisor''s suggestions. Make the arrangements as quickly as possible. How many soldiers do we still have in Goldsteel?" asked Prince Gede as he turned to look at Aden.


    "We have about 2,000 elite assault soldiers and about 50 tanks. We also have about 200 rail cannons and laser towers scattered over the various bunkers."


    "How can a military so small stop the imperial army? Just their tens of thousands of drones are enough to outnumber you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Aden, transfer the 500 special assault soldiers under me and 30 fighters from Milk City to help Goldsteel City with the defense," commanded Prince Gede.


    "Your Highness, these fighters are the last we have. If we transfer them over, our remaining forces won''t be enough to guarantee your safety," said Baron Sisse with worry.


    "Ignore my safety. Our kingdom is on the verge of destruction. Can anyone really be safe when the kingdom is destroyed? I only hope that the soldiers can defend the city with everything they have for three days. Three days later, retreat to Milk City immediately," commanded Prince Gede.


    "Prince, will we receive reinforcements after the three days pass?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Order the soldiers. Defend for three days. After three days, the result of the battle will become apparent," said Prince Gede firmly.


    "Roger. I''ll make the arrangements," replied Baron Sisse.


    "Also, Aden, transfer all civilians of Goldsteel City to Milk City through the tunnels within 12 hours. If you overlook any civilian and cause any civilian casualty, you will be punished in accordance with military law," said Prince Gede.


    "Roger. The mission will be accomplished," replied Aden.


    "Everyone, get to your tasks. Dismissed," said Prince Gede.


    ''Loves his people like his children, strict and impartial with the military. This Prince Gede is quite an impressive individual,'' I praised inwardly.


    Done with his arrangements, Prince Gede turned to face us and said, "Warriors, do you wish to join the battle or do you wish to wait at the command center?"


    I looked at Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. Both looked at me with resolute expressions.


    "To lower the casualties among the civilians, we are willing to participate in the battle and buy more time for everyone," I said firmly.


    "Well said! Li Canyue is truly as the rumors say. A responsible person and a stout defender of justice! Go. I''ll be right behind you. Remember, try to last at least three days. Even if you die, make sure to have your corpse stand in the way of your enemies," said Prince Gede.


    We were all youngsters, so the talk of war caused our blood to boil. We promised loudly and prepared for battle in a high-spirited manner.

 CH 115

    "To avoid exposure, all fighters must be moved through the underground tunnels. All combatants will be taking the underground trains to reach Goldsteel City," said Baron Sisse.


    We took our leaves from the two princes and were led by Baron Sisse to Milk City''s train station. The train station was located underneath the city. The massive tunnels connected to the station were built deeper under the mountainous terrain, making these tunnels even harder to discover than the underground city.


    Before long, all combatants were gathered at the train station. The station was filled with soldiers slated to reinforce Goldsteel City. The platforms were filled with soldiers waiting for their respective trains. There were two floors to the platforms. A large group was standing on the upper platform while only a small group was on the lower platform.


    "Why don''t we wait at the lower platform? It''s so messy to have everyone squeezed here," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The lower platform is for arrivals, not departures," explained Baron Sisse.


    "But shouldn''t things change during wartime? You guys are too rigid," said Zhang Bao''er, acting like he was some sort of veteran.


    Baron Sisse merely smiled and refrained from saying anything. Sounds of train wheels grinding against the railway suddenly rang out from afar. Before long, we saw a train with six coaches coming out of the dark tunnel. It seemed to have rushed straight up from the ground at a 180-degree angle before slowing down and stopping at the train station.


    Numerous civilians streamed out of the train. It was obvious these were the refugees from Goldsteel City. After all the refugees left, two massive mechanical arms descended from above, grabbed the front of the train, and dragged it toward the railway in front of us.


    "Warriors, our train has arrived," said Baron Sisse.


    We immediately entered the train and sat down. Each seat was equipped with three belts.


    "Is this going to be a shaky ride? You need three seat belts?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The train is probably very fast? Just keep the belt on," I said when I saw the soldiers around us strapping the belts on.


    Then, the green signal in the train lit up.


    "Dear passengers, please remain in your seats. The train will be moving at a high speed shortly," said Baron Sisse.


    "How fast can it be?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    He had merely finished his words when I felt the three belts tighten around my body, firmly strapping me to the seat. Then, the train shot forth like a bolt of lightning. Before I could even adapt to the high speed, the train shot down at a 90-degree angle, shooting straight into the earth.


    An immense sense of weightlessness assaulted me as I felt like I was floating. The train did not show any signs of stopping. Rather, it shot down faster and faster. The train wheels shrieked loudly from the friction with the railway, making our experience even more intense.


    I could see that beside me, Zhang Bao''er was vomiting his guts out. To the other side, Domo and Dondon were also vomiting like living fountains.


    The train descended for about 20 minutes, pushing everyone to their limits. Abruptly, the train made a u-turn before going up at a 180-degree angle, shooting straight up.


    The switch made me feel like my heart was going to pop out of my body. However, it certainly felt much better to be going up than to drop down. After a while, I felt the train slowing down, allowing gravity to take care of the massive inertia from the crazy acceleration earlier.


    Suddenly, something clicked in my mind, and I understood how this train worked. It made use of gravity to massively accelerate and then borrowed the power of inertia to help the train finish its journey.


    ''What shitty technology is this? Sure, it saves energy, but the passenger experience is horrible,'' I complained inwardly.


    As I complained inwardly, the train slowly came to a stop. The soldiers left one after another, acting completely fine. Old Du and I were doing decent as well, but after the belts were removed, Zhang Bao''er, Domo, and Dondon immediately dropped onto the ground and resumed their session of vomiting.


    "Perhaps you''re unused to our transportation system. My apologies," said Baron Sisse.


    "The passenger experience has a lot of room for improvement," I said tersely.


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    We helped the ones who were still feeling sick and walked to the platform.


    "Which squad will we join for the battle?" I asked.


    "Warrior Canyue, I gave this a long thought while on the train. I have a suggestion," said Baron Sisse.


    "What suggestion do you have? Feel free to say it. We will follow the plan," I said.


    "That''s good to hear. I wish to have you join me in commanding the battle from inside Goldsteel City," said Baron Sisse.


    "Me? Joining the battle command? But I have no experience," I said in astonishment.


    "I believe you have potential in this aspect. Everyone needs to do their best and be in positions best suited for them," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, I agree with Baron Sisse. Soldiers are duty-bound to follow commands. With you part of command, our hearts will also be at ease," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, just go. Old Du and I will go to the battlefield," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, an oppressive sound rang out, and the world around us shook. Dust and pebbles dropped from the ceiling above us.


    "This is bad. The enemies are attacking. We need to get to the command center immediately," said Baron Sisse.


    "Domo, Dondon, come to the command center with me. I need your data and experience," I said.


    "So which squad will the two of us join?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Report to the tank division at the eastern gate," said Baron Sisse.


    Both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were about to move out after receiving their order.


    "Bao''er," I called out before they could leave. I took off my shield device and gave it to him. "Remember to stay alive. I might come looking for you guys at any time."


    Zhang Bao''er nodded and rushed off with Old Du. The sounds of explosions grew louder and louder as I followed Sisse toward the command center. The city had been transformed into a massive military base. All the civilians had been evacuated and only an endless stream of soldiers could be seen traveling the streets with ammunition and other necessities of war. A few minutes later, we reached the command center. The room was in chaos.


    "Mayor Andi, I am War Advisor Sisse from the general headquarters. This is Advisor Li Canyue from the Interstellar League. We''re here to help with the battle," said Baron Sisse as he saluted an old military official.


    "Advisor from the Interstellar League? Someone so young? Has he fought in any war at all?" asked the busy Mayor Andi as he looked up from his desk.


    "Reporting to the mayor, I have experience in battles," I said.


    "Is Prince Gede still in Milk City?" asked Mayor Andi, completely ignoring me.


    "The prince still needs to finish up some preparations. He commanded that the defenders must defend Goldsteel City for three days regardless of cost. The prince will come and back us up the moment he is done with his preparations," said Baron Sisse.


    "Alright. You''re here just in time to join us in the battle planning," said Mayor Andi.


    As the mayor spoke, a young military official projected the hologram of the city from the control desk. The holographic map showed that the imperial soldiers were pushing in from both the mountain peak and the foot of the mountain. Countless imperial shuttles could be seen moving around, shipping an unending stream of soldiers into the battlefield.


    "At present, our anti-air artillery has turned the air above our front gate into a no-fly zone. The enemy shuttles can only land at either the mountain peak or the foot of the mountain before releasing their soldiers," said the young official.


    "How many soldiers do we have running interference against the push?" asked the mayor.


    "About a third of our force is running interference, trying to deal as much damage as possible to the enemies," replied the young official.


    "Where are the remaining soldiers?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Most of them are gathered at the main gate in preparation to face the enemy assault," said the young official.


    "What is the status of their main force?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "They are using medium tanks to weaken our anti-air defense from afar. From the map, we can see that a large number of drones and fighters are being assembled. They are likely preparing for their first push," said the young official.


    "Is this why you have the majority of your army at the main gate?" I asked.


    "Yes. That was my train of thought," answered the young official.


    "I suggest that we first have the soldiers gathered at the main gate help the soldiers running interference. The enemy will still need to get through a series of defensive fortifications before actually reaching the main gate. We can take this opportunity to gather our forces and eliminate as many of their combat-capable units as possible," I suggested.


    "Continue," said Mayor Andi.


    "As for the main gate, we should concentrate our weaponry to deal with the enemy drones and fighters. So long as we can obtain an advantage over their ground forces, their fighters and drones won''t be able to truly take over the city," I said.


    "I agree with Canyue. We don''t need that many soldiers at the main gate for now. We should make full use of them and deal even more damage to the enemy''s ground forces," said Baron Sisse.


    Mayor Andi gave it some thought before saying, "We''ll adjust our plan according to the advisor''s suggestion. Order the squads running interference to focus on the opposing ground forces."


    The young official immediately implemented the order. At this time, the sounds of explosions had also stopped.


    "Intelligence officer, I need the latest update on the main gate," said Mayor Andi anxiously.


    "Lord Andi, the enemies are mustering their forces. They are preparing to launch an attack on our main gate," said the intelligence officer as he pointed at the concentrated red dots on the map.


    "What is the status of our deployment at the main gate?" asked Mayor Andi.


    "Fifty heavy tanks and the thirty bird-shaped fighters from headquarters have all been deployed to the main gate. All the firing ports have been opened. We also have about a hundred automatic rail cannons and laser towers near the main gate," said the intelligence officer.


    "Good. Since everything is in place, we''ll see what the invaders can do," said Mayor Andi.


    "Reporting to the mayor, the interference units are all in position. They are currently engaging the opposing ground forces in an intense firefight. According to our data, they have successfully slowed down the enemy''s advance," said the young official.


    "Tell everyone to slow the enemies down as much as possible and to try to kill as many of them as possible. Do not let them join the battle at the main gate so easily," said Mayor Andi.


    "Intelligence officer, turn the map into a real-time video. I want to take a look at the situation inside and outside the main gate," said Baron Sisse.


    The intelligence officer did as told and activated the surveillance system. The scenes inside and outside the main gate were then clearly displayed on two screens in the room.


    ''A battle will break out at any moment,'' I told myself.

 CH 116

    "Be on full alert, everyone. The enemy fighters are attacking soon. Prepare all our weapons," commanded Mayor Andi.


    Having received the command, all the personnel in charge of the weapons and fortifications behind the main gate finished their preparations, loaded their weapons, and waited silently for the invasion to begin.


    From the screen, we could see that three imperial Milky Way¨Cclass battleships were hovering far away. Suddenly, the fighter drones launched the first attack without any signal.


    Over a hundred fighter drones shot forth, with a few of them unleashing about a dozen guided missiles toward the main gate. The guided missile struck the steel gate, resulting in a massive explosion. However, the gate stood firm, with the few marks on its surface the sole sign that it had just been attacked.


    While the fighter drones were attacking, all the rail cannons, laser towers, heavy tanks, and fighters in the city opened fire at the same time. I even saw some foot soldiers madly shooting their rayguns and tracer machine guns from within their bunkers.


    The fighter drones were submerged in a deluge of bullets, red laser beams, green artillery shells, and yellow guided missiles. In less than 10 minutes, the fighter drones in charge of attacking the gate lost their shields and were completely eliminated. Cheers erupted within the command center. As someone who had witnessed the empire''s true military might, I sighed when I saw their joy.


    "Mayor, the imperial army will launch an even stronger offensive soon. Get everyone to calm down and not let a small victory get to their heads," I reminded the mayor anxiously.


    "Order everyone to get to their positions. The enemies will launch an even bigger attack soon," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?" Zhang Bao''er''s voice suddenly came from the communicator.


    "Yes, I can hear you clearly. How are things there, Bao''er?" I asked.


    "Old Du and I are in charge of a heavy tank. This iron hunk is amazing. Its firepower is incredible," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "The enemies might launch a counterattack immediately. Be careful. Stay in touch with me," I said.


    Several massive missiles were suddenly unleashed from a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship. The missiles streaked through the sky and landed in front of the main gate. Intense explosions erupted, creating a thick purple smoke that reduced visibility to zero.


    "Activate the infrared scanners immediately," commanded Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting, the infrared scanners can''t detect anything," said the intelligence officer.


    "Laser scanners and ray scanners. Try everything," said Baron Sisse, who was getting agitated.


    Even after trying all the scanners, we weren''t able to pinpoint the enemy fighters. The purple smoke was clearly produced by some unique materials for the purpose of rendering detection tools ineffective.


    "Reporting to the mayor, a red laser beam is being used to cut the main gate," reported the young official anxiously.


    "Have everyone fire at will," roared Mayor Andi.


    All the weapons in the city started shooting madly, but they did not seem effective.


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    "Reporting to the mayor, the red laser has managed to pierce through the gate. They are currently trying to cut a circular hole into the gate," reported the intelligence officer urgently.


    "This won''t do. We''re wasting time," I said.


    "What idea do you have?" asked the mayor.


    "This is an emergency. The drones are probably gathered together to create the concentrated laser beam that they are using to cut the gate. I have seen the empire do this exact thing before. If the purple smoke can block our scanners, it can probably block their own scanners as well," I said.


    "Canyue is right. After so many years of working together, our combat system is rather similar to the empire''s," said Baron Sisse.


    "I suggest we open the side gate and send out a special assault unit to attack their drones from a close range before they notice anything," I said.


    "How do we locate the drones after going out? They are all hiding in the smoke," asked the intelligence officer.


    "The purple smoke is covering a huge zone. Just form a square formation beneath it with our heavy tanks and shoot into the air," I suggested.


    "Can the tanks shoot through the firing ports from within the city?" asked Mayor Andi.


    "Yes. Our firing ports were designed in accordance with all our weaponry. However, some angles will be hard to reach. Also, some of our firing ports have already been damaged by enemy fire. They just haven''t noticed it. We can no longer cover all angles if we shoot from within the city," said the intelligence officer.


    "Don''t hesitate. Have all the heavy tanks attack. Intelligence officer, highlight all the angles covered by our remaining firing ports. Send the data to those operating the rail cannons and laser towers. Have the fighters be on standby," said Mayor Andi.


    "One-quarter of a circle has been cut into the gate," reported the intelligence officer.


    "Attack immediately. Hold nothing back," commanded Mayor Andi with a roar.


    The order was carried out immediately. All the heavy tanks used the cover of the smoke to sally out from a side gate. The fighters were also turned to face the side gate to prevent any enemy surprise attack. All the rail cannons had also been updated with new attack coordinates. No attack came to the side gate, proving that our analysis of the smoke blocking the detection of both sides was correct.


    "All heavy tanks are in position. We may attack at any time," a voice came from the communicator.


    "Follow the predetermined coordinates and fire into the sky," roared Baron Sisse.


    A series of deafening explosions rang out. Amid the endless sounds of the artillery barrage were the sounds of objects exploding into pieces.


    "Reporting to the mayor, the red laser has stopped cutting through the gate," reported the intelligence officer in excitement.


    "Looks like the mission is a success. Have all the attacking units retreat," commanded Mayor Andi.


    The tanks withdrew speedily upon receiving the command. During the operation, not a single tank was lost. This was yet another full victory for our side. Due to the previous lesson, nobody in the command center celebrated this time. Rather, everyone focused even more on the battlefield.


    Suddenly, a blinding light erupted. Then, red smoke started rising and mixing with the purple smoke. Red and purple mixed, and before long, the smoke was cleared. The wreckage of fighter drones and air defense drones could be seen all over the ground. Thanks to the advantage of the terrain, we had successfully defeated two waves of attacks from the empire.


    "Intelligence officer, what is the status of the ground forces?" asked Mayor Andi.


    "The situation is intense. The enemies have more people and stronger firepower. They are even equipped with heavy tanks. We can only rely on a small number of rail cannons to provide cover to our foot soldiers. Most of our heavy weaponry is concentrated near the main gate," said the intelligence officer.


    "I asked for an update, not the problems faced by the soldiers," said the mayor.


    "Reporting to the mayor, the battle is desperate. The opposing ground forces have covered one-third of the distance to the main gate," said the intelligence officer.


    "Tell Dasille that all ground forces will be under his command. I don''t care what he does, but before we lose the main gate, I do not want to see a single enemy infantry approach. Otherwise, tell him to remove his own head from his shoulders," said Mayor Andi.


    "Roger," replied the intelligence officer.


    While the mayor was giving out his command, the empire''s third offensive began. A massive warhead shot out of a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship and slowly flew toward the main gate. The warhead looked extremely familiar to me. Suddenly, I recalled seeing a similar warhead on Lidu, with the difference being that this warhead was much bigger.


    "This is bad! That is a contained explosion guided missile. It is extremely powerful. Can you release the shield to protect the gate?" I roared in alarm.


    "All fighters, concentrate your energy shields and protect the main gate!" commanded Baron Sisse.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, the empire is attacking with a contained explosion warhead. Watch out," I said anxiously to the two.


    "Don''t worry. We will erect our defenses," replied Zhang Bao''er, alleviating some of my worries.


    The warhead slowly approached. Before long, it reached us. By itself, it opened up, aimed at the gate, and produced a pink enclosure around the gate.


    "This is bad. The explosion will be very intense. Have everyone near the main gate pull back!" I roared.


    The order was transmitted quickly, and apart from the fighters, all other weaponry and their personnel started retreating in an orderly fashion. After the enclosed space was produced, the warhead exploded.


    The explosion bloomed like the rose of the death god. The explosion churned and roiled within a radius of less than 30 square meters within the pink enclosed space, magnifying the force of the explosion by at least 50 times.


    Soon, a pink radiance flooded the immediate vicinity of the explosion. The pink radiance was mesmerizing and beautiful, yet it was also capable of turning anything it touched into ashes.


    No matter how strong the steel gate was, there was no resisting an explosion of such power. Thirty fighters released their shields to protect the gate, but the massive explosion kept chipping at their shields. The gate started caving in at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    "This is bad. The gate is going to be blown apart. The fighters need to retreat, or we will lose both the fighters and the pilots," I reminded the mayor anxiously.


    "Order the fighters to retreat in an orderly fashion. Watch out for the explosion," commanded the mayor.


    Even after receiving the order to retreat, the fighters still demonstrated a high level of discipline as they took turns retreating. The fighters retreated one after another, eventually leaving only four fighters behind that were still staunchly resisting the explosion.


    At this point, a massive protrusion had appeared from the side of the gate facing the city. It would be blown apart at any time, but the heavy tanks were still in the process of withdrawing.


    Meanwhile, the four remaining fighters stayed behind resolutely. It was clear that the moment they retreated, the gate would crumble apart. The roughly one dozen heavy tanks remaining would all be pulverized by the explosion. However, if the four fighters did not retreat soon, they would lose the opportunity to do so because the coming explosion would be powerful enough to drown them into it.


    Nobody in the command center issued a command to the four fighters. It wasn''t easy to issue a command to tell someone to sacrifice themselves. Every single weapon and soldier was very important for this war. Nevertheless, the soldiers still had the right to make the call whether they wanted to sacrifice themselves or not.


    The four fighters did not show any signs that they were going to retreat. They continued protecting the gate with their shields. About three minutes later, all the heavy tanks finally finished their withdrawal. The pilots of the four fighters had clearly made their choice. The protrusion on the gate kept growing as the might of the explosion continued to increase within the enclosed space.


    "At this point, they can no longer retreat in time," said Baron Sisse sorrowfully.


    Mayor Andi stood straight and gave the four pilots a silent salute. Everyone in the command center also stopped what they were doing to offer a salute to the four brave heroes. Then, a blinding pink erupted and a thick light beam pushed through, destroying everything in its path.


    A massive hole had been created in the main gate, and the thick energy beam had reduced the four fighters into nothingness. About 10 minutes later, the explosion finally faded. The shockwaves from the explosion had wreaked havoc beyond the gate, destroying numerous buildings and objects in the underground city. Then, with a loud boom, the badly ravaged gate collapsed onto the ground.

 CH 117

    As the gate collapsed loudly, the command center sank into complete silence. Suddenly, we saw on the screen that a tank had rushed out and taken a defensive position behind the gate.


    "Bao''er, is that your tank?" I quickly asked.


    "Of course. The courage of Bluelings is known throughout the universe," said Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    From the screen, we could see the enemy fighters gathering. The fighters participating in this assault appeared to be several times higher in number than in the previous assault.


    "Get all our weaponry in position. We must defend the gate. Hold it as long as possible," I suggested to Mayor Andi.


    "Deploy all the heavy tanks and fighters pulled back previously and send them to the main gate. Hold against this wave of attack at all costs," commanded Mayor Andi.


    All the weaponry and vehicles pulled back previously started moving toward the main gate.


    "Intelligence officer, give me a status update on the damage to our cannons," said Baron Sisse loudly.


    "The rail cannons and laser towers are protected by the city fortifications. Only 20 percent of them were damaged. We have retained almost all our offensive capability," said the intelligence officer.


    "Shoot like your lives depended on it later. Also, I suggest deploying every combat-capable individual to reinforce the front gate. The intelligence officer and Mayor Andi can stay here, while everyone else should pick up their guns and come with me. We will fight until the very last one of us," suggested Baron Sisse to Mayor Andi.


    "The prince commanded me to defend this city for three days. It has only been half a day and the main gate has collapsed. I will give you a mission to hold for two hours, giving the remaining forces enough time to retreat behind the second gate," said Mayor Andi.


    ''All things considered, it looks like the mayor is not stupid. By recalling the ground forces to the second gate and concentrating our military strength to defend it, we can reduce our losses and buy more time,'' I thought.


    "Mayor, with our forces being withdrawn, are we also going to stop interfering with their ground forces?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "The main gate has been broken. There is no longer any strategic value to the interference. Command Dasille to pull all the soldiers back to the second gate and rest the soldiers. Our machines must hold the main gate for two hours. Those not involved in running interference, back up the main gate," commanded Mayor Andi.


    "Roger," replied Baron Sisse loudly.


    I followed the order and took the laser gun off my back as I followed the baron and the other staff members of the command center to the main gate. A vehicle was waiting outside for us. We entered the vehicle and headed toward the main gate.


    Along the way, we saw countless people streaming toward the main gate. Shortly after, we arrived at the assigned defensive position. The place was already filled with reinforcements. There were about 300 of them, and they mostly came from various logistical units. The imperial fighters had yet to attack. They seemed to be preparing themselves for a massive assault to defeat us in one fell swoop.


    "Nobles and soldiers, I won''t say anything pointless. We had all followed the prince to this harsh environment for one reason. Freedom! Now, the Divine Empire has come to conquer us. They want to take our freedom in exchange for our lives. However, we, the followers of the prince, do not care for a comfort that comes at the cost of freedom! Among the vast starry sky, we only want a land of freedom!" roared Baron Sisse.


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    All the soldiers were fired up by his speech, and they started roaring at the top of their lungs.


    "Mayor Andi ordered the 300 of us to hold this position for at least two hours. We need to buy more time for over 2,000 of our comrades-in-arms. If I can''t hold the enemy back before the period is up, I plan to die here. You may use my body as a shield in that case. Buy two hours for the retreating soldiers at all cost!" roared Baron Sisse.


    The soldiers became even more fired up. Their eyes turned red as everyone roared for battle. After the speech, everyone took their defensive positions.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?" Zhang Bao''er''s voice came from my communicator.


    "Yes, clearly. What is it?" I asked.


    "Are you among the 300 Spartans?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. I joined the defensive unit at the main gate. I''m with Baron Sisse," I replied in a low voice.


    Immediately after, the communication channel was flooded with static noise. I didn''t know what Zhang Bao''er was doing.


    "Baron, how many gates does Goldsteel City have?" I asked the baron.


    "There are three main gates. The first two gates cover a large part of the city. The armory and supply are stored behind the second gate. If the second gate falls, we will only have the inner city left. The inner city is also the area housing the city''s power supply and the tunnels leading to Milk City," said Baron Sisse.


    While we spoke, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder from behind. When I turned back, I saw Zhang Bao''er crouched behind me.


    "You! Why did you leave your post to come here? The enemies are attacking soon," I said.


    "I''m going back soon. Take this," said Zhang Bao''er as he gave me my shield device back.


    A warm current wrapped around my heart.


    "Why don''t you use it for yourself?" I asked.


    "Are you stupid? I''m going to be hiding in a tank. I''ll be fine. You need it more," said Zhang Bao''er with a smile.


    I nodded at Zhang Bao''er and said, "I''ll buy you a drink after the battle. Be sure to complete the mission."


    "Definitely," said Zhang Bao''er with a grin before turning and leaving.


    Time passed, but the imperial army was still not attacking. Instead, more and more fighter drones were gathered in front of the main gate, to the point the sky was blotted out. Our ground forces used this precious opportunity to withdraw into the city.


    Without our ground forces running interference, the first wave of the opposing ground forces arrived before the main gate roughly 30 minutes later. And the moment they arrived, the gathered fighter drones launched an intense attack.


    Tens of thousands of them rushed toward the broken gate like a swarm of bees. A hail of red beams was then unleashed. The beams struck the shields of our heavy tanks and bird-shaped fighters, creating intense collisions.


    "Everyone, open fire!" With a command from Baron Sisse, everyone behind the gate started shooting their weapons at the attackers.


    Without the protection of the steel gate, the intense firefight resulted in casualties on both sides. Several heavy tanks around me had their shields pierced through before being blasted by the missiles shot by the fighter drones. Looking at the burning tanks rolling across the ground, I started worrying about Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


    However, the enemy had suffered an even higher number of losses among their fighter drones; over a hundred of them had been struck down from the sky. Unfortunately, the empire had too many fighter drones. Losing hundreds from the tens of thousands they had was akin to a drop of water in the ocean.


    As the fighter drones got increasingly close to breaking through, the imperial ground forces also started their push, not giving us any respite. As far as my eyes could see, imperial soldiers were charging us alongside their heavy tanks.


    The tanks unleashed one artillery shell after another. The shells landed among the defenders, their shockwaves sending many soldiers around me flying away. I madly shot my laser gun at the imperial foot soldiers. My morph-capable shield granted me great protection, but more and more enemies were joining the fight. At this rate, they might be able to charge through the main gate in a few minutes.


    The fighter drones in front of the offensive had already rushed through the gate. The roughly 20 fighters we had left immediately took off from the bunkers to face the invaders. With the help of our fighters, we were about to strike down the vanguard of the enemy, creating intense explosions.


    Baron Sisse adjusted the rail cannons and the laser towers and had them send a concentrated rain of artillery shells and beams toward the main gate, creating a literal wall of bullets. After taking down the fighter drones that had entered the city, the bird-shaped fighters turned around and helped with the defense.


    The concentrated barrage temporarily stopped the fighter drones'' advance, but at that time, their ground forces launched a push. Without the help of our defensive fortifications, there was no way the 300 of us would be able to stop so many enemies.


    Thousands of soldiers mustered in front of the gate before charging forward under the cover of heavy tanks. Our defensive fortifications were focused on dealing with the fighter drones, so the 300 of us would have to pick up the mantle of dealing with the opposing ground forces. By the time we downed several dozen attackers, hundreds of them had managed to reach us.


    And thus, a chaotic melee erupted between the ground forces in the many bunkers. Unfortunately, the imperial army held the absolute numerical advantage. Each of us was essentially facing several of them at the same time.


    An Eternal with ferocious fangs took the chance to jump on me from my side while I was shooting at someone else. Before I could even turn around, my gun was knocked out of my hand by the brute force. The Eternal soldier grabbed my left hand with his right hand and stabbed the dagger in his left hand toward my eye.


    During the moment of crisis, my morph-capable shield displayed its worth, and the red dagger''s descent was stopped several millimeters away from my eye. With some struggle, I reached for the laser pistol strapped to my thigh, drew it, and shot at the Eternal''s stomach.


    Surprisingly, the Eternal soldier''s shield was strong enough to block my shots. Seeing that I had a laser pistol in hand, the Eternal slammed his knee into my hand and then exerted more force with his dagger, attempting to stab through my shield and into my eye.


    The intense struggle pushed me to my limits as I reached my assault rifle with my left-hand finger and unleashed thousands of tracking bullets at the helmet of the Eternal on top of me. The quick and violent shooting caused the Eternal to instinctively cover his eyes with his hands. I took the chance to stick a timed cluster bomb on his body before pushing him off me.


    I scrambled up and dove into a nearby bunker. An oppressive explosion erupted behind me. When I looked back, I saw that the ferocious Eternal soldier had been blasted high into the sky by the cluster bomb.


    I heaved a breath of relief, but before I could do anything else, hundreds of fighter drones came pouring in through the main gate. Clearly, our air perimeter had been broken. It had only been an hour since we were ordered to hold the gate. Three sturdy Eternal soldiers who had seen me blast away their comrade charged toward me, roaring all the way.

 CH 118

    Suddenly, an artillery shell dropped down in front of me and exploded, blasting the three Eternals away. I looked back and saw a heavy tank with a smoking turret behind me.


    "Bao''er, nice timing!" I said in excitement.


    Suddenly, a bright explosion erupted in front of me. The shockwaves tore the turret off the tank. At the same time, I was also sent flying away. After falling heavily onto the ground, I hurriedly looked over and saw that two imperial heavy tanks had fired at the tank behind me, blowing the tank up completely.


    "Bao''er!" I roared as I furiously shot at the tanks with the assault rifle that had been attached to my back, doing little to no damage to them.


    "Canyue, Canyue, where are you? How is the situation over there? We won''t be able to last much longer," Zhang Bao''er''s voice suddenly came from the communicator.


    Only then did I realize that the tank that had helped me wasn''t actually the one piloted by Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, from how things are unfolding, I doubt we can last for two hours. We must retreat immediately, or all our forces will be decimated," said Old Du anxiously.


    I struggled back onto my feet, picked up my gun from the ground, and ran toward Baron Sisse. At the moment, the baron was wrestling two Eternals, their shields colliding violently. I came up behind the Eternals, aimed my gun at the thigh of one of them, turned on the acute pain mode, and pulled the trigger.


    The energy of the gun gathered at a single point, unleashing an impressive amount of destruction powerful enough to pierce through the soldier''s shield. An expression of pain was immediately visible on the soldier''s face. He gripped his thigh in pain and fell onto the ground. I used the same method and helped the baron deal with the other enemy.


    "Baron, we must retreat. Otherwise, our entire army will be decimated," I said.


    "It''s not two hours yet. We can''t leave so easily," said the baron.


    "We need to give Mayor Andi a status update on the battlefield. We also need to know about the progress of the retreat," I suggested to the baron.


    After listening to my suggestion, Baron Sisse immediately contacted Mayor Andi for a quick status update. The bird-shaped fighters were basically almost fully decimated. There were still five of them remaining, trying their very best against the attackers. There were fewer than 15 of our heavy tanks left.


    As for the rail cannons in the outer part of our defensive perimeter, we had basically lost control over them. The entrance to the underground city was filled with countless imperial soldiers and weapons.


    "The retreat has been completed. Mayor Andi ordered us to pull back to the second gate while fighting," said Baron Sisse.


    Having received a new order, the defensive force started pulling back quickly. However, the so-called pulling back while fighting was basically impossible. The suppression from the imperial army turned the orderly withdrawal into a rout.


    The surviving defensive forces rushed toward the second gate. Baron Sisse and I were running behind several heavy tanks at the rear of our army, trying to cover the retreat as best as we could. With the retreat of the defensive force, the fighter drones were able to instantly fill the space around the main gate.


    "That''s it. Let''s retreat as well," said Baron Sisse after striking one more imperial soldier down.


    I started running toward the second gate with the few soldiers that had stayed behind to cover the retreat. Unfortunately, we were nowhere as fast as the fighter drones on our heels. Some of them were already ahead of us, constantly shooting into us. All around me, soldiers were dropping and tanks were exploding.


    Soon, the second gate entered our vision. The gate was slowly being closed. Some of the fighter drones above us flew toward the second gate, but they rammed straight into a thick shield that prevented their entry.


    "Canyue, faster! We''ll be safe after going through the shield," said Baron Sisse as he dragged me along.


    Behind us, the imperial tanks were hot in pursuit, unleashing an unending stream of artillery shells in our direction. One crater after another was left around me as the shells fell. I shared my morph-capable shield with the baron as we struggled to cross the final 200 meters to our destination. Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted behind me. I looked back instinctively and saw that one of the tanks chasing us was burning.


    "Canyue, faster, Old Du and I are covering you," Zhang Bao''er said.


    Only then did I notice that a heavy tank that had entered the safe zone was bombarding the tanks chasing us. Soon, the other tanks and soldiers that had entered the safe zone joined in and provided us with cover fire.


    With everyone''s help, Baron Sisse and I were finally able to reach the safe zone, the second gate closing behind us. Once inside the safe zone, I collapsed onto the ground weakly. That was the longest 200 meters I had ever traveled in my entire life.


    "Canyue, are you fine?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Don''t worry. I''m fine. We need to gather up our forces," I said.


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    "Do a headcount and count the remaining pieces of equipment before drawing up a new defense plan. The second gate''s shield won''t stay up for long," commanded Baron Sisse through the communication channel.


    Having received a new order, the soldiers that had escaped behind the second gate started gathering. Meanwhile, I followed Baron Sisse to the command center.


    "The soldiers in charge of defense have mostly been recalled, but we have suffered disastrous casualties. About a third of our people were lost," reported a military official caked in dirt to the mayor.


    Mayor Andi was silently thinking when he noticed that Baron Sisse and I had entered the command center.


    "Baron, we lost all our rail cannons and other defensive equipment. We still have roughly 1,800 foot soldiers, 5 bird-shaped fighters, and 13 heavy tanks. That''s all," said Mayor Andi as he looked up from his contemplation.


    "We have only completed one-third of the task given to us by the prince. We still have two days left. After losing the first gate and 90 percent of our equipment, the mission will become even harder," said the military official caked in dirt.


    "Team Leader Dasille, I understand how difficult the task is. We can''t afford to think too much right now. Every single one of our plans had failed. We need to immediately erect a new defensive perimeter instead of thinking too much," said Baron Sisse.


    "Team Leader, do what the baron said," commanded Mayor Andi.


    The team leader did not say anything else and left to carry out the order.


    "Mayor Andi, Baron Sisse, you need to see this!" the intelligence officer suddenly shouted.


    We ran toward the screen and saw that the attackers were reassembling their army, preparing for another round of assault.


    "Will they repeat the same trick and use the contained explosion warhead again?" I asked and reminded them at the same time.


    "That seems unlikely. Our second gate is protected by an energy shield. It can repel the formation of an enclosed space. They also won''t take such a risk attacking from a cramped space in front of the second gate," said the intelligence officer.


    "I have an idea. There are two contained explosion warheads in Goldsteel City''s armory," said Mayor Andi.


    "You plan to use it? Using it in such a cramped space will result in massive casualties," said Baron Sisse.


    "We have lost the majority of our equipment. We won''t be able to complete our task if we rely only on our soldiers," said Mayor Andi with a sigh.


    "Mayor, I would advise against it. The contained explosion warhead will work fine against city fortifications, but there is an official pact forbidding the usage of this weapon to massacre regular soldiers," said Baron Sisse.


    "Yes, so many lives will be lost. It will be a great crime," I said.


    "If we launch them, the Divine Empire''s other vassal kingdoms will have an excuse to move against us. We will no longer be viewed as victims," said Baron Sisse.


    "Why do I care about other kingdoms? The Kingdom of Akko is being invaded right now. Where are the other kingdoms? Who among them has lent us a hand?" complained Mayor Andi.


    "I believe the prince is already handling the other kingdoms. However, we can never be the one to turn against the pact and use such a weapon of mass destruction against regular soldiers," Baron Sisse insisted.


    Mayor Andi sank into silence. Meanwhile, the enemy army was gathering rapidly. Numerous weapons were lined in front of the soldiers as they entered their combat formation.


    "I wonder which siege weapon the imperial army will use this time," muttered the intelligence officer.


    "Get 300 people and have them start transporting our ammunition from the armory to the inner city," said Baron Sisse.


    At this time, we saw on the screen that something new was happening. The imperial army suddenly parted as a massive machine slowly advanced. The machine had a peculiar design. It had a massive base, and it was kept hovering in the air thanks to the thrusters installed on it.


    At the front of the machine was some sort of drill made of pure metal. The drill was massive, almost as wide as our second gate. It was obvious what the machine was here for. It was the designated siege machine for the second gate.


    ''Great. The same scene of a city gate being rammed down during a siege from medieval Blue is being repeated on an alien planet. Looks like a siege will be the same regardless of where you go in the universe,'' I remarked inwardly.


    "This is bad. If that thing is allowed to strike the gate, the shield won''t be able to last long," exclaimed Baron Sisse.


    "We must seize the initiative and blast the big fellow apart," said Mayor Andi.


    "The empire named this weapon the shell-breaker. When I was studying in the empire, I learned of it. Its control room is below the middle of its body. If we can get there and destroy the controls, we will be able to disable the machine," said the intelligence officer.


    "Do you know how to get into the shell-breaker?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Yes, all of them use the same password encryption system. I can hack through it, but the entrance will only be big enough for individuals to enter with their weapons," said the intelligence officer.


    "What is your name, intelligence officer?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting, my name is Keji," replied the intelligence officer.


    "Very good. Keji, you''ll lead the way. We will assemble a suicide squad to disable this shell-breaker," commanded Baron Sisse.


    "Will our explosives be strong enough?" I asked.


    "Yes. We only need to toss the explosives into the shell-breaker''s nuclear reactor to destroy its internal system," said Keji.


    "Let''s end our discussion here. We need to get moving. I will form a suicide squad with Keji, Canyue, and two more individuals. Mayor, assign two more soldiers to me," said the baron decisively.


    "Baron, the enemies are starting to erect their defenses around the shell-breaker," Keji shouted.


    We could clearly see from the screen that dozens of drones, my most hated creation, were hovering around the machine. They were utilizing their own shields to form a massive shield around the machine.

 CH 119

    "From what we saw, it will be extremely difficult to actually enter the shell-breaker. The drones have formed a perfect defensive perimeter around it," said Keji in a disheartened manner.


    "Don''t lose your heart. Think. There must be a way," encouraged Baron Sisse.


    "The drones are all around the shell-breaker, but they seem to have left the top wide open. How should we enter from the top? We can''t fly," said Keji.


    "I request to join the squad," a familiar voice rang out. It was Dondon.


    "No, no. This little fellow is a pet. How can he fight a war?" Keji refused.


    "He can fly. He meets your requirements," said Domo.


    "He can fly?" Keji was astonished.


    "Yes. This fellow''s suit is equipped with air fission hover technology. Unlike propulsion-based systems where energy is burned to maintain flight, he can fly over soundlessly. None of the drones will notice his approach," said Domo.


    While we spoke, a loud rumble rang out as the shell-breaker started working on the gate. It collided against the shield, and the force behind the impact was intense. The shield managed to block the drill''s advance, but we could clearly see that the shield was being rapidly drained of energy.


    "We''re running out of time. We need to move immediately. This little fellow will fly to the top, insert the password, and remove the shell-breaker''s personal shield. Have all soldiers open fire at the drones to distract them. The mayor had deployed two soldiers to me. The five of us will take advantage of the chaos to rush to the belly of the shell-breaker," said Baron Sisse.


    "I''ll be waiting for your good news!" said Mayor Andi encouragingly.


    "Shorty, take this. Cover yourself before flying over. Try to keep yourself hidden," said Domo as he tossed the cloak of invisibility to Dondon. At the same time, Keji also handed Dondon the code to access the shell-breaker''s system.


    Dondon nodded with gratitude before accepting the cloak and leaving. The suicide squad followed Dondon and arrived at the defensive perimeter behind the second gate. Team Leader Dasille was truly worthy of being a professional serviceman. In a short time period, he had established a new defensive line.


    The remaining equipment and soldiers had all been assigned to their respective bunkers and defensive positions as they awaited the arrival of the battle. Sounds of the shell-breaker colliding against the gate rang out again and again. Fear could be clearly seen on the faces of the defenders.


    "We need to leave for a suicide mission. How should we leave?" Baron Sisse asked Dasille.


    "There is a tunnel under the gate. You can go through it, and the exit leads to the outside. I will collapse the tunnel after you pass through," said Dasille.


    "Move," Baron Sisse commanded resolutely.


    The suicide squad and Dondon entered the tunnel and prepared to go out and carry out the mission.


    "Canyue, are you and Dondon joining the mission to blow up the shell-breaker?" asked Zhang Bao''er from my communicator.


    "Yes. If we don''t deal with that big fellow, we won''t be able to last three days," I replied.


    "Be careful and come back alive," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Of course!" I replied firmly.


    The suicide squad rapidly moved through the tunnel. At the other end, Keji pushed the lid open. Immediately after, we shot out several explosive shells.


    "Dondon, move immediately. Everyone else, get out of the tunnel and charge. Team Leader Dasille, have everyone open fire and cover us," commanded Baron Sisse.


    Dondon immediately put on the cloak and turned on his fission system before flying out. We all rushed out behind him. It was absolute chaos outside the tunnel. The defenders and the attackers were fiercely exchanging fire, creating numerous multicolored sparks as the shields of both sides were struck continuously.


    Oddly, we discovered that the distant foot soldiers and fighter drones were merely observing the exchange silently. They showed no intention of participating in the battle and were acting as though victory was within their grasp.


    Right after we rushed out, Team Leader Dasille blasted the tunnel and caused it to collapse, severing our road of return. There were about 50 drones protecting the shell-breaker while the shell-breaker was ramming into the second gate with its sharp and thick drill.


    "Rush the shell-breaker''s belly to attract firepower and provide cover for Dondon," ordered Baron Sisse.


    The exit of the tunnel was less than 50 meters away from the shell-breaker.


    "Dondon, please be successful," I prayed inwardly.


    With a red flash, the body of one of the suicide squad members was pierced.


    "This is bad. The Akko shield is not strong enough to withstand the attack from the drones." An ominous feeling rose in my heart.


    The attacks from those behind the second gate had occupied the attention of around 80 percent of the drones, but there were still about 10 of them that had noticed us.


    "Charge with everything you have. Don''t even bother hitting back!" I roared.


    Everyone ran frantically, but surprisingly, the 10 drones actually flew toward us and blocked our advance. To prevent more casualties, I shared my shield with the other three surviving members in the suicide squad. The 10 drones opened fire on us right in front of our faces. Only then did I notice that I had less than 10 hours remaining on my energy supply.


    "Dondon, are you done? We''re almost there," I asked through the communicator.


    No reply came from the communicator. However, we weren''t in a situation where we could stop and think. We could only continue rushing forward. With great difficulty, we pushed ahead. When we were only 10 meters away from our target, a drone actually charged toward me.


    I fired a cluster bomb at the drone, resulting in a blinding explosion. Surprisingly, the drone wasn''t protected by a shield and was struck down. I instantly realized something.


    "Shoot these drones down! They are without protection after extending their shields to cover the shell-breaker!" I yelled.


    Keji and Baron Sisse immediately aimed and shot at the drones with their rayguns. Due to how close the drones were, the rayguns that were notorious for their poor accuracy were able to deal massive damage to the drones. We were able to destroy all 10 drones that had come to stop us. With the destruction of these drones, I saw an opening appear on the red outer shield around the drones protecting the shell-breaker.


    "Take this chance! Go! Go! Go!" I roared.


    We lowered our guns and made the final sprint to our target.


    "Dondon, please be successful!" I prayed.


    A few seconds later, we charged through the defensive line formed by the drones and arrived below the shell-breaker.


    "That little fellow succeeded!" Baron Sisse exclaimed in excitement.


    "Where is the entrance? Take us in!" I said urgently to Keji.


    I glanced at the distant enemies. Oddly, they continued watching on, not intending to assist the shell-breaker.


    "The entrance is here!" pointed Keji excitedly.


    There was a small opening at the belly of the shell-breaker. Keji pried out a small keyboard from behind the opening and entered a password. A ladder then dropped down.


    As it came down, Dondon''s voice sounded, "Canyue, I''m in the control room. There is no one in here and a bunch of equipment. Come quickly."


    The team rushed through the entrance. After we entered, the ladder withdrew and the opening closed behind us. Meanwhile, the drones were still busy exchanging fire with the city defense. They had not noticed our arrival. We followed Keji through the body of the shell-breaker and soon reached the control room. Dondon was already there taking records of the machine.


    There was a massive window in the control room providing a panoramic view around the shell-breaker. We could see that the massive drill had already pierced through the shield and was now ramming the second gate itself.


    "Baron, our communication seems to be cut in here. I can''t contact Team Leader Dasille to stop firing," reported Keji.


    "Nothing we can do about it. Look for the nuclear reactor first. We''ll think of our next plan after destroying this big guy," said Baron Sisse.


    With yet another rumble, a small corner of the gate collapsed.


    "We''re running out of time. Keji, have you found the reactor?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Found it! Here!" Keji replied.


    I ran over and saw him opening a shut door. Beneath the door was a room filled with heavy water.


    "This must be it," I said and threw two high-energy cluster bombs into the room.


    Keji immediately shut the door, and we all took cover in a corner of the control room. With another loud rumble, one-third of the second gap collapsed.


    "Shit! We don''t have enough time. The gate will fall with one more ram," said Baron Sisse.


    Once again, the shell-breaker''s drill pulled back before it began to swing toward the gate. Immediately, the control room shook violently. The cluster bombs had exploded, creating chaos in the reactor. The shell-breaker suddenly lost its energy supply. In fact, the explosion shook the massive drill out of its path. The shell-breaker went still with its energy supply, stopping just before the opening it had created in the gate.


    "We did it!" Keji roared in excitement.


    I collapsed weakly onto the ground. Our series of actions had been too intense and was extremely draining mentally. Baron Sisse also lay on the ground beside me. He was gasping for breath and was probably as nervous as I was.


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    "Baron, the enemy ground forces are making a move," said a different member of the suicide squad.


    I struggled back up and looked out the window. Sure enough, the imperial foot soldiers and tanks were starting to approach the broken shell-breaker.


    "Retreat now, or we''ll be surrounded!" I said.


    Everyone ran back along the same path we had entered. We followed Keji through the winding tunnels in the shell-breaker, but for some reason, we did not reach the exit even after a long while.


    "What''s going on? We only took a minute when we came in," I asked.


    "Seems like the internal structure has changed due to the explosion at the reactor. The exit has disappeared. We''re trapped here," said Keji.


    "Shit. We''re trapped without any means to send a message out. We have basically locked ourselves in a metal cage," said Baron Sisse anxiously.


    "I finally understand why the other imperial soldiers had not done anything earlier. This entire thing is bait waiting for us," I said.


    "Are you saying that they had deliberately let us enter the shell-breaker?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Yes. We won''t be able to leave after entering," I said.


    "I did not expect the Eternals to be so treacherous!" cursed Keji.


    "But what I don''t understand is what they hope to accomplish with this. Trapping the few of us here won''t help them at all. We''re not worth the siege machine they sacrificed to catch us," I muttered.


    "Little fellow, where did you enter from earlier?" asked Keji.


    "I used your code and found an entrance at the top. However, that exit had also vanished," said Dondon.


    While we spoke, we suddenly felt our surroundings shake. It was as though the shell-breaker was suddenly moving backward.

 CH 120

    "What''s going on? I thought this big guy was disabled? Why is it moving again?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Looks like there''s no way out for us. Let''s return to the control room and take a better look around us," I suggested.


    The group followed my suggestion and returned to the control room. The horrifying scene we had expected to see appeared before us. Two thick steel chains were attached to the two sides of the shell-breaker. The two chains were connected to two Milky Way battleships. The two battleships were slowly dragging us toward an odd-looking place farther away from the city gate.


    Beyond the damaged gate, right beside the precipitous mountain cliff, the imperial army had created an unusual zone. A constantly rotating sphere that looked like a black hole hovered in the air. Within the sphere, dark green lava roiled and churned, looking like the nuclear fusion that would generally happen in stars.


    "Good heavens. What is that?" Dondon exclaimed in alarm.


    "No idea. I''ve never seen or read about it in history books before," said Baron Sisse.


    "Gate of hell," I muttered in stupefaction.


    "Advisor Canyue, you saw this before? What weapon is this?" asked Keji.


    "No, I merely feel like this is a gate to hell. They are clearly trying to bring us to a different space to burn us alive," I replied.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in alarm.


    "Canyue, that looks rather similar to a time door. At the other end is the core of a star," said Dondon.


    "No matter where this gate leads to, it is definitely a terrifying place," I said helplessly.


    "Looks like all of us are going to die here. I did not expect the enemy to actually trap and destroy us like this. Such cruelty in war goes against the imperial pact," said Baron Sisse with a sigh.


    The shell-breaker was slowly dragged toward the gate of hell, our approach akin to a countdown to our departure from the world of the living. Without access to our communication channel, we weren''t even able to know what was happening outside. However, I did notice that the two parties had stopped attacking each other.


    What I couldn''t understand was why the empire needed to come up with such a complicated plan to kill nobodies like us. The rotating gate of hell was becoming closer and closer. Even through the steel, I could feel the scorching heat coming from the space beyond the gate. Eventually, the shell-breaker was less than 10 meters from the gate of hell.


    "I am honored to have gotten the chance to fight alongside everyone. If there is a next life, I hope I''ll get the chance to fight beside everyone again," said Baron Sisse emotionally.


    I hugged Dondon and waited silently for the end to come. Suddenly, the shell-breaker stopped moving. We were all in disbelief, but the big guy had truly stopped right in front of the time door.


    "What''s happening now?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, look. The city gate is opening," said Keji in excitement.


    Everyone stood up and looked outside the window. We could see the second gate slowly opening up. An inconceivable scene appeared next, one that I could not comprehend. A group of Akko soldiers marched out with Zhang Bao''er, Domo, and Old Du as prisoners.


    The soldiers continued walking forth, and from their behavior, some sort of exchange seemed to be taking place. In a few minutes, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were handed over by the Akko soldiers.


    "What are those three doing?" I wondered.


    "How can they be handed to the Eternals like bargaining chips?" said Dondon, who was as confused as me.


    And a few minutes later, I heard the sound of the shell-breaker''s door being opened. Immediately after, Zhang Bao''er, Domo, Old Du, and several imperial soldiers appeared before us.


    "What''s happening? Why did you guys¡­?" I asked, unable to believe what I was seeing.


    "Zhang Bao''er got anxious when he saw you on the verge of being incinerated," said Old Du.


    "What world-shaking feat have you done this time?" I asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Lord envoys, the emperor decreed that we need to ensure your safety. As an exchange, we will agree to a ceasefire of 12 hours," said an imperial official.


    I was utterly confused. Just as I was about to ask more, I saw Zhang Bao''er frantically signal me with his eyes. I immediately shut my mouth and followed them out of the shell-breaker.


    Dasille and a few Akko soldiers were waiting outside. They visibly grew excited when they saw Baron Sisse. I did not know the real reason for the ceasefire, but it was still a good chance to bring some calm and peace to the soldiers who had been fighting for so long.


    The imperial soldier did not even attempt to stop Baron Sisse and the other two members of the suicide squad from leaving, allowing them to leave with Dasille. Suddenly, Baron Sisse turned back and called my name.


    I stepped forth to meet him as he walked toward me as well. He whispered in my ears, "Do not help the empire plot against us, or I will have to retaliate regardless of how unwilling I am."


    "Don''t worry. I, Li Canyue, am not a person who will do anything unjust," I replied firmly.


    Then, I followed Zhang Bao''er, Domo, and Old Du toward the imperial army''s square formation with Dondon in tow. Everything had changed too quickly. Just earlier, we were still fighting bitterly against the imperial soldiers. Suddenly, we had become lord envoys again. I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around the sudden change.


    We followed the eternal soldiers out of the first gate. There, a shuttle was waiting for us. After we entered the shuttle, it took off and flew toward outer space. Before the shuttle had taken off, I had taken a final glance at the gate of hell that was still slowly rotating in the air. The fear I had felt earlier still lingered in my heart.


    "Bao''er, what exactly did you do?" I finally asked, no longer able to hold my curiosity.


    "The empire threatened the mayor, asking for their surrender in exchange for not burning you to death," said Old Du.


    "There is a rule among Prince Gede''s army. They are not allowed to watch and do nothing as one of their own is being killed. They must try to help. I had learned this from a conversation I had eavesdropped on," said Domo.


    ''No wonder the Eternals tried to capture several soldiers alive. They are making use of that rule to force a surrender,'' I thought.


    "Because of that rule, historically, the prince''s soldiers are very rarely kept as captives. But this time, Mayor Andi refused to trade for your lives. He wished to continue fighting," said Old Du.


    "The mayor did nothing wrong. We are merely normal soldiers on a suicide mission. Why should our lives take precedence over an entire city? If that happens, how should we face the soldiers that have sacrificed bravely for the city?" I was starting to get furious.


    "Yes, Mayor Andi was right, but Bao''er grew anxious when he saw that you were going to die. In fact, even I became anxious," said Old Du.


    "Same here," Domo quickly added.


    "Bao''er and I rushed into the command center. Bao''er then confessed his identity as the imperial envoy. He also hoped to let the empire know that you were also on the shell-breaker. He asked for an audience with the emperor using our identities as envoys," said Old Du.


    I calmed down upon hearing that. It did not seem like Bao''er had done anything he shouldn''t have, after all.


    "Mayor Andi agreed with Bao''er''s suggestion and communicated with the imperial soldiers. The Eternals immediately contacted the emperor and were given permission to agree to the request. Thus, we were able to save you, the baron, and the others in time," said Old Du.


    "At the time, Dondon and I were trapped in the shell-breaker with no way to receive any update from outside. That was why we were completely confused. So we''re now on our way to meet the emperor?" I asked.


    "Yes. We have a ceasefire of 12 hours. During that period, we can have a good talk with the emperor," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "Have you decided on what you will tell him?" I asked.


    "Nope. How the hell am I supposed to know what to tell the emperor?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You! Why did you demand an audience with the emperor, then?" I asked helplessly.


    "I did it to save you guys. In any case, with your eloquence, we can just let you talk to the emperor," said Zhang Bao''er, directly assigning me a new task.


    In truth, I was rather gratified at Bao''er''s ability to make a quick decision to save us and buy 12 hours of ceasefire without crossing any lines.


    With a thud, the shuttle docked somewhere. Unknowingly, the shuttle had left the planet while we were talking. The door opened, and we saw the familiar face of Captain Wesex waiting for us.


    "Lord envoys, welcome back. His Majesty awaits," said Captain Wesex with a smile.


    "The emperor had personally come to Akko?" I asked in astonishment.


    "No. The emperor had ordered us to send your group to the imperial palace on the Starpath," said Captain Wesex.


    "I thought battleships weren''t allowed to enter the capital planet?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "It''s wartime. All laws can be changed during war. Lord envoys, please be seated. We will be initiating wormhole travel immediately," said Captain Wesex.


    Everything unfolded as usual, and a few minutes later, we had been brought far away from the battlefield, and Betelgeuse entered our vision. About 20 minutes later, I arrived at a small courtyard in front of the emperor''s room. Master Wind was waiting for me.


    The mood of the place had turned much more solemn compared to my previous visit. Four sturdy Gandos could be seen in the courtyard, and numerous high-ranked imperial police officers were standing guard all over the courtyard. As usual, we took off our equipment and followed Master Wind into the room.


    "Master, how is the emperor feeling? Who is the actual aggressor in this war?" I whispered to Master Wind.


    Master Wind stopped walking.


    "The emperor''s thoughts have always been mysterious and unfathomable. It is completely unexpected that he would agree to a ceasefire of 12 hours just to meet you. This is also the source of my worry. During your audience, do not speak lightly. Focus more on listening," said Master Wind.


    I nodded before continuing onward. I felt my eyes being dazzled the moment I stepped inside the room. In front of us, the emperor was seated on a throne with shining, delicately designed purple armor, looking incomparably heroic.


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 CH 121

    "Welcome back to Eternal, envoys," greeted the emperor cordially.


    "Thank you for giving them a ceasefire of 12 hours, Your Majesty. Too many innocent lives have been lost from this war," I said.


    Master Wind quickly gave me a series of eye signals, reminding me that I had spoken too much.


    "Envoys, I only have one question. Do you have any blood in your hands?" the emperor suddenly questioned.


    Everyone sank into silence, except Domo who meekly said, "The fighter drones do not bleed."


    "I am aware of everything you have done. Half of your companions are still staying with the rebels even now, harming the lives of imperial soldiers. That alone qualifies them for capital punishment," said the emperor sternly.


    I broke out in a cold sweat. It did not seem like this audience would end favorably for us. As the emperor grew furious, four Gando warriors entered and stood guard at the two sides of the room. Each Gando warrior held a different weapon as they stood, filling the room with an oppressive atmosphere.


    "Emperor. I have a question. Was the league the one to attack first or was the empire the one to attack Akko first?" Zhang Bao''er decided to ask a straightforward question when he saw that I wasn''t saying anything.


    The emperor looked at Zhang Bao''er coldly and replied, "Does that matter? Why don''t you tell me who the fleet of 1,500 battleships hovering outside Lidu belongs to?"


    The emperor''s eloquence left us speechless.


    "There must be a reason for you to agree to a ceasefire of 12 hours to meet us. What can we do for you? Please tell us," Old Du finally said after staying silent for quite a while.


    The emperor seemed to much appreciate what Old Du said.


    "It''s still the Gliesens who are more pragmatic about war. Since I am willing to agree to a ceasefire, I am naturally the one wishing for peace," said the emperor with a straight face. Of course, nobody believed a word.


    "Please enlighten us, Your Majesty," said Old Du.


    "Three legions of my Northstar Army are trapped on Lidu. I am willing to trade the Akko captives I have with the three legions. As for Lidu itself, I don''t care. However, the league will not be allowed to plant a military base right at our doorsteps," said the emperor.


    "So you mean that you want to trade the Akko captives for the league''s withdrawal?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. I believe it is a fair trade," said the emperor.


    "How about the Akko army? Do they need to retreat as well?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I can end the battle on Akko and even let King Xido stay on the throne. However, Akko must remain a part of the empire. That is non-negotiable," said the emperor.


    ''See, I knew this fellow wouldn''t meet us without a reason,'' I thought to myself.


    "Emperor, I understand what you want. However, you seem to have overestimated our abilities. We are nobodies in the league. None of them care about us," said Old Du.


    "Gliesens are truly a pragmatic race," praised the emperor.


    He then nodded at one of the Gandos before fishing out a scroll and handing it to Master Wind.


    Master Wind accepted the scroll and started reading from it, "As decreed by the emperor, Li Canyue is hereby appointed as the representative of the Divine Empire for the peace talks with the Interstellar League. He shall be representing the empire in all matters related to the ceasefire between the Divine Empire and the Interstellar League."


    After Master Wind finished reading the edict, a Gando warrior walked in with two familiar faces.


    "General Edward, why are you here?" Old Du exclaimed in astonishment.


    The people brought in by the Gando were none other than General Edward of the Interstellar League and his daughter, Kelly.


    "I never expected us to meet again in such a circumstance. This is truly a peculiar meeting," said General Edward with a smile.


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    Looking at the general and his daughter, who were both tied up in thin transparent strings, I couldn''t help but feel rather sad.


    "Alright. This is not a place to catch up with old friends. General Edward was supposed to be the best candidate to represent us in the peace talk, but the general refused. I respect his courage. He would rather sacrifice his daughter than work toward peace for even more people," said the emperor.


    "You did not make the offer for peace. You only wanted to free your three legions trapped there," said General Edward.


    "You can''t say that, General. The Akko army is rather strong as well. In fact, they had just created a miraculous result of defeating five imperial units for every one of their own units. I am merely trying to achieve peace and protect more lives," said the emperor, maintaining the grace of a monarch.


    "The Interstellar League will not engage in exchanging prisoners with terrorists. We will rely on our strength to save them. Justice can never mingle with evil," said General Edward resolutely.


    "Hehe, you actually claim to be on the side of justice? What if King Xido is the one requesting to have this prisoner exchange to get his soldiers back?" said the emperor coldly with his voice lowered.


    "We won''t agree no matter who''s asking. I know the league well. We will never negotiate with invaders," replied General Edward unyieldingly.


    "Good. Very good. Only an opponent like this will make things interesting. Li Canyue, as our representative in this peace talk, I will let the general''s daughter go with you. If the talk fails, you may return. I will execute the general and destroy Planet Akko, erasing both of them from existence," said the emperor ruthlessly. He then turned to leave before any of us could say anything.


    Just as the emperor was about to leave the room, I yelled loudly, "I will never help an ambitious warmonger like you!"


    The moment I said those words, the entire room sank into silence. Nobody dared to make a noise, and I could see Master Wind''s hands tremble. The emperor stopped walking. He turned around and leveled a sharp gaze at me. His gaze felt like a sharp blade slicing through my body.


    After a while, the emperor coldly said, "Early morning tomorrow, execute all these people and melt their ship. I do not want to see any signs of their prior existence in the universe."


    After giving the cruel order, the emperor turned and left.


    The four Gandos stepped forth. Without our equipment, we were completely helpless. We were all captured. Master Wind sighed as he shook his head in silence. We were all escorted out of the room. Outside, a steel prisoner shuttle was waiting.


    "Guardian Wind, where do we send these people?" asked an imperial official.


    Master Wind gave it some thought and said, "Where is their ship?"


    "The ship has been disarmed. It''s currently parked at the smelting center outside the palace," said the official.


    "Send them to their ship. His Majesty decreed that they are to be destroyed together with their ship early tomorrow morning," said Master Wind before moving forth to board the shuttle.


    "Guardian Wind, please wait. His Majesty decreed that we will be enough to escort them. You don''t need to trouble yourself with this task," said a Gando warrior as his arm reached out to block Master Wind''s advance.


    Master Wind could only stop helplessly and watch as the four Gando warriors and a group of imperial policemen escorted us onto the shuttle.


    When I met Master Wind''s gaze, I gave him a firm nod. I did not regret my choice. I also believed that Zhang Bao''er and Old Du would understand my choice. I could not facilitate this trade and save the lives of the invaders. That would only result in more loss of life in the future. Perhaps Master Wind understood my thoughts. He also gave me a firm nod.


    The shuttle started traveling toward the smelting center outside the palace. In a few minutes, we reached our destination. When the door opened, a black world of fire appeared before our eyes. This place seemed like a place the empire used to dispatch their trash. In the middle of the field, Fearless was parked silently.


    "Fearless!" Dondon was unable to stop himself from calling out at the ship.


    The ship before us had been completely stripped of its weapons. Imperial police surrounded the ship, and several tanks were also present. In the air, four drones could be seen constantly patrolling around.


    "Looks like that bastard emperor is still afraid of us even when we''re completely unarmed if he has such tight security for just the few of us," sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    An imperial policeman stepped forth and asked the Gando warriors, "Where do we lock these people?"


    "His Majesty decreed that early morning tomorrow, these prisoners and their ship will be smelted. Is this ship still capable of launching any attacks?" asked the Gando warrior.


    "All the weapons and energy sources for its engine system have been stripped. This spaceship is completely harmless now," replied the imperial police.


    ''Looks like General Edward was right. The emperor has always been harboring bad intentions. He had had our way out blocked long ago,'' I thought.


    "In that case, lock them all in their own cargo bay. Have 20 imperial guards keep watch on the ship. The other Gandos and I will patrol outside the ship. No mistake can be made," said the Gando warrior.


    "Roger," replied the imperial police.


    Twenty imperial guards immediately stepped forth and escorted us into the cargo bay.


    The interior of Fearless had been thoroughly ruined by the imperial police. Many of the machines were torn down and destroyed. Seeing the destruction on a ship that had been our home for a long time, everyone was furious.


    After going through numerous checkpoints, we finally reached Fearless''s cargo bay. Everything of value had been removed from it, leaving only some worthless food that not even the imperial police was bothered with moving. After pushing us inside, they locked the door and left four armed guards to keep watch outside.


    "Looks like there won''t be any miracle this time," said Old Du with a smile, something he would rarely do.


    "This transaction is a complete loss. Not only am I losing money, but I''m also losing my life," complained Domo.


    I smiled at everyone and said, "This is our final night. Let''s talk about something happy."

 CH 122

    "Those bastards didn''t even bother undoing the strings for us. This is too uncomfortable," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    I suddenly noticed General Edward and Kelly sitting silently on the ground. A thought rose in me that I should perhaps try to console them.


    "My apologies, General. Like you, I can''t agree to help the emperor with the negotiations," I said.


    "Child, you made the right choice. Even if the league agrees to release the three legions, there will still be a war. In fact, with the three legions around, more lives will be lost," said General Edward.


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    "Father, it''s my fault. I was the one who got you into this trouble," said Kelly, who had been silent.


    "Foolish child, what are you talking about? If I go back in time, I will still make the same choice," said General Edward.


    "What happened to the two of you?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "At the defensive line outside Planet Akko, thousands of imperial battleships suddenly appeared to attack our fleet. Due to their numerical advantage, we weren''t able to resist and were forced to retreat. Duke Yidon ordered someone to cover the retreat, and I volunteered," said Kelly.


    "Shouldn''t General Edward be responsible for the command of multiple ships? How can he personally remain to cover the rear?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "The league deployed five Zeus-class battleships and 20 Poseidon-class battleships to cover the rear. However, the enemy instantly surrounded us with overwhelming firepower. We were able to hold them back for an hour, completing our mission after losing 60 percent of our ships," said Kelly.


    "At the time, the league had ordered those covering the rear to withdraw. However, the imperial fleet made use of the encirclement to lock them out of their wormholes. As a response, the league organized a rescue operation for them," said General Edward.


    "My father volunteered to lead the rescue operation. However, he was ambushed by 30 imperial battleships and was captured. As for the group in charge of covering the rear, we were also captured after exhausting all our ammunition," said Kelly.


    "If you had not volunteered to lead the rescue operation, you wouldn''t be in such a hopeless situation," I said with a sigh.


    "Yes. Brigadier General Angela was the initial candidate to lead the rescue operation," said Kelly.


    "I heard that the command center in the royal palace had retreated into the underground palace after we left?" asked General Edward.


    "Yes. Prince Toruse provided cover when King Xido, Duke Yidon, Zhang Xingxing, and the rest retreated into the underground palace," I said.


    General Edward looked consoled after hearing that. We talked late into the night. Due to the lack of windows in the cargo bay, we could only rely on the small opening on the door to observe the four imperial soldiers standing guard on full alert.


    The people tied up in the cargo bay had calmed down by now. However, none had fallen asleep. Everyone was seated silently while their minds wandered off. Dondon was the sole exception, as even with his hands tied up, he could still tear open a pack of crackers and chew on them silently.


    "Canyue, do you think Master Wind will help us?" whispered Old Du.


    "I believe Master Wind is under monitoring. It will be very difficult for him to help us, especially with four Gandos who are even bigger than the black and white Gandos outside," I said.


    "Are we going to just sit here and wait to die?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "With no weapons, how do we retaliate? Can you fire shockwaves out of your palm?" I asked him.


    "No, I can''t. Neither can our mascot nor the dwarf. Looks like we can only wait for our deaths," said Zhang Bao''er gloomily.


    "No matter what, us brothers are still together until the end," I said.


    We might be trying to console each other, but there was no changing the downcast mood everyone was in. Divine Empire''s nights had a length of 24 hours, so it felt endless. Gradually, I could no longer resist the call of sleep as I sat blankly on the ground. I lay down and shut my eyes.


    In my sleep, I dreamed of returning to my homeland, the beautiful Blue. I dreamed of having dinner with my father and my mother. After dinner, I lay on my cozy bed and enjoyed the shower of the silvery white moon in blissful peace.


    Mother had made a new comfortable pillow for me. It felt good to lean against the soft pillow. As I lay on my bed, I wondered why war existed in the universe. Why wouldn''t all lives coexist peacefully?


    In the dream, the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I was unable to restrain myself from brandishing my arms in fury. While venting my anger, I saw my new pillow move suddenly. The odd scene immediately roused me from my sleep.


    I could see that everyone else had also fallen asleep. Kelly was leaning against General Edward''s shoulder as she slept. Zhang Bao''er was snoring loudly. Dondon still had a piece of a cracker in his mouth when he fell asleep. This group of kind individuals would soon face the cruel execution ordered by the emperor, losing their lives.


    I leaned against the pillow my mother made. It was warm and snug. I hoped to never wake up from this dream. Suddenly, I realized that I should already be awake while the pillow should be an item in my dream. But now, I could clearly feel a soft and warm pillow at the back of my head.


    I sat up in shock. I turned my head and saw that at the spot where my head had been resting, a dark green transparent fellow could be seen. The fellow still had the familiar-looking adhesive bandage stuck on its belly, with a red light shining from below the bandage.


    "Bulu!" I had to stop myself from screaming.


    Bulu suddenly jumped onto my shoulder before rubbing against my face with its body.


    "You! I knew you wouldn''t listen. Why did you escape from Amoeba?" I grumbled inwardly.


    I knew Bulu could actually hear my thoughts. This little fellow was extremely capable in telepathy. Upon hearing my words, the substance within Bulu started flowing rapidly. I suddenly had a bright idea. I described our current situation with Bulu through my thoughts.


    I could see the red substance within Bulu''s body suddenly shining brightly. I felt someone prodding my back. When I turned around, I saw that Old Du had awakened.


    "Canyue, look at this," said Old Du in a low voice.


    We silently went toward the observation window on the door. The four imperial guards were still standing guard on full alert. I shook my head at Old Du.


    "Canyue, look properly. Look at their eyes," said Old Du in the same low voice.


    I immediately looked at their eyes, and sure enough, something seemed off about them. The four guards were staring at the door without even blinking. However, the expression in their eyes looked empty, and their bodies were also completely still.


    "They''re not blinking at all. It almost looks like they''re under control," I said joyfully.


    "Yes, it must be Bulu controlling them with his telepathy," said Old Du.


    "Bulu, well done, little fellow!" I praised.


    The red light in Bulu''s body bloomed in praise. Then, something astonishing happened. One of the guards stood up, walked over, and started opening the door. The sound of the door opening woke everyone up. Old Du immediately signaled everyone to stay silent. Zhang Bao''er instantly noticed Bulu on my shoulder and understood what was happening. Excitement covered his face.


    "I thought we left this little fellow on Amoeba? Did it fly off the planet?" whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, this little fellow had been following me," I replied.


    "Well done. I have always known that you have remarkable luck, Canyue. With your luck, you won''t die here. See, the heavens never fully bar one''s way," said Zhang Bao''er as he grew more and more excited thinking about our imminent escape.


    An even more bizarre scene appeared. The imperial guard walked inside after opening the door and removed the string around my hands, shocking the general and his daughter.


    "When did you bribe these guards?" asked Kelly doubtfully.


    "I planted a spy here 18 years ago," bluffed Zhang Bao''er while helping untie Old Du.


    I walked over and helped the father and daughter out of their bindings as I said, "Let''s leave first. I''ll explain later."


    When I was undoing the bindings, Kelly noticed Bulu on my shoulder.


    "Canyue, what monster do you have on your shoulder?" exclaimed Kelly in shock.


    "This is not a monster. This is our friend. Its name is Bulu, and it is helping us," I replied.


    Kelly had an incredulous look as she reached out to touch Bulu. Bulu seemed frightened as it immediately jumped to my other shoulder. Soon, everyone was untied.


    "Canyue, we should take off their shields and rayguns," said Old Du.


    Old Du, Bao''er, Kelly, and I put on the guards'' uniforms. Dondon promptly jumped into Zhang Bao''er''s backpack.


    "General, we''ll start our escape," I said to the general and handed a ray-pistol to him.


    "Good. Children, you guys probably know this place very well. I noticed four security points with patrols when we were brought in. In addition to 20 guards, there are 16 guards spread over the security points. We need to clear the security points quietly," said General Edward.


    When I listened to the general''s words, I couldn''t help but feel respect for his ability to study his surroundings even when he was in such a plight. It seemed like the general had never given up on escaping.


    "I know this place well. The bend 20 meters ahead of us is the staircase leading to the middle level. There is probably a security point there," said Dondon from Zhang Bao''er''s backpack. Both his front limbs were resting atop Zhang Bao''er''s shoulders.


    I nodded at Dondon before saying to Bulu, "Bulu, we''ll be relying on you."


    Zhang Bao''er and Dondon took the lead ahead of the group. Together, we approached the security point. When we reached the bend, Zhang Bao''er leaned over to take a look at the security point. He then stood up and started walking straight forward without bothering to hide.


    ''What is this fellow doing?'' I wondered as I quickly followed him.


    Only then did I notice that the four guards stationed at the security point were all lying on the ground, blissfully snoring away.


    I couldn''t help but praise, "Well done, Bulu!"


    I finally understood why the emperor had tried so hard to obtain the ability of Bulu''s species. A single small Bulu was already so powerful in telepathy. What if this ability could be given to the beasts we saw in Prophet Nomo''s recordings? Would there still be anywhere safe in the universe?


    The general and Domo were finally also equipped with shields and heavy weapons.


    "The exit is up there. There are two sections on the middle level. Both paths are interconnected, and each path is visible from the other. The two security points there will be able to reinforce each other," said Dondon.


    "Bulu, can your telepathy control the two groups at once?" I asked.


    The red light in Bulu''s body dimmed. I could understand that Bulu wouldn''t be able to control two teams at once.


    "We need to think of a way to deal with the two security points at the same time," said Old Du.

 CH 123

    "We can pretend to be guards and distract one of the teams while Bulu controls the other team," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s a good idea. I''ll go with Bulu and deal with one team. Old Du and Bao''er, you''ll deal with the other team," I said.


    We started moving according to our plan. Zhang Bao''er and Old Du first tied up the unconscious guards and covered their mouths. I placed Bulu into my backpack. When everyone was ready, we went up the staircase. At the middle level, I walked straight to the team stationed midway to the cockpit. There were four guards in the team. Three of them were dozing off, leaving only one of them to keep watch.


    "Soldier, why are you here? Are you not afraid that your superior will punish you?" the soldier asked in astonishment when he saw me.


    Immediately after, the guard stood frozen. He had fallen under Bulu''s control. The three sleeping guards were also easily placed under Bulu''s control. After dealing with the four guards, I quickly looked at the other side. Things seemed even more straightforward for Zhang Bao''er and the others. They simply knocked the four guards unconscious before tying them up.


    So far, everything was progressing smoothly for us. After dealing with the two security points, our next target was the cockpit. Everyone gathered up. Just as we were about to draw a plan to take the cockpit, the sound of a door opening rang out followed by heavy footsteps.


    "Gando," Old Du exclaimed.


    We did not expect the Gando to suddenly patrol inside the ship at this moment. The mood turned nervous. We could no longer think too much. The general, Dondon, and Domo quickly worked on pushing our captured guards into a side room. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, Kelly, and I immediately pretended to be the guards stationed at this security point.


    In less than a minute, a sturdy Gando warrior appeared from the passageway, dragging a massive club behind him. The friction between the club and the floor was incredibly loud, causing us to shiver involuntarily.


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    The warrior''s gaze landed on the four of us who were standing at attention. He rolled his eyes and said, "What a surprise. There are actually Eternals stupid enough to keep watch instead of dozing off?"


    We did not know what to say, so we remained silent because we were afraid that we would expose ourselves the moment we spoke.


    Perhaps noticing that we were acting slightly off, the Gando warrior suddenly said, "Darkness persists on the far Planet Divine."


    ''Shit, that must be some sort of code,'' I exclaimed inwardly.


    "There is no water on Planet Eternal," Zhang Bao''er replied after an awkward silence.


    We helplessly laughed at the reply, while an odd expression appeared on the Gando''s face as he stared at Zhang Bao''er with his white eyes. After several seconds, the Gando slowly lifted his club in preparation to bash Zhang Bao''er''s head down. I immediately aimed my raygun at the Gando. In an odd turn of events, the Gando suddenly froze while lifting his club.


    "Bulu!" I exclaimed.


    I immediately took my backpack off and looked inside. I found Bulu shining brightly like a sun while the substance within its body moved rapidly in a straight line. The Gando''s body was slightly trembling, as though the Gando was trying to shake off Bulu''s control.


    On the ground, Bulu shone brighter and brighter, looking like it was trying its best to deal with the Gando. Everyone was stunned by the exchange. We watched silently as the exchange continued for about 10 minutes. At that point, the Gando''s body was trembling harder and harder.


    ''Shit. The Gando is too strong. Bulu won''t be able to last much longer. I need to help it,'' I thought anxiously.


    The Gando''s thick white armor gave the Gando excellent protection, leaving no opening I could take advantage of. Suddenly, my gaze landed on the Gando''s white eyes.


    "Dondon, come here," I said.


    Dondon ran over from the side room.


    "See the eyes of that Gando? Climb up his body and cover his eyes," I said.


    "I doubt we can get close enough to him. His armor is probably equipped with a shield," said Dondon.


    "I believe he hadn''t even gotten the chance to turn on his shield before he was frozen," I said as I tried sending a kick at the Gando.


    My kick connected, proving that the Gando''s shield wasn''t on. Dondon immediately took out some adhesive bandages from his bag and climbed up the Gando''s body before covering the Gando''s eyes. The moment the Gando''s eyes were covered, I saw the red light in Bulu''s body dim considerably.


    Any living being would instinctively feel fear after losing vision, resulting in a drop in willpower. That was the same for the Gando. Slowly, the blinded Gando became incapable of resisting. He slowly lowered his raised club and gradually sat down on the ground. Old Du and Zhang Bao''er rushed forth to grab the massive club before slowly placing it onto the ground.


    "How did you know that the freak can be controlled after covering his eyes?" asked Kelly.


    "I didn''t, but from the few encounters I have had with Gandos, I have gained a feeling that their eyes must be their sole weakness," I said.


    "Haha. Canyue is essentially saying that the Gandos have turned their entire bodies into forts, leaving their eyes as gates," said Zhang Bao''er as he laughed.


    "Canyue, this Gando is too strong. I don''t know if he will remain tied up after he wakes up," said Old Du after he finished tying up the Gando.


    I shot a glance at Bulu, who was resting on the ground, and said, "The mind control won''t last long on a Gando. Also, things will be troublesome if his companions come looking after noticing his disappearance."


    "Move. Seize the control room," said Old Du.


    With our previous experience, we were able to easily take down the security point in the control room still waiting for the Gando warrior. In the control room, Dondon immediately stepped forth to check the ship''s engine system.


    "Fearless has been stripped clean of weapons. The energy supply has been removed as well. Most of the control system and nuclear power system has been damaged. Although the reserve control system is still in relatively good shape, we can''t take off without energy," it did not take Dondon long to return with an update on the ship.


    "What? This ship actually doesn''t have any hidden reserve energy? So what''s the point of wasting so much effort taking the control room down?" complained Kelly.


    "Dondon, apart from nuclear power, what other energy is compatible with Fearless?" I asked.


    "Fearless is a rather ancient model. Apart from nuclear power, it can also run off electricity generated from solar power," said Dondon.


    "Electrical system. Where are we supposed to get electrical energy now?" grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "We have the energy, but we lack electricity," I said.


    "Energy? Where?" asked Kelly in astonishment.


    I slowly took off the so-called amulet Old Du had given me before our Jupiter II expedition. The imperial guards had thought that the amulet was merely a regular necklace, so they had left it on me.


    "Emergency energy supply. I almost forgot about it. I used mine on Sirius," said Zhang Bao''er, pleasantly surprised to see the necklace.


    "Yes. The nuclear power system of the ship has been damaged, but this necklace can provide the energy we need. However, how do we turn the energy into electricity? Sure, the ship can still generate electricity through solar power, but it''s currently night. We won''t be able to generate anything," said Dondon.


    We have the proper system in place, we also have the energy source we need. We only lack the ability to harness the energy into something usable. This feeling of failing to raise a fire even with firewood and flint present was rather disheartening. Time passed, and with every passing moment, things grew more and more dangerous for us.


    "I have an idea, but I don''t know how well it will work," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said hesitatingly.


    "Now is not the time to keep everyone in suspense. Say it already," I said.


    "I once watched a science fiction movie that was produced 100 years ago on Blue. The movie is about a machine empire and its control over human bodies. In that movie, the machines had lost the sun as a light source. However, the machines ingeniously made use of the electrical impulses in biological life forms to generate electricity, turning that into their energy source," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fatty, you''re wasting our time with your bullshit," cursed Domo impatiently.


    "No, Bao''er makes sense. We can try using the electrical impulses in our bodies. But who is going to volunteer as the source? Excessive energy flow might even detonate our weak bodies," said Dondon.


    Everyone instinctively looked at Old Du. He was the sturdiest among us. An awkward look covered Old Du''s face, but he still braced himself and rolled up his sleeves. Right at that moment, a series of heavy footsteps rang out. A Gando warrior was walking up from the middle level.


    "This is bad. The Gando has awakened. Be careful, everyone," I warned in a low voice.


    We all raised our guns nervously and aimed at the control room''s entrance. The footsteps came nearer and nearer, but the person jumping into the room was actually Bulu, whose entire body was shining with a red light.


    Close behind Bulu was the Gando warrior with his eyes still covered. This time, he did not come with his club. Rather, he slowly walked into the control room before lying on the steel floor. Everyone stood confused. I came to a sudden realization.


    "The Gandos are sturdy enough to be the perfect electrical generator for us," I said in excitement.


    "Yes! With his sturdy body, I doubt we will be able to hurt him much. We''ll borrow some electricity from his body and start the ship," said Dondon, who was similarly excited.


    Old Du was visibly relieved hearing that he no longer needed to be the generator. Dondon immediately took out two power cables, one positive and one negative, from the reserve stockpile and attached the cables to two of the Gando''s fingers. At the same time, Dondon ran over and locked the door of the control room.


    "Please be seated, everyone. Operation Generator is commencing," announced Dondon.

 CH 124

    We could see Dondon rapidly working on the reserve energy system. Soon, he finished all his preparations and connected all relevant cables. Then, he started the ship''s electrical power generator.


    A blue current could be seen slowly taking form. It became thicker and thicker as it traveled along the Gando''s body, circulating from his head to his legs.


    "There''s electricity! This fellow''s body can actually produce so much electricity!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Canyue, I need to start the spaceship immediately. And the moment the ship moves, it needs to fly away, or the enemy might shoot us down," said Dondon.


    "Do it," I said with a nod.


    Dondon then inserted my amulet into the control desk. A powerful volume of energy surged through the ship''s engine, and the same energy made use of the electrical charges generated from the Gando''s body to convert into a powerful source of electricity.


    Then, the entire ship lit up as the various functions of the ship recovered. The Gando on the ground was violently convulsing. The electrical current was obviously subjecting his body to great pressure. If this was an ordinary person, the body would have exploded by now.


    The imperial guards and the Gandos around the ship immediately noticed the movement. They were all completely stupefied by what they saw. Dondon swiftly shut all the doors of the ship when the ship took off shakily with the help of the reserve electrical power system.


    At that time, the imperial police finally recovered from their shock. All sorts of weapons were aimed at us before the police pulled the triggers. A Gando warrior used the massive hatchet in his hand to hook onto the edge of the ship. He slowly climbed up.


    "Dondon, why don''t you turn on the shield?" asked Zhang Bao''er anxiously when he saw the numerous explosions all around the ship.


    "The shielding system has been removed. Remain in your seats, everyone. I''m going to start evading," said Dondon.


    The shaky Fearless rose to the sky while avoiding the attacks coming from the ground. In a short time period, the ship reached an altitude of thousands of meters in the air. At that point, the ground weapons could no longer damage the ship, leaving the four drones and the Gando hanging outside as the ship''s remaining threats. The Gando used his hatchet as a hook as he slowly climbed to the cockpit window.


    "We can''t let him approach the window. Things will be troublesome if he gets in here," said Old Du.


    "Brace yourself. I''m speeding up," said Dondon.


    As everyone braced themselves, the ship suddenly made a 720-degree turn, attempting to throw the Gando off. The resilience and strength of a Gando was displayed to all of us. No matter how the ship moved, the Gando stubbornly hung onto the ship.


    Meanwhile, the four drones continued shooting relentlessly at Fearless. They were able to land a lot of shots, but the energy supply of these tiny drones could not power an attack capable of actually threatening our ship.


    The enemies also realized this, so the four drones came together to form a thick red beam and launched it at the ship. Dondon hurriedly moved the ship aside to evade the shot.


    Everything was happening too quickly, and we were all feeling light-headed from all the evasive maneuvers. The Gando on the ground was even more miserable; he was constantly flung up and down as the ship moved, to the point I started to worry that he would suddenly wake up. Finally, a thick red beam struck the ship''s wing, destroying a part of the ship that served to maintain balance.


    "If this continues, we will be shot down. We must think of a way to hit back," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of the hanging Gando still steadily climbing toward the cockpit. An idea came to me.


    "Dondon, try to use the drones to kick the Gando off our ship," I said.


    Dondon''s smart brain immediately understood what I meant. He maneuvered the ship in a manner that would use the Gando''s body as a shield against the drones. An opportunity finally appeared, and Dondon pulled on the control stick, causing Fearless to drop down straight toward the incoming massive red beam.


    At that moment, Fearless moved slightly following a predetermined setting, placing the Gando directly in the way of the shot. The red beam struck the Gando. No body or armor would be powerful enough to tank a beam that powerful. I saw the beam pierce right through the Gando''s shield to his back.


    Even inside the ship, I heard a painful wail. The pain caused the Gando to release his grip and drop down from the ship. The drones also seemed stunned by the sudden change, stopping momentarily. However, they recovered quickly and immediately flew toward the falling Gando. They were probably trying to rescue the Gando.


    "We finally got rid of those fellows. Looks like not even the heavens want to see us die so early," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Shit! The enemy fighters are coming," said Dondon anxiously.


    Everyone ran toward the control desk and saw that numerous red dots had appeared on the screen. They were coming toward us from far away.


    "These people are too persistent. Just speed up and leave," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, we can''t. The reserve electrical power system is good enough to support flight but not high-speed flight. There is a limit to how much electrical power can do," said Dondon.


    "What should we do, then? After doing all this, we still can''t escape?" said Domo.


    "Dondon, can the reserve engine system produce a wormhole?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes, but we will be completely out of energy afterward. We need to decide on a destination," said Dondon after looking through the system.


    "Go to Akko. We need to help Zhang Xingxing and the others. We''re still within the ceasefire period," I said.


    "Do you have shit for brains? You''re sending all of us to death with that command. With the few guns we have and this shitty ship, who do you think you can help? You''ll only bring trouble to the one you''re trying to help," criticized Kelly without holding anything back.


    I couldn''t really think of a counter, so I could only shut my mouth gloomily.


    "What do you know, little girl? The number of battles we had fought in is higher than even the number of movies you have watched," said Zhang Bao''er.


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    "God damn fatty, fighting in battles does not automatically make you smart. Have you gotten a good body from all the food you have eaten?" Kelly retorted unyieldingly.


    Domo looked happy to see Zhang Bao''er being scolded.


    "We don''t have time. Stop arguing. Kelly, what do you have in mind? Just say it," said General Edward.


    "I have the coordinates of the withdrawn league fleet, including the exact location of Carter''s Zeus-class battleship. I suggest we look for Kate first," Kelly suggested.


    "Who''s Carter? Can we trust him?" questioned Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "Carter is my brother. He is definitely more trustworthy than a fatty like you," replied Kelly with her sharp tongue.


    Finally, Zhang Bao''er shut his mouth like me after failing to think of a proper retort.


    "That''s settled, then. The enemies are catching up soon," decided Old Du on my behalf.


    Kelly then gave Dondon the coordinates. He immediately produced a wormhole leading to their destination. The wormhole produced using electrical power seemed extremely unstable; its edge flickered in and out of existence. Producing the wormhole had almost fully exhausted the reserve energy, and the lights in the ship dimmed significantly.


    "Go, go, go! The enemy is here!" Domo exclaimed.


    Everyone looked out the window and saw about a dozen unmanned fighters flying rapidly toward us while unleashing red laser beams in our direction. Dondon unhesitatingly navigated the ship into the wormhole.


    That final movement finally drained the last bit of energy from Fearless. The powerful energy that had formed the wormhole was damaging the body of the ship. The entire ship shook violently, looking like it was going to fall apart at any moment.


    ''May Prophet Nommo''s ship be durable enough to take us out of this wormhole,'' I prayed inwardly with Bulu in my arms.


    As the shaking intensified, some parts of the ship actually detached and flew off.


    "Shit! The ship won''t last much longer!" exclaimed Domo anxiously.


    "Pray, everyone. Pray to Nommo and hope that he can hear us," I said.


    Everyone sank into silence. I could see that some were already praying with their heads lowered. After a few minutes of intense shaking, Fearless, badly damaged, finally shot out of the wormhole, appearing once again in the boundless darkness that was the universe.


    "Success! We''re finally safe!" Kelly cheered.


    "Dondon, nobody can use the wormhole we produced, right?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes, I''m sure of that. This wormhole barely supported our travel. It won''t be able to support any other ships through it. Also, I regret to inform everyone that due to our lack of energy, we seem to have failed to reach our actual destination," said Dondon helplessly.


    "Little cat, what did you just say?" screamed Kelly as she rushed toward the control desk.


    "My apologies. Due to the lack of energy, we are still one lightyear away from the coordinates," said Dondon.


    "One light-year. Fuck me. Won''t drifting aimlessly here be the same as waiting for our deaths?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Due to the lack of energy, the temperature regulator will also stop working in an hour," Dondon dropped another piece of bad news.


    "Can we send a distress signal to the fleet?" asked Kelly.


    "Yes, but the signal will only reach them after a year. There is a massive cosmic void between us," said Dondon.


    "Cosmic void," Domo muttered.


    "Basically vast spaces that are essentially empty," said Dondon.


    One trouble after another showed itself, demonstrating the difficulty of survival in outer space.


    "What now? We will all turn into popsicles in an hour." Domo grumbled non-stop.


    "Don''t worry, everyone. Just also use the final emergency reserve," said Old Du as he took out the energy stick hanging from his neck.


    Everyone immediately calmed down. We had been too anxious earlier, to the point we had forgotten about the amulet.


    "Old Du, can you tell me about the origin of this equipment?" asked General Edward.


    "Yes, sir," Old Du replied. He then told the general the origin of his amulet.


    "I did not expect the Gliesens to have such technology. To cram the core energy of a star into something so small in such a stable manner. This is a technology that needs more study. It will provide much good to society," said the general.


    "Everyone, the temperature regulator is nearly down. I''ll be inserting the energy stick," said Dondon.


    Although we were reluctant to waste the final energy stick here, we had no choice.


    "Do it," I said.


    Right as Dondon was about to use the stick, a loud sound came from outside the window.

 CH 125

    Dondon immediately stopped moving upon hearing the sound outside the window. Everyone looked outside and saw that a spaceship with an unusual design had appeared above us. The spaceship had an odd appearance, looking like a giant rock instead of a ship. However, there were clearly some propulsion installations on the rear end of it. Additionally, there seemed to be many entrances on various parts of the rock.


    "What freak is this? Is this some sort of space creature like Jupiter II?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Doesn''t look like one. The propulsion installations do not look natural. They are most likely installed manually," said Old Du calmly.


    "They don''t seem friendly, especially if they''re appearing at a place like this. Get ready for combat, everyone," commanded Kelly.


    Nobody reacted to her words.


    "Little girl, since when did you become our leader?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Soldier, apart from my father, I am the highest ranked here," said Kelly, once again arguing with Zhang Bao''er.


    "Stop arguing. To prevent any mishaps, get ready for combat," commanded General Edward.


    The general had a presence that made his words unquestionable. Everyone immediately entered combat-ready mode, awaiting enemy attack. At this point, the ship''s temperature regulator was at its final three minutes. The massive rock ship slowly approached us. Suddenly, its bottom parted into a big opening. Three strange, tadpole-like life forms flew out of the opening.


    "Good heavens, what freak is this?" said Domo in astonishment.


    We held our breath and tightened our grip on our guns. The atmosphere turned nervous.


    The three monsters flew onto our ship, allowing me to see clearly that they did not seem to have any eyes. They were also constantly dripping some viscous liquid out of their bodies. Suddenly, four tentacles stretched out below them. Each tentacle was filled with circular suction pads, looking like an octopus''s tentacle.


    A total of 12 tentacles wrapped around Fearless''s hull, bounding the ship firmly with the help of their suction pads. Then, the three tadpoles descended again, dragging us into the dark opening below the rock ship.


    "They''re not about to eat us, right?" muttered Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "Well, it should be at least warmer inside its belly than outside," I joked.


    Before long, we were dragged into the rock ship. The door closed below us the moment we entered. In the darkness, Old Du turned on his searchlight.


    "Where is this? It''s not the digestive system of some giant monster, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    The tadpoles continued dragging Fearless forward. A few minutes later, I felt the ship being placed down somewhere flat, and I heard a thud. A radiant light shone over. Through the light, I saw a heavy-looking stone door slowly sliding open. Behind the stone door was a brightly lit cockpit. Standing right between the two parts of the stone door was a rather short life form.


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    "Monkey King Sun Wukong," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed involuntarily.


    That was understandable as the life form before us simply looked too much like a monkey. He was roughly 1.4 meters tall and basically looked the same as a regular monkey from Blue. However, he had a pair of eyes that made him seem to be in deep thought. The monkey also looked alert, holding an object that looked like a firearm in his hand while carrying a blade on his back.


    "A gun-wielding Monkey King," added Kelly.


    "General, do we open the door and attack?" asked Old Du.


    "My intuition tells me that this little fellow does not harbor any malice. I suggest we open the door and attempt communication," said General Edward.


    "Roger. Canyue, let''s go," said Old Du.


    "No. Those two have similar builds as that fellow, so they will look less threatening. I suggest that they be the ones to initiate first contact," said General Edward as he pointed at Domo and Dondon.


    "Sounds good. Domo, Dondon, open the door and initiate first contact," said Old Du.


    "Why should I go?" Domo was about to continue complaining when he recalled that the order had been given by the general himself. He immediately shut his mouth.


    Meanwhile, I passed the calm Bulu to Dondon.


    "Take Bulu with you. As a precaution, you know," I said to Dondon.


    Dondon hugged Bulu with one of his tiny limbs. He nodded at me and opened the door with his other limb. A gust of a cold breeze entered the ship as Dondon exited the ship with the trembling Domo in tow.


    "This dwarf is very loud usually, but he is actually such a coward when it matters. A single monkey is enough to scare him so much?" sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    The two quickly came before the alien. The general was right. The Monkey King put his gun away after seeing life forms that were even smaller than him. What happened next made it clear that the Eternal translation system we had obtained previously was not working on this alien. They were unable to understand each other.


    The three little fellows started talking and gesturing at each other. Their movements became more and more exaggerated, and after more than 10 minutes, Domo and Dondon returned.


    "What stupid language is that? Who would understand it? Also, that fellow is so slow. The fatty would be the perfect person to communicate with someone like that," Domo''s voice came before he reached the group.


    "This is most likely a place where food can be found," said Dondon.


    "After more than 10 minutes, the only gesture you understood was one related to food?" said Domo in exasperation.


    Everyone was left speechless. At that time, I noticed that the alien had disappeared.


    "We should look around. What do you think, Canyue?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I have the same thought. Everyone, let''s look around. Bao''er and I will take the lead."


    And thus, Zhang Bao''er and I left for the rock ship''s cockpit with everyone else in tow. The cockpit wasn''t big. On the control desk, we could see several idiot-proof operating systems. To the side of the cockpit were two different rooms. Old Du and I lowered our heads and entered one of the rooms.


    The terrifying scene I saw in the room caused me to break out in cold sweat. I had entered an immense room filled with countless monkey corpses. It seemed like some had been here for a very long time with the dust on them, while some seemed relatively new.


    The two corpses nearest to the door were clad in similar outfits to the alien we had seen. From their outer appearances, these two had clearly not been dead for long. Some offerings could even be seen around their bodies.


    "Looks like this is their cemetery. Successive generations of their dead are all here. Weirdly, the corpses did not rot at all," I said.


    "These two are likely the parents of the monkey we met. Look at these offerings. They look new," said Old Du.


    "In that case, that monkey shouldn''t be the only life form here. We need to be careful," I said.


    While we were talking, General Edward and the others entered the room as well. Everyone sank into silence upon seeing the shocking cemetery. After standing around for a bit, we retreated from the room.


    There was a second room connected to the cockpit, and Old Du was about to enter when he saw the Monkey King coming out with a big pot of food. He placed the pot down before us. Within the pot was some sort of steamy hot gruel. The alien then ran back into the room and came out shortly after with a bunch of semi-circular fruit shells.


    "Looks like he is really preparing food for us. This seems like a friendly monkey," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The alien then gestured at us to eat. The thick gruel reminded us of the tadpoles that had dragged our ship into the rock ship. I shivered at that thought. Perhaps everyone else thought the same as nobody started eating. An awkward silence descended.


    At that moment, a thought suddenly came to me. This was probably a meal the alien had painstakingly prepared with precious food ingredients. After all, food was most definitely a valuable resource for a wandering spaceship.


    At that thought, I stopped hesitating and filled a fruit shell with the gruel before partaking in it with big mouthfuls. In truth, despite the appearance, the gruel actually tasted wonderful. After entering my belly, I could feel my entire body being energized.


    After finishing the first bowl, I unhesitatingly filled a second bowl and continued gorging myself. Seemingly infected by my actions, the others also tried the gruel with some hesitation.


    The ones who tasted the gruel immediately imitated my actions and started gorging themselves, ignoring whether the food would be poisoned or not. It did not take me long to finish the second bowl. As I was about to take the third bowl, a pair of hands descended to stop me. I looked back and was met with Kelly''s pretty face.


    "Even this young lady hasn''t eaten anything. What are the others supposed to eat if you have three bowls all for yourself?" complained Kelly.


    I magnanimously emptied my spot after hearing her words. Everyone started wolfing down the food. We finished the warm gruel in a short period of time. Everyone had a satisfied expression, especially Dondon who had done something embarrassing¡ªhe had lain down on his belly in front of the pot to lick it clean of any gruel. The alien seemed glad to see us enjoying the food.


    "Let''s name this monkey," Kelly suddenly suggested.


    "That''s easy. Call him Wukong from now on," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s someone else''s name. Not him. I want to give him his very own name," said Kelly.


    "He brought us a meal of gruel (yu). Let''s name him Wuyu," I said after some thought.


    "That''s a terrible name. It sounds like the name of a beggar or something. Why don''t we call him Wuzhou," said Kelly.


    "Sure, sure, you''re the boss," everyone agreed, seemingly tired of her forceful attitude.


    And thus, an alien was randomly named Wuzhou after giving us a meal out of kindness. I noticed that Wuzhou had wrapped his arms around Bulu before sinking into deep thought. Bulu had remained relatively calm after the battle, but after it was hugged by Wuzhou, the light in its body brightened again. Meanwhile, Wuzhou turned completely still.


    "Hehe, that''s what he gets from running around randomly. He will have a taste of mind control," said Domo.


    A few minutes later, Bulu''s red light dimmed, and Wuzhou woke up.


    "Perhaps Bulu is able to communicate with Wuzhou through thoughts and learn more about him," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "So we only need to communicate with Bulu to learn about this place. Canyue, you should do it," said Domo.


    "No, no, no. Back then, Old Du had gotten better results when communicating with Bulu. I recommend Old Du for the task," I refused the task because I was feeling lazy and tired after the meal.


    Old Du scratched his head, but he did not refuse. He directly hugged Bulu. Bulu started shining with its red light again. More than 10 minutes later, Old Du placed Bulu down.


    "So? Did you learn anything?" Zhang Bao''er hurriedly asked.


    "This is a very peculiar species. They might not have originated from a single planet. They are a bunch of planetless people," said Old Du.


    "Planetless people? What do you mean?" asked Domo.


    "A group of true life forms with no origin or foundations. They are forever living in drifting rock ships, relying on the substance secreted by the rocks to survive. Perhaps that was what we had just eaten," said Old Du.


    "What? Are you telling me that we had just eaten rock excrement? That is too disgusting," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er loudly.


    "If it was disgusting, why did you eat four whole bowls of it? Why don''t you vomit everything you swallowed?" said Domo.


    "That''s not the issue. The main issue here is¡ª" Old Du suddenly paused.


    Everyone sank into silence, waiting for Old Du to reveal more of Wuzhou''s secrets.

 CH 126

    "Wuzhou might be their final living member, and the line of the planetless will end with him," said Old Du with a heavy tone.


    "Drifting all alone in the boundless cosmos, not knowing where he comes from and where to go? This is too pitiful," said Kelly with sorrow.


    Everyone couldn''t help but feel sympathy for Wuzhou''s lonely life as a wanderer.


    "The universe is boundless. How did he find us?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Pure coincidence. I can only say that fate brought us together," said Old Du.


    Right this moment, some sounds came from within Fearless.


    "Shit. We were busy eating and resting, completely forgetting our prisoner," said Bao''er.


    "Don''t tell me the Gando is awake," I said worriedly.


    It would be troublesome if the Gando was truly awake. Everyone ran toward Fearless. Fortunately, the Gando had merely turned around on the floor. It seemed like being used as a generator had greatly exhausted the Gando warrior, to the point he wouldn''t be able to recover in a short while.


    "This fellow will be a hidden danger so long as he remains here. Let''s just toss him out of the ship," suggested Domo.


    "No, he was merely carrying out the orders of the emperor. We can''t willfully slaughter the innocent," I refused stoutly.


    "At the very least, we need to find a place to keep him. We can''t take him everywhere," said Domo.


    "Let''s think of a way to leave first. We''ll just hand him and the other prisoners to the league," said General Edward.


    "Dondon, Bao''er, go to the bottom level and bring the bound Eternal soldiers over. We''ll keep watch over them in this drifting ship. Also, feed them some food in the cargo bay. I''ll think of what to do with this Gando," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er and Dondon headed out to carry out the task. At that time, I noticed Wuzhou studying our spaceship. After the previous damage, the perfect Fearless had turned into a beaten ship on the brink of destruction. The various internal equipment had been damaged beyond recognition. Wuzhou looked over the damaged equipment again and again. He even carefully rubbed the damaged parts with his hands while in deep contemplation.


    "What is this fellow doing? He''s not trying anything against us, right?" said Domo suspiciously.


    After a short thought, Wuzhou turned and ran back into the drifting ship. At that time, Zhang Bao''er returned from his task.


    "How can you let Dondon keep watch over those soldiers alone? Are you not embarrassed about having a cat watching over a bunch of beasts?" I said.


    "No big deal. They are all tied up nicely. Dondon is feeding them now," argued Zhang Bao''er.


    "A lazy person will always be full of excuses," Domo remarked.


    Triggered, Zhang Bao''er said, "Dwarf, repeat your words again if you dare!"


    As usual, Old Du appeared to stop Bao''er.


    ''If Old Du leaves us one day, these two will fight at least once,'' I thought helplessly.


    Shortly after, Wuzhou returned, dragging a handcart behind him. Numerous containers and bottles were stored in the handcart. Then, he left the handcart behind and returned to the drifting spaceship. A few minutes later, he came out with a massive tube.


    "Does this fellow think he''s Doraemon or something? What''s with all these random things?" mumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    Everyone ignored Zhang Bao''er and concentrated on Wuzhou. And then, Wuzhou started repairing Fearless with the tools in the handcart.


    "Canyue, I''ll replace Dondon. It''s not safe to have him alone in there. It''s better to have him work with Wuzhou and see if they can repair Fearless together," said Old Du.


    I nodded, and Old Du left. Shortly after, Dondon came out. He immediately observed Wuzhou and the repair process.


    "My god, this fellow is a genius!" exclaimed Dondon after a while.


    "What is it? What genius? Be clear," said Kelly.


    "I don''t know what materials Wuzhou is using, but he was able to repair the damaged components. More importantly, he was able to use some sort of malleable substance to replace the missing components, solidify them, and install them in the appropriate positions," said Dodo in excitement.


    "A malleable substance that can be solidified at will and is suitable as a replacement for numerous components? That is crazy. Is such a thing real?" I exclaimed.


    "I wonder if a certain person will start harboring ill will after seeing such a high-tier material," sneered Domo.


    "You dumb dwarf. Who are you talking about?" Zhang Bao''er shouted for no reason.


    "I did not mention you by name. Why are you in such a rush to out yourself? I had merely remembered someone who had tried to steal my cloak of invisibility, the same someone who had also stolen a chunk of solidified time and placed it in his bag," said Domo.


    Surprisingly, Zhang Bao''er did not counter. Instead, he sat down silently, as though he was admitting his guilt.


    "What? Bao''er, you really took some of the solidified time from the Dark Hall?" I asked.


    "N-no! Don''t listen to that dwarf! He knew that my bag was taken by the emperor and that I can''t defend myself, so he''s framing me!" Zhang Bao''er argued.


    I merely gave him a glare, not even bothering to say anything. Meanwhile, Wuzhou continued repairing the various damaged parts of Fearless at an astonishing speed. Before we knew it, three hours had passed, and a majority of the damaged parts had been repaired.


    Even more surprisingly, apart from the flight system, Wuzhou had even installed the weapons of the drifting ship onto Fearless together with the ammunition required, causing Fearless to regain its offensive capabilities.


    All of Fearless''s parts were repaired, making it look like a brand-new ship. Finally, Wuzhou inserted the massive tube he brought into Fearless''s energy system and recharged the ship with a seemingly endless stream of energy.


    Fearless''s energy indicator started blinking non-stop. After roughly half an hour, the ship had recovered 80 percent of its functions. At that point, Wuzhou, who had been laboring silently, sat down in a tired manner. Dondon immediately performed a full check on the spaceship before looking at me with disbelief.


    "Fearless has been fully repaired," Dondon announced.


    "Great! We can contact Captain Carter now!" said Kelly in excitement.


    "Yes. Am I permitted to contact Captain Carter with the coordinates?" asked Dondon.


    "Do we fly over, or do we have Carter come to us?" Kelly asked General Edward.


    "Since we need to make a report, we need him to come for us immediately," said General Edward.


    Dondon then started contacting Captain Carter.


    Shortly after, a concerned voice came from the communicator, "Kelly, I heard what happened. Are you and Father well?"


    Upon hearing Carter''s voice, Kelly immediately snatched the microphone and yelled, "Carter, Father and I are fine. You need to come get us immediately."


    "Sure. I have the coordinates. The battleship will be there shortly," replied Carter.


    To prevent the league''s fleet from seeing the drifting ship as a threat, Dondon, General Edward, Kelly, and I stayed on Fearless and left the drifting ship. We waited for Carter''s spaceship, Star. After five minutes, a massive wormhole appeared in front of Fearless. Then, a Zeus-class battleship came out of the wormhole.


    A shuttle flew out of the battleship and stopped beside Fearless to commence the docking procedure. After three minutes, Captain Carter and four of his subordinates appeared before us. Thanks to the power of technology, a distance of one light-year was covered in only eight minutes. As a Blueling, I enjoyed marveling at the advancement of technology.


    Carter''s actual military rank was colonel, and he was around 30 years old. He had long, yellow hair and carried himself with a mature and dependable temperament.


    "Father, after we lost contact with you and Kelly, I searched the space around Akko several times with Star. I attempted to pick up your emergency gamma signals, but I wasn''t able to find anything," said Carter.


    Kelly said, "The goddamn emperor brought me and Father to Eternal. He even forced Father to defect and become their envoy for peace talks, intending to use Father as an excuse to hide the fact that he was the aggressor. However, Father rejected him."


    Carter looked at his father with a look of respect in his eyes.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    When he saw the Gando warrior lying on the ground, Captain Carter asked, "Gando warrior? How did you subdue an enemy so powerful? How did you escape?"


    Kelly looked at me and said, "All thanks to him and his team. We escaped the emperor together and were able to catch some captives while escaping."


    ''At least this lass isn''t heartless. She still remembers our help,'' I thought.


    "Thank you, brother. I had heard of you. The league was grossly mistaken to turn all of you into fugitives. I will make a plea for all of you!" said Captain Carter as he stepped forth and gripped my hand tightly.


    "You''re too polite, sir. We were merely doing what was right," I said, somewhat embarrassed at Captain Carter''s immense gratitude.


    "How did you escape the emperor? Can you tell me? I also want to learn more about Eternal," said Captain Carter.


    I was stunned to hear the repeated question. It would be too tiring to tell him the same story all over again, but then I suddenly caught a glimpse of Zhang Bao''er''s longing gaze.


    ''That fellow must be waiting for a chance to show off. Great! I''ll grant his wish!'' I thought in joy.


    I then signaled Zhang Bao''er.


    "Sir, Private Zhang Bao''er knows the whole situation better than me. I''ll allow him to give you a full report," I said.


    I had barely finished when a stream of words poured out of Zhang Bao''er''s mouth like a machine gun.


    ''He doesn''t look like he''s great with his words normally, but in front of a senior official, he carries himself rather well,'' I thought with a sigh.


    Zhang Bao''er was very excited in his narration. Of course, he frequently attributed himself with a lot of our successes and frequently belittled Domo''s contributions, to the point Domo''s expression turned ashen. Captain Carter frowned when he heard that the emperor intended to execute all of us. Zhang Bao''er took an entire hour to finish his story, and Carter patiently listened until the end.


    "In other words, King Xido, Duke Yidon, and the others are all trapped in Akko''s underground palace. Should we try to rescue them?" Captain Carter asked General Edward.

 CH 127

    "Duke Yidon needs us, but we can''t risk a Zeus-class battleship for this rescue operation," said General Edward.


    "But Duke Yidon is trapped on Akko. We must get him out," said Captain Carter.


    "I need to return to the fleet and organize a proper rescue team. I also need to deploy some scouts to Akko and gather more information before doing anything. Only then will there be a chance at succeeding in this mission," said General Edward.


    "I''m willing to take part in the scouting operation," offered Captain Carter.


    "No. As the captain of a battleship, you have more important tasks," refused General Edward.


    "General, I volunteer to take on the scouting mission with Fearless," I offered after seeing the result of their argument.


    "I also had that in mind. Since your status as fugitives has yet to be removed, it won''t be too convenient for you to return to the league immediately. I wish to assign your team to this scouting mission. I''ll also have Kelly go with you," said General Edward, showing his support and confidence in us.


    Kelly''s face turned excited when she heard that she was going to go on the mission with us. The authority of a general was unquestionable, so we all accepted the mission.


    "Although this ship is repaired, it still needs further reinforcement. Carter, order the engineers in Star to further repair and reinforce Fearless. Additionally, prepare morph-capable gear for everyone participating in the mission," said General Edward.


    "Roger. I''ll get it done immediately," said Carter.


    A mechanical maintenance drone flew toward Fearless. Meanwhile, Kelly, Dondon, and I took a shuttle back to the drifting ship. The shuttle then returned with the Gando warrior and the Eternal soldiers we had captured, leaving only the few of us on the drifting ship.


    I immediately told everyone about the new mission. They were all happy to know that we could go back and rescue Zhang Bao''er. Only Zhang Bao''er appeared unhappy when he heard that Kelly was joining.


    Everyone seemed to be in a state of excitement upon learning that we were going to throw ourselves into danger once again. Sounds of discussion broke out as everyone started talking. After roughly 20 minutes, the shuttle returned to pick us up. Everyone rushed toward the shuttle, but I suddenly noticed Wuzhou crouching silently in the corner with a lonely look in his eyes.


    "Shit. I forgot about Wuzhou," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er, also noticing my gaze.


    "We can''t leave him here alone. He is the final surviving member of his people. It is too sad to have him drifting about all alone in the universe," said Dondon.


    "This is his home, and we still need to go on a difficult mission that might kill us. I don''t know if Wuzhou will be willing to leave with us," I said with worry.


    "At the very least, we should have him stay with the fleet," said Kelly.


    "I''ll ask what he thinks about it," said Old Du decisively.


    Old Du then lifted Bulu and approached Wuzhou. He gestured at Wuzhou to place a hand on Bulu. Bulu''s body started shining, and a few minutes later, the light dimmed.


    "He agreed to come with us and emphasized that he wished to come with me," said Old Du.


    Old Du was an honest and sincere person. Nobody objected to the fact that Wuzhou wanted to follow him. Wuzhou seemed somewhat reluctant to leave the place his people had lived in for generations. He started packing, eventually accumulating dozens of bags to take with him.


    "Yes, yes, he is definitely moving. Look at how he''s bringing anything of even the slightest value," sneered Domo to the side, showing no intention to help.


    The rest of us helped Wuzhou carry his luggage into the shuttle. Both Old Du and I accompanied Wuzhou as he paid a final visit to his parents and ancestors'' cemetery. Wuzhou kowtowed to his parents and ancestors a dozen times before standing up. Even when walking away, he kept looking back reluctantly.


    Slowly, the door of the drifting ship closed behind us. The drifting ship would continue drifting about with the bodies of Wuzhou''s elders. Perhaps this was the last time anyone would step foot into the ship. Even if someone else encountered the ship in the future, they would probably assume they had encountered a random asteroid.


    As for Wuzhou, he finally moved on from the life of a lonely wanderer. He might have been reluctant to part with his home, but he immediately returned to his cheerful self after entering the shuttle. He looked left and right curiously.


    The shuttle brought us back to Fearless. Thanks to Blue engineers, Fearless had undergone yet another transformation, looking completely new.


    The weaponry system and engine system had all been overhauled and upgraded, bringing Fearless''s offensive prowess to a level equivalent to a Poseidon-class battleship. Captain Carter supplied all of us, including Wuzhou and Bulu, with morph-capable gear, causing the overall combat prowess of the team to take a qualitative leap forward.


    I placed the morph-capable device on Bulu''s head. From afar, Bulu looked like it was wearing a pair of goggles, looking exceptionally adorable. Lastly, Captain Carter also gave Wuzhou a translation device. Wuzhou immediately installed the device onto his suit. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Wuzhou''s first word.


    "Lililalakikigaga," Wuzhou meekly spoke his first words to us, but none of us understood him.


    "Without any data on Wuzhou''s language, the device is unable to translate quickly. We need to have him carry the device around for a while, allowing the device to gather more data before it can slowly start translating," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We might not be able to communicate, but the three little fellows of the team, Dondon, Bulu, and Wuzhou seemed to get along fine. It did not take them long to happily start play-fighting.


    "Childish," remarked Domo, the other small fellow in the team, with his arms crossed coldly.


    When all preparations were done, Captain Carter called us all to the command center.


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    "Planet Akko is completely surrounded by the imperial army. We only have one hour left before the ceasefire ends," said Captain Carter, initiating the military meeting.


    "Will that emperor bastard even stick with his words and wait out the 12 hours? I thought he should have continued attacking long ago," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That might not be the case. Nothing is a joke when it comes to the words of a monarch. I believe the emperor will keep to the agreement," said Old Du.


    "We still have a precious hour remaining. Nobody will expect that the league would try to break through the blockade during the ceasefire to enter the encirclement around Akko," said Carter.


    "In that case, we will do something unexpected and pass through the blockade. Half of us will try to enter the underground palace, while the other half will maintain the communication signal and guide the league ship that is taking part in the rescue operation," I suggested.


    "Sounds good. By my estimates, the empire would not have imagined that we would use a battleship for the rescue operation," said Kelly.


    "Exactly. Gather our force like a clenched fist and punch through the blockade," said Captain Carter.


    "We don''t have much time. Let''s move out immediately. We need to be quick. The team leader and the others are still waiting for us," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "You make it sound so simple. How are we supposed to even break through the blockade?" said Domo, pouring a bucket of cold water over our excitement.


    "Good question. I have already deployed some high-altitude mechanical scouts farther away from Akko. Using their laser probe technology, we found an opening in the blockade''s blind spot," said Captain Carter.


    While the captain spoke, Dondon controlled the hologram projector and displayed a map showing the imperial fleet around Akko.


    Amid the defensive perimeter, a green line was drawn. The winding line cut right through the blockade''s blind spot.


    "This is amazing. A tiny opening like this was actually discovered, and it has a proper path drawn through it," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, and we can move according to the coordinates provided by the system to avoid the patrols. It will only take us 30 minutes to get through the green corridor," said Captain Carter.


    "We still have 55 minutes left in the ceasefire. Move!" I commanded decisively.


    "Canyue, the black and white Gandos are right at the entrance of the underground palace. How do we deal with them?" asked Zhang Bao''er, reminding me of two troublesome opponents.


    "We can''t afford to keep thinking. Let''s focus on reaching Akko first," I said resolutely. In truth, I was betting on Bulu.


    "Alright. I wish you good luck. Remember, since the emperor had ordered your execution, do not pretend to be imperial envoys anymore. Otherwise, you might walk right into a trap," reminded Carter.


    "Understood," I replied.


    "We''ll get going. Have the support crew ready as soon as possible," said Kelly to Carter.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be there on time. Be careful and return alive," said Captain Carter.


    The captain then left with Star''s other crew members. Dondon immediately activated the wormhole production system. Mere minutes later, we found ourselves outside Planet Akko. From inside Fearless, we could see countless imperial ships of all sizes hovering all around Planet Akko, forming a complete encirclement.


    "Only 50 minutes left on the ceasefire, and we need 30 minutes to get through the blockade. Permission to begin immediately," Dondon asked.


    "Granted. Let''s move," I commanded decisively.


    Fearless entered stealth and moved in accordance with the indicated route, approaching Akko at a rapid speed. Everyone gathered in the ship''s command room and focused on the map of our route. Fearless was moving speedily under the cover of stealth when suddenly, the map indicated that a red object was approaching us rapidly.


    "Shit! Were we discovered?" asked Dondon nervously.


    "To die before even starting the mission properly. What a good plan. We were discovered the moment we came here," complained Domo.


    "Don''t make any rash judgments. If we were discovered, there would be more than one ship heading our way. Let''s observe first," I stopped everyone from speculating.


    In less than five minutes, the map indicated that the red dot had neared our ship. Everyone looked outside the window and saw that a fighter drone had appeared before us.

 CH 128

    "A fighter drone. Do we shoot it down immediately? We can''t expose ourselves," asked Dondon.


    "It is impossible that the enemy is attacking with only one fighter drone. Don''t take any rash actions yet. Continue observing," I said.


    "This might be a scout. After verifying our identities, a bigger group might come next," reminded Kelly.


    "From its flight trajectory, it has a clear goal. Continue observing. Dondon, prepare for a wormhole retreat," I commanded.


    After flying around Fearless once, the fighter drone sent a green beam toward us.


    "Reporting to Canyue, the fighter drone seems to be trying to establish a communication channel with us," reported Dondon.


    "Allow it," I said.


    We connected our communication channel with the fighter drone. Shortly after, a brand-new map appeared before us. From the map, our green corridor could be clearly seen. All around the green corridor were countless red dots.


    "My god. The empire is waiting for us at the opening. How did they learn about our operation?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Which imperial armies are in charge of attacking Akko?" I asked Kelly.


    "The attackers are from the Southstar Army, roughly five legions in total," said Kelly.


    "How many soldiers do they have per legion?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Kelly started providing a detailed description of the empire''s military composition, "Each legion is composed of 200 Milky Way¨Cclass battleships and 500 Star System¨Cclass destroyers. Each battleship carries 800 fighter drones. There are 100,000 soldiers in each legion."


    "In short, there are around 500,000 soldiers ahead of us?" said Zhang Bao''er in stupefaction.


    "There is something I don''t understand. I thought you were all supposed to be geniuses? Just open a wormhole with Fearless, and we can easily get through the blockade, right?" suggested Domo after listening silently for a long time.


    "Dwarf, stop pretending to be smart when you know nothing. The energy signal from producing a wormhole is big enough to be immediately detected by the imperial army. We might as well just announce our arrival," sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    This time, it was Domo''s turn to shut up indignantly.


    "Canyue, the fighter drone is sending something else over," said Dondon.


    "Accept it immediately," I commanded.


    A green arrow appeared on the screen.


    "What does this mean? Arrow?" asked Domo.


    "It must be telling us to go with it," said Old Du.


    "Is this a trick? This is an enemy fighter drone. Are we supposed to trust it for no reason?" asked Kelly.


    "I believe this fighter drone is here with a purpose. Its sole reason here is to help us," I said.


    "You mean..." Old Du muttered.


    "Master Wind. He must be helping us," I said.


    "Forty-five minutes left until the ceasefire ends," reported Dondon.


    "No time to hesitate. Follow the fighter drone. We''ll take a gamble," I decided.


    As we were running out of time, nobody objected. Dondon controlled Fearless and followed the fighter drone toward the Southstar Army. The fighter drone led the way, and when we reached the imperial perimeter, it released a thin shield around us.


    Under the cover of the shield, we miraculously entered a completely different corridor leading into the planet. All around us were various massive cannons, fighter drones, and other military equipment.


    "My god, this is only the Southstar Army. How big a military force do we need if we want to actually defeat the empire?" lamented Kelly as she looked out the window.


    Fearless followed the fighter drone through the corridor for a while before suddenly stopping. From the map, we could see that we had arrived at a fork in the corridor. Everyone looked outside the window and saw that all around the fork were air defense drones and fighter drones lying in wait.


    "Good lord. Can these air defense drones also operate in outer space? Originally, they were only used by the empire at low altitudes!" exclaimed Domo when he saw the drones.


    "The fighter drones are good for offense but bad for defense. These air defense drones were clearly transferred here just to deal with us. There is now no doubt that this fighter drone is our friend," said Kelly.


    The fighter drone stopped, seemingly waiting for an opportunity to get through the fork. Everyone''s heart thumped as we waited in silence. When everyone was waiting, a massive shuttle appeared in the distance and slowly flew toward us.


    Soon, the shuttle arrived beside us. The fighter drone immediately descended and stopped beneath the shuttle. Dondon reacted and followed the fighter drone, hiding beneath the shuttle before advancing under the cover of the shuttle.


    Thanks to the cover of the shuttle, Fearless safely went through the fork. Everything went smoothly after that. With the fighter drone''s guidance, we quickly left the blockade and reached Akko''s atmosphere.


    "Team Leader, we''re back to save you," roared Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    At the edge of the atmosphere, the fighter drone turned and flew away. It had completed its mission.


    "Thank you, Master Wind. We would have died without your help. How was he aware of our mission, though?" I wondered aloud to myself.


    "I have the same question. This is a top-secret operation. How did Master Wind learn about it?" said Old Du beside me.


    "Let''s focus on saving Xingxing for now. We can think about it afterward," I said.


    We checked the time and saw that there were 15 minutes left before the ceasefire ended. Suddenly, the sound of an explosion came behind us. We quickly looked back and saw that the fighter drone that had acted as our guide had exploded in the distance.


    "Shit. The enemies have discovered us!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I stopped him from shouting with a wave of my hand. I paid close attention to the distant explosion. I did not see any ships from the empire.


    "It must have self-detonated to prevent any leakage of information," said Old Du.


    "Exactly. We are still undetected for now," I said.


    "Send a packet of encrypted information to Carter before entering the atmosphere. With the ceasefire agreement, we will be safe after going through the atmosphere," said Kelly.


    Dondon immediately did as told and sent an update to Carter''s battleship, Star, indicating that we had arrived safely. A group of flying interstellar creatures flew past our ship, diving down toward Akko.


    "Dondon, follow these flying creatures and enter the atmosphere!" I commanded.


    Dondon quickly had the ship join the flock and enter the atmosphere. The intense friction caused Fearless''s hull to turn fiery red. I noticed that the flying creatures were actually shrouded in furious flames, making them look like beautiful phoenixes. Fearless followed them through the atmosphere before descending past them. Five minutes later, we arrived beside a yellow lake.


    "How far are we from the palace?" I asked.


    "We are less than five minutes away by flight. There is a small number of air defense drones patrolling at a low altitude, but since the ceasefire is still active, I doubt they will attack us," said Dondon.


    "Head for the palace immediately," I said.


    Following my command, Fearless sped in the direction of the entrance to the underground palace.


    ''A battle is coming. The past 12 hours felt like a dream where I danced between life and death. However, I''m back, Team Leader Xingxing,'' I said to myself.


    "Everyone, prepare for combat. Man every one of our cannons." Kelly, who had experienced a cruel battle before, immediately made the arrangements for combat.


    Fearless traveled swiftly. Not one of the imperial air defense drones we encountered on the way attacked. It would seem like the emperor was really sticking to the agreement. In less than five minutes, we arrived above the entrance to the underground palace.


    The entrance was surrounded by countless soldiers from different branches of the imperial military. We could clearly see an abundance of siege equipment outside the gate. But since there was a ceasefire, none of them were attacking for now.


    Nevertheless, I could also see that they were preparing for a new round of attack. The ones leading the siege preparations were none other than our old friends, the black and white Gandos.


    It was normal for the flames of rage to be rekindled when enemies met. I immediately decided to launch a surprise attack upon seeing that the Gando warriors were the ones leading the siege. Dondon promptly sent another encrypted update to Captain Carter. With that done, I was ready to snatch the initiative and destroy their siege equipment.


    "Aim all weapons at the enemy''s siege equipment and attack. When the battle commences, Kelly will be in command of Fearless. Old Du and Bao''er, get ready to drop down with me. We will charge into the underground palace," I commanded.


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    "No, we need to wait three minutes before attacking. The ceasefire is still not over," Kelly reminded.


    "No. Attack now and seize the momentum," I said. My blood was churning for a battle.


    "Absolutely not. There is no need to sully our reputation for a few minutes," Kelly protested anxiously.


    At that point, several air defense drones were already slowly approaching us, looking ready to attack. Several heavy tanks on the ground had also aimed their turrets at us.


    "Canyue, Kelly is right. Just wait a bit. The moment the ceasefire ends, we will focus fire on the entrance and destroy the siege equipment," persuaded Old Du.


    I finally relented. Time passed, and finally, the countdown began.


    "Ten, nine...three, two, one, fire! Mess them up!" I roared as an artillery barrage descended upon the entrance. At the same time, over a dozen beams also shot toward Fearless.

 CH 129

    Fearless was able to launch a lightning-fast strike, creating massive explosions in front of the underground entrance. Chunks of siege equipment were sent flying everywhere, and the soldiers present vanished in a sea of flames as their shields fell apart. At the same time, the laser beams shooting toward Fearless were perfectly blocked by the ship''s shield.


    ''These weapons are surprisingly powerful. They cover a super wide range as well, resulting in too many deaths,'' I thought with guilt.


    "Carter must have improved our weaponry system, and with the addition of the drifting ship''s weapons, which are probably stronger than expected, our firepower has risen to an unexpected level," said Zhang Bao''er as he looked at the sea of flames beneath us.


    "Canyue, an opening has been created. You should get going now," said Kelly.


    "Superior, it''s still burning down there. Why are you telling us to plunge into the fire?" questioned Zhang Bao''er unhappily.


    "We don''t have much time. According to the system, the enemy fighter drones are going to completely surround us soon. Fearless needs to retreat immediately," said Kelly.


    "Open the exit at the bottom level. We''ll continue the mission," I said, feeling the urgency of the situation.


    While I was issuing the order to Dondon, I saw Bulu jump into my backpack.


    ''Looks like this little fellow intends to go with me. So be it. Bulu might be helpful against the Gando warriors,'' I thought.


    Dondon did as told and opened the bottom door, allowing me, Bao''er, and Old Du to jump off the ship.


    Our thrusters immediately activated, bringing us toward the sea of flames beneath us. The continuous explosions had caused the fire to constantly churn. Its flames danced around us like blooming roses in the depths of hell.


    I couldn''t help but swallow at the sight. "Prepare to defend against being burned. Charge in with me."


    I took the lead and charged into the raging flames. The friction between the fiery waves and my shield created a blue halo around me. The thrusters continued to bring us forward rapidly. In a few seconds, we charged through the raging fire and arrived at the underground entrance.


    There, our thrusters shifted slightly, allowing us to smoothly land. Ahead of us were two burning truck-like devices. They were continuously exploding, sending a series of red fiery waves into their surroundings.


    "I was wondering why there were so many explosions. Looks like these two were what the empire had prepared to burn the gate down," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Kelly, we have reached the underground entrance. We''ll be going in," I said to the communicator.


    "Noted. Make haste. I have retreated from the battle. Captain Carter has also responded. Backup will arrive in roughly 45 minutes. Be sure to get the duke and the others out within that time," Kelly reminded.


    Next, I stepped through the fiery world toward the gate. The gate was massive and made of steel. On it were two lion-shaped knockers, displaying an imposing presence befitting nobility.


    The middle of the gate had caved in¡ªprobably the doing of a siege machine¡ªrevealing an opening big enough for one person to pass through at a time. However, the gate still maintained its integrity, preventing the empire from entering with larger weaponry.


    "Canyue, the empire created an entrance for us. Looks like we can save on effort," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Everyone, let''s go in. This place is too hot. It''s draining too much of our energy," I said.


    Just as we were about to go through the opening, a massive silhouette rushed out and rammed toward us. The silhouette was moving so fast the air whistled in its path.


    "Shit! Take cover!" I roared.


    All three of us jumped aside, trying our best to avoid the thing heading toward us. A loud thud sounded as a big hole appeared on the ground. Amid the billowing black smoke, I saw a familiar face. The white Gando.


    The white Gando had actually rushed out of the opening to attack us with his hammer. I could see that the damage we had previously done to the hammer had already been patched over with steel.


    Before we could regain our bearings, a massive object whistled through the air. The white Gando was sweeping his hammer toward us. In a split second, the hammer reached me. I quickly lowered my head and avoided the sweep.


    A loud boom sounded behind me. When I looked back, I saw Zhang Bao''er fly into the wall; he hadn''t been able to avoid the strike in time.


    "Bao''er!" I roared as I desperately ran toward him.


    After creating a massive depression on the palace wall, Zhang Bao''er slid onto the ground.


    "Bao''er, are you fine?" I helped his chubby body up and asked.


    "It hurts! This fellow is too strong. I wonder if I broke any bones. Good thing I have a good amount of flesh to cushion the impact," replied Zhang Bao''er.


    I was slightly relieved to hear him talk. It would seem like the morph-capable shield had resisted a majority of the impact. Otherwise, Zhang Bao''er''s body would have been smashed into mincemeat.


    Suddenly, gunshots rang out nearby. I looked over. Old Du was furiously shooting at the Gando with the assault rifle that had been on his back. He was constantly avoiding the Gando''s attacks.


    Suddenly, I noticed a massive shadow cover both me and Zhang Bao''er. I looked back and hissed in shock. How unlucky. The black Gando had appeared behind us with his gigantic sword. Before I could even think of a solution, the sharp sword slashed toward us.


    ''Shit! The attack is too fast!'' I wailed inwardly.


    I tried my very best to drag Zhang Bao''er out of the way, but he was too heavy. Even with the help of my thrusters, I wasn''t able to move both of us away in time. In less than a second, the massive sword reached my forehead.


    ''It''s over,'' I thought as I quickly let go of Zhang Bao''er and spread my arms. I stood between Zhang Bao''er and the sword. The only thought in my mind was to keep my brother safe.


    ''I wonder how much damage the shield can block. This fellow''s sword is too big,'' I wondered.


    But even after a few seconds, the awaited hit did not arrive. I opened my eyes in confusion. The sword had actually deformed the shield when it had descended, only to be stopped centimeters away from my head.


    "Bulu!" I understood what happened.


    I quickly placed my backpack down and lifted up Bulu. At the moment, Bulu was like a miniature sun, shining with a blinding light. The substance within its body was flowing madly as it used all its strength to restrain the Gando.


    ''I need to quickly do something to avoid Bulu from overdrafting itself,'' I thought.


    I then signaled Zhang Bao''er with my hands, indicating that we should work together. Both of us jumped, each aiming for one of the Gando''s legs. Our goal was to attach cluster bombs to his legs.


    The black Gando seemed to have realized what we were doing; it tried breaking free from Bulu''s control with his impressive strength. Slowly, his two hands, which were gripping his massive sword, started moving. Bulu was shining as brightly as ever, looking like a star that was about to explode.


    "Shit! Bulu might have reached its limits. Bao''er, install the bomb quickly," I shouted anxiously.


    We accelerated and attached the bombs before Bulu collapsed. After planting the bombs, I immediately jumped back, lifted Bulu, and ran away. The moment I left the explosion radius, the light on Bulu''s body dimmed. The substance in its body also went still.


    The black Gando immediately regained his ability to move. He took a wide stride forward as he brandished his threatening sword. When he was two steps away from us, the two bombs detonated, creating a dazzling eruption at the Gando''s ankles. The Gando felt acute pain, which accompanied the loud sound, in his legs. After swaying about for a bit, he collapsed onto the ground.


    "Hah! What does it matter how ferocious you are? Can you be as ferocious as my bomb?" said Zhang Bao''er smugly as he fired several plasma bullets at the Gando''s head.


    Meanwhile, Old Du was in a melee with the white Gando. The white Gando kept trying to hit Old Du with his hammer, but the hammer was too slow to actually fatally wound Old Du.


    Old Du kept dodging while shooting at the Gando with his laser gun, but the Gando protected his vitals well. In fact, things did not look good for Old Du. I did not hesitate to launch several cluster bombs at the Gando. I also switched my gun to tracking mode, aimed at the Gando''s head, and pulled the trigger.


    Thousands of tracking bullets tore through the air and flew toward the Gando''s head. Layers of light flickered as a reinforced shield snapped into place around the Gando''s head. He seemed to have learned a lesson from our previous encounter, putting more emphasis on protecting his head.


    He managed to block all my bullets. At that point, the white Gando finally saw his fallen companion. The sight caused him to rage as he ignored Old Du and rushed at me and Zhang Bao''er with his giant hammer.


    "Bao''er, his shield is focused on his head. I''ll continue attacking his head while you aim at the other parts of his body and look for an opening," I said.


    Countless bullets whizzed forth, assaulting the Gando from all directions. A series of clanks rang out as Zhang Bao''er''s bullets penetrated the shield covering the Gando''s stomach, allowing the bullets to land on his armor.


    "The shield on his stomach can be penetrated. Focus there!" Zhang Bao''er quickly reported.


    I changed my aim and shot at the Gando''s stomach, and we successfully caused the Gando to slow down with our hail of attacks. Old Du also unleashed a ferocious attack from behind the Gando. Things looked unfavorable for the Gando; he was stuck 30 meters away from all three of us, not knowing which direction he should prioritize.


    When things were looking more and more favorable for us, I suddenly heard a loud sound to the left of us. I quickly looked over and saw that the black Gando was scrambling back onto his feet. It didn''t even look like he was too badly harmed.


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    "Inferior beings, do you really think we will commit the same mistake twice? Today, all of you will fall here!" announced the black Gando coldly.

 CH 130

    "Who do you think you are? Speaking conceited nonsense all the time. I hate you the most!" said Zhang Bao''er, unleashing countless tracking bullets to go along with his scolding.


    The black Gando heaved his giant sword up. His sword blocked a majority of the bullets, while his shield blocked the rest.


    "This is troublesome. He''s protected by a shield. He wasn''t able to turn it on in time when he had ambushed us earlier. We had missed the best opportunity to finish him off," I said to Bao''er, annoyed.


    The black Gando swept his sword at us murderously. We were prepared and greeted his eyes with countless bullets. To protect his eyes, the Gando was forced to stop swinging and cover his eyes.


    "Perhaps only stronger weapons will work against him," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "But the only stronger weapon we have is the nuclear warhead," I said.


    "Can we use it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Absolutely not. It is too destructive. The entire palace will be flattened," I refused.


    Suddenly, the black Gando stopped his furious assault and slowly approached the white Gando. After all, it looked like he was rather fearful of Bulu''s mind control and our tracking bullets.


    "Old Du, come gather up with us. Looks like the two Gandos intend to join up to attack us," I called out to Old Du.


    Old Du retreated while he fought, slowly approaching us.


    "We can''t let them join up. Their offensive will only become stronger than we can deal with if they work together," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I suddenly had an idea.


    I reached out and stopped Zhang Bao''er, who was about to shoot his gun, and said, "You and Old Du try to hold them up. Let them join up. Give me a couple of minutes."


    "What are you doing?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "I have a plan. We have to take a gamble. There is no time to explain. I need to leave for a few minutes. You guys take care and keep them busy," I said urgently.


    "Damn you, Canyue! You''re leaving us at a time like this? Are you trying to get us killed?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    I ignored him, lifted Bulu, and rushed out of the fiery field with my thrusters.


    "Dondon, Dondon, can you hear me?" I called out the moment I exited the fiery field and hovered higher in the air.


    "Yes, I hear you, Canyue," Dondon replied promptly.


    "Scan the palace and its vicinity. See if there are any juxi beasts here. The imperial soldiers will usually bring them whenever there is a battle," I said.


    "Roger. On it," Dondon replied.


    I hovered in the air and observed Akko''s surface. After the ceasefire had ended, the flames of war had started raging again. The crackling of fire and the sound of firearms could be heard all over the planet.


    "Canyue, 10 o''clock ahead of you, there is a juxi beast. It is busy scanning the rooms in the palace. Be careful. There are roughly 30 imperial soldiers around it," reported Dondon.


    I flew toward the indicated location. Before long, I was hovering above my target. In a massive building to the side of the palace, the juxi beast was busily scanning the building. The imperial soldiers around it were constantly attacking in accordance with the scan results. I did not have much time to think as I immediately rushed toward the juxi beast.


    "Bulu, control that big guy. I''m relying on you," I said to Bulu.


    In less than a minute, I landed on the massive weapon platform on the back of the juxi beast. I used my gun and knocked down the imperial soldier in charge of the weaponry on the platform.


    The juxi beast stopped moving. Bulu''s mind control had succeeded. The soldiers around the juxi beast finally noticed me, and countless laser beams were instantly sent my way.


    I was long prepared; I pushed my morph-capable shield to maximum capacity and extended its radius. Naturally, being such a big target resulted in my energy draining away at five times the regular speed.


    "Dondon, can you give me the accurate coordinates of the black and white Gandos? I can''t defend like this for long," I said to Dondon.


    "Ok. I''ll perform a scan. I''ll give you some cover fire as well," said Dondon.


    I looked up at the sky. Fearless, which was being chased by several spaceships, appeared above me and opened fire at the surrounding soldiers, relieving me of some pressure.


    "Don''t harm the juxi beast," I reminded.


    "Roger. I did not use any large-radius attacks. The coordinates of the Gandos have been sent to your communicator. However, they are not staying at the same place," said Dondon.


    I quickly navigated the juxi beast''s weaponry system to look for the activation button of the contained explosion warhead.


    "Dondon, can you see this interface through my lens? Help me verify the activation button of the contained explosion warhead and set the Gandos'' coordinates as the target," I said.


    "Ok. But the warhead might not necessarily be able to destroy the Gandos," said Dondon.


    "I''ll fly over and install a nuclear warhead on the guided missile," I said as I looked at the guided missile turret on the back of the juxi beast.


    I then activated my thrusters and flew toward the turret before attaching a zero-radiation nuclear warhead to the missile. The air defense drones that were busy attacking Fearless noticed what I was doing and immediately flew toward me because they designated me as an even more dangerous target. I was clear on the might of their red laser beams. I had no intention of taking on their attacks.


    "Faster, Dondon. Bulu and I won''t be able to last long," I said.


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    "Coordinates inserted. Permission to fire," said Dondon.


    "Fire!" I ordered.


    A contained explosion warhead shot into the sky before flying toward the underground entrance. At the same time, five red beams descended from the sky and accurately hit the control panel on the juxi beast''s back.


    The powerful beams shot right through the juxi beast itself. Just like that, a precious creature that required 1,000 years to mature was slaughtered by air defense drones. The moment the beams penetrated the juxi beast''s body, a powerful self-detonation was generated within the beast''s body. Standing directly on its back, I was blasted high into the sky, and I crashed heavily onto the ground.


    From my new position, I saw a transparent light tube soar into the sky far away from me. Within the transparent tube, the power of a nuclear explosion churned, destroying everything contained within the tube.


    "Bao''er, are the black and white Gandos dead?" I asked through the communicator.


    Only static sounds came for some reason. Perhaps the nuclear explosion was powerful enough to jam our signals despite having its explosion contained. I was still lying on the ground. Bulu hopped toward me before urging me to stand back up. I struggled to my feet. My entire body ached after the fall, but I forced myself to rush toward the underground entrance.


    "Canyue, Carter''s reinforcements will arrive in 30 minutes," Dondon reported.


    There was no time to waste, so I endured all the pain in my body and ran through the wall of fire to reach the underground gate. The scene of the contained explosion appeared before me. Both Old Du and Zhang Bao''er were staring blankly at the destruction in front of them. I was relieved to see them safe. The warhead had landed accurately following Dondon''s coordinates. Everything enveloped in the explosion radius had been destroyed by an overwhelming force.


    "Bao''er, are the Gandos dead?" I asked loudly.


    When Bao''er heard my voice, he ran over.


    "The black Gando is in there. He was swallowed by the explosion," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It''s a success! After all, Dondon''s calculations are very accurate," I said in excitement.


    "But at the final moment, the black Gando managed to push the white Gando out of the containment," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "What? The white Gando is still alive?" I asked in surprise.


    "Yes, he is on the other side of the containment circle. Old Du and I are watching him to prevent him from attacking us suddenly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I slowly walked around the containment circle. Finally, I saw the white Gando staring blankly at the circle of destruction. The black Gando had already been thoroughly pulverized inside it.


    "We finally got rid of one of them," said Zhang Bao''er behind me.


    "Get ready. This fellow will probably go crazy," Old Du''s voice came behind us.


    I looked back and saw that Old Du had also arrived behind me.


    "Captain Carter will launch his surprise attack in 30 minutes. We need to enter the underground palace as quickly as possible," I said urgently.


    "But the white Gando is still standing guard over the entrance. We need to take him down if we want to go underground," said Old Du.


    The white Gando suddenly shifted his gaze. His white eyes slowly swept toward us. We could clearly feel the immense hatred in his eyes. He then lifted his massive hammer and walked toward us.


    "Prepare for combat," I said in a low voice.


    The white Gando walked slowly and stopped roughly 10 meters away. I noticed with surprise that the Gando''s pale face had flushed red.


    "What is this fellow doing this time?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "Push your shield to the maximum power. I have a bad feeling," I said.


    The face and arms of the Gando turned more and more red, eventually turning bright scarlet while his body slowly enlarged. After a minute, the Gando started growing even faster. Like a balloon, he swelled as his skin further reddened. Soon, he had grown to the size of an elephant. His entire body had turned red, leaving his eyeballs the only white part of his body. He looked exceptionally odd.


    "Is he growing bigger to increase his strength? Should we shoot?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    In truth, I had no idea what the Gando was doing either. The Gando continued growing, and I could even see his blood coursing rapidly through his taut skin. An ominous feeling rose within me.


    "Shit! Retreat! This fellow is probably self-detonating!" I yelled anxiously.


    I had barely finished my words when a loud explosion erupted right in front of us. A world of red fog swallowed us.

 CH 131

    The white Gando had fiercely detonated his own body, filling the world with a red fog. At that point, the contained explosion had ended as well, leaving a massive black crater on the ground.


    "What is this? The Gando was so angry he killed himself?" asked Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    "We don''t know what''s happening. Keep your shields on. Be very careful," Old Du reminded.


    The red fog spread as far as our eyes could see, layering any solid object with a thick red film. Even our shields were covered. A portion of the red stuff even managed to pass through our shields and stick onto our suits.


    Bulu stayed completely still in my backpack. It seemed to have been totally exhausted from the struggle against the Gandos. I moved the backpack to my front to protect it better from the red substance in the air.


    "Canyue, I have arrived above you. We saw a red fog cover the underground entrance. Are you fine?" Kelly''s voice came from the communicator.


    "We''re fine. Both Gandos have been terminated. We will proceed to enter the underground palace," I replied.


    "You need to be fast. Carter''s reinforcements will arrive in 20 minutes. Also, the imperial soldiers and personnel are mustering rapidly. They are preparing to launch another wave of attacks at your group," said Kelly.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, we have to ignore the red fog. Let''s enter the underground palace," I said.


    "Canyue, Old Du, wait. There is a complication," Kelly''s anxious voice suddenly came.


    "Kelly, what is it?" I hurriedly asked.


    "Something odd happened. All the imperial soldiers that touched the red fog dropped onto the ground," said Kelly.


    "All dropped? What''s going on?" Zhang Bao''er asked doubtfully.


    "Shit. Is this red fog poisonous? Bao''er, Old Du, keep your shield on at all times," I reminded.


    "Yes, all the imperial soldiers touched by the red fog are dead. The red fog is still spreading even now. The entire area in front of the underground entrance is covered in it," said Kelly.


    "What a scoundrel. That Gando intended to have us bring his poison underground and kill everyone inside," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Well, this is troublesome. We won''t be able to enter the underground palace this way," said Old Du.


    "Even if we can enter, they won''t be able to leave. The entrance is completely covered in poison. Kelly, you need to contact Captain Carter and have him postpone the attack," I said.


    "I will notify Carter. Try to withdraw as fast as you can," said Kelly.


    I ended the communication before saying to Old Du and Bao''er, "Cover me as I go underground. I don''t know how the team leader is down there. I will take off my suit later. Cover me with your shields."


    "No, I''m going as well!" Zhang Bao''er objected.


    "Follow your order!" I ordered Zhang Bao''er in an unquestionable tone for the very first time.


    Zhang Bao''er stopped arguing when he saw how firm I was. We rushed through the crack in the gate. After going through the opening, a slightly inclined tunnel appeared before us. The red fog had flooded the area as well. We traveled along the tunnel. The deeper we went, the smaller the tunnel became. Eventually, the tunnel was only large enough for one person to pass at a time.


    "This underground palace was designed very oddly. It feels suffocating to travel to it," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    After walking for about 50 meters, we found with joy that we had finally left the radius of the red fog.


    "Let''s split here. Don''t keep going, or we might accidentally carry the poison with us. Old Du, help me get my suit off. I''ll go alone," I said.


    Old Du did as told and wrapped his shield tightly around my skin and Bulu before carefully helping me remove my suit. The moment my suit was detached from my body, I took a step forth, leaving the poison behind me.


    "Try to deal with the poison and meet up with Kelly. I''ll go to the underground palace," I said.


    "You can''t contact us from down here. Be careful," said Zhang Bao''er with concern.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be fine with Bulu here," I said before turning to continue through the tunnel.


    After traveling for a while, the narrow tunnel gradually became wide again. Eventually, I arrived in front of a delicate building. The front hall of the building was decorated luxuriously with numerous fine sculptures and grand paintings that showcased the history of the Kingdom of Akko.


    However, I was too focused on my excitement to meet Zhang Xingxing again to be able to appreciate the works of art around me.


    A massive bubble was blocking my path. Its surface constantly rippled randomly with seven different colors.


    ''This must be the entrance. I didn''t expect them to use some sort of gaseous gate to protect the underground palace,'' I thought.


    I tried touching the bubble. Despite the bubble''s seemingly malleable state, its surface was exceptionally durable. Even when I tried pushing with more force, no change occurred. No matter how much strength I used, I couldn''t part the bubble.


    I only had a dagger on me so I drew it and stabbed at the bubble. However, the bubble remained firm and undamaged.


    "No wonder they use this thing as the gate. It is quite a formidable defensive object," I muttered.


    Without any other weapons, I was stuck.


    "How should I get through this gate?" I wondered.


    While I hesitated, the bubble suddenly moved. The durable surface parted, and a silhouette walked out from behind it. Alert, I took a step back and gripped my dagger more tightly. Soon, I saw a familiar face. It was Prince Toruse.


    "Canyue, you''re finally here. We have been waiting a few days for you," said the prince.


    "Prince, it truly isn''t easy to reach this place. How is everyone doing?" I asked in excitement when I saw the prince.


    "Everyone is fine. However, the king and the duke have been trying to find out what is happening outside. Unfortunately, the Gandos are keeping us trapped," said the prince.


    "Are you talking about the black and white Gandos from Lidu?" I asked.


    "Yes. Those two have been keeping watch outside the tunnel. We have no heavy weapons, so none of us can leave. How did you even get in here?" asked the prince.


    "We got in after killing the black and white Gandos. It''s a long story. Take me to Zhang Xingxing first," I said, slightly anxious.


    "Ok. Where are the others?" asked the prince.


    "They''re keeping watch outside. Let me enter first," I urged.


    The prince did not say anything else and stepped aside before gesturing at me to enter. I quickly walked through the bubble to enter the underground palace, which also served as a bunker.


    The moment I passed through the bubble, a row of guns appeared before my eyes. Dozens of Akko soldiers were standing in a strict formation. They all saluted the prince when he returned. I followed the prince as we walked through the army camp. Immediately, a familiar face entered my eyes.


    "Canyue, you''re finally back!" Zhang Xingxing ran over in excitement.


    She jumped on me, catching me by complete surprise and almost knocking me off my feet.


    "Team Leader! Private Canyue reporting for duty!" I said as I straightened my body.


    Zhang Xingxing seemed to realize that she was too excited, so she looked rather awkward. She quickly calmed down and looked at me, joy filling her big eyes.


    "Canyue, the king and the duke are waiting for me. Let''s not delay," urged Prince Toruse.


    We followed the prince through the row upon row of soldiers. Before long, we arrived at a temporary command room. Both King Xido and Duke Yidon were sitting at a big table. Even Principal Sosse was present. They were impatiently waiting for me.


    "How are things outside? Was the Akko army able to hold the line? Was the league''s attack on Lidu successful?" asked Duke Yidon before I could even get settled.


    I told them everything I knew. Everyone frowned when they heard about the cruel battle at Goldsteel City, whereas Prince Toruse had a smile on his face.


    "How is Goldsteel City doing now?" asked King Xido.


    "I don''t know. I came straight here the moment I entered the planet''s stratosphere," I said.


    "Why didn''t the league attack Lidu faster and eliminate the empire''s Northstar Army? What were they thinking? We need to leave as quickly as possible. I must return to the main headquarters to take charge of the war efforts," said Duke Yidon with a frown.


    "Captain Carter is on standby and is ready to launch a surprise attack to cover our retreat. However, the exit is covered by a toxic fog right now," I said.


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    "Toxic fog? What do you mean?" asked Master Crystal.


    I then told Master Crystal about the nuclear attack on the Gandos and the subsequent self-detonation.


    "You mean the Gando can create a red toxic fog after self-detonation? I did not expect them to have that ability," muttered Master Crystal.


    "You know of this ability?" I asked.


    "Sarje, tell them the lost tribe you told me about before," said Master Crystal.


    "We Gandos all originated from Planet Gando of the Orion Constellation. Since ancient times, we Gandos have been martial in nature. Historically, our race specialized in providing protection services for the kings, nobilities, and high officials of the various kingdoms on Planet Gando. In fact, the Gando actually consists of several races. One of them is known as the Migang race," said Sarje.


    "Migang? The name itself sounds mysterious enough," I said.


    "Yes. The Migang race lives in a poisonous swamp. The swamp''s toxic air is extremely powerful, capable of killing with a single touch. The tribe stayed there for generations. Very few of them had ever left the swamp. That lasted until an imperial spaceship appeared on Planet Gando, revealing a part of the Migang Gandos before public eyes," said Sarje.


    "In other words, after living for generations in a poisonous environment, their bodies had become the vessel of poison," I said.


    "No. The Migangs I had met before can''t self-detonate at all. According to the legends, only the direct descendants of their line of priests possess such an ability. However, as the highest rulers of the Migangs, their priests have never shown themselves to any outsiders. Because of that, the self-detonation ability has remained a legend," said Sarje.


    "You mean the white Gando might have the lineage of the Migang priests? How long can that toxic fog last?" I asked.


    "It won''t dissipate quickly. Furthermore, it will enter any solid objects in the area. Any life form will immediately die upon exposure," said Sarje.


    "How long exactly will the fog last?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. According to the legends, it might take a year," said Sarje.


    Everyone sank into silence. I had not expected the red poison to be so powerful, keeping everyone firmly imprisoned here.


    "The morph-capable shield is able to block the poison. If I leave and bring over more shields, we will be able to get everyone out," I suggested.


    "We still have four morph-capable suits here. Titan and I each have one. Duke Yidon and his assistant have one each as well," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "With four suits, we can help out King Xido and Duke Yidon first. After establishing contact with Captain Carter, we can think of a plan to rescue everyone else," I said.


    "This is an emergency. Let''s follow Canyue''s plan," Duke Yidon decided.

 CH 132

    "Canyue, take my suit and leave with the king and the duke," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I was reluctant to part with her so soon after our reunion, but for the sake of the mission, I had no choice.


    "Wait for me. I promise to return quickly this time" I said.


    She winked and indicated her trust in me. The four people slated to leave finished their preparations, and we set off immediately. After going through the bubble gate, I walked in front alongside the duke''s assistant. It did not take us long to reach the area covered by the red fog.


    Everyone advanced carefully, and after roughly 20 minutes, we came to the opening in the gate. I took a look outside and broke out in cold sweat. Countless imperial drones were visible outside the gate.


    "Shit. The drones have surrounded the gate," I said.


    "Where are our reinforcements? Get them to provide cover immediately," said Duke Yidon.


    "Kelly, Kelly, I have reached the gate with Duke Yidon. Where are you?" I called out to my communicator.


    "Canyue, we''re above the underground entrance, waiting outside the red fog. The imperial drones have surrounded the entrance. With Fearless alone, we won''t be able to break through," said Kelly.


    "Major Kelly, this is Duke Yidon speaking. Immediately notify Captain Carter to commence the rescue operation. Start the operation within 10 minutes," said Duke Yidon as he snatched my communicator.


    "Yes, Duke. I''ll notify him immediately," Kelly immediately got to work after receiving her order.


    "Xink, work with Canyue and establish a defensive perimeter around the king and me. Do not allow any enemy to get in here," said Duke Yidon to his assistant.


    "Yes, Duke." The assistant immediately extended his shield to cover the entire opening.


    "Reporting to the duke, I am Captain Carter. The fleet has arrived outside Akko. In five minutes, the rescue operation will begin," Captain Carter''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Very good. Try to start as soon as possible," replied the duke.


    "Carter, the underground entrance is covered by a red toxic fog. You need to enter with your ship. Also, we need 200 morph-capable suits to protect everyone during our retreat. The enemy ground forces are roughly three kilometers away from the fog," said Kelly.


    Five minutes later, the operation was about to start. At that time, I suddenly noticed that Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were both still outside the gate.


    "Bao''er, can you hear me?" I called out anxiously.


    "Yes. We''re also aware of the rescue operation. Old Du and I are hiding in a tank outside the gate. We are ready to retreat at any time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Were you able to find a way to deal with the poison?" I asked.


    "No. I tried cleaning it with water, but it didn''t work. That Gando''s blood is too sticky," said Zhang Bao''er.


    As we spoke, intense explosions rang out in the sky. I used my scanner probe to see through the red fog and saw that above the palace and outside the planet''s atmosphere were bright explosions. Shortly after, several Zeus-class battleships were inside the atmosphere.


    "Duke, Kelly, I have broken through the Southstar Army''s defensive line. Prepare for retreat," Carter''s voice came.


    A few minutes later, one of the Zeus-class battleships managed to break free from the battle and flew toward us. The ground artillery started shooting the battleship. Countless laser beams and artillery shells struck the ship''s shield, creating numerous dazzling explosions. A few other battleships entered the atmosphere behind the first battleship, but they were quickly entangled with the imperial forces.


    "Duke, Star has managed to break through the blockade. We are heading your way. The rest of the battleships will bring up the rear. We will arrive at the appointed location in roughly five minutes," said Captain Carter.


    "Carter, the underground entrance is surrounded by drones," Kelly reminded.


    "Canyue, retreat with the duke to a safe position. We''ll be launching the electromagnetic missile soon," said Carter.


    "Roger," I carried out the command and brought the duke to a corner in the tunnel.


    Then, the sounds of a missile whizzing through the air rang out followed by a deafening rumble. The intense electromagnetic waves caused our shields to shake, and the sounds of dropping machines came from outside the gate. I stepped forth to take a look and saw that the electromagnetic missile had scrambled the system of the air defense drones, causing them to drop one after another.


    "Canyue, the electromagnetic scrambler will only last for 10 minutes. An unmanned shuttle will be coming for you shortly," said Captain Carter.


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    "Roger. We''re ready," I said.


    Shortly after, the sounds of an approaching unmanned shuttle could be heard from the opening in the gate.


    "Duke, Your Majesty, our rescue has arrived. Please board the shuttle," I said.


    "Canyue, we saw the shuttle," Zhang Bao''er''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Board the shuttle and retreat," I ordered.


    Assistant Xink and I covered the king and the duke as they boarded the shuttle. The surrounding drones had been temporarily disabled by the electromagnetic missile, whereas the red fog had stopped the enemy ground forces from attacking. This was the best chance for us to escape.


    Two figures ran over from the midst of the red fog. They were Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. The moment they arrived, they also boarded the shuttle. After everyone boarded, the shuttle took off toward the battleship Star. The moment it took off, countless artillery shells were fired from the distant tanks and bombarded the area in front of the gate.


    "That was a close call. We were only a tiny bit ahead of them," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The poison-laden shuttle flew toward Star quickly. At that time, I noticed two imperial Milky Way¨Cclass battleships flying toward Star at a rapid speed. Behind them were hundreds of fighter drones. The situation was getting urgent. The shuttle quickly completed the docking procedure with Star. The moment the procedure was completed, the battleship soared into outer space.


    "Carter, what''s going on? There are still hundreds of people awaiting our rescue," I roared into my communicator.


    "Private, my priority is the duke and the king. We will only rescue the others if the situation permits. With the imperial ships surrounding us quickly, we must retreat, or everyone will be put in danger," said Captain Carter.


    "You bastard! You tricked us! Go back there and help the others!" I roared.


    Zhang Bao''er also roared, "Stop, or I''ll blast your ship apart!"


    "Private! Are you disobeying?" Captain Carter roared back.


    "Carter, if you don''t pull back, don''t blame me for going overboard. So what if I''m disobeying? It''s not like this is my first time!" I threatened ferociously.


    "What do you intend to do?" asked Xink as he aimed his gun at me.


    Instantly, three other guns were aimed at Duke Yidon.


    "Young man, do you understand the consequences of your actions?" asked Duke Yidon.


    "You are the dishonest ones. Stop, or we''ll simply die together," I said.


    At that moment, the door opened, revealing the docking bridge between the shuttle and the battleship. Carter and about a dozen armed soldiers rushed through the door.


    "Private, you are openly revolting. Put down your gun," demanded Carter loudly.


    "Captain, I am well aware that everyone here is protected by morph-capable shields. But if you don''t return and help the trapped people, I''ll activate the nuclear warhead," I said.


    "Canyue, what happened?" I suddenly heard Kelly''s voice from the communicator.


    "Your brother went back on his word and decided to abandon Zhang Xingxing and the others. He is escaping without them," I replied.


    No reply came from the communicator.


    "Captain, the two Milky Way¨Cclass battleships are getting close. We won''t be able to retreat in time if we don''t do it now," reported an official beside Carter.


    The atmosphere turned tense. Only a little spark was needed for the situation to escalate further.


    "Private, I can''t risk all the lives on an entire battleship to rescue them. We must retreat first before coming up with a different plan. I promise that I won''t abandon them. After all, King Xido''s son, Prince Toruse, is also down there," said Duke Yidon.


    Perhaps the talk about all the lives on the ship had moved me, causing me to glance at Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. They both indicated their support for any decision I made.


    "Dondon, come pick us up on Fearless. Carter, help us take off our poisoned suits and detoxify them first. I also need 200 sets of suits and weapons," I made my demand.


    "Alright. I agree," said Carter after looking at the duke and receiving a nod.


    "Order all the participating ships to pull out of the planet with Star. Have Fearless follow us as we retreat," said Carter.


    A few soldiers made use of mechanical arms and morph-capable shields to carefully remove our poisoned suits before taking us to a decontamination chamber. After we were decontaminated, we entered the main body of the battleship Star. About a dozen armed soldiers were waiting. The three of us and Bulu were immediately arrested.


    "Carter! What is the meaning of this! Are you going back on your word?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Captain Carter did not even give us a reply. He merely had the soldiers lock us in the holding cell. From the window, we saw that dozens of imperial battleships were surrounding us.


    "Why are they not escaping with a wormhole? What bullshit leadership is this?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Maybe the imperial battleships are sticking too closely, not giving them enough space to produce a wormhole," said Old Du.


    We were locked in a room at the end of the corridor. We looked out the window and saw that the imperial battleships and drones were fiercely encircling and attacking the league battleships.


    Under their ferocious assault, a Zeus-class battleship''s shield was finally broken. Immediately, countless drones swarmed the battleship like predators upon prey. Without the shield, the Zeus-class battleship was no match for their concentrated attacks. A violent explosion finally erupted in the ship, and countless escape pods shot out. However, even more soldiers were left behind in the burning battleship.


    "I reckon there were no less than 200 deaths in that one ship," said Old Du with a sigh.


    The exploding battleship created enough space for the other battleships to produce an escape wormhole. After the wormhole was created, all the ships quickly entered it. Star was the last battleship to enter the wormhole. Dozens of imperial fighter drones also managed to enter the wormhole, but they were easily destroyed. Duke Yidon was finally safe.


    I sat blankly in the room, thinking about Zhang Xingxing, who was still trapped. To help Duke Yidon, she had even given me her suit. I was filled with regret for agreeing with the plan. Suddenly, a fierce voice came from the corridor.


    "Where are the three idiots? I''m going to kill them!" Captain Carter''s furious voice rang out.

 CH 133

    "That guy must have gone mad. We must be careful," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "He''s so angry because of the loss of a Zeus-class battleship. As the commander of the operation, he will be subjected to a hearing for the loss," said Old Du.


    The three of us stood against the wall and assumed defensive positions. The door opened, and Carter rushed in, furious. Several soldiers were still trying to stop him from doing anything extreme.


    "You idiots! If it wasn''t for you guys wasting my time, we wouldn''t have lost a battleship and over 1,000 soldiers!" roared Carter.


    "There are always casualties in war, especially when working against certain strategic goals. There are many such cases in history," argued Zhang Bao''er unyieldingly.


    "You still dare to twist your words and keep quibbling? I''ll kill you!" said Captain Carter as he tried to snatch the gun from a soldier''s hands.


    The guard was already on guard against something like that, so he kept an iron grip on his gun. When Carter saw that he had failed to snatch the gun, he suddenly reached for the dagger on the soldier''s waist and then stabbed it toward Zhang Bao''er''s chest. Everyone exclaimed in alarm. Everything had happened suddenly, so nobody could react in time. In a flash, the blade stabbed into Zhang Bao''er''s chest.


    "It hurts! You imbecile! You dare stab me?" roared Zhang Bao''er as he pulled the dagger out.


    We suddenly saw that Carter was standing completely still. The dagger had not gone in too deeply. In fact, only a tiny bit of the blade''s tip had stabbed through Zhang Bao''er''s skin; it was barely enough to draw blood. I knew that Bulu had acted during the critical moment and saved Zhang Bao''er.


    "You animal! You''re actually so ruthless? We are prisoners. Before subjecting us to a trial, you tried to take our lives in private. This is highly illegal. Soldiers, why aren''t you arresting him?" I roared at the soldiers who were staring blankly.


    My roar seemed to have awakened them. One of them, who seemed to be an official, signaled the others with his eyes. They understood tacitly what he meant and stepped forth to arrest the captain. Right at that moment, a military messenger appeared outside the room with a new order.


    "Duke Yidon ordered that the three prisoners are to be immediately brought to the temporary command center," said the messenger.


    The three soldiers escorted us and Carter, who was restrained, to the temporary command center. At that point, Bulu had stopped the control. Along the way, Carter kept threatening the three of us. Surprisingly, all three of us reached a unanimous decision to ignore him regardless of what he said.


    Shortly after, we arrived at the temporary command center. Through the window, I saw that we were currently within one of the fleet''s outer space military bases. The command center was filled with soldiers and military officials in ceremonial attire. Duke Yidon and King Xido were seated on the two big chairs in the center of the room. Standing beside them were Kelly with a concerned expression and our companions, Dondon, Domo, and Wuzhou.


    ''Weird. Why are all these people in ceremonial attire? What weird thing are they trying to do now?'' I wondered inwardly.


    After we entered the room, Duke Yidon walked up to us. He wordlessly stared at us, to the point our hairs stood on end.


    "Going back on your word and tricking us to help you before taking us prisoner. Just kill us and get it over with. Why waste time here?" said Zhang Bao''er unyieldingly.


    The duke smiled and ignored Zhang Bao''er. After he was done staring at us, he walked up to Carter and started staring at Carter wordlessly as well. After a while, Duke Yidon shook his head, turned around, and waved his hand.


    Several soldiers immediately stepped forth and removed the bindings on the three of us and Carter. The moment our bindings were removed, Duke Yidon''s assistant stepped forth with a letter of commendation in his hand. He started reading from it.


    "In view of Zhang Xingxing, Li Canyue, Zhang Bao''er, and Dudal Homlu''s contribution in the war, Duke Yidon hereby exercises his prerogative to promote Major Zhang Xingxing to lieutenant colonel. Private Li Canyue, Zhang Bao''er, and Dudal Homlu are all promoted to second lieutenants. Zhang Xingxing is hereby appointed captain of the Poseidon-class battleship Spacetime. In Zhang Xingxing''s absence, Li Canyue will be Spacetime''s acting captain. Their fugitive status is officially removed," announced the assistant.


    The change and surprise had arrived so suddenly. Even people who had faced countless dangers and hardships like us were completely stunned. We had always dreamed of returning to the league after making enough contributions, and our dream had been achieved. We had even been promoted. It felt like all our hardships had been worth it. After Assistant Xink finished, Duke Yidon turned and walked up to me.


    "Young man, although you have offended me, I understand the principles of justice and fairness that you and your team pursue. You have returned to the league, and from now onward, you have your own ship to captain and have the right to recruit the crew for your ship. I hope you can prove your worth to the league in this war," said Duke Yidon.


    "Thank you, sir. My first mission will be rescuing our captain. We will reconvene with the league fleet after," I said.


    "The battleship Spacetime is equipped with formidable firepower. It also has extremely flexible maneuverability and comes with 200 experienced crew members. Additionally, your spaceship Fearless will stay with you, serving as the deputy under the battleship Spacetime. Your requested 200 sets of morph-capable gears have been prepared. This is as much as I can help for your rescue mission," said Duke Yidon.


    "But the Southstar Army has created a defensive perimeter of 500,000 people. How do I save the captain with so little manpower?" I asked.


    "In the history of war, including the history of your Planet Blue, there are many examples of defeating the many with the few. My apologies, but I won''t be able to spare more manpower to help you," said Duke Yidon.


    I stopped insisting. I knew that facing a major war, a small number of losses would always be taken as a matter of fact. After speaking to me, Duke Yidon turned to face Captain Carter.


    "Captain Carter, for your exemplary performance in the rescue operation to free the king of Akko and me, you qualified for a medal. But today, you had broken military law and attempted to harm your prisoners without trial. Fortunately, no big damage was done. Thus, your contribution and your fault will cancel each other out. But if you repeat the same offense, you will receive double the punishment," said Duke Yidon coldly.


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    Kelly finally smiled when she saw that Captain Carter wouldn''t receive punishment. She had been worried that her brother would receive severe punishment for his actions.


    "Thank you for the forgiveness, sir. I will work hard to make up for my offense and fight for the league until my very last breath," said Captain Carter, who was similarly relieved.


    "Don''t embarrass your father," said Duke Yidon.


    ''So in the end, it is still General Edward''s reputation that has shielded him,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Canyue, your unit still needs a designation. What do you have in mind?" Duke Yidon suddenly asked.


    I looked at Old Du and Zhang Bao''er before sinking into thought. I suddenly blurted, "7th Armored Division."


    "Soldier, you only have two ships. How can you call yourself a division?" reminded Assistant Xink.


    "A single spark can start a prairie fire. We will grow in battle," I replied.


    "No problem. Their unit will be incorporated into the 11th Corps of the B Army," decided Duke Yidon.


    I did not expect to have our very own unit and soldiers so soon. At the thought of that, I couldn''t help but grow excited.


    "Lord Duke, we''re running out of time. Permission to lead my unit to Akko and commence the rescue operation," I applied.


    "Granted. I hope you can complete the mission and return speedily. I will be awaiting your good news," encouraged Duke Yidon.


    "Duke, I have a request," a voice rang out. Everyone looked over and saw that it was Kelly.


    "What request?" asked Duke Yidon.


    "Sir, permission to join Captain Zhang Xingxing''s unit," said Kelly.


    "Oh? Second Lieutenant Canyue, what do you think?" asked Duke Yidon instead of giving his answer.


    "Canyue, she is a major. She might disobey direct orders with her higher military rank. Don''t forget what she did previously," reminded Zhang Bao''er.


    "I promise to follow all the captain''s orders," said Kelly.


    "Canyue, Kelly has a rich experience in leading Poseidon-class battleships in battles. She will be a good helper if she joins you," said Duke Yidon.


    "I agree to have Kelly join the 7th Armored Division. She will assist the captain in all our battle assignments," I replied.


    "Good. Xink, make the arrangements and have the crew members assemble as soon as possible. They will assist Captain Canyue with the rescue mission," said Duke Yidon.


    "Yes, Lord Duke. The corresponding personnel have been assembled. I will take Captain Canyue to them soon," said Xink.


    Both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du appeared excited. They were impatient to get the show on the road now that we had our own unit to lead. Kelly approached her brother to give him a proper farewell. In interstellar wars, nobody knew when one would perish. Each farewell could very well be the final farewell.


    Suddenly, when we were about to leave, King Xido said, "Young man, I need to ask for a favor from you."


    "Your Majesty, what request do you have? Just say it. I''ll try my best," I said politely.


    "Thank you, young man. You have helped Akko many times with your courage. I hope you can save both Prince Toruse and Prince Arude during your rescue mission. Those two are intricately linked to the war with the Divine Empire," King Xido earnestly requested.

 CH 134

    "Your Majesty, don''t worry. I will do my best to rescue both of them," I promised.


    "Both princes are in danger, especially Prince Arude, who was last seen in Goldsteel City. From our latest reports, the city has fallen and Prince Arude has gone missing. It will be very difficult to find him. I can only rely on you, Captain. The Kingdom of Akko and her citizens will remember this," said King Xido gratefully.


    I repeated my promise to help before leaving with Assistant Xink at the docking bay where the battleship Spacetime was parked.


    "Canyue, why did you call us the 7th Armored Division? Why not the first? Won''t that sound much cooler?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I honestly came up with the name randomly. I chose the ''7th Armored Division'' because it would sound like we are a much bigger unit than we are," I said.


    I heard Domo grumble, "This is the consequence of being uneducated. Someone uneducated is naturally terrible at naming."


    When we arrived at the docking bay, a group of fully armed soldiers was waiting for us, standing in two neat rows.


    "Captain! All the crew members of Spacetime welcome you! I am the combat advisor assigned to the ship, Lin Feixue. I will be in charge of assisting you with commanding the battleship and the battles we find ourselves in," reported a young second lieutenant.


    This was the first time I was addressed as captain, and this was also the first time I had my own crew. Thus, I was incredibly excited.


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    "Second lieutenant, where is our command center?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who couldn''t hold back his excitement.


    "The command center has been prepared. We can take off at any moment," said Lin Feixue.


    We bid farewell to Xink, and I had Dondon and Domo pilot Fearless for now before the rest of us boarded Spacetime. Spacetime was one of the league''s Poseidon-class battleships. The league''s battleships were generally separated into three classes: Zeus warships, Poseidon cruisers, and Achilles destroyers.


    Generally, a Poseidon cruiser came with 200 to 250 crew members. It had formidable firepower capable of destroying an entire moon, and it was also far more dexterous than a Zeus warship.


    We arrived at Spacetime''s command center shortly after. The captain''s seat was located at the very front of the room, giving the entire ship a 360-degree view. When one sat in the seat, one would have a feeling that one was floating amid the boundless cosmos.


    The two deputy captain seats were located slightly behind the captain''s seat. There, the deputy captains could assist in commanding, observing, and transmitting the captain''s orders. As the acting captain, I gained a slight understanding of what power meant when I sat in the captain''s seat for the very first time. For some reason, when sitting in that seat, one would inevitably feel a powerful sense of honor and responsibility.


    Done with immersing myself in the new sensation, I handed out orders to the crew. In accordance with our order, I would be the acting captain in Zhang Xingxing''s absence, taking command of all operations in Spacetime. Both Kelly and Old Du acted as my deputies, helping me command the ship.


    Lin Feixue, the combat advisor, was in charge of supervising the crew members and watching over the combat arrangements. Zhang Bao''er was assigned 10 crew members and was put in charge of Fearless. Dondon and Domo officially joined the Interstellar League''s fleet as junior sergeants.


    Wuzhou was also recruited as a junior sergeant and would temporarily stay in Spacetime and take charge of repair and maintenance. Most of them were happy with the arrangements, especially Zhang Bao''er who was given his own ship to captain for the very first time. He looked incredibly excited.


    Domo was the only one who was rather resentful at being only a junior sergeant. He grumbled non-stop, claiming that nothing short of a general would be worthy of his talent and status.


    After everyone received their tasks, the two ships of the 7th Armored Division took off and left the league''s outer space military base. After taking off, I notified all the officials to gather in the command center to formulate an action plan.


    "Our top priority is to rescue Captain Zhang Xingxing. I wish to draw a detailed plan for the mission," I said to the combat advisor.


    "Our unit is 0.5 lightyears away from Sirius. I suggest we first head to the space region near Akko," suggested Old Du.


    When I heard the word Sirius, I couldn''t help but think about Blueflash, Toruk, and Plum. A deep memory of them had been left in me from the battle we had fought together, and I suddenly felt melancholic.


    "Captain, Spacetime is equipped with the invisibility function that imperial ships have. Duke Yidon himself had approved the installation of the stealth materials," said Second Lieutenant Lin Feixue.


    "What? This ship possesses the empire''s invisibility function? That is incredible!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in excitement.


    "Yes, and our ship is one of the few league ships capable of invisibility," said Lin Feixue.


    Kelly said, "I suggest we go straight to Akko''s space region before looking for an opportunity to sneak into Akko. Perhaps the league''s attack on Lidu had caused the empire to send part of the Southstar Army to reinforce Lidu, which would give us an opportunity."


    "You all make sense. In that case, let''s not dally. Initiate wormhole travel immediately," I ordered.


    Everyone moved to their posts while Zhang Bao''er remained for the wormhole travel.


    I sat on the captain''s seat and watched as a rotating transparent wormhole appeared ahead of the ship.


    This was the very first time I looked at a wormhole from such a close distance. The constantly spinning transparent wormhole looked like a miniature Milky Way, mystical and beautiful.


    Spacetime entered the wormhole. Seated in the captain''s seat, I felt like the world around me was spinning as the wormhole folded time and space and mixed the two together, giving me the impression of a mixture of two dyes.


    After roughly 10 minutes, the 7th Armored Division reached Akko''s space region. After our previous experience, we had arrived even farther from Akko this time. That way, we could avoid being detected by the Southstar Army.


    "Canyue, there is no fighter drone leading us at this time. I reckon we need to send out our mechanical probes if we want to go through the defensive perimeter to draw a feasible route," said Old Du.


    I looked at Planet Akko, which looked like a table tennis ball from this distance, and agreed with Old Du''s suggestion.


    Five space probes were immediately launched before I commanded the ship to turn invisible. At the same time, I ordered Dondon to retreat one million kilometers away on Fearless and wait for further orders.


    ''Zhang Xingxing, no matter what, I''ll rescue you this time!'' I pledged to myself.


    "Canyue, permission to lead Fearless to rescue Prince Arude at Goldsteel City? It will be more efficient for us to work separately," said Old Du.


    "I disagree. I propose that we move together. Otherwise, the mission difficulty will only increase if some mishaps happen," said Kelly.


    Lin Feixue, who had rich combat experience, also voiced his support for Kelly. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er stepped forth and supported Old Du. Both parties sank into a series of arguments.


    "Captain, one of the probes has returned," reported Lin Feixue after 30 minutes.


    "Display the results," I ordered.


    Lin Feixue then played the recording on the screen. What we saw stunned all of us.


    At least 90 percent of the Southstar Army in charge of encircling Akko had withdrawn, leaving only roughly 10 percent of their battleships. By expanding the area each ship watched, they were only able to maintain the encirclement with great difficulty.


    "What''s going on? Where are their battleships? Did they enter Akko, or did they go to reinforce Lidu?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "This probe has only returned with these. We can decide on what to do after the other probes return," suggested Lin Feixue.


    "How long will the other probes take?" I asked.


    "The probes in charge of scanning the planet will need another 60 minutes," said Lin Feixue.


    "Canyue, their perimeter is very weak. We won''t get another chance like this. I suggest we stop waiting and go through the perimeter with our invisibility. If they have actually landed, then things are probably very dangerous for Zhang Xingxing right now," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I grew anxious as well, and I was ready to order for us to go immediately.


    Kelly said, "Absolutely not. Emperor Fille is exceptionally crafty. The enemy army won''t disappear for no reason, and they won''t have 90 percent of their army land on a small planet like Akko. If the league decides to destroy the entire planet with their army, they won''t be able to evacuate in time. Having so many battleships land is basically taboo for any commander. Nobody will commit such a mistake."


    "We had just arrived from Sirius. If there were enemy reinforcements on Lidu, we would have received the news. Since we have not received any updates, the rest of their army must have landed on Akko. If we waste one hour waiting here, the captain might be gone," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    Zhang Bao''er''s words caused me to feel more and more worried. If we waited an hour just for something to happen to the captain during that time, we would regret it forever.


    Zhang Bao''er, unable to keep himself calm, volunteered and said, "Canyue, how about this? You guys wait here. I''ll take Fearless and scout ahead while trying to carry out the rescue mission. We will stay in contact through the communication channel. You can be on standby to help us at any time."


    At that point, I had already made a decision. I looked at Old Du and saw encouragement in his eyes.


    "Spacetime will activate its invisibility and approach Akko at the fastest speed possible. Fearless will stay behind and be on standby," I ordered.


    With the military command given, everyone stopped arguing. Lin Feixue commanded the pilots to activate the invisibility system and approach Akko at high speed. Spacetime took the risk and moved rapidly. In less than 30 minutes, we arrived right before the Southstar Army''s defensive perimeter.


    The defensive perimeter was exactly the same as what our probe had captured. There weren''t many ships left, making it impossible for them to effectively seal the whole planet. We all stood up and looked out the window at Akko. An even more terrifying and shocking scene appeared before our eyes.

 CH 135

    The Akko before our eyes seemed to have doubled in size, with a thick storm layer forming the bulk of the expansion. Six massive ships of unique designs were surrounding the planet from six different angles. Each ship was equipped with a massive hose that constantly released an unknown white substance onto the planet.


    The substance rapidly fused with the storm around the planet. Even as we watched, the storm continued growing while terrifying lightning bolts flickered amid the thick white storm. A small number of fighter drones were constantly patrolling around the six ships.


    "What is this? What is the emperor trying to do?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in shock.


    "Domo, have you seen this weapon before?" I asked. Domo was the one with the highest level of understanding of the various imperial weapons here.


    "I''m a lowly second lieutenant. What do I know?" said Domo grumpily.


    "Domo, stop throwing a tantrum. This is important. Since you have joined the army, a certain level of discipline is expected," I said solemnly.


    "This seems to be a storm generator. Lidu has always been lacking in water. I have seen them using these things to generate rain before. But generally, only one ship would be used, and it would be much smaller than these ships," said Domo.


    "Storm generator. Can it be..." Zhang Bao''er muttered.


    Old Du said, "There are a lot of underground bunkers in Akko. Most of the resistance is hidden in these bunkers, making it hard for the empire to suppress them. Looks like the empire plans to create a superstorm to flood everyone to death."


    "It''s clear the superstorm is already wreaking havoc on the planet. I believe this is why most of the Southstar Army had retreated. They have already achieved their strategic goal here," said Kelly.


    "In other words, Zhang Xingxing and the others are in extreme danger? We need to attack the storm generators immediately," I said.


    "Captain, we only have two ships. Although a majority of them have retreated, they still have at least 100 Milky Way¨Cclass battleships," reminded Lin Feixue.


    "I suggest we go through the perimeter undetected and ambush one of the generators first. The defenses around these generators are rather weak. We can try to sow chaos among them," said Old Du.


    "I agree. Valuable materials are needed to make these storm generators. Each time one is used on Lidu, the empire will tax us harshly. If we can destroy even one generator, they might be forced to retreat. That way, the pressure on the planet will be reduced," said Domo.


    "Feixue, have our probes returned?" I asked.


    "Reporting to the captain, all probes have returned. A suitable route for infiltration has also been drawn," said Lin Feixue.


    "Good. Have Dondon approach the perimeter with Fearless. Upon detection, focus on retreating. Keep them distracted while Spacetime sneaks in," I said.


    "Roger," everyone replied.


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    Spacetime immediately moved along the infiltration route. As our enemies were already stretched thin, we were able to advance smoothly. When we were halfway through, I noticed that a group of fighter drones was rushing toward a position behind us.


    "Dondon and the others have started as well. The enemies are distracted. Let''s pick up the speed," I said.


    With Fearless''s cover, Spacetime accelerated through the perimeter and arrived before a storm generator.


    The massive generator worked untiringly, constantly releasing the white substance to manufacture more storms.


    "Canyue, this big guy probably has a powerful shield. I suggest we attack from below and aim for the hose," proposed Old Du.


    I immediately adopted his idea and ordered to have Spacetime sneak below the generator while maintaining invisibility. The massive hose constantly poured out the white substance from its hose, and an ear-splitting rumbling constantly came from the generator. The hose looked more like an entrance to hell than a storm generator.


    "Captain, the high-energy cluster missiles are ready. We can open fire at any time," reported Lin Feixue.


    "Open fire and make preparations to enter the storm at a moment''s notice," I ordered.


    Two high-energy cluster missiles shot toward the hose before vanishing into the storm generator. Our judgment proved correct; the hose was not protected by a shield. Shortly after, a massive explosion erupted, followed by a series of additional explosions all over the gigantic generator. The numerous small explosions ultimately added up into a massive explosion that created a mushroom cloud in the air. The generator was reduced into a bunch of drifting debris.


    "Success!" Zhang Bao''er cried out in excitement.


    Our judgment proved correct yet again; after the first generator was destroyed, the other five generators hurriedly pulled their hoses back in preparation to retreat, seemingly afraid of further destruction.


    "Looks like we have solved this threat, at least," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It''s not that simple. These generators might have retreated, but the storm is still around. From how it looks, the storm can probably last a few more days. At that point, the entire planet will already be flooded," said Kelly.


    Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded while the entirety of Spacetime shook.


    "Captain, the imperial army has discovered us. They are attacking," reported Lin Feixue loudly.


    I turned around and saw that three Milky Way¨Cclass battleships were shooting at us from behind. At the same time, over a hundred fighter drones were flying toward us under the command of the battleships.


    "Ready all our weapons. Do not allow the fighters to approach us," Lin Feixue barked out a series of orders calmly.


    "Canyue, from how the battlefield looks, we''re surrounded. There is no need to fight three battleships to the death. We should rush into the storm and commence our rescue mission," suggested Kelly.


    Through the window, I saw that the fighter drones were nearing us. Countless red laser beams assaulted us while our cannons speedily struck down more than 10 fighters under Lin Feixue''s command.


    "Captain, the three battleships are firing neutron bombs at us. Our shield will only last for roughly 30 minutes," reported Lin Feixue calmly.


    "Immediately dive down into the storm. Notify Fearless to withdraw and wait further away from the planet," I ordered quickly.


    At my command, Spacetime accelerated and entered the artificial storm. The moment we entered, we moved farther away from the previous battleground. As for the imperial battleships, they didn''t even bother giving chase after we entered the storm.


    We entered a world of whistling wind, flashing lightning, and rumbling thunder. Although this was nowhere as powerful as the storm on Jupiter II, I was still assaulted by a massive visual shock because it was my first time witnessing something like this from the captain''s seat.


    After going through the thick storm layer, we arrived at a white world. A torrential rain covered the entire planet. The raindrops were so concentrated that my visibility had been shortened to a distance of 10 meters.


    "Lin Feixue, activate the laser probe and scan the planet''s surface," I ordered.


    Soon, the scan results returned. According to the computer simulation, the entire planet had turned into a world of water. Apart from some high mountain peaks that still existed above water, the entire planet had transformed into an ocean.


    "That Emperor Fille talks about justice all the time, but look at the amount of life lost here because of him," said Kelly furiously.


    I was greatly distressed to see the sight before me. The underground bunkers were central to Akko''s military strategy. However, the empire had utilized such a cruel method to deal with them. This was an action that should be condemned by everyone.


    "Captain, the entire planet has been submerged in water. According to our scans, with the continuous rain, level-18 super typhoons might appear at any time. It is unlikely that much of the land-based life forms on this planet have survived," said Lin Feixue.


    "I don''t care how difficult it is. Send all our probes and activate our infrared scanner. Search for any survivor we can find," I ordered.


    The order was carried out promptly. All the probes were deployed as we performed the search and rescue operation.


    "Canyue, this is not your fault. It''s the emperor who is too vicious for sinking so low," Old Du consoled me.


    "This is war. The truth is always cruel. How many inhabitants can this little planet have? I reckon there are no more than 100 million. When the Gliesens invaded Blue, we lost two billion lives. Do not be sad. As long as there is conflict, there will be death," said Kelly.


    I understood what she was saying, but the scene of Zhang Xingxing giving me her suit in the underground palace kept replaying in my mind. I could have offered to let her leave first. Alas, that one mistake had given me boundless regrets.


    "I have a feeling that Zhang Xingxing won''t die so easily. I believe she is still alive. Don''t start weeping before the search is even over," said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    His scolding pulled me out of my sorrow. Yes, nothing was confirmed yet. How could I lose hope so easily? I nodded gratefully at Bao''er as I recovered my mental state.


    "Captain, our infrared scanner has discovered signs of life," said Lin Feixue in excitement.

 CH 136

    "What kind of life forms did you find? How many of them are there?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Some sort of warm-blooded life form floating on the sea. It seems to be rather big, and there seems to be only one. It is not humanoid," said Lin Feixue.


    Through the screen showing the images taken by our probes, I saw a similar figure.


    "It seems to be an interstellar flying creature," I said.


    "Yes. Seems like it. It seems to have lost the ability to fly due to the torrential rain," said Old Du.


    "Captain, we''re right above the underground palace. I already reduced our altitude to a height low enough to observe the surface with our naked eyes," Lin Feixue reported.


    Seated in the captain''s seat, I was able to get a clear look of the situation outside despite the heavy downpour. The so-called surface was basically a sea now. The palace''s towering roof had turned into a tiny dot sticking out of the sea. I also saw an interstellar flying creature drifting about with the waves. There was a risk that it would be completely swallowed by a massive wave at any moment.


    "Lin Feixue, start scanning for the underground palace. See if we can get any life signals down there," I ordered anxiously.


    "Reporting to the captain, I have already performed multiple scans. No life signals have been discovered yet," said Lin Feixue.


    "I remember that the prince once said that the underground palace is protected by Akko''s unique gravitational power. That same gravitational power might also block out some signals. Additionally, they have a bubble gate that not even the Gandos can destroy. I believe the underground palace is strong enough to resist the sea currents," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, a mournful wail sounded from outside. When we looked out, we saw that the interstellar flying creature had come below Spacetime. It was continuously calling out at us, seemingly pleading for our help.


    "Lin Feixue, drop our rescue equipment and help this creature," I ordered without any hesitation.


    Lin Feixue did as told and carried out the rescue operation.


    "Canyue, I plan to use Spacetime''s life pod to investigate the seabed. If possible, I''ll bring the captain back with the life pod," said Old Du.


    "I plan to do the same. I intend to send two life pods down. That way, the two pods can watch out for each other," I said.


    "Canyue, you''re the captain. You shouldn''t leave your post without permission," reminded Kelly.


    "I''m only the acting captain. The real captain is down there. We must get her out," I explained. I then ordered, " Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, Wuzhou, Bulu, and I will be the members of the rescue operation. Kelly will temporarily take charge over Spacetime."


    Kelly did not insist after I gave out orders.


    "Captain, the interstellar flying creature has been saved. It is currently locked in the cargo bay," said Lin Feixue.


    I nodded at him before telling him to assist Kelly, the acting captain. After everything was ready, I brought everyone to the life pods and prepared to set off immediately.


    "Canyue, keep the image feed active. Spacetime will be on standby to provide assistance. Make sure to bring Xingxing back safely and return safely as well," said Kelly, displaying a level of concern we had never seen from her.


    The two life pods set off immediately. Zhang Bao''er, Bulu, and I were in one while Old Du and Wuzhou were in the other. The life pods were designed to be used in outer space, but our level of technology was high enough that the pods could also be used underwater or on land.


    The two pods started heading toward the underground entrance. The super rain had long transformed Akko into a massive sea. And under the sea, the irregular seabed caused by terrain and buildings had created powerful undercurrents.


    The moment the pods reached the depths, the undercurrents started pulling at them, nearly causing a collision. Additionally, the powerful currents had destroyed many buildings. Thus, the palace had been ruined beyond recognition.


    Five meters beneath the sea''s level, our surroundings had turned pitch black. The two pods were forced to turn on their bright searchlights. We carefully moved along the rugged seabed tunnel. Constant communication was maintained with Spacetime. After dozens of minutes, we finally arrived at the familiar underground entrance.


    Due to the massive flood caused by the superstorm, the red fog left behind by the Gando had long vanished completely. In fact, the entire place had been completely cleaned by the water, erasing all signs that there had previously been a cruel battle here.


    We also discovered a pleasant surprise. The powerful undercurrents had pushed through the tiny crack in the gate, eventually pushing the gate open completely. That allowed us to enter the tunnel on our life pods. We entered all the way until we reached the narrower part of the tunnel.


    This passage, which was only large enough for one person to pass at a time, had stopped our life pods. Furthermore, the moment we had gone through the underground entrance, our communication with Spacetime had been severed. Since the life pods couldn''t go through the narrow tunnel, we had to swim through it.


    The undercurrents around us were very dangerous. The seawater was constantly and quickly flowing down the tunnel, as though there was a bottomless chasm for the water to fill down below.


    Underwater, the powerful pressure, the rapid undercurrents, and the low temperature could also threaten our lives. However, no difficulty could erase my determination to go deeper.


    "I''m leaving the pod with Bulu. I''ll try to dive down there," I said to Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


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    "I know what you''re going to do. Old Du and I will go with you. We''ll have Wuzhou stay with the pods," said Zhang Bao''er unhesitatingly.


    I had to work in an extremely harsh environment, so I truly needed some help. Thus, I agreed with their request. Carrying Bulu in the bag in front of my chest, we quickly left the life pods.


    The moment we exited, a powerful current exerted force to drag us deeper into the tunnel. To avoid being dragged to some unknown dark corner, we pressed our palms against the walls and activated our gecko gloves, allowing us to hang tightly onto the walls.


    According to our suits, we had a pressure of 350 atmospheres around us, about one-third of the pressure in the Mariana Trench on Blue. Our morph-capable shields were able to easily withstand a pressure of this level. As for the temperature around us, it was roughly three degrees Celsius.


    "Canyue, it looks like the only threats here are the undercurrents. We need to use the thrusters to resist the currents and slowly enter. I suggest we maintain a rope connection between the three of us," suggested Old Du.


    Joining team members with ropes was a usual practice for underwater explorations, especially for underwater cave explorations. Zhang Bao''er tied one end of the rope to the life pod before tying the rope around all of us. When everything was ready, we moved out.


    The undercurrents were strong enough that we could feel it even through our powerful shields. Of course, their power wasn''t enough to overwhelm the power of technology.


    We slowly advanced borrowing the force of the undercurrents. In less than 10 minutes, we reached the gate we had visited before. I noted with astonishment that only half the space before me was filled with water, giving me the impression that I was in a pool.


    "This place is actually not fully filled with water," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "This means that the entry point for the water here is too small while there is a larger exit point for the water down inside. Because of this, the place is not fully filled with water," said Old Du.


    Of course, we didn''t have too much time to think about all that. With my searchlight, I found the bubble gate. It was half submerged in water.


    "Found it! Zhang Xingxing is right inside. Let''s go save them!" I grew excited and nervous at the same time.


    Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were similarly excited. They had long heard about the bubble gate from me. And with the gate right ahead of us, we impatiently rushed toward it.


    "Canyue, you said that this gate can''t be opened with force, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. I believe this bubble gate can be entered through the means of a genetic lock. When I came previously, Prince Toruse was the one to come out and show me in. It is very likely that the genetic lock is based on the Akkos," I said.


    "A lock like this is definitely better than any other lock you can find," said Old Du.


    We started shining our searchlights at the bubble, trying to attract some attention inside. But after more than 10 minutes, there was still no response.


    "Weird. The last time I came, Prince Toruse noticed me immediately. Why are they taking so long this time?" I muttered in confusion.


    "Is it possible that they had evacuated?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Or maybe it''s already flooded inside," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, don''t say such ominous things," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "If Zhang Xingxing is still inside, it doesn''t make sense for them to take this long," I said.


    "If we really have no choice, we can try bombing the gate. We can''t keep waiting forever. It''s better to try using explosives while the room still isn''t fully submerged in water," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    It really did not seem like we would have a better way of opening the bubble gate. After a short discussion, we decided to use a limited cluster bomb to blast apart the bubble gate. Zhang Bao''er and I retreated, allowing Old Du to install the bomb. Suddenly, I discovered that Bulu, who was hidden in the bag in front of me, suddenly lit up with a red light.


    "Canyue, look, Bulu is shining red again," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    Old Du immediately stopped installing the bomb. I lifted Bulu and found that the nearer Bulu was to the red bubble, the brighter its red light. Zhang Bao''er nodded at me as I placed Bulu near the bubble gate. Shortly after, the bubble gate moved.

 CH 137

    The bubble shook, and the shaking intensified by the minute. Soon, the face of an Akko soldier came out of the bubble. Following behind the face was his body. An opening had opened in the bubble. The water in the room madly poured through the opening.


    "Enter quickly," I shouted.


    The three of us rushed through the bubble gate, entering the underground palace proper. The moment we entered, Old Du and Zhang Bao''er dragged the Akko soldier from the bubble, allowing the opening to instantly close and stopping the flow of water.


    Only after the Akko soldier was dragged back did he get a clear look at our faces. He seemed surprised to see us. I noted with astonishment that the gate''s armed guards were nowhere to be seen.


    "What happened here? Tell us. We tried very hard to return. Tell us everything," roared Zhang Bao''er.


    "You''re soldiers of the league. We''re beneath the sea. How did you get here?" asked the soldier as he looked at Zhang Bao''er fearfully.


    "That doesn''t matter. Tell me. What happened here?" I asked.


    "You''re Li Canyue. I know you. The prince ordered me to come check the situation. When I arrived, I saw some light shining outside the gate. I was about to investigate when I lost consciousness," said the soldier.


    I knew that Bulu was the reason the soldier had gone unconscious.


    "For some reason, my mind went blank," said the soldier.


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    "Enough about that. We only want to know where the people here have gone to," Zhang Bao''er interrupted impatiently.


    "They''re all in the inner city''s command center," said the trembling soldier.


    "Is everyone safe?" I asked.


    "Yes. The water can''t reach us," said the soldier.


    I was relieved to hear that.


    "Take us to the command center. We need to see Prince Toruse and the others," said Zhang Bao''er fiercely.


    Fear was plastered all over the soldier''s face at the demand.


    "Don''t force him, Bao''er. Let me talk to him," said Old Du, stopping Zhang Bao''er''s boorish actions.


    Zhang Bao''er continued to grumble, but he stopped pushing the soldier.


    "Soldier, I''m Old Du. May I know your name?" asked Old Du politely as he crouched down.


    "I''m Baobao," replied the soldier, who calmed slightly.


    "What happened here? Why have the guards retreated? What are the prince and the others doing in the command center?" asked Old Du with his previous amiable tone.


    "A mutiny happened. Prince Toruse took Principal Sosse, Zhang Xingxing, and the others hostage," replied Baobao.


    "What? Mutiny? Aren''t we allies? Why did he turn against us?" I asked impatiently.


    "I don''t know the exact reason, but I heard that it is related to the prince and the throne. I''m only a normal soldier among the royal guards. We are only following our orders," said Baobao.


    "All the soldiers are in the command center?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. The prince shortened our defensive perimeter and retreated to the inner city. Everyone else is locked there as well," said Baobao.


    "Why didn''t they escape instead of staying here? They should have been able to escape when the rain first started falling," I muttered to myself.


    "Canyue, the prince has Zhang Xingxing under arrest. We can''t go in rashly, or it will only bring them more danger," said Old Du.


    I gave it some thought and asked Baobao, "Is there any other path connected to the command center?"


    "I know a smaller path leading to the back door. There is only a group of five guarding there," said Baobao.


    I nodded at the other two before rubbing Bulu''s feeler. I said in my mind, ''Bulu, we''ll rely on you.''


    "Show us the way. Remember, don''t try anything stupid, or we will be forced to do something you don''t like," I said to Baobao.


    Our prisoner nodded frantically as he stood up and led the way. Soon, we arrived at a street near the inner city. Hiding behind a building, I saw the Akko soldiers around the command center. Instead of having their guns pointed outward, all their guns were pointed inward to prevent the prisoners from escaping.


    ''Looks like Prince Toruse has taken control over the entire underground army,'' I thought.


    Baobao brought us along the small path. After going around three groups of armed guards, he pointed at a building ahead of us and said, "There is a group of five armed guards in that building. They''re keeping watch over the back door leading to the command center''s rest rooms."


    Since I had visited the command center before, I was able to recognize the building with one glance. When I recalled that Zhang Xingxing was inside, my blood started churning.


    "Brother, you''ll have to suffer a bit," said Zhang Bao''er from behind me.


    I turned back and saw Zhang Bao''er preparing to tie Baobao up with a rope.


    "Wait, listen to me. I can help you," Baobao hurriedly said with his hands raised.


    "Bao''er, let him finish his words," I said.


    "Sirs, for bringing you here, I should be executed according to the law of the kingdom. I want to help you with your rescue operation, but I also want to leave with you afterward," said Baobao.


    I gave it some thought before agreeing. The moment I agreed, Baobao got to work. He took the lead and entered a small building behind the command center. The three of us entered as well and saw him crouched behind a window, waving at us.


    Old Du and I immediately bent down and approached the window, leaving Zhang Bao''er in charge of watching the door. Through the window, we could see that the command center''s back door was roughly 20 meters away. The door was protected by a small defensive fortification.


    "Canyue, we''re 20 meters away. Will this be too far for Bulu?" asked Old Du in a low voice.


    I looked at Bulu, who was completely still, then nodded to Old Du.


    "The moment a shot is fired, everyone will hear it. We must take them down without a sound," said Old Du.


    "I can help lure them over," offered Baobao.


    I hesitated at his offer, but soon after, I made a decision.


    "We don''t have much time. This is the best option. I intend to let Baobao try," I said to Old Du.


    "Canyue, have you gone mad? How long have you known this fellow? What should we do if he betrays us?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who became worried when he heard my plan.


    "My intuition tells me that we can trust Baobao. Let''s do it. We don''t have much time," I said firmly.


    Zhang Bao''er did not insist when he saw how determined I was.


    "Baobao, don''t bother luring them over. That''s too troublesome. Just walk up to them with this backpack," I said.


    Baobao had a look of hesitation as he looked at the backpack, to the point even I felt slightly uncomfortable.


    "Brother, don''t worry. This is merely a mind controller. It''s not a bomb," explained Old Du.


    Baobao was visibly relieved upon hearing his explanation.


    ''Why did he think of us as such evil people?'' I thought helplessly.


    And thus, Baobao carried the backpack with Bulu and walked up to the guards according to our plan. Soon, one of them noticed him and immediately pointed a gun at him. I saw Baobao frantically gesture and talk to the guard. Before long, Baobao was invited into the bunker. He entered, vanishing from view. Time passed, and even after three minutes, Baobao was still nowhere to be seen.


    "Canyue, can we trust that guy? I feel like your intuition is wrong this time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Our hearts were beating madly, especially mine. Despite the rich combat experience I had, I still couldn''t help but feel nervous. Another three minutes passed, and there was still no response from the bunker and Baobao.


    "That fellow must have escaped. We need to move away. This spot is already exposed. All three of us are in danger," said Zhang Bao''er urgently.


    "Calm down. I think something odd is going on. I''ll go take a look," I said.


    "How can you go alone? I''ll go with you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No You two wait here as a precaution. In case something bad happens, not all of us will be captured," I said.


    The two agreed to keep watch for me. I opened the door, turned my shield to maximum capacity, and rushed through the street toward the bunker. In front of the bunker, I crouched down and listened. I heard nothing. That was odd, so I stealthily raised my head to take a look inside.


    A comical scene entered my vision. The five Akko soldiers and Baobao were all sitting on the ground, hugging each other. The backpack with Bulu in it was left on the ground. I jumped into the bunker and opened the backpack. I could see that some indistinct red stripes had appeared on Bulu''s body.


    "Bulu must have taken control over all six of them. Release Baobao. He''s one of us," I said as I rubbed Bulu''s feeler.


    I then stood up and signaled Zhang Bao''er and Old Du to come to me. When I crouched down again, Baobao was already awake.


    "Was I controlled again just now? My mind was completely blank. I only remember about lunch," said Baobao awkwardly.


    "My apologies. It was a misunderstanding. Let''s make haste and enter," I said.


    Old Du and Zhang Bao''er worked together to tie up the guards and cover their mouths. After everything was done, I rushed forth and tried to open the back door. However, the door was locked. Just as I was thinking of a way to break in, Baobao stepped forth and opened it after the lock identified his palm print. I nodded at Baobao with gratitude as we walked through the door.

 CH 138

    We were led into the command center''s storeroom. The four of us walked up the staircase and soon arrived at a massive lobby. I immediately saw Zhang Xingxing''s and the others'' backpacks and luggage placed on the ground. I also saw their weapons with their belongings.


    We lowered our bodies and sneaked over before opening the lobby door. The command room appeared before us. Zhang Xingxing, Master Crystal, and the others were in a corner and surrounded by 20 armed soldiers. In the middle of the room, Prince Toruse was seriously studying a map with his advisor.


    "Looks like the prince has really arrested our people. What happened to him?" wondered Zhang Bao''er.


    "The captain and the others do not have morph-capable gear, and those soldiers are watching them. If we attack rashly, we might cause them harm," said Old Du calmly.


    "Canyue, any good ideas?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "The command room is too small. It''s not a good place to fight. But we still need to save the captain as quickly as possible. I have a plan," I said.


    "What is it? Spit it out," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "To capture the bandits, first capture their leader," I said resolutely.


    "So we''ll take control of Prince Toruse with Bulu. Good idea. But how do we get near him?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    I whispered into Old Du''s ear, and a look of understanding dawned on his face.


    "Baobao, escort us out as prisoners," I ordered Baobao.


    Baobao was very enthusiastic about following my orders. He immediately pointed a gun at me. I laid down all my weapons, turned on my shield, and walked out with my hands behind my head.


    A sentinel immediately spotted us and demanded loudly, "Stop! What are you doing?"


    Everyone''s gaze focused on me.


    "Prince, how have you been? I was arrested the moment I returned," I asked loudly.


    Zhang Xingxing and the others saw me as well. She yelled, "Canyue, the prince betrayed us. Be careful."


    I nodded at her, signaling for her to not worry.


    Prince Toruse was in no rush. He looked at me leisurely and said to a soldier by his side, "Canyue will normally go everywhere with his two brothers, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. Take 30 soldiers with you and search for them."


    The soldier left to carry out the order. He brought half the soldiers in the room with him. I made a quick headcount and noted that there were roughly 13 soldiers left in the room.


    "Prince, what''s going on? We''re comrades-in-arms. Why did you have my team leader and Master Crystal restrained?" I questioned.


    The prince did not answer. He merely stared at Baobao coldly.


    "Soldier, you''re Baobao, right? With the gear you have, how is it possible that you can restrain Li Canyue? If you were forced to do something, I am willing to pardon you and your family from execution if you repent and return to my side," said Prince Toruse.


    ''To kill someone, first kill one''s heart. I did not expect the prince to threaten Baobao with his family. This is not something a noble king should do,'' I thought.


    Perhaps Baobao was provoked by the threat toward his family. I immediately heard the sound of the raygun''s safety pin being removed behind me.


    "Thank you, Prince, for your leniency. I will fight till the end for the kingdom!" vowed Baobao, indirectly admitting that the prince was right.


    "I did not expect you to really be a traitor. Soldiers, kill them," ordered Prince Toruse ruthlessly.


    "Hold on, Prince. I''m here to help you leave. Also, I come bearing a big present," I hurriedly said.


    The prince stopped the soldiers with a gesture and asked, "Old friend, what present do you have for me?"


    "Prince, you must have appointed yourself to the throne, right?" I asked.


    "According to the laws of Akko, any member of the royalty who stays behind to fight for Akko is entitled to inherit the throne. The king that turns his back on his people shall lose the throne automatically. Therefore, I am the legitimate successor to the throne," said the prince.


    "But you are only second in place for the throne," I reminded him.


    "Is this the present you have for me? After you left with the king, the soldiers spread the news that Prince Arude died. My taking of the throne is acceptable in the eyes of the law," said Prince Toruse, his voice rising to a roar.


    "Prince, we had fought alongside each other so many times before. Do you not have even the tiniest bit of patience? According to your laws, proof of Prince Arude''s death is required to fully legitimize your ascension. I can help you with that," I said, trying to calm the agitated prince.


    "And how are you supposed to help with that?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "I fought alongside Prince Arude during the battle at Goldsteel City. I know the events there clearly." I started describing the battle in detail, "The enemy troops laid siege with a shell-breaker, resulting in heavy casualties for us¡­."


    Listening to my detailed description, the prince slowly believed me. As he listened, he started walking toward me.


    "Is Arude dead? Did you not obtain more updates after escorting the king out?" asked the prince as he walked.


    Suddenly, the prince stopped in his tracks. I took a glance at the backpack I was wearing in front of me. A slight red light could be seen within.


    ''Good. The prince had only heard about Bulu, but he had never experienced how powerful Bulu is,'' I thought smugly and immediately whistled loudly.


    Zhang Bao''er and Old Du rushed out of two different directions and roared at the soldiers in the room, "Lay down your arms! Surrender and your life will be spared!"


    Baobao, who was in charge of watching me, hurriedly drew one of his guns and gave it to me. I accepted it and rushed toward Prince Toruse. Everything had progressed so smoothly that it almost seemed like we had rehearsed everything. Nobody in the room could react in time.


    I placed my hand on the prince''s shoulder and yelled at the soldiers, who were still dazed, "In the name of the prince, lay down your arms and release the prisoners."


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    The soldiers looked at the prince doubtfully, only to see him nodding silently at them. Since the leader had spoken, the soldiers naturally wouldn''t waste any time analyzing their situation. They immediately placed their weapons on the floor before removing the bindings on their prisoners.


    Titan, Sarje, and the young students of the imperial college hurriedly picked up the weapons on the floor and took control of the command room. Zhang Xingxing ran toward me the moment she picked up a gun.


    "Team Leader!" the three of us greeted at the same time.


    "Canyue, I have always believed that you would return for us even if the planet was submerged in lava, to say nothing of water," said Zhang Xingxing, carrying deep emotions in her words.


    My eyes were brimming with tears of excitement. The bond we had forged through our numerous encounters was something few would understand.


    "Team Leader, what happened to Prince Toruse exactly? Why did he detain all of you?" asked Old Du.


    "Sigh. After Canyue left with the king and Duke Yidon, the empire started preparing to flood all the planet''s underground bunkers and settlements. But before that, they sent an envoy to us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Envoy? Did the envoy enter the underground palace?" I asked.


    "Prince Toruse let him in. He came bringing news of Goldsteel City''s fall and Prince Arude''s disappearance. The city had been destroyed by flaming bombs. Nobody had been able to escape the city, but the empire hadn''t been able to locate Prince Arude''s corpse after the event," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "In other words, Prince Arude is officially missing, not dead," I said.


    "Yes. Prince Toruse was impatient to take the throne after hearing of Prince Arude''s disappearance, but we had all seen the royal will. By right, Prince Toruse must ascertain that Prince Arude had really perished before he could legitimately take the throne," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Thus, he flew into a rage out of humiliation and detained all of you," said Old Du.


    "Yes. The imperial envoy had been playing a great role in instigating the prince. Initially, the prince hesitated, but the envoy''s constant persuasion convinced him to take the throne," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "In that case, Prince Toruse has clearly reached an understanding with the envoy. Why didn''t he retreat before the storm came?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Yes, they had reached an understanding. The envoy had returned to bring the news back to the empire. In order to prevent the prince from illegally seizing the throne, we damaged the bubble gate, delaying his escape. However, we couldn''t resist their superior numbers and were detained by his soldiers. Nevertheless, we were successful in trapping everyone here and were awaiting your arrival," said Zhang Xingxing, indicating her full trust in me.


    "Young man, how did you get in here?" asked Master Crystal, who had also regained his freedom.


    "It''s a long story, Master. This planet has been submerged by a flood caused by a superstorm. Our top priority is to leave this place before rescuing Prince Arude," I said.


    "Is Prince Arude really still alive?" asked Master Crystal.


    "No idea. I only know that he has disappeared. King Xido requested me to bring both his sons back," I replied.


    "Looks like we were right in trying to prevent Prince Toruse from ascending to the throne. He can''t take the throne by force without any legitimacy," muttered Master Crystal.


    We were racing for time, so I had Zhang Bao''er lead the people to the lobby to retrieve their gear. Then, I brought Prince Toruse, who was still under Bulu''s control, to the underground palace''s public square. There, I had all his soldiers gather.


    Zhang Xingxing had a gratified look in her eyes when she saw how I was able to deal with everything in an orderly fashion. While waiting for the soldiers to gather, Zhang Bao''er, acting like someone who had been forced to shut his mouth for a long time, started narrating everything we had experienced in a greatly exaggerated fashion, including our battles and rescue operation.


    Naturally, he did not forget to insert his numerous heroic exploits during the storytelling while underselling what Domo, Dondon, and the others had done. In fact, Zhang Bao''er even claimed Wuzhou''s repair of Fearless as his contribution, to the point both Old Du and I couldn''t bring ourselves to keep listening. Seeing that roughly a hundred soldiers had gathered before us, I stopped his storytelling session.


    "Team Leader, I plan to tell these soldiers the truth," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    She nodded and approved my plan.


    "Brave warriors of Akko, I am your friend. I was entrusted by King Xido to rescue both Prince Arude and Prince Toruse. Naturally, you are all my rescue targets as well. Please get ready. We are going to withdraw from this flooded planet," I said to the gathered soldiers.


    At that moment, Bulu had Prince Toruse nod his head. The soldiers started whispering to each other. According to what they had heard, Prince Arude was supposed to be dead. That was why they had all sworn their loyalty to Prince Toruse. Only upon hearing my words did they realize that everything they had done for Prince Toruse was illegal. Thus, they grew restless.


    I saw through their worries and said, "Warriors, you have fought tenaciously and gallantly against the empire until the very last moment. Your dedication to holding this fort had resulted in your lack of understanding of what had happened outside. You should not be faulted for the actions you carried out in ignorance. So long as you work with us during our retreat, I promise that your mistake will be forgotten. You might even get the chance to earn more merits."


    My speech seemed to allay their fears. Everyone started to prepare to withdraw. Seeing that I had completed my task, I turned around to face Zhang Xingxing. She nodded encouragingly as we also started preparing.

 CH 139

    We had to retreat in batches with the help of our life pods. Thus, everyone was requested to pack lightly. Before long, we gathered before the bubble gate. With the help of the Akko soldiers, it did not take us long to leave the bubble gate and reach the semi-submerged cavern.


    Old Du went ahead to swim through the narrow tunnel where only one person could pass at a time to contact Wuzhou and prepare for our withdrawal. When everything was ready, we all put on our breathing gear and swam through the tunnel according to our agreed order. As an android, Dodo did not need breathing gear and was thus assigned to move around underwater and help the others.


    Every time the life pods were filled, they would deliver their passengers to Spacetime. This was a long and tedious process. Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er, the prince, and I were the last to set off. We would only leave after everyone else had been evacuated.


    It had been a long time since I had spent any time with the team leader. I couldn''t help but think that the heavens had blessed us for allowing us to stand together again. As we chatted, a sense of bliss enveloped my heart.


    Naturally, Zhang Bao''er took the chance to start bragging again. This time, both Zhang Xingxing and I ignored him. Instead, I told her about our pardon, about her promotion to lieutenant colonel, and about our 7th Armored Division. She was greatly pleased by what she heard. That was understandable, as anyone would be happy to be bombarded with a bunch of good news after being trapped underground for so long.


    "Captain. That''s how we should address you from now on. As the acting captain, I''m relinquishing command to you," I said.


    "Without your help in surviving so many disasters, the league would never have pardoned us," said Zhang Xingxing gratefully.


    "Everything is back on the right track. We need to end this war as quickly as possible. Next, we''ll continue to search for your father," I encouraged her.


    After several hours of waiting, all the soldiers had been evacuated. Old Du returned and informed us that it was our turn to retreat. Zhang Xingxing, Zhang Bao''er, and I brought Prince Toruse into the flooded tunnel and returned to our life pod. Soon, we departed the stifling underground palace. I swore to myself that I would never return to this place.


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    When the life pod emerged from the water, Spacetime was waiting above us. Two massive mechanical arms descended and lifted us into the cargo bay. I could see that the rain on Akko had reduced in intensity. Without the storm generators, the rain would stop altogether with time.


    With the storm acting as our cover, the skies of Akko were surprisingly the safest place for us to take a temporary rest. In the cargo bay, the pod''s door opened, revealing two rows of fully armed soldiers. They stood straight in front of the door, welcoming the captain to the ship.


    I spoke a few words to Lin Feixue and had four soldiers lead Prince Toruse to a holding cell. The prince would be temporarily kept there. After helping the Akko soldiers settle, everyone gathered in Spacetime''s command center. It had been a while since we had last gathered like this, so the voices of joyful conversation filled the room.


    I found with astonishment that Dondon and Domo, who were supposed to stay in Fearless outside the planet, had taken the opportunity of the chaos to break through the blockade and enter the planet.


    When Dondon and Dodo were reunited, they couldn''t stop talking to each other. Meanwhile, Domo was his usual taciturn self. I was able to persuade Baobao to join our crew. After all, I needed a reliable Akko to help us in this war.


    Principal Sosse seemed incredibly excited. He spoke with Kelly with great fervor. He must have concluded that we had thoroughly turned against the emperor, so we were now on the same side as him. After half an hour, Zhang Xingxing had Advisor Lin Feixue notify everyone to stop talking.


    "Brave warriors, I am happy that we can all meet again. I am grateful to God that all of us are still here. It is most certainly a miracle for all of us to still be alive. However, we cannot stop moving forward. There are more missions we need to complete," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I was entrusted with a mission by King Xido prior to my return to Akko. We need to rescue Prince Toruse and Prince Arude. We are one target away from completing the mission. After rescuing the prince, we, the 7th Armored Division, will need to return to the league''s B Army and participate in even larger battles," I said.


    Everyone appeared excited to hear about larger battles.


    "I intend to appoint Li Canyue deputy commander of the 7th Armored Division and the deputy captain of Spacetime. He will become my assistant in all matters relating to war," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Bao''er clapped passionately when he heard of my promotion. I was very excited as well. After all, I was initially only an acting captain. Now, I was officially appointed deputy captain. Everyone congratulated me. Finally, Old Du stood up.


    "Our main issue is the destruction of Goldsteel City. The underground city has been subsequently flooded by the rain. How should we search for Prince Arude?" asked Old Du, bringing us back to the topic at hand.


    "I heard from Prince Toruse that the empire has yet to discover Prince Arude''s corpse. It means that Prince Arude wasn''t in Goldsteel City when the city fell," I said.


    "I remember that Prince Gede and Prince Arude once told us to defend Goldsteel City for 72 hours. Prince Gede claimed that he would return with reinforcements after that. Perhaps Prince Gede and Prince Arude are still in Milk City even now and have not headed to Goldsteel City," said Old Du.


    "Milk City," that name sent me into deep thought.


    "Lin Feixue, do you have any new updates on Milk City?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "According to my latest intelligence report, the imperial army had not launched a direct assault on Milk City before they had flooded the planet," said Lin Feixue.


    "In that case, so long as Prince Arude survived the flood, he has a very high chance of surviving," I said.


    "Sigh. I wonder if Milk City has an underground bunker similar to the underground palace and can hide Prince Arude from the flood," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    Baobao suddenly stood up.


    "Baobao, do you have anything to tell us?" I said.


    "Reporting, superior. I''ve heard about Milky City in the past. It is a base of operations that Prince Gede had painstakingly developed for many years. I heard that the city proper was actually built within a big cavern," said Baobao.


    "I''m aware of the cavern. I was there before. To avoid the harsh temperature of the surface, the prince built the city underground," I said.


    "No. What I heard is that Milk City was actually built on a giant mountain named Mount Maiden. Mount Maiden is incredibly tall. The cavern Milk City was built in not only contains an underground portion, but it might even extend above sea level," said Baobao.


    Understanding dawned on me. If that was true, Prince Gede and Prince Arude would not have much difficulty surviving the flood. Everyone grew excited at that realization, and hopeful smiles bloomed around the room.


    "What is there to be happy about? Fools. Milk City is flooded under the sea. How are we supposed to even go inside the so-called Mount Maiden? Who among you knows of an alternative entrance on its peak?" said Domo, extinguishing the excitement everyone was feeling.


    In a way, his words were reasonable. If we couldn''t find the entrance to the cavern, it would be very troublesome to carry out our rescue operation. It was too inefficient and risky to go underwater for this mission. Furthermore, we would not be able to rescue too many people at once going that route.


    "This senior makes sense. Mount Maiden is a steep peak that is very rarely visited. Because of that, nobody knows if there is an entrance on its peak. Due to dangerous terrain, the peak is a place no life form can easily approach. And because of that, a certain species had turned that place into their lair," said Baobao.


    "What sort of creature can climb a peak so steep?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Not climb. They flew up there. Only Akko''s interstellar creatures can establish a foothold there," said Baobao.


    "Interstellar creature?" My eyes lit up.


    "Canyue, why are you getting all excited?" asked Zhang Xingxing when she noticed my expression.


    "Baobao, if we have one of Akko''s interstellar creatures, would it be able to show us the way?" I asked Baobao instead of answering Zhang Xingxing.


    "An Akko interstellar creature? That''s a life form that can never be captured involuntarily. The king had once sent a group of professional hunters to catch one, but the creature had killed itself instead of allowing them to capture it," said Baobao.


    "Those creatures are surprisingly resolute," said Zhang Xingxing with shock.


    "Baobao, you only need to answer me. If we have an Akko interstellar creature, would it be able to show us the way to the cave on the peak?" I asked.


    "The Akko interstellar creatures have a unique characteristic. They will return to their lair every night, and their lair is on the peak itself. If you have one, it will naturally try to fly back," said Baobao confidently.


    "The entire Akko is covered in darkness, so it''s basically night all the time. Does this mean that all the creatures have returned to their lair?" I asked.


    "Yes. I am sure of that. So long as you have one, it will definitely fly back. They have a very long sleep cycle, and they sleep at night. Thus, they don''t like to move around at night," said Baobao.


    "Haha, you''re wrong! I know of an Akko interstellar creature that hasn''t returned to its lair," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "How is that possible? Where did you see it?" asked Baobao.


    "It''s on Spacetime itself. I captured it with my strength alone," Zhang Bao''er couldn''t resist bragging.


    I stopped Zhang Bao''er from continuing to brag and had Lin Feixue tell everyone about our rescue of the interstellar creature. However, the kind Lin Feixue decided to leave out the name of the one who had decided to rescue the creature to not embarrass Zhang Bao''er after all his bragging. The crowd clicked their tongues in wonder upon hearing the story. We had not expected a simple act of kindness to bring such a big return to us.


    "Bao''er, it is magical how helpful all the choices you have made are," praised the simple Dondon.


    Meanwhile, the others merely smirked silently. Of course, that did not affect Zhang Bao''er from basking in Dondon''s praise.


    "Xingxing, we don''t have much time. War is looming. Let''s release the interstellar creature immediately and have it return to Mount Maiden," suggested Kelly.


    "Absolutely not. The storm outside is too violent. The creature won''t be able to fly back. We need to fly near the mountain itself before releasing it," reminded Old Du, who was as rational as ever.


    His suggestion was immediately accepted. Our two ships headed toward Mount Maiden. Domo and Zhang Bao''er did not feel like returning to Fearless, so the simple Dondon and Dodo were sent over with 10 soldiers to pilot the ship.


    The two ships braved the torrential rain. After about 15 minutes, Lin Feixue notified us of our arrival. From our laser scans, a hologram of a massive mountain peak appeared before us. To be precise, we were looking at dozens of precipitous peaks, with the peak of Mount Maiden standing aloof at a height hundreds of meters taller than the other peaks. Thus, it looked rather conspicuous.


    "Captain, we have arrived at our destination. What is our next step?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "Perform an infrared scan on the mountain first. See if we can detect any life signals," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Shortly after, the scan results were out. Zhang Xingxing immediately had Lin Feixue show the results on the screen. Lin Feixue hesitated slightly, but he still carried out the order and uploaded the results.

 CH 140

    Disappointingly, our scan indicated that no life signals were detected on the peak.


    "According to the data, there is no life here. Looks like Prince Arude and Akko''s interstellar creatures might have failed to survive the storm," said Lin Feixue with a sigh, knowing that he had doomed everyone''s hope.


    The room that was still rife with discussion sank into silence.


    "Childish," a haughty voice rang out after a short while.


    Everyone looked back and saw Domo sitting in a chair with both his hands crossed in front of his chest and his legs resting atop the table, looking like some sort of super expert.


    "Little fellow, what genius idea do you have in your mind?" asked Zhang Bao''er. It seemed like the two were going to start bickering yet again.


    "Fatty, since ancient times, heroes have always risen from the young. During our time at Milk City, I heard from Prince Gede''s soldiers that they are not afraid of the empire''s scans. That is because Mount Maiden has been thinly covered by a unique substance after being exposed to the harsh heat of the surface for so long. The substance can hide them well from all detection. That was why Prince Gede had selected this place to build his underground city," said Domo smugly.


    "What a weird person. If you had known this, why didn''t you tell anyone?" cursed Zhang Bao''er.


    "About that¡­I had remembered it suddenly. I told you guys the moment I recalled it!" explained Domo, who was made to eat blame before he could even bask in the glory of his contribution.


    Nevertheless, this information had injected everyone with a fresh boost of confidence.


    "Captain, in other words, we have to get inside the mountain before we can find our answers," I said.


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    Zhang Xingxing looked at the dark sky outside. The ferocious storm occasionally flashed with lightning and clapped with thunder. She sighed, "Such extreme weather. Can this interstellar creature survive the trip back to its lair?"


    "Definitely not. No life form can resist such a vile environment. Unless¡­," I was about to say something.


    "Unless what? Don''t keep us in suspense," said Zhang Bao''er, who visibly grew impatient.


    I paused, not saying anything.


    "What are you doing? Are you trying to build more suspense?" Even Old Du was urging me.


    "Bao''er said previously that he enjoyed such moments. I thought I should experience it as well," I teased as I stuck out my tongue.


    "Sigh. You are all league officials but are still as childish as ever," said Master Crystal.


    "Li Canyue, this is important. Please take this seriously!" Zhang Xingxing was starting to get angry.


    I hurriedly sat straight and said, "Captain, I think one person needs to go with the interstellar creature and protect it with a morph-capable shield."


    "You mean we follow the creature into the cave with a life pod?" asked Old Du.


    "That''s impossible. With a ship trailing behind it, the interstellar creature won''t feel safe to return to its lair," said Baobao.


    "What if we can obtain its trust?" I asked.


    "How can a ship earn the trust of an animal?" asked Baobao.


    "I don''t need a ship. I only need to win its trust myself," I said.


    "What? You mean you can fly?" asked Baobao in astonishment.


    "No, but I plan to ride the interstellar creature," I said.


    "That is impossible. Since the dawn of Akko''s written history, nobody has ever conquered these creatures. This is basically fantasy," said Baobao confidently.


    "Soldier, since nobody has ever done it since the dawn of written history, do you mean that it had happened prior to the existence of written history?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    ''This Zhang Bao''er can be really perceptive at times,'' I thought in admiration.


    "It''s a myth. How can a myth be believed?" retorted Baobao, becoming visibly agitated.


    "What myth? Tell us," said Domo. Surprisingly, he was actually standing on the same side as Zhang Bao''er this time.


    Baobao glared at Domo before saying, "According to the legends, in ancient times, there was a god of stars who roamed the universe called Shajinsen. With his trusty mount, Clearsky, Shajinsen roamed the universe to witness the beauty of the myriad star systems.


    "One day, he arrived at Canis Major. Here, he encountered another ancient god, Tolanjin. Due to drastically different viewpoints, the two waged battle. The battle was so intense it lasted 500 years. The entire Canis Major was thrown into chaos by the fight. But even after 500 years, a victor still wasn''t decided.


    "However, Shajinsen''s mount, Clearsky, had actually fallen in love with Tolanjin''s mount, Hemi, during the 500 years their owners fought. The product of their love was a group of weird-looking creatures, each with a pair of big round eyes, a long mouth, a pair of massive wings, and an armored tail. A pair of limbs was connected to the creature''s wings, and another pair of limbs was connected to the lower body. These creatures were capable of flying in the air and walking on the ground."


    "Are you trying to say that the offspring of these two mounts are these interstellar creatures?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. The interstellar creatures are the offspring of the two gods'' mounts. A miracle appeared. When the two gods saw the children of their mounts, they seemed to realize something. It was pointless to keep fighting endlessly. Continuation and legacy are what truly matters. Those were the tasks they should undertake instead.


    "The flash of inspiration transformed the two gods. Shajinsen transformed into Epsilon Canis Majoris while Tolanjin transformed into Sirius A, becoming the brightest stars in Canis Major, watching over all lives here. The offspring of their mounts had stayed on a small planet and multiplied until the present day. That is the myth behind the origin of Akko''s interstellar creatures," said Baobao.


    "If that''s the story, then this is really just a myth," said Kelly.


    "Yeah. That''s what I said. You guys forced me to tell it. Would you even believe something like that? And even if the myth is real, the ancient gods had only ridden on their ancestors, not the present interstellar creatures," said Baobao, who went on an offensive against Zhang Bao''er.


    "Since their ancestors had once been tamed, I refuse to believe the same genetics had not been passed on to their offspring," Zhang Bao''er insisted.


    "Superior, their ancestors were not tamed by mortals. They were tamed by gods. That is a myth, a legend. Also, is any of us a god?" countered Baobao.


    "Enough. Lin Feixue, where is the interstellar creature? Take me to it," I stopped everyone and ordered Lin Feixue, going straight to the crux of the matter.


    With Lin Feixue leading the way, everyone followed behind us silently. The interstellar creature was kept in a massive storeroom. Two soldiers were standing guard outside the room. Before we even reached the room, we heard massive thuds coming from the room.


    When we arrived in front of the room, Lin Feixue asked, "What is going on here?"


    "Reporting to superior, the creature was calm initially, but after some feeding, it recovered its energy and became agitated. It has been knocking against the wall constantly. It seems to be trying to escape," reported the soldier.


    "Is it safe to approach it now?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "Absolutely not. This creature is ferocious. Since it woke up, we have only been able to feed it through the small hole above the room. It would roar fiercely and ram into the wall the moment anyone approaches the door," said the soldier.


    "Where is the observation window?" I asked.


    The soldier pointed at a rectangular board beside the door. The board was the size of a regular window.


    "Who designed this thing? Why is it so big?" I asked helplessly.


    "Reporting to superior, this room was meant for storage. Due to the large size of the room, the observation window was also designed with a larger size," answered the soldier.


    I had no choice but to calm my beating heart and walked toward the window.


    "Canyue, careful," a concerned voice came behind me.


    I looked back and saw that the entire group was standing behind me. The first thing I noticed was Zhang Xingxing''s worried gaze.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll have my shield on," I promised, mainly for the purpose of putting Zhang Xingxing at ease.


    I took a big step forward. When the interstellar creature inside sensed someone approaching, it unleashed a shrill shriek and started ramming into the wall. I could see that the steel wall itself was on the verge of caving in from the impact. I breathed slowly, trying to calm myself. As the loud knocking continued, I slowly opened the window. A fishy smell assaulted my face while a sharp mouth shot in my direction.


    "Canyue, careful!" Zhang Bao''er''s shout rang out.


    I jumped in fright when I noticed the mouth stopping before my shield. I quickly stopped everyone who was trying to help me with a gesture. The tip of its sharp mouth, which had stopped before me, suddenly opened, revealing a bunch of small feelers that started scanning my face.


    When the mouth had opened, the interstellar creature had stopped ramming the wall. Silence descended as everyone attentively observed everything the interstellar creature did. The interstellar creature took three minutes to scan my face before it pulled back its feelers and mouth. Then, it leaped into the air and smashed a lamp on the ceiling with its back. It repeated the process, smashing the second and third lamps.


    Understanding what the interstellar creature wanted, I ordered, "Shut off all sources of light in the room. Keep the room dark."


    Lin Feixue immediately ordered the relevant personnel to shut off the lights. Before the final lamp turned off, I clearly saw the interstellar creature go to the corner of the room, turn its head to look at me, and then lie down on the ground. The room was completely dark, so we could only hear the sounds of the interstellar creature breathing but could not see it.


    "Captain, I have a feeling it''s asking me to enter. I must enter and build a bond with it," I said.


    "Sigh. Permission granted. Be careful. Retreat at the first sign of danger," said Zhang Xingxing. She had to agree as she knew I would never back down.


    "Canyue, keep your laser probe on in case it decides to ambush you," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. I believe it can only communicate in the dark. It knows that I was the one who had saved it. I don''t think it will attack me," I said firmly.


    "Superior, be careful. These creatures are extremely fierce. Nobody can ever conquer them. Do not believe in some myth," advised Baobao untiringly.


    I merely nodded at Baobao to thank him for his good intentions.


    "Canyue, remember to keep your shield on as a precaution," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "It''s been on. Don''t worry. Just wait for me to conquer it. Shut the door and the window the moment I enter. Keep the room dark," I said with a comforting smile.


    In truth, I was extremely nervous. But for some reason, a mysterious force seemed to be urging me to establish communication with the creature in the room. I slowly opened the door, revealing a dark room. As a cold breeze brushed against me, I switched off all the lighting on my suit and stepped inside.


    The door closed behind me with a thud, telling me that only the interstellar creature and I were left in the room. I stood still for several minutes, but I did not feel the creature''s approach. At that moment, Zhang Xingxing and Zhang Bao''er called out to me anxiously through the communicator, and an idea appeared in my mind.


    "Captain, I also need to turn off the communicator. If it remains off for more than 15 minutes, you may enter the room," I said before turning off my communicator.


    At the same time, I also turned off my shield device.

 CH 141

    With all my defenses shut, I was basically exposing myself bare to the interstellar creature. I could sense a force urging my heart to believe that the interstellar creature would be able to feel my sincerity. Suddenly, I felt a massive paw on my helmet. It was exceptionally heavy. The creature had actually come before me without making a sound.


    "Success. This fellow is finally moving," I grew excited.


    In the darkness, I could hear it extending the sharp part of its mouth toward me. It seemed to be performing a detailed scan of me. My nervous heart slowly calmed down. In the darkness, I stood straight and allowed the creature to study me for over a minute. Suddenly, two shining purple balls appeared in front of me.


    I allowed my eyes to adapt to the level of lighting and looked over. The two purple orbs were actually the creature''s eyes. In the darkness, they appeared rather dazzling. The eyes looked like they were shining nets, somewhat similar to the compound eyes possessed by Blue''s insects. I could clearly see that within the creature''s eye sockets were massive eyeballs that constantly swirled around as if continuously observing me.


    Suddenly, the creature stood up on its forelimbs. With a shrill shriek, it lifted its paws with its sharp claws and extended its sharp mouth, assuming a posture that looked like it was about to pounce on me.


    For some reason, I felt no fear from its display. I shut my eyes and stayed still, waiting for the attack to drop. I firmly believed that I could conquer the creature. The whistling sound of wind swept down beside my ear, followed by the sound of a paw striking the floor. I opened my eyes and saw the sharp mouth hovering right above my forehead.


    "Come. Stab me. Bring it on! I''m waiting!" I roared for no apparent reason.


    Upon hearing my voice, the creature''s eyes turned even brighter, to the point its entire body was illuminated by the light.


    "Come! Stab here if you can!" I provoked while pointing at my forehead.


    I believed that when facing an animal, I needed to display a dominating presence. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be able to recognize who its master was. The aggressive show of force seemed to have worked, and the creature''s eyes suddenly dimmed. The shrieks it was letting out were no longer as ear-piercing.


    Abruptly, it lay down on its belly while cooing. I gathered my courage and tried to rub its head to placate it. But the creature instinctively pulled back. I stepped forth and lightly placed my hand on its head. Perhaps sensing that I posed no threat, the creature did not resist this time. Instead, its cooing grew louder.


    I lightly stroked its head and hummed a song. I could feel its heartbeat gradually turn smooth while its cooing grew soft as though the creature was getting used to this treatment. I gathered even more courage and gently stroked its body starting from its head. My palm slowly moved away from its head, moving somewhere out of its vision.


    The creature turned its head to shoot me a glance before turning away and continuing to relax on the floor. When an animal allowed one to stand outside its vision and touch its body, it meant that one was trusted by the animal.


    I rubbed its wings and explored the structure of its back. I braced myself and slowly climbed onto its back. Right between the wings on its back was a spot where it caved in, providing me with a comfortable seat. Perhaps this was something it had inherited from its ancestors.


    The creature merely snorted when it felt me climb onto its back. It did not have any other reaction. After hundreds of millions of years, an offspring of the ancient gods'' mounts was finally mounted. Pride swelled in my heart at the thought of that.


    While I was basking in self-satisfaction, the door opened quickly, and someone with a gun ran into the room. Shocked, the creature bolted up and threw me off its body. Without my shield, the fall dazed me and made my head ache. I even blacked out for a moment.


    While dazed, I could hear the whine of the interstellar creature and the shouts of numerous people in the room. Only after a while did I recognize Zhang Bao''er''s voice calling my name. I moved my body and slowly got back on my feet.


    "He''s alive! Good! He''s alive!" Zhang Bao''er cried out in joy.


    "Canyue, how are you? Retreat quickly! It''s dangerous there!" Zhang Xingxing said with concern.


    "Why don''t we push in and grab him with force?" Zhang Bao''er gave another one of his rotten ideas.


    I shook my head, finally regaining clarity.


    "Bao''er, what are you doing? I was on the verge of success! Your sudden entry almost caused me to be knocked unconscious," I said angrily.


    "Canyue, you can''t blame me. You were the one who set the limit to 15 minutes. When the time was up, the captain immediately had us come for you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I was out of words. Indeed, I was the one who had set a limit of 15 minutes. It would seem that I had no one to blame but myself.


    "It''s my fault for forgetting the time," I muttered.


    "Superior, are you really able to control it?" asked Baobao in stupefaction.


    I did not answer. Rather, I approached the roaring interstellar creature and patted its back. Slowly, it calmed down and lay back down on the floor.


    "Give me its food," I said to Lin Feixue.


    Lin Feixue was quite the gutsy one. When he heard my request, he walked over with the food. Surprisingly, the interstellar creature let him approach as well.


    I took the food and fed it to the creature. I stroked its big head and muttered into its ear, "Be good and take a rest. I''ll look for you later."


    The interstellar creature made a cooing sound, expressing its agreement. I then followed Lin Feixue out of the room. A series of stunned looks welcomed me.


    "Canyue, how did you conquer it? Tell me," said Zhang Bao''er impatiently.


    "I did nothing special. I merely had a feeling that it had selected me. In fact, it had selected me the moment it had first cried for our help," I explained.


    "What a lucky bastard. Now you have another flying mount on top of Blueflash. So what name are you giving it?" asked Zhang Bao''er enviously.


    "What''s to think about it? Since it''s a small animal, just call it Duck," Domo was being as unhelpful as ever.


    "Duck is a bad name. How about Zuanzuan?" asked Old Du.


    "No, that''s not auspicious." Zhang Bao''er rejected Old Du''s attempt to name the interstellar creature after his dead flying fish.


    "I think it should have a bold name," said Old Du.


    "Let me give it a name. Nyx," said Zhang Xingxing.


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    "Nyx? Why that name?" I asked.


    "An ancient species like this originated from the darkness and lived in the darkness yet also brought hope to us. On Blue, Nyx is the goddess of the night and is one of the five greatest deities of creation. This name is fitting for the history behind Akko''s interstellar creatures," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "But how do you know it''s female?" questioned Domo, being all nit-picky as usual.


    "If the captain says it''s female, then it''s female. Would it even select Canyue if it weren''t? A male would have asked for my help instead," said Kelly in support of Zhang Xingxing.


    Naturally, Domo wasn''t a match for the eloquent Kelly, so he hurriedly shut his mouth.


    "Alright, then. We''ll call it Nyx," I agreed.


    "Superior, we now have both an interstellar creature and a rider. Do we start the mission immediately?" asked Lin Feixue, reminding everyone of the task at hand.


    Zhang Xingxing took a glance at the hellish world outside before looking at me for my opinion.


    "We don''t have much time. Permission to immediately leave with Nyx?" I asked loudly.


    "Canyue, the weather is too nasty. With how high we are, the storm will only be more intense. Why don''t you wait a few days for the storm to calm a bit?" asked Kelly.


    "Any minute we wait will add more danger for Prince Arude. We must seize any second we can and move out immediately," I said firmly.


    "Prepare to leave. The mission will start in 30 minutes. Canyue and Nyx will leave and search for survivors. Everyone else, be on standby," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone got to work.


    "Take it with you. With Bulu by your side, I will worry less," said Zhang Xingxing as she handed me the backpack Bulu was staying in.


    I looked at Bulu sleeping before putting the backpack on my back.


    "Return safely! This is an order!" said Zhang Xingxing sternly.


    I nodded with a smile on my face. While everyone was busy making last-minute preparations, I decided to take the chance to visit Prince Toruse. The prince was kept in a small holding cell. He had remained silent ever since he was imprisoned. I had the soldier who was keeping watch open the door, and I entered and sat down facing the prince. The prince lifted his head to look at me, but he was still completely silent.


    "Prince, why did you do something so foolish? Detaining and harming your comrades-in-arms?" I asked in my attempt to break the silence.


    The prince continued to silently stare at me.


    "I''m leaving on a difficult mission soon. I don''t even know if I''ll return alive. With the little time I have left, I had decided to meet you, hoping that you could return from the wrong path you had taken," I said.


    Finally, a complicated look flickered across the prince''s face. After a while, he said, "Canyue, you won''t understand how it feels when you''re a legitimate prince born to the king''s main wife yet are forced to lie low and suffer for many years, only to become second in line to the throne behind your younger brother."


    "I know how things are always excessively complicated in a royal family. I also know the concept of loneliness at the top. However, there is no lack of sage kings in history. No matter what the sage kings had done in the past, they had ultimately returned to the proper path. Dishonest practices would never be accepted as the right thing to do. You should convince King Xido with incredible feats and accomplishments, not letting something like a line of succession consume you," I said.


    "But the royal will can''t be altered," said the prince indignantly.


    "Even if you''re not the king, can''t you still make a contribution to the people and kingdom that is big enough for you to leave your mark in the annals of history? Is it that bad?" I continued, "Is the throne really so comfortable? Has it ever crossed your mind to perhaps pioneer a new frontier in the universe and create a kingdom of your own?"


    My words seemed to move the prince. True, the universe was massive, and there were countless planets out there. What was the point of being stubbornly attached to Akko? I could see that hope was finally returning to the prince''s eyes. He opened his mouth in preparation to say something to me.


    "Canyue, it''s time," Lin Feixue reminded from outside the cell.


    I couldn''t delay the mission, so I stood up and said to the prince, "Think over what I told you. If I manage to return alive, I''ll come visit you again."


    "Be safe," said Prince Toruse, finally showing some concern for me.


    I was gratified to hear his concern. I nodded at him before I turned and left.

 CH 142

    I followed Lin Feixue to Spacetime''s exit. There, Captain Zhang Xingxing and the others were already waiting.


    "Canyue, Wuzhou made a custom morph-capable shield device for Nyx. The shield will protect Nyx from the rain and help it reach its lair. Do you think you still need to go personally?" asked Zhang Xingxing, trying to offer a safer option.


    "I think I still need to take a trip. What if we lose track of Nyx? We will lose our only shot at finding Prince Arude," I said firmly.


    "Fine. We will install laser trackers and gamma transmitters on you and Nyx. Spacetime will track your movement the entire time. Please maintain communication with us and report the moment you discover something new. If the communication signals are blocked, turn the gamma transmitter on and off three times. We will take that as a sign to go to your coordinates," said Zhang Xingxing solemnly.


    And when everything was ready, it was time for me to go get Nyx from the storeroom it was kept in. I arrived before the room with Lin Feixue. Ever since I tamed it, Nyx had remained relatively calm. It had stopped ramming the wall, but when I was away, it still wouldn''t allow anyone to approach it. The soldier opened the door, and I walked in. Nyx stood up the moment it saw me.


    I patted Nyx''s neck and said, "Partner, give me a lift later. I''ll take you home."


    Nyx flapped its wings in reply, indicating that it understood me. A soldier came with a pair of custom-made reins with the special morph-capable shield device installed on it. I attached the reins to Nyx''s neck. The moment the reins were put on, Nyx displayed clear signs of uneasiness. After all, having the reins on signified the loss of freedom. Any animal would instinctively resist it, but as I comforted it softly, it slowly calmed down.


    And with all preparations done, I led Nyx toward the exit. Soon, I arrived before the exit. Lin Feixue ordered the soldier to open the door to the airlock.


    "Canyue, the environment outside is extremely vile. If you can''t find the entrance, return as fast as you can," reminded Zhang Bao''er.


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    I nodded at everyone, raised my right fist, looked at Zhang Xingxing, and said, "Wait for my good news!"


    I then led Nyx into the airlock with Bulu in my backpack. The door closed behind me, and the exit opened in front of me. A blinding streak of lightning flickered across the sky the moment the exit opened. At such altitude, the torrential rain was even more concentrated. The violent gale carried the raindrops and assaulted the airlock, instantly drenching us and the room.


    The wind was powerful enough that Nyx and I couldn''t maintain stable footing. I hurriedly turned on Nyx''s shield while doing so for myself. Thanks to the power of technology, we no longer lost our balance to the raging storm.


    I then climbed onto Nyx''s back and rubbed its head as I said, "Partner, time to look for your home."


    Looking at the torrential rain outside and the lightning flashes, Nyx appeared slightly timid and refused to go forward.


    I pulled the reins back and squeezed my legs together. I repeated the action several times and finally, the mount deep within Nyx''s genes woke up. It raised its head, shrieked, spread its wings, and leaped into the dark world of rain.


    Outside the spaceship, we could feel the prowess of the storm even better. The wind was fast enough to reach the level of a level-18 typhoon. No lights worked in such terrible weather, and I could only use my laser probe for navigation.


    A massive streak of lightning flashed across the sky. This artificial storm''s lightning was unlike anything we had seen before. The lightning here almost felt like a screen each time a bolt appeared, covering the entire sky with its radiance. A bolt of lightning suddenly struck our shield, creating green sparks.


    ''Without the shield, we would have been burned to a crisp by that lightning bolt,'' I thought.


    "Canyue, is everything fine there?" asked Old Du through the communicator.


    "Everything is normal. But the environment is even harsher than we had expected, especially the lightning. I need to find the entrance as quickly as possible and get away from this storm," I said.


    Carrying me, Nyx painstakingly flew amid the storm. The dark silhouette of the massive Mount Maiden seemed to have become one with the dark environment. However, Nyx was able to see through the darkness with its bright purple eyes, allowing it to accurately fly toward Mount Maiden.


    ''This was a good planet, but the emperor ruined it with his weapons. War and imperial ambitions are truly disgusting things,'' I couldn''t help but curse inwardly.


    Nyx flew around the peak of Mount Maiden in a well-practiced manner and headed toward a series of mountain peaks that looked like a bucket. In between the steep peaks was a massive dark space.


    The storm was even more fierce in the middle of the peaks. The rain was barely falling as droplets and seemed like a waterfall from the sky. Even with its shield, Nyx was still having great difficulty staying in the air with the heavy rainwater falling on its body.


    Our progress slowed to a crawl as Nyx flew as if it were carrying a whale on its back. After roughly 30 minutes, I could feel that Nyx was breathing heavily, and Nyx looked like it was on the verge of being fully out of stamina.


    "Old Du, we have entered an area amid the mountains, but the storm here is even more intense. It doesn''t look like Nyx can continue flying any farther," I said to the communicator.


    "Roger. We have been following your progress. You have entered a circular space surrounded by the mountain peaks near Mount Maiden. If our predictions are right, you will start gliding down soon. That will be much easier on Nyx''s stamina," said Old Du, updating me on the surrounding terrain.


    About one minute after the conversation, Nyx suddenly dove down at a rapid speed, gliding toward the middle part of the mountains. The pressure of the rain caused the speed of our drop to be even faster. In a short while, we arrived near the middle of a mountain. Through my laser probe, I could see numerous stone spikes that made the mountain look like a hedgehog. One could hardly find a suitable spot to land.


    "What weird terrain is this? This is the first time I''ve seen something like this," I muttered to myself.


    But even when flying toward the spikes, Nyx showed no sign that it was going to slow down. It continued flying straight toward the spiky mountain.


    I hurriedly pulled the reins back and shouted, "Nyx, there''s a wall ahead! We''re going to hit it!"


    My voice was certainly lost to the howling wind around us. Even when I pulled the reins back, Nyx did not show any indication that it was going to slow down. Everything happened in a flash, but I actually phased through the mountain and entered a cave.


    I rubbed my head and my body to make sure that I was still in a good condition. After entering the cave, Nyx landed on the ground and gasped for breath. That was understandable as flying through the hellish storm outside was most certainly a demanding feat. I turned on my searchlight, revealing the massive cavern I had entered. As I shone my searchlight around, I spotted over a hundred pairs of shining eyes.


    "I have arrived at the interstellar creatures'' lair. Old Du, can you guys hear me?" I spoke to the communicator.


    Only static came from the communicator. Our signals had been jammed. I leaped off Nyx''s back and rubbed the wall behind me. I confirmed that the wall was formed of hard rock, and I couldn''t understand how Nyx had brought me through it.


    "Perhaps this rock is composed of some unique materials that can be phased through when moving at a certain speed," I convinced myself.


    Since I had managed to enter the cavern, I prepared to find a path down as quickly as possible. It would be for the best if I could locate the upper levels of Milk City. Suddenly, numerous shrieks came from the depths of the cave. The shrieks became more and more concentrated as time passed. It would seem like my intrusion had disturbed the rest of these interstellar creatures.


    "I can''t worry too much. After spending so much effort to reach this place, nothing can stop my path forward," I told myself.


    I switched my gun to tranquilizing mode just in case I needed it against these creatures. The massive cavern was rather empty. Drops of water could be seen on the rocky walls. The rain was heavy enough that the entire mountain was slowly becoming drenched. I headed deeper into the cave. As I walked, Nyx also stood up and followed.


    The shining eyes of the creatures in the cave started moving the moment I started walking. They looked ready to attack me. Suddenly, a pair of red eyes charged toward me. Then, a gigantic interstellar creature appeared before me.


    It was obviously an adult interstellar creature. It was about three times bigger than Nyx. It furiously roared at me; its sharp mouth was akin to a sharp sword pointing my way. I looked at Nyx behind me. The little fellow did not seem to care about the big fellow in front of us.


    ''Looks like they don''t know each other,'' I thought to myself. I stopped hesitating and fired several bullets at the creature.


    The creature was further infuriated after being struck. It raised its claws and pounced at me. I retreated while shooting. No matter how powerful its body was, it couldn''t resist my intense firing. Eventually, it dropped and fell unconscious in front of me.


    "Hmph. You think your claws are better than my gun?" I said smugly.


    The other interstellar creatures roared loudly when they saw that I had struck down their companion. It was as though they were shouting at me in protest. I did not have the time to be bothered by them. I had an even more important mission.


    Nyx followed me as I walked deeper into the cave. The shining eyes of different colors in the darkness started retreating as I advanced. Not one of them decided to attack me. I could see that the tunnel I followed was inclined downward, proving that I was heading in the correct direction.


    A few minutes later, I seemed to have entered an even larger cavern. Even more shining eyes appeared all around me. It was obvious I had appeared in the midst of interstellar creatures.


    Their roars filled the cavern, the noise building up and reaching a level that made it uncomfortable to be in the cave. I could no longer stand it and was about to activate my sound-blocker to block the noise.


    Suddenly, the roars gradually stopped, and the shining eyes pulled away from me. Nyx, who was behind me, had lowered its body to the ground, not daring to make any movement. I had seen enough to realize that a super beast was about to appear.

 CH 143

    I gripped my gun tighter and waited nervously for the big guy to arrive. The shrieks around me grew softer and softer before complete silence descended, forming a big contrast against the previously noisy atmosphere. I waited silently for the big guy.


    Suddenly, a silhouette appeared in my line of sight. The silhouette slowly approached me, allowing me to get a clear look at the newcomer. The newcomer was a young man clad in a white windbreaker with long purple hair floating behind him. He had a handsome and confident face, with a physical appearance that was basically the same as Bluelings.


    I was shocked to encounter a Blueling here. I asked, "Who are you? Why are you here? Why do you look like a Blueling? Did you come from Blue?"


    The handsome young man smiled when he heard my series of questions. "I will look like whatever you think I look like."


    "Who are you? Why are you here? There are so many interstellar creatures here. How are you controlling them?" I asked.


    "That isn''t important. What''s truly important is the purpose of existence. These creatures can''t be controlled. This is a maze with no exit. I am curious how you got in here," the young man talked in riddles instead of answering my questions.


    "It is impossible that there is no exit. As long as there is an entrance, there will be an exit. It merely depends on whether one can find it," I said.


    The young man gestured at a spot far away. A white interstellar creature the size of an elephant suddenly appeared beside him.


    "This species will never be conquered. That is as absolute as the fact that there is no exit here. If you had entered without being absolutely clear of your goal, you will be trapped forever," said the young man while gently caressing the white creature.


    "Senior, your words are too profound. This one is slow-witted. Can senior give this one clear guidance?" I inquired, not understanding what the man in white was talking about.


    "The interstellar creatures are the offspring of Clearsky. They are an ancient species that can''t be harmed wantonly. If you want to leave, you need to gather all their power," said the man in white.


    "Offspring of Clearsky? Are you referring to that myth?" I asked in puzzlement.


    "In fact, you have conquered a tiny member of their species. That has greatly surprised me. However, that is far from enough. The young one is not sensible, so it had brought you here directly. If you want to leave, you must have full faith in the power of your heart," said the man in white.


    "Who exactly are you? How do you know that so well? Do you know Prince Arude?" I was getting more and more confused.


    "Am I not clear enough!" The gentle man in white suddenly turned boorish, giving me a scare.


    Darkness suddenly returned, and I found myself lying on the ground. Beside me, Nyx was also lying on the ground while breathing heavily. I rubbed my head and found with astonishment that I had returned to my initial position in the cave, looking like I had fainted the moment I had entered the cave. I raised my head and looked around me. The man in white was nowhere to be seen, leaving only the shining eyes amid the darkness.


    "What is happening here?" I muttered as I turned on my searchlight.


    Suddenly, I saw my backpack lying to the side. A realization hit me.


    I hurriedly opened the backpack and saw that Bulu was still blissfully sleeping.


    "You must be the one messing around with my head. Stop pretending to be asleep," I questioned as I lifted Bulu from the backpack.


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    However, Bulu merely buried its feeler into my arms and continued sleeping, ignoring my question. Immediately, I heard a loud roar from the depths of the cave. A pair of red eyes appeared and rushed toward me at a rapid speed.


    The large interstellar creature, three times larger than Nyx, appeared before me again. It repeated the same action, standing upright with its sharp mouth and claws lifted above it. I lifted my gun instinctively, but the words of the man in white suddenly surfaced in my mind.


    "The interstellar creatures are the offspring of Clearsky. They are an ancient species that can''t be harmed wantonly. If you want to leave, you need to gather all their power." As I savored these words, my brain spun furiously. Scenes of me giving up on defending myself to conquer Nyx replayed in my mind.


    The sharp mouth of the gigantic creature stabbed into my shield. With the power of technology, I blocked the ferocious attack. The creature was enraged when it saw that its attack didn''t work. It flapped its wings and hovered in the air before diving down toward me with its sharp mouth.


    "Screw it!" I roared inwardly.


    I then tossed my gun away, turned off my shield, and shut my eyes, silently waiting for the attack.


    Bang!


    I was blasted away by a powerful shockwave. I opened my eyes and saw that the sharp mouth of the creature had stabbed into the ground like a sharp sword, creating a massive hole right beside where I had been standing. The shockwave from the impact had sent me flying. One of the flying rocks struck my forehead, instantly causing me to bleed.


    ''This fellow must have shifted its attack at the last moment,'' I thought as I looked fearfully at the hole in the ground.


    A fierce shriek rang out behind me. When I looked back, I saw small Nyx complaining to the giant creature, its two purple eyes shining brightly. Perhaps they had detected my wound, but both Nyx and Bulu were reacting in their own way. I could see that Bulu was starting to shine in a blinding red yet again.


    The aggression displayed by Nyx and Bulu seemed to have scared the giant creature; the giant creature appeared fearful for a moment. It hesitated for a few seconds before retreating into the darkness of the cave.


    I finally understood what the man in white had told me. One had to give up on one''s fear of harm and conquer the interstellar creatures with the power of conviction. That was the only way I could leave.


    At that thought, I slung my gun behind me, lifted Bulu, and started walking deeper into the cave. Behind me, Nyx followed.


    Unsurprisingly, the communication channel was jammed. I had obviously gotten myself trapped in the cave. According to the man in white, I could only leave after conquering the interstellar creatures.


    I followed the route in my memory and arrived at the second cave with countless shining eyes. The interstellar creatures were roaring at me incessantly. Without my shield, I was extremely nervous despite having prepared myself. I wrapped my arms tightly around Bulu, struggling to get any comfort I could get. Nyx loyally stood guard behind me, roaring back at the owners of the shining eyes. Shortly after, the roars suddenly stopped, and the various eyes withdrew.


    "Don''t tell me the same scene is going to repeat itself?" I wondered.


    Suddenly, I felt a cold breeze blow through the cave while complete silence descended.


    "Handsome guy, just show yourself. I understood what you meant," I shouted at the darkness.


    An intense gale blew over as I saw a black silhouette rushing out from the depths of the cave. Suddenly, Nyx stopped making noises. As for Bulu, it became as bright as a blinding, red sun.


    "Shit! Something is wrong." My heart thumped.


    A massive black creature appeared before me and rammed me into the air. Even as I felt my body soar into the air, I still kept my arms tightly wrapped around Bulu. It felt like an entire century passed as I flew through the air, my perception of time slowing down. I dropped loudly onto the ground. I felt like my bones were going to fall apart. My chest, in particular, was in intense pain.


    My vision swam as I took a long while to recover from the pain. I took another look at the creature; a completely black creature was standing before me. Its body was the size of a mountain, completely dominating my sight. Unlike a regular interstellar creature, its head resembled the mythical beast kirin with a pair of massive horns. However, the rest of its body was exactly the same as a regular interstellar creature.


    ''Damn it! What mutated freak have I encountered this time?'' I cursed inwardly.


    Due to the intense pain, I couldn''t stand up and could only lie on the ground. The black beast slowly approached, studying me with its big red eyes.


    "What do you want, you brutish buffalo?" I demanded.


    The black beast hesitated slightly when I scolded it. It opened its mouth and roared at me, nearly deafening my ears.


    ''Looks like this fellow thought I was trying to talk to it. What a boorish method of communication,'' I thought inwardly. For the sake of my ears, I shut my mouth in case it tried talking back to me again.


    The black beast circled me repeatedly. Perhaps it had sensed that I had not prepared an attack for it, so the red light in its eyes started dimming. Suddenly, it noticed the blood flowing from my forehead. It did something completely unexpected.


    It actually licked my face clean of blood. As it licked my face, a strong smell of sulfur assaulted my nostrils. But due to the beast''s sheer prowess, I silently accepted its help. Seeing that I was accepting its gesture of goodwill, the black beast was very pleased. It raised its head and roared in joy, and the surrounding interstellar creatures answered the summons and started coming closer.


    When creatures of all colors surrounded us, I felt like I was looking into a kaleidoscope. They constantly shrieked as they observed me from a close distance. I was suddenly hit by a realization that this black fellow could very well be Clearsky.


    However, my rational mind quickly rejected that conclusion. After all, if that was true, this big fellow would be incredibly old, so old that it did not make any sense. However, the surrounding creatures were showing this beast so much respect that it could only be their ancestor.


    Looking at the scene before me, I slowly started to understand what the man in white had said. There was no exit here. This was actually a parallel dimension! To leave, I needed to pass through a tear in time itself.


    The discovery caused me to grow excited. Perhaps I was truly facing a life form from tens of billions of years ago, and I had entered a dimension from over tens of billions of years ago. I grew more and more excited as I realized that I was living a historic moment that would forever remain in the history of the league.


    In a short while, I fully adapted to my new environment. Despite the pain I was still feeling all over my body, I was already back on my feet, freely stroking the creatures around me. When the other creatures saw how much Clearsky trusted me, they came to accept my touch. Only after a while did I recall that I had an important mission to complete. My thoughts calmed from the excitement as I came to face a serious question. How should I leave?

 CH 144

    "Every second matters for the rescue and war ongoing in the other dimension and timeline. I can''t be trapped here. I need to leave immediately," I told myself resolutely.


    When I looked at the creatures around me, an idea rose in my mind.


    "Bulu, can you show me the man in white again?" I asked Bulu.


    Perhaps Bulu understood me, so its body turned red again. The red radiance grew so blinding that it looked like I was holding a small sun in my hands.


    The surrounding creatures turned silent as they focused on the creature in my hands. The blinding radiance reached a peak before dimming, eventually returning to its original level.


    "That''s it?" I asked helplessly.


    The man in white did not appear. I felt rather helpless that my plan had failed. Suddenly, I felt some movement behind me.


    When I looked back, I saw that Nyx was pulling at my gun sling. Beside Nyx, a white shining door had appeared.


    The white door was radiating a mesmerizing and gentle light. When I tried to touch the door with my hand, I was pulled into a white world.


    The familiar man in white was standing before me again. I understood that I was once again pulled into Bulu''s world of thoughts.


    "Young man, I did not expect Clearsky to be so happy with you," said the man in white.


    "Is Clearsky the monster that looks like a buffalo?" I asked.


    "A buffalo is a masterpiece of mother nature. No life form is a monster. Every one of them has a purpose for existing," replied the man in white.


    "There are still some living monsters around. Some life forms are unique yet do not bully other weaker life forms. Some life forms exist solely for the purpose of bullying smaller life forms. In my eyes, those are monsters," I retorted loudly.


    Perhaps the man in white had not expected a mere human to be so straightforward. He blanked out slightly at my words.


    "If I''m right, you must be Clearsky''s master, Shajinsen," I said.


    The man in white shook his head. "Shajinsen is an ancient god. The gap between us is like the gap between a speck of dust and a star. For the various living beings in the universe, he had contributed his own strength. He is a noble star creator who lived during the early period of creation."


    "Star creator? What do you mean? Do you mean that these stars were created by him?" I asked as excitement bubbled within me.


    "The universe has a complicated origin. Anyone would need to do what you did with Clearsky to comprehend this secret: understanding with their heart and seeing with their eyes. If I give you the answer, it will create an imbalance among the various life forms. Imbalance is the origin of all conflicts," said the man in white as he shook his head, refusing to answer my question.


    "Don''t worry. I am a relentless pursuer of justice," I said, insisting on getting an answer.


    "Nothing is absolute in creation. Any life form will change its mind depending on the circumstances it finds itself in. Young man, you have not experienced enough difficulties in life. Therefore, you are still unable to fully understand the purpose of life in the universe," said the man in white, refusing to answer me again.


    I stopped insisting so as to avoid angering this fellow like I had the previous time we had met. I changed the topic and said, "I seem to have established a harmonious relationship with the interstellar creatures as per your request. How should I leave now? I have something important to do."


    "What will happen, will happen. What will come, will come. I took a look at your future. I hope you can stay true to your heart and persevere until the end," said the man in white.


    I grew excited. This man had actually seen my future? A bunch of thoughts surfaced in my mind, such as my lifespan, my future wife, my wealth, and all sorts of questions I had wondered about when I was a child. I was about to ask more questions when I found myself back to reality. Once again, I was surrounded by a group of interstellar creatures.


    A sense of disappointment welled in my heart. The man in white was someone who had taken a look at my future, and that was the best opportunity for me to find a solution to my issue. Why did Bulu cut the meeting short? I quickly found the answer.


    The black creature suddenly roared at the sky, and the other creatures immediately started roaring. The roars reverberated all throughout the cave. After about 15 minutes, the interstellar creatures parted to reveal a path. A familiar figure appeared, walking toward me.


    The newcomer was none other than the white creature that had appeared beside the man in white. With all the creatures calling for it, it had finally reappeared. The elephant-like white creature walked into the circle formed by the interstellar creatures and sent its probing mouth toward me.


    Unlike the other creatures, this white creature''s mouth was not as sharp as a sword. Rather, it was slightly circular and decorated with whiskers. The circular mouth started growing. Before long, it grew big enough for a human to walk in and out of it. Inside the mouth, a pure white radiance appeared.


    I did not understand what was going on, so I merely watched the unfolding magic show blankly. Once again, all the creatures around me sank into silence. Every one of them was fully focused on the white creature. Suddenly, a red figure directly jumped into the white circle ahead of me.


    "Shit! What is Bulu doing?" I had a bad feeling.


    Due to how close the white creature was, Bulu instantly vanished into the white light before I could do anything. I grew anxious. I couldn''t allow anything to happen to Bulu. Thus, I threw all caution to the wind and jumped into the white light as well.


    A second figure also followed me into the white light. When I looked back, I saw that Nyx had followed me. The moment I entered the white world, I saw Bulu on the ground. My heart calmed somewhat. The circular opening closed once we were all in the white world. Then, the white around us slowly faded, gradually revealing the scene of the starry universe.


    "This is beautiful," I couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration.


    Numerous stars and star systems were constantly moving at a rapid speed all around me. Countless scenes and phenomena that I had heard about and had never heard of before appeared around me. Black holes, gamma-ray bursts, red giants, meteorites, comets, planetary collisions, and so on appeared before me. One scene after another appeared, and not a single scene was a full repeat of a previous scene.


    "Is this a time tunnel, and are these the changes the universe has undergone during the past 10 billion years?" I wondered in excitement.


    The scenes moved rapidly while I leaned against the transparent wall around me and took in everything greedily. This was a precious recording of the passage of time since creation. Everything was being played before me like a movie.


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    Gradually, I discovered that I was only looking at a corner of the universe. Even so, I was exposed to a rather complete catalog of the phenomena and events that could appear in the universe.


    ''If I can bring this information back, the team will earn a large amount of merit. This is most definitely the biggest discovery in the history of the league,'' I thought. The more I thought about it, the smugger I felt.


    While I was immersed in feeling good about myself and greedily taking in the scenes before me, the transparent walls turned white again. Before us, a black wall appeared.


    "Looks like we have arrived. Just like that, we have traveled through 10 billion years. I wonder where this would lead us." I wondered as I looked at the dark wall.


    At this point, Bulu had recovered to its usual condition. I lifted it and placed it into the backpack. Then, I turned on my communicator and tried to contact Spacetime. However, apart from some static, I got nothing. Abruptly, an immense regret assaulted me.


    I started beating my own head sorrowfully. Beside me, Nyx was completely confused. I had just remembered that I had kept my camera off during the entire journey. I had failed to preserve a single phenomenon I had witnessed.


    "Li Canyue, you''re a pig. How can you forget that you had turned off everything?" I scolded myself.


    Nyx continued to look at me in confusion. Eventually, it decided to ignore me and walk through the dark wall. There was no cure for regret, so it was pointless to keep beating myself. I thus followed Nyx out of the time tunnel. The moment I walked out, the dark wall vanished, severing the connection to that mystical space.


    I couldn''t afford to waste more time wallowing in regret, so I calmed down and started studying my surroundings. I found that we had arrived in a dry cave. We seemed to be at the top of the cave system¡ªwhen I looked down, I could see a winding tunnel leading deeper underground.


    ''This must be somewhere above Milk City. Heavens, please don''t let me encounter any other monsters,'' I thought to myself.


    Holding my gun in my hand, I turned on my shield and started traversing the tunnel. The tunnel was not too complicated to travel. After less than 10 minutes, I heard people speaking and moving ahead of me.


    Hearing the familiar sound of civilization, I grew excited. After so many difficulties, my search had finally borne fruit. I had discovered Milk City. At that thought, I sped up. After walking around a large boulder, numerous lightbulbs appeared before me like a sea of blinking stars.


    ''City in a cave, I finally found you!'' I thought in joy.


    After encountering so many mishaps during my journey here, I had become rather paranoid. As a precaution, I carefully advanced. Before long, I arrived at a watchtower at the edge of the city. Two Akko soldiers were standing guard near it.


    While I was still thinking of a way to introduce myself, one of them noticed Nyx, who was much larger than me. He instantly jumped nervously. The two soldiers immediately aimed their guns forward, so I quickly jumped out to prevent them from harming Nyx.


    "Hold! We are friendly! Hold!" I shouted with both my hands raised.


    "Who are you? Why have you appeared with an interstellar creature? These creatures are very ferocious. How are you controlling it?" questioned a young soldier.


    "Soldier, my name is Li Canyue, a friend of your prince, Arude. Can you take me to him? This is urgent," I requested.


    "Li Canyue? You''re the warrior who had destroyed the shell-breaker at Goldsteel City?" asked the young soldier in astonishment.


    "Exactly. That is me," I said.


    "Team Leader, he''s Li Canyue, one of the warriors involved in the defense of Goldsteel. He is requesting to meet the prince," reported the young soldier to an older soldier.


    "Someone capable of taming an interstellar creature is definitely not an ordinary person. Take him to the prince. I''ll stay here," said the team leader.


    The young soldier became visibly excited upon receiving the order. He immediately led us toward the brightly lit city.

 CH 145

    As I walked, I saw numerous refugees. Many of them had built temporary shelters right under the eaves of bigger buildings. Every single building was squeezed full of refugees. While I was observing them, they were also observing Nyx, who was following behind me. Fear covered their faces at the sight of Nyx. After all, interstellar creatures were a species on Akko that had never been conquered. It was incredibly surprising to see one following me.


    I couldn''t help but feel somewhat smug at their expressions. I lifted my head proudly and walked in a spirited manner. From my initial observation, tens of thousands of refugees and soldiers had been gathered in the upper zone of Milk City. After walking about 30 minutes through the cramped streets, I arrived at a comparatively large thatched building in the city center.


    "Halt! What is your business here, soldier? Who is this person with an interstellar creature?" asked the soldier on duty at the door with vigilance. Instantly, all the weapons around the building were aimed at me and Nyx.


    The young soldier hurriedly jogged forward and explained my situation and request to the soldier on duty. Perhaps I was already somewhat famous, but the soldier merely looked at me for a bit after hearing my name and told me to wait. He then entered the building to report my arrival.


    "Where is Canyue?" I heard the voice before anyone came out.


    Shortly after, Baron Sisse appeared before me.


    "Canyue! You can''t imagine how happy I am to see you again!" said Baron Sisse as he rushed forth and grabbed my shoulders.


    I was just as excited. After all, I had wanted nothing more than to meet Baron Sisse again at a place other than the battlefield.


    "Where is Prince Arude?" I still remembered my mission.


    "Don''t worry. He''s waiting inside. Come, let''s go," invited Baron Sisse cheerily.


    At that moment, the baron noticed the interstellar creature behind me.


    "Good heavens. How did you tame this fellow?" asked the baron with a gasp. "In the history of Akko, not a single person has managed to tame this animal. Good thing you are the tamer. At least that makes the miracle easier to accept."


    "I got lucky. I rescued it while it was in trouble, and we became friends," I explained. I couldn''t help but feel somewhat smug about my achievement.


    "This big fellow needs to wait outside. If it goes in, it will probably crush the whole building with its size," said Baron Sisse.


    I walked up to Nyx and rubbed its neck while speaking softly, telling it to wait for me outside. It seemed to have understood me; it picked a random corner outside the building and lay down on its belly. I was about to turn around and enter the building when I saw the young soldier who had escorted me here looking at me with a gaze filled with worship.


    "Baron, do you have any gold coins on you?" I asked in a low voice.


    "I still have one imperial gold coin. Do you need it? That''s the last I have," said the baron reluctantly.


    "I need to borrow it. I''ll pay you back," I said.


    The baron did not hesitate to take out a gold coin and give it to me.


    With the gold coin in hand, I walked to the soldier and handed it to him, "Soldier, thank you for your help. If fate allows it, let''s fight together one day!"


    The young soldier accepted the coin in excitement and thanked me repeatedly. Finally, I was ready to enter the thatched building with Baron Sisse. The building looked small, but there were still three checkpoints inside, with one manned machine gun per checkpoint. I followed the baron to the innermost room. With one glance, I saw Prince Arude and Prince Gede.


    "Prince, I finally found you!" I said in excitement after seeing Prince Arude.


    The two princes appeared happy to see me as well.


    "Canyue, I knew you would appear. Although the world outside had turned into a sea, I had still strongly believed that," said Prince Gede.


    "Yes, the entire planet has been submerged in water. Even now, the storm is raging outside. It was very difficult to come here. Are the lower levels of Milk City completely flooded?" I asked.


    "Sigh. It''s worse than that. The furious torrents caused numerous landslides. A lot of our tunnels have been blocked," said Prince Gede.


    "Fortunately, you have enough space at the upper levels. There are at least tens of thousands of survivors here," I consoled Prince Gede.


    "We still need to thank you for buying the 12 hours of ceasefire. During that time, I was able to pull back my entire army from Goldsteel City and set up three new defensive lines in Milk City. I also moved the common citizens into the city. However, I did not expect the disgusting empire to unleash a storm just to avoid suffering the same disastrous losses they suffered at Goldsteel City," said Prince Gede furiously.


    "Are there any updates on the other armies?" I asked.


    "At present, we have lost contact with all friendly armies. The environment outside is too harsh and most of our high-tech equipment was destroyed during the battle at Goldsteel City. Thus, we have not gotten any chance to leave and reconnect with the other armies," said Prince Gede.


    I was about to ask more questions when Prince Arude interrupted me.


    "Canyue, why did you return? How is the situation outside? How is my brother? Can you tell me?" asked Prince Arude.


    ''Looks like the prince is more concerned about his competitor,'' I thought to myself.


    I proceeded to tell them about King Xido''s request, my encounter with Prince Toruse, the establishment of the 7th Armored Division, how I tamed Nyx, and my journey to the upper levels of Milk City.


    However, I left out Prince Toruse''s illegal coronation to avoid invoking their anger. Everyone was engrossed in the story I told. After all, what I had experienced were things anyone could be proud of for a long time to come.


    "Do you mean that you have an army waiting outside?" asked Baron Sisse after I finished.


    "Yes. They''re right above Mount Maiden. However, the mountain is blocking our signals, so I can''t contact them," I said.


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    "The terrain itself is blocking the signals. However, we do have a place where signals can be sent outside. I can take you there," said Baron Sisse.


    "But this place is flooded. How are we supposed to let them into the upper levels of the city? The time tunnel is no longer there," I said.


    "There is a tunnel underwater. I can have someone send them the coordinates that can guide them here," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, can you have Intelligence Officer Aden send a message on my behalf to Zhang Bao''er? I still have something I need to discuss with the prince," I requested.


    The baron immediately ordered Intelligence Officer Aden to carry out the request.


    "Prince, can we go somewhere private? There is something I need to tell you in private," I said to Prince Arude.


    Prince Arude looked at Prince Gede and received an affirmative gesture. Seeing that Prince Gede had agreed, Baron Sisse led us to a room at the back of the building before leaving.


    "What is it that you can''t tell me in front of the others?" asked Prince Arude before I could say anything.


    "Prince Arude, we are all aware that in King Xido''s will, you are first in line to the throne. I want to ask if there is a clause among your laws allowing an heir to inherit the throne during wartime," I asked directly.


    "Wartime inheritance? Are you telling me that Toruse had taken the throne during wartime?" asked Arude in shock.


    "I don''t know if it is official. I''m not sure," I said.


    "I did not expect him to be so brave. Yes, there is such a law. If a king leaves Akko during war, it means that the king has abandoned his people. Thus, all direct members of the royal clan will have the right to inherit the throne. However, my father is not an ordinary king. It''s too risky for Toruse to do something like that," said Prince Arude. There seemed to be an even deeper meaning to his words.


    I did not expect that Prince Arude was more concerned about the danger of what Toruse did than the succession. "Prince, why do you say that King Xido isn''t an ordinary king?"


    "As a king capable of flirting with both the empire and the league, my father is most definitely not someone incapable. He also has a large personal army, to the point my uncle, Prince Gede, is afraid of him despite having a powerful army. Toruse is courting death by ascending to the throne illegally. He won''t be able to defeat the king," said Prince Arude with a sigh.


    "Perhaps Prince Toruse thought that King Xido''s army had been wiped out by the empire. With the massive storm all over the planet, Akko needs a leader to lead the resistance. That might be why he made such a mistake," I tried explaining for Toruse.


    "Both of you underestimate this action. Must an army of my father stay on Akko? Did you not notice that there were very few soldiers around during the battle at the palace? That is not normal. If so, where are the soldiers?" asked Prince Arude.


    I gave it some thought and slowly understood what Prince Arude meant.


    "I believe that Royal Father is still observing things. Between the empire and the league, he has yet to decide on which side to support. It is foolish for Toruse to make a move for the throne at this time," said Prince Arude.


    I looked at the frail young man before me in astonishment. No wonder he was King Xido''s first choice for the throne. His intelligence and maturity were much better than Prince Toruse''s. He was able to see things very clearly.


    A bark pulled me back from my thoughts. I saw that Prince Arude''s fero canine had crawled out from under the bed in the room.


    "My father had probably asked for your help in taking us to him because he was worried about this law. How would Toruse face Royal Father afterward?" said Arude in a deeply worried manner.


    "Everything is done, and there is no changing it. I need some time to think of a way to hide what Prince Toruse did from the king," I said as I shook my head.


    "It will be too difficult. A lot of the soldiers under Toruse''s employ are the king''s spies. It is almost impossible to hide a secret this big. Those people are all on your ship, right? Unless..." hinted the prince without finishing his words.


    My heart trembled at the implication. The prince was suggesting that I silenced all witnesses. It was obvious that a regular person would not be able to assume the role of the ruling class easily.


    Only someone with an absolutely ruthless heart would be able to do well in the ruling class. For Prince Arude to reach such a conclusion at such a young age, his level of cunning was definitely far above that of an ordinary person. However, I would not be able to bring myself to do such things. Seeing that I was deep in thought, the prince was about to say something when Baron Sisse''s voice came from outside the room.


    "Canyue, your soldiers have arrived. They''re waiting for you at the lobby," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, do not tell anyone here about what Toruse did. That might implicate me as well," Prince Arude whispered before we left.


    I nodded at him in agreement, and we stood up to follow Baron Sisse to the lobby.

 CH 146

    In the lobby, I saw several familiar figures. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and Domo had relied on the guidance sent to them in the message to navigate the underwater tunnel and come here.


    When we arrived at the lobby, Old Du said to Prince Gede, "The underwater tunnel is extremely complicated. It is not suitable for a mass evacuation."


    Zhang Bao''er then saw me and ran over, "Canyue, after we lost contact with you, everyone has been worried sick. However, I believe that you are always able to turn misfortune into a blessing. Can I get the chance to carry out these missions next time?"


    "Get lost. A single mishap is enough for an eternity-long regret. Don''t create trouble for the deputy captain," sneered Domo.


    "Stop bickering. We need to first decide on a withdrawal plan. We can talk about everything else after leaving this place," I said, stopping the two from bickering.


    Everyone sat around a round table and started the discussion.


    "Old Du is right. The underwater tunnel is too complicated. It is not enough to withdraw the tens of thousands of people you have here. Keep in mind that we don''t even have enough diving gear for so many people," said Baron Sisse.


    "Firstly, we need a fleet of ships to haul all the people here. Even now, the empire''s Southstar Army is still surrounding the planet from outer space. Large transport ships have no way of entering the planet," said Old Du.


    "Due to the circumstances we are in, I suggest that we first evacuate Prince Arude and some individuals that urgently need medical attention. After we reconvene with the league fleet, we can draw out a new withdrawal plan," I suggested.


    "I agree. The storm generators have been pulled back. I reckon the storm in Akko will stop in a few days. At that time, the rescue operation will also be much easier. However, do you have enough supply to last that long?" asked Old Du.


    "Don''t worry about supplies. Milk City has enough wartime supplies to last three more months," said Baron Sisse.


    "In that case, let''s follow this plan, then. Prince Arude and the injured individuals will evacuate first. We will wait here for reinforcements," said Prince Gede decisively.


    "Uncle, you should leave with me. It will be easier for us to come up with a new plan after meeting Royal Father," said Prince Arude.


    "Prince, I need to stay with my soldiers and people. I will have Baron Sisse go with you. The baron is resourceful. He will be of great help to you," said Prince Gede with a shake of his head.


    It was not a good idea to be argumentative and indecisive during wartime, so Prince Arude did not insist. And thus, everyone prepared for the evacuation. Both Domo and Zhang Bao''er came over with massive backpacks. I could see that the backpacks contained shield devices and medical supplies. All those things were left behind for Prince Gede.


    After roughly 40 minutes, the team and those selected for evacuation gathered in front of a massive body of water. Because Nyx was too big, I decided to temporarily leave it in Milk City for now. I would return for it after the water receded.


    "This was where we came from. We will reach the surface of the water after traveling through this route for one hour. Spacetime will be waiting there for us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We will need more than 10 hours to evacuate completely," I said as I looked at the group of roughly 300 people behind us.


    The number of injured soldiers and refugees had reached over 300 people. Milk City''s few remaining pieces of diving equipment were given to these people. They all appeared excited after learning that they were going to be evacuated. Prince Arude stood before the group with his arms around his little fero canine. There was also a piece of diving gear attached to the puppy''s face.


    "We don''t even have enough diving gear. Why are you using one on a puppy instead of a wounded soldier?" muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    "You are being prejudiced against animals! All life in the universe is equal!" Domo immediately retorted after he heard Zhang Bao''er''s grumbling with his sharp ears.


    "Keep your voice down. Remember our mission. Don''t create unnecessary trouble," I stopped the two from more senseless bickering.


    Old Du and Baron Sisse started coordinating the group as they dove into the water one by one. Zhang Bao''er and I were in charge of escorting Prince Arude, and we were the first batch to dive into the water.


    Not only was the water underground cold and turbid, but it also contained undercurrents. Thus, everyone in the group was forced to turn on their underwater searchlights. Zhang Bao''er swam at the very front of the group while holding a rope. The rest of the group was holding the rope as we followed behind him.


    Prince Arude and I stayed at the very back of the group, and we were in charge of keeping watch over them. After around 10 minutes, we arrived at a zone with violent undercurrents.


    I could see that the prince''s puppy was tightly holding the rope with its four limbs. The undercurrents were fierce, and there was a risk that some of us would be washed away.


    At this time, Prince Arude turned around and made the gesture representing a rope, pointed at the wounded individuals in the group, and made another gesture showing someone leaving the rope. I immediately understood what the prince meant. I extended my shield and utilized my underwater thrusters to cover and escort the wounded individuals out of the zone.


    Prince Arude''s eyes showed approval as he continued onward. After escorting about 20 wounded individuals out of the zone, I saw Domo swim toward me.


    "Domo, help me get these wounded individuals away from the undercurrents. I need to go up and continue watching over Prince Arude," I said.


    "This¡ªfine. Yes, superior," Domo agreed unhappily.


    After handing over the task, I swam up and soon caught up with the prince. I gestured at him that I had someone else take care of the group, relieving him of his worry. I continued following the prince through the winding tunnel, passing by numerous collapsed sections in the process. After more than an hour of swimming through numerous dangerous locations, we finally started floating straight upward. I knew that we were approaching the surface.


    Before long, we saw a bright light above us. We rushed upward, and finally, we emerged on the surface. As the storm raged all around me, I looked at the massive searchlight of the beautiful ship Spacetime hovering right above us. As we emerged, a massive steel ladder dropped down from the ship.


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    Everyone grabbed the ladder and started climbing; I was following closely behind Prince Arude and his puppy. It wasn''t until I saw Kelly and Zhang Xingxing that a realization hit me: the arduous mission had been completed.


    I lay weakly on the floor, wishing to give myself a moment of peace. Everyone else was busy helping the wounded individuals, so nobody bothered me. After a minute, I stood up and started helping as well.


    We spent the next few hours helping the evacuees. During the process, I realized that the actual number of people was far more than the 300 I had estimated. In fact, we had helped nearly 500 people into the ship so far.


    ''Looks like they added quite a lot of evacuees toward the end,'' I thought.


    Finally, Old Du and Baron Sisse appeared with the last batch. Also appearing with them on the water''s surface was a massive whirlpool. Nyx flew out of the whirlpool and roared at me with its head raised high.


    "Canyue, we have no choice. Your mount insisted on holding its breath and entering the water. We couldn''t even stop it," said Old Du helplessly.


    At this point, we could only accept the additional evacuees. After another 30 minutes, everyone was finally finished with their tasks, and we all gathered in Spacetime''s command center.


    "Have all the wounded soldiers and refugees been settled down?" asked Prince Arude.


    "Don''t worry, Prince. Everything has been arranged appropriately," said Old Du politely.


    Next, I introduced Prince Arude to everyone present. The crew members were rather astonished by the maturity and wisdom displayed by a prince so young.


    "Next, we need to leave Akko," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Captain, do we produce a wormhole back to the Sirius base immediately?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "Captain, I have a request. I hope to receive your support," Prince Arude suddenly said.


    "What is your request? Feel free to say it," replied Zhang Xingxing gently.


    "Before leaving to meet my royal father, I wish to meet privately with Prince Toruse. Will that be possible?" asked Prince Arude.


    Zhang Xingxing gave it some thought before looking at me. After I gestured at her in agreement, she ordered Lin Feixue to bring Prince Arude to see Prince Toruse. Then, Zhang Bao''er and Kelly started bothering me to tell them about my experience.


    I told them everything about my encounter with Clearsky, my experience in the time tunnel, the changes that I had witnessed of the universe from ancient times to the present day, and my experience at Milk City''s upper levels.  They all appeared rather disappointed upon learning that I had forgotten to record what I had seen in the time tunnel.


    "Canyue, according to what you say, there are still tens of thousands of wounded soldiers and refugees waiting in Milk City? We need to return as soon as possible and come up with a plan to rescue them with King Xido," said Zhang Xingxing after hearing about the soldiers and refugees still stranded in Milk City.


    "The two princes are still talking. Perhaps they might have a different idea. Let''s wait for them to finish their talk," I said.


    Everyone waited silently. Some soldiers came to deliver us some food. After the long search-and-rescue operation, we suddenly realized that our stomachs were rumbling with hunger when the food was presented to us. We wolfed it down, and one whole hour later, Prince Arude returned.


    "Prince, how was the talk?" I asked.


    "Captain, Canyue, after our talk, we wish to request a favor from you," said Prince Arude.


    ''How surprising. I did not expect them to actually reach an accord,'' I thought.


    "Prince, what do you need? Feel free to say it," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Captain, can you send us brothers to Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula first?" said Prince Arude with a determined tone.

 CH 147

    The crew was shocked to hear of the Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula.


    "Prince, why do you want to go there?" I asked.


    "At the underground palace, someone familiar with the situation inside the empire once mentioned to Prince Toruse the  Horsehead Nebula," said Prince Arude.


    "Someone familiar with the empire? Who are you referring to?" I asked in confusion.


    "Principal Sosse. I believe it is time to tell everyone about this secret," said Arude as he shot Principal Sosse a look.


    Everyone''s gaze gathered on Principal Sosse. I did not expect that the principal who had been staying with us was actually aware of the situation at the Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula. His knowledge also seemed to be confirmation that the information Prophet Nommo had left behind was true. The truth had been right beside us all this time, but we didn¡¯t know to look for it.


    "This, how did you learn about this, Prince? I''m somewhat confused about what you''re referring to," said Principal Sosse with hesitation on his face.


    Prince Arude did not answer the principal. Rather, he looked at Zhang Xingxing and asked, "Can I ask for Prince Toruse to join this talk as well? With him here, we can decide on our next course of action."


    "No problem. Lin Feixue, bring Prince Toruse here. Notify Dondon and Dodo to join the meeting as well," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Shortly after, all the requested individuals arrived. I could see the calm look of someone who had seen through the ways of the world on Prince Toruse''s face.


    "Principal, the answer to Emperor Fille''s secret energy source is hidden at the Horsehead Nebula, right?" Prince Toruse went straight to the point.


    "Little prince, what are you trying to say?" asked Principal Sosse.


    "My royal father told me once that you knew of the secret the emperor hid at the Horsehead Nebula. However, you doubted Akko''s strength and intended to make use of the league''s strength to attack the place instead. Basically, you were afraid that the weak Akko would not be strong enough to succeed in the attack and ruin your plan," said Prince Toruse. In all honesty, his words were rather believable.


    "Principal, we are all very concerned about the history of the Horsehead Nebula. That place is related to a very important mission of ours and is a place with an ancient riddle to solve. If you have any valuable information, I hope you can share it, especially since it is now a time of war," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Compelled by everyone, Principal Sosse sank into silence as he thought about our request. Numerous thoughts raced in his brain as he weighed the pros and cons of telling us what he knew.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    ''The standards of justice and fairness are always flexible for all these politicians,'' I thought as I looked at the expression on the principal''s face.


    "What do you intend to do? This is big. It concerns the future of the Milky Way or even the entire universe itself. With your small team, what can you do? I have been paying attention. Your so-called 7th Armored Division isn''t even full. I can''t let you rashly attack the empire''s core energy region. Such an attack will only cause Emperor Fille to be more cautious," said Principal Sosse.


    "The empire''s core energy region? You must know something, old man. Stop hiding it. Just say it," said Zhang Bao''er with a smirk on his face.


    "The Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation is the birthplace of stars. It is also the core energy region of Emperor Fille''s Divine Empire. Not only is there a mysterious, endless source of energy there, but it is also said that a powerful secret army is hidden there," said Principal Sosse.


    "We met the so-called secret army before. We''ve even tasted its capabilities. There''s nothing special about it," said Zhang Bao''er with derision.


    "No. What you encountered was merely the army''s lowest-ranked beast legion. Mountain beyond mountain, people beyond people. There are higher powers that you have yet to encounter," said Principal Sosse.


    "How are you so sure about the rank of the beast we encountered?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "That little fellow. After I gave him some canned food, he told me quite a lot of your glorious military feats," said Principal Sosse as he pointed at Dondon.


    Dondon hurriedly opened an umbrella and hid below it. That action caused everyone to burst into laughter. Nobody could bring themselves to blame a simple-minded little fellow like that.


    "Principal, let''s return to the main topic. How strong is the secret army? Is there a chance we can eliminate it entirely?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Little girl, you hit the nail on the head with that question. My initial plan was to topple Emperor Fille''s reign of terror by damaging the empire''s energy source. However, I was discovered by the emperor halfway through the plan," said Principal Sosse.


    "Yes, I heard of something similar from Scholar Fode and Jeferun before," said Old Du.


    "Emperor Fille took the first step and interrupted my planning. I initially planned to overthrow the empire with the help of the various factions in the Milky Way and form some sort of political union. However, the emperor reacted so fast that my plan was completely ruined. Now, Fode himself is in the emperor''s hands. I also heard that Jeferun was in the hands of that traitorous Giorno and has been missing since then," said Principal Sosse.


    "You were able to escape, so why didn''t you take the chance to launch an attack?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "After my escape, I arrived at Akko. I wanted to borrow Akko''s strength to weaken the emperor since Akko is the strongest kingdom among all the vassal kingdoms of the empire. However, what I saw was disappointing. The kingdom has fewer than 60,000 soldiers in their army. That is far from enough to do any significant damage to the empire," said Principal Sosse with a sigh.


    "The gap between the Akko kingdom and the empire is clear. The empire was able to muster 500,000 soldiers just for the encirclement of Akko alone. That is almost 10 times the size of Akko''s army," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That is nothing. The army guarding the Horsehead Nebula is the empire''s most elite army, the Midstar Army, with 7 legions and nearly 700,000 soldiers," said Principal Sosse with derision.


    "What? Seven hundred thousand soldiers? Is that the secret army you mentioned?" asked Domo in astonishment.


    "No, that''s merely the official army guarding the Horsehead Nebula. The real secret army is not included among the 700,000," said Principal Sosse.


    "My god. Just how powerful is the Divine Empire?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Like I said, Emperor Fille is not a simple person. He has lofty ambitions, and his goal lies beyond the Orion Constellation and perhaps even the Milky Way itself," said Master Crystal.


    "A powerful military strength like that is not something the Akko army can threaten. I did not select King Xido. This is because I did not wish to sacrifice so many Akko lives only to strike a stone with an egg. While I was wallowing in disappointment, I met the people from the league by pure coincidence," said Principal Sosse.


    "You must have met Captain Jingan, who was tasked to follow Jupiter II," said Old Du.


    "Yes. From him, I learned of the way the league rules. It conforms to the fair ruling system I have in mind. Furthermore, the league''s strength makes me realize that they are the only ones capable of standing against the emperor. Thus, we were able to quickly form a strategic alliance," said Principal Sosse as he gradually grew excited.


    Everyone started contemplating the implications of what Principal Sosse had just revealed.


    "Foolish and childish. No wonder your goal remains unaccomplished even now," a sneer rang out.


    Everyone looked over. It was Domo.


    "Domo, what do you have in mind?" asked Zhang Bao''er. It was rare for Zhang Bao''er to actually mention Domo by name.


    "This old fart has a beautiful ideal, but reality is much less beautiful. He has been living in a dream. The Interstellar League is a behemoth. How would they be persuaded to wage war against the Divine Empire because of some words from you? How big is the cost of a war with the Divine Empire? Also, you''re a fugitive. You don''t even have an army. What''s the point of forming a strategic alliance with you?" ridiculed Domo.


    "Young man, are you doubting my capability?" said Principal Sosse unhappily.


    "Old man, face reality. From my analysis, the league has long coveted the empire''s territory and energy source. They have been looking for an excuse to start a war. Your appearance provides them with what they need. I''ve heard of the league''s political system from Canyue before. It''s terrible. You only saw what''s on the surface, not its deeper aspects. Your old brain must have gotten muddled, severely dropping your level of comprehension," said Domo without holding anything back.


    One ought to admit that Domo''s words made sense. He accurately pointed out that the principal''s thinking had been too shallow.


    "Principal, I have been wanting to ask you something," I asked, trying to remove some tension from the room.


    "Canyue, feel free to ask your question," said Principal Sosse.


    "Have you read the book called Blue Path? Also, what secrets are recorded in the Imperial Golden Book?" I asked.


    Principal Sosse was visibly astonished to hear my question.


    After a while, Principal Sosse said with a regretful look, "Blue Path is now nothing but history. Initially, it was a banned book only principals could read. A few decades ago, a student had read the book in secret. When my predecessor, the principal two generations ago, learned of the incident, he delivered the book to the Dark Hall. I did not have the chance to read the book by the time I became the principal."


    ''Looks like the Blue Path will remain a mystery,'' I thought with disappointment.


    "As for the Imperial Golden Book, only the imperial clan can understand its contents. I have been trying to understand it, but I''ve never succeeded. However, I was able to get a vague impression that the book contains the coordinates and structural makeup of high-energy celestial bodies. Also, the listed celestial bodies are those whose energy can absolutely be extracted. The book is a treasure trove. Just possessing the book alone will signify that you''re already halfway to success," said the principal. We finally knew what the Imperial Golden Book contained.


    "By the way, Xingxing, I suddenly remembered something that I have been forgetting to tell you. I have been suspecting that the writings in the Imperial Golden Book are actually from the language of one of Blue''s lost civilizations. To be precise, the writings utilized the language of Atlantis," I said.


    "It''s a pity. I heard that the emperor has regained possession of the book. We can no longer verify that," said Zhang Xingxing with regret.


    "We must think of a way to get the Imperial Golden Book. That book might be the answer to many of our puzzles," said Old Du.


    "Everyone, the Imperial Golden Book should be the next goal. As for our current goal, it should be launching a sudden attack on the energy source at Horsehead Nebula," said Prince Toruse, cutting our conversation short.


    "I am in agreement with Prince Toruse. We can meet Royal Father later," said Prince Arude.


    "Two little babies, do you think this is a game? Not to mention the secret army, there is a regular army of 700,000 stationed where you want to go. There are only several hundred of us. Are we going on a sightseeing tour, or are we going to offer ourselves as live targets for the imperial army?" sneered Domo.


    "No, we have more than that. I have an army," said Prince Arude.


    Everyone was shocked at his declaration.


    "You''re not referring to the people trapped in Milk City, are you?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Prince Arude looked at Zhang Bao''er and shook his head firmly.

 CH 148

    "What secret army do you have? Why are you keeping it secret even now?" asked Zhang Bao''er, clearly showing his displeasure.


    "The Kingdom of Akko and the Kingdom of Kenante are strategic allies. We can request help from them," said Prince Arude.


    "What? How can that be counted as your army? It''s completely different!" said Domo in astonishment.


    "At this point, we can''t give up on any help we can get," Prince Arude insisted.


    "Kenante? Are you referring to the Wargod race?" asked Master Crystal.


    "Wargod race? The warrior with the ox head we saw previously?" I asked in excitement.


    "Yes, them. But they''re actually a race of small numbers. Thus, their actual strength is questionable," reminded Master Crystal.


    "We will know if they can help by taking a trip to Kenante. If their army is truly weak, we can just not go to the Horsehead Nebula," suggested Prince Toruse.


    "Expecting Kenante to dispatch their army to help us against the empire? That''s unrealistic. Their old king, Carter, is extremely conservative and risk aversive. I once sent someone to secretly contact him, but he refused my call for help," said Principal Sosse.


    "King Carter has an agreement with my royal father that each party must help the other during war. Nobody is allowed to do nothing as the other party perishes," said Prince Toruse confidently.


    "Young man, any sort of agreement can be broken at any time. An agreement is only as valid as the benefits it provides," said Principal Sosse with a lecturing tone.


    "This is not actually your army, anyway. We''ll let Commander Zhang Xingxing decide," said Prince Toruse, ignoring the principal''s advice.


    At that, everyone''s gaze focused on Zhang Xingxing. I could see her sinking into deep thought.


    "I heard that the Kingdom of Kenante is located on Planet Rumble of the Orion Constellation''s Alnitak System. It is said that the planet is actually very far from the system''s three stars. I reckon it has an extremely cold climate. We can only land with our morph-capable shields active," said Master Crystal.


    "No, Planet Rumble has a unique internal ecosystem. The heat from its core can spread all over the planet. Furthermore, the planet can create its own source of light. It is a magical and beautiful planet," said Principal Sosse.


    Even the seemingly all-knowing Master Crystal was actually unaware of that. He was speechless, so he decided to shut his mouth. Perhaps Zhang Xingxing was affected by what Principal Sosse had said about benefits, but she finally reached a decision after a while.


    "I believe we won''t waste too much time paying Kenante a visit first. Alnitak is located to the left of the Horsehead Nebula. If there is a chance that we can deal great damage to the empire, I am willing to give it a try. If Kenante is unwilling or incapable of helping, we can give up on that plan and rush to the B Army instead," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Unsurprisingly, Zhang Xingxing reached the same decision as me. In fact, the few of us were actually becoming excited at the mere thought of meeting a member of the fabled Wargod race again.


    "Lin Feixue, get Planet Rumble''s coordinates from the database and establish a wormhole connection. We will be moving fast," Zhang Xingxing commanded.


    With the command, Lin Feixue immediately searched for the coordinates of Alnitak. Then, Spacetime started the wormhole creation process. In a short while, a massive wormhole tunnel appeared amid Akko''s storm.


    "Activate the leap procedure. Sergeant Lando, the acting pilot, will take charge of Fearless and follow Spacetime into the wormhole tunnel," commanded Lin Feixue.


    And thus, Spacetime and Fearless entered the wormhole one after another in accordance with Lin Feixue''s command. After roughly 10 minutes of wormhole travel, the 7th Armored Division arrived within the area of the Alnitak System. Far ahead of us, the blue Alnitak Aa was visible.


    Alnitak Aa was a blue supergiant star, with higher temperatures and quality than the sun of our very own Solar System. It was roughly 1,260 lightyears away from Blue. A certain country on Blue had categorized three systems in the Orion Constellation as the three stars of fortune, prosperity, and longevity. Of the three, Alnitak Aa was the embodiment of longevity.


    Planet Rumble, which housed the Kingdom of Kenante, was very far from Alnitak Aa at roughly 0.3 lightyears away. Thus, from where we were, the star that was 60 times larger than Blue''s sun looked no bigger than a table tennis ball from our perspective. Its two companion stars were completely overshadowed by its radiance.


    Due to the distance, the star''s energy was unable to reach the planet, which would usually result in an extremely cold planet. Because of that, all of us were rather looking forward to seeing the beautiful planet described by Principal Sosse. At that time, I noticed Zhang Bao''er and Old Du looking out the window behind the command center. I walked toward them.


    "Why are the two of you daydreaming here?" I asked.


    "Canyue, look at the spot ahead of us and to the right, the spot with an expanse of red. That is the Horsehead Nebula. Perhaps the answer to all our questions will be found there," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I looked at where he was pointing and saw a wide expanse of dark red and black colors. Amid the darkness, numerous red and blue dots flickered, as though countless new lives and energy sources were being born. The secrets of the universe''s origin could very well be unveiled there.


    "We will try to finish our trip at Kenante as quickly as possible and get help from them. Then, we will be able to go straight to the Horsehead Nebula," I said to the two encouragingly.


    At that time, the ship''s alarm blazed. We turned around and saw that a blue planet had appeared before the ship. All of us were amazed to see that the planet was filled with blue oceans and dry lands of equal proportions. The dry lands were covered with green vegetation, looking vibrant and full of life.


    "This planet is too beautiful. No wonder it can give birth to valiant warriors like the Wargod race," exclaimed Zhang Xingxing.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "Captain, do we land immediately or try to notify them of our arrival first?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "The proper etiquette would be sending words to them and making it clear that we are here as envoys of their ally, Akko," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "There is no need for that," said Principal Sosse.


    "Why? Do they know us?" asked Zhang Xingxing doubtfully.


    "Look at the space outside the planet. Are there any ships or space stations around?" asked Principal Sosse.


    We finally noticed that the outer space around the planet was completely devoid of any machines.


    "What is going on with this kingdom? They don''t even have an electronic communication system? How can they remain a powerful race with this level of technology?" asked Old Du in astonishment.


    Surprisingly, none of the people in our group familiar with Kenante responded to the question.


    "Do not look down on the Wargod race. They won''t be known as the Wargod race for no reason," said Domo after a long while.


    "In that case, we''ll land directly. Lin Feixue, look for a landing spot," commanded Zhang Xingxing.


    Lin Feixue did as told and arranged for both ships to approach the planet. After going through the regular atmospheric entry process, we entered the planet''s sky. A loud sound of a drum suddenly rang out in all our ears.


    "What''s that sound? Is that the war drum of the Wargods? Did they misunderstand that we were here to invade?" asked Zhang Bao''er as he immediately turned alert.


    "Soldier, your imagination is too rich. Just how strong does one need to be to make such a loud sound with a drum? The sound came from the planet''s core. That''s the sound the core makes when it transmits its energy and light waves outward. The light waves carry the core''s energy and bring illumination to the planet. This is also why the planet is known as Planet Rumble," said Principal Sosse.


    "That''s magical. But can the people living here withstand the loud noise and the energy radiation from the core?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The ability to withstand such an environment is naturally the precondition to becoming a Wargod," said Principal Sosse.


    The loud rumble would appear every 15 minutes. In such an environment, the two ships landed in the middle of a large grassland.


    "The temperature outside the ship is 30 degrees Celsius, the atmospheric pressure is 1 atmosphere, and the air is 65 percent oxygen. No poisonous gas is detected in the air. The environment is very favorable for us. We can go out without additional procedures," said Lin Feixue.


    "Open the door. Bao''er, Canyue, Old Du, and Dodo will be the first group to step outside and scout the environment. Everyone else will wait for more data before leaving the ship," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    The four of us moved immediately and turned on our morph-capable shields. Lin Feixue opened the door leading into the airlock. The four of us walked through the airlock and arrived at the surface of the planet. Even with my morph-capable shield on, I could still feel the gentle breeze in the air.


    We had landed in a massive prairie that extended as far as the eye can see. Different from the grasslands on Blue, the grass here was surprisingly neat and tidy with uniform heights, as though they had been recently tended to. This was quite a peculiar sight. Looking at the blue sky and white clouds, the lush green around me, and the comfortable breeze in the air, I almost felt like I had returned to Blue.


    "This place is too beautiful. I feel like removing my shield and breathing in the air here," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Negative. We have just arrived, and we don''t know the planet well enough. We can''t easily remove our protection," I warned sternly.


    Zhang Bao''er was unhappy, but he did not dare to disobey a direct order. The four of us probed our surroundings while moving ahead together. The soil below us was sturdy and robust. Stepping on the ground gave one the sensation of stability and dependability. The grass on the ground was completely quiet and calm, unlike the grasslands on Blue, which were infested with tiny insects.


    "This place is too quiet. I can''t detect any lifeforms," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, the sound of air ripping apart came from behind us.


    "Incoming!" I quickly roared.


    A loud "thud" sounded. Then, we saw something that made all of us freeze. An arrow, which was still trembling, had stabbed into Dodo''s iron head.

 CH 149

    Fortunately, Dodo was an android. They were merely stunned after being struck, but the attack wasn''t actually fatal for them. The three of us immediately jumped to the ground and looked at where the arrow came from, attempting to locate the attacker.


    With yet another "whoosh," a second arrow struck Dodo''s body. However, the archer was very well hidden. Even after using our laser probes, we weren''t able to detect the attacker. Next, the third arrow embedded itself into Dodo''s thigh. Even someone as patient as Dodo was getting tired of such treatment.


    Thus, Dodo pulled out the three arrows, brandished their four limbs, and roared, "If you have what it takes, show yourself! What kind of a hero can you be if you''re hiding around like a coward?"


    Next, silence descended, leaving only the gentle sound of the breeze in the air. The three of us were still laying on the ground, observing our surroundings. The short grass around us did not look tall enough to hide anyone.


    "Weird. Where is that fellow hiding? From the strength behind those arrows, the attacker shouldn''t be too far away. But there is no one on the ground," said Old Du doubtfully.


    "Bao''er, try the smoke grenade," I commanded after a thought came to me.


    Zhang Bao''er tossed out a smoke grenade, immediately covering us in white smoke.


    "Sprinkle some white powder on the ground covered by the smoke," I gave a new order.


    The three of us took out our white powder and sprinkled a thin layer on the ground. Due to the cover of the smoke, Dodo did not receive any new attacks.


    "Canyue, were you ambushed by archers?" Zhang Xingxing asked anxiously through the communicator.


    "Yes. The archer is hidden really well. We can''t detect the attacker even now," I replied. I was quite impressed by the concealment skill displayed by the attacker.


    "Canyue, the Wargods are extremely powerful at attacking. Avoid conflict at all costs," reminded Principal Sosse.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and I continued to toss smoke grenades in the direction the arrows came from. Borrowing the cover of the smoke, we sprinkled more white powder on the ground. In a short while, we covered an area of hundreds of square meters around us. With the help of my laser probe, I finally discovered traces of the hidden archer.


    "Old Du, right side ahead of us," I whispered.


    "I see it. I have been paying attention there. There are several footprints on the white powder. That fellow entered the smoke to look for us," said Old Du.


    "We''ll contain the archer with steel wires. Focus on the footprints. When the attacker is five meters from us, we make our move," I said.


    We stared at the footprints while Dodo continued shouting five meters away from us. We could see the footprints slowly approaching Dodo.


    "Eight meters, seven meters, six meters, five meters, move!" I said.


    Three steel nets shot out of the secondary muzzles of our laser guns. The three nets combined into a massive net and descended upon the newest footprints. The attacker seemed to have detected danger as the footprints turned around. However, the steel net covered a wide area, so the attacker wasn''t able to escape. As the net dropped, an invisible outline appeared under the net.


    "Yes! Looks like this fellow is invisible," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Keep your distance. We don''t know if the attacker has other secret weapons," reminded Old Du.


    The invisible figure struggled frantically, but the steel worked like a spiderweb. The more one struggled, the tighter the net would be. As the figure struggled, the net tightened, eventually forming an outline that looked like a club as the figure dropped onto the ground.


    "This fellow is probably fully bound now. Let''s go," I said.


    At that point, the smoke was slowly dispersing, allowing us to observe the attacker with our naked eyes.


    "Canyue, you caught the attacker?" Zhang Xingxing''s concerned voice came.


    "Reporting to the captain, the attacker has been captured," said Old Du.


    "Don''t harm the attacker. We need to avoid unnecessary conflict," reminded Principal Sosse.


    We slowly approached our captive. Perhaps the figure had noticed our approach. It started struggling again.


    "Don''t be afraid. We are not here to harm you. We are friends of King Carter of Kenante," I placated our captive loudly.


    However, the figure on the ground continued struggling.


    "Adoka, Violent Steel," Zhang Bao''er suddenly spoke the two Wargod names we knew.


    Surprisingly, the figure stopped struggling the moment it heard the two names. Perhaps it recognized the two names.


    ''What kind of creature is this? Don''t tell me it''s also an invisible life form like Bulu,'' I thought inwardly. Suddenly, I noticed that I had forgotten to take Bulu with me. Otherwise, we would have been able to communicate with this creature through our thoughts.


    Old Du continued to patiently tell the creature our purpose here. Perhaps it was affected by our sincerity; the transparent figure covered by our net suddenly flickered with some sort of ripple. Shortly after, a fully armed ox-headed warrior with a quiver and a bow on his back appeared before our eyes.


    "The Wargod race is actually capable of invisibility!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    The ox-headed warrior was observing us cautiously. Despite being trapped in a net, we could still feel the murderous intent it harbored.


    "Warrior, we are friends of King Carter. We are not your enemies. I''ll release you. Can you take us to the king?" I tried asking while taking a step closer to our captive.


    The ox-headed warrior looked at me and blinked. That looked like an agreement to me.


    "Bao''er, withdraw the net," I said.


    "We can''t easily remove the net. Look at the holes in my body. This fellow is extremely powerful. If we let him hide again, we won''t be able to catch him a second time," objected Dodo, who had walked up behind me. I had not noticed their arrival.


    "You dumb iron head. I had been lenient by not attacking the others earlier. The warriors of the Wargod race never go back on their words! I won''t stand for this insult of my honor!" The ox-headed warrior suddenly raged after being provoked by Dodo''s words.


    I grew excited when I heard the warrior speaking. I also decided to take a gamble.


    "Withdraw the net," I ignored Dodo and ordered.


    The three of us worked together to remove the net and withdraw it back into our suits with the net recycling system. Halfway through the process, one of the warrior''s hands was freed. We only saw a flash as the fellow rapidly drew a blade and sliced through the net. Next, it stood up with a flip of its body.


    The five of us stood facing each other in deafening silence. I tightened my grip on my gun. If this ox-headed warrior decided to go back on his words, I would open fire without any hesitation to protect the safety of my companions.


    "Are you the envoy of Akko? Why are you asking for King Carter?" asked the ox-headed warrior.


    A chance to talk finally appeared. I would not let go of the chance. I promptly told him the purpose of our trip.


    "In other words, the interstellar war has begun?" asked the warrior, excitement plastered all over his face.


    "Yes, it has." I nodded. "The casualties have been disastrous. We urgently need the help of the Wargod race."


    "I am a ranger from Kenante. My name is Anxashe. Adoka is the most valiant warrior in the history of our race. He might have gone missing, but his glorious feats have been immortalized in our hearts. Violent Steel is also a warrior, but unfortunately, he had been banished by the king. Sigh, it''s a long story," the warrior introduced himself.


    "Warrior Anxashe, pleased to meet you. I am Second Lieutenant Li Canyue from the 7th Armored Division of the Interstellar League''s B Army. They are Second Lieutenant Zhang Bao''er and Second Lieutenant Old Du. Dodo is our android advisor. We are here for interstellar peace," I introduced the team politely.


    "Your ships should stop moving. We will be heading to Gero City on foot. Any weapon that poses a threat will be destroyed upon approaching the city," reminded Anxashe.


    I immediately provided a report to Captain Zhang Xingxing. After a short while, the door of the ship opened and several individuals walked out. Prince Arude, Prince Toruse, Principal Sosse, Baron Sisse, Master Crystal, Domo, Sarje, Titan, and Dondon walked out. It was obvious Sarje and Titan were in charge of watching over the two princes.


    "Canyue, Zhang Xingxing will stay with the 7th Armored Division. She ordered us to accompany the two princes and visit King Carter to establish a working relationship," said Master Crystal.


    I nodded at everyone. We all started preparing for the journey to Gero City. Titan suddenly approached me and handed me a familiar backpack. I took the backpack and saw that Bulu was sleeping soundly inside. I carried the backpack on my back. With Bulu by my side, I felt much safer.


    With Anxashe''s lead, the group slowly advanced. The scenery of Planet Rumble was extremely beautiful. With the ox-headed warrior acting as a guide, I could see that some of the team members had removed their shields, greedily breathing in the planet''s fresh air. I also slowly removed the shield covering my face.


    The sweet fresh air was brought to my face by the gentle breeze. The high oxygen level instantly caused me to be intoxicated. The planet''s environment and humidity level were extremely comfortable. Apart from the rumble every 15 minutes, this was a planet we could easily adapt to.


    Anxashe walked at the very front of the group with a big banner on his shoulder. Along the way, we encountered many rangers who removed their invisibility to greet Anxashe. Fortunately, we had the banner serving as a signal that we were friendly. Otherwise, I couldn''t even imagine how many arrows we would meet on our way to the city. We walked in the flat prairie with not even a tiny hill in sight. The grassland seemed to stretch on indefinitely.


    "We can''t even see the end of this grassland. How long will we take to reach Gero City?" Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    "If I had known that the trip would be this far, I wouldn''t have joined. Look at the desolate lands around us. It doesn''t look like we will be able to encounter anything valuable on our way either," Domo also complained.


    We continued walking in an unhurried manner. After around two hours, a loud shriek sounded from the horizon. We looked up and saw a massive bird soaring through the sky.


    "Good lord. Are all the birds here this big? It''s as big as Blueflash and Nyx!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "That is the totem of the Wargod race. It is a massive mechanical bird that will soar in the skies above Gero City forever. The moment it stops flying is the moment the Wargod race will face the threat of extinction," explained Principal Sosse.


    We looked at the giant bird in astonishment. It was rather hard to imagine how a bird had become the totem of an entire race.


    "Canyue, I have an odd question," Old Du whispered to me.


    "What is it? Tell me," I urged Old Du.


    "Principal Sosse said that the bird is flying above Gero City, but look ahead of us. The grassland is still endless. Is the city perhaps invisible as well?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    That reminded me. I instantly shifted my gaze from the bird. Sure enough, apart from an empty grassland, I saw no sign that there was a city here.


    "Principal, do you know where Gero City is? I don''t see any city below the bird," I asked.


    "The divine mechanical bird will not leave Gero City. So long as it exists, Gero City will persist," said Principal Sosse confidently.


    "But I''m not seeing anything," I repeated.


    "You''ll naturally see it after entering," said Principal Sosse firmly.

 CH 150

    We continued walking forward. After about an hour, a massive basin abruptly appeared before our eyes. The flat grassland had suddenly caved in to form a massive basin in which stood an imposing city. At a glance, the city was over a hundred square kilometers in size. The city was hidden in the basin while in the sky above, the mechanical bird soared untiringly.


    "Welcome to the capital city of the Wargod race, Gero City," introduced Anxashe with a wave of his hand.


    There was an elevator every few hundred meters around the edge of the basin. However, these elevators seemed rarely used. Only a small number of ox-headed individuals dressed like soldiers could be seen leaving for some missions through the elevators. It was evident the basin was rich enough in resources to sustain the life of its inhabitants.


    We followed Anxashe to a large elevator in front of us. Its entrance was unguarded. A small control room could be found at the entrance of each elevator, and they controlled the operation of the elevators, allowing the elevators to move up and down the basin at fixed intervals.


    "There are no guards. Can we actually enter and leave as we wish?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Does the Wargod race need guards? Who dares to create trouble down in the city?" sneered Domo the moment Zhang Bao''er said the wrong thing.


    We all entered the elevator. After a few minutes, we were inside the basin. The basin was also filled with green grass. We could see that the various elevators at the edge of the basin were connected to various roads leading to the city. We followed one of the roads and started walking toward the city.


    As we walked, we started encountering pedestrians. I found with astonishment that apart from those ox-headed people, there were also a decent number of Eternals, Liyates, Torrians, and members of various other races. Thus, the locals weren''t even surprised to see us.


    "Hey, Junior Sergeant, are there any of your people here?" Zhang Bao''er asked Domo while emphasizing the term junior sergeant.


    "You!" Domo could only swallow his grievance and ignore Zhang Bao''er.


    The basin was extremely big. It would take us quite a while to reach the city from the edge.


    "Canyue, I noticed something peculiar," said Old Du.


    "What?" I asked.


    "I discovered that the rumbling had stopped after we entered the basin. There is no voice pollution here," said Old Du.


    Only then did I notice that the rumbling had indeed ceased after we had descended into the basin.


    "You''re right. You won''t be able to hear the rumble in the basin. This is the magic of Gero City. In fact, the loud rumble is the reason most citizens of Kenante reside in basins," explained Anxashe when he heard our conversation.


    "Why are there so many foreigners living here?" I took the chance to ask.


    "Emperor Fille requested that King Carter open Kenante for foreign trade. Because of that, Kenante gained a trade station outside Eternal. The station mainly serves as a place for foreigners to apply for trading rights on Planet Rumble. Any visitor who manages to get through the procedures and obtain a trading permit will need to take the scheduled spaceship traveling from Eternal to Rumble once per week. This is the only way for them to safely come here," said Anxashe.


    "I see. Looks like we had landed at the wrong spot since we weren''t aware of the proper docking location," I said in realization.


    "King Carter had decreed that any foreigner who lands outside the docking zone can be freely killed. That was why I had fired my arrows," said Anxashe somewhat apologetically.


    At that point, the city''s imposing gate appeared ahead of us.


    The gate was 20 meters tall. A vivid mechanical bird was sculpted into each stone wall on either side of the gate. In the gate''s sentry house, several sturdy ox-headed warriors could be seen standing guard.


    I noticed with astonishment that the city wasn''t actually walled in.


    ¡®Doesn''t this gate exist in name only? Without walls, anyone can enter easily,¡¯ I thought inwardly.


    Soon, the team arrived at the gate. Anxashe reported our purpose of visiting to the guards. After receiving permission, two of the guards led us into the city. I saw a mechanical bird standing straight in front of a building behind the gate. A carriage was behind the bird.


    The guards gestured at us to enter the carriage. One of them took the driver''s position and started the mechanical bird. The two strong legs of the bird started moving as it ran toward the palace.


    The buildings in Gero City were all incredibly big. Surprisingly, many of the big buildings were constructed with thatch, whereas a majority of the buildings were mainly made of wood. When I recalled how I had not seen a single forest on my way here, I started wondering about their source of lumber.


    "Don''t be surprised. We get our wood from interstellar trade," said Anxashe like he could read my mind.


    "All this wood is imported by foreigners? It must be costly," I exclaimed.


    "After we opened our economy to foreign trade, the demand for sturdy wooden buildings replaced the demand for thatch buildings. In fact, the lumber market is doing so well that many foreigners come just to get involved in it," said Anxashe.


    "In that case, the greedy Jidos must be here as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Domo moved his eyes, looking left and right, completely ignoring Zhang Bao''er. He seemed busy thinking about the worth of such a market.


    "What commodity are you trading for wood?" I asked.


    "In our grasslands grows a unique material, which we know as green gold. Only our royals have the right to harvest green gold. However, the royal family will provide some of the harvested green gold to the Wargod warriors each year. If one can consistently consume green gold, one will gain a powerful body. It is one of the reasons for the Wargod race''s combat prowess," said Anxashe.


    "That''s why there''s a warrior guarding every grassland. You are preventing thieves from stealing green gold," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Exactly. We rangers are in charge of scouting and defending the grasslands," said Anxashe.


    "I''m interested in the taste of green gold," said Zhang Bao''er with a hopeful look in his eyes.


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    "Fatty, it''s better to wait until the night of your marriage before using it," said Domo.


    "Little dwarf, do you want to get beaten?" roared the furious Zhang Bao''er.


    "Stop messing around. We''re here," said Old Du as he, as usual, held Zhang Bao''er in place.


    A wooden statue of the king appeared before us. The ox-headed king had bright eyes and was wearing a crown. A long, braided beard was cascading down his chin. Both his hands were holding onto a broadsword, giving him a dignified and imposing look.


    "This must be King Carter," said Old Du in an impressed manner.


    "Yes. This statue was a gift a group of foreign merchants had given the king during his 14th birthday," said Anxashe.


    The mechanical bird carriage stopped in front of a thatch building complex occupying thousands of square meters of space. At the complex''s main gate, numerous well-built ox-headed warriors were standing guard with cold weaponry.


    "Just from their appearance alone, we can see that this race''s combat prowess can''t be underestimated," praised Master Crystal.


    The guards from the city gate got off the carriage with Anxashe. We also got off the carriage and waited in front of the gate. The city gate''s guards informed the palace guards of our purpose of visit. Roughly 10 minutes later, an old ox-headed individual with a long, white beard walked out of the palace.


    "Excuse me. May I know who among you are the esteemed princes of Akko?" asked the old man.


    "Hello. We are the princes of Akko, Toruse and Arude," said Prince Toruse.


    "Esteemed princes and envoys, I am Dulite, a Kenante official. King Carter is waiting inside. He decreed that the envoys and the ranger would enter together," said the old man.


    And thus, the large group, Anxashe included, entered the palace with great fanfare. The buildings in the palace complex were even larger than the other buildings in the city. There were also more wooden buildings around the palace. It was obvious that the Wargods had discovered that wood was stronger than thatch. Thus, they were willing to spend more money just to include more wood in their constructions.


    After walking through the palace for about 10 minutes, we arrived at an immense garden filled with grass. In the middle of the garden was a circular pond beside which stood a massive sculpture made from white rock. This sculpture also depicted a king, but this king looked even more imposing than the one we saw earlier.


    The muscular arms of this king hinted at the ridiculous prowess the king possessed. With one hand, the statue was holding a massive hammer instead of a broadsword and was resting the hammer atop his shoulder. The statue''s other hand was pointing ahead.


    "King Nichnawa," said Anxashe as he knelt down on one knee and paid the statue his respects.


    Principal Sosse gave the statue a respectful bow, and then he explained, "This is the founding king of the Kenante Dynasty. He''s known as the greatest king in the history of Kenante."


    Upon hearing that, we all gave the statue a respectful bow as well. We then walked into a thatch palace building beside the garden. The moment we entered, we felt like we had entered a brand-new world.


    We were faced with an expansive hall filled with dining tables. It looked like we had stumbled upon a grand banquet. A platform was located in the center of the hall. Atop the platform was the largest dining table in the room. Seated behind the table was an ox-headed king with a crown and braided beard. Without a doubt, this was Kenante''s king, King Carter.


    The biggest visual impact in the room was not the king but the two guards standing behind him. The two looked even sturdier and bulkier than even Adoka. They were nearly three meters in height. Each of them was clad in armor and had a massive blade hanging from his waist. Both were standing imposingly behind the king while looking straight ahead with an expression of unrivaled valor on their faces.


    I heard Zhang Bao''er mutter beside me, "These two big guys probably have a catty of green gold each every day."


    From appearances alone, the Wargod race was truly not a race to be underestimated.


    I saw that Dondon was constantly updating Spacetime with our status in a low voice. He was maintaining constant communication with our captain, Zhang Xingxing.


    "Welcome, esteemed envoys and princes of Akko. The journey must have been tiring. I prepared a banquet to welcome all of you. Please enjoy yourself! We can talk while eating!" said King Carter cordially.


    "This king is much more generous than Emperor Fille. At least he''s willing to give us a meal. Not bad, not bad at all!" said Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    Everyone else also looked happy. After all, a cordial reception was always better than a cold one. Dondon''s joy was even more prominent. The moment he heard that there was a feast, his emotions became visible. Several female Wargods led us into the hall to our respective seats. Each of us was assigned our own dining table.


    In all honesty, I was becoming hungry. I had been eating space crackers for days, to the point I was sick of it. After joining the fleet, I had also started skipping a lot of my meals. My standards for food had dropped considerably as a result. Now that a feast was before me, my stomach was rumbling. When I scanned the room, I saw that everyone was reacting similarly. Dondon was already salivating on his seat.


    "Everyone, we are merely a tiny kingdom. We don''t have any special food, but since the esteemed princes have arrived from afar, I have prepared Planet Rumble''s unique local cuisine for all of you," said King Carter.


    Next, Dulite clapped his hands and summoned rows of female Wargods, who then walked into the hall with massive pots of delicacies.

 CH 151

    "Wow, such large pots. I wonder what super delicacy they have there?" said Zhang Bao''er while salivating.


    Soon, an attendant arrived before us with a pot. The pot was actually filled with a grass salad. I could see Official Dulite shoving big mouthfuls of the salad down his throat with a blissful look on his face.


    However, those of us who enjoyed meat were slightly disappointed. I gave the grass salad a try. It was sour and sweet. The taste was actually decent.


    "I suppose the salad is merely the appetizer," I comforted Zhang Bao''er when I saw the lifeless look in his eyes.


    Soon, the attendants came with the second dish. This time, they were carrying smaller plates.


    "Dear envoys, the previous dish was the green grass that had nurtured the various lives on Rumble. Next, we will be offering you Kenante''s rarest dish. Only the most respected guests of Gero City will be served this dish," introduced a female Wargod who seemed to be the supervisor of the attendants.


    Everyone became excited and filled with expectation upon hearing that it was Kenante''s rarest dish. With a command from the supervisor, the attendants served each table the precious dish. On the delicate plate before me, I saw two tomatoes.


    I could see King Carter picking up one of the tomatoes. He gave the tomato a careful lick before slowly eating the tomato one nibble at a time, as though he couldn''t bring himself to finish it.


    Beside me, Zhang Bao''er looked even more disappointed. None of us had expected that tomatoes would be so precious on Kenante. With feelings of disappointment, I picked up one of my tomatoes and gave it a bite. Yes, this tomato was exactly the same as the tomatoes from Blue.


    "Isn''t this a tomato?" muttered Dodo blankly. The android did not need to eat, so they had been sitting there doing nothing.


    The supervisor explained, "Envoys, this food is known as the celestial peach. Because Rumble lacks the heat of a star, the Lanju Valley is the only place on the planet that a tiny bit of light from Alnitak Aa can reach. There, we cultivate this precious food with an extremely low output of growth. We obtained the seeds during ancient times. Generation after generation, we have been cultivating this plant to today."


    ''Those might even be the seeds Nommo had given Adoka,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Why is the feast all plants? Is there no meat?" a grumble sounded behind me.


    I looked back and saw that it was Domo.


    Perhaps the supervisor had heard the complaints. She said, "We were aware that everyone had come from afar, so we also prepared a feast of roasted meat rich in protein. Enjoy your meal."


    Finally, we heard the term "roasted meat," which would definitely not be misleading in any way. My stomach started rumbling. It was understandable because two plant dishes would definitely not be enough to satisfy my stomach, which had not enjoyed anything good for a long time.


    Soon, under the supervisor''s order, the third dish was served. The dish was served in massive wooden bowls. In the bowls were giant worms with roasted middle parts and wiggling ends.


    Zhang Bao''er immediately vomited. Even I had to try very hard to not vomit and make a scene. I shifted my gaze away from the worms in the bowl. At this time, I noticed that King Carter and Official Dulite were swallowing worms at an incredible speed. Not a single worm was left in their bowls by the time they were done. On their faces were blissful expressions. Even the attendants standing to the side looked envious.


    "Well, there is no way for us to continue this banquet," I grumbled inwardly.


    I looked around. Apart from Titan, who was able to make himself eat some grass, the others, including the hungry ghost reincarnate, Dondon, were unable to accept such food. The attendant supervisor seemed to have realized our awkward situation as I saw her asking for Master Crystal''s advice. Then, she signaled the other attendants with her eyes to have them retreat with our bowls of worms.


    Without the worms, the remaining plants looked much better. I picked up another tomato and started chewing on it. Meanwhile, King Carter was happily gorging himself and didn''t even notice our situation. This might be one of Kenante''s traditions, where no business would be discussed during a meal. Shortly after, I saw the attendant supervisor return. Following behind her were a group of attendants carrying white wooden bowls.


    "My god. Please don''t tell me this is the same green worm dish that has been cooked again," said Zhang Bao''er with fear.


    The attendants did not say anything. Instead, they silently served the bowls to us. I wasn''t feeling much better than Zhang Bao''er. My eyes were shut because I didn''t even dare to look at the food in the bowl.


    But after a while, I heard sounds of frantic chewing beside me. I finally opened my eyes and saw that there was something that looked like a fish in the bowl. All around me, the others were already busy eating. I gave the fish a try. It was incredibly delicious. The delicacy triggered my stomach, and I started gorging the food down with everyone else.


    I finished the fish quickly. Even the bones were chewed apart before being swallowed. When I finally raised my head from my meal, I saw that the Wargods were frowning as they observed our shameful appearance. They all appeared rather incredulous.


    "Envoys, I would like to apologize for being unprepared for the feast. Toward the end, I had to make an emergency purchase from foreign traders to get this fish. Please forgive me for the poor food," said the supervisor apologetically.


    "Not at all. The fish dish is great. If there is more, I wouldn''t mind having it as well. Also, do you have any green gold? Let me try some of that as well!" said Zhang Bao''er while wiping his mouth. He wasn''t fully satiated yet, so he was making a rather excessive request.


    The supervisor blanked out slightly, but she quickly understood the request and sent her subordinates away to prepare. Shortly after, the attendants returned with more bowls of fish. Each envoy was also served a glass of some green beverage.


    "Honored guests, this is Kenante''s most precious beverage, green gold. Each of you will get one serving. Please enjoy it," introduced the supervisor.


    Zhang Bao''er became excited when he heard that the beverage was Kenante''s precious green gold. He drained the glass in one gulp. Looking at the precious beverage before me, I picked up the glass and sank into thought. Thanks to the lighting in the room, the green gold beverage looked amber and solid.


    I stuck my tongue out and gave the green beverage a taste. A sour flavor assaulted my taste buds. Then, I drank the beverage one sip at a time as though I was tasting wine. The green gold beverage was sour at first, but it slowly turned bitter and then eventually sweet. Each flavor left a rich aftertaste in its wake. I took five whole minutes to finish my glass. At that point, I felt extremely comfortable with boundless vitality in my body.


    "Canyue, that thing is just some sour drink. There''s nothing special about it," said Zhang Bao''er in a somewhat disappointed manner. He had just finished his second fish.


    "Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty. All five flavors are present," I replied.


    "What? Are there really so many flavors?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er gloomily.


    "Did you feel spirited and comfortable after finishing the drink?" I asked.


    "No. However, I am still very hungry. Canyue, are you going to eat your fish or not? If not, I''ll help you with it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No way. I''m still hungry!" I immediately rejected him.


    But just as I lifted my fork to eat, I saw that the fish on my table had vanished.


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    "Zhang Bao''er, this is too excessive! I did not agree to it! Why did you steal my fish?" I raged.


    "I swear to the heavens I have no idea what you''re talking about," said Zhang Bao''er as he waved his hands frantically.


    At this time, I heard some noise below me. When I looked down, I saw Dondon hiding under my seat eating my fish.


    "You damn cat. You''re even stealing fish like a stereotypical cat!" I said helplessly.


    Dondon only gave me a silly grin before licking the plate clean and returning to his own seat. The others had basically finished eating. Everyone looked full of energy. That was probably all thanks to the green gold''s strengthening effect on the body.


    ''Now that we''re done eating, we can finally get to business. I wonder if King Carter will agree to help us,'' I wondered inwardly.


    "Esteemed princes and envoys, everything was prepared in a rush, and thus the food was slightly lacking. Please accept my apology. Now that we have finished eating, I''ll arrange a place for all of you to rest. The attendants will show you the way," said King Carter.


    ''This fellow is too crafty. The moment we''re done eating, he''s trying to send us away to rest without a mention of the reason we''re here,'' I thought as I grew impatient.


    "King Carter, we have urgent business, and we need to confer with you immediately," said Prince Toruse, who was similarly growing impatient.


    A slight trace of annoyance appeared on King Carter''s face. A valiant guard was about to take a step forth but the king stopped him with a wave of his hand.


    ¡®Looks like this won''t be as smooth as we had imagined,¡¯ I thought.


    King Carter whispered into the ear of the guard before standing up and leaving.


    "Envoys, please come with me to the audience hall for the discussion," said the guard.


    And thus, the well-fed group followed the guard to the audience hall.


    Due to the sturdy build of the Wargod race, the Kenante palace''s audience hall was especially big. It looked even grander than Emperor Fille''s palace. King Carter had arrived before us. The mood in the audience hall was much more tense than the mood during the banquet.


    Two rows of burly, armed guards stood to the two sides of the room, and the two three-meter-tall guards were still standing behind the king. As for Official Dulite, he was standing beside the king. There was also a row of advisors standing in front of him.


    "I feel like I have returned to ancient China," Zhang Bao''er whispered to me.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. I have an extremely bad feeling. King Carter might reject us, and something even worse could happen. Be on alert," I whispered back.


    When everyone arrived, King Carter said, "Princes, what is the urgent issue you speak of? You may speak."


    "Esteemed King Carter of the Kingdom of Kenante, I offer you my greatest respects. I am here to request the assistance of an ally of Akko. The Divine Empire has invaded Akko and slaughtered its citizens. We are in great need of help from our allies," said Prince Toruse respectfully.


    Dulite immediately refused, "Audacious! We are vassal states of the Divine Empire. All of us are sworn to Emperor Fille. Although our kingdoms have an agreement to help each other during wartime, the pact only applies to external threats. It does not apply to internal enemies. Asking us to help you go against the empire is the same as throwing Kenante into a boiling pot!"


    "Emperor Fille has slaughtered my citizens. After such evil acts, how can we remain his subjects? If he can slaughter the citizens of Akko today, he can very well slaughter the citizens of Kenante tomorrow! Without the lips, the teeth feel cold! Your Majesty, do you not understand this concept?" argued Prince Toruse loudly.


    "Audacious! How dare you dishonor the great King Carter with such words? Guards, drag this person who dares to insult the kingdom outside and behead him!" ordered Dulite furiously.

 CH 152

    "Audacious! Even when two countries are at war, envoys are not to be killed, let alone a prince of the Kingdom of Akko! As a mere official, how dare you act so arrogantly?" countered Baron Sisse.


    The situation turned awkward when we reached an impasse in the talk.


    "Dulite, the princes are still young. Allow them to finish their words," said King Carter with a wave of his hand, stopping Dulite from continuing to shout.


    "King Carter, the Interstellar League has already surrounded Lidu. The empire''s Northstar Army is on the verge of destruction. Emperor Fille is starting to lose the war. At this time, even if you have to weigh the pros and cons before acting, it will still make sense for you to stand with us and obtain more benefits for the people of Kenante," said Prince Arude.


    "Lidu and the Northstar Army is nothing for the empire. Furthermore, the league fleet has also suffered heavy losses at Akko. I''m not seeing a clearly losing side at all," said King Carter.


    ''Looks like this King Carter is truly as conservative as Sosse had said. He is a perfect example of someone who only cares about maximizing benefits,'' I thought to myself.


    "Esteemed king, I believe everything is clear enough. I''ll let you in on a secret. The Interstellar League is preparing to deploy the A Army that was stationed at Gliese to the Orion Constellation. An assault is going to be launched on the imperial capital, Planet Eternal," said Principal Sosse.


    "That''s right. The empire''s Northstar Army is surrounded. The Southstar Army is busy at Canis Major, while the Midstar Army is busy defending their source of energy at the Horsehead Nebula. Planet Eternal is essentially empty right now. This is the best opportunity to defeat Emperor Fille''s main base of operations. A feat to be proud of for ages to come is right before us, waiting for us to grab it," said Prince Toruse with fervor.


    King Carter appeared slightly moved by the persuasion.


    "Thus, our current priority is to delay the army nearest to Rumble, the Central Army, and buy time for the A Army to achieve military superiority at Eternal," said Prince Toruse as he tried to seal the deal while the king was tempted.


    "Your Majesty, this plan is completely unreliable. The Central Army is Emperor Fille''s elite army. They will have our warriors delay this powerful army while the Interstellar League takes Planet Eternal and reaps the fruits of our labor. No matter how I look at it, we''re at the losing end of this deal," said Official Dulite.


    That argument was reasonable and King Carter started hesitating again.


    "Your Majesty, the battle at the imperial capital won''t be an easy one. I can promise you that after we take Eternal, Kenante can have half our spoils of war," suggested Prince Toruse.


    "Hahaha, you''re only a little prince. You''re not King Xido. How can you make such a decision? Ridiculous!" said Dulite. He did not believe a single word of Prince Toruse.


    "If his words don''t count, my words will certainly count," said Prince Arude.


    King Carter and Dulite looked at Arude doubtfully.


    "According to the laws of Akko, during wartime, a member of the royal family who stays on Akko to fight has the right to inherit the throne and exercise the powers of the king. Additionally, according to the royal edict, I am the heir apparent, making me the throne''s rightful inheritor. Thus, I am qualified to make this promise," said Prince Arude as he made his status clear.


    His words stunned King Carter. He had not expected that his old pal King Xido would lose his throne to his son by simply leaving the planet. Every single member of the Akko royal family seemed terrifyingly capable.


    Not even Prince Toruse objected to Prince Arude''s words.


    "No, that''s not right. You''re not on Akko either! You can''t inherit the throne legally!" Dulite suddenly said.


    "You''re right. Thus, before my departure, I had appointed my uncle, Prince Gede, who is still fighting on Akko even now, as the heir apparent to the throne," said Prince Arude confidently.


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    With that, there was no questioning Prince Arude''s legitimacy. Even if the throne fell to Prince Gede''s hands, Prince Gede was still Prince Arude''s uncle, someone in his political camp.


    "Kenante is lacking in resources. We do not have enough soldiers to contend against the empire," said King Carter. Instead of outright refusing, he started telling us of his difficulties.


    "Your Majesty, I heard that each Wargod warrior is good enough to face a hundred warriors. Ten thousand of your warriors is the equivalent of an army of a million soldiers," praised Principal Sosse.


    "We only have tens of thousands of people in our army, and a large number of them are required to defend against the barbarians to the west. We truly can''t spare too much manpower. But if you can help us destroy the barbarians, I can lend you the 30,000 soldiers that are facing off against the barbarians," said King Carter. After wasting so much time, he finally revealed his goal.


    "Barbarians? What race is that? There actually exists an enemy you Wargods can''t defeat?" asked Domo in astonishment.


    "There are no enemies that we can''t defeat, except for our own people," said Dulite.


    We became even more confused.


    "The barbarians are the members of the Wargod race who were exiled. Two hundred years ago, a group of royal guards defected, supporting the younger brother of the king as the new king. The coup failed, but instead of following the convention and executing his younger brother, the king showed mercy and exiled his younger brother to the barren lands to the west of the kingdom. The exiles were able to reproduce and live there until today. Despite losing the spark of civilization, they gained a brutish strength from living in such a harsh place. Recently, they had gained a new chief. Since then, they had been raiding Kenante frequently," said Dulite.


    "New chief? How capable is that person?" Domo asked a foolish question.


    "The chief''s name is Maley. He is said to be not only strong and vigorous but also exceptionally cunning. He has been able to launch frequent ambushes against our holdings and kill many of our soldiers," replied Dulite.


    "Canyue, everything is clear now. The old king wishes to use our strength to eliminate his own enemy. What a venomous trick," whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    "But do we have a better option? To attack the imperial army at the Horsehead Nebula, we need this army of 30,000 Wargods," I said.


    With the current strength of the two princes, it was basically impossible for them to defeat the barbarians. Thus, they could only rely on us, the 7th Armored Division. The two princes and Baron Sisse looked at me at the same time, hoping to obtain my help.


    I sank into deep thought instead of giving an answer immediately.


    "Canyue, should we give it a try and see what we can do?" suggested Old Du.


    "Dondon, contact Captain Zhang Xingxing and get her opinion on this," I said.


    Dondon immediately sent the latest update to Spacetime. Shortly after, the captain replied with her latest order: permission granted to establish contact with the barbarians.


    "Dondon, have Zhang Xingxing send a team of 100 soldiers to help us," I said.


    "Your Majesty, can you have your guards take 100 of our soldiers to Gero City?" I requested.


    King Carter ordered Dulite to make the arrangements. Ranger Anxashe was sent to bring our reinforcements here.


    Worried that the king wouldn''t keep to his words, Prince Arude said, "Esteemed king, I hope that you will really lend us the 30,000 soldiers after we fulfill our end of the bargain. This concerns the future of both our kingdoms. The moment you make a decision, there will be no turning back."


    "The people of Kenante never go back on our words. In any case, is there any turning back after offending the emperor? Take a rest. You may leave after your forces are gathered," said King Carter before leaving with his guards.


    We followed the attendant supervisor to the palace lounge to rest and wait. We all gathered in the same big room. Inside the room, numerous mats and chairs could be found. Both Zhang Bao''er and Domo each climbed onto a bed to rest while everyone else sat down around a table.


    "I wonder if the barbarians are difficult opponents. And how many of them are there if Kenante needs to use 30,000 Wargod soldiers against them? We only have 100 soldiers," I said in a worried manner.


    "I don''t know about the barbarians, but the Wargods have impressive combat strength. During the feast, I had talked to Anxashe and learned a little about the Wargods," said Master Crystal.


    We were all tired, but we still paid full attention to Master Crystal.


    "The Wargods have improved their defensive system. Their shield system is capable of invisibility and concealment from numerous ray-based scanners. With that shield, they can easily approach their enemies. At close range, each Wargod warrior is strong enough to face a hundred enemies," said Master Crystal.


    "In that case, can''t we defeat them easily with long-range weaponry?" asked Old Du.


    "Do you remember Anxashe''s bow and arrows? They can shoot their arrows from a kilometer away. Coupled with their unique wind detectors, their offensive strength won''t be any weaker than ours," said Master Crystal.


    "That means it won''t be beneficial for us to face them soldier to soldier. But what about tanks? What can those arrows do to tanks?" I asked.


    "Their arrows can also be installed with explosive arrowheads. Combined with their invisibility, the Wargods can also deal great damage to tanks," said Master Crystal.


    "Do they have any heavy weaponry or spaceships?" asked Dondon.


    "They only have android combat assistants, but they do not have offensive vessels. Even their spaceships are only used for the purpose of transportation, not war. All their spaceships are imported because they do not produce any themselves," said Master Crystal.


    "What do you mean by android combat assistants?" asked Dodo curiously.


    "Mechanical dogs, mechanical birds, and other mechanical creatures," said Master Crystal.


    "Androids," Dodo appeared rather pleased to hear about the existence of other androids.


    "Big head, those are combat androids. They are different from a logistic android like you," I said with a smile.


    "Who told you I''m only capable of logistics? Give me a gun, and I can also fight on the battlefield! Sigh. What a pity that my programming forbids me from using a gun," said Dodo as they hugged their head in a vexed manner.


    "Don''t worry. You will get your chance in the future," I comforted Dodo as I patted their head.


    We continued chatting for a while before everyone dozed off one after another. It would seem like after the short burst of energy from the green gold, one would feel tired. About two hours later, I heard some noise coming outside the room. Shortly after, a female voice rang out.


    "Where is Li Canyue? Your reinforcements are here!" Kelly''s loud voice rang out.


    "The deputy commander is here. Enter if you have anything to report," I said.

 CH 153

    "Li Canyue, that was too excessive! You''re only a second lieutenant, while I''m at least a major. From how you spoke, one would have thought that you were a general!" raged Kelly as she rushed into the room.


    "Hehe. I was just messing around," I said.


    Kelly sat down while fuming, but she stopped shouting.


    "Deputy Commander, we''re pressed for time. The commander ordered us to set off as quickly as possible. Spacetime will arrive to reinforce us as well," said Lin Feixue, who had arrived with the reinforcements.


    "Why is Commander Xingxing not here? What is she doing?" I asked.


    "She seems to be trying to contact someone called Master Wind. She told us to move out first," said Lin Feixue.


    Master Crystal and I both blanked out upon hearing that. We did not know why Zhang Xingxing was trying to contact Master Wind.


    "We need someone who knows the barbarian territory to show the way. I''m going to look for Dulite and have him arrange a guide for us," I said to Lin Feixue.


    "Don''t worry. I have arranged a guide for you," said Dulite as he walked in with Anxashe.


    "Will Anxashe be coming with us? Great!" said Old Du, pleased to see Anxashe.


    "Yes. Anxashe once spent a year fighting in the barren lands. He is very familiar with the terrain and the situation there. He is the most suitable guide," said Dulite.


    "Where are the 30,000 soldiers stationed? We need their help if we are to complete this task," I said.


    "I already gave the king''s letter to the ranger. When you''re there, Ranger Anxashe will hand the letter to the battlefield commander, Gunda. I will also send an order to put all the soldiers in the region under Gunda''s command. You can let Gunda know if you have any requests," said Dulite.


    Since everything was ready, we decided to set off immediately. After leaving the lounge, I saw Dodo chatting cordially with a few combat androids. Some of them were mechanical dogs running around on the ground, while the others were mechanical birds hovering in the air.


    "These are all my assistants. They will be able to help us during combat," said Anxashe, who looked visibly excited.


    ¡®Looks like this fellow is also a battle maniac. The entire Wargod race seems to exist for the sake of war,¡¯ I thought to myself.


    A shuttle was parked outside. From its shape, it was clear it was a regular transportation ship with no defensive capabilities. It looked to be an even older model than the ones used by the commoners at Planet Eternal''s trade stations.


    I asked Anxashe, "Won''t a shuttle like this be struck down by enemy missiles?"


    "That won''t happen. We Wargods will only fight face to face. We do not perform acts such as ambushing a transportation vehicle," replied Anxashe.


    Since they were claiming it was safe, we could only board the outmoded shuttle. There were over a hundred of us, and we crammed the shuttle full. Even the mechanical dogs boarded the ship with us.


    "Just what stupid vehicle is this? I can''t see what''s so incredible about this race''s combat strength. The Wargods are only slightly taller than others," complained Zhang Bao''er after being squeezed into the corner of the shuttle.


    After everyone boarded, the old vessel slowly soared up and then flew away.


    The moment we flew out of the basin, we started hearing the rumble of the planet again. The rumbling was so loud it even felt like its sound waves alone could rip the shabby shuttle apart.


    After we were squeezed in the ship for over two hours, the shuttle finally landed. The door opened, and everyone surged out. A military base surrounded by wooden fences appeared before our eyes.


    The entire base was surrounded by thick wooden poles. The sound of mechanical dogs running around could be heard coming from inside the base, and mechanical birds could be seen constantly patrolling the sky above us.


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    Every single person here had to resist the rumble that occurred every 15 minutes. I couldn''t help but feel respect for these warriors who were able to persist and battle in such a vile environment.


    Suddenly, I noticed that there were soldiers climbing up the fence at every set interval before vanishing into thin air. Shortly after, there would be soldiers dropping out of thin air from the same spots.


    "What is that? Where did they go? Did they teleport?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Our watchtowers are invisible. The soldiers will turn invisible after climbing one meter above the walls," said Anxashe.


    "Such a high level of technology!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er, incredulous.


    "The barbarians have powerful archery. If the towers aren''t hidden, they can be destroyed easily," explained Anxashe.


    "Looks like the barbarians won''t be an easy opponent," muttered Old Du.


    The people in the base seemed to have been informed of our arrival beforehand. A warrior exchanged a few words with Anxashe before bringing us to our temporary resting lounge in the base. Then, Anxashe notified the two princes, Principal Sosse, Kelly, Old Du, and me to head to Gunda''s command center.


    The tall thatch building in the middle of the base was Gunda''s command center. Everyone entered the building together. There was a big chair in the middle of the command center. A burly ox-headed commander was sitting in it, and a massive hammer was beside him. There were also four sturdy Wargod soldiers standing at his sides.


    "Pleased to meet you, Commander Gunda. I am Ranger Anxashe, here with a letter containing Official Dulite''s orders," said Anxashe as he stepped forth and handed the letter over respectfully.


    "I have already been informed of your arrival. These people look so weak and tiny," Gunda complained while opening the letter. "Is Dulite sending them here to play house or something?"


    Suddenly, Gunda sat up and asked, "Which of you is Prince Toruse?"


    Prince Toruse stepped forth and answered, "General, I am Toruse."


    "So you''re Toruse. Let me introduce an acquaintance of yours," said Gunda.


    A soldier left the building. Shortly after, a familiar bulky figure walked in.


    "Violent Steel, come meet your old friend," said Gunda.


    "Oh, it''s the prince? How have you been?" said Violent Steel with a smile.


    "You had nearly killed me previously. I was wishing that I would never see you again," said Prince Toruse.


    "I had no choice either. I didn''t want to work at the power plant. Not long after, an Akko helped me escape to Kenante''s trade station. From there, I applied to earn my freedom through military service. The royal court finally agreed to let me return. Sigh¡ªnowhere is better than home," said Violent Steel with a sigh.


    "An Akko on Lidu? What''s his name?" asked Prince Toruse as his eyes lit up.


    "His name is Fanin. He has been helping those who have fallen to hard times on Lidu," said Violent Steel.


    "Fanin! It''s really him! He''s still alive!" Prince Toruse became visibly emotional upon learning that Fanin was still alive.


    "Yes, he''s alive. But I don''t know what happened to him after war broke out on Lidu," said Violent Steel.


    "Alright. You can stop reminiscing. Violent Steel is in charge of night patrol. Tell these messiahs about the recent situation of the barbarians," said Gunda.


    "Yes, superior," replied Violent Steel respectfully.


    Just as Violent Steel was about to start talking, some noise erupted outside the building.


    Gunda was about to send a soldier outside when Zhang Bao''er and Domo rushed into the room.


    "This is an insult! There are over a hundred of us, and we were all arranged to sleep under a cow stable. There are thousands of cows walking all over above us. How are we supposed to stay at a place like that?" complained Zhang Bao''er loudly.


    "Bao''er, have you gone crazy? We''re here to fight a war. We''re not on a holiday," said Old Du as he dragged Zhang Bao''er back.


    "Even if we''re here for war, this treatment is too poor for an allied army. Not only are we made to stay beneath a stable, but we''re even fed grass. And I mean the grass they pluck straight from the ground. They are basically insulting our high-tier army!" said Domo as he fanned the flames.


    "What is wrong with these idiots? This is a military base. If they are unwilling to participate, they can leave. If you continue making a ruckus, don''t blame me for being rude," said Gunda.


    "What is it? What are you going to do when you''re being rude?" countered the chubby and short duo.


    "Shut up, both of you!" I berated them when I saw Gunda reach for his hammer.


    "We''re in the middle of an important military discussion. Please understand, sirs. If you have any issues, you can bring it up after the meeting," said Prince Arude.


    Perhaps it was because someone was addressing him as sir that Junior Sergeant Domo felt extremely pleased and accepted the suggestion to leave first. Meanwhile, Old Du kept Zhang Bao''er under control, returning peace to the room.


    Seeing that the situation was under control, Gunda stopped reaching for his hammer. "Violent Steel, continue."


    "Recently, there has been an increase in barbarian activities. They are also carrying out bigger and bigger strikes. From ambushing solo patrols, they have started ambushing squads of patrols. A few days ago, they even assaulted the base''s back door," said Violent Steel.


    "How many people do the barbarians have?" asked Old Du.


    "There aren''t a lot of them. I heard that they have no more than 10,000 people. However, they will generally ambush us with 3 times our numbers. With them always hiding in the dark and us always in the open, we have lost over a hundred soldiers within the past 3 days alone," said Violent Steel furiously.


    "You mean that they are attacking every single day?" I was shocked. "If they''re attacking every day, we can just follow the convention and set up traps for them. Will that work?"


    "They mostly attack from afar. They have a team of divine archers that can fire an arrow from over a kilometer away with high accuracy. Most of the time, they will have 30 archers shoot at 10 of our patrolling soldiers," said Violent Steel.


    "How idiotic. Why don''t you expand your search radius with your mechanical birds to ensure the safety of your patrols?" sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Their mechanical birds are more powerful than ours. The birds we released will be quickly destroyed after leaving our protection," said Violent Steel helplessly.


    "Looks like the barbarians are mainly focused on nibbling away your army, slowly emptying this base of its manpower," I analyzed.


    "Yes, and this is not only happening to me. Nine other bases are in the same situation. The barbarians are moving like ants, reducing our numbers bit by bit every single day. I am sick of them. In fact, I am planning to launch a large operation to root them out tomorrow morning. Surprisingly, you arrived today. This is just nice, as you will be able to join us. When will your ship arrive?" asked Gunda.


    "Our ship will probably arrive tomorrow. Commander, can you tell us more about your plan?" I asked.


    "Advise your ship to arrive before the sun rises tomorrow. All nine bases will participate in this operation. We will encircle the barbaric lands'' central zone and erase their main headquarters in one fell swoop," said Gunda, who was filled with fervor.


    "General, how far away is this base from the barbarian headquarters? Do we have the transportation to go there?" asked Old Du.


    "We are about seven hours away. Since our shuttles are not equipped with weapons, we can''t take them into enemy territory. That is part of our rules. All soldiers can only advance on foot," replied Gunda.


    "That won''t do. Esteemed commander, from what you said, this will be a dangerous battle. The enemies will be defending on their home ground against exhausted enemies. Furthermore, our forces are scattered. Each party will have fewer than 3,000 soldiers. Our enemies can make use of their superior numbers to crush the few of us who are the most exhausted from the journey. By the time we reach their headquarters, we will no longer have the numerical superiority," analyzed Old Du.


    "How will that happen? Are they going to leave their headquarters open and let us take it for free? You''re too naive," said Gunda with derision.


    "Sigh. Their headquarters is only a shabby village. What''s the point of defending it? They can simply move their things away. Preserving the land and losing the man, one will lose both. Preserving the man and losing the land, one will gain both!" argued Old Du loudly.


    "Stop nagging. We have made the arrangements for the plan. You''re not here as commanders. You''re merely helpers. With or without your band of motley soldiers, we will still attack. I am the one losing brothers with each passing day, not you," said Gunda, who was becoming impatient.


    "Commander, you must remain calm. Perhaps this is what the enemies have been waiting for. There might even be a trap waiting for you," Old Du insisted.


    Gunda merely waved his hand and left, ignoring what Old Du had to say. His soldiers also followed him out, leaving us staring at each other in the room.


    "Forget it, Old Du. His entire brain is filled with hot blood. We need to think of a way to reduce their casualties," said Kelly.


    "What a fool! An operation like this will only throw away the lives of his soldiers for nothing!" said Old Du, who was still furious.


    "We don''t have time. Bao''er, Domo, notify all our people to stop resting. Tell everyone to gather here. Have Dondon contact Xingxing and verify the ship''s time of arrival. We need to draw up our next plan," I ordered rapidly.

 CH 154

    As per my command, all combat personnel gathered in a few minutes.


    "Great hero, what plan do you have now?" asked Kelly loudly.


    "I intend to gather all our soldiers and act together. When Zhang Xingxing arrives, I plan to not work with Gunda," I started explaining my plan.


    "Where do you want to go with our gathered soldiers?" asked Kelly.


    "If you were Maley, where would you hide your ambush party?" I asked.


    Kelly stared at the map on the wall. After a while, she pointed at a route.


    "You believe Maley will pick this place?" I asked.


    "Like what you''re doing, by concentrating manpower into a strike force, the barbarians can defeat the group led by the Wargod commander. With the commander defeated, the other groups would lose their leadership and turn into headless chickens. When that happens, the barbarians can take them out one by one," replied Kelly.


    "I disagree. Your words seem to make sense, but look at the main group and these two groups. They are only 20 minutes away from each other. Reinforcements can arrive at any time. If the barbarians attack the main group, they will risk getting surrounded," I said.


    "If so, then this would be the group that they would most likely attack," said Kelly as he pointed at the group farthest from others.


    "Yes. I think this group is one of the potential targets," I said with a nod.


    "Canyue, I have a question. How would the barbarians know the exact location of each group?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "Since the Wargods have their rangers, the barbarians will definitely have some too. Even this base is probably surrounded by countless rangers that are paying constant attention to us. Any movement will be detected by them immediately," I said.


    "Exactly. The rangers are specialized scouts. Apart from their individual scouting abilities, their mechanical birds and dogs can also assist with their tasks," said Anxashe in agreement.


    "In that case, why don''t we go where this group is going to first and set up our own ambush? When the enemy army appears, we can surround them," said Lin Feixue.


    "I have a brazen idea," I added. "I believe Maley will grab this chance to split his army and attack the base while it''s relatively empty. Dondon, you need to contact Commander Zhang Xingxing immediately and have her keep watch over the base and wait for the enemy to bite the bait."


    "Roger." Dondon immediately carried out the order.


    A few minutes later, Dondon notified me that Zhang Xingxing would arrive in 20 minutes with the fleet.


    "Excellent. How long is it until daybreak?" I asked Anxashe.


    "We''re four and a half hours away," said Anxashe.


    "Everyone, we only have four and a half hours to reach the ambush spot. The main offensive will begin at that time. The enemies will notice the movements of the Wargod soldiers and move accordingly. Therefore, we must reach the ambush spot before then," I said.


    "But this place is surrounded by scouts. How can we keep our own movements hidden? They will notice us immediately," asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "Spacetime will arrive shortly. We will use the ship''s invisibility to move us from the base. Dondon, notify Spacetime to only land after turning invisible," I ordered.


    With the plan set, everyone grew excited. After all, we were going to fight a race known as the Wargods soon. We were both excited and nervous at the same time. I heard a loud rumble 20 minutes later. I knew that Spacetime had arrived.


    We ran out of the building and saw that a faintly discernible silhouette of Spacetime had appeared on an empty spot in the base. A figure ran out of the invisible silhouette. Zhang Xingxing was the first person to rush out of the ship.


    "Canyue, the battle will start soon. Dondon has already told me your plan. You only have 100 soldiers with you. Will that be enough?"


    "Yes. The purpose of my ambush is not their destruction. I am merely aiming to sow chaos and disrupt their plan. We will retreat the moment we achieve our strategic goal. Having too many people will only make our withdrawal difficult," I said.


    "Fine. I''ll have Spacetime transport you over. Fearless is still on standby in the sky. Do you want Fearless to help you at your ambush site?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. This base is a clear target for the enemy. We need more manpower to defend the base here. The ambush is merely a short operation, whereas you will need to defend this place for a prolonged period of time. Fearless needs to be here to back you up," I refused firmly.


    "Fine. Dodo will send you there while I stay behind to take a look at the base and the terrain here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Roger. Princes, Principal Sosse, Dodo, Sarje, Titan, Amethyst, Wuzhou, and Baobao, stay here and help the commander in defending the base. Everyone else, you too, Anxashe, come with me to the ambush site. Dodo will drive us there on Spacetime before returning," I made a series of orders in accordance with Zhang Xingxing''s plan.


    Everyone started moving. The existing members on the ship were replaced by those participating in the ambush. Then, Spacetime, still invisible, soared into the air and left the military base.


    "Canyue, will we anger Gunda with what we''re doing?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Don''t worry. I believe the princes and Zhang Xingxing will keep things under control. Gunda has been looking down on us anyway. They will definitely continue moving without us," I replied.


    "Canyue, you forgot to ask Zhang Xingxing why she was trying to contact Master Wind earlier," Master Crystal reminded.


    I suddenly remembered the important question that I had forgotten. I could only wait until the battle was over before asking her.


    In its invisible form, Spacetime managed to avoid the enemy scouts and reach a high altitude before moving swiftly toward our destination. In a short while, we arrived above our ambush spot.


    Using a spaceship was much more efficient than traveling on foot. The ship slowly descended. Thanks to the white light of Alnitak Aa that a different planet in the system was reflecting to the planet, we were able to get a clear look at the terrain around us.


    The green that we had associated this planet with was nowhere to be seen. Rather, the terrain below us was dominated by black ashy soil with sparse vegetation. The few plants that did exist looked sickly and yellow. And combined with the loud rumble from the core, this made for an extremely harsh environment. It was understandable why this place was known as the barren lands. Alongside a small trail through the landscape, we saw two small mountains.


    "Canyue, look, that is a natural ambush spot," said Baron Sisse as he pointed at the two mountains.


    "Yes, I saw it. But that might also be the place the barbarians will pick to ambush the Wargods. We can''t use it," I replied.


    "Then where should we hide?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "We''ll hide there," I pointed at a distant bare mountain.


    "There? Sure, we can use the altitude to conceal ourselves, but there is no path leading down the mountain. How are we supposed to descend and attack?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "Lin Feixue, provide all combatants with morph-capable gear. When the battle starts, everyone shall turn on the morph-capable shield and leap off the mountain to ambush our enemies," I ordered.


    "Dondon, provide camouflage cloaks for all combatants. That way, even their air surveillance won''t be able to detect us," Kelly added.


    Following my command, Baron Sisse put on a morph-capable suit as well. Additionally, each of us was wearing a cloak with the exact same color as the barren terrain around us. While we were getting ready, Spacetime slowly descended to the mountain peak we had chosen. After all the soldiers leaped off the ship, the transportation was completed. Dodo immediately flew the ship back to Zhang Xingxing.


    "We have the high ground with a clear field of view over our surroundings. This is indeed a good ambush spot," said Old Du after lying down and observing our surroundings.


    "We''ll see if Canyue''s guess is right. Will the enemy set up an ambush here?" said Kelly.


    "At times, luck is a part of war. This is the most suitable position for an ambush. The only unknown factor is whether the barbarians will also expect us to lie in ambush for them," I said confidently.


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    Everyone else seemed full of confidence. We patiently lay in wait.


    "Anxashe, why is the sky turning dark? I thought this planet gets its illumination from its own core?" asked Old Du curiously while listening to the core''s rumble.


    "For an unknown reason, the light from the core will only glow upon fusing with Alnitak Aa''s light," said Anxashe.


    We chatted as we waited for our ambush targets.


    "This battle will be the decisive factor of our mission. Either we succeed or we fail like a dog," rambled Domo when he started feeling bored.


    "What are you talking about? Those who disrupt the army morale before a battle are liable for execution," said Zhang Bao''er, not letting go of the chance to step on Domo.


    "I was making an analysis. Was I wrong?" argued Domo.


    "Canyue, these two soldiers of yours do not seem to get along well," remarked Baron Sisse.


    "You''re the soldier!" both Zhang Bao''er and Domo scolded at the same time.


    "Silence. The sky is turning bright soon. From now on, nobody will make a sound. Those who disobey will be subjected to military law. Anxashe, have all your mechanical companions hide. The mechanical birds should stay clear of the sky," I said sternly.


    Seeing that I had turned serious, everyone stopped the empty chatter. Silence descended. Just like that, we waited silently for dawn to arrive. While waiting, Zhang Bao''er actually fell asleep. Domo took the chance to give him a heavy kick. Zhang Bao''er woke up dazed without knowing who the culprit was, so he could only swallow the loss.


    And thus, under the slightly comical atmosphere, a blue celestial body the size of a table tennis ball slowly rose from the horizon in the west. The light from the rising sun slowly arrived. We were aware that we were actually looking at a sight from 0.3 lightyears ago, but it did not feel like that to our naked eyes. When the first rays of light reached the ground, it was as though the barren lands had been ignited. The entire area brightened.


    "Canyue, the attacking Wargod soldiers have set off. The commander had convinced Gunda to allow her to guard the base with the fleet. She does not have to participate in the offensive," reported Dondon after a call with Zhang Xingxing.


    I nodded as we continued waiting in silence. Slowly, Alnitak Aa rose into the sky. The star looked exceptionally beautiful with its faint blue glow. Alas, the star was unaware that beneath its beautiful radiance, a bloody battle was about to unfold. Time continued passing while our surroundings remained empty. Not to mention a soldier, not even a bug was in sight.


    When I checked the time, I noted that the Wargod army would be here in four hours. It had been half an hour since they left the base. The barbarians were probably already aware of the military operation.


    We continued staying silent, not daring to even breathe loudly. The ash-gray cloaks remained on our bodies, preventing us from being discovered by mechanical birds. After two and a half hours, we still saw nothing. We were now only half an hour away from the Wargod soldiers'' arrival. As time passed, I grew more and more nervous. Domo''s joke of failing like a dog seemed to have transformed into a massive mountain pressing down on my heart.


    ¡®Was I wrong? Did the enemy not select this place as their ambush site?¡¯ I started thinking to myself.


    Suddenly, a shrill whistle rang out in the air.

 CH 155

    When we looked up, we saw that several mechanical birds had appeared in the sky above us.


    "They''re here! They''re really here!" I couldn''t hold my excitement as I could feel the blood rushing to my brain.


    A total of five mechanical birds were flying in circles in the air above us. Everyone remained hidden beneath their cloaks, not daring to make any movement. Our simulation devices were perfectly covering us with a projection of the terrain, even protecting us from heat-based scans. Thus, the mechanical birds were unable to notice us.


    Soon, more and more mechanical birds appeared in the sky. At one point, there were dozens of them up there performing a detailed scan of the area. After more than 10 minutes, the mechanical dogs appeared as well. Dozens of them started roaming the lands, with most of their focus on the two mountains by the path.


    At that time, the advantage of hiding on our mountain was unveiled. Because we were surrounded by several taller bare mountains with no path up, the mechanical dogs couldn''t search our area. In any case, I believed that the barbarians had not expected a counter-ambush at all.


    After the mechanical creatures searched the area for about half an hour, the barbarians arrived. A group of ox-headed warriors equipped with massive axes, hammers, and blades had appeared.  Compared to the Wargod soldiers, they looked sturdier and had darker skin tones.


    More and more of them arrived. Among them, I could see many individuals equipped with bows and arrows just like Anxashe. The newly arrived soldiers climbed onto the two mountains by the path and hid. At a glance, there were roughly 8,000 of them.


    Suddenly, four sturdy ox-headed warriors appeared from a part of the mountain. They looked as valiant as King Carter''s personal guards, but there were also more signs of battle visible on them.


    Appearing immediately after them was a fully armored individual with a massive sword resting on his shoulder. His lower face was covered with a thick beard, and he had an imposing appearance that made him look like a leader.


    ''This person might be the barbarian leader, Maley,'' I thought.


    Surprisingly, I saw a familiar figure standing beside the leader.


    I was sure I wasn''t seeing things. A Storm was standing beside the leader. An individual from Dondon and Master Crystal''s race. I could hear Master Crystal''s breath intensifying beside me. He was probably as surprised as me.


    ''What a surprise. The Storm civilization that we had thought to be lost is actually scattered across the Milky Way.'' I couldn''t help but be astonished by this discovery.


    The army before us were rapidly moving to their posts. Even the leader was moving quickly to his own hiding spot. The moment they arrived at their spots, they turned invisible. Even their mechanical dogs all turned invisible.


    In only a short period of time, thousands of soldiers had become one with nature.


    ''This invisibility is much more impressive than the cloaks we''re using,'' I remarked inwardly.


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    When all the soldiers were done hiding, the mechanical birds in the sky left. If they stayed, they would risk exposing the ambush. A bizarre scene thus unfolded. The Wargod warriors were heading toward an ambush, and the barbarians were waiting in ambush, not knowing that soldiers from the Interstellar League were waiting to ambush the ambushing party.


    This was a perfect demonstration of "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."


    I checked the time. Based on their estimated travel speed, the Wargod soldiers would arrive in about 30 minutes. At this point, the mechanical birds had fully retreated from the sky. Thus, I was free to signal Lin Feixue with my hands, telling him that no movement was allowed without my direct order. Those who disobeyed would be subjected to military law.


    Just like that, we lay silently while waiting for the incoming battle. I intended to have the barbarians and Wargod soldiers fight for a while before launching a surprise attack from the back. Otherwise, throwing the 100 soldiers we had at the thousands of barbarians would be the same as moths flying into the flame¡ªcompletely pointless.


    And thus, the two ambushing parties remained silent. Apart from the rumbles of the core, only the sound of the breeze could be heard. The area became so silent it felt unnatural. Thirty minutes later, a mechanical dog appeared in the distance.


    ''How punctual.'' I was feeling impressed with my own deductive capabilities.


    Dozens of mechanical dogs served as the vanguard. In the sky above, about a dozen mechanical birds served as guides. Behind the mechanical dogs was a large number of Wargod soldiers blanketing the land as they advanced.


    The soldiers were traveling on foot. After several hours of marching quickly, their formation had become lax. They formed a long line as they walked. I could see several carts pulled by mechanical birds among the soldiers. These carts seemed to carry the military leaders and supplies. As they got nearer, I was finally able to see the exhaustion written all over their faces.


    ''To wait at ease for the exhausted enemy. This saying does make sense, after all,'' I thought.


    After the soldiers had traveled such a long distance, their armor was disarrayed, and the soldiers were spread over a long line. The soldiers marching at the very front had already entered the ambush. But due to their exhaustion, they did not notice any danger that their mechanical dogs and birds did not detect.


    I signaled the soldiers lying in ambush with me, informing them that the battle was going to start soon and to wait for my order. The Kenante army slowly entered the valley between the two mountains. Finally, roughly half of them had entered the ambush, leaving only 500 still trailing behind. A shrill whistle suddenly sounded, followed by murderous roars that reverberated across the valley. I could see a rain of arrows unleashed upon the Kenante soldiers by the barbarians.


    ''The battle has begun!'' I gripped my gun tighter.


    Wave after wave of arrows flew out as the barbarians removed their invisibility and charged out roaring. The sight of countless soldiers appearing from everywhere around the mountains was quite a visual impact.


    At that moment, I finally understood why their race was worthy of being called the Wargod race. Despite being in a disadvantageous position, the Kenante soldiers still displayed their impressive combat capabilities.


    From the moment the first arrow was fired, all the soldiers activated their energy shields while pulling back toward the center of their formation. I could see that dozens of them were struck down by the massive number of arrows, but the majority managed to pull back safely.


    Soon, the soldiers started unloading their steel handheld weaponry from the carts. The soldiers formed layer upon layer of walls and formed a perfect defense against the rain of arrows. Next, the mechanical dogs were unleashed from their defensive position. The dogs rushed toward the attackers and clashed against the mechanical dogs of the ambushing party. The dogs rolled all over the ground and tore at each other.


    Meanwhile, the Wargod archers finished getting into position. Over a thousand arrows flew out of their formation, heading straight toward the barbarians. Naturally, as ones with the courage to ambush the Wargod army, the barbarians were not to be trifled with. With their own shields, they blocked the arrows. Only a few of them were actually struck.


    With their numerical superiority, the barbarians did not take long to cut the Wargod formation into three parts, forcing the Wargod soldiers to face enemies from all sides. At that point in the battle, bows and arrows were no longer effective. The soldiers of the two sides were fighting each other at close range.


    This was one of the cruelest battles I had ever witnessed. The ox-headed warriors of both sides were strong and vigorous. With their sturdy bodies, weapons such as war hammers, broadswords, and giant clubs could be seen all over the battleground. Their roars rumbled throughout the valley.


    We could see that the Wargod army had to face 8,000 enemies with only 3,000 soldiers. Moreover, they had marched a long distance, so they were in an absolutely inferior position in the battle. But thanks to their excellent training and battle tactics, they were able to put up a good fight relying on their formations.


    The melee soldiers formed a circle around their archers. At the outer layer, the soldiers would defend with their shields while madly attacking the barbarians with their weapons. Meanwhile, the archers behind them were unleashing a constant stream of arrows at the barbarians. In only a short while, a large number of barbarian corpses were left on the ground.


    Seeing the corpses of his companion, the barbarian leader raged. With a roar, he personally led a group of shieldbearers and charged forth. Even with the distance between us, I could hear how loud the roar was. With the barbarian leader joining the battle, all the barbarians turned berserk and started fighting without regard for their own lives.


    One of the barbarian leader''s personal guards was currently very conspicuous on the battlefield due to his three-meter-tall height. With two massive swords in his hands, he hacked away, forcefully cutting an opening into the shield formation before him.


    At that time, a mechanical dog jumped from his back while he was unprepared, but the barbarian warrior easily cut the dog into two with a single slash. His ferocity further roused the spirits of the barbarians behind him as they madly fought alongside him. As they hacked and slashed, the opening grew. It started looking as if the Wargod army''s central formation was about to collapse.


    "Canyue, let''s make our move. I don''t think Gunda''s army can last much longer," suggested Kelly when she saw that the barbarians were distracted enough that we could launch an ambush.


    "Wait. I want to wait longer. I keep having the feeling that the time isn''t right yet," I said firmly.


    Everyone obeyed my order, but I could see that Anxashe was starting to grow restless as he saw his people being slaughtered. Suddenly, a warrior in white armor walked out of the Wargod army''s shield formation. That warrior was probably a military leader. Brandishing a massive hammer, he easily smashed two barbarian warriors in front of him into the ground.


    The valiant guard was about to step forward when the barbarian leader stopped him. Then, all the barbarians roared madly as I saw the barbarian leader personally face the warrior in white with his axe. I realized what was going on. The barbarian leader was aiming to deal with the opposing leader with his own strength and destroy the Wargod army''s morale.


    A massive duel was about to unfold amid the bloody battlefield. The massive axe whistled through the air as it headed straight toward the white warrior''s head. It moved with so much force and speed that it seemed like the axe could cleave even a mountain apart.


    As a military leader of the Wargod army, the white warrior was naturally not someone to be trifled with either. He easily lifted his hammer and swung upward to dissolve the attack. The white warrior had stopped a two-handed attack with only one hand. Thus, it looked like he held the advantage in terms of strength.


    At almost the same time, the white warrior drew his side blade with his left hand and stabbed at the barbarian leader. I was confident this leader was none other than Maley. As the supreme chief of the barbarians, he was also an experienced combatant. Facing the incoming stab, he weakened the blade with his energy shield before twisting his body to the right, avoiding the attack completely.


    At that exact moment, he drew the ray pistol strapped to his thigh and fired at the white warrior. This was an exchange between classical weaponry and modern weaponry, with the death of one party being the only possible end to the fight.

 CH 156

    The pistol''s yellow beam pierced through the handheld shield and struck the white warrior''s arm, sending a chunk of his flesh flying away. That move infuriated him. He sheathed his sword and grabbed a handheld shield from a random soldier nearby. With a shield and only one usable arm, he faced the pistol, completely ignoring the pain from the injury in his arm.


    The military leader demonstrated his incredible physical strength. Each swing of his shield carried a force no less than 200 catties behind it. He was even able to unleash such moves with only one hand without even breaking a sweat.


    When the surrounding Wargod soldiers saw how valiant their leader was, their morale soared, and they fought even harder. In a short while, the opening in their formation was sealed.


    Maley was obviously unhappy to see that. The opening was something his underling had painstakingly created. How could he be the one to lose the advantage? Thus, he put his pistol away and raised his axe again. While roaring madly, he charged forward.


    The white warrior showed no fear when he saw the charging barbarian. He tossed the shield away and picked up his hammer to face Maley. The battle between the two was so intense even gods would be alarmed.


    The giant axe and the hammer collided again and again, creating numerous sparks. Each attack carried a force of thousands of catties, and every evasion was only performed by stretching their muscles to their limits.


    A few hundred moves had been exchanged when I noticed that Chief Maley was slowly being pushed into a disadvantageous position. The sight of that impressed me to no end. The white warrior was only the leader of this squad, yet he was strong enough to face the barbarian chief without losing. In fact, he was even gaining the upper hand. One could only imagine how strong the Wargod army was.


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    ''This army will be mine!'' I vowed to myself.


    Suddenly, a roar sounded as the white warrior swung his hammer at Maley''s head. The swing carried an extreme force behind it. Even though Maley was about to raise his hand to defend himself in time, he was unable to stabilize his footing and was smashed onto the ground.


    The morale of the Wargod army rose further. All of them roared and launched a counteroffensive against their ambushers. Maley had evidently not seen this coming. His initial plan was to crush the squad''s puny leader to raise the morale of his own army. For an experienced combatant like him, it was supposed to be an easy fight. Alas, the fight came back to bite him and brought about the opposite effect.


    The Kenante soldiers utilized the increase of morale and attacked madly, littering the ground with barbarian corpses. The 5,000 warriors in the barbarian army''s main bulk had actually been defeated by only 2,000 soldiers.


    When that happened, Maley''s four valiant guards each led about a dozen elite warriors and slaughtered out a path of blood with Maley in tow. The rest of the barbarians were less lucky. Facing the Wargod army''s rigorous formation, their own messy formation turned them into lambs to the slaughter. The barbarians'' formation was in disarray as they started scattering everywhere.


    The ambushed Wargod army was actually winning. It seemed like my misgivings and arrangements had been for nothing. The Wargod army did not look like they could be defeated.


    "Canyue, let''s take this chance to pursue the barbarians and defeat them in one go," suggested Old Du.


    To the side, Baron Sisse and Kelly looked to be of the same opinion as well. Just as I was about to make the order to sally forth, Master Crystal reached out and stopped me. I looked at where he was pointing and saw that a neat row of archers had appeared on the mountains the barbarians had hidden on earlier. There were roughly 500 of them. The person leading the small army was none other than the individual from the Storm race.


    Under the Storm''s command, a rain of arrows was sent into the shield formation, and numerous explosions erupted. This time, the arrowheads had been changed into explosive arrowheads.


    The intense explosions sent the shieldbearers flying. The severed limbs of Wargod soldiers could also be seen flying everywhere, instantly dying the battlefield red with blood. The Storm then ordered the archers to fire at the Wargod army''s two other formations at the front and back. The massive explosions instantly turned the tide in the battle.


    The Kenante soldiers, who were still holding the upper hand earlier, were caught by complete surprise. They suffered a huge number of casualties, and the orderly formation that they had just formed was destroyed. A great blow was dealt to their high morale.


    The barbarians grabbed this opportunity to reform their formation, preparing to attack again after the archers were done. The Storm continued to lead the archers in firing volley after volley of explosive arrows into the battlefield. They attacked madly as if their arrows were free, successfully dealing massive damage to the Wargod army.


    When the barbarian warriors that had reformed their formations saw the scene before them, they roared as their morale recovered. This was a common sight on a battlefield. Not long ago, the barbarians were on the verge of complete defeat. But in only a few minutes, they had regained their powerful combat strength. I also knew that it was time for me to make a move. Otherwise, this Wargod army would really be completely destroyed.


    "Everyone, get ready. Our target is the archer formation on that mountain. We will drop right into the middle of their formation. Set all our weapons to tranquilizing mode. Avoid killing unless absolutely necessary," I ordered rapidly.


    "Tranquilizing mode? Canyue, what else are you planning?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "I''m wondering if we can even court the barbarian army to our side. We need as much help as we can against the empire," I said.


    "Their cold weaponry will hurt just as much. Are you sure?" reminded Baron Sisse.


    "Try not to kill, but react accordingly to what you face. Follow me. Move out," I insisted.


    Everyone turned on their morph-capable shields and jumpers. Although this was Baron Sisse''s and Anxashe''s first time using the Interstellar League''s gear, the gear was idiot-proof so they were able to easily use it.


    I was the first to charge out and leap off the cliff. A chubby figure shot out from my left. Zhang Bao''er had turned his thrusters to maximum power before charging ahead of me, becoming the first to reach the archers.


    Next, a "whoosh" shot forth from my right. Anxashe had also attacked. The arrow was extremely powerful. It advanced as though it was ripping the very air apart and pierced through the defensive shield in front of the archers. I could see an archer collapsing with an arm over his other arm.


    I nodded at Anxashe and thought, ''This fellow is quite good at following orders.''


    One after another, the members of the 7th Armored Division dropped down from above the archers like an army from the heavens. Running at the very front, Zhang Bao''er madly fired his gun, piercing through the shields and dropping numerous barbarian archers.


    With only 100 soldiers, we had successfully broken the formation of 500 archers. The Wargod army, which was on the verge of collapse, was confused by what they saw, but they quickly adjusted. No matter what they saw, the enemy of their enemy was their friend. They grabbed the opportunity and reformed their shield formation while the archers were kept busy.


    Meanwhile, chaos had descended upon the group of archers. In close-range combat, our laser guns held an advantage because they weren''t able to aim well with their bows and arrows. Meanwhile, we could easily hit our targets with the self-targeting function of our guns.


    Nevertheless, I knew very well that there were not enough of us. We had to end this quickly. I could see that some of the archers had already drawn their side arms and were charging at our soldiers. I saw with my own eyes how one of us was attacked by several archers. His shield was broken through, and he dropped to the ground. I also saw something even more terrifying: two of Maley''s guards were leading 100 elite barbarians toward us at high speed, intending to reinforce the archers.


    "Lin Feixue, set up the mounted guns and stop the enemy reinforcements from arriving," I ordered.


    Under the cover of several soldiers, Lin Feixue supervised the installation of three mounted cluster laser guns on the mountain.


    "Fire at will. Throw everything you have at the barbarians!" I ordered.


    The mounted guns roared alive, madly bombarding the incoming barbarians. Those running in the front stood no chance against the firepower as their shields were pierced through immediately and they fell like crops in front of a harvester.


    One of the guards grew berserk at the sight of his falling warriors and lifted a massive steel shield before charging ahead. His shield seemed incredibly solid. Even our laser beams merely bounced off it without doing any damage. Upon seeing that, Domo drew his ray gun and shot at the shield. However, the ray gun was only able to leave some red marks on it.


    The three-meter-tall warrior continued approaching. At this point, I could no longer bother with non-fatal attacks, and I instantly fired several cluster bombs at him. Surprisingly, the massive explosion sent the warriors around the guard flying away, yet the guard himself remained standing by relying on the sheer physical strength he had.


    ''Shit! This isn''t looking good.'' My heart thumped.


    At this point, the guard was less than three meters away from us. I could see him raising a massive blade with his other hand.


    During the moment of crisis, an arrow came from behind the guard. The explosive arrowhead exploded directly under him. Without the protection of his shield, the guard couldn''t withstand the explosion. He was blasted away, and he dropped onto the ground unconscious.


    At the sight of that, the other barbarians panicked and started fleeing. Lin Feixue naturally wouldn''t let go of this opportunity and ordered the mounted gunners to fire on the retreating warriors, filling the mountain with unconscious barbarians.


    ''Good thing we''re not using fatal attacks. Otherwise, way too many lives would be lost today,'' I thought to myself.


    "Canyue, why don''t we attack with our attached assault rifles? With our tracking bullets, we can easily take down the warriors hiding behind their shields," asked Kelly. She had stuck close to me throughout the battle.


    "No. That will kill even more of them. If we really commit such slaughter, we can forget about ever getting this barbarian army for ourselves," I said, still sticking to my original plan.


    While the mounted guns were firing at the escaping barbarians, one of them was turned around to provide cover fire to our allies who were engaged with our enemies at a close range.


    At this point, the barbarians were pincered, putting them in an unfavorable position. I could see that Maley had already withdrawn from the battle alongside a group of guards. Over a thousand barbarian bodies were sprawled all over the ground. I was confident that Chief Maley would never be able to understand how an ambush by 8,000 soldiers against only 3,000 soldiers had turned into something like this.


    Meanwhile, Gunda''s soldiers were revitalized at the sight of reinforcements. With fewer people, they fought so hard that it looked like they were the ones encircling their enemy, not their enemy circling them. At this point, the enemy army was on the verge of complete collapse. Suddenly, a mechanical bird with green wings appeared in the sky.

 CH 157

    The soldiers from both sides noticed the green-winged mechanical bird. An astonishing scene unfolded. When the bird appeared, the soldiers of both sides stopped their bitter battle and placed their weapons down.


    "Canyue, Anxashe is telling us to stop attacking," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why are they stopping?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Anxashe said that the appearance of the green-winged bird signifies that one party had surrendered. According to the rules of Rumble, when one party surrenders, the victorious party must allow the loser to retreat unconditionally," Zhang Bao''er explained.


    "Lin Feixue, notify everyone to stop attacking," I shouted.


    Everyone stopped attacking. At that moment, I saw the barbarian army withdrawing in an orderly fashion. Just like that, an ambush on 3,000 people by 8,000 people had failed in an incredulous manner.


    I saw Chief Maley turn his head to look at me. His eyes were filled with hatred. After roughly 20 minutes, the barbarians finished withdrawing. Over a thousand unconscious barbarians and five hundred Wargod corpses were sprawled all over the ground. It was obvious that the barbarians had suffered a disastrous loss during the ambush.


    "Commander Canyue, thank you for your timely appearance. Anxashe already showed me the order from King Carter. Without your help, my squad would have suffered total defeat," said the military leader in white with gratitude.


    "Don''t worry about it. We merely believed that there were some holes in Commander Gunda''s plan, so we took the risk to give it a try," I said.


    "I will make a clear report to Commander Gunda and request recognition for your merits!" said the leader in white with the same look of gratitude on his face.


    "Commander Luxisi, when we were cleaning the battlefield, we noticed a lot of barbarians who are only unconscious, not dead," reported a soldier.


    ''So his name is Luxisi,'' I thought.


    "Commander, those soldiers were hit by our tranquilizing bullets. Thus, we need your help to wake them up and put them under arrest for now. Also, take note to not harm our war prisoners for no reason," said Old Du.


    "Don''t worry, superiors. I''ll take these prisoners back to the base. I can guarantee their safety during the trip back," replied Luxisi.


    "Canyue, I just finished a call with Commander Zhang Xingxing. There is still no battle at the base," said Kelly.


    "From the map and the time, the enemy army will still need 40 minutes to reach Gunda''s base. Remind the commander to be careful. The battle on our side is over. There is no need to send shuttles to pick us up since sending shuttles will only weaken the base''s strength. I''ll try to think of a way to return and help them," I ordered.


    Immediately, I heard some clamor behind me. When I turned around, I saw a group of Wargod soldiers surrounding two people at the barbarian archers'' previous hiding spot. Kelly, Old Du, and I hurriedly ran over. We noticed that the two that had been surrounded were Master Crystal and Dondon. Lying on the ground beside them was the Storm who had been rendered unconscious by a tranquilizing bullet.


    The Wargod soldiers were following Luxisi''s order to gather the unconscious war prisoners, but when they were about to capture the Storm commander, Master Crystal and Dondon resisted. Zhang Bao''er was also there helping them stop the Wargod soldiers.


    I walked up to the group. The face of the unconscious Storm could be clearly seen. She basically looked the same as Dondon and Master Crystal in terms of physical appearance, but her claws were pink instead of blue. Furthermore, she had much longer fur than Dondon.


    ''Can this perhaps be...a female cat?'' I thought to myself.


    "What is going on here? According to Kenanten laws, all prisoners of war must be transported back to the base and be subjected to court-martial," said Luxisi, who had arrived with us.


    "Nobody can take her! She''s one of us! She must have been forced into this position," said Master Crystal, giving a rather far-fetched argument.


    "She was forced to lead the archers and kill over a hundred of us?" said Luxisi, who was angered by his words.


    "Calm down, Commander. I have a suggestion. I intend to go deeper with my squad, pursue the barbarians, and complete Commander Gunda''s mission. You can return with your people and recuperate since you''re going to be escorting these prisoners back. As for this little cat prisoner, leave her to me," I requested. "I need to interrogate her and use her as a guide."


    "You have far from enough people to attack the barbarians. In fact, the position you attack from can very well be the place the barbarians use to break through during the battle," reminded Luxisi.


    "Of course, I''ll be endlessly grateful if you can lend us 500 warriors for the attack," I voiced my request.


    Luxisi sank into thought. He then ordered a young warrior beside him, "Coco, lead your team of 500 Youth Guards and join Superior Canyue on this mission. I''ll be escorting these prisoners back."


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    "Yes!" replied the young soldier called Coco with a look of excitement on his face.


    "Also, you can have this little animal. I''ll pretend she was killed in battle," said Luxisi as a way to return the favor of us saving them.


    Shortly after, Coco and his Youth Guards were assembled.


    "Reporting to the superior, there were originally 500 members in the Youth Guards but we lost 45 in the battle. There are only 455 of us left," reported Coco loudly.


    "Have your team help Commander Luxisi sweep through the battlefield. We will depart in a short while," I said, pleased with his report.


    While everyone else was busy sweeping through the battlefield, I lifted the unconscious Storm and retreated to the edge of the battlefield with the 7th Armored Division. Both Kelly and Lin Feixue were resting and reorganizing with the rest of our people. The 7th Armored Division had suffered one death and the major injuring of four people. Lin Feixue was currently busy dealing with the battle''s aftermath.


    "Canyue, how long will she take to wake up?" asked Master Crystal.


    "The tranquilizing bullets from the cluster laser guns are quite powerful. I reckon she needs more than 12 hours," I replied.


    "That''s too long. In that case, we''ll have to get Old Du to help carry her while we march," said Dondon anxiously.


    "This is one of their military leaders. Will it be dangerous to take her with us?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "How dangerous can a kitten be?" countered Domo.


    "Master, can we go to the side and have a talk?" I asked Master Crystal.


    Master Crystal nodded and walked to the side with me. There, we both turned off our communicators.


    "Master, what is the goal of the Storm race? Why are your people spread all over the universe?" I went straight to the point.


    Master Crystal sank into a long silence.


    "Say something, Master." My patience failed me.


    "Sigh. This is a promise over a hundred thousand years old," said Master Crystal with a deep sigh.


    "Is this a mission Prophet Nommo had given your ancestors?" I tried to get Master Crystal to spill the secret.


    "You have seen Venerable Plum. Back then, Crystal had departed suddenly. However, that was also the prophet''s arrangement," said Master Crystal.


    "Since the prophet is so incredible, he must have also foreseen this conversation today," I said.


    My words stunned Master Crystal. I believed that every single event that had happened around me had been under Prophet Nommo''s predictions. And all I had experienced so far seemed to only further reinforce that belief.


    "In truth, I know very little about the prophet. As for his predictions, I believe some aren''t even predictions but events he had witnessed himself," Master Crystal suddenly said.


    I was greatly shocked. Had Nommo been watching a time movie about all events relating to us?


    "I have a very simple example. The war between the Brightlings and Darklings had happened 150,000 years ago. However, Nommo had attacked the Horsehead Nebula tens of thousands of years ago. There is a gap of 100,000 years between the two events," said Master Crystal.


    I came to a certain realization. Coupled with our previous speculation regarding the gap of over 100,000 years between the time of Blue''s lost civilizations and the Dogon, I slowly started to believe that a time tunnel had to have been somewhat involved.


    "I believe that Nommo had been traveling non-stop through a time tunnel. Because of that, his shadow can be seen in multiple events of different periods in time. It was also through time travel that he had seen the future," Master Crystal speculated, reaching a similar conclusion as me.


    "Not only had Nommo traveled the universe, but he had also traveled to different timelines and realities," I concluded.


    "Yes, I also believe this," said Master Crystal.


    The scene I saw at Jupiter II''s core suddenly reappeared in my mind. Through the five-dimensional model, I had witnessed countless variations of numerous events. Nommo must have witnessed something similar as well, resulting in the predictions he had made. Of course, predictions could very well change at any time.


    "What is the Storm race''s mission? What was Crystal''s mission?" I asked.


    Master Crystal was about to say something when Kelly suddenly rushed over.


    "Canyue, we have three emergency updates. The barbarians have started their assault on the base. There are 10,000 participating in the attack. Luxisi''s army is returning at their top speed. The Youth Guards have remained. When do we set off? Also, that cat is awake," said Kelly.


    Master Crystal immediately dropped the topic upon hearing that his kind had regained consciousness. He rushed back toward the Storm. I also rushed toward the cat. The eyes of the Storm before me were narrowed; she looked as if she had not yet fully awakened.


    "I thought this would take 12 hours? Why is she suddenly awake?" I asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Dondon urged Old Du to inject some stimulant into her to wake her up," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Ridiculous. Can her little heart withstand the pressure? The cat might be ignorant, but why are the two of you messing around as well?" I was furious.


    Dondon paled from fright as he constantly stroked his brethren''s face.


    The sight of that softened my heart. I could understand Dondon''s feelings. It was very rare to see one of his own in the universe. He wouldn''t have tried his best to stop the Wargod soldiers earlier otherwise.


    "We''ll have to hope that this cat''s physical qualities are good enough to withstand the pressure," I said helplessly.


    "Canyue, the battle has begun at the base. The commander and the Wargod garrison only have a few hundred soldiers at their side, yet they need to face 10,000 barbarians. Do we return?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "There are only a few hundred of us here. It''s pointless for us to return. Also, we don''t even have proper transport to bring us back in time. The best way we can help is to attack the enemy base and force them to return," I said.


    "In that case, we shouldn''t delay. We need to rush to the barbarian base and work alongside the Wargod attackers," said Lin Feixue.


    "Am I alive? Are you alive, or are you ghosts?" an unfamiliar voice rang out.


    I quickly looked back and saw that the Storm commander from the barbarian army had fully awakened. She was leaning against Dondon''s arms and looking at me as she spoke.

 CH 158

    "Hey, hey, hey, what ominous words are you saying? Who are you calling ghosts?" Domo''s complaint rang out.


    "Can you shut your mouth for once? She just woke up from her injuries," said Dondon. It was exceptionally rare to see Dondon actually arguing.


    At this time, the Storm commander noticed with astonishment that Dondon and Master Crystal were actually people of the same race as her.


    "Who are the two of you? Where are you from?" asked the commander in astonishment.


    Instead of answering, Master Crystal asked, "Who are you? Why are you here? Answer me first."


    "Why should I tell you? You don''t look like a good person at all!" retorted the little cat without a trace of politeness.


    ''Looks like this little fellow is quite a fiery one. It might be hard to communicate with her,'' I thought.


    "Little cat, watch your attitude. You''re our prisoner. Know your place," said Zhang Bao''er unhappily.


    "Victory and defeat are to be expected in any military operation. However, defeat does not mean that I will leak any information to you," said the little cat unyieldingly.


    With that, the atmosphere turned awkward.


    "Deputy Commander, may talk to her in private?" Dondon suddenly requested.


    I immediately agreed. Having Dondon talk to her seemed to be the best option we had. Everyone withdrew, allowing Dondon to talk alone with the fiery commander.


    "Canyue, the battlefield has been cleaned up. The team is also ready to set off. What are we still waiting for?" asked Kelly, who had rushed over after reorganizing the soldiers.


    "A group of military officials is waiting for two kittens as the kittens whisper to each other," said Domo, indirectly raising his status in the team.


    "The battle at the base is very intense. We need to attack the barbarian base as soon as possible to reduce the pressure on the commander''s side," said Lin Feixue, who was getting anxious.


    In truth, I was also very concerned. However, I still hoped that Dondon could obtain some information useful for our operation from the Storm commander.


    Just like that, everyone waited anxiously for five minutes. Finally, Dondon ran toward us.


    "Her name is Wind Spirit. She''s a girl," said Dondon.


    "She also has the Wind surname?" Master Crystal was astonished.


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    "You little fellow, you only care about the gender, right?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Dondon glared at Zhang Bao''er before saying, "She is Master Wind''s daughter, here on an important mission."


    "Sure enough. I knew she had to be related to Wind," said Master Crystal after his guess was verified.


    "Yes. I gave her a rough description of our relationship with Master Wind and the Storm race. She indicated that she''s willing to help," said Dondon.


    "Good! With her help, we can do even more. She must know the barbarians more than us," I said in excitement.


    "But she also added a remark at the end. She said she''s waiting for a tragedy to befall us," said Dondon doubtfully.


    "What does she mean?" I asked, confused.


    "That little fellow is acting very mysteriously. Also, she betrayed her original master so easily. Will she also betray us in the future?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was uncomfortable with trusting our captive.


    "That''s not betrayal. Her official position is a military observer of the empire. She has the power to enter any territory within the empire''s borders and take part in all military operations," said Dondon.


    "I understand. She must have an imperial token from Emperor Fille himself. That grants her the highest level of authority in terms of supervision. In fact, there are only three military observers in the entire empire," said Baron Sisse.


    "If that''s the case, that little fellow is surprisingly powerful. But as a military observer, why did she command the barbarians during the last battle?" asked Old Du.


    "Uhm, I forgot to ask about that," said Dondon awkwardly.


    "That''s not surprising. Military observers have the right to participate in any conflict they deem a threat to the empire at any time. I believe she had merely acted instinctively based on what had been occurring on the battlefield," said Baron Sisse.


    "Dondon, how is she? Can she move immediately? We''re squeezed for time," I asked.


    "Yes. But I need Old Du to help carry her for a part of the journey," pleaded Dondon.


    "That''s no problem at all," agreed Old Du easily.


    Dondon hurriedly helped Wind Spirit over. The little female cat was first rendered unconscious before being forcefully awakened. Even when walking, she was wobbly. Clearly, she had not recovered fully. Old Du easily lifted her and placed her in his backpack.


    Before we set off, everyone stood before a crude gravestone and observed a moment of silence for our single casualty in the battle against the barbarians. As a comrade born on the same planet as us, he had sacrificed his life in the name of freedom, leaving his body on this floating piece of rock over a thousand lightyears away from Blue. After the moment of silence, we set off toward the barbarians'' base.


    "Why is your name Dondon? If you''re abandoned and thrown out the first time, and then abandoned and thrown back the second time, won''t you be back again?" asked Wind Spirit from behind Old Du.


    Dondon did not know whether to laugh or cry. However, he wasn''t angry. He constantly jogged beside Old Du, never abandoning his new friend.


    "Canyue, look at that little cat. He''s not acting normal," whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Even if you know it, don''t say it, fool. Don''t create trouble for no reason," I reminded.


    The 7th Armored Division and Coco''s Youth Guards were able to march rapidly with the help of our morph-capable gear. Along the way, Dondon was not in the mood to be the contact person between us and the base. Thus, we got our information from Kelly instead. She learned that the battle at the base was extremely intense. However, Zhang Xingxing was able to tenaciously defend the base and repel numerous waves of attacks.


    ''I wonder if the base is already filled with corpses. Perhaps everything we did earlier to preserve life will be for nothing,'' I thought somewhat dejectedly.


    Suddenly, Old Du called me, looking like he had something important to discuss with me.


    I approached him immediately and asked, "What is it? Can''t you say it directly?"


    "Wind Spirit has something to share with you," said Old Du.


    "If my guess is right, that dumb brute Gunda must have occupied the barbarians'' base by now," said Wind Spirit.


    "That''s not surprising. The barbarians have sent all their forces out, leaving an empty base behind. But it''s also pointless to occupy such an empty place," I replied.


    "If you know that, why are you rushing to the barbarians'' base instead of your own base?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "I want to take this chance to work with Gunda to surround Maley''s defeated army. We will take them out in one fell swoop," I replied.


    "Hahaha, you''re really looking down on Maley. If he''s really so incompetent, how could he be King Carter''s enemy for so long?" said Wind Spirit as she roared with laughter.


    "Why? What do you have in mind? Also, what did you mean earlier when you talked about our tragic ending?" I questioned when I saw how she was behaving.


    "Since this little abandoned fellow has been decent, this princess shall let you in on a secret. This is a good opportunity for me to observe your capability. Maley has long prepared an inescapable trap at our base, waiting for the fool Gunda to step on it," said Wind Spirit.


    "What? How is that possible? From numbers alone, that does not seem possible. Unless the barbarians have a terrain that is extremely advantageous to their side," I said in disbelief.


    "As a military observer, when I first arrived on Rumble, my initial task was to observe King Carter. However, the Kingdom of Kenante wasn''t able to defeat the barbarians despite having the upper hand. Thus, my interest in Maley''s military strength was piqued. Therefore, I decided to observe the barbarians instead," said Wind Spirit.


    "I heard that the barbarians only had an army of slightly over 10,000. Despite their lower numbers, they are flexible and valiant in battle. Thus, it has been very difficult for Kenante''s army to defeat them," I told Wind Spirit what I had heard.


    "That''s the issue. Maley has been wanting to destroy Gunda''s army of 30,000 for a while now. He has been working toward that single goal. Today, Gunda is finally going to walk into the painstakingly prepared trap," said Wind Spirit.


    "To defeat 30,000 with 10,000, it will certainly require a lot of preparation," I said.


    "The so-called army of 10,000 is merely a number Maley used to fool the dumb brute Gunda. In fact, the barbarians have an army of 50,000 elites. If I''m right, Gunda is probably already encircled by now," said Wind Spirit confidently.


    "What?" Old Du and I exclaimed in alarm.


    Baron Sisse, Zhang Bao''er, and Master Crystal also came over when they heard our shout.


    "Fifty thousand people? How is that possible? Where did they get so many people? How can an army that big hide from Kenante''s surveillance?" I asked.


    "What did this female cat say? The barbarians have 50,000 soldiers?" Zhang Bao''er was similarly shocked.


    "Why would I lie about that? I reckon that dumb brute Gunda was already destroyed by now," said Wind Spirit with a laugh.


    "No. If there is really such a big ambush waiting, why did Maley need to ambush Luxisi''s army earlier?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "Fatty, you have quite a lot of questions, don''t you? But you asked the right question. Maley is also arrogant and conceited. He was out of patience and had decided to first crush one small army while giving his army some practice," said Wind Spirit furiously.


    "Little female cat, you must have given some suggestions to Maley and were rejected," said Zhang Bao''er.


    That seemed to hit a sore spot¡ªWind Spirit''s face turned red from anger. She shut her mouth and stopped talking.


    "Canyue, I don''t think Wind Spirit is lying. I suggest we have Anxashe send his mechanical birds to the barbarians'' base to get the latest update on the situation there," suggested Baron Sisse.


    I agreed with the suggestion. After receiving his order, Anxashe immediately sent out two mechanical birds. We were still two hours away from the barbarians'' base. Everyone started marching silently. Due to what Wind Spirit had said, we were also forced to slow down our march.


    Suddenly, I recalled something and took off my backpack. Inside, Bulu was still sleeping like there was no tomorrow. The massive battle seemed to have not disturbed its sleep at all. However, this time, I wasn''t trying to get Bulu''s help. Instead, I took out some canned space food from the backpack.


    Then, I offered the food to Wind Spirit. Immediately, the shared gluttonous trait of the Storm race surfaced from within her. She accepted the food in excitement and gorged it down. In no time, she ate everything. Even after finishing the food, the little female cat was licking her lips, looking like she wanted more. Meanwhile, Dondon continued to walk silently, not complaining that he wasn''t offered any food. I was rather surprised.


    "I don''t take without giving. Since you offered me food, you must have something to ask me. Out with it. Don''t forget to give me more food after asking your question," said Wind Spirit, the peculiar little fellow that had directly revealed my intention.


    I grinned and said, "What is up with the barbarian soldiers? Since there are so many of them, where do they hide at normal times?"

 CH 159

    "There is no need to hide them. In fact, yesterday was the first time I saw them," replied Wind Spirit, further confusing me.


    "Only yesterday? What do you mean?" I asked.


    "We learned of Gunda''s plan yesterday morning. Maley has several undercover agents in Gunda''s army. Also yesterday, several haulers came here while carrying these warriors from outer space," said Wind Spirit.


    "What? Kenante was unaware of the arrival of such a large army from outer space? This country''s military defense is truly terrible," muttered Old Du.


    "That''s not surprising. When we arrived, we saw how there was not a single spaceship or satellite outside the planet. How would they be capable of detecting visitors?" said Baron Sisse.


    "Wind Spirit, which kingdom did the army come from? Are they here to help Maley?" I asked.


    "I saw the reinforcements. They are all barbarians. The pilots did not leave the ships, but the crest of the Sacred Wing race could be seen on them," said Wind Spirit.


    "Sacred Wing race? It''s really them?" exclaimed Master Crystal in shock.


    "Yes, old man. It''s the Sacred Wing race''s crest. I saw this crest frequently when I was growing up. I won''t be wrong about this," said Wind Spirit confidently.


    "In other words, the Sacred Wing race is secretly helping the barbarians train their young into warriors. It is quite a large investment to train tens of thousands of soldiers for them. It must be a costly endeavor," said Domo.


    "These barbarians also have surprisingly good reproductive capability to be able to give birth to tens of thousands of children before smuggling them out," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, these soldiers were not born by the barbarians. They are all clones," said Wind Spirit, finally unveiling the crucial information.


    A realization dawned on me. The Sacred Wing race has been helping the barbarians through cloning technology, producing an army that could be used to destroy the Wargods.


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    "With the emperor''s strength, he can easily destroy Kenante. What''s the point of making this convoluted plan?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Brother Canyue, you don''t understand. From what I know about the emperor, there is a reason for every action he takes. Perhaps he wants a private Wargod army for himself, or perhaps he wants the two forces to restrict each other, ensuring that neither will gain the upper hand. That way, his continued rule will be ensured," said Baron Sisse.


    I had to admit that Baron Sisse made a lot of sense. I had long realized that politics was not something the son of a dock worker like me could understand. While everyone was talking about the mysterious barbarian army, a shriek came from the sky. The mechanical birds had returned.


    Lin Feixue ordered the soldiers to take a short rest. Meanwhile, Anxashe summoned his birds back and plucked out their eyeballs. With a transmitter, he projected the scenes from the barbarians'' base.


    It was clear that these recordings had been taken from afar. We could see the sky filled with thousands of mechanical birds. The barbarians'' base was completely encircled. However, Gunda''s army was not the ones doing the encirclement but a layer upon layer of barbarians. Nearly 50,000 barbarians had tightly surrounded Gunda''s army. From afar, it could be seen that Gunda''s army had assumed a defensive formation. However, the army of 30,000 was completely trapped within the base.


    "Looks like the little female cat is right. Gunda was completely surrounded," said Zhang Bao''er angrily.


    "I did not expect Maley to be so ambitious. I had thought that he only wanted to destroy a few groups from among the reinforcements, not the entire army," I said as I looked at the projection.


    "Anxashe, how many soldiers does Kenante still have? Can you ask for reinforcements from the king? With the mere 600 soldiers we have here, we won''t be able to defeat an army so big," said Baron Sisse.


    "Kenante has a total of 100,000 soldiers, but they are scattered in various locations to avoid barbarian ambushes. It will take quite a while to gather them. They won''t make it in time," said Anxashe.


    "Even if they can''t make it, they have to try to make it. We need to send a message to the king immediately. I believe he won''t stay still as 30,000 of his soldiers are wiped out," said Baron Sisse.


    Following Baron Sisse''s order, Coco picked two soldiers from his Youth Guards to be messengers while Anxashe delivered the news back to Gero City using his mechanical bird.


    "Canyue, we have an update from the base. The barbarians have stopped their assault and are instead maintaining an encirclement around the base," said Kelly after receiving the latest news from Zhang Xingxing.


    "Alright. I''m not too worried about the base yet. Even if they can''t keep it, Zhang Xingxing and the others will be able to easily retreat with the ship. The enemy probably halted their attack to wait for Gunda''s destruction. That way, they will be able to take the base effortlessly," I said.


    Suddenly, the sound of concentrated explosions came from afar.


    "That''s the sound of the barbarian army''s explosive arrows. Looks like the attack is starting," said Wind Spirit.


    "What should we do now? Do we keep going, or do we wait for reinforcements?" asked Kelly.


    Everyone looked at me.


    "Keep going. We''ll make a decision after taking a look at the battlefield," I decided.


    With the order given, the group continued onward. As we advanced, the sounds of explosion became louder and louder. We could also hear the sounds of people roaring while fighting. We hid on a mountain near the barbarians'' base. A slaughter was unfolding before our eyes.


    The terrain of the barbarians'' base was similar to Gero City and was built in a basin to avoid the rumbling sound from the planet''s core. However, this basin wasn''t as deep. Thus, they did not need elevators to enter and leave the basin. Instead, they utilized the two roads leading into the basin to move in and out.


    The barbarians had sealed the two roads. Their archers and a large number of offensive equipment were lined around the edge as they madly fired into the basin. They held the complete upper hand while the Wargod army that had been lured into the basin was being slaughtered helplessly.


    I could see numerous corpses of the Wargod soldiers piled on the road directly in front of us. While we watched, around 200 Wargod soldiers were assembled into a suicide squad to attack the blockade. They were all killed in only a few minutes.


    "Sigh. This is not how war should be fought. What a complete waste. This is too hurtful to watch." I was extremely vexed by what I saw.


    "What are you being so stressed about?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "That''s my army! That''s my army! How can I not feel distressed? We still need them to help us with the beast army!" I replied.


    "If this continues, it is only a matter of time before the army is wiped out. Canyue, you need to think of something," said Baron Sisse.


    "It won''t be easy. Maley does not intend to capture them. He only wants to kill them all to scare the other Kenante armies," said Wind Spirit.


    "Canyue, I''ll go with my Youth Guards and ambush the blockade on the road from behind them to help open a path for the trapped soldiers," volunteered Coco when he saw so many of his comrades dying.


    "No. There are three blockade layers. At a glance, there are roughly 5,000 barbarians. Your team of only 500 people won''t be able to break through," Old Du objected.


    "From how this looks, Gunda''s army won''t be able to last long. Anxashe, can you send a message to Gunda? Let him know that we''re here and are trying to help them out," I said.


    "As long as they have a surviving mechanical bird, they will be able to receive my message. I''ll try to establish communication," said Anxashe.


    "Canyue, I have an idea," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We don''t have time to waste. If you have an idea, say it," I urged him.


    He gave a bad idea, "We can try to blast a way open with our nuclear warheads."


    "No. What are you thinking? Nuclear warheads will also kill the Wargod soldiers in the basin. The two armies are in close proximity. It will only work if you can get me one of those contained explosion warheads we saw on Eternal. Too bad we don''t have any here," said Domo.


    "Not even the contained explosion warhead will work. It will cause too many casualties," I said.


    "Canyue, you''re being too conservative. People will die in war. Furthermore, we are just watching as Gunda''s soldiers are being slaughtered. There are 30,000 lives there. What will you do if all of them are killed?" objected Zhang Bao''er loudly.


    His words stunned me. However, I still did not wish to use any weapons of mass destruction.


    "Canyue, I can''t contact Gunda''s army," Anxashe returned with yet another piece of bad news.


    "I have an idea. It is risky, but it might reduce the number of casualties," I finally said.


    "What is it? Say it!" urged Zhang Bao''er.


    While everyone was anxiously waiting for me to speak, I suggested, "I''ll pay the barbarians'' command center a visit and personally meet Maley. I hope that Wind Spirit can go with me as well."


    "Are you mad? You must have gone crazy! Who do you think you are? You just defeated him. How do you think you''re going to convince him to let go of this victory? That will be suicide! He will just kill you to further raise the morale of his army!" Zhang Bao''er objected.


    "At this point, we have no other options. We are lucky to be alive until this point. Also, I believe Nommo''s predictions are still guiding me forward. I believe this is not where my journey ends," I said.


    "It''s true that we don''t have a better alternative. With the 600 soldiers on our side, it is impossible for us to break through the encirclement. I''m willing to go with Canyue," said Baron Sisse.


    "I''m willing to go with Canyue as well," said Old Du.


    Everyone started offering to go with me. Zhang Bao''er stopped arguing when he saw that everyone else was supportive of my plan. He even offered to go with me as well. One would never be able to doubt his loyalty as a friend.


    "No, we don''t need so many of you to go. I already have a team in mind," I said.


    Everyone focused on me. At this moment, nobody was afraid of death. Rather, everyone was valiantly offering themselves to achieve a merit that would undoubtedly be grand.


    "Baron Sisse, Wind Spirit, and Master Crystal will go with me. Everyone else, remain hidden. Do not do anything without my order," I gave my final command.

 CH 160

    "But how do we go? How do we enter the encirclement?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Just pretend you''re my captives. I''ll take you straight to Maley," suggested Wind Spirit.


    "We can. We will be unarmed. Wind Spirit can take a ray pistol and take us over as captives," I agreed.


    The three of us moved to the side and had a short discussion to set up a plan. After putting our arms away, we had Wind Spirit escort us over.


    "Wind Spirit, protect Canyue and the others. I''ll be counting on you," said Dondon before we left.


    "Don''t worry, Dondon, the abandoned one. I''ll do my best to protect them," promised Wind Spirit with a nod.


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    With all preparations in place, the four of us put on our concealment cloaks and walked to the main road leading toward the barbarian warriors. That way, we wouldn''t expose the hidden army when we showed ourselves.


    After leaving the hiding spot, we removed our cloaks and strutted on the road, attempting to attract the attention of the barbarian scouts. The mechanical birds in the sky immediately noticed us. About 10 of the birds descended and started scanning us while hovering above us. The results of their scan were then sent back to their command center.


    Shortly after, about a dozen mechanical dogs ran out of the encirclement and ran toward us. In less than three minutes, we were surrounded, and the dogs were maintaining an offensive stance. We were acting cautiously. Even though we were unarmed, we still had our morph-capable defensive system protecting our safety.


    "What are you looking at? I am an imperial military observer. Tell Maley to send a car to pick me up. I''m getting tired from all the walking," Wind Spirit suddenly demanded from one of the mechanical birds.


    ''This little girl is imposing wherever she goes. It truly is different to be someone with status and power,'' I thought enviously.


    The mechanical bird seemed to have sent the message back; shortly after, a wagon pulled by a walking mechanical bird walked out of the encirclement. The wagon reached us quickly, and a burly barbarian warrior leaped off it. Behind the warrior was a female barbarian who looked young and kindly. She was not clad in armor nor was she armed.


    "Princess, it''s really you! I thought something bad had happened to you!" said the female barbarian joyfully.


    "How can this princess fall so easily? Dayu, help me get on the wagon. My legs are so sore," ordered Wind Spirit without a trace of hesitation.


    The barbarian called Dayu immediately lifted Wind Spirit with both her hands and placed Wind Spirit onto the wagon''s main seat. The three of us watched on with astonishment, not knowing what to do.


    "What are you looking at? Get in. This Dayu is my nanny. Maley assigned her as my personal maid," said Wind Spirit.


    The three of us climbed onto the wagon and squeezed ourselves onto the narrow seat in the back. Then, the mechanical bird pulled us toward the barbarian encampment.


    "I did not expect us to get in so easily." Baron Sisse rejoiced.


    "It''s all thanks to the imposing status of this princess," bragged Wind Spirit without even looking back at us.


    The wagon brought us through layers of the barbarians'' defensive lines. I found that not only had they completely surrounded Gunda''s army, but they had even built numerous sturdy defensive fortifications. Breaking out was basically impossible. After about 10 minutes, our wagon arrived before a massive tent.


    "Canyue, we defeated Maley not long ago. When we meet him later, be smart about how you act. Do not pour oil on fire and further anger him," whispered Master Crystal.


    I nodded. I did not believe that I would die under this barbarian''s hands. A barbarian warrior opened the wagon door. Dayu leaped off the wagon and carried Wind Spirit toward the tent. The three of us promptly followed behind them.


    The tent was guarded by a group of burly warriors. I recognized three of them from the battle earlier, including the big guy who had smashed through the shield formation. All of them were glaring at us furiously.


    "I have a really bad feeling about this," I said to Master Crystal.


    "Maintain calm and counter every move as it comes," replied Master Crystal.


    A barbarian warrior stepped forth and thoroughly searched us. Because we had already disarmed ourselves, the warrior did not discover any dangerous weapons, but he discovered Bulu when he opened my backpack.


    "What is this?" questioned the warrior as he showed Bulu to me.


    I discovered that Bulu was still sleeping, showing no sign of waking up.


    "This is a flexible workout ball. I use it to train my waist every night before sleeping. Look at my body, I''m getting fat," I lied as I pointed at my belly.


    "Workout ball?" muttered the guard as he pinched Bulu. When he saw that Bulu was indeed quite flexible, he handed the backpack back to me.


    With the inspection done, we entered the tent. I immediately noticed Maley, who was seated on a massive chair.


    "Princess Wind, I''m glad to see you''re fine," said Maley while standing up, completely ignoring the three of us.


    "You guys actually abandoned me back there and didn''t retreat with me! The empire will hear of this!" scolded Wind Spirit furiously.


    "It was a big misunderstanding. At the time, we believed you had perished. When we scanned your corpse¡ªI mean body¡ªamong the archers, we found no signs of life. Only then did we leave," Maley hurriedly explained.


    ''This guy is blatantly lying. They had probably escaped without searching. The tranquilizers won''t remove one''s signs of life,'' I thought.


    "Even if I were dead, you can''t just leave my corpse to the enemy! You barbarians really need to be taught a lesson! You think you can conquer the universe after we provide you with a tiny bit of military strength?" Wind Spirit continued arguing.


    "I would not dare. Princess, no matter how brave I am, I wouldn''t dare. I''ll still be counting on you to take care of our weak community," said Maley with a smiling face.


    I was somewhat relieved to see the strong grip Wind Spirit had over Maley. From how oppressive she was behaving, with her protection, Maley probably wouldn''t dare to do anything to us. Only after Maley was done coaxing Wind Spirit did he raise his head and look at us with disregard.


    "Men, kill these three," ordered Maley with an uncaring tone.


    Six burly warriors responded loudly and rushed into the tent to take us out.


    "Hold! There is a reason you need to keep us alive!" I roared before looking at Wind Spirit.


    Wind Spirit was in the middle of happily eating a large piece of bread given to her by her nanny, so she wasn''t even paying any attention to us. Instead, the surrounding barbarians were the ones who were looking at us coldly.


    "Many of the barbarian warriors are still alive from the earlier battle with the ambush. We had attacked with tranquilizers. There are a lot of survivors," I added.


    Maley blanked out upon hearing my words.


    "What did you do to the unconscious soldiers?" questioned one of them loudly.


    "They are being treated well. The Wargod soldiers are looking after them. They will be able to return soon," I hurriedly replied.


    "Drag them out and kill them," ordered Maley coldly.


    We grew anxious.


    "Chief Maley, you might not care much for what Canyue is offering, but I have something you need," Master Crystal suddenly said.


    Maley waved his hand, stopping the warriors in their steps.


    ''I reckon Maley is more concerned about Master Crystal since he looks related to Wind Spirit,'' I thought.


    "From your appearance, you must be from the princess''s race. Out of respect for the princess, I''ll give you one more chance to speak," said Maley, confirming my guess.


    "Don''t worry about me. Do whatever you want, Chief," said Wind Spirit, who was actually adding salt to the wound.


    Surprisingly, Maley ignored Wind Spirit and continued staring at Master Crystal.


    "I heard that your soldiers were cloned with the help of the Sacred Wing race. Is that true?" asked Master Crystal.


    "Yes. You''re quite well-informed, Master. You look like someone who has been in the empire for a very long time. You must know the Sacred Wing race well," said Maley.


    "I wouldn''t say I know them well, but I am indeed familiar with many of their tricks. Since ancient times, the Sacred Wing race has been known for their ability to produce controlled armies. Any army they produce will be fully submissive to them. These soldiers of yours are probably not really yours, am I right?" Master Crystal mentioned something crucial.


    Maley trembled slightly. Evidently, that was truly his sore spot.


    "Continue," Maley said coldly.


    "When I arrived, I had observed the outer encirclement and the blockade at the main road. All of them are unfamiliar warriors. They must be clones. Some of the ones around this tent are those we had seen during the ambush. Clearly, you don''t fully trust those clones either, Chief," said Master Crystal, whose tone was becoming more and more confident.


    "They are all barbarians, so they are all my people. Trust is naturally not an issue. My army has just returned from a big battle, so they need rest. It is only natural that I have the well-rested clones do the heavy lifting. We will be able to better defeat our enemies that way," replied Maley confidently.


    "No, not at all. You might not be aware of this, but you and your actual people are in grave danger, Chief," said Master Crystal as he shook his head.


    "What danger? Explain," said Maley as he took a seat. He was somewhat surprised to see how solemn Master Crystal was.


    Initially, Wind Spirit was ignoring the conversation while she ate, but at this point, she also stopped eating. Although she still had her back to us, she was clearly paying attention now.

 CH 161

    "All soldiers forged by the Sacred Wing race will remain under their control, especially for clone soldiers like what you received from them. The Sacred Wing race has full control over them through the genetic locks in their bodies," said Master Crystal.


    "Genetic locks? Where were the locks installed?" asked Maley in astonishment.


    "Here," Master Crystal pointed at Maley''s head.


    "Master, can you tell me more? I apologize for being rude earlier," said Maley, who was starting to get nervous.


    "I''ve been standing for too long. My lips are parched, and I''m even feeling light-headed from all the standing. I can''t talk anymore," Master Crystal started acting up.


    ''Sigh. Why are these cats all the same?'' I thought with a sigh.


    "Yes, that''s my mistake. Men, get our guests seated and serve them some food and drinks," ordered Maley loudly.


    The warriors that had been listening to Master Crystal understood why Maley was nervous. The issue also concerned their survival. Thus, they worked quickly to carry some seats in and fill the table with food and drinks.


    Looking at the grass and worms on the table, Master Crystal started cursing inwardly. He decided to take a sip from the yellow beverage, but a look of suffering covered his face the moment he tasted it. Both Baron Sisse and I lost all interest in the food and drinks before us.


    "Get me a piece of that bread as well," demanded Master Crystal as he pointed at Wind Spirit''s bread.


    With a gesture from Maley, the nanny, Dayu, hurriedly took out a piece of bread from her backpack and handed it over. Master Crystal took the bread, and under Wind Spirit''s furious gaze, he started eating.


    "During the birth of these clones, the Sacred Wing race had altered a part of their genes. Thus, there exists a unique command that they will obey unconditionally. The moment the command is issued, they will fall under the control of the one who issued the command. In other words, the Sacred Wing race can easily control the course of this battle," said Master Crystal.


    Chief Maley broke out in cold sweat upon hearing that. He could no longer sit still.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "Yes, that sounds about right. I heard before that some among the Wargods also have a close connection with the Sacred Wing race. Based on what I know about Emperor Fille, he will definitely not allow you to become the sole hegemon of this planet," added Baron Sisse, further piling onto Maley''s worries.


    "Damn it! I knew those bastards were crafty! Ever since we started working together, the Sacred Wing race has never shown me any respect. Even when delivering the clones, they did not bother showing themselves. All that was left was a letter from their elder," said Maley.


    "Oh? You got a letter? What''s in the letter?" asked Master Crystal.


    "Only three words. Kill without mercy," said Maley furiously.


    "What does that mean?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "What else? They want me to wipe Gunda''s army and leave no survivors," said Maley.


    "Have you repeated the order to your soldiers?" Master Crystal hurriedly asked.


    "Yes, the first thing I did was send the order to all the soldiers and have them follow it," said Maley. From his voice, he was starting to panic.


    "Shit!" Master Crystal exclaimed. This was not a word anyone here wanted to hear from him at this moment.


    "What is it, Master? Tell me!" Maley asked. It even sounded like he was about to cry, showing a completely different appearance than the cold and valiant warrior that I saw earlier.


    ''Looks like this fellow is quite weak on the inside,'' I thought, feeling somewhat glad to see how he was behaving.


    "Those words are none other than the command for the genetic lock. The moment you uttered them, the clones'' secret order was activated," said Master Crystal in an unhurried manner.


    "And what is the secret order, exactly?" asked Maley.


    "Kill without mercy. You have your answer. Anyone apart from the clones is to be killed without mercy," said Master Crystal bluntly.


    The barbarians present could no longer keep their calm. The soldiers of Gunda''s army were not the only ones surrounded. The barbarian army was similarly surrounded by clones.


    "The Sacred Wing race is achieving two goals with one move. What a ruthless move. With this move, they can not only eliminate those loyal to the king but also get rid of the biggest resistance on the planet, the barbarians," said Baron Sisse.


    "I have a question. Why are Emperor Fille and the Sacred Wing race so sure that Maley would utter the command out loud? Also, how would they know about Maley''s military operation?" I asked.


    "Hehe, you''re still too inexperienced, young man. This entire operation is basically part of Emperor Fille''s schemes. Even if Maley had not uttered the command, there would be someone to bait the words out of his mouth," said Master Crystal confidently.


    "You mean there is a spy from the Sacred Wing race around me? Who is it? I''ll dig him out!" said Maley ruthlessly after recollecting himself.


    "Who else? Her," Master Crystal pointed at Wind Spirit.


    "Old fart, what in the world are you saying? Just because I didn''t help you earlier, you''re trying to frame me with such a big lie?" argued Wind Spirit in an agitated manner.


    Wind Spirit did not look like she was lying to me.


    "You''re accusing the princess? But that doesn''t seem likely. She is here mainly to observe. Everything I have done was in accordance with my own thoughts and unrelated to her," said Maley with a shake of his head.


    "Yes, she hadn''t participated in your planning, but she has been constantly sending information about you to the empire. They can easily build their plans around what you''re doing," said Master Crystal, presenting a convincing argument that nobody could argue against.


    "Assumptions! You''re basing everything on pure assumptions! My task has always been to observe and report what I see to the empire. I haven''t participated in any military operation or planning," Wind Spirit continued arguing resolutely.


    "The more you say that, the more you prove that I''m right. With your character, you will definitely do the opposite of what your father wanted you to do. Based on what I know about him, he must have reminded you repeatedly to not accurately report what you see. But you''re young and rebellious. You refuse to listen to your father and are instead loyal to the emperor. Thus, you have been reporting everything as accurately as you can," said Master Crystal loudly.


    That was enough to stun Wind Spirit. She loosened her grip on the bread in her hand, and it dropped to the ground. Without a doubt, Master Crystal was completely right. Emperor Fille had known how she would act and had made full use of her. In terms of grasping someone''s personality, the emperor was among the best.


    "Princess, is your kin telling the truth?" asked Maley.


    "I don''t know. My head hurts. I believe he is wrong, but my father did tell me repeatedly to not report the truth before I left. I don''t know anymore," said Wind Spirit as she covered her ears and shook her head madly.


    "What should we do now?" asked Maley helplessly.


    This was our chance for a comeback. Just as I was about to speak, one of Maley''s guards stepped forth.


    "Chief, you''re being silly! Gunda''s army is already on the brink of destruction while you''re here letting this old cat confuse your mind. It doesn''t matter if he''s telling the truth. We''ll kill them first before going out to take care of the mess. I''ll personally crush all traitors for you!" said the guard confidently.


    "What is your aim? Who''s the boss here? Why are you in such a rush to kill them? Do you have a hidden goal? Killing them will make it even easier for the clones to destroy us. With me out of the way, you''ll be able to rise up and take my position, right?" Maley said, turning into his same cold-leader self.


    The guard was greatly frightened by Maley''s words and hurriedly knelt onto the ground and started apologizing. Many leaders did not mind bowing to external parties but would be unwilling to let go of their power internally. Maley was one of them.


    "Master, do you have any way to help us?" Maley ignored the kneeling guard and turned around to look at Master Crystal.


    "The most important thing for us to do is to stop the attack on Gunda''s army. After all, your army will be the next target after the clones destroy Gunda''s army," suggested Master Crystal.


    "There is a commander called Dilo among the clones. He is in charge of the assault," said Maley.


    "Call him over and order him to stop. If he refuses, arrest him immediately. Remember, remove his communicator before he enters the tent," said Master Crystal.


    Maley looked at a guard beside him, sending the guard to carry out the task.


    Wind Spirit was still staring blankly ahead, so Master Crystal comforted her, "Girl, stop worrying. You did nothing wrong here. You were merely being manipulated by the emperor."


    "I''m not worried. I''m merely recalling all the events that transpired after I landed on this planet. I did discover some oddities. For some reason, I was able to constantly and randomly receive new information. From my time with the Kenante Kingdom until my time with the barbarians, a secret force seems to be steadily guiding me forward," said Wind Spirit.


    "Hehe, you''re still young. Be patient and learn more from your old man. I''ll teach you more in the future if we get the chance," said Master Crystal.


    "Reporting to the chief, the commander of the special forces, Dilo, is here," a loud voice came from outside the tent.


    "Come in," said Maley.


    A barbarian commander without his communicator and weapon walked in. Unlike the other barbarians who were darker in tone, this barbarian commander had fairer skin, which was the result of spending a prolonged amount of time outside the Wargod race''s home planet.


    "Chief Maley, the fighting is intense. Why did you call me back so urgently? Is there a new order?" asked Dilo.


    "It''s nothing too important. Commander Dilo and our brothers have been working hard. Gunda''s army is encircled and out of supply. It is only a matter of time before they fall. I believe we don''t need to rush the attack. We need to treasure the lives of our soldiers. I intend to keep them trapped and let time do the job for us by starving them to death," said Maley in an unhurried manner.


    "Chief, the enemy army is on the verge of collapse. They have no combat strength to speak of. Give us three more hours. I guarantee none of them will survive. We can''t let go of this precious opportunity. Even if we attack now, we won''t have many casualties. Letting them recuperate will only lead to higher casualties down the road," argued Dilo. Unsurprisingly, he refused to obey the new order.


    When Maley heard Dilo''s rejection, he recalled Master Crystal''s words. A murderous look covered his face.


    Holding himself back from flipping out, Maley said coldly, "We''re at war. During war, the commander''s orders are absolute. How can I continue leading the army in the future if I obtain victory due to a disobedient soldier?"


    Dilo stared at Maley incredulously before saying, "Yes, superior. I''ll notify the soldiers to stop attacking."


    I was relieved to hear that. At the very least, we were able to stop the battle. It would seem that this mission wasn''t as hard as Master Crystal had guessed. After finishing his words, Dilo turned around to leave.


    "Men, arrest Commander Dilo," ordered Maley coldly.

 CH 162

    "Chief Maley, what are you doing? We have been fighting for you. Why are you arresting me?" shouted Dilo, unable to accept how he was being treated.


    "Why? Because you''re defecting," replied Maley coldly.


    "That is a baseless accusation!" shouted Dilo.


    "Baseless my ass. Lock him up," ordered Maley. Dilo was dragged away by several burly guys.


    "Who will order the clones to stop if he''s arrested? You guys are too full of yourselves," said Wind Spirit, who was slowly calming down.


    Everyone blanked out. True. Without Dilo, who would pass on the order?


    "Hakan, why don''t you go?" said Maley toward the guard still kneeling on the ground.


    "This mission is too important. This lowly one does not dare to take it. I only know how to charge and break through enemy lines. Something like this is beyond me, Chief," said Hakan. He seemed to have smartened up incredibly quickly after his small lesson.


    Maley was happy with the smart reply and said, "Stand up. What are you doing staying on the floor?"


    Hakan breathed out in relief and hurriedly got back on his feet.


    "We can''t delay the ceasefire. Someone needs to notify the attacking forces to stop immediately. We also need someone to bring the message of the ceasefire to Gunda''s army," said Maley.


    "I believe Wind Spirit and Canyue are the best candidates. They will bring the message to the clone soldiers and Gunda''s army," suggested Master Crystal.


    "I''ll go with Canyue," Baron Sisse volunteered.


    "How about this? Princess Wind Spirit, the baron, Canyue, and Hakan will spread the message. The master will stay with me," Maley decided.


    Clearly, he was keeping Master Crystal at his side to have a hostage to keep us in check.


    "Canyue, Baron, go. I''ll be fine here. End the battle as soon as you can to avoid further casualties," said Master Crystal.


    The four of us did not waste any time. We left the tent and went toward the blockaded main road. After leaving the barbarian encampment, we arrived at the area guarded by the clone soldiers. Compared with the barbarian encampment, the military fortifications there were obviously stricter and finer. The clone soldiers had gone through a long and comprehensive training. Their discipline was much higher than the barbarians'' coarse battle tactics.


    With Wind Spirit walking in front of us, all the soldiers parted to make way because they all knew her. The nearer we got to the main road, the more people we saw. Countless soldiers had surrounded the road, ensuring that escape was impossible.


    After walking through layer upon layer of soldiers, we arrived before a large platform from which the main road could be seen clearly. With one look, I saw over a thousand Wargod corpses piled up at the crossing, and the ground was flooded by blood. This was an extremely cruel battle. An ox-headed warrior that looked like a military leader noticed us and immediately walked toward us.


    "Superiors, this is the front line. There might be stray arrows anywhere. It''s too dangerous. Please leave immediately," said the military leader.


    "We''re not here for an inspection. We''re here to bring the message of ceasefire from Chief Maley and Commander Dilo," said Wind Spirit.


    "Ceasefire? Before he left, Commander Dilo had prepared several offensive plans. He said that no matter what time he returns, we are to attack after 60 minutes. We are only 27 minutes away from the deadline. Without Commander Dilo''s direct order, the offensive won''t stop," replied the military leader.


    All four of us were stunned. So Dilo actually had a backup plan. He had actually arranged it before leaving.


    "Commander Dilo is in the middle of discussing an even bigger operation after receiving an urgent message from the empire. The four of us are sent to bring his message. You need to halt the offensive immediately, or you''ll be punished for insubordination," said Baron Sisse.


    "Superior, it''s not that I''m unwilling to stop. The clone soldiers can only be ordered by the highest commander. Without Dilo''s direct authorization, the soldiers won''t even listen to me," explained the military leader with a helpless face.


    "This is going to be troublesome. We need Dilo himself to give the order to cease the attack," I said to Wind Spirit.


    "What should we do now?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "What else? Go back first and have Dilo issue the order. We don''t have much time left. Let''s go," said Wind Spirit.


    We turned to leave the platform. At the same moment, Gunda''s army launched another suicide attack. I was saddened to see the sight of the Wargod soldiers dropping one after another. I couldn''t bring myself to keep looking, so I averted my gaze and hastened my footstep from this slaughterhouse. But I noticed something wrong only a few steps later.


    "Wind Spirit, Baron, that Hakan fellow is gone. He''s not coming with us," I said anxiously.


    "Shit. I was focused on the suicide charge, so I didn''t notice what Hakan was doing," said Baron Sisse.


    "This is bad. The three of us are unarmed and the situation is dangerous. We must leave immediately," I ordered.


    We started running toward Maley''s tent, but as we ran, sounds of disturbance erupted behind us.


    "Run!" I said loudly.


    "Arrest them! Don''t let them escape!" A shout came from behind us.


    Several burly figures promptly stood in our path. A massive hammer then came swinging toward my face. With my morph-capable shield on, I leaped to the right. The hammer landed on the ground beside me, creating a deep crater.


    A group of burly ox-headed warriors stood before us. With our builds and martial skills, we were completely not their match. Without our weapons, we cut sorry figures as we tried to deal with them. The ox-headed warriors were able to surround us, cutting all paths of escape.


    "Capture all three of them. I want them alive," Hakan''s voice rang out behind us.


    "Hakan! You dare rebel against Maley? You''re dead!" Wind Spirit scolded furiously.


    "Hmph! How would a princess like you understand my struggles? There is no turning back for me. If you obediently surrender, I won''t make things hard for you. You can help me eliminate Maley and get the empire to grant me an official position. I''ll be willing to spare Gunda and even lead the barbarians in surrendering to the Kenante Kingdom and ending the war," said Hakan. That was quite an attractive offer.


    "Deal!" Wind Spirit agreed without any hesitation.


    Both Baron Sisse and I gasped in shock. This little fellow was way too prone to changing her stance. The straightforward answer stunned the clone soldiers. The ox-headed giants around us were looking rather awkward because they didn''t know if they should now attack or not. The crowd parted, allowing Hakan and the military leader to approach us.


    "Welcome to the side of justice. I have successfully convinced Commander Lipu to delay the attack for an hour. We must make full use of this break to take down Maley and his command. We also need to rescue Chief Commander Dilo," said Hakan.


    "What a surprise. How did a coarse soldier like you explain something so complicated to the clones in such a short period of time?" said Wind Spirit with derision.


    "My apologies. I had practiced this plan many times in my head. I was merely reenacting all my practice runs in real time. Are you going to work with us? If yes, be cooperative. If not, we will arrest you immediately," threatened Hakan.


    "Didn''t this princess agree? What devious plan are you cooking now?" said Wind Spirit. Despite agreeing to cooperate, Wind Spirit''s mouth was still as unforgiving as ever.


    "Return with this Blueling and tell Maley that we have notified both sides of the ceasefire. Invite Gunda to the front line. I''ll arrest him when he''s here," said Hakan.


    "Do you think Maley is a fool? How would he enter the clone army''s camp so easily? He would ask to have Gunda sent to him instead of coming out to meet him," said Wind Spirit, pointing out the weak point of the plan.


    ''Looks like this girl is still able to stay rational in emergencies,'' I praised inwardly.


    "That''s your problem. I don''t care. You''ll bring Maley here or the baron will be facing threats to his life," threatened Hakan.


    "Hahaha. How laughable. Why do I care about the so-called baron? Feel free to kill him right now," said Wind Spirit uncaringly.


    "No, I''ll go meet Maley and try something," I said.


    "You only have an hour. After that hour is over, the final offensive will begin. At that time, I will no longer be able to protect the baron. Pace yourself accordingly," said Hakan.


    Then, two burly clone soldiers walked up and dragged the baron back. I nodded at the baron. I would never abandon a comrade-in-arms. Wind Spirit and I returned to Maley''s tent. Along the way, both of us were deep in silent contemplation.


    The situation here had undergone several reversals, such as betrayal, reverse betrayal, encirclement, and reverse encirclement. This was the most complicated scenario I had ever encountered, but with both of my comrades stuck in two different camps, I had to think of a way to rescue both of them.


    At that thought, I suddenly recalled the 600 soldiers we had hiding. I needed to send them an update on the situation. Slowly, a plan formed in my mind. It did not take us long to be back in Maley''s command tent.


    "You''re back so fast? The fight hasn''t even stopped yet. Huh? Where''s the baron and Hakan?" asked Maley in astonishment.


    "Hakan has defected and joined the clones. He''s coming for you soon," I hurriedly said before Wind Spirit could open her mouth.


    "What?" Maley stood up in alarm.


    "I doubt his betrayal is something he just came up with. From his words, I can feel that he has been plotting this for a very long time," I said, exerting even more pressure on Maley.


    By my side, Wind Spirit looked at me in confusion. She did not know what I was trying to do, so she kept winking at me. However, I acted like I didn''t notice her.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "It''s my fault for letting that fake kid fool me. I should have gotten rid of him long ago," said Maley with regret.


    "Chief, the baron is in Hakan''s hands. We must make a move immediately, or our friend''s life will be in danger," I said.


    "Hero Canyue, what plan do you have? Tell me. We''re completely surrounded by clones and won''t be able to break out. Hakan also knows the situation here well. He will not let go of such a good opportunity to defeat us," said Maley as he slumped down in a vexed manner.


    "I have an idea to help you break free, but I need your army''s cooperation," I said.


    "What is it? Tell me!" said Maley. Some light returned to his eyes upon hearing that I had a solution.


    A frantic guard rushed into the tent and reported, "Reporting to the chief, the clone soldiers are slowly shifting their positions. Their new defensive positions seem to be aimed against us."


    "Looks like Hakan is already making his move. Hero Canyue, what idea do you have? Say it already," Maley urged.


    "Give me a communicator. My army is lying in ambush on a mountain outside. Wind Spirit will meet Hakan with me later to tell him that you have surrendered. But I''m sure he won''t have the guts to come meet you. He will demand that you go to him instead. I will try to convince him to prepare an empty passage among his clone army and let you go with your personal guards to surrender with your dignity intact. Since he''s also running out of time, he will definitely move his army around. I will order my army to attack at that time and try to create an opening in the encirclement. You and your army will attack from the inside and try to escape during the chaos," I said.


    "Canyue, why don''t you use Hakan''s plan against him? Just tell him we have successfully tricked Maley out," asked Wind Spirit in confusion.


    "Silly girl. Both you and Hakan know Chief Maley well. Would you or Hakan believe that Maley can be tricked so easily? That was merely an empty demand. Tricked or not, he only needs Maley out. If we really tell him that Chief Maley was tricked, he might grow suspicious and do something untoward," I explained.


    "In truth, Hakan made a major mistake. He didn''t need to make this so complicated. He should have just attacked," said Wind Spirit.


    "No, Hakan himself is worthless. The clone soldiers only care about Commander Dilo''s life. That is why they didn''t decide to attack," I explained.


    "Fine. We''ll follow this plan. I''ll need to trouble you both. Soldiers, bring me a communicator," said Maley decisively.


    A soldier came with a communicator. Master Crystal helped with changing the communicator to the correct frequency.


    "I have one more request," I suddenly said.


    "Hero, this is a critical moment. What request do you have? Just say it. I''ll try my best to help so long as it''s within my capability," promised Maley.


    "Ok. After breaking out, notify your soldiers to immediately stop fighting. Also, I need to borrow some soldiers from you. I intend to launch a surprise attack at an imperial base," I said.


    "The Divine Empire is trying to use someone else''s hand to kill me. Any operation against that dogshit emperor is an operation I''m more than happy to support," replied Maley furiously.


    With his promise, I picked up the communicator.


    "Anxashe, Zhang Bao''er, can you hear me?" I called out.


    "Yes, we hear you clearly. Canyue, how are things there?" came Zhang Bao''er''s excited voice.


    "I''m fine. Long story short, in a moment, I''ll need the team to launch a surprise attack. Have the crew prepare. Upon seeing my signal, attack in the direction of my signal, and when I withdraw, stop and pull back immediately," I ordered.

 CH 163

    "Order received. I''ll immediately prepare the team for battle," said Zhang Bao''er.


    My confidence was boosted by Bao''er''s promise. After the call, I left with Wind Spirit to meet Hakan again. Before leaving, Maley gave each of us a ray pistol. That was a sign of his trust in us. After passing through rows of soldiers, we stood before Hakan and Commander Lipu again.


    "That was quick. Where is Maley?" asked Hakan.


    "Brother, I already told Maley what''s going on. The situation is clear for all to see. He can either surrender or face destruction," I replied, completely ignoring Hakan''s idiotic plan.


    "Very good. Only an outstanding person is capable of recognizing and submitting to circumstances. What did Maley say?" asked Hakan. Obviously, he himself did not believe in the stupid plan he wanted us to carry out.


    "Chief Maley hopes to surrender with dignity. He will come with his personal guards. The rest of his soldiers will stay behind," I said.


    "I''m not convinced. Maley is not the kind of person to surrender so easily," said Hakan. It was obvious that inwardly, he was still terrified of Maley.


    "I can''t do anything if you refuse to believe me. Whatever you decide to do, the two of you will still need to meet at least once. Feel free to just attack if you don''t trust me," I refuted loudly.


    "We can''t attack! Commander Dilo is still with them. We must prioritize rescuing the commander," Lipu immediately objected.


    Hakan was starting to get swayed upon hearing Lipo''s objection.


    "Maley''s guards will be limited in number. Just tell him he can''t bring more than 10 people with him. Have him wait 50 meters away from the platform," said Hakan after finally deciding to face Maley.


    "Roger. I also need you to have the soldiers open a path for Maley and his people. I''ll notify Chief Maley to surrender," I said.


    And thus, Wind Spirit and I returned to Maley''s command tent.


    "Chief, everything is ready. Pick 10 guards to protect you. Wind Spirit and Master Crystal will remain and wait for my signal before leading the army here to break out. Remember, protect Commander Dilo well. He will be the perfect hostage for us," I said.


    "Hero Canyue, are you going with me?" asked Maley as he handed me a flare gun.


    "Yes. I''ll be going with you so that I can fire the signal," I said.


    "Excellent. I have notified the barbarian army to follow the order and attack after seeing the signal," said Maley.


    With everything in place, we left the tent. Waiting outside were 10 sturdy and fierce ox-headed warriors. The leader of these guards was a big guy with dark skin. He was none other than the warrior who had led the charge to break the Kenante army''s shield formation in the previous battle.


    "Gajin, a bloody battle might be waiting for us. Are you and your guard team afraid?" asked Maley as he looked at the dark-skinned big guy.


    "So long as I get to fight beside the chief, I won''t be afraid even if the sky collapses on me," said Gajin as his battle intent surged.


    "Good. Let us teach Hakan, the scum, a lesson," said Maley. With his command, the group marched forward with our heads held high.


    The surrounding soldiers were rather shaken by Maley''s imposing presence. As he walked, they parted to allow him passage. Before long, we arrived before the clones'' defensive perimeter.


    Following Hakan and Lipu''s order, the clone soldiers moved aside to allow us passage. We ignored the numerous clones around us and strutted forward. Shortly after, we reached a circular opening 50 meters away from the command platform. The clone soldiers had formed a small packet of encirclement in advance.


    "Hakan, I''m here. I thought you wanted to be a hero. Show yourself, coward. You can have my army. I was long tired of this position," said Maley loudly.


    "Chief, have your people lay down their arms. The moment that is done, we can begin our joyful negotiation," said Hakan while hiding behind the clone soldiers.


    "What a joke. You''re surrounding us with so many people. Why are you still afraid of our weapons? The blood of the Wargod race flows in our veins. Since ancient times, we never lay down our arms. Are you trying to break the tradition?" refuted Maley loudly.


    His words caused some disturbance among the soldiers. Even though they were clones, they still had the blood of the Wargod race in their veins. Laying down arms was the greatest insult to the honor of their kind. Thus, the clones also could not accept it.


    Surprised by how much Hakan feared Maley, the uproar among the clone soldiers grew.  Right at that moment, the crowd parted. Lipu and Hakan walked out of the encirclement. Following behind the two was Baron Sisse. The baron nodded at me, signaling that everything was fine.


    "Chief Maley, as per your request, we''re meeting face to face. You can officially hand your army over to me. We barbarians never go back on our words," said Hakan.


    "Hehe. Yes, we barbarians never go back on our words. But how can a liar like you call yourself a barbarian?" Maley sneered.


    ''Shit! Maley is going to ruin the plan. He''s a lying bastard himself. It''s pointless to provoke Hakan here,'' I thought.


    "No, I wouldn''t dare take the credit for that. When it comes to lying, I am nothing before a great liar like you, Chief. Now, we''ll have to see if you''re going to fulfill your promise," replied Hakan, conforming to my thoughts. At that moment, an ox-headed soldier stepped forth and whispered something into Lipu''s ear.


    "According to our initial plan, the attack on Gunda''s army will resume after 10 minutes," announced Lipu.


    ''This is bad. We''re running out of time. We need to start the operation immediately,'' I thought anxiously.


    Right after Lipu''s announcement, a peculiar scene appeared. Loud roars erupted from the other side of the encirclement. It almost seemed like Gunda''s army was launching an offensive to break free of the encirclement.


    "What is going on?" asked Lipu when he heard the noise.


    "This is bad, Commander. The surrounded Wargod soldiers are charging our blockade at the main road. About 10,000 of them are attacking together," reported a soldier anxiously.


    "What? An attack by 10,000 soldiers? Are they trying to kill themselves?" asked Lipu in astonishment.


    "Commander, ignore Gunda''s army. No matter how many people they throw at you, it''ll be the same as suicide. Deal with Maley first," said Hakan, pulling Lipu''s attention back to the issue at hand.


    I was pleasantly surprised to hear about the large-scale attack. It was like the heavens were helping me. This attack created a perfect opportunity for me. At that thought, I nodded at Maley and signaled him with my eyes.


    "Maley, what do you want? We don''t have the time to waste waiting for you to make your choice. Surrender or die," demanded Hakan loudly.


    "Surrender your mother," a loud roar rang out. Then, I saw Gajin toss a black lance at Hakan. The lance shot straight toward Hakan''s chest like a bolt of lightning.


    The move stunned all the surrounding clone soldiers. Gajin had actually attacked when there was no doubt that we were the ones in the inferior position, catching all the clones by complete surprise.


    However, Hakan was previously Maley''s guard and was an experienced combatant. He leaned to the side by instinct as the black lance passed by the spot less than two centimeters away from his body and stabbed into the clone soldier behind him.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    The lance was astonishingly powerful, killing the clone soldier before the clone could even make a sound. After several seconds of silence, an uproar erupted among the clones who had seen their comrade fall.


    "Kill them!" ordered Lipu.


    The clone soldiers raised their weapons and swarmed us.


    "Prepare for battle!" I roared as I aimed my ray pistol at one of the charging soldiers and pulled the trigger. I was able to penetrate the soldier''s shield after several shots and dropped the soldier.


    As the soldier fell, I saw Baron Sisse activate his morph-capable shield as he evaded the attacks from several clone soldiers, cutting quite a sorry figure.


    "Catch!" I shouted as I tossed a ray pistol at the baron.


    Baron Sisse caught the pistol and shot several times at a clone soldier before him. After dropping the soldier, he rushed to my side. The battlefield had turned into a chaotic melee. One ought to admit that Maley''s guards were exceptionally bold and powerful. They formed a formation and relied on their years of experience working together to fight madly.


    Although the clones had the numerical advantage, they were unable to unify their offensive. Because of that, they were unable to seize the initiative of the battle. Gajin was the bravest of them all. With his axe, he attacked furiously. He even left the formation several times due to his bloodlust and had to be called back by Maley.


    "Hero Canyue, you should be ordering your people to attack now, right?" asked Maley, breathing heavily from the fight.


    The battlefield around us was in chaos. The clones had separated their army due to the attack by Gunda''s army, so this was our best chance to break free. At that thought, I fired the flare into the sky without hesitation. After firing the flare signal, both the baron and I joined the battle. Now, all we could do was wait for an opening so that we could break free.


    In the sky, the mechanical birds of both parties were also engaged in a chaotic battle. Both sides were clearly marked by different emblems, and the barbarians were not disadvantaged in terms of the quantity of their mechanical birds. The battle in the sky was intense, and destroyed mechanical birds were constantly dropping down.


    Baron Sisse and I were both hidden right in the middle of the circular formation formed by Maley''s guards while we attacked with our ray pistols. After more than 10 minutes, the corpses of the clone soldiers had piled into a miniature hill around us.


    Admiringly, of the 10 guards, not one of them had fallen. Their combat strength and physical qualities are frighteningly strong. Suddenly, the clone soldiers around us pulled back, leaving a blank space in front of us.


    We couldn''t understand why they did that, but we grabbed the opportunity to take a short break. All the guards were breathing heavily. The short battle had been incredibly exhausting. The empty gap kept growing, eventually reaching a size of 30 square meters. Our circular formation was directly in the center of it.


    "What is Hakan doing this time? Everyone, be on alert and maintain the formation. Canyue, why is your army still not here?" asked Maley loudly.


    Only then did I notice that I had joined the battle the moment I fired the flare signal. I had not been communicating with Zhang Bao''er. At that thought, I took out the communicator the barbarians had given me from my backpack. I was about to contact Zhang Bao''er when I heard the sound of bows being pulled from behind the encirclement around us.

 CH 164

    "This is bad. The enemy is planning to rain arrows on us," I shouted.


    Maley''s guard did not have their handheld shields with them. If the rain of arrows was truly unleashed, all of us would be turned into pincushions. Right that moment, a dazzling explosion erupted from behind our enemy lines. The explosion affected the entire archer formation. A mechanical bird flew by above us. Atop the mechanical bird, Anxashe''s figure could be clearly seen.


    "The reinforcements are finally here!" I could finally heave a breath of relief.


    At that moment, the clone warriors demonstrated their excellent combat capabilities. Even under the fire of Anxashe''s explosive arrows, there were still dozens of arrows unleashed toward us.


    I immediately extended my morph-capable shield and blocked the arrows for everyone. Next, roars rang out behind the encirclement as the 7th Armored Division worked with the Youth Guards of the Wargods to launch a fierce assault on the clones.


    The clone army was obviously confused by the attacks coming from three directions; I could see the encirclement around us turning lax. At the same time, loud battle sounds also rang out somewhere behind us. The barbarian army had started attacking under Master Crystal''s command.


    The clone army devolved into further chaos. To the side was the 7th Armored Division attacking efficiently with cluster laser guns and some other firearms. To the outer defensive line, sounds of explosions and battle were approaching us.


    Suddenly, I saw a path open in the middle of the encirclement. Both Hakan and Lipu appeared from it and rushed us while brandishing their weapons. The clone soldiers were encouraged by the charge of their leader and had their morale boosted. Over a hundred clones charged toward us with them, trying to stamp us out with their numerical advantage.


    Chief Maley immediately reorganized his people. After the short break, the team of guards had recovered their combat strength. They sallied forth to meet the incoming clones. This time, the clone soldiers seemed to be rather determined to wipe us out.


    Although Gajin and the other guards fought valiantly, the clone soldiers were also fighting with no regard for their lives after the encouragement from Hakan and Lipu''s charge. An ox-headed soldier with a long, white beard fixed his gaze on me while I was busy shooting at the clones. With his massive blade, he charged toward me.


    A tiny opening had appeared in the formation around us, so the clone soldier used it to make a beeline for me. I shot repeatedly at him with my ray pistol, but the clone soldier nimbly shifted left and right to avoid all my shots.


    Just as the massive blade was about to reach my head, a lance flew out from beside me. The powerful force behind the toss pushed the lance right through the clone soldier''s handheld shield and pierced through his body.


    I looked back and saw that Coco had broken through the encirclement with his Youth Guards and had appeared beside us. Upon seeing me and the baron fighting alongside Maley, Coco blanked out slightly. But his nature as a Wargod did not question it too much. Rather, he continued attacking the clone soldiers around us. Under Coco''s furious assault, the clone soldiers sank into total chaos.


    "Canyue, I have arrived!" came a familiar voice. Zhang Bao''er appeared before my eyes. He tossed a cluster laser gun my way.


    With heavy weaponry in my hands, my confidence grew. The intense battle had given rise to my bloodlust as well, so I started madly shooting at our enemies. Firearms were much stronger than cold weapons. Under the 7th Armored Division''s assault, the encirclement formed by tens of thousands of clone soldiers was thrown into a mess by only several hundred soldiers. They were even forced to pull back. Hakan and Lipu were greatly shocked by what they saw. They started leading the clones in a slow retreat back to their command platform.


    "At this time, it is even more important that we do not let up on the pressure. We must follow up on victory and press home the advantage," I ordered Zhang Bao''er.


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    And thus, the army of over 600 soldiers marched forth toward the command platform. Near the command platform, I noticed that our side was slowly gaining the upper hand on the battlefield. Gunda''s army seemed to have discovered the disturbance among the clone army. They were attacking the blockade at the main road with all their strength. With the clones being forced to face enemies from two directions, the clone army''s formation grew even more disarrayed.


    Suddenly, hundreds of arrows dropped from the sky. The Youth Guards were busy attacking and weren''t able to notice them in time. Dozens were struck, and they fell onto the ground.


    The enemy archers had reassembled atop the command platform. Standing beside each archer was a shield bearer. The shock from the archers awakened the attacking soldiers from their furor. Waves of exhaustion washed over them, displaying the disadvantage of having inferior numbers.


    We were all anxious upon noticing that. Lin Feixue immediately arranged for mounted guns to be set up before unleashing a rain of bullets upon the archers. The enemy soldiers on the front line fell to the mounted guns in vast numbers, but the shield bearers were steadfastly protecting the archers. Just like that, the two parties started firing shots at each other.


    "This can''t continue. We will be exhausted to death. Can anyone create an opening?" asked Maley loudly.


    "Chief, I''ll go!" volunteered Gajin loudly.


    He had barely finished his words before he charged out while waving his axe around. Two other guards were also charging behind him. When the archers noticed the charging big guy, they unleashed a series of arrows at him. One of the guards following Gajin was struck and dropped to the ground. Meanwhile, Gajin''s axe was spinning rapidly like a propeller as he blocked all incoming arrows.


    Under a military officer''s command, the enemy archers slowly stabilized their formation. Not only were they attacking us, but they were also dealing massive damage to Gunda''s army. As Gunda''s army was further away from the clone army, the clone archers were even using explosive arrows on them.


    The bright explosions reaped lives mercilessly, perfectly showcasing the cruelty of war. As I observed the battlefield, a forceful arrow shot by my ear like a meteor, heading straight for the archers'' leader. The clone soldier beside the leader saw the attack and hurriedly raised his shield to block it.


    Surprisingly, the arrow was powerful and fast enough that the arrow shot through his shield and his neck before he could fully raise his shield, killing him instantly. Even more terrifying, the arrow continued onward toward the archer leader.


    The archers were already tired from the battle. When their leader fell, their morale suffered. Taking advantage of their loss of leadership, we launched another charge. It even seemed like we were going to succeed soon. When I looked back, I saw Anxashe firing his arrows repeatedly behind me.


    ''Anxashe''s archery is remarkable. I must think of a way to recruit him into the crew,'' I told myself.


    Meanwhile, relying on his powerful strength, Gajin tore open a gap in the shield formation. Fighting in a suicidal manner, Gajin madly slashed at the clone soldiers around him.


    The surrounding clones even seemed intimidated by his ferocity. They started retreating repeatedly. It was at that moment that Gajin took the chance to charge right into the archers'' formation.


    He was akin to a starving wolf intruding upon a flock of sheep. With a swing of his axe, a row of archers were killed. The Wargod and 7th Armored Division soldiers who witnessed that scene had their morale boosted. Everyone roared even louder as they attacked relentlessly. Finally, the archers on the platform also had their formation thrown into chaos.


    With the archers losing their ground, the clones blockading the main road started pulling back in scattered directions. Gunda''s army took the chance and attacked madly, finally creating an opening on their side.


    Coco and his Youth Guards noticed and immediately attacked the created opening. They enlarged the opening with everything they had while resisting the clone soldiers, allowing the Wargod soldiers to rush out.


    With that, Gunda''s army was finally able to join the helpers who had come to rescue them. Meanwhile, the clone soldiers farther behind us had also been thrown into chaos. It was obvious that the attack on Master Crystal''s side was also progressing smoothly.


    The encirclement was clearly on the verge of collapse. Suddenly, I saw a figure stealthily approaching Gajin from behind him. Gajin was busy fighting amid the enemy archers. Despite his sturdy body, the long battle had exhausted him. His movements were no longer as sharp as before.


    The sneaking figure was none other than Hakan. It was obvious he intended to stab Gajin from behind. The sounds of battle were too loud for me to notify Gajin. I hurriedly raised my laser gun and shot at Hakan. But he was too far away. All my shots were intercepted by the shieldbearers in the enemy army.


    I could only watch as the crafty Hakan approached Gajin from the back and threw a sharp spear forth. Gajin, who was busy fighting, also heard the incoming attack. He hurriedly dodged to the side, but the enemy was too near. Coupled with the strength and the speed of Hakan''s toss, the spear was able to stab into Gajin''s belly.


    And thus, the valiant warrior as heroic as Achilles himself was finally felled. The moment Gajin collapsed, Maley and the other guards roared with such desperation that one could hear their hearts breaking. Gajin was the bravest of Maley''s subordinates. Just like that, he had been taken down by an ambushing traitor.


    At that moment, an astonishing scene appeared. Gajin, who had fallen, stood back up while trembling and tossed his axe toward Hakan. Alas, the seriously injured Gajin was akin to an arrow at the end of its flight. Hakan was able to easily avoid the toss. Instead of Hakan being wounded, a random clone soldier behind him dropped to the ground.


    After tossing the axe out, Gajin could no longer hold on and collapsed onto the ground. The group of soldiers around Hakan immediately swarmed him. With that, a war god of a generation met his end.

 CH 165

    Gajin''s sacrifice did not change anything about the battle. The blockade on the main road had been fully blasted through by Gunda''s army. The trapped Wargod army started rushing outward under the cover of the Youth Guards.


    In the basin belonging to the barbarians, I saw a group of soldiers surrounding a familiar face as they charged outward. It was none other than Gunda, who was trying to break free under strict protections.


    "Canyue, time for us to withdraw. The enemies are reorganizing for a second attack," Old Du shouted to me.


    The battlefield was extremely chaotic. Master Crystal and the barbarian army he led had successfully broken free as well. They were rapidly escaping toward the forest at the back. At the same time, Gunda''s army had also broken free and was escaping in the opposite direction.


    However, the leaders of the well-trained clone soldiers were able to hurriedly reorganize the remaining half of their army. They were attempting to launch an organized assault on our side of the battlefield while we tried to break free.


    The withdrawal was progressing at a rapid pace. The speed of an escape would largely be faster than the speed of an organized march. Shortly after, Gunda appeared before me with a group of his guards.


    "I knew you were the one here to rescue us. Let''s retreat first. We''ll talk after we''re free," said Gunda with gratitude.


    Right at that moment, Gunda noticed Maley, who was madly attacking amid a crowd of enemies due to the sorrow of losing Gajin.


    "What is wrong with this fellow? Has he gone mad? He''s killing his own people," asked Gunda incredulously.


    "Grand Commander, let''s retreat first. I''ll explain to you after escaping," I reminded loudly.


    Gunda nodded as he led his people and continued to escape. Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and I charged through the chaotic melee to reach Maley''s side.


    "Chief, your army is withdrawing. We must retreat as well. If the enemies are able to reform the encirclement, things will become dangerous," I shouted to Maley.


    "Give me a moment. I''ll kill Hakan to avenge Gajin!" said Maley. He had lost his reason after losing Gajin.


    I took a look at Hakan and Lipu, who were being protected by more and more clone soldiers, and realized that it would be extremely difficult to take down Hakan for now. "Chief Maley, it is never too late for a gentleman to take revenge in the future. It hasn''t been easy for us to create this opening. We need to retreat before we can look for a chance to counterattack in the future. Hakan won''t escape you," I said.


    Upon hearing my words, Maley finally took a look at his final four remaining personal guards. The rate at which he was becoming exhausted had also reached a critical point.


    "I''ll let that traitorous Hakan live a few more days. Retreat!" said Maley furiously.


    Having reached an agreement, all our people charged outward. The 7th Armored Division and the Youth Guards were in charge of covering the soldiers'' retreat. Only after all of them retreated did the two groups begin to withdraw too. Withdrawing while fighting, we managed to safely escape the encirclement.


    "Old Du, Kelly, Lin Feixue, follow Gunda''s army and have him fulfill his promise as soon as possible. Everyone else, come with me. We''ll deal with Maley and his barbarian army. Maintain communication. 7th Armored Division, let''s go," I said.


    Old Du nodded at me. We split into two and started working in accordance with the plan.


    The two escaping armies entered the forest following two different routes, leaving the chaotic clone army and mountains of corpses behind. At that time, I noticed that the clone army had fully reorganized under the leadership of some leaders. I did some estimation and concluded that the clone army still had more than 45,000 people.


    ''What a pity that this army is controlled by a genetic lock and can''t be used by us,'' I thought. I hurriedly withdrew, preventing the enemy from forming a new encirclement around us.


    Taking Zhang Bao''er, Anxashe, and Baron Sisse with me, we moved rapidly along Maley''s route to reconvene with the barbarian army. The soldiers of the 7th Armored Division marched alongside us. At this time, Dondon and Domo, who were in charge of maintaining the communication network, rushed down the mountain to reconvene with us.


    Surprisingly, the clone army wasn''t giving chase. It would seem that without their main commander, they did not have anyone to properly command them. We made use of the perfect chance to escape rapidly. Just like that, we ran for over three hours in the forest. Once we were about 50 kilometers away, we stopped in a valley.


    Countless barbarian soldiers were either sitting or laying on the ground while breathing heavily. After the shaking battle and reversal in plots, everyone was grateful to have preserved their lives. At the same time, they were also reorganizing themselves. I had Anxashe stay at the rear as a scout, ensuring everyone''s safety.  Amid the chaotic army, we met Maley once again.


    "Canyue, the attack on Gunda''s base has been halted as well, but the encirclement is still there. Commander Xingxing is still holding her ground," reported Dondon.


    "Chief Maley, shall you withdraw your soldiers in advance to avoid conflicting with Gunda''s army when they return?" reminded Baron Sisse.


    At that point, the casualty report had been finalized. Maley had 6,700 surviving soldiers while the 7th Armored Division had 95 surviving soldiers.


    ''Another four were sacrificed. But this time, we weren''t even able to retrieve their corpses due to the chaos. They died without even getting a grave,'' I thought with guilt.


    "Hakan''s betrayal has cost us disastrous losses," said Maley, who was still furious.


    "Chief, that isn''t entirely correct. Hakan was not the reason for the clone army to do what they did. At most, he''s the spark that triggered the attack," said Master Crystal.


    "For now, we should prioritize pulling back the barbarians surrounding the Kenante base to prevent further casualties," reminded Baron Sisse yet again.


    "Are there any suitable places we can go for now?" asked Maley as he looked at a guard beside him.


    "The old, the women, the children, and the sick are currently gathered in the Dark Ravine. Shall we muster our soldiers there first?" asked the guard.


    "If we really don''t have a better option, we''ll go there. Notify the attacking forces to retreat immediately. We will depart after 20 minutes," ordered Maley.


    "Dondon, contact Zhang Xingxing. We will be following Chief Maley to the Dark Ravine. Have her stay and wait for the retreating Wargod soldiers. Have her request Gunda to fulfill his promise as quickly as possible," I said.


    "Roger," replied Dondon, who was busy gaping at Wind Spirit.


    "Where is the clone commander, Dilo?" I asked Master Crystal.


    "He is being tightly guarded by our soldiers. Everything seems normal," said Master Crystal.


    "Take him with us to the Dark Ravine. We still have some uses for him," I said.


    After resting for 20 minutes, the soldiers moved out. Amid the planet''s ambient rumble, we marched toward the Dark Ravine.


    "Canyue, the clone soldiers are pulling back," said a dark figure that had rushed over from afar. It was none other than Anxashe.


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    "Where are they withdrawing to?" I asked.


    "According to our mechanical dogs, over a hundred spaceships had landed and picked them up," replied Anxashe.


    "Looks like the Sacred Wing race is here to take their soldiers back," said Wind Spirit.


    "The Divine Empire has gained a new army that is basically a Wargod army. This is extremely troublesome," said Baron Sisse as he shook his head and sighed.


    "Nevertheless, their withdrawal means that we are temporarily secured on Rumble. Let''s recuperate at the Dark Ravine first," I said.


    With the enemy gone, we no longer needed Anxashe to cover our rear. Thus, we could travel together toward the Dark Ravine.


    "What kind of a place is the Dark Ravine?" I asked Anxashe.


    "It''s a place of origin, but the Kenante Kingdom abandoned it a very long time ago," said Anxashe.


    "Place of origin. Is that where the Wargod race came from?" I asked curiously.


    "Yes. According to the legends, the first Wargod soldier was created by the Creator in the Dark Ravine. Initially, the ravine was lush with vegetation like Gero City, but a heavenly fire had descended and destroyed all the plants there. Oddly, after the fire, the plants could no longer grow back. Thus, the Kenante Kingdom decided to abandon it," said Anxashe.


    "I don''t believe in the so-called heavenly fire. That must be a meteor or something," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s possible. The meteor might be the source of a great fire, and the radiation from the meteor might be the reason why the plants stopped growing there," said Dondon.


    "I did not expect Maley to hide his people there. It is indeed a good hiding place," muttered Anxashe.


    The team continued marching for two more hours before the Dark Ravine appeared before us. Several mountain peaks as dark as coal stood before us. The darkness was so deep it was inconceivable. The mountains looked more like gigantic burnt trees, and the ravine between them was also a world of darkness. The ancient fire had erased all greenery from this place.


    "This feels like the forbidden zone of all lives," I exclaimed.


    "A forbidden zone of life will often also be an origin zone of new life," said Baron Sisse with a profound tone.


    We followed the barbarian army and entered the origin zone of new life. The moment we entered, I saw the numerous barbarians steadfastly and painstakingly living in the harsh environment.


    With one look, I saw a newborn ox-headed person. The baby was being cradled in the arms of a female ox-headed individual. The little baby was staring at us curiously. The war was still a distant thing for him.


    Origin zone of new life!


    After reaching the Dark Ravine, many of the barbarian soldiers went to look for their families. For a soldier, returning to their family was something worth rejoicing. The over 1,000 dead soldiers had been forever separated from their loved ones.


    A few hours later, the soldiers in charge of surrounding the Kenante base returned. Master Crystal took the lead and supervised the soldiers as they started putting up tents. After a bloody battle and an intense march, we all fell asleep easily.


    After sleeping for an indeterminate amount of time, I woke up from some rustling sounds. I opened my eyes and saw that Dondon was busy trying to please Wind Spirit by offering her a massive pile of food.


    Packs of crackers and canned food were piled on the ground. The two little fellows were happy enjoying the food. Looking at the two, a rumbling sound came from my stomach. I was getting hungry as well.


    I got up, took two provisions of canned food from them without hesitation, and started eating.


    Wind Spirit was unhappy as she complained, "Alien, didn''t you see that we were here first? Even when eating, priority should go to those who came first."


    I did not know whether to laugh or cry. This little fellow was acting like she was on a vacation. I was about to say something when I noticed something. Instead of arguing, I retreated silently with my two cans.


    Outside the tent, the soldiers were bustling with activity. They had taken off their armor and were reorganizing themselves. Many of their weapons needed some polishing and maintenance in preparation for future battles.


    "Hero Canyue, Chief Maley wishes to invite you over to discuss something important," said a guard as he ran up to me.

 CH 166

    I followed the messenger to Chief Maley''s command center. The command center was set up in a cave. Compared to our first meeting, the barbarian soldiers now had a clearly better attitude toward us. Master Crystal, Zhang Bao''er, Domo, Anxashe, and Baron Sisse had already arrived before me.


    "Where are the two cats?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Eating," I replied helplessly.


    "Canyue, Master Crystal has informed me of your goal. I am willing to help you," stated Maley in a straightforward manner.


    "Really? That''s great!" I couldn''t contain my excitement when my goal was finally achieved.


    "But I have two requests," said Maley.


    "Do you still have any concerns, Chief?" I asked.


    "Hakan betrayed us barbarians, so he''s our traitor. I hope you can help bring him to us," Maley voiced his first request.


    "Hakan''s betrayal is something everyone looks down upon. As long as there is a chance, I will do my best to bring him back to you," I promised easily.


    "My second request. In this war, we barbarians have suffered disastrous losses. Therefore, I can only lend you 2,000 soldiers. However, we also need to negotiate peace with the Kenante Kingdom. Apart from that traitorous Hakan, I don''t want to fight anyone anymore," said Maley.


    "I''ll handle the peace deal for you. But 2,000 soldiers is too little, don''t you think?" I asked, hoping to get more assistance.


    "Not at all. You''re going to a place where even the greatest warrior to have ever appeared in our history lost his life. I can''t send more people to their deaths," said Maley.


    I wanted to keep arguing, but when I saw Master Crystal urgently blinking at me, I gave up.


    "Fine. Deal. I''ll borrow 2,000 soldiers from you." I nodded in agreement.


    "Um. After I receive the peace deal from the kingdom, I will hand the army over to you. Try to get started as soon as possible. I''ll be waiting here with my people," said Maley.


    It was clear what I needed to do for the barbarians. Thus, I packed up with Master Crystal and the others in preparation to return to the Kenante Kingdom. Dondon proceeded to update Zhang Xingxing with the latest news. About 30 minutes later, Fearless and Spacetime appeared outside the Dark Ravine. The moment Spacetime''s door opened, I saw the look in Zhang Xingxing''s eyes.


    "Canyue, get on the ship. King Carter is waiting for us," said Zhang Xingxing loudly the moment she saw me.


    We quickly climbed onto the ship. Then, the two ships set out toward Gero City. Finally, we reunited with all our old friends in the command room. Everyone hugged and started chattering non-stop, talking about the dangerous experiences we had just undergone.


    Only two individuals were not participating. They stood to the side haughtily with their hands crossed. The two were none other than Domo and Wind Spirit. After leaving the Dark Ravine and the barren lands, the lush basin containing Gero City reappeared before our eyes. The feeling of returning from a cruel battlefield to a land of peace was beautiful. We entered the palace and noticed that King Carter had prepared yet another feast for us.


    "Canyue, I feel unwell. I think I''ll have to excuse myself from this feast," Zhang Bao''er said.


    "It will be rude to just leave when you''re already here. Just join the feast," I persuaded.


    "I''m afraid that they will serve us the same fat worms as last time. I won''t be able to take it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fine. Since you''re so scared, I won''t force you. Go take a nap on the ship. If there''s anything nice, I''ll pack some for you," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er cheerily left to get some sleep on the ship. The others were actually behaving similarly to Zhang Bao''er. The food of this planet was truly not something we could look forward to. But out of consideration for the princes and Zhang Xingxing, the rest did not make the same request as Zhang Bao''er. Instead, they all stepped into the hall. I noticed that Gunda and some of his guards had also come to join the feast.


    "The feast bestowed by King Carter to the brave warriors is starting. Everyone, you have all fought bravely. Please enjoy yourself," announced Official Dulite, signaling the start of the feast.


    This time, I noticed the confidence on the face of the attendant supervisor. We knew that for this kingdom, it was customary for the participants of a feast to not talk. Thus, we were all ready to eat silently. Unsurprisingly and disappointingly, the first dish was the same grass salad. The second dish was the same tomato.


    ''Good heavens. The people here did not improve at all. Don''t they have any other food on this planet?'' I regretted not following Zhang Bao''er back to the ship.


    I believed that the third dish would be the same roasted worm. As I mused, the new dish was served on Gunda''s table, which was situated opposite me. When the lid was lifted, the same old roasted worm dish appeared. Gunda started eating in excitement with a look of bliss on his face.


    We tried our very best to not throw up at the sight of the worms. Soon, the attendants came to our table with a large plate and lifted the lid. Surprisingly, a lobster-like creature that smelled really good appeared before me. The attendants also served each of us a glass of green gold.


    I gave the lobster a try. It was absolutely delicious. All of us reacted the same way and unhesitatingly started gorging ourselves with food. Next, dishes such as simmer-fried fish, roasted pig trotters, and black-boned chicken soup were served one after another.


    "Dondon, notify Zhang Bao''er to come join the feast," I said while chewing my lobster.


    However, Dondon was fully focused on eating, to the point he ignored my words. As a good brother, I couldn''t bring myself to leave Zhang Bao''er out of this. Thus, I called him myself. Unfortunately, he had actually turned his communicator off before going to sleep.


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    "Fine. I''ve done my part. You can only blame yourself for shutting down your communicator," I muttered to myself.


    After doing all that, my conscience was clear. I started gorging myself with all the delicacies. Before long, all the food before us was cleared. I lifted my head with satisfaction and saw the ox-headed attendant to the side looking at us with distaste for consuming food they considered strange. However, I felt nothing as I drained the glass of green gold in front of me. We were all pleased with the feast. After the meal, the king invited us to the audience hall.


    The moment we entered the room, Official Dulite said on behalf of the king, "I am extremely grateful to our friends from the league for the assistance you have rendered to Kenante. Thanks to you, Gunda''s army avoided total elimination."


    "Your Majesty is too polite. This is something the 7th Armored Division is obligated to do for the sake of interstellar peace," said Zhang Xingxing politely.


    Dulite continued acting as the king''s messenger, "Due to the help you have given Kenante, the great King Carter has agreed to fulfill his promise with Akko. An army of 10,000 soldiers will be lent to Prince Toruse."


    ''They promised 30,000 soldiers before, but that changed into 10,000 soldiers for no apparent reason. Forget it. Looks like we can only suffer in silence,'' I thought with dissatisfaction.


    Nevertheless, the two princes still expressed their gratitude toward the king. Even Principal Sosse looked happy with the deal.


    "If everyone is in agreement, I will muster the soldiers immediately. I hope you can carry out the mission as quickly as possible," said Dulite.


    I stepped forth and said, "I have two requests, King Carter."


    "Hero Canyue, what requests do you have? Feel free to say it," said King Carter.


    "Maley of the barbarians is tired of war. He hopes to rejoin Kenante with the barbarians, forming a powerful kingdom of Wargods," I voiced Maley''s request.


    "Are you telling the truth?" King Carter was visibly excited when he heard that.


    "Your Majesty, Maley has always been cunning and deceitful. You definitely can''t believe this fake surrender of his," said Dulite.


    "Will he use this chance to avoid war for now to recuperate before revolting?" asked Kelly, who was similarly worried.


    "No. Rather, I believe that this is a great chance for the reunification of the Wargod race on Rumble," I said.


    Then, I told them about Hakan''s defection and the clone soldiers the Sacred Wing race had used to attack Maley''s soldiers.


    "Looks like Maley has grown paranoid after facing so many lies," said Dulite.


    "If Maley is really willing to surrender, have him come to Gero City. I''ll personally meet him," said King Carter, agreeing to give peace a chance.


    Everyone present was happy to hear that. After all, the Wargods were already tired of endless internal wars. Thus, the prospect of peace was something worth rejoicing about. After receiving King Carter''s confirmation, I gave Master Crystal, Lin Feixue, and Anxashe a series of commands. The three accepted the task and left for Chief Maley on a spaceship.


    "What is your second request? Tell me," said King Carter generously.


    "I hope that Your Majesty can lend me a ranger. I require his assistance greatly," I said.


    "Are you referring to the child called Anxashe?" asked King Carter.


    "Precisely. I hope to have him by my side in the battle for justice," I said.


    King Carter gave it some thought before agreeing. Finally, after the rather winding process, we achieved what we had come for. It was even more remarkable that after it all, we were all still alive and fine. Zhang Xingxing smiled happily at me, but I knew deep inside that this joy was temporary. It was merely the beginning of an even more difficult journey.


    The Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula, the Divine Empire''s Midstar Army, and the beast production base. More dangers and the unknown were waiting for us. Thus, it was even more important for us to maintain our calm and assist Zhang Xingxing in achieving her ultimate goal.

 CH 167

    After finalizing the arrangements for the borrowed soldiers, we bid King Carter farewell and returned to our temporary accommodations. There, the core members of our crew gathered to talk about our next course of action.


    I had Dondon wake Zhang Bao''er up for the meeting. Shortly after, Bao''er arrived with Dondon. On Bao''er''s face was an extremely dispirited expression. It was pretty obvious that Dondon, the straightforward fellow, had bragged about the food to Zhang Bao''er without considering his feelings.


    Suffering from a rumbling stomach and Dondon''s detailed description of the feast, Zhang Bao''er could only chew on the military crackers grumpily.


    ''Sigh. You can only blame yourself for shutting off your communicator,'' I thought inwardly. Of course, I was careful to not say a word about the feast so as to not further trigger Zhang Bao''er.


    An hour later, Old Du returned to the palace with Maley. I had no interest in joining the meeting between Maley and King Carter. The moment Old Du and Kelly joined us, our own meeting began.


    "According to the latest update, the Interstellar League''s fleet is using all their strength to attack Planet Lidu. However, they weren''t able to achieve the strategic goal of fully destroying the Northstar Army. Instead, both sides were stuck in an endless back and forth," reported Lin Feixue. He had obtained the news from Kenante.


    "In other words, curbing the Horsehead Nebula''s Midstar Army will be even more important strategically now," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Currently, we are facing a very real issue. How are we supposed to transport over 10,000 soldiers off the planet?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "There are large haulers on Rumble we can use," said Master Crystal.


    "The haulers here are outdated with no defensive capabilities. They won''t be able to get through the empire''s defensive lines. They will only become live targets at the Horsehead Nebula. We need an actual battleship. One that can fight in wars," said Prince Toruse while shaking his head.


    "The prince is right. We need a battleship to both transport and protect these soldiers," agreed Zhang Xingxing.


    "Will the league help us with transportation?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Impossible. This is an unauthorized mission in the first place. The league will not approve it if they know what we''re trying to do. We might even be accused of insubordination," said Kelly.


    "But in this system, only the league and the empire have large-scale battleships," said Old Du.


    "Kelly, can you have Captain Carter help?" I suggested.


    "Carter still bears a grudge against you for what you did. You can''t count on him. The Interstellar League is too strict with its military law. Moving a large-scale battleship is a very big deal," said Kelly, vetoing my suggestion with a reasonable argument.


    We hadn''t actually considered the issue of transporting the new soldiers through the empire''s defensive line, but now, this issue had halted our move forward.


    "A bunch of fools get together to come up with a plan. And all the plans are laden with loopholes," a sneer rang out beside us.


    We turned our heads and saw Wind Spirit sitting comfortably on a couch while Dondon served her snacks.


    "Where did this female cat come from? Why is it running its mouth here?" said Prince Arude in his attempt to temper Wind Spirit''s arrogance.


    "Little prince, you dare show disrespect to your superior?" retorted Wind Spirit unyieldingly.


    "Calm down, everyone. We can always talk everything out," said Baron Sisse as he placated the two.


    "I was about to give you an idea, but this little prince is too rude. In that case, there is no need for me to be so kind anymore," said Wind Spirit grumpily.


    As a military observer of the empire, Wind Spirit was very familiar with the empire''s internal situation. Her suggestion could be extremely valuable. At that thought, I signaled Dondon with my eyes. Fortunately, Dondon could be rather smart when it mattered. The little fellow immediately understood my signal.


    "Princess Wind Spirit, come on. Just tell them your idea. We''ll go play outside. The air in here is so bad," said Dondon.


    "Great! I am long tired of this room. Why bother telling them anything? Let''s just go," replied Wind Spirit happily.


    Unfortunately, Dondon was far too simple-minded compared to Wind Spirit, so he did not know how to react to that.


    "Wind Spirit, just share it. I''ll tell you some stories about your father in return," said Master Crystal, giving Dondon a hand.


    That managed to pique Wind Spirit''s interest.


    "Fine. Deal!" said Wind Spirit.


    Master Crystal nodded in confirmation.


    "You put too many limitations on your plans. Yes, both the league and the empire have the battleships you need. If you can''t get a battleship from the league, just get it from the empire," said Wind Spirit confidently.


    "Wow! I thought it would be some genius idea. This female cat is truly a super genius. No wonder she spends so much time with the glutton. Birds of a feather do indeed flock together," sneered Domo, who was tired of Wind Spirit''s arrogance.


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    "Freak! Try calling me a female cat one more time!" said Wind Spirit furiously.


    "Domo, don''t interrupt." I stopped Domo and then asked, "Princess Wind Spirit, the imperial battleships are all guarded strictly. How are we supposed to get one?"


    Wind Spirit threw Domo a glare before saying, "The Imperial Repair Center. That place is in charge of repairing the empire''s battleships. Since we''re currently in a time of war, many battleships must have been sent there for repair, and the center''s defenses must be weaker than they usually are. This is the perfect opportunity to steal a battleship from them."


    "Good idea. I know the repair center well. It doesn''t really have powerful defenses," said Principal Sosse upon hearing the suggestion.


    It was clear that Wind Spirit was telling the truth. And thus, snatching a battleship from the repair center became our next priority.


    "Where is the Imperial Repair Center?" I asked.


    "Near Eternal, on the empire''s other artificial planet, Cloudcast," said Principal Sosse.


    "Near Eternal? Won''t the forces stationed at Eternal be able to arrive quickly?" asked Old Du.


    "I believe that for now, we don''t have to worry too much. The league is pressing into the imperial borders with their fleet. As the capital of the Divine Empire, Eternal will be protected by a heavy military force. The force won''t easily leave either. After all, any attack might be bait. Emperor Fille has always been a cautious person. He won''t send his army out easily for fear of falling into a trap," said Master Crystal.


    "I agree with Master Crystal''s analysis. The Interstellar League is planning to attack Eternal with their most elite army, the A Army. I don''t believe the empire''s intelligence will have no clue. Empire Fille will definitely concentrate his forces on his capital," said Kelly.


    "In that case, we will draw a plan to ambush Cloudcast and snatch a battleship as quickly as possible," decided Zhang Xingxing.


    Following Zhang Xingxing''s order, everyone worked together to form a detailed plan. It was decided that I would be the commander of the ambush operation. Wind Spirit, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, Lin Feixue, Kelly, Anxashe, Baron Sisse, Dondon, Dodo, Master Crystal, Sarje, Domo, Wuzhou, and 20 soldiers from the 7th Armored Division would be Spacetime''s crew members for this mission. The others would wait on Rumble.


    Zhang Xingxing also requested that the two princes have King Carter send a medical team to help treat the 500 Akko soldiers we had withdrawn from Akko and help them recover their combat strength as soon as possible. Titan and Amethyst would work with Zhang Xingxing to reorganize the barbarians and the reinforcements from Kenante so that they could work as a team.


    As for Bulu, I decided to bring it with me even though it had been asleep for several days. After all, Bulu had always been extremely helpful during the most critical moments. Thus, it was worth trusting.


    After everyone received their tasks, we boarded Spacetime and started preparing for take off. We would be carrying out the mission of acquiring suitable transportation for our new soldiers.


    "Canyue, as usual, be careful. You must promise me to return safely with the team," exhorted Zhang Xingxing before we left.


    "Don''t worry. I believe this is only the start of our adventures," I said with a relaxed smile on my face.


    After everyone finished saying farewell, Spacetime soared into the sky and returned to outer space carrying the members of this operation. Although it had only been several days, it somehow felt to me like I had been away from space for a very long time. I had started to miss outer space.


    Having gotten used to seeing the various celestial bodies from outer space, I felt empty inside after having not seen them. Looking out the window as Spacetime hovered above Rumble, the dark green planet looked exceptionally beautiful.


    Right at that moment, Spacetime activated the wormhole production sequence. A wormhole appeared before the ship. After spending 30 minutes journeying over a distance of over a thousand lightyears, we were once again back in the Betelgeuse System. The red giant was once again before my eyes. Unlike before when we had first come, the very air itself seemed to be filled with the smell of conflict.


    Cloudcast was roughly 200 million kilometers away from Eternal and was a pure military planet. Any vessels that approached without permission would be shot down. The usual scenes of busy trade stations were nowhere to be seen around this planet. All we saw were cold and unfeeling forts, spaceships, and fighter drones.


    Spacetime entered its invisible mode and utilized the three-dimensional prediction system to plot a path that avoided all locations where a battle might break out or where we might encounter patrols. These two technologies ensured that we would remain hidden.


    We moved slowly, and only after 48 hours of travel in invisibility did Spacetime reach Cloudcast. There, Master Crystal''s analysis was quickly proved correct. Outside the planet, we saw a massive opening in the defensive line around Cloudcast. Spacetime could easily enter the planet at any time. The main issue with the defensive line was the lack of fighter drones and spaceships.


    "Commander, do we send our robotic probes out and plot a suitable route of entry first?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "The opening is so big. What''s the point of sending probes? I suggest we do something they least expect and charge right in," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "No," Wind Spirit suddenly said. "This fool knows nothing. We must send some probes out. I remember that my father once told me about a unique defensive weapon in this base. We must be careful."


    "What kind of a unique weapon?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "I don''t know," replied Wind Spirit.


    "Why didn''t you tell us something so important earlier?" grumbled the impatient Domo.


    "What do you mean, freak? Did any of you ask me? Is this princess obligated to share that information with you?" said Wind Spirit unyieldingly.


    "Stop arguing. Lin Feixue, send the probes out immediately. They will scout around and plot a suitable route of entry. I need to maximize our chance of success," I said to Lin Feixue.

 CH 168

    Lin Feixue carried out his order and deployed three robotic probes. While waiting, Spacetime continued hiding outside Cloudcast. About 30 kilometers ahead of our ship, a middle-sized imperial battleship was patrolling.


    "This patrol ship looks much smaller than Starpath," I muttered to ourselves.


    "Starpath is a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship. This ship is probably a Star-class battleship," said Domo.


    "Imperial battleships are generally divided into three classes. The biggest is the Milky Way destroyer, second to that is the Nebula cruiser, and the Star warship is the smallest. The ship before us is probably a Star-class ship," said Prince Toruse, giving a detailed description.


    "We need to transport over 10,000 people. We will need either one Milky Way¨Cclass ship or two Nebula-class ships," said Wind Spirit.


    "If we can get a Milky Way¨Cclass ship, who would be able to pilot it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "All imperial citizens have taken spaceship piloting courses. It''s a basic lesson that everyone takes during their military service," said Prince Toruse.


    Right at that moment, we received a piece of bad news. We had lost contact with two of our probes. Only one of them was still out and about. Lin Feixue hurriedly retrieved the recordings of the sole surviving probe and played it in the room.


    At the same time, the intelligence officers also pulled out the recordings the lost probes managed to send back before they went missing and played them as well. From the recordings of the three probes, we could see the three moving together in the boundless darkness that was the universe. They were less than 20 meters away from each other, slowly advancing while staying far away from the patrolling enemy spaceship.


    The probes were shaped like asteroids, so they could hide easily. One would assume that the probes were merely random asteroids if one wasn''t paying attention. The probes continued advancing. They were surrounded by darkness, but we could see that there were no other physical objects around them.


    We had been very nervous after hearing about the secret weapon from Wind Spirit. Now that two of our probes had disappeared, we were hoping to find traces of the secret weapon from the recordings. Suddenly, we saw a flash on the screen. Then, the recording of one of the probes was cut off. A few minutes later, the same happened to a second probe.


    "What is going on here? We can''t see anything at all," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Enlarge the videos and lower the speed. Replay them," ordered Lin Feixue.


    The intelligence team did as told. From the enlarged videos, we could clearly see a black substance hidden amid the dark outer space. When the probes passed by, the black substance suddenly appeared and exploded, directing the force of the blast toward the probe and destroying it entirely.


    "So there are invisible landmines hidden in that area. Looks like this must be the secret weapon Wind Spirit spoke of," said Baron Sisse.


    "Clearly, apart from stealth, these mines can also track their targets. We are lucky we hadn''t decided to go in rarshly. Otherwise, the mines would have exposed us," said Old Du with some fear in his heart.


    Zhang Bao''er stuck his tongue out awkwardly as it was his suggestion to charge right in.


    "There must be some sort of passage through these mines. We will only be able to enter after locating it," said Kelly.


    "We won''t be able to take the regular routes because the patrols will be using them. We need to look for a route different from what the patrols use, but with the mines around, our probes won''t be able to scout out an alternative route," I said gravely.


    "I told you. This place is not so easy to infiltrate," said Wind Spirit, further worsening the heavy mood.


    "Weird. Why is this last probe still working normally, and why wasn''t it blown up?" asked Prince Toruse.


    The prince was right. The final probe was still operating normally. It was supposed to have been blown up by now.


    "Lin Feixue, check the difference between this probe and the other two," I ordered.


    "Reporting to the commander, this probe was manufactured with different materials. It was manufactured with fiberglass while the other two were manufactured with pure steel," said Lin Feixue.


    "What? This probe was manufactured with fiberglass?" asked Kelly in astonishment.


    "Yes, I am sure," replied Lin Feixue confidently.


    "Kelly, why do you have such a reaction? Have you discovered something new?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Generally, fiberglass probes are used to counter magnetic bombs. But due to outer space''s complicated environment and the high pressure we generally encounter, fiberglass probes are rather unstable to use. Thus, very few teams are equipped with them. What a surprise that one such probe has proved useful today," said Kelly.


    "Oh? So they''re magnetic bombs? I see. They had actually manufactured the stealth version of these weapons," said Wind Spirit with a look of realization.


    "Magnetic bomb? Can you explain? I don''t understand," asked Zhang Bao''er innocently.


    "Soldier, did you not go through any training?" asked Kelly with a glare.


    "I''ll say it. An earlier recorded usage of magnetic bombs was from the world war on Blue 100 years ago. These bombs are capable of utilizing the magnetic inductions within spaceships and detonate themselves automatically to cause destructive damage to any nearby spaceship," said Old Du.


    "Is this the league''s technology from 100 years ago?" asked Prince Toruse.


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    "After 100 years of development, this weapon has been developed into an even stronger weapon. It can now sense changes in magnetism, water pressure, atmospheric pressure, and the like to trigger. However, I''m not sure what level the empire has reached with this technology," said Old Du.


    "Yes, and the biggest weakness of a magnetic bomb is anything that won''t be detected by magnetic sensors. For example, the structural makeup of a fiberglass ship will automatically hide all its magnetic signals. That is also why this probe is still working even now," said Kelly.


    "I believe these hidden mines are relying on magnetic triggers," I agreed.


    "What about this ship? What materials is it made of?" asked Prince Toruse anxiously.


    "Don''t worry, Prince. Our battleship technology is at a level where our ships can easily move without creating magnetic reactions. If the magnetic bombs are all they have, they won''t be able to threaten Spacetime," said Lin Feixue.


    "Yes. If we''re only facing magnetic bombs, things will be easy. In fact, these bombs'' state of stealth is a trickier issue. We can easily expose ourselves by stumbling upon just one of these bombs," I said.


    "Shit!" Zhang Bao''er suddenly shouted.


    Everyone looked over, but he was keeping his mouth shut.


    ''This idiot is probably carrying out one of his attention-seeking antics again,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Fatty. What do you have in that shit-filled brain of yours? Say it. What''s the point of acting all mysterious?" scolded Wind Spirit mercilessly.


    Zhang Bao''er did not expect Wind Spirit to have such a venomous tongue and was helplessly scolded.


    "Bao''er, finish your words. This is an order," I said loudly.


    "Yes! Two of our probes were struck by two invisible landmines. We might have already attracted the attention of the patrols," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "As expected, nothing smart will come out of your brain. There are countless magnetic asteroids in space. It is normal to lose a few mines to some asteroids," sneered Wind Spirit.


    "Canyue, I can''t take it anymore. This little female cat is even worse than Domo. I think we should cut her food supply for two days," complained Zhang Bao''er, not forgetting to throw some shade at Domo while he was at it.


    "You dare? See what will happen if you try doing that to this princess!" said Wind Spirit.


    "Enough," I said. "Wind Spirit, control your princess syndrome. This is not the palace. Back to the topic, I did get some inspiration from Bao''er''s words,"


    "Canyue, what idea do you have?" Master Crystal asked.


    "Bao''er and Wind Spirit''s words gave me the idea. We can''t find a safe route, but we can have the imperial ships show the way for us," I said.


    "I understand!" exclaimed Old Du in excitement.


    "What are you talking about?" Zhang Bao''er couldn''t hold back his curiosity anymore.


    "Bao''er, I''m happy to see your hunger for knowledge," said Old Du. He was normally a straightforward person, but he seemed to have learned sarcasm from Zhang Bao''er.


    "We can set off a few more mines and wait for the patrol to come. Then, we can follow them back into Cloudcast. We''re quite far away from their main route. If we lure them here, it is likely that they will take a shortcut back to the planet," said Lin Feixue.


    "Let''s do that. Feixue, pull back the fiberglass probe. We''ll move to the furthest point still covered by the patrols before starting the plan," I ordered.


    After pulling back the probe, the ship started moving toward the furthest point. After about a dozen minutes of flight, we reached the other side of Cloudcast. There, we prepared to kick the plan into motion.


    Lin Feixue spread some magnetic powder on 10 rocks. I was surprised by his actions because I did not expect some rocks to be available on the ship. After he finished spreading the powder over the rocks, he had a soldier launch the rocks in Cloudcast''s direction.


    The rocks left the ship and entered outer space. Propelled forward by inertia, they headed toward Cloudcast. Shortly after launching them, we saw a series of explosions not far ahead of us. And now, all that was left to do was to wait patiently.

 CH 169

    The time spent waiting for the fish to take the bait felt especially long. Prince Arude, Principal Sosse, and a few others could not stand the wait and decided to return to their rooms for a short rest.


    As for the ones who had stayed behind to wait, we started eating. Only Lin Feixue and Dodo remained fully glued to the screen. I took the opportunity to visit Nyx, who was staying at the ship''s bottom level. It had been a while, and Nyx seemed to have grown slightly. It became exceptionally excited upon seeing me.


    Looking at Nyx, I was reminded of Blueflash. I decided to return and pay that fellow a visit if there was an opportunity. After about an hour, everyone heard the sounds of a battleship. Spacetime''s system indicated that a Nebula-class cruiser was approaching the zone where the explosions went off.


    "Excellent. The fish has taken the bait," I said in excitement after rushing back to the command room.


    Spacetime remained invisible as we waited like a beast wreathed in shadows for the incoming cruiser. The massive cruiser slowly approached the explosion zone. As it approached, it deployed a swarm of drones to investigate the area.


    The magnetic rocks Lin Feixue had released earlier were perfect for this stealth mission because they left no signs of technology in their passing. The drones spent some time searching only to find nothing. Eventually, a minelayer appeared to replace the blown-up mines. After everything was done, all the drones returned to the cruiser.


    "This is our chance. Feixue, get ready," I ordered.


    "Roger. The fiberglass probe will be deployed to tail the enemy ship. Relevant stealth modifications have been performed on the probe. Spacetime will travel in accordance with the route tracked by the probe after five minutes," said Lin Feixue.


    The probe set off and tailed the enemy cruiser. It constantly transmitted data back to us.


    "Let''s hope this will return straight to its station," said Kelly.


    We were quite far away from Cloudcast itself. According to the map on the screen, the enemy ship was taking a winding route through space, but there was no doubt that it was heading back to Cloudcast.


    "Don''t hesitate. Let''s follow it," I ordered.


    "What if we are discovered? Is there a plan B?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "If we''re discovered, we can only attack forcefully and try to snatch a cruiser," I replied.


    "But that''s not enough to carry all our soldiers," Zhang Bao''er continued.


    "Then we will have to think of something else," I replied patiently.


    "Rotten wood truly can''t be polished," sneered Domo.


    After activating the magnetism-cloaking mode, Spacetime cautiously advanced through the route plotted by the probe. The enemy ship had beautifully drawn this route out for us. At the moment, we were free of the landmines. Acting like a stealthy predator, we moved slowly, getting nearer and nearer to Planet Cloudcast.


    The infiltration was going so smoothly that it felt inconceivable to me. After undergoing so many difficulties in the past, it was unimaginable that we would be able to so easily go through their defensive line.


    Apparently, when luck came knocking, it would keep coming. Not only was the Nebula-class vessel returning to Cloudcast, but it was also moving without taking any complicated or difficult turns through the zone of mines.


    "Looks like we''re lucky enough to win a lottery today. Did we get in so easily?" said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "It does look like we''re in. Cloudcast''s atmosphere is only 100 kilometers ahead of us," said Old Du.


    "Isn''t the defense here too weak? I don''t see a single battleship nearby," said Kelly.


    "Do not relax. The enemy ships are also capable of invisibility. It is even more important that we stay cautious now," I reminded.


    I noticed Lin Feixue giving Dodo the command to analyze the composition of Cloudcast''s atmosphere. At the same time, the two were also trying to figure out the military strength of Cloudcast''s outer layer through laser scans.


    After 10 minutes, the results of the scan returned. Cloudcast was shrouded by a thin artificial atmospheric layer. The front side of the planet had a thicker atmosphere than the back side, and the majority of the imperial vessels'' maintenance and repair was performed on the front side. The backside was mostly shrouded in darkness with some dots of light akin to stars sprinkled amid the darkness.


    "Wind Spirit, do you know what the back side of the planet is used for?" I asked.


    "I heard that the irreparable vessels will all be discarded there. As time passes, that place has turned into a graveyard of steel,"


    "What are those dots of light?" I asked.


    "I don''t know. Perhaps they are patrols?" said Wind Spirit.


    "They only have some steel-based trash there. What is the point of patrolling that place?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Perhaps they are there to prevent theft of electronic components. The league also has a weapon graveyard on Blue. That place is also guarded by armed forces, making entry difficult for unrelated individuals," said Old Du.


    "Even the Divine Empire knows how to build an artificial planet to store their trash, unlike the Interstellar League that simply throws their trash on Blue," complained Zhang Bao''er indignantly.


    "I hope this is something we can change in the future," said Old Du awkwardly.


    At that time, the Nebula cruiser was starting to travel in a straight line toward Cloudcast''s front side. We stopped tailing it. After all, there would be a higher number of defenses and ships on the front side. It would be easier for us to expose ourselves there.


    The infiltration was progressing too smoothly and peacefully, to the point where Prince Arude thought that the mission had yet to begin when he woke up and returned to the command room.


    From the data gathered by the laser scans, we verified that Cloudcast''s back side was truly piled with countless steel-based refuse. However, due to how randomly everything was placed and how thick the piles were, our scans weren''t able to produce a clear map of the planet''s back side.


    And we only had a single fiberglass probe, so we weren''t willing to subject it to the process of entering the planet''s atmosphere. We did not want to risk any mishaps during the process. After a discussion, we decided to first send a small squad of scouts to land on the back side of Cloudcast. They would personally scout out the area before we made our next plan.


    The crew unanimously decided that I would not be a part of the scouts, using the same excuse I had used to prevent Zhang Xingxing from joining us on our past missions: the commander shouldn''t easily go to the front lines. However, I was able to once again convince the crew. I said that Bulu would be able to save lives during critical moments, and the only person capable of properly controlling Bulu was me.


    Ultimately, the squad members were me, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and Wind Spirit. She had volunteered to join, and after we repeatedly reminded her to not act up during the mission, she agreed. Only then did we agree to take her with us. As a precaution, Dondon also joined the team to accompany her.


    Additionally, Baron Sisse would also be coming with us to prevent a situation where we were lucky enough to actually obtain a battleship on the scouting mission but couldn''t pilot it out. And thus, the team of four plus two plus one was assembled. We boarded the stealth shuttle modified by Lin Feixue and departed from Spacetime. While we were away, Kelly would be the acting captain of Spacetime.


    The shuttle was also running the magnetism-cloaking function while it took us through Cloudcast''s atmosphere. The atmosphere was thin, but it was still thick enough that sparks appeared when we went through it. Everyone was on edge, afraid that the patrols would detect us. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. We successfully went through the atmosphere and entered the planet.


    The sight before us was similar to the back side of Lidu. It was almost starting to look as if the Divine Empire''s technology was only good enough to create an artificial planet where only half of it would have sufficient energy. However, at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius, the back side of this planet was not as cold as Lidu''s.


    In less than a few minutes, the shuttle neared the ground. Amid the darkness, we discovered a relatively empty clearing surrounded by steel and ships through our laser scans.


    After landing, Dondon referred to the data from the scans and informed us that the environment outside was suitable for us to go on foot. Thus, we turned on our morph-capable suits and walked out of the shuttle.


    The ground of Cloudcast was solid. The moment I set foot outside, I understood that I was standing on steel. At the same moment we landed, Dondon updated Spacetime with our latest status.


    "This place is filled with steel, so I doubt there will be any of those magnetic mines around," said Baron Sisse.


    "We still need to be careful. Remember to move together, everyone. Don''t split up from the rest," I reminded everyone.


    "This whole thing feels too easy. I feel restless," said Old Du.


    "Don''t think too much. We have to be lucky every now and then. How can we be so unlucky every single time?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "You better not say anything with your unlucky mouth," I interrupted Zhang Bao''er.


    We turned on our searchlights and started studying our surroundings. The environment our scanners weren''t able to plot became visible under our searchlights. There were countless discarded ships around us. Due to their numbers, they were piled into large mountains, which looked to be the accumulation from thousands of years of war. Some of the ships were so old that their hulls had rusted and crumbled apart, no longer maintaining their original shape.


    "No wonder the scanners couldn''t map this place out. There is too much discarded equipment here. There are a lot of variations with everything mixed together," I said. The sheer scale of the refuse around me caused me to gasp.


    "This place is filled with trash. Will there be anything useful at all here? Even if this scrap iron can fly, a little bit of pressure will cause them to fall apart," questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, Bao''er. Look, some of them actually stand out. The higher they are on the piles, the newer they look. The height basically determines the time they arrived. I also noticed that if we move further ahead, the ships we can find will be even newer with more recent designs," said Old Du.


    "Yes," said Baron Sisse. "It is clear that the ships here are piled according to the date they were supposed to be either repaired or discarded. We are currently at the very back of the area. In other words, we can very well be looking at the first batch of discarded ships on the planet. These ships are ancient," said Baron Sisse.


    "In other words, we need to move closer to the front side to look for more recent ships," said Dondon.


    "How about our shuttle?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Leave it here for now. If we move in the shuttle, we won''t be able to determine which of these ships are still operational," I said.


    "If we''re going, let''s get moving. Look at how dark this place is. It feels so uncomfortable," urged Wind Spirit, who hated the dark environment.


    "Yes, you''re right. Dark places tend to house super monsters that are dreadful and frightening," said Zhang Bao''er, acting like he was muttering but was in truth trying to scare Wind Spirit.


    The trick obviously worked as Wind Spirit tightened her grip around Dondon. Meanwhile, Dondon had the look of a determined and responsible man on his face. We followed the plan and continued advancing. We encountered one discarded ship after another as we walked the tiny path between the piles of steel. Occasionally, the path would be blocked by collapsed rusty chunks of ships, forcing us to take a detour.


    It was obvious that the farther we went, the more recent the ships were. The differences between the ships of different time periods were rather obvious. Also, the newer the ships were, the less damage they had suffered. It was starting to look like we were going to really find a usable ship ahead of us.


    At that thought, we grew excited and walked even faster. Suddenly, a dim flash of light appeared right ahead of us.

 CH 170

    Farther ahead of us, the flickering source of light swayed about in the darkness, looking exceptionally peculiar.


    "Turn off your lights. We need to avoid detection," I said.


    Everyone immediately turned off all lights and hid around the discarded ships. We moved forward slowly, approaching the flickering light. We couldn''t see very well in the darkness, but we had to rely on our laser probes. However, the probes failed to determine the exact form of the source of light. After a more detailed observation, we noted that the light wasn''t swaying about. It merely looked like it was swaying due to the flickering.


    "Old Du, you guessed earlier that these dots of light were the patrols on this side of the planet. This doesn''t look like it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I agree. This light does not look like it is a regular lamp either," said Old Du doubtfully.


    While everyone was confused, the light suddenly moved. The range of movement was big as it shifted several meters away in an instant.


    "Watch out. Stay still!" I reminded everyone.


    At this time, the light started moving rapidly, looking like it was actually patrolling in an irregular route.


    "Odd. Who''s walking around with this lamp? The laser probes can''t even determine its actual shape," said Old Du.


    "This is not a ghost, right? Is this some sort of a lantern-carrying ghost? It''s scary," said Zhang Bao''er, causing all our hair to stand on end.


    "Stop talking nonsense," I berated, but I still broke out in cold sweat. Things like this that we couldn''t scan would never fail to plant fear in our hearts.


    Suddenly, the sounds of a steel plate being broken rang out. Oddly, at that exact moment, there was a flash of light, allowing us to see a big mouth biting through a steel plate. Even the process of the steel being swallowed into the stomach of that being could be clearly seen before the white flash ended.


    "Th-thi-this is a creature! That light must be its eye," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I immediately signaled Bao''er to stay silent with my hands. The creature before us started madly swallowing the remains of the battleships ahead of us. It looked like a street cleaner that survived on the scrap iron all over this planet. I had no interest in provoking such a creature.


    I patted Old Du''s shoulder and signaled him to retreat slowly. We would pull back before taking a detour around the area. Everyone understood what I meant. As I lifted my leg and gently stepped back while turning, I saw something that stunned me.


    A flickering light had appeared on the path behind us. It was less than 50 meters away from us. I started sweating from my palms as I gripped my gun tighter. I had not expected this creature to be able to noiselessly appear behind us.


    A steel-devouring monster like this was probably extremely powerful. At that thought, I silently turned on my shield to the maximum. Both sides remained completely silent as we stood facing each other. We did not dare to move even an inch, and we were at a loss as to how we should escape.


    The stand-off lasted almost 10 minutes when the light started slowly approaching us. The nervous atmosphere was set aflame. A powerful incorporeal pressure slowly pushing toward us could be felt. An idea appeared in my mind. I immediately slid my backpack off and opened it. Within, Bulu was still sleeping.


    ''Shit! Why is this little fellow still sleeping? Don''t tell me it''s in some sort of hibernation,'' I thought anxiously. ''I need to wake it up!''


    I shook the backpack, attempting to wake Bulu up. The flickering light continued to approach us slowly, followed by its oppressive presence. Forty meters, thirty meters, twenty meters, ten meters¡­it came nearer and nearer.


    While I was trying to think of a solution, a green light suddenly shot out and struck the creature''s eye. Zhang Bao''er was too nervous, and he had accidentally pulled the trigger of his gun.


    ''Shit, something is going to happen!'' I thought.


    The eye that was struck suddenly erupted in a blinding light. Like an exploding star, it radiated brightly. However, the creature remained completely silent, and amid the odd silence, the flickering eye started charging toward us.


    "Watch out, everyone! Be ready for combat!" I shouted. Things were getting too dangerous for me to keep trying to avoid making noise.


    A powerful pressure rampaged toward us. We were still enveloped by darkness, but the creature was near enough that I could clearly see the massive mouth descending upon us from above. Just as we were about to attack with our guns, silence returned to the world. I had an odd sensation that I had entered an illusory world.


    At that moment, I understood something. Bulu had awakened. In the rippling gray world around me, everyone else was frozen in a moment in time. I was finally able to get a clear look at the creature before us. In the gray world, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and the others had turned somewhat translucent. Zhang Bao''er was covering both eyes with his palms, seemingly having given up on resisting.


    "Did Bao''er give up?" I cursed.


    Old Du and Baron Sisse, both translucent, were assuming a shooting posture. To the side, Dondon was covering Wind Spirit''s eyes. Opposite them, the creature appeared in a grayish-white silhouette that looked like a massive toad. Its mouth was opened wide and was less than three meters away from us.


    ''What freak is this? Good thing Bulu woke up at the last second. Otherwise, that big mouth would have swallowed all of us,'' I rejoiced.


    At that thought, I opened my backpack again. Inside, Bulu was shining as bright as a star. I took Bulu out of the backpack and gently stroked it as my mind churned for a way to deal with this overgrown toad.


    This illusory space created by Bulu looked like a four-dimensional space floating in the sky. When I observed my surroundings, I discovered something new that caused all my hair to stand on end again. About a dozen meters behind us, there was another toad with its mouth wide open. It was in the midst of launching a sneak attack on us.


    "Good lord, we''re really lucky that Bulu managed to wake up in time. Otherwise, even if these two toads didn''t manage to kill us, we would be half dead after facing them," I said as I sweated even more.


    At that moment, the light from Bulu''s body turned slightly weaker. I knew that I had to deal with the two creatures as quickly as possible. After Bulu exhausted its strength, the toads would regain their consciousness.


    "Why are these freaks not visible in the real world? Are they also some sort of invisible creature? Or are they perhaps the trash cleaners produced by the empire?" I wondered.


    I also observed the translucent bodies of Old Du and the others, wondering why they had turned translucent after they were frozen in time. I tried touching Old Du with my hand, and I found that I could actually feel his physical body.


    "What is going on, exactly?" My brain spun rapidly for an answer.


    I sank into deep thought while Bulu''s radiance gradually weakened. After about 10 minutes, a thought struck my mind.


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    "Bulu, oh Bulu, you must be doing your best to help me if you''re forcefully bringing creatures that exist on the same timeline but different dimensions together," I said.


    I had contemplated the matter based on my downloaded knowledge and reached a conclusion that the two toads were creatures from the same timeline but different dimensions. Bulu could detect them because they were still living beings with thoughts. They weren''t capable of invisibility. They were merely four-dimensional existences, an existence at a level too high for our naked eyes to perceive.


    Although they were four-dimensional creatures, they would temporarily reveal their physical form when consuming three-dimensional objects. That was why we were able to get a clear look at the process of the creature while it was swallowing steel.


    "A low-dimensional being would not be able to see the activity range of a high-dimensional being. Thus, we probably won''t be able to feel the damage done in the high-dimensional space natural to these high-dimensional beings. Bulu must have understood that when observing the creatures swallow the steel scraps. That was why it had tried its best to create a space where we could get in direct contact with four-dimensional beings," I concluded as I pulled out two nuclear warheads from my weaponry compartment.


    According to my plan, the shockwaves from the nuclear warheads would not appear in our natural dimension if I attacked them in this state. I would probably only have a single shot at attacking these vicious monsters because Bulu''s light was becoming weaker and weaker. Thus, I did not hesitate to pick the nuclear warheads as my attacking method.


    I used a launcher to launch a warhead down each monster''s throat to ensure that the warheads wouldn''t fall out of their mouths. Both warheads had been timed to detonate after one minute.


    I then withdrew to the others and turned my shield to maximum capacity, forming two shield layers around us. I then said to Bulu, "Bulu, I''m counting on you. Remove your mind control three seconds before the explosion."


    I then hugged Bulu and crouched down, waiting for the countdown to end. Although the wait was only one minute, it felt as long as an eternity. I only gave myself a three-second opening because the two beasts were too close to us.


    Seconds passed, and when there were about 10 seconds left, I saw the light on Bulu''s body vanish completely. The world before us returned to normal. Zhang Bao''er''s shriek rang out beside me. I knew that I had returned to the regular world.


    Everything happened in an instant. Even when we were located in two different dimensions, the three-dimensional nuclear warheads were powerful enough that the two four-dimensional creatures were instantly lit up when they exploded.


    We saw a yellow fireball flicker into existence for a few seconds. The very air before us shimmered into some sort of wave. I knew very well that the wave was actually the manifestation of the collision between time and the two dimensions.


    Everything had happened within a span of several seconds. After a while, peace returned. In fact, everything had happened silently with the two flickering light sources simply vanishing into nothingness.


    The explosions of the two nuclear warheads in the fourth dimension had not affected us. Just like that, the two monsters had been silently erased. I grew excited looking at the result of my work. After all, this was a plan I had thought up and carried out alone. It was a heroic feat that I couldn''t wait to share with everyone.


    What I didn''t expect was that beside me, Zhang Bao''er had already started bragging about his own heroic deeds, and for some reason, his story was actually an accurate representation of what I had done. Even more terrifying was the fact that Old Du, Baron Sisse, Wind Spirit, and even Dondon were telling the same story.


    At that point, I broke out in cold sweat as I looked at Bulu, who had returned to its slumber. The four-dimensional space was not as simple as we had thought. It was a complicated world with multiple parallel dimensions existing in tandem.


    "You had actually controlled so many parallel dimensions at the same time. It has been hard on you. I don''t know how long this feat will force you to sleep this time," I expressed my gratitude to Bulu.


    At that point, Zhang Bao''er was still suspicious that we were all messing with him. But when we all showed our weaponry compartments that were empty of nuclear warheads, we confirmed that all our versions of the story had happened.


    "Why are there such complicated four-dimensional beings here? This shouldn''t be something the imperial army can control," said Old Du doubtfully.


    "Who knows? No wonder Emperor Fille forced us to capture Bulu''s species back then. He must have known about these beings long ago," I said.


    "We''re in a very dangerous situation. We don''t have any nuclear warheads left, but as we had seen earlier, there are more of these blinking dots of light here. Canyue, you must think of a way to get a ship and leave as soon as possible," said Baron Sisse.

 CH 171

    I understood what Baron Sisse meant. Bulu was also too exhausted to further help us. If we were to encounter more of those four-dimensional toads, things probably wouldn''t end as well for us.


    "Since these two are here, does that mean that there is something worth protecting nearby?" asked Wind Spirit completely out of nowhere.


    However, her words were akin to a bolt of lightning that lit up my source of inspiration. If these four-dimensional creatures were Emperor Fille''s creations, there would be a reason for them to be here.


    "I think Wind Spirit makes sense. Those two have been roaming this area, so there must be something they were protecting here. I suggest we search this area for it," I said.


    And thus, we started searching. Our surroundings were basically filled with piles of discarded ships. Many of them had been torn apart by the toads, but the area was big enough that we could still see numerous outdated yet intact ships.


    Even after searching for a while, we weren''t able to find anything special. At that point, exhaustion was starting to seep in. Dondon had reported our status to Spacetime through the communicator.


    "Canyue, Master Crystal has a suggestion for us," said Dondon after finishing the call.


    "What is it? Say it," I said in excitement. I was just worrying about our lack of results.


    "Master Crystal suggested that we pick a ship and go inside," said Dondon.


    I understood the idea. We had been trying to search for a valuable ship from the outside and had completely neglected to gather more information from inside these ships.


    "Canyue, what do you think about this ship?" pointed Old Du at a rather intact ship.


    I looked over and saw three ships piled together. The one at the bottom looked to be in good condition despite being subjected to the weight of the two other ships above it.


    "This is an old Nebula-class cruiser. In the past, Nebula cruisers were the empire''s main offensive vessels during their conquest of the Orion Constellation. After years of development, these older models were all retired from service," explained Baron Sisse.


    "With so many here, it is obvious that the empire had produced many cruisers in the past," I said.


    "There is so much iron here. No wonder the league is so determined to attack the Divine Empire," remarked Old Du with a sigh.


    "Where there''s energy, there''s war. We can only hope that the side of justice will prevail," I said.


    "Are you done talking? Let''s go inside the ship already. This princess is tired of this place," said Wind Spirit impatiently.


    Everyone moved. After scanning the hull with a laser probe, Dondon found an entrance to the side of the ship.


    "I''ll take point with Bao''er. Old Du will bring up the rear. Everyone else stays in the middle. Watch each other''s backs," I ordered. It was better to be safe, as we did not know what other monsters we would encounter inside.


    It was extremely dusty inside the ship. From the thick layer of dust at the entrance, the place had probably been abandoned for at least decades. With our lights on, we started studying the ship. The ship might be large, but we had picked the perfect entry point. We only took a short while to reach the central part of the ship.


    "Canyue, over here!" Zhang Bao''er cried out in excitement as he pointed at a painting on the wall.


    Everyone walked over and saw that Zhang Bao''er was pointing at some sort of blueprint. From it, we confirmed that the ship was truly an outdated spaceship. Its engine room was massive, and its cockpit was at the front of the upper level. We could also see the name of the ship on the blueprint: Lightning.


    "Let''s go to the cockpit and see if we can get some useful data," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, don''t tell me you believe we can directly fly this ship away," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "If we can, why not? No matter what, this is still a battleship. It will have better defenses than a regular hauler," said Baron Sisse.


    "Since we''re already here, let''s go to the cockpit," I finalized the decision.


    It was spacious and dark inside the ship. Surprisingly, the insides of the ship were quite well-preserved. This ship was probably discarded because it had been replaced by a newer model, not because it had suffered damage. Following a central corridor, we moved slowly with our lights on. For some reason, a bleak feeling rose within me as I walked in this discarded piece of metal.


    Before long, we arrived at the front part of the ship. The elevator no longer worked, so we had to climb up through the emergency tunnel. After a short climb, we finally reached the ship''s upper level.


    "According to the blueprint, the cockpit and command room are both here," said Dondon.


    A thick door stood between us and the cockpit. Old Du stepped forth and gave it a push. The door was locked.


    "We can''t open this door. What should we do?" asked Old Du.


    I then saw Baron Sisse step forth. He started studying the iron door.


    "Peculiar. How peculiar," muttered Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, did you discover anything wrong?" I asked.


    "This is very wrong. This door does not look like a regular cockpit door. Rather, it is a defensive door that should only appear in the event of an emergency. From my observation, this door was likely locked from the inside," said Baron Sisse.


    "What? This door was locked from the inside?" I was astonished.


    "Yes. I am sure it was locked from the inside," confirmed Baron Sisse.


    "In other words, the people in the cockpit are still in there? They must have encountered some sort of emergency to lock themselves inside," I said.


    "Should we clarify our identity and have them open the door?" suggested Dondon foolishly.


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    "Have you gone mad, little cat? They''ve been inside the cockpit for decades. They are probably all dead," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. From what we know, they are unlikely to have survived. Of course, there might be some sort of stasis pod inside since this is an emergency door," said Baron Sisse.


    "To figure out this place''s secret, we can only enter the cockpit," said Old Du.


    Zhang Bao''er started uttering nonsense again, "Those people have been dead for so long. There won''t be any ghosts here, right?"


    Immediately after he spoke, a cold breeze swept through the room.


    "Why don''t we leave and pick a different ship? This is too creepy," said Wind Spirit, who was frightened by Zhang Bao''er''s words.


    "Don''t be afraid, Princess. I will protect you," Dondon hurriedly said.


    I glared at Zhang Bao''er before asking the baron, "Baron, do you know how to open this emergency door?"


    "This door''s sole purpose is to protect the crew inside. It can''t be opened outside, unless¡ª" the baron hesitated.


    "Unless what? Just say it," I urged.


    "Unless we can turn on the power of the ship again. We also need the captain''s password if we want to open a specific section of the ship from the engine room. However, I don''t know if this function is even available for a ship so old," said Baron Sisse.


    "The ship is completely off. We can try to start up the power by turning on the engine. That won''t be an issue. The problem is that we don''t know the password," I said.


    "That''s troublesome. This is an outdated ship from decades ago. Maybe the captain is in there as well. How would outsiders know the password? I think we can only blast the door apart," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I objected, "Absolutely not. Did you forget our goal? If we use explosives, we will alert the planet''s defensive system."


    "What should we do now, then?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I remembered something. All battleships need to leave their backup data in the imperial database. That includes retired battleships. I remember that the backup also includes the captain''s password. However, only those with the highest level of authority can see it," said Baron Sisse.


    "Great! So it is not impossible to get the captain''s password," I said in excitement.


    "But how can we gain access to the imperial database?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We can''t, but Dodo might be able to do it. Have you forgotten how Dodo once hacked into the imperial system through the juxi beast? We only need to look up a password. I believe Dodo can do it," I said.


    "Even if that''s possible, there are too many battleships here. How is Dodo supposed to know which ship''s data to check?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Lightning. That''s the name of this ship. It was written on the blueprint," said Old Du.


    "Yes. That makes things easier. Dondon, contact Dodo and tell them about our situation. Have them look up the captain''s password at all costs," I ordered.


    Dondon immediately pulled out the communicator to carry out the order.


    "Old Du, let''s head to the engine room. Try to turn on the ship''s power, but leave the engine off for now. We don''t want to attract the attention of the patrols," I said.


    "No! I''m not going anywhere! This place is too scary! I want to leave," Wind Spirit acted up again.


    "Princess, you promised that you would listen to orders during this mission. You''re making things very difficult for me," I said.


    Wind Spirit thought of an excuse to stay after I confronted her. "We will need someone to watch over this door to see if any monsters run out once the power is back on."


    "Canyue, that makes sense. Why don''t you stay with Wind Spirit and Dondon? The three of us will go turn on the power," said Old Du.


    "Fine. We''ll follow this plan. Be very careful. Stay in contact," I said.


    Old Du nodded before leaving with Zhang Bao''er and the baron. Dondon, Wind Spirit, and I remained and hid behind the metal pillars in front of the cockpit''s door.


    "Reporting to the commander, I have informed Dodo of our situation. They are thinking of a way to obtain the captain''s password. They will notify us the moment they get the password," said Dondon.


    With everything in place, the only thing we could do was wait patiently.

 CH 172

    "Canyue, we''re in the engine room. All the equipment here has been shut down for too long. The baron is looking for the power switch," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Make sure you turn on the ship''s power. Dodo is already looking for the captain''s password," I said.


    "We found the power switch. The main power switch is probably in the command room. We only have a backup switch here. According to the data here, there is actually some equipment on the ship that is still running," came Zhang Bao''er''s shocked voice a short while later.


    There was no doubt that this ship had brought me many surprises.


    "Can you check which equipment is running?" I asked.


    "Canyue, according to the data in the engine room, the ship''s life-support system is still running with the reserve power. If we forcefully turn on the main power, the things preserved by the life-support system might suffer damage," said Baron Sisse.


    "Can you see what the life-support system is preserving?" I asked.


    "No, this ship is too old. The search function does not provide detailed results. However, I can see that the life-support system is located in the cockpit. We will only know after entering," replied the baron.


    "Canyue, I think it might be the surviving pilot who had frozen themselves with the life-support system," said Old Du.


    "But that doesn''t make much sense. We''re not in outer space but on Planet Cloudcast, which is the empire''s. Shouldn''t all the discarded ships be inspected by Eternal soldiers before being scrapped?" I said.


    The baron said, "Therefore, I believe that this is a massive unsolved mystery. We will only get the answer from the cockpit. But we can''t turn on the power unless we''re willing to risk waking up the life form preserved by the life-support system."


    "Yeah. It might be the pilot, or it might be a virus or even a rare monster," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, we''re only here to steal a ship. The creature preserved here is unrelated to us. We should just pick a different ship. Stop looking for trouble," said Wind Spirit.


    We all heard her suggestion. She was right. Our goal was to only steal a ship. Finding out the secret in the cockpit wasn''t part of the mission.


    "I believe we still need to take a look. What if there is someone alive waiting for our rescue? For us, leaving is very simple. But for the life waiting inside, perhaps our departure would mean that it would lose its sole chance of surviving," I said.


    Everyone sank into silence. It was indeed important to save lives. That had been a principle we had been sticking to.


    "But we can''t turn on the system now. And without power, even if we have the password, we can''t open the locked cockpit from the outside," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, are there no air vents or some other tubes connected to the cockpit?" I asked.


    "The imperial ships generally use vents of the bee''s nest style for their cockpits and not the more traditional tubing system. Only nano morph-capable probes can go through such vents. There is no way for us to get through them," said Baron Sisse.


    "And where can we find a nano morph-capable probe?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "That''s a technology from Blue. Why are you asking me?" said the baron.


    The three of us sank into silence. The nano morph-capable probe he mentioned had remained suspiciously absent from all the downloaded knowledge we had received during training.


    "Let''s not talk about the probe for now. We should think of a way to get inside the cockpit. Dondon, try to contact Spacetime again and see if we can find other ways," I said.


    "Yes. Also, a new update just came in from Dodo," said Dondon.


    "What''s the update?" I asked impatiently.


    "I''ll connect the call. It''s better if they tell you themselves," said Dondon as he connected the call.


    "Canyue, can you hear me?" Dodo''s voice rang out.


    "Yes. Dodo, what update do you have? We have encountered a new situation," I said.


    Old Du proceeded to tell Dodo about our discovery in the engine room.


    "Canyue, while hacking into the imperial database, I gathered a large amount of information. I couldn''t find the captain''s password, but I have a new discovery about a vessel called Lightning," said Dodo.


    Those words grabbed everyone''s attention. We started to focus on what Dodo had to say next.


    "The ship you selected randomly is actually a famous ship from the past. Twenty years ago, it participated in the wars against Rumble, Akko, and many other planets. The ship was captained by someone called Fangfang, someone who had earned countless merits from numerous wars," said Dodo.


    "Captain Fangfang, that sounds like the name of a woman," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, and I did not expect this to be Fangfang''s ship. She is an extremely influential female captain in the empire''s history. She was also an Eternal. Unfortunately, she went missing after an accident during a mission," said Baron Sisse.


    "Captain Fangfang had gone missing when carrying out a special mission. According to the database, the mission was carried out near the Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula. The accident had caused the ship Lightning to sink into a stellar cloud," said Dodo. Their version of the story did not differ much from Baron Sisse''s.


    "Horsehead Nebula again? Is this a coincidence? Also, the records indicate that Lightning had dropped into a stellar cloud, but the ship is actually here. There must be some major secret at play here," I said.


    "Perhaps Captain Fangfang had accidentally discovered the secrets of the empire''s beast army? That was why she was murdered by the emperor?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That might be possible. The emperor might have lured her here in order to eliminate her. To protect herself, the captain activated the emergency door and locked herself inside," said Old Du. We all came to a similar conclusion.


    "Sigh. There are so many loopholes to your guesses. Also, none of your guesses involve a way to enter this room. What a waste of time," said Wind Spirit.


    "Little female cat, do you have a better idea?" said Zhang Bao''er.


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    "If the emperor really wants to go in, can this door even stop him? Sure, Emperor Fille was still young 20 years ago, but there was no way he would be so stupid, right?" said Wind Spirit. None of us could refute her.


    "Canyue, we don''t have any other choices. We don''t have the password nor can we risk turning on the system. We can only use force," said Old Du.


    "There is a place we can try. This ship''s nuclear reactor must have stopped operating a very long time ago and should still remain how it was. There is a tube connecting the reactor to the energy starter in the cockpit. You can consider gaining entry through that tube," said Dodo.


    "What stupid idea is that? Going through the nuclear reactor? Are you dumb? The radiation inside can instantly kill anyone. Only an iron doll like you can go through there," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Using the morph-capable shield and exploiting the fact that the reactor has not been operational for many years, there is a chance you can avoid the radiation. But based on the data I checked, the tube is quite small. Only someone small can get through it. Zhang Bao''er would be too fat to do it," said Dodo.


    The moment the word "small" was uttered, my gaze landed on Dondon and Wind Spirit.


    "Why are you looking at me? I will never go into a nuclear reactor. Only a madman will," rejected Wind Spirit defiantly.


    "Commander Canyue, our options are clear. Either we blow our way in or we enter through the nuclear reactor. We don''t have much time. You need to make a decision," said Baron Sisse.


    Silence descended upon the communication channel as everyone waited for my decision while my brain churned.


    "Commander, I''ll go. I have the suitable size for this mission," volunteered Dondon.


    In fact, everyone knew that Dondon was the only person here who could carry out the mission.


    "Dondon, we will be troubling you. I''ll accompany you to the reactor. If you encounter any trouble, do not stick around and fight. Retreat immediately," I said.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll run the moment I notice something wrong," said Dondon as he reversed the role and comforted me instead.


    Since we had decided, Wind Spirit did not say anything. The two of us followed Dondon to the engine room. Lightning''s engine room took up a very large space in the ship. After more than ten minutes, we arrived at the entrance. Old Du and the others were already waiting there for us.


    "Canyue, we have located the reactor''s entrance. It is big, and the reactor has long stopped operating. Even the heavy water in it has dried up. The radiation level inside is very high, but it is still within the morph-capable shield''s limit," said Old Du.


    "Commander, let''s not delay. I''ll go now. Let''s see if there''s really a path into the cockpit," said Dondon decisively.


    "Dondon, a map of the tubing system has been uploaded to your visor. Just follow the route," said Dodo.


    "Are you sure the map is accurate?" asked Dondon.


    "After comparing over a hundred battleships of the same model, I can confirm that this map is accurate," said Dodo.


    When Dodo was speaking, we arrived before the reactor under Old Du''s lead. An airlock stood before us. Right behind the airlock was the reactor without any heavy water remaining.


    "Canyue, this is as far as we can go. We''ll have to count on Dondon for the rest of the journey," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, why don''t we just blast our way in? This is too dangerous," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I also wavered upon hearing Bao''er''s suggestion. After all, Dondon''s safety was more important than anything else.


    "Canyue, let me go. I believe the morph-capable system won''t fail me," said Dondon firmly.


    "Let him go. This glorious moment belongs to the Storm race," said Wind Spirit, who was behaving extremely gravely, a behavior she rarely showed.


    Looking at the solemn look in her eyes, I firmed my heart and said, "Dondon will carry out the infiltration mission. Baron, Wind Spirit, and I will be on standby for rescue. Keep the communication channel active. The moment you encounter any danger, abort the mission."


    Dondon nodded at me. At this moment, all the crew members on Spacetime were also paying close attention to the mission Dondon was about to embark on. And when the airlock opened, Dondon''s thin figure stepped inside resolutely.

 CH 173

    The moment Dondon stepped into the airlock, the door behind him shut tight. Before he left, we had prepared a tool bag for him. Inside, Dondon opened the bag to perform a final check on the tools. After confirming that nothing was missing, he opened the door leading into the reactor.


    The recorder he had on him was streaming his point of view, allowing everyone to see what he was facing through our visors. The same scene was also being played on Spacetime. Through the stream, we saw that it was dry inside the nuclear reactor. The reactor had stopped operating a long time ago, and the heavy water had dried up, leaving the radiation the only trace of what this place used to be.


    "Looks like this reactor had stopped completely. Oddly, the life-support equipment is still running. What energy source is it relying on?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "I suspect it is relying on the backup electrical power," said Old Du.


    "What kind of backup power can last 20 years?" asked Baron Sisse.


    We all sank into silence. That was beyond our area of expertise. From the stream, Dondon was walking through a spacious and empty area. The nuclear reactor was much larger than we had imagined, and although the reactor had been discarded for decades, its interior had remained in a remarkably well-preserved state.


    Dondon continued moving through the reactor. From the stream, we saw he had arrived before the reactor''s central equipment. Numerous tubes extended out of the equipment, each heading in a different direction.


    "Dodo, I have reached the marked spot on the map. Which tube leads to the cockpit?" asked Dondon.


    "On the underlay, look for a tube with a ¦ÐR sign on it. That is the one leading to the cockpit," said Dodo.


    Shortly after, Dondon found the corresponding tube. On it was a small entrance for maintenance purposes. After confirming that it was the right tube, the little fellow entered. It was extremely narrow inside, barely big enough for Dondon to enter. If it was Zhang Bao''er or someone else, there would be no way they would be able to get inside.


    The tube was perpendicular to the ground and was leading straight upward. Although the wall of the tube was glossy and sleek, it was narrow enough that Dondon could squeeze his way upward while pushing with his legs.


    "I wonder if the space at the upper end of the tube will be too narrow. It will be troublesome if the little fellow got himself stuck in there," said Zhang Bao''er in a concerned manner.


    "Stop being so ominous!" I said.


    Everyone was still focused on the climb in the tube. We could hear the little fellow panting for breath. Due to how tight the tube was, Dondon needed to exhaust a lot of his stamina to keep climbing.


    After more than ten minutes, Dondon finally reached the top of the tube. From the stream, we could see a 90-degree turn in front of him. And when he made the turn, the scene none of us wanted to see appeared.


    About five meters ahead, an exit could be seen. However, the exit was covered by a railing. Additionally, the part of the tube after the turn was also smaller, at a size of about two-thirds of the perpendicular part of the tube.


    That stunned all of us. The size of the tube in front of Dondon was far smaller than Dondon''s body. It did not seem likely that he would be able to get through. We were five meters away from success, but we were stopped.


    "Dondon, pull back. It is too small. You can''t get through," I said.


    Everyone else also started calling for Dondon to pull back. However, the little fellow remained still, as though he was in deep thought. Suddenly, he took out a small electronic jack from his tool bag. With the jack, he forcefully widened the tube in front of him.


    "Is this fellow trying to enlarge the tube with the jack before squeezing through? That is genius!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    But something unexpected happened. When Dondon withdrew the jack in preparation to install it further ahead, the previous position shrunk back to its initial size.


    "Shit! Looks like this tunnel is made of some material that can forcefully snap back into its original shape," said Old Du.


    The newly ignited hope was extinguished yet again. Not even the electronic jack would work.


    Even Wind Spirit started urging Dondon to return, "Little fool, return first. We can think of a different way."


    Perhaps it was Wind Spirit''s voice, but Dondon was momentarily stunned. After a short while, he placed the jack ahead of him and once again enlarged the tube. Dondon also adjusted the top part of the jack into some sort of curve, trying his best to expand as much of the exit as possible.


    "What is this little fellow trying to do?" I asked Old Du in astonishment.


    "Looks like he intends to force himself through," said Old Du.


    "What? No! He will only kill himself! Little fool, have you gone crazy? Come back immediately!" Wind Spirit lost her cool upon hearing our words.


    However, Dondon showed no sign that he was going to retreat. Instead, he said, "Commander, I wish to try forcing my way through."


    The little fellow gave nobody the chance to respond as he immediately climbed forward into the enlarged part of the tube. The tight squeeze immediately pushed the morph-capable shield to its limits, causing even Dondon''s suit to be deformed.


    The pressure triggered the automatic camera on Dondon''s back. We could see the little fellow trying his very best to crawl forward in the tight tube. Beside me, Zhang Bao''er opened his mouth in agitation, but Old Du hurriedly covered his mouth so that he wouldn''t distract Dondon with words.


    From the stream, we could see that Dondon had forcefully squeezed his entire body into the tunnel. At that point, his only option was to keep going forward. The narrow tube was pushing back with so much force that we could even hear cracking sounds from Dondon''s body. Cracking sounds of bones being broken rang out again and again, tormenting all who were watching the process.


    Fortunately, from the rear camera, we saw that Dondon''s legs were still pushing forcefully, indicating that he was still alive. I covered Wind Spirit''s eyes with my hand as I couldn''t bear to let her continue watching. I could feel her tears drenching my palm as I did so.


    Dondon continued working hard, and from the stream, we could see that he was only three meters away from the exit. I knew very well how narrow the remaining part of the tube was. I couldn''t even imagine how deformed Dondon''s body was at the moment. I did not understand what he was relying on to keep struggling.


    Seconds passed as everyone watched and mourned in silence. We could only pray for Dondon''s success. I was also starting to regret agreeing to this mission. Perhaps my insistence to be careful and remain undetected was the real reason Dondon had been placed in such a dangerous situation. If anything were to happen to Dondon due to this, I would never be able to forgive myself.


    I could see Dondon continuing the crawl toward the exit. From the stream, the little fellow was now less than a meter away from the exit. We could clearly hear Dondon''s heartbeats from the stream, and the heartbeats were weakening. Even the force behind his legs seemed to be growing weaker at every moment.


    I felt Wind Spirit remove my hand from her eyes. She was also watching anxiously. Things were critical. When Dondon was half a meter away from the exit, he stopped moving. We could see that his tiny hand had reached the switch at the exit.


    From the stream, Dondon''s legs were no longer moving. The massive pain seemed to have overwhelmed him. Only the sounds of his weak heartbeats could be heard. We could clearly hear his heartbeats slowing down.


    "Dondon, wake up! You only need to reach out before succeeding! You''re one of the Storm race! Before completing the mission, I will not let you leave!" Master Crystal''s anxious voice rang out in the communicator.


    "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Zhang Bao''er started chanting.


    That infected everyone as we all started chanting the same words: "Wake up!"


    As everyone called out in an orderly manner, I saw a slight movement from Dondon''s hand. The shouting grew louder when we noticed, and our voices reverberated in the room. The only thing we wanted for Dondon was for him to wake up.


    As everyone shouted, Dondon''s tiny hand started twitching. The shouting seemed to work as the little fellow pushed again with his legs while his white front paw finally reached the power switch at the exit.


    Perhaps everyone''s prayers had touched the heavens, but the moment Dondon touched the switch, the cover of the exit opened. Then, Dondon grabbed the edge of the exit, successfully finding a focus point where he could use his strength.


    With a pull, his body slid forth and his head poked out of the exit. Perhaps Dondon had regained some of his mental faculties after his head was free. His other hand shot out of the tube as well. With both hands out, he could pull himself out much better.


    We could see Dondon holding onto the outside of the exit with both hands. With a pull, his body shot out of the terrible tube, leaving it. Once again, all of us sank into silence.


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    From the two streams playing in our visors, we could see that Dondon had landed on the floor of the cockpit. However, his body remained completely motionless. Although his heart was still beating, we couldn''t get a clear look to see how his status was. That remained for five minutes until a voice finally rang out in my communicator.


    "Canyue, it is so hard to get in here. I feel like I need to start losing weight," said Dondon.


    Cheers broke out in the communication channel. None of us could control our emotions. Even someone as calm as Old Du was wiping the tears off the corner of his eyes. Meanwhile, Wind Spirit started crying madly.


    "Dondon, take the time to rest. There is no rush. We will be waiting outside the cockpit. Take however long you need," I said.


    Everyone was still busy cheering. From the stream, I saw that Dondon was slowly regaining his ability to move. Clearly, his body was recovering.


    "Looks like cat bones are really flexible. Did you know that when I was a kid, my pet cat could jump off a six-story building and then strut away as if nothing happened?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fatty, you should have instead entered the tube to lose some weight," scolded Wind Spirit.


    This time, I did not stop their bickering. It had been too stressful earlier, and they needed an avenue to vent. And with the boisterous atmosphere, we returned to the entrance of the cockpit.

 CH 174

    After arriving before the emergency door, we did not urge Dondon to open the door from the inside. Rather, we waited silently for him to recover. From the real-time cameras, we saw Dondon slowly stand up. He seemed to have arrived inside some sort of machine, so he had yet to truly reach the inside of the cockpit.


    The little fellow pushed at the tiny opening above him. Just like that, he pushed open the dashboard that had remained unused for decades. He climbed out of the dashboard and entered the cockpit.


    Dondon stood atop the massive dashboard in the dark cockpit. Oddly, he couldn''t see outside the window from within the cockpit. When he squeezed through the tube, his regular searchlights had been broken. Thus, he only had an emergency searchlight that could only illuminate a small area around him.


    "Dondon, we''re hitting the door. You can move toward the door following the noise," I said.


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    A series of thuds guided Dondon in the correct direction as he started heading toward the door. Shortly after, we saw from the stream that Dondon had arrived before the door. Dodo had Dondon study the door in detail while we looked through the stream. We eventually discovered something that looked like a switch to the right of the door.


    "Dondon, try that switch. It is probably the button to open the door," said Dodo.


    Dondon did not hesitate and opened the lid covering the button and pushed down.


    The sound of gears spinning rang out. Shortly after, a cloud of dust fell down from the top of the door as the door slowly opened. The door had only opened enough to reveal a gap when Wind Spirit rushed through impatiently. We also quickly followed Wind Spirit in.


    Inside, we saw Dondon standing there smiling foolishly at us in his ragged outfit. Wind Spirit immediately jumped forth, held his neck, and started shouting at him. Meanwhile, Dondon was enjoying the sensation of being the hero of the day.


    Suddenly, the dumb Zhang Bao''er lifted Dondon and started inquiring about his well-being. That action caused both Dondon and Wind Spirit to be speechless. After the emotional reunion, we returned to our mission. All of us used our searchlights and started studying our surroundings.


    This was a massive cockpit. Everything in the cockpit made it look like a room that had been abandoned for decades. The cockpit was extremely messy with tools and countless pieces of equipment overturned on the floor. The scene reminded me of a high-speed chase. Even after decades, the scene in the cockpit made it seem like the chase had happened only moments ago.


    We searched our surroundings while Baron Sisse lay down on the dashboard to inspect the corresponding control equipment. The rest of us focused on looking for the sole functional life support equipment.


    The darkness shrouding the window of the cockpit attracted my attention. I approached the pilot''s seat and shone my light onto the window. I found that the window was actually covered tightly by a thick black cloth from the other side.


    ''Weird. Why is the window covered? Were they afraid that outsiders would discover the contents of this room?'' I wondered.


    "Come over here. I found something," Zhang Bao''er suddenly shouted.


    I rushed over and saw that Zhang Bao''er was standing before a side door in the cockpit. On the spot where the door touched the floor, we could see half the body of an unknown life form. This was the lower body of a life form we had never seen before. The dried legs had three toes each. The life form also had a big tail that resembled a lizard''s tail. Even more astonishing was the fact that this lower body was clad in a combat outfit.


    "Old Du, Canyue, what creature is this? It does not look like an Eternal or any other life form we had seen before," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "In my memories, I don''t recall seeing this weird life form," I said after some thought.


    "Yeah, I''ve never seen this life form before. From this half body we''re seeing, it looks like a lizard that can walk on two legs," said Old Du.


    "A lizard that can walk on two legs? Are you saying that instead of being an alien, this life form is related to the emperor''s beast army?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "That''s only a guess. From the circumstances surrounding this corpse, it had probably been crushed to death by a door that had suddenly shut on it," said Old Du.


    "This would be easy. We can just open the door to see what this creature looks like," suggested Zhang Bao''er in a straightforward manner.


    "Don''t be in a rush to open the door. Old Du, call Baron Sisse over. See if he recognizes this life form," I said.


    At this time, I noticed Dondon and Wind Spirit standing behind me. They were both studying the corpse as well. From Wind Spirit''s expression, I could see a clear look of disgust.


    "Princess, you are well-traveled. Have you seen this life form before?" I asked.


    "I have never seen this disgusting thing before. If I actually see them, I will definitely eliminate them," said Wind Spirit with a frown.


    "Dodo, do you see this corpse? Try to match it against the creatures in our database. See if you can find anything," I suddenly ordered when I recalled that Dodo was also in the communication channel with us.


    "Commander, I performed a search the moment this corpse was discovered. There is no match among our known civilized life forms," said Dodo.


    As we spoke, Baron Sisse walked over and crouched down to take a closer look at the corpse.


    A few minutes later, he stood up and said, "I think I saw this life form before."


    Everyone grew excited and started focusing on what the baron was going to say.


    "When I was a child, I once followed my father and King Xido to Eternal to attend an interstellar banquet. That was about 15 years ago, not long after the Divine Empire conquered Akko," said the baron.


    "Baron, Captain Fangfang was already missing at the time, right?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    "Yes. But I was still a child, so I didn''t know much about Captain Fangfang. The gathering of adults was boring for me. Thus, I only stayed for a bit before running to the garden to play. The imperial garden is massive. I ran and ran, and eventually, I got lost," said Baron Sisse.


    "And then you encountered this life form by pure accident?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, I did not encounter this life form, but I intruded upon the central part of the palace by accident. That was a place with dark soil and sparse vegetation. On the ground, I clearly saw a set of footprints that was of the exact same shape as this life form''s feet. The footprints I saw came from only two legs, so it was clear they were left by a being walking on two legs," said the baron.


    "You discovered the footsteps of a living version of this creature? Why didn''t you try to follow the footsteps?" asked Zhang Bao''er regretfully.


    "I intended to do so, but I was caught by a Gando warrior," said the baron, also feeling greatly regretful.


    "At the very least, we''re now sure that this life form once existed in the imperial palace. Emperor Fille is most definitely aware of this life form. The disappearance of this ship could very well be related to the emperor himself," I analyzed.


    "That''s very likely. From the position of this creature, it was probably pursuing something. Its target had probably escaped through the side door. We might get our answer after getting through the side door," said Old Du.


    Baron Sisse continued studying the side door, seemingly looking for a way to open it.


    "This side door can be opened through the main dashboard," said the baron as he turned back to face us.


    "How do you know that?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I checked the ship''s control system earlier. Although this was a cruiser from 20 years ago, its general control does not differ much from a modern cruiser. I discovered that the ship''s engine system is still in excellent condition and that it can still be turned on. However, the ship''s entire internal database has been deleted, and the deletion looks suspiciously intentional," said the baron.


    "How is any of that related to the opening of this door?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    The baron ignored Bao''er and continued, "On the dashboard, there is a row of digits and symbols. I discovered one of them on the side door. The corresponding button on the dashboard is probably the switch for this door."


    "I have a question. This creature was mid-pursuit before dropping dead. And the ship''s database had been wiped. Additionally, there is a switch outside the side door. I keep having a feeling that there was someone else watching as everything happened," said Old Du.


    Everyone''s hair stood on end when they heard his words. Wind Spirit, who started trembling, was especially affected.


    "We did perform a detailed search on the ship. No other corpses were found," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I suggest you perform another search. Otherwise, things will be very troublesome if the door is locked behind us the moment we walk through," said Wind Spirit.


    "What are you talking about? It has been decades. Who can survive in this ship for so long?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "How are you sure this whole thing isn''t a trap programmed into the ship''s system?" rebuked Wind Spirit.


    Her words were actually reasonable, so as a precaution, we decided to search the cockpit again. We split up and used our laser probes to scan the area. Eventually, 30 minutes passed without any results. We all confirmed that no other life form existed in the room apart from us.


    "There are no other lives here. I reckon we need to open the side door if we want an answer," said Baron Sisse.


    Everyone agreed unanimously with the baron. We all turned our shields to a higher level of power while waiting for the baron to open the door.


    "Canyue, you sure are hardworking. There is clearly nothing above the cabinet, but you still insisted on climbing up to check," joked Zhang Bao''er.


    I was wondering what Bao''er was saying when I looked at where his searchlight was pointing and saw the footprint of a Blueling on a desk beside the side door. More importantly, the footprint did not belong to any of us.

 CH 175

    "That''s not my footprint," I hurriedly said.


    Everyone was alarmed by my words. Even Baron Sisse stopped his work and ran over. Together, we studied the footprint.


    "Are you sure this isn''t a footprint left by one of you?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "Definitely not. This footprint is bigger than our feet. Also, the pattern on the sole is completely different," I said.


    "Weird. Why is there a lone footprint here? There''s no signs of any climbing either," said Old Du.


    "It has been decades. The climbing signs have probably disappeared with time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why is this footprint still here? From the design of the pattern, this footprint must have also been here for decades," said Old Du.


    "Regardless, this footprint proves that there must be someone else here at one point. From its shape, this was probably left by a Blueling," said Baron Sisse.


    The little fellow Dondon was incredibly curious. As he couldn''t see the footprint due to his height, he tried jumping to get a look. While he jumped, he left a clear pawprint on the platform. When I saw the pawprint, an idea rose in my mind.


    "This is a signal. The footprint wasn''t left from climbing. Rather, someone had intentionally left it behind as a reminder to those who would come later," I said.


    Everyone sank into thought. From the position of the footprint, it did seem like something someone had intentionally left behind.


    "What kind of a clue is this? What is this footprint trying to say?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "This can provide a lot of valuable information. Firstly, it proves that a Blueling was here. Secondly, that person was probably aware of what had happened here. Also, from the position of the footprint, the individual could either be in the cockpit or behind the side door," I said.


    "Nothing was found in the cockpit. In other words, this Blueling might have left a sign behind before entering the side room while being chased," said Old Du.


    "Yes. Therefore, we need to quickly get in the side room, and the truth will be unveiled," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    Baron Sisse went to the dashboard and pressed the button. The side door immediately opened. The first thing we saw was the other half of the withered corpse on the floor. Unlike the head of a lizard we had expected to see, we actually saw a lion-like head. The face of the corpse looked incomparably savage. Its dead hand was tightly gripping a raygun.


    "My god. Has the beast army learned to use weapons? How dangerous are they?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, be careful. My laser probe indicates that there is life inside that room," Dodo''s reminder came from the communicator.


    We were both excited and nervous when hearing that. I couldn''t help but grip my laser gun tighter as a precaution. Behind the side door was a long and winding corridor. Because of that, we couldn''t see what waited beyond the corridor. Zhang Bao''er and I walked in front with our guns raised. The others followed closely behind us.


    After taking the bend, two more withered corpses appeared before us. These corpses clearly belonged to the same species as the severed corpse at the entrance. However, these two lion creatures were actually killed by rayguns¡ªa charred hole could be seen in each of their chests.


    "Looks like there was a bloody battle here. Just who were these beasts pursuing?" I muttered.


    "Perhaps it''s Captain Fangfang or the mysterious Blueling," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Along the corridor, room after room could be seen. However, the doors to these rooms were all locked. We noticed that one of the doors was open. After nodding at each other, we rushed toward the opened door.


    I found with astonishment that from the side, a trace of red light could be seen inside the room. After Zhang Bao''er charged inside with his gun raised, astonishment covered his face. I followed behind him and saw that beyond the opened door was a massive room. Inside the room were dozens of the lion-like corpses. The red light was coming from within the pile of corpses.


    "What is that red light? Why are there so many corpses piled here?" asked Dondon.


    "Little cat, that¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to find out," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''ll take a look," said Baron Sisse. He stepped forth and started studying the corpses.


    Suddenly, the baron looked up and said, "These creatures are all dead. They are piled against a life support pod. Come help me remove these corpses. Let''s see what''s hidden inside the pod."


    Everyone''s interest was piqued. Zhang Bao''er and Old Du immediately stepped forth to move the corpses away. They had always been the most suitable individuals in our group to carry out hard labor like this.


    All these corpses were facing downward, as though they had suddenly dropped dead while charging ahead. Oddly, no wound could be found on any of them. We had no idea how they had been killed.


    After our hard laborers were done with their job, the life support pod with flickering red light was revealed before us. Clearly, this pod was still active. On its screen, the red indicator was constantly flashing, resulting in the red flash we saw earlier.


    At the top part of the pod was a glass window. Through the glass, we could see a sleeping individual in the pod. Oddly, the individual was clad in armor and was in a position with their back facing the window. Because of that, we weren''t able to determine the species of the life form in the pod.


    "What creature is in this pod? Can we open the pod and wake it up? We can just question it for all the answers we need," said Zhang Bao''er eagerly.


    "Wait. I need to study this equipment to find out how we can activate and wake the occupant up," said Baron Sisse.


    Numerous tiny tubes could be seen all over the pod. In the middle of the tube system, some sort of red liquid could be seen flowing inside. The red liquid seemed to be the source of energy for the slumbering individual. After checking, we saw that the liquid came from a tank under the floor. Under the tank was another tube system connected to two neighboring rooms. Clearly, the energy source was in the neighboring rooms.


    "The alarm of this pod is active. Seems like its energy supply is running low. We need to supply the pod with more energy or it won''t have enough energy to wake the person inside. If we forcefully wake this person, we might kill them," said Baron Sisse.


    "Looks like we need to look for more energy sources from the neighboring rooms. But when we were on the way, I noticed that all the doors were locked," said Old Du.


    "That won''t be an issue. All the doors here can be opened through the dashboard. These doors are all locked with an air pressure system. We don''t even need any power to open them. I''ll look for the door symbols and open them on the dashboard," said Baron Sisse.


    We all left the room. The baron did not take long to find the symbol of a neighboring room. He returned to the dashboard shortly after the door opened. The scene inside the room was one that we would not be able to forget. The room was filled with massive transparent nutrition tanks. Each nutrition tank was filled with a red liquid, and soaked within the liquid was a lion-faced creature.


    The tanks to the left were connected to the tube system and looked to be in a sort of perpetual cycle where they supplied energy back to themselves. Meanwhile, the tanks to the right were almost emptied of the red liquid. The lion-faced creatures in these tanks were all leaning against the tanks.


    A massive tube was hanging off the ceiling. The tube further split into numerous smaller tubes that were connected to these almost empty tanks. Every now and then, some red liquid would trickle into the tubes from the tanks.


    "Good heavens. These lion creatures are actually energy sources? The red liquid harvested from their bodies is being used as an energy supply to maintain the life support pod next door. No wonder the pod is still operational after so many years," said Old Du with astonishment.


    "No, I don''t think the red liquid comes from these creatures. On the contrary, the red liquid was probably meant to be the nutrition fluid for these creatures. However, the life support pod had siphoned the liquid away," said Baron Sisse, who had just entered the room.


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    "What makes you think so, Baron?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Firstly, from my observation of these tubes, part of their materials are different from the tubes on the left. Clearly, these tubes had been modified at one point. Secondly, I noticed that the lion-faced creatures in the left tanks are probably still alive. The red liquid is probably why," said Baron Sisse.


    "What? These lion-faced creatures are still alive? That is unbelievable," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, and their hearts are clearly still beating. There is still life in them," said the baron.


    "Canyue, give the order to kill these beasts! It will be troublesome for us if they wake up," said Wind Spirit anxiously.


    "You don''t have to be afraid. These creatures are still in the growth process. Due to the lack of nutrition, they have only been able to stay alive but not grow," said Baron Sisse.


    Wind Spirit was visibly relieved after hearing that.


    "I understand. The owner of the life support pod might have modified these tubes to redirect the nutritional fluid to their own pod from these tanks. After so many years, the nutritional fluid has almost dried up. Thus, the life support pod''s alarm is blinking non-stop. The creatures on the right tanks are all dead due to the lack of nutritional fluid. As for the creatures to the left, they are still alive after so many years thanks to their supply of nutritional fluid," I concluded.


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    "In other words, to wake up the master of the life support pod, we need to redirect the left tubes and supply the pod with more energy," said Old Du, causing everyone to grow excited.


    We did not hesitate and started working on it.


    "Wait, I have a question. If the redirection tubes were all made by the old man sleeping in the pod, why are there a pile of creatures atop his pod? I thought the baron said that these creatures couldn''t wake up yet due to their incomplete growth?" asked Wind Spirit. That was quite a difficult question to answer.

 CH 176

    Everyone felt doubtful upon hearing Wind Spirit''s words. True, the pile of lion-faced corpses was quite odd. Where did they come from?


    "Baron, let''s open the door for another room. We''ll take a look around," I said.


    Soon, the room to the right was opened. The scene in the room was as astonishing as the other room, but it also provided us with some answers. There were even more tanks in this room. All the tanks were working, with some of them already opened. It was clear that the lion-faced creatures in the opened tanks had left. The unopened tanks still contained one lion-faced creature each.


    We could clearly see that the lion-faced creatures in this room were much more developed than the ones in the other room. From their physical shape, their organs, and the stage of their growth, they seemed to be finished products.


    "Canyue, these beasts are too scary. It feels like they''re going to wake up at any time," said Wind Spirit softly.


    "These are all finished goods, and they can wake up at any time. Don''t touch anything here. We don''t want to wake them up accidentally," reminded Baron Sisse after he entered the room.


    "I reckon that the lion-faced creatures originally in these opened tanks are the same ones that had made up the pile that had died atop the life support pod," said Old Du.


    "That''s possible. The corpses in the pile are not in any armor and look like they were fresh out of the tanks," agreed Baron Sisse.


    "That''s odd. If those were from the tanks, how about the armored creature at the door?" I asked.


    "I think we should stop guessing. Let''s just wake that guy up and ask him," said Zhang Bao''er.


    That made a lot of sense. Zhang Bao''er''s suggestion was the most straightforward and effective method. Thus, we all returned to the other room with the tanks. After studying the tube system, Baron Sisse contacted Wuzhou who was on Spacetime. Under the guidance of the super engineer Wuzhou, he was able to quickly reconnect the tubes to the tube connected to the pod. Shortly after, an abundant amount of red liquid started coursing into the life support pod.


    With the energy source dealt with, we returned to the room housing the pod. The red liquid was rapidly flowing into the pod. After receiving enough energy, the red alarm stopped flickering.


    Baron Sisse started observing the data indicated on the screen atop the pod. About five minutes later, the baron informed us that the pod had returned to normal operation. It was filled with energy and ready for the awakening process.


    We all felt our adrenaline pumping when we heard that. This felt similar to when we had awakened Plum. Once again, we were going to awaken a slumbering historical figure. The sense of nervousness and excitement from doing something like this was unlike anything we could feel from any other activity.


    "Commander, everything is ready. Permission to start the awakening?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Permission granted. Everyone else, ready for combat," I said.


    After everyone raised their guns and turned on their shields, Baron Sisse pushed down the button to activate the pod. Some grinding sound rang out as the light on the pod turned green. The liquid inside the pod started flowing rapidly while all the numbers on the screen of the pod started changing. After about five minutes, a burst of steam was released from the pod as the cover slid open.


    Our heartbeats intensified as we focused on the figure with its back to us. This awakening seemed to have gone much smoother than we had imagined. In less than one minute, I saw the hands of the individual twitch slightly. As the liquid in the pod continued swirling, the body turned around.


    Even with a helmet on, we could see an exceptionally delicate feminine face. In fact, it was as though we were looking at a meticulously carved face that was flawless. And from the face of this individual, we were sure that she was a Blueling.


    Zhang Bao''er and I were both Bluelings, but this was our very first time looking at a face so beautiful. Both of us were stunned. While everyone was occupied with staring at the beautiful face, the eyes on the flawless face in question opened. Her hands moved to the edge of the pod and pulled herself upright before she leveled her gaze at us.


    For some reason, all of us seemed to have been stunned by the grace radiating from her beautiful face. Just like that, we all stood there without uttering a single word. A minute later, the woman took off her helmet, allowing her long, black hair to cascade down her shoulders. She had been immersed in the pod for over 20 years, and drops of nutritional fluid were dripping from her hair. However, her healthy long hair still perfectly accentuated her beauty.


    "Who are you? What year is it?" Suddenly, the woman opened her mouth and broke the silence. Her voice was incredibly pleasant to our ears.


    "It''s the year 2091. I''m Zhang Bao''er. Pleased to meet you." Zhang Bao''er was the first to step forth and introduce himself.


    "Oh? It''s 2091 already? Time really flies. My surname is Li, and my name is Yizhi. The two of you look like Bluelings," said the woman. The word Blueling she uttered caused much excitement among the group.


    "Yes. We came from Blue. I''m surnamed Li as well. My name is Canyue. Senior, you must be a Blueling too?" I asked, following up on the conversation started by Li Yizhi herself.


    "Like you, I came from Blue. I''m happy to meet you," replied Li Yizhi with a gentle voice.


    At that time, Baron Sisse displayed the qualities of a gentleman. He stepped forth and helped Li Yizhi, who was still dripping wet, out of the pod.


    "Canyue, give her some time to rest. Senior, do you want to drink something?" asked Old Du.


    "Thank you, but no. I''ll be fine after taking a short time to readjust myself," declined Li Yizhi politely.


    The woman sat down on the floor and started moving her limbs, head, and joints. She then shut her eyes and sank into thought. When she opened her eyes again, the look in her eyes seemed to have changed entirely.


    "Thank you for awakening me. Who are you? Where am I?" asked Li Yizhi after she recovered.


    "We''re from the 7th Armored Division of the Interstellar League''s B Army. Zhang Bao''er and I are Bluelings. Old Du is a Gliesen. The baron is an Akko. Dondon and Wind Spirit are Storms," I introduced.


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    "Gliesen? Blue is working with Gliesens now? Is the Interstellar League a new organization?" asked Li Yizhi in astonishment.


    "The Interstellar League was formed by Bluelings and the Gliesens of Gliese 581b. We are currently located on an artificial planet called Cloudcast in the Betelgeuse System of the Orion Constellation. This ship is called Lightning," I answered what I knew.


    Suddenly, Li Yizhi looked up and asked, "Was Blue defeated in a war?"


    "About that, well, both sides ultimately agreed to peace and formed a coalition government," I answered, trying to preserve a tiny bit of dignity for Blue.


    "Oh? That''s actually a decent ending. How did you find this place?" asked Li Yizhi. She seemed to have even more questions than us due to her recent awakening.


    "It''s a long story. May I know your reason to be hibernating here, senior? What''s the deal with the creatures on this ship? We need to leave first after confirming this. As for the changes over the past 20 years, we can provide the relevant information to you, senior," I said.


    At my words, Li Yizhi sank into silence, looking like she was immersed in her past memories.


    "Those beasts had broken free of the growth rooms. It would be disastrous to allow them to land on any planet. Thus, I altered my mission at the last moment into a mission of containment and destruction for these lion-faced beasts," replied Li Yizhi. From her words, it was clear it was a complicated story.


    "Senior, how did you arrive here from Blue? Our technology wasn''t at a level where we could go this far 20 years ago," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I left Blue to look for a way to defeat the Gliesens. A Gliesen had provided me with the ship," said Li Yizhi.


    "A Gliesen had provided a Blueling with a spaceship during the war to look for a way to defeat their own race? What''s the name of that Gliesen?" asked Old Du in disbelief.


    "Apologies, but I don''t know the name of that Gliesen. Upon boarding the ship, I found that the instructions on the ship were the same as the instructions I had been given. Thus, I started carrying out the mission," said Li Yizhi, disappointing Old Du with her answer.


    "Senior, do you still remember the number of the military unit you were in or perhaps the address of your unit?" I asked.


    "I don''t remember that. The earliest memory I remember is my meeting with the Gliesen," said Li Yizhi honestly.


    "Canyue, I reckon this beauty is probably suffering from either amnesia or brainwashing, with the culprit behind the brainwashing being the person who had wiped all her past memories. That way, she would be able to better focus on her mission," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I agree. I had thought that there were holes in her memories due to her recent awakening, but she is too straightforward. There must be a reason for her to be a Blueling without remembering her past from Blue," I said.


    "Senior, do you remember your mission?" asked Old Du.

 CH 177

    "In 2070 when the Gliesens invaded Blue, a group of emergency rescue teams with 10 members each was sent to systems where it was suspected that life existed to prepare a way out for Blue in the case of defeat. I was ordered to head to Planet Eternal to seek help. I can only remember the origin of my mission," said Li Yizhi.


    "How did they determine the location of each planet so accurately? Back then, Blue had yet to develop the wormhole travel technology," said Old Du.


    "Blue''s Hans binoculars had discovered countless planets suspected of hosting life. These planets were all we were aiming at," said Li Yizhi.


    "It''s weird that your ships were all provided by a Gliesen. Who is that Gliesen, exactly?" muttered Old Du to himself.


    "This ship is called Lightning. According to the records, it is a ship owned by the Eternals. Why are you on this ship? Where is Captain Fangfang? Is she still here? Also, we found a Blueling footprint in the cockpit. That doesn''t look like it belongs to you," I asked several questions in a row.


    "The things that have happened here are too complicated. It is dangerous that we''re all still on this ship. We need to leave first before I tell you the story," said Li Yizhi firmly.


    Her words carried a sort of power that was irresistible, causing all of us to stop questioning her.


    "Are those monsters still alive?" asked Li Yizhi.


    "A large portion of them are. However, the survivors are all in the nutritional tanks. They aren''t awake," said Baron Sisse.


    "What? They''re not all dead even after so long? Have you entered each room in the ship?" asked Li Yizhi who was visibly agitated.


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    "Only two," said Baron Sisse.


    "Not good. Did you shut the door after leaving those rooms?" asked Li Yizhi, who seemed to have recalled something.


    "These fools left the door open!" Wind Spirit called us out.


    "This is bad! Exposure to air will accelerate the growth of the lion-faced beasts. The time of their awakening will also be shortened. Go shut those doors now!" Li Yizhi shouted.


    She had barely finished when Baron Sisse rushed out of the room. At the same time, sounds of nutritional tanks opening came from the room next door. In the span of a few seconds, we heard the sound of the door shutting from the room beside us. But at the exact same time, a lion-faced beast appeared before our room.


    A delicate hand suddenly snatched the laser gun in my hands, aimed it at the beast''s head, and pulled the trigger. Unfortunately for the beast, it was killed so soon after its awakening. Li Yizhi''s skilled movement in combat caused all of us to be dumbstruck. After killing the lion-faced beast, she charged out of the room.


    We followed behind her and found that the other lion-faced beasts had not been able to rush out of the room before the door was shut. Only then did we heave out a breath of relief. Suddenly, an intense knocking came from behind the shut door.


    "We must remove the air in these growth rooms immediately. With the strength of these lion-faced beasts, they will be able to break through the door easily," said Li Yizhi as she tossed my gun back to me and rushed toward the cockpit.


    While passing the pile of withered corpses in the cockpit, Li Yizhi turned her head and picked up the raygun on the floor. Then, she stepped onto the operation platform and took over the control of the ship from the baron.


    The 20 years of slumber seemed to not have caused any damage to her memories at all. She was able to quickly find the corresponding button and push it to expel all air from the growth rooms. The knocking sounds from the growth rooms started growing lighter. Without any air, the beasts were losing their strength. Eventually, the knocking sounds stopped.


    "That was close. Good thing the air regulation system of the ship is still in good condition," said Li Yizhi with some lingering fears in her heart.


    "Ma''am, just what is up with these lion-faced beasts?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "This ship carries a batch of the beast army. These beasts were all embryos produced in laboratories before being slowly grown in the nutritional tanks. They require the movement of air to continue growing. In fact, the moving of air will accelerate their growth. But stripped of oxygen, they will choke and turn dormant. Thus, the nutritional tanks must be kept in sealed cabins," said Li Yizhi.


    "You mean the lion-faced beasts next door are only unconscious, not dead?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Yes. Those beasts have incredible physical capabilities. Even without oxygen, they will stay alive for 30 days, and they can wake up in less than 5 minutes after their supply of oxygen is returned," said Li Yizhi.


    "How do you know these beasts so well?" asked Old Du.


    "Because my last mission was to eliminate them," said Li Yizhi without even moving her gaze from the dashboard.


    Right at that moment, she started Lightning, and the engine started running.


    "Good gracious. Canyue, she started the ship directly! We''re exposed!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "What are you trying to do?" I asked, somewhat angry at being caught by surprise from the sudden activation of the ship.


    "We need to leave immediately and kill all these beasts in outer space. If they are allowed to actually land on a planet, they will be able to copy the knowledge of other life forms on the planet and escape. At that time, we will no longer be able to contain them," said Li Yizhi.


    "Copy the knowledge of other life forms? Are they capable of stealing our thoughts?" asked Wind Spirit nervously.


    "Canyue, since the ship has been started and we''re already exposed, we might as well leave with this ship. That will be better than returning with empty hands," Baron Sisse suggested a compromise.


    "Fine. There''s nothing we can do anyway. Senior, what do you need from us? We need to leave as soon as possible. This planet''s garrison has formidable firepower. They even have magnetic mines around the planet. We can have our ship take Lightning and leave," I said.


    Instantly, the indicator light of the ship''s engine started blinking.


    "Weird. Why is it saying that the ship is over the weight limit? What other things did they load onto the ship?" said Li Yizhi in astonishment.


    "Nothing was loaded onto the ship. We merely have three battleships stacked on top of us. This is a battleship dumping ground. Lightning is squeezed at the very bottom of the pile," I explained.


    "I see." Li Yizhi finally understood what was happening.


    "The black screen outside the cockpit is covering our line of sight. We need to remove it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    At that time, Li Yizhi projected a hologram above the dashboard. From the hologram, we could clearly see our ship at the bottom layer of a pile of discarded ships within a valley. All around us, countless other piles of discarded ships could be seen.


    "All of you need to find a fixed seat and sit down. I am going to perform the rotating maneuver to throw off the ships piled on us," said Li Yizhi.


    We scrambled for seats and fastened ourselves into the seats we found. Then, Li Yizhi started increasing the power the ship was exerting. The hull shook intensely while the layers of dust that had accumulated over decades fell off the ship. Surrounded by a cloud of dust, the ship slowly lifted above the ground.


    Carrying the massive weight on its back, Lightning was shaking violently. All the indicators in the ship were blazing incessantly, notifying us that the old ship had reached the limits of what it could withstand.


    Suddenly, the ship spun 360 degrees. The movement became faster and faster, throwing off the three battleships above the ship while Lightning continued accelerating. Eventually, even the black screen around the cockpit was thrown off. Finally, Lightning had regained its freedom.


    Without the heavy weight on it, all the indicator lights in the ship returned to normal. After 20 years of slumber, the engine was once again operating steadily. In fact, the ship functioned much better than we had imagined it could.


    "Commander, a small fleet is in pursuit of you. Do we intercept them?" asked Dodo through the communicator.


    "Commence interception. We still need some time to repair this ship''s operating system," I said.


    "Roger. Spacetime, begin the interception mission," said Dodo.


    Li Yizhi was fully focused on repairing the ship''s operating system. I found it interesting that she was actually standing steadily on the operation platform despite the ship''s rapid spinning. Her sense of balance was astonishing, and she was performing a grand feat of controlling a massive battleship like this all by herself.


    "Senior, an enemy fleet is approaching us rapidly. We need to leave immediately," I reminded.


    "I need two of you to help pilot the ship. You can help me with command," said Li Yizhi as she looked at me.


    At this point, the ship had stopped spinning. Upon hearing her command, I took off my seat belt and ran over. At the same time, I ordered Dondon and Baron Sisse to help with the piloting.


    "This ship''s propulsion system was inactive for too long. It can only recover after roughly 10 minutes. We will be able to leave after that," said Li Yizhi.


    "I have arranged an interception. We will buy the 10 minutes you need," I said confidently.


    Li Yizhi nodded at me and returned her focus to restoring the ship''s various functions.


    "Canyue, we have come into contact with the enemy fleet. An exchange of fire has happened. The enemy is a small fleet of five battleships of various sizes and a bunch of fighter drones. Their firepower is impressive," said Kelly.


    "No matter what, you need to hold them for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, withdraw into outer space together with us," I said.


    All the systems on Lightning were recharging at a rapid pace. The power system had been rather dry on energy due to the long period of inactivity. Thus, the ship''s nuclear power was rapidly recharging the various systems.


    "Shit! The heavy water in the nuclear reactor has dried up. In fact, that was how we got into the cockpit. The airlock system was damaged by us, so the radiation will reach this place. Without a defensive suit, will it be dangerous for you?" I suddenly recalled.


    "There is a reserve heavy water depot on the ship. I''ve already filled up the reactor with heavy water. Otherwise, the reactor wouldn''t even be able to start. The opening you created to enter has been repaired with the ship''s automatic electrical repair system," said Li Yizhi without even looking away from her dashboard.


    Her calm when handling the various issues shocked me. Her level of experience was a complete contrast to the young face she bore.


    "Canyue, a battleship is rapidly approaching us," Zhang Bao''er suddenly called out in alarm.

 CH 178

    A Star-class battleship was heading straight toward us, coming from the other side of Cloudcast.


    "Senior, a battleship is approaching us rapidly. Are there any weapons on Lightning? We need to defend ourselves," I asked in worry.


    "Lightning is a cruiser. It naturally is equipped with weapons. However, the system indicates that the guided missile cannons have all been stripped from the ship," said Li Yizhi, giving me a piece of bad news.


    "The Eternals must have stripped the ship''s weaponry system. I thought this was a dumping site?" said Old Du.


    "The system still requires seven minutes to make full recovery. We must hold on for seven minutes. The rail cannons are still on the ship, but they can only be used after the recharge is complete," said Li Yizhi.


    "Seven minutes? Without shields or weapons, it doesn''t look good for us," I said.


    "Kelly, a battleship is attacking us. Will Spacetime be able to return to support us?" asked Old Du.


    "We can''t. We are being tied down by the fighter drones. You have to rely on yourselves for now," came Kelly''s anxious reply. In the background, intense explosions could be heard.


    In a flash, the Star-class battleship had arrived before us. The moment it appeared, a red laser beam was unleashed toward us. Dondon and the baron immediately performed an evasive maneuver. A loud boom sounded as an antenna to the right of the defenseless Lightning exploded after being struck.


    "This won''t work. We are sitting ducks. If the cargo hold is struck, the lion-faced beasts will be able to leave," I said worriedly.


    "Looks like we can only give up on the propulsion for now and forcefully enter a state of invisibility," said Li Yizhi.


    "Invisibility is great! They won''t be able to see us anymore!" I said.


    "It is a temporary measure. We''re abandoning the propulsion system and redirecting power to the stealth system. The ship will be able to perform one leap with a limited range after entering invisibility. Let''s see if that''s good enough to escape their detection," said Li Yizhi.


    At this time, the second attack arrived, creating another explosion against the hull of the ship. The ship shook violently, and it was clear that the old hull could no longer take any more attacks.


    "Stop hesitating, senior. I suggest we enter invisibility immediately," I said.


    As I spoke, Li Yizhi switched the energy priority and shifted the energy that had been accumulated for the propulsion system for five minutes to the defensive system. Slowly, the ship turned invisible. In a few seconds, the ship vanished from view.


    "Initiate leap behind us at a 70-degree angle," said Li Yizhi to Dondon who was in charge of piloting.


    Dondon understood the order loud and clear. He immediately did as told and moved the ship to face backward at a 70-degree angle before pushing the leap button. Relying on invisibility, Lightning performed a leap in the aimed direction, instantly moving nearly nine kilometers away.


    After reaching our destination, Li Yizhi hurriedly turned off all power in the ship, causing the ship to turn completely still. Everything had happened in the span of only several seconds. Upon seeing that we had vanished from view, the enemy ship started firing madly at our previous position. Numerous explosions blazed up where we had been and enveloped the three discarded ships that had previously been piled atop our ship, blasting them into pieces.


    However, the enemy ship seemed to have discovered that we had escaped after some analysis, so it started spinning in the same spot.


    "Why are they spinning in the same spot? We are no longer there, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Our ship is completely still, but the ship''s technology is still too old. The moment we move, they will detect the sound waves we create. Since they did not detect any sound waves, they must suspect that we''re hiding nearby," explained Li Yizhi.


    "Are they really that smart?" questioned Zhang Bao''er, unconvinced by Li Yizhi''s judgment.


    However, she was quickly proven correct. The enemy ship started performing a laser scan in a ring-shaped area. A dozen fighter drones were also deployed to perform a more detailed search.


    "Their commander must be an expert who knows these outdated ships very well. We have encountered a tricky opponent," said Li Yizhi.


    "We can''t keep hiding. With the carpet search they''re performing, it''s only a matter of time before they find us. At that time, we won''t even have the power to initiate a leap," I said.


    "If their reinforcements arrive, things will be even more troublesome. We need to think of a way to escape," said Old Du.


    "I have an idea," Wind Spirit suddenly said.


    "What good idea can you come out with? Just say it, stop wasting time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Abandon ship. As individuals, we are too small for them to detect easily. We can always return later for this ship," said Wind Spirit.


    "Yes. We can leave first, create an explosion somewhere to lure them away, and come back for this ship," I agreed.


    "Good idea. That''s much better than waiting here doing nothing," Zhang Bao''er agreed as well.


    "No. My mission is to eliminate these lion-faced beasts. I can''t allow them to leave my watch. Unless they''re all eliminated, I won''t leave," refused Li Yizhi in a straightforward fashion.


    We were all at a loss for words, not knowing how to convince this old lady.


    "Senior, the situation is urgent. To make gains, we need to make sacrifices," persuaded Baron Sisse, who had left his pilot''s seat.


    Meanwhile, a fighter drone was already searching nearby.


    "No, I will never leave Lightning," refused Li Yizhi stubbornly.


    "You obstinate old woman. You said that you couldn''t allow them to leave your watch, but how about the 20 years you spent in slumber? Do you know that they have actually escaped during that time? Why didn''t you think of that before entering stasis?" said Wind Spirit, her temper flaring up.


    The words seemed to work as Li Yizhi suddenly raised her head and a look of intense struggle covered her face.


    "We''ll leave temporarily and return as soon as possible," she said slowly.


    We felt relieved to hear that. We immediately started packing our weapons and preparing to leave. Zhang Bao''er and I took the lead and exited the same way we had entered the ship. At the same time, Dondon informed Spacetime of our plan.


    "Old Du, strike down the nearby fighter drones. Bao''er, can you see the discarded ship five kilometers away with your laser probe? Go there and plant a timed cluster bomb. Everyone else, move out of this area. Old Du and Bao''er will reconvene with us after completing their missions. Spacetime will pick us up," I gave a series of rapid commands.


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    We split up according to the plan. Through my laser probe, I saw Old Du sprinting a distance of three kilometers in one go under the cover of the ship''s remains. He then pulled out the tracking rifle that we hadn''t used for a very long time.


    Thousands of red tracking bullets shot out toward the nearby fighter drone. The firepower caught the fighter by a surprise and pierced through its shield before blasting it apart. At the same time, a massive mushroom cloud rose up from the distance. Zhang Bao''er''s timed bomb had exploded at the perfect moment.


    The battleship searching for us and the fighter drones were attracted by the two explosions. They immediately focused on the two points. We were on the verge of success. However, the situation was still critical. We did not have any gear for personal invisibility, and we could be easily detected outside the ship. Spacetime had to return and pick us up immediately. After a few minutes, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du returned to us. At that time, the enemy was fully focused on the explosions. That was the perfect opening for us to escape.


    "Kelly, break free from combat and come pick us up," I said.


    "Canyue, Spacetime''s propulsion system was struck. Wuzhou is performing emergency repairs. We still need a little bit of time," said Kelly.


    We could only helplessly hide beneath a discarded ship. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and I were in charge of keeping watch. Meanwhile, Li Yizhi was standing silently with her eyes shut and a raygun in hand, seemingly contemplating her next course of action.


    "Canyue, look, it''s a four-dimensional toad! It seems to be approaching us," said Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    I looked over and saw the familiar flickering light heading our way.


    "This planet is way too weird. Why is a simple dumping ground filled with so many troubles?" I cursed.


    "Perhaps everything is normal on the front side of the planet. We are at the back side, the dark side of the planet. Therefore, all the incomprehensible things are gathered here," said Baron Sisse.


    "Stop talking. That floating light can detect sound waves," said Li Yizhi, who suddenly opened her eyes.


    We immediately shut our mouths. The moment we turned silent, the toad stopped moving. But shortly after, the floating light continued moving, still in our direction. Li Yizhi waved at all of us. We carefully followed her and switched to a new hiding spot beneath a different discarded ship. Shortly after, the toad arrived at our previous hiding spot and stopped there.


    ''How close,'' I thought nervously. ''Looks like this fellow can even pick up on our chatter even through the wireless communication channel. What a terrifying creature.''


    "Canyue, Spacetime''s propulsion system has been repaired. We are preparing to withdraw from combat. We will reach you in two minutes. Prepare for pickup," Kelly''s voice came from the communicator.

 CH 179

    The moment Kelly''s voice came from the wireless communication system, the four-dimensional toad shifted direction. The flickering eye moved toward us rapidly.


    "This fellow can seek us out through listening to our communicators. Unless we maintain absolute silence, it can detect us at any time," said Li Yizhi.


    "But that didn''t seem to be the case when we were in Lightning," said Old Du.


    "Perhaps this creature has a limited range," I said.


    "What are we waiting for? Let''s run," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We madly ran away from the toad. While we ran, Dondon constantly updated Spacetime on our current location. The flickering eye of the four-dimensional toad pursued us relentlessly. It also seemed like the toad could jump faster than our running speed as it was slowly catching up to us.


    Right at that moment, a loud rumble came from the sky, followed by the sounds of cannon and laser strikes came. Up in the sky, Spacetime was heading our way while under the pursuit of a group of battleships.


    "Canyue, there is an empty spot 100 meters ahead. I''ll pick you up there," said Kelly.


    We could cross a distance of 100 meters in less than 10 seconds, but just as we were about to start sprinting, a different red flickering toad eye appeared at our target location.


    "Shit! An enemy occupied our withdrawal point! Canyue, what do we do?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Have Spacetime fire some enhanced cluster bombs at the four-dimensional toad that''s at our withdrawal point. See if they can blast through the fourth dimension. Old Du and Bao''er, fire at the toad chasing after us. Try to slow it down," I ordered.


    "Canyue, that battleship and its fighter drones are also coming," said Dondon nervously, adding another piece of bad news on top of the pile.


    The situation was urgent. In the sky, the Eternal ships were hunting for us, and on the ground, the terrifying four-dimensional toads were also relentlessly coming after us. The enhanced cluster bombs fired by Spacetime created intense explosions. The explosions were bright enough to cover the flickering eye of the toad, so we weren''t able to see if the attack had been effective.


    Behind us, the other toad was facing Bao''er''s and Old Du''s attacks in a relaxed manner. Countless laser strikes and tracking bullets struck its body but only created some flashes instead of actually causing any harm. The toad wasn''t even slowed down by the attacks. At that point, it was less than 50 meters away from us.


    "Canyue, we have been surrounded. We won''t be able to pick you up at the designated spot. Spacetime must withdraw first, or all of us will die here," Kelly suddenly said.


    In the sky, Spacetime was surrounded by enemy ships. The battleship hunting for us also joined the battle. Countless attacks rained down on Spacetime, attempting to drain its shield of energy. Based on what I saw, Spacetime would not last long if it didn''t retreat.


    Right at that moment, I saw a small shuttle fly out of Spacetime and speed toward us. Dozens of fighter drones immediately gave pursuit. The moment the shuttle was deployed, Spacetime turned upward. Kelly demonstrated her exceptional piloting skills as she flew straight toward outer space while being chased by a large number of enemies.


    "The functionalities of the battleships of this era are truly incredible. They can even pull such a movement," exclaimed Li Yizhi as she looked at Spacetime retreating.


    Meanwhile, the shuttle continued flying toward us while a bunch of fighter drones chased after it.


    "Who is this? Are they trying to die?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    Dondon tried to contact the shuttle, but he failed to establish communication with it. A red laser beam suddenly struck the shuttle. The shuttle spun, flew by us, and crashed into the pursuing toad, creating an intense explosion. The explosion was much more intense than we had expected because the explosion was actually the eruption of a nuclear warhead.


    The nuclear explosion sent terrifying shockwaves sweeping out, destroying the pursuing fighter drones and sending us flying hundreds of meters away. Oddly, the mushroom cloud from the explosion only formed hundreds of meters above us, creating a terrifying region of raging shockwaves in the sky.


    It was as though they had carefully curated the scope of the explosion to avoid hurting us. We were able to protect ourselves with our powerful shields, but the explosion had still exhausted nearly 50 percent of our energy supply.


    The shockwaves and the mushroom cloud continued wreaking havoc. This nuclear warhead was more powerful than the personal nuclear warheads we had used to kill our first four-dimensional toad. If it wasn''t for the fact that the explosion had been limited to the sky, all of us would have perished. Using the cover of the nuclear explosion, we retreated rapidly and escaped the four-dimensional toads.


    "Canyue, there is still a toad at our pickup point. We can''t go there anymore. We need a new spot," said Baron Sisse.


    "From the current situation, we need to first find a hiding spot. We can think of a new plan after concealing ourselves," I gave a plan that might as well not be a plan.


    "Commander, Master Crystal and Anxashe are the ones piloting the shuttle. When the shuttle was struck, they had launched the ejection protocol. I have received their signals. Do we meet up with them?" said Dondon, finally giving us a piece of good news.


    I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Master Crystal and Anxashe had come to help us. I immediately led the team toward where the two had landed. They had landed less than a kilometer away from us. Thus, we reached the place where the signals came from after several minutes.


    To avoid attracting more toads, I ordered everyone to turn off their communicators. We then searched the area for the two heroes with our laser probes. Suddenly, a signal light flickered before us. It was a signal from Master Crystal. We rushed over and found Master Crystal and Anxashe waiting for us at the entrance of a discarded ship.


    Zhang Bao''er was exceptionally excited to see Master Crystal. Just as he was about to step forth and share his feelings, Master Crystal stopped him with a gesture. After gesturing at us to not make any noise, Master Crystal turned around and started leading us through the dumping ground.


    We followed closely behind him. Due to the nuclear explosion, the entire defensive force of Planet Cloudcast had been deployed. Numerous black figures could be seen flying in the sky as the enemy deployed all their battleships toward our area.


    ''Shit. If we can''t find a hiding spot, we won''t be able to run from their main fleet. We will be sitting ducks then,'' I thought anxiously.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    At that time, we arrived at the front of an abandoned valley. Then, Master Crystal stopped and searched the ground. Suddenly, he gestured at Anxashe. Countless tiny holes appeared on the ground, as though the ground had turned into a star chart. If we weren''t paying attention, we wouldn''t have even noticed the holes.


    After observing the holes for a bit, Master Crystal pointed at one of them. Anxashe then took out an arrow attached to a long rope and shot the arrow into the hole. The arrow descended underground. After a long while, when the entire rope was about to be pulled through, it stopped dropping. It seemed to have reached the bottom as Master Crystal nodded at Anxashe. At the sign, Anxashe started pulling.


    The rope was stretched extremely taut, looking like it was being subjected to great pressure. We immediately stepped forth to help. With a loud rumble, part of the ground shifted. A thick and heavy door slowly moved up from the shifted ground. A square entrance appeared before us. Behind the door, a long staircase stretched back. At that point, the Eternal battleships were getting near us.


    "Everyone, get in!" said Master Crystal.


    We then rushed toward the stairs and walked into the dark underground. Master Crystal was the last person to enter the underground passage. At that point, the enemies had arrived above us. With a push of a switch on the underground wall, the door closed behind us. The closure of the door put into motion some workings, causing the stairs to start moving, delivering us three kilometers underground. When we turned on our lights, we found that we were standing at the top of a long staircase that led further underground.


    "We can''t talk yet. Come with me," said Master Crystal.


    Anxashe, with his searchlight, took point while Master Crystal walked behind him. Everyone else followed the two as we traveled deep underground. The walls to the two sides of the underground passage were built of cold, hard steel. The staircase before us was exceptionally even, as though it was a finely crafted article that reached straight to the planet''s core.


    After walking for about two hours, we finally left the long staircase. The world before us opened up into a deep gorge with several hanging bridges built above it. What astonished us was the circular area around the gorge. The area was split into nine levels, and each level was filled with countless buildings. The door of each building was shut tight. It was unknown what manner of creature lived in these buildings.


    Master Crystal brought us to one of the bridges. When we looked down the bridge, the terrifying scene of churning lava entered our eyes. As for our surroundings, there were countless identical buildings that messed with our sense of direction.


    "Alright, we''re here. This place should be safe. You may speak freely now," said Master Crystal, finally removing the speech restriction he had imposed earlier.


    "Old man, what is this place? Why do you know this place?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who could no longer hold his curiosity in.


    "You need to thank Dodo. They are the one who had discovered this place after hacking into the empire''s database. After referencing the history I know, I confirmed that this place really exists. Since the situation was urgent, we could only take a risk and try reaching this place," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, what place is this, exactly?" asked Old Du.


    "This is the core of the planet. Cloudcast is an artificial planet, and this is its central zone. The foundation of the entire planet is this core, which serves as a massive computer simulation program. The power part of this core is basically a large nuclear reactor that provides energy to the entire planet. Each of these buildings hosts a different computer program that serves to help maintain the planet''s ecological balance," said Master Crystal.


    "Why do they need so many buildings for it? Do they really have so many programs?" I asked.


    "For a planet to operate normally, it would require not only a large number of commands from the computer program but also proper aspect classification. All these buildings are in charge of maintaining the commands of the various different aspects of the planet, such as wind, rain, thunder, lightning, organic life, other animals, and so on. All these aspects are maintained by specific buildings here," said Master Crystal.


    "Maintain? You mean there are maintenance workers here?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "There are maintenance droids with different shapes. There is at least one droid in each building. Everything works automatically, but as a precaution for malfunctioning droids, several hidden entries to the core are around the planet. The Eternals will enter every 100 years to perform general maintenance work on the core," said Master Crystal.


    "Is the entrance the hole Anxashe shot an arrow through? If it can be opened with only an arrow, isn''t the security here a bit too lax?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "Hehe, fatty, that''s quite a smart question to ask. The arrow shot by Anxashe wasn''t an ordinary arrow," said Master Crystal with a smile.


    "What kind of an arrow was it?" I asked.


    "That arrow was also a key. Dodo had duplicated a key before attaching it to the arrowhead. There are only 10 such keys in existence. Each key can only be used once. In other words, Plant Cloudcast was designed to last only 1,000 years. Also, the secret key alone is not enough. The arrow needs the ability to go through the various little holes to open the door. Thus, Anxashe had also installed a custom-made eyeball taken from a mechanical dog onto the arrowhead, allowing the arrow to search for its target automatically. Also, the rope we used was tough and durable, capable of withstanding a pressure beyond the pressure of the core. That rope was made of a unique material found on Rumble. In fact, there were only two of these ropes in existence. We would have failed if we had lacked even one of these items," said Master Crystal.


    Zhang Bao''er stuck his tongue out and stopped questioning.


    "What is our next plan? When are we leaving to eliminate those lion-faced beasts?" asked Li Yizhi coldly while everyone was still busy rejoicing in our escape.

 CH 180

    "What you need to do is tell us who you are. To save you, our entire plan had gone haywire. We will only do more to help you after understanding your cause," said Master Crystal.


    "Commander, we have lost contact with Spacetime. The underground defensive system seems to be able to block all wireless signals," said Dondon.


    I understood that Dondon was speculating in a positive direction. The alternative to his speculation was that Spacetime had been destroyed by the enemy fleet. Li Yizhi maintained her silence, apparently unwilling to share any of her secrets.


    "How can we help if you''re unwilling to tell us your reasoning?" said Master Crystal.


    "There are too many liars in the universe. Who are you? There is no way for me to determine the truth in your words," said Li Yizhi coldly.


    We sank into an awkward silence. We really didn''t know how we should prove our identity to her. It was obvious that she had been hurt deeply by deception before.


    "Senior, we found a footprint in Lightning''s cockpit. Was it yours?" I asked, trying to reduce the awkwardness.


    Perhaps that question had evoked some of her memories as she raised her beautiful face and gazed at me silently, looking like she was immersing herself in her recollections.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "I left the footprint behind, but it was someone else''s footprint," replied Li Yizhi after a few minutes of silence.


    "Someone else? Who?" I asked, suppressing the excitement bubbling within me.


    "I don''t know him. I encountered Lightning near the Horsehead Nebula. At the time, the ship I was on had already lost its power. Lightning took me into its containment cabin," replied Li Yizhi.


    "Did you see his appearance?" I asked urgently.


    "No. He was dressed in a black robe that covered his entire body," said Li Yizhi.


    I shivered at the mention of black robes. In the recordings left by Nommo at Sirius, the Blueling I saw was also clad in a black robe. Were they the same person? After so long, I finally found some clues leading to the man in black.


    "They might not be the same person. After all, that was an individual from 150,000 years ago. This senior has only been slumbering for 20 years," reminded Old Du, seeing through what I was thinking.


    "No. We have proven that time tunnels exist in the universe. That man in black might be someone who had grasped the secret of the time tunnel and can freely traverse numerous different points in time," I disagreed.


    "But why was the man in black in Lightning? If he was capable of traveling through a period of 100,000 years, he must have an extremely important mission. If it was really him, then there must have been something important he had to accomplish on that ship," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This young man is right. There is indeed an important secret hidden on Lightning," said Li Yizhi.


    A smug look covered Zhang Bao''er''s face, looking like a cat with his tail raised proudly.


    "What secret? Can you tell us, senior?" I asked.


    "When I first arrived on that ship, it was staffed by a bunch of individuals with pig heads. Subsequently, I learned that their leader was someone called Fangfang. However, her appearance was much more delicate than the others due to her more advanced evolution. At the time, the man in black had Fangfang rescue me. When I scanned the man in black, I discovered that he was a Blueling. I was surprised, but I did not expose him. I suspected that he carried the same mission as me.


    ¡°He was well-versed in alien languages as he constantly gave Captain Fangfang one order after another. However, I did not understand any word they spoke. I also learned that Lightning was heading toward the Horsehead Nebula. By encountering an alien civilization alone, I had accomplished half my mission. Just when I was about to make my request to them, Lightning was ambushed by a group of battleships. Two of the attacking battleships were of the same model as Lightning.


    "The attacks were fierce, but I discovered that Captain Fangfang did not put up any fight. She allowed them to attack as they wished. Shortly after, the man in black discovered it too. He quickly summoned several fully armed lion-faced beasts from the inner cabin. Upon entering the cockpit, the lion-faced beasts started a slaughter and took over the ship in no time.


    "One of the lion-faced beasts was a skilled pilot. That was the one that was crushed under the door. At the time, he took control of Lightning and activated the defensive system to escape the attack zone before utilizing a leap to leave.


    "The man in black gained full control over the ship with Captain Fangfang being seriously injured and the majority of the pig-headed crew members dead. The surviving crew members were all turned into the lion-faced beasts'' captives. I witnessed everything in shock from the corner. I had thought of relying on them to help us, but the aliens that I wanted to rely on were decimated by a group of beasts.


    "After the battle ended, the man in black approached me and spoke in the language of Blue. I told him my mission, and after a long thought, he told me that he could help. I was extremely excited because I had not expected the mission to progress so smoothly. The man in black told me that the lion-faced beasts on the ship could help me. I only needed to bring them and Lightning to Blue. They would help us defeat the Gliesens.


    "Initially, I was happy that there was hope for Blue. Then, the man in black told me that he needed to save a planet called Eternal. Since he had to lend me his army, he could only leave with the captain called Fangfang to get a new army at the base. When I asked him who he was, he refused to answer.


    "After that, the man in black left with Captain Fangfang and his captives on a shuttle. Before leaving, the man in black gave me a basic introduction of the ship. Only then did I notice that there were more undeveloped lion-faced beasts in the ship''s numerous growth devices.


    "I saw the man in black open the door of his room by scanning his foot. He then hastily took a backpack and left with Captain Fangfang and the captives. I happened to see a pair of boots he had left in the room. For reasons unknown to myself, I stole one of them," said Li Yizhi.


    "You mean that you initially planned to return to Blue with this ship and the lion-faced beasts?" I asked in shock.


    "Yes. I was filled with hope and believed that these powerful beasts would be able to save Blue. Also, their weapons are decades ahead of Blue at the time. When the man in black left, he also took the majority of the lion-faced beasts with him. Only three were actually left with me. Perhaps he had decided that he did not need much force to watch over a single person like me.


    "The moment the man in black left, Lightning prepared for wormhole travel. I was interested in learning more about the culture of these aliens and in taking a look at their wormhole manufacturing technology. Thus, I stood near the control dashboard to observe. I have the ability to rapidly memorize everything I see, so I was able to memorize everything the pilot did on the dashboard as preparation for the future.


    "I also learned how removing air could accelerate the growth of the lion-faced beasts when I saw a lot of white gas moving in the growth cabins. After setting up the procedures for growth, the lion-faced pilot started the wormhole production process. With the energy of the ship, he created a transparent ball of light. The ball of light covered the entire ship, and within the ball, transparent ripples appeared. On the control dashboard, the Solar System''s star chart appeared. On the chart, the marker for Blue, our destination, was marked with a flickering red light. It was at that moment that I realized how wrong everything was," said Li Yizhi.


    "What did you discover? What did you realize?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "I had never given the lion-faced beasts Blue''s coordinates. I had not seen the man in black give them the information before he left. Clearly, the coordinates of Blue had long been plugged into the ship before I had even told him of my mission. In fact, my mission was the reason he was in such a rush to leave," said Li Yizhi.


    "I understand. The man in black wanted to use you to take these lion-faced beasts back to Blue. With your help, they can enter without being bothered by Blue''s defensive system. How crafty," I said.


    "Yes, that was the man in black''s goal from the beginning. After discovering their scheme, in accordance with my mission, I would have to prevent them from reaching Blue at all costs. If not, more lives would be lost. Thus, I reached for the main power switch on the dashboard while the lion-faced pilot wasn''t paying attention. With a flip of the switch, the wormhole production stopped. I then ran to the inner cabin," said Li Yizhi.


    Listening to her brave story, I couldn''t help but feel respect for this gorgeous woman. A simple Blueling astronaut like her had actually dared to challenge these lion-faced beasts. That was something worth our respect.


    "The three lion-faced beasts gave chase. Since all the rooms in the inner cabin were locked, I had no place to hide. At that time, I passed by the man in black''s room and recalled his footprint lock. I immediately used the stolen shoe to open his room and hid inside," said Li Yizhi.


    Everyone was listening intently, feeling so nervous it was like we were the characters in the story.


    "I learned later that they could only produce a wormhole every 24 hours. Therefore, the lion-faced beasts were unable to perform the wormhole travel and started searching the ship for me. Little did they know, I was hiding in the man in black''s room," said Li Yizhi. As she spoke, her voice took a tone of urgency, as everything still felt extremely fresh for her.


    "You managed to kill all three of them, right? I saw their corpses," said Old Du, who was obviously much calmer than the rest of us.


    "In the room, I found some personal articles the man in black had left behind because he had to leave on short notice. One of the articles was a gun," said Li Yizhi.


    "Raygun," I said.


    "Yes. That''s probably what it''s called. With it, I felt slightly less nervous. I intended to take down the three beasts. I also tried searching the room for other useful clues," said Li Yizhi.


    "Did you find anything helpful?" I asked hopefully.


    "Nothing at all. The man in black must have placed everything important in his backpack. However, I did find a pair of socks. One of them had the letter C knitted on it."


    "Letter C!" exclaimed Old Du, looking as shocked as a navigator who had discovered an alien land.

 CH 181

    "Old Du, why are you so surprised? It''s just a letter," said Zhang Bao''er jeeringly.


    "The letter C reminded me of Captain Zhang Han''s friend, Cassie," said Old Du.


    "Are you trying to say that the man in black is Captain Zhang Han, and this pair of socks is Cassie''s gift to him?" I asked.


    "Everything is a guess. We need more proof if we want to verify the guess," said Old Du cautiously.


    "How did you escape danger in the end?" asked Master Crystal, returning to the topic.


    "I took the opportunity when the lion-faced beasts weren''t paying attention to ambush them from behind. Two of them were killed that way, but the pilot was able to hide. I couldn''t find it, so I started studying the ship''s control system. By referring to what I had seen, I was able to quickly grasp how to pilot the ship. At the time, I only had one thought in my mind: this ship filled with beasts could not be allowed to reach Blue," said Li Yizhi.


    "Lady, you described yourself as someone so capable that you''re a god. But in the end, you were ambushed by the last lion-faced beast, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "I tried killing the lion-faced beasts through the control dashboard. But I found that the ship was mainly a transportation ship. A different system was in charge of cultivating them. Thus, I had to personally enter the rooms to do something about them. Realizing that, I opened the door of one of the growth rooms.


    "I immediately headed to the room, completely forgetting to bring my raygun with me. The hidden lion-faced beast took the chance to rush out and ran after me with my gun. During the critical moment, I calculated its movement speed and shut the door the moment it reached the entrance, severing its body into two," said Li Yizhi.


    "What an exaggeration. I can''t believe that. You killed the three lion-faced beasts so easily? One of them was crushed to death by a door after you calculated its movement speed? Are you trying to convince me that these beasts all descended from pigs? If they''re so useless, they won''t be able to do much even after reaching Blue," said Zhang Bao''er.


    In truth, most of us did not believe what Li Yizhi said. Who would believe that three furious beasts could be killed so easily? I believed that Li Yizhi was still hiding something from us.


    However, she did not bother explaining. Rather, she continued with her story, "After killing the last beast, I studied their growth equipment. I found that their growth would be slow when there is air while and their growth will accelerate when there is no air. Thus, I planned to open all doors and lower their growth speed before eliminating them."


    "And then you used your own strength to eliminate a bunch of lion-faced beasts, right?" sneered Zhang Bao''er.


    Even a fool would understand what Zhang Bao''er meant. Li Yizhi wasn''t happy, but she did not show it on her face. Instead, she simply shut her mouth.


    "Don''t mention the past anymore. I need to put an end to these lion-faced beasts. Lightning still has the coordinates of Blue recorded in it as well. I can''t take any risks," said Li Yizhi after a short silence, showing a responsible attitude toward Blue.


    Regardless of the truth in her words, as a Blueling, I could not allow the lion-faced beasts to get to Blue. That was one goal the both of us shared.


    "Master, is there a way we can return to the surface and eliminate those beasts?" I asked Master Crystal.


    "I don''t think we need to return to the surface. The core of the planet is here. If we can create something that can destroy Lightning with these programs, wouldn''t that be better?" said Master Crystal.


    "Are you suggesting that we can hack into these programs to control the natural environment on the planet''s surface?" asked Baron Sisse as he pointed at the shut doors of the many buildings nearby.


    "If these doors are the secret key to accessing these programs, we only need to master the secret key to be able to alter these programs and create something we need," said Master Crystal.


    "Too bad Dodo isn''t here. We don''t have a master hacker here," said Zhang Bao''er with a sigh.


    "Don''t worry. We still have a super master, someone who had received the highest level of education in the Divine Empire with us," said Master Crystal as he pointed at Baron Sisse.


    "You overpraise me. I specialize in military system computing. I only know a little bit about programming," said Baron Sisse in a humble manner.


    "After leaving Lightning, I recorded its coordinates," Dondon gave us a piece of good news.


    "Can these programs create a volcanic eruption to destroy the ship?" asked Li Yizhi.


    "According to my analysis, a volcanic eruption is not one of the programs available in Cloudcast''s system. If we want, we''ll have to write the program ourselves," said Baron Sisse.


    "To destroy Lightning, we must use fire to burn it into nothingness. Wind or water won''t be able to fully destroy those beasts," said Li Yizhi.


    "To use fire, we don''t have many options apart from a volcanic eruption in terms of natural phenomenon. The core of this planet has quite a lot of lava, but the issue is sending it to the surface," said Baron Sisse.


    "No, apart from a volcanic eruption, there are other ways to create flame naturally. On Blue, lightning strikes frequently cause wildfires. We only need to produce a powerful enough lightning bolt to destroy the ship," I said.


    "Good idea. Since the ship is called Lightning, we will return it to nothingness with lightning. It is as if this is what fate had intended," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Having decided on a plan, everyone grew excited.


    "But out of so many buildings, which one contains the program to produce lightning?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "There are nine layers to the ring around us. Too bad we don''t have the blueprint of this place. Before this, Dodo told me that the arrangement of the buildings here follows a certain rule. We need to discover it ourselves," said Master Crystal.


    "You mentioned previously that inside each building is at least one droid?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "Yes. The droids will be in charge of maintenance and defense. According to the records, only by opening the door correctly will the droid remain in maintenance mode," said Master Crystal.


    "In other words, if we open the door incorrectly, the droid will turn violent," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Thinking that the discussion was leading nowhere, I left the group and approached one of the doors. I started studying the door. The odd door was filled with countless dots of different sizes. Each dot was attached to a delicate wire. Any accidental damage to one of these wires could very well create a powerful storm on the surface. Although I wanted to destroy Lightning, I did not intend to senselessly slaughter Cloudcast''s garrison.


    "Perhaps we need to take a risk," Master Crystal''s voice rang out.


    When I turned around, I saw that the others were also starting to study the doors.


    "Master, how do you intend to take this risk?" I asked.


    "I had studied three of these doors earlier. I can''t observe any pattern in the arrangement. No known formula can explain the arrangement employed here. I believe the arrangement here is something beyond what physics entails," said Master Crystal.


    "Perhaps we can combine the known physics of Eternal and Blue to solve this riddle?" I suggested.


    A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    "I tried observing from the perspective of Blue''s physics. I still couldn''t find any pattern. The master is right. Perhaps we can only take a risk," said Old Du.


    "I intend to force a door open and observe what''s inside," said Master Crystal.


    "No. I disagree. We don''t know which program is hidden in which room. What if the one you opened is the one storing the self-destruct program? This princess is too young to die here with you," said Wind Spirit.


    Dondon agreed with Wind Spirit that this idea was too radical. Alas, everyone ignored the two cats and started discussing the ways to open one of these doors.


    "I did a rough calculation earlier. There are around 999 doors here. Even if 20 of them lead to the destruction of the planet, the odds are still at a level we should take the risk," said Old Du.


    "Since everyone is in agreement, Master Crystal, please select a door," I said.


    Master Crystal was startled to receive the task, but he could only helplessly agree to take on the task I had deflected to him.


    Master Crystal slowly roamed the area. After walking by dozens of doors, he suddenly stopped. He pointed at a door and said, "I have a good feeling about this door. Let''s pick it."


    We gathered around him. The door before us looked the same as any other door, but the color of the electrical currents running along the door was different from the other doors. They were bluish purple in color, looking much more dazzling than the others. Perhaps that was the reason Master Crystal had selected this door.


    Apart from Wind Spirit and Dondon, who had stayed away in protest, everyone was gathered before the door in preparation to break through it. There was a combination lock to the right of the bluish-purple door. The lock was connected electronically to the door, and the keypad on the lock consisted of some Eternal numbers and Sirius characters.


    It was obvious that we didn''t know the password, and we did not dare to rashly insert a random password either. The door was deeply embedded in the wall, to the point there wasn''t even a gap we could pry it open. It did not look like we would be able to open it with a gentler method.


    "Canyue, let''s use our old tactic. Creating miracles with force," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    I looked at Master Crystal. He nodded at me, silently agreeing to the plan.


    "Bao''er, install a cluster bomb on the door and blast it apart," I gave the order.


    With the order issued, everyone retreated, leaving Zhang Bao''er to install a bomb on the spot between the lock and the door.


    Thirty seconds later, a blinding explosion erupted. The door collapsed outward, creating a loud sound as it dropped onto the ground. From afar, the door looked to be as thick as five meters. It had merely dropped after losing its balance from the explosion. Even more astonishing was the lush green we saw behind the door.

 CH 182

    "Good lord, this is a jackpot! We found paradise behind the first door we opened!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "If everything is too calm, there must be something wrong. Be careful, everyone. Zhang Bao''er and I will take point. Everyone else, follow behind us," I said cautiously.


    I had barely finished my words when a delicate figure rushed past me toward the lush world behind the door.


    "Lady, have you gone crazy?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    Li Yizhi ignored our calls and continued to run into the lush world.


    "That woman has gone mad. Follow her, everyone," I said as we helplessly chased after her.


    Soon, we arrived at the entrance. Li Yizhi had vanished completely inside the lush world inside the building. The moment we approached the entrance, we felt a blast of fresh and humid air blowing against our faces. The sensation was so comfortable that in only a few seconds, I started to feel drowsy. Abruptly, I felt a kick on my back. I hurriedly turned around.


    "Put your mask on. The oxygen level here is around 7 to 8 times higher than Blue''s. You will lose consciousness from oxygen toxicity," said Old Du loudly.


    My mind was in a daze, but I heard Old Du''s words and put on my mask. With my defensive system providing me with a suitable level of oxygen, the mist in my brain cleared out.


    ''I nearly fell for it without even entering the building. This place is too odd. I need to be careful,'' I reminded myself.


    "Weird. Why did Li Yizhi look fine when she rushed?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "She''s probably unconscious somewhere? We''ll know after entering," said Zhang Bao''er confidently.


    After recovering with my mask, I walked in front of Zhang Bao''er. Apart from Wind Spirit and Dondon, the others entered the green world with us. I started seriously observing the world beyond the door. Walking through the entrance, it was as though we were walking into an entirely new world. Our naked eyes weren''t able to see the end of this place, and above us were floating clouds and gentle sunlight. An unknown massive star hung in the sky, providing heat to this world.


    Due to the high oxygen level, the plants here looked rather different. Each plant was thriving, and some of these plants resembled Blue plants, while others probably originated from other planets in the Orion Constellation.


    The only difference between the plants here and the plants in the outside world was the size. In the green world, the plants were at least 10 times the size of their counterparts outside. A single leaf was the size of a table, so the canopies above us felt like a giant curtain covering the sky.


    Amid the dense vegetation, I saw a red flower in the shape of a Chinese olive. It looked especially conspicuous among the green. It was the size of a regular adult Blueling, and it emanated a tempting fragrance. It also constantly released some tiny floating objects that resembled dandelions into the air around it.


    "What plant is this? It looks so weird," said Zhang Bao''er as he approached the red flower.


    "Watch out, Bao''er. Don''t approach it!" Old Du suddenly called out.


    Instantly, the flower suddenly opened up and revealed hundreds of barbed fangs and pounced on Zhang Bao''er. Due to the distance and the speed, Zhang Bao''er was unable to move away in time. Half of his upper body was bitten by the flower. His morph-capable shield displayed its effect, blocking all the fangs and protecting Zhang Bao''er from becoming a pincushion.


    The red flower reacted speedily. After failing to penetrate Zhang Bao''er''s defenses, it pulled upward, as though it was trying to swallow Zhang Bao''er whole. But perhaps Zhang Bao''er was too chubby for it; he was able to resist being lifted, foiling the flower''s attempt to swallow him whole.


    During the critical moment when everyone was still stunned in shock, Old Du was the first to react. He raised his laser gun and shot at the flower, waking the rest of us from our shock. We also started attacking.


    "Bao''er, are you fine? We''re trying to free you," I finally remembered to contact Zhang Bao''er with the communicator.


    "I''m not fine at all. I feel like there are countless thorns on my head. Free me!" Zhang Bao''er''s furious voice came from the communicator.


    I was slightly relieved to see that Zhang Bao''er was well enough to complain. However, things did not look like it was improving. Our guns were able to create massive wounds on the flower, but the flower had an astonishingly powerful regeneration ability. It was able to heal faster than we could damage it as its wounds closed instantly. Even after several minutes, we made no progress. Rather, Zhang Bao''er was slowly losing his strength, looking like he was about to be lifted from the ground.


    "Canyue, looks like we won''t be able to harm this monster without bombs. I''ll try using a cluster bomb," said Old Du.


    I immediately agreed and notified Zhang Bao''er, "Bao''er, turn your shield to maximum capacity. We''ll be using cluster bombs."


    "Do it quickly! This monster''s mouth is too uncomfortable to be in! Blast it to death and free me already!" Zhang Bao''er was still complaining, but his voice was obviously weaker than before.


    After gaining my permission, Old Du rushed forth to install the cluster bomb on the flower. Just as Old Du was about to begin the installation, a figure rushed out of the dense bush with a sharp green wooden spear and stabbed the spear into the middle of the red flower. The force behind the stab instantly skewered the flower. When we looked, we saw that the individual was Li Yizhi.


    We were about to say something, but then she gestured at us and pointed at the red flower. At the spot where it had been skewered, the wound was reacting intensely. The flower''s rapid healing ability had failed upon the wound''s contact with the liquid seeping out of the green spear. At the same time, the wound was actually growing. Before long, it spread to the entire flower, causing the towering flower to wither away.


    After a minute, the flower was fully dead. Zhang Bao''er took the chance to pull himself free from the flower. He looked like a porcupine with all the thorns all over his upper body, giving him a rather comical appearance.


    After the intense struggle, Zhang Bao''er was greatly exhausted. He slumped down onto the ground and panted heavily. I ran forth with Old Du and Anxashe and helped pull the thorns out.


    We spent nearly 10 minutes clearing all the thorns. We could see that Zhang Bao''er''s helmet was filled with holes. Obviously, the thorns had actually pierced through the morph-capable shield and reached his helmet. It was clear how terrifying this flower was.


    When we were finished, we all lay on the ground while breathing heavily. At that point, I noticed how Li Yizhi was completely fine without a mask. It would seem like this was an environment suited for her.


    ''Just what mysterious person is this? Her body quality is much higher than a regular Blueling''s,'' I thought inwardly.


    "Senior, where were you earlier? How do you know about killing the plant with that special spear?" asked Old Du.


    "Come with me," said Li Yizhi coldly before turning around and walking into the dense forest.


    To avoid losing her yet again, we hurriedly followed behind her. The moment we entered the dense jungle, the scene before us caused us to be speechless. We could see the red flowers all over the forest. There was one every 10 meters, and there were so many of them that we couldn''t see the end of their habitat.


    "Do not get within three meters of them, or they will try to swallow you," warned Li Yizhi.


    We could see that dozens of the red flowers had already been killed by the same green spear. Clearly, Li Yizhi had learned about the way to kill the red flower here.


    "Canyue, look at the angle of these spear attacks. It''s like someone had used their own hands to push these spears into the flowers, looking similar to how Li Yizhi had attacked earlier. From how this scene looks, there must be other life forms here that are equipped with these green spears," said Baron Sisse.


    "No. These spears are not stabbed into the flowers by humanoid beings. They were actually shot out from a type of green plant," said Li Yizhi as she pointed at a massive green plant not far from us.


    I immediately scanned the green plant with my laser probe and scanner. Sure enough, I discovered that several branches with sharp tips were growing out of its trunk.


    "These spear-shooting plants are probably competing for living space against the red flowers. Thus, the moment their roots touch, a conflict will happen. From what we can see, the spear shooters are probably holding the upper hand in the struggle. They are capable of shooting the red flowers to death from afar, but the red flowers have a numerical advantage. Thus, the competition is still rather intense," said Li Yizhi.


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    Zhang Bao''er started questioning her again, "Lady, how are you aware of this? It''s like you''ve been here before."


    "Grandson, the variety and competitiveness of life will remain the same no matter where you go in the universe. Survival of the fittest is the way of nature. Eat less. You''re overweight," criticized Li Yizhi mercilessly.


    "Everyone, stay away from the green plants. Be careful of their green spears," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, we''re already in one of these buildings. This does not look like a place where we can create lightning. Also, the droid that is supposed to be in charge of this place is still nowhere to be seen. Should we pick a different room?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "This place probably holds the oxygen production program, which relies on these plants to produce oxygen. However, I believe we should still look for the droid here and see if we can hack into its system to look for a way to open the other doors," said Master Crystal.


    "This place is too big. I already scanned our vicinity. Nothing resembling a droid was found. I think we need to go deeper," said Old Du.


    "You should stop. The environmental systems here are designed in an extremely dangerous way. Just wait here. I''ll search around," said Li Yizhi decisively before vanishing into the dense jungle without even giving us a chance to react.


    "That old lady shows way too little respect for us. Why should we even listen to her?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, stop wasting your breath. Look at the holes all over your suit. If it wasn''t for the senior, you''d already be a porcupine. Just follow her advice and wait here. Do not move around. The plants here are too weird. We are surrounded by dangers," I said.


    Shortly after, we heard some clamor coming from far away. The noise sounded like something was running from pursuit, crashing into numerous branches while doing so. After a few minutes, silence returned. A few minutes later, Li Yizhi reappeared before us.


    "I found your droid," said Li Yizhi nonchalantly. She then tossed over an object to us. The object landed in front of Old Du.


    When we looked over, we saw an ash-gray triangular object wrapped in green vine ropes.

 CH 183

    "Can this little fellow even maintain a place so big and so many plants?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "You, look for the port on this triangular droid and try to hack into its database," Li Yizhi ordered Baron Sisse directly while ignoring Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes," Baron Sisse replied respectfully before picking up the small triangular droid to study it.


    The small triangular droid before him looked like a thick sandwich. One side of its body was installed with three wheels, allowing it to move around. Although it had been tied up by Li Yizhi with ropes, its wheels kept trembling, as though it was still struggling to get free.


    Soon, Baron Sisse found the port from the droid''s seemingly seamless body. The port was a tiny square hole, and one would only be able to access it with the corresponding device. Of course, at the end of the 21st century, ports like this wouldn''t pose much trouble. Baron Sisse took out a cable from his morph-capable suit. A tiny probe reached out from the tip of the cable and slowly entered the port.


    The nanobot at the top of the probe started working. In accordance with the shape of the port, it adjusted the shape of the probe. In a few minutes, a connection was formed with the triangular droid''s database.


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    Baron Sisse rapidly analyzed the code within the droid. Countless symbols denoting the computing language used were flashing rapidly on his visor. Unlike what we knew, the computing language was written with the characters of Eternal.


    The baron spent a long time connecting to the database and analyzing the code in it. Everyone waited while breathing softly, afraid to disturb the baron from his work. Even Li Yizhi was waiting silently, her gaze focused on the numerous symbols flashing on the baron''s visor, seemingly trying to look for the secret of these symbols.


    "I''ve fully aligned myself with the programming of this droid. I am accessing its main control system," said the baron while still working on the droid.


    Everyone grew excited and waited impatiently for what he was going to do next.


    "We are within one of the buildings. All the buildings here are a similar size," the baron narrated his first finding.


    "Each building is similar in size? But this room is so big we can''t see the end of it. If each room is the same size, are you telling me that the space within the building is actually a different dimension?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "No. Each room is filled with different components and equipment. Nothing we see here is real. Rather, they''re all illusions created by the program using the equipment here," said the baron.


    "What? Are you saying that the many holes left on me by that man-eating flower are illusions? They feel so real! And my head is really still hurting!" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "That is called sensory illusion. If you''re killed in one such illusion, you''ll really die. Only by leaving this place will you be able to return to the real world," said the baron, causing everyone to break out in cold sweat.


    What was scary about this world wasn''t the illusions. Rather, it was that you had to treat the illusions as real even after being aware that they were fake. That would continue to nibble on one''s nerves until one broke down from pressure.


    "I have good news. This droid''s database has the diagram of the planet''s core in it," said Baron Sisse in excitement.


    The depressed mood was immediately swept away. After all, if we could find the program that produced lightning, there would be hope that we could complete our mission.


    "The program in this room is in charge of oxygen production. If we shut this program down, we could theoretically kill everyone on Cloudcast," said Baron Sisse.


    "No, that''ll take too many lives. There is no need to create such a slaughter. In any case, the lion-faced beasts are all dormant in their tanks. Even without oxygen, they will survive," I said.


    "If we want to destroy Lightning with lightning, we need to produce lightning bolts. To do that, we need water vapor to start forming clouds. Then, we need to electrify these clouds before making Lightning the receptor of the created lightning bolt," said Baron Sisse, detailing the steps required for our plan.


    "To destroy Lightning, we need to produce electrical power reaching tens of millions of volts. Any weaker than that and the ship would be able to easily redirect the electrical flow into the ground. Only powerful enough lightning can penetrate the ship''s lightning protection equipment," reminded Li Yizhi.


    "To create a lightning bolt that powerful, the cloud must be something formed from the vapor of the entire planet. For our next move, we need to look for the room with the vapor production program," said Baron Sisse.


    "There are hundreds of these rooms around. Sure, you know how to produce lightning, but how do we know which room to go to?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We need to look for two rooms, the vapor producer and the lightning producer. Only by working these two rooms together will we be able to achieve our goal," said Baron Sisse.


    "Even looking for one room is difficult. Looking for two is basically a dream," said Zhang Bao''er as he grew slightly dispirited.


    "We can locate the two doors through the order of elements. There is a corresponding table of elements in this droid''s database. From the order of the elements, I can see that the rooms here are also ordered in a certain pattern," said Baron Sisse.


    "Table of elements? Is it something similar to the periodic table on Blue?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously.


    "I''m not sure of the order of Blue''s periodic table. However, the scientists of Eternal do arrange the elements in a certain order," said Baron Sisse.


    "What is the order? Will we be able to locate the doors we need with it?" I asked the most important question after seeing that Zhang Bao''er was about to utter even more nonsense.


    "We still won''t be able to locate the doors with a 100-percent accuracy, but we can reduce the scope of our search," said Baron Sisse.


    "How much smaller can we make the scope?" I asked.


    "I have an accuracy rate of 20 percent," said Baron Sisse.


    An accuracy rate of 20 percent meant that we could reduce the search to only 10 doors. Compared with the 999 doors here, this new number sounded much more optimistic. Once again, we regained our confidence.


    "That is still too much. How did you come up with your 20 percent, Baron?" asked Li Yizhi.


    "I combined Eternal''s table of elements with the table in the droid''s database to create a new table following the order of elements. For example, the oxygen in the air, the oxygen in water, and the oxygen in living beings are all related. Based on the relationships between these elements, I have constructed the most optimal table to point out the most likely doors holding what we need to produce lightning," explained Baron Sisse.


    "Your calculation is too extensive and coarse. Give me the probability you get from the first step of your calculation. I will perform the second step and refine the calculation," ordered Li Yizhi.


    Zhang Bao''er was unhappy with Li Yizhi''s arrogant attitude, but he was stopped by Old Du before he could speak. Regardless of whether Li Yizhi was right or wrong, Baron Sisse started seriously calculating the probability of the locations holding what we needed to produce lightning. Meanwhile, Master Crystal walked up to me and pulled me to the side.


    "Canyue, do you feel that this Li Yizhi is completely different from everyone else?" whispered Master Crystal.


    "Yes, she is insanely beautiful and stands out from the rest. What a surprise, Master. Your eyes are good enough that you even notice these details!" I said.


    "What stupid thoughts are you thinking? I merely feel that her physiology is weird, giving off a sensation I can''t quite put into words," said Master Crystal furiously.


    "Master, she is a female Blueling. She is similar to Xingxing and Kelly. Her body composition is different from people like me," I replied, giving yet another answer that made Master Crystal feel like coughing blood.


    "You must be deliberately acting stupid. I mean that the way her body functions is weird. She suffers no oxygen toxicity even in an environment of pure oxygen. Also, her body seems to be immune to all sorts of external substances, allowing her to freely move around in this forest. I checked before. A majority of the plants created by the program here are actually poisonous," said Master Crystal.


    "Maybe her body lacks oxygen due to her long stasis? Maybe as a special explorer sent out of Blue, she had received some special training?" I speculated.


    "All those are guesses. I suggest you scan her with your laser probe and see if there''s anything out of place," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, she''s a woman. That is improper," I refused. I was professional enough to not abuse my tools that way.


    "I''ll be honest. I already scanned her. I discovered something odd, but I don''t know Blueling bodies well. Therefore, I need you to perform a scan as well," said Master Crystal.


    "What? You already performed a scan? What did you discover?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Her body''s makeup is similar to a Blueling, but her body temperature is lower than 20 degrees. That isn''t normal body temperature for you Bluelings, is it?" asked Master Crystal.


    "What? Only 20 degrees? That''s not possible," I said in disbelief.


    "Canyue. I already found the 10 doors with the highest probability of holding what we need," interrupted Baron Sisse while we were still conversing.

 CH 184

    "So fast? Where are the 10 doors?" I asked in excitement.


    The baron was about to answer when Li Yizhi interrupted him.


    "Hand me your initial result. I will refine it," ordered Li Yizhi.


    Baron Sisse did as told and handed Li Yizhi the portable drive containing the data.


    With the portable drive in hand, Li Yizhi pulled out a cable from the part of her armor attached to her chest. The flexible cable reached out for the portable drive and wrapped several thin feelers around the drive.


    It looked like the feelers were helping her access the data. That was the first time we had seen data being read without accessing the connection port. In fact, I even felt a slight sense of inferiority due to the superior technology she had. She then sat down and shut her eyes, looking like she was performing some intense calculations.


    "She''s acting all mysterious again. Canyue, look at this old lady. Is she going to perform the calculation with only her brain without any tools?" Zhang Bao''er complained non-stop like a devout monk chanting a scripture.


    "We don''t know for sure. There was once a person on Blue with amazing mental arithmetic capabilities, capable of easily calculating something mentally shortly after he was given the formula. Perhaps this senior is someone like that?" I said.


    "Hmph. Then we''ll wait and see. You already know I''m skeptical of someone acting like they have supernatural abilities," said Zhang Bao''er with a look of defiance.


    "Brother Bao''er, I recall you mentioning ghosts quite a lot during our journey," teased Master Crystal.


    "Why are all Storms the same? All of you are so quarrelsome!" said Zhang Bao''er as his bad temper flared again.


    Upon hearing Master Crystal''s voice, I recalled our earlier conversation about the issues with Li Yizhi''s body. I tried to stealthily measure her body temperature. My system returned the result of 20 degrees.


    ''What is this? Humans are warm-blooded. No Blueling can survive with a body temperature of 20 degrees. Is her armor actually hiding her heat and messing with the scan?'' I started wondering, but for the sake of politeness, I still refused to actually scan her body.


    After shutting her eyes for 10 minutes, Li Yizhi stood up and calmly said, "Follow me, everyone."


    The grave manner in which she delivered the command compelled us to follow her. Not even Zhang Bao''er voiced a complaint.


    We followed her out of the forest. Outside the oxygen production room, I saw Baron Sisse releasing the triangular droid from its bindings and releasing the little fellow in the room, allowing it to resume its work of oxygen production. Wind Spirit and Dondon were already waiting outside with expressions of impatience.


    "Why were you gone for so long? Did you find anything? complained Wind Spirit the moment she saw us.


    "Sigh. The two of you missed out on it. The droid inside is extremely friendly. They actually threw us a feast with amazing dishes," teased Zhang Bao''er as he rubbed his belly.


    The two appeared doubtful, but nobody bothered explaining the truth to them.


    "Canyue, look, the holes in Zhang Bao''er''s suit are gone," said Old Du.


    I looked over and saw that sure enough, the holes in Zhang Bao''er''s suit had mysteriously vanished after we had left the room.


    "Looks like the information the baron had obtained from the droid''s database was correct. Everything we saw in there was an illusion," I exclaimed in admiration.


    With irrefutable proof before our eyes, Zhang Bao''er did not argue despite his argumentative character. Nevertheless, none of our theories was the focus at hand. We hurriedly followed Li Yizhi as she walked. Shortly after, we arrived before a door on the fifth layer. A flickering yellow light could be seen coming from the door.


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    There were even more electrical circuits running along the surface of this door than the door of the oxygen room. The design was extremely complicated, making it obvious that the room housed a program of similar complexity.


    "It''s here. Blow the door apart," commanded Li Yizhi coldly.


    Old Du followed the order and installed a cluster bomb on the door. A similar scene appeared; the door collapsed onto the ground after the explosion. Different from the scene in the oxygen room, when the yellow door collapsed, a thick fog bubbled out of the room.


    The milky white vapor instantly filled the entire layer, and every single one of us was surrounded by the thick vapor. The fog was so thick that we could no longer see our companions with our naked eyes. Only after turning on my laser probe did I manage to see the figures of my companions.


    "With me, everyone. The water production program here seems rather powerful. The droid here will probably be hard to take. Work together. The two children who are basically burdens are to wait outside for us," ordered Li Yizhi without caring for anyone''s feelings.


    This time, Wind Spirit and Dondon both looked displeased. They had been treated with contempt repeatedly, and the haughty princess could not take it. Thus, Wind Spirit ignored the order and followed us with Dondon in tow.


    Just as I was about to follow Li Yizhi into the room, I felt someone tap my head. I turned around and saw that apart from the dense fog, there was nothing there. Zhang Bao''er, the most likely candidate to play such tricks, was walking ahead of me, so it wasn''t him.


    ''Weird, was I imagining things? But I did clearly feel something knocking on my head,'' I thought in confusion.


    But since we needed to keep moving, I threw the thought aside and followed the team into the world of fog.


    "Who''s knocking my head?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly scolded.


    "Weird. I felt the same thing. Which fellow knocked on my head earlier?" asked Old Du, who was never prone to making trouble.


    I felt a chill up my spine when I heard their words. There must be something else here.


    "Be careful, everyone. There is something we can''t see around here. That thing seems to be testing us. My head was knocked on as well," I said loudly.


    "Everyone, circle formation. Children, stay in the middle to avoid being kidnapped. Weapons out and ready for combat!" Li Yizhi ordered decisively.


    We immediately entered the circle formation with Dondon and Wind Spirit in the middle, and we looked cautiously at the world of fog around us. My hands maintained a tight grip on my laser gun. My laser probe was working rapidly, scanning the fog around us incessantly. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of a silhouette in the fog. The silhouette, appearing intermittently in the fog, looked to be something with a pair of arms.


    I tried my best to let my eye adapt to perceiving the world through my laser scan alone. Finally, while a thick clump of vapor was drifting away in front of me, I saw a white silhouette. I grabbed the momentary chance and fired unhesitatingly at the silhouette.


    More than 10 green laser beams shot toward my target and struck the white silhouette accurately. A muffled sound of a machine exploding rang out as the white silhouette vanished.


    "Canyue, what did you see?" asked Zhang Bao''er with a stupefied look. He was still struggling to see something amid the fog.


    "I saw a white silhouette hidden in the fog. I must have hit it, but it was able to escape," I said regretfully.


    Oddly, after the white silhouette fled, the fog around us slowly vanished.


    "How annoying. I''m getting tired of these illusions," Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    After the fog receded, a brand new world appeared before our eyes. Unlike the oxygen room, two suns hung in the sky above us. One was blue and the other was purple. Around them were the silhouettes of other massive planets. Together, they formed a beautiful painting above us.


    Beneath the beautiful double-sun sky was a beautiful world of water. Clear and gleaming blue water spread as far as we could see. A long and narrow path stretched out from where we stood. At the other end of the path was a green island. From the peak of the mountain on the island, a massive waterfall was falling right into the sea.


    "This is too beautiful. What a decently constructed illusion," praised Old Du.


    "Do you see that island? I reckon that''s where the droid is based. Let''s go grab it and control it to start producing rain clouds," said Li Yizhi as she pointed to the island.


    Instantly, a whoosh sounded as a white flash shot up into the sky beside me. I turned around to see that Anxashe had just released an arrow. His hands were still slightly trembling as he maintained his grip on his bow.


    We hurriedly looked at the sky. We could see the arrow working hard to fly toward the sky. After rising for about one kilometer, I saw that the arrow had struck some sort of a transparent barrier. It lost its momentum and started falling.


    While falling, the balance of the arrow seemed off, as though the arrowhead had struck something we couldn''t see. It dropped faster and faster and landed on the sea after several seconds.


    "What did you hit? Why couldn''t I see anything?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "There was a beast in the sky. I saw that it had transformed into the shape of a star, so I tried shooting an arrow at it," said Anxashe.


    Zhang Bao''er acted skeptical again. "A transparent beast at an altitude of one kilometer. It''s unbelievable that you can actually see that far."


    I noticed that the arrow had not sunk into the sea. Rather, it remained floating in an odd position with its nock pointing to the sky, looking as if it was stabbed into something. That was enough to prove that Anxashe was telling the truth.


    "Listen up, everyone. The illusion generator here is extremely powerful. It is capable of creating monsters that can blend with the surroundings. Stay close to me. We will charge toward that island. Do not stop no matter what happens," ordered Li Yizhi sternly.

 CH 185

    After giving the order, Li Yizhi turned and started running toward the green island. We all followed closely behind her, not daring to stop for anything. The island was roughly 5 kilometers away from us. We ran madly on the small path, afraid that we would encounter more of those invisible monsters.


    The two little cats were running on all four of their limbs, moving at an incredible speed that put them ahead of Li Yizhi in a short while. A surprise always came unexpectedly. While everyone was running, Wind Spirit suddenly left the ground and shot into the sky.


    "Shit!" I roared and dashed forth in an attempt to grab her body. Unfortunately, my fingers were 10 centimeters away from reaching her as she flew beyond my reach.


    "Princess!" Dondon stopped running and roared as he took out his laser gun. He was about to pull the trigger when I pressed the muzzle down and said, "The enemy is invisible. If you attack rashly, you might hurt Wind Spirit by accident."


    "Commander, please save the princess," pleaded Dondon anxiously as he looked at the struggling princess in the sky. She was getting farther and farther away from us.


    Before I could think of anything, Anxashe pulled his bow and unleashed an arrow in the princess''s direction. The arrow whistled through the air as it moved rapidly. We could all hear a clear sound as the arrow struck its target even though it was over 100 meters away. The arrow seemed to have stabbed into something as it immediately shifted direction and soared straight upward. At the same time, Wind Spirit fell from the sky.


    All of us cried out with alarm as Wind Spirit rapidly dropped toward the sea. I could hear Dondon calling out at Wind Spirit repeatedly through the communicator, but Wind Spirit''s communicator seemed to have failed, and only static sounds could be heard.


    At that time, Anxashe and Zhang Bao''er released their weapons and prepared to jump into the sea to save Wind Spirit. But then, another invisible creature appeared and grabbed Wind Spirit and flew toward the island.


    Anxashe hurriedly picked up his bow again and shot an arrow. Unfortunately, he was in too much of a rush to hit anything. Furthermore, the invisible creature was ready for the attack as it moved deftly in the air with Wind Spirit''s limp body to avoid the arrow. The creature flew quickly. Before long, Wind Spirit was a mere dot in the sky before vanishing above the island. Everyone was stunned by the sudden change.


    "What are you waiting for? Start running! If we''re late, the little fellow will become beast food," shouted Li Yizhi.


    Her remark instantly roused us, and we resumed running. Old Du picked Dondon up and placed him in a backpack to prevent the little fellow from being kidnapped like Wind Spirit. We ran as fast as we could and covered the distance of 5 kilometers in less than 10 minutes. The small island that looked lush from afar yet like a towering mountain from near was right before our eyes.


    "The programs always like to design a dangerous and terrifying place to scare all intruders," muttered Baron Sisse to himself.


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    Li Yizhi ran to the foot of the mountain and started observing the mountain before her, looking for a path forward. Meanwhile, Dondon was still frantically trying to contact Wind Spirit. However, only static was coming from the communicator. The little fellow was obviously in a distressed state.


    The side of the mountain we faced looked like an uneven wall, obstructing our way into the island. Apart from the sound of loud waterfalls, we couldn''t hear anything else. We worked with Li Yizhi to search for a path, but even after a long while, we weren''t able to find any.


    "Canyue, if we really can''t find a path, we will have to consider climbing," suggested Old Du.


    I nodded and said, "This mountain is steep, but it can''t compare with the icy blade mountains we encountered on Jupiter II. We can consider climbing if we don''t have any other choices."


    Suddenly, Li Yizhi pointed at a spot and said to Zhang Bao''er, "Little fatty, come give it a try."


    "What? What do you want me to try?" Zhang Bao''er appeared confused.


    "Try touching the cliff with your hand," ordered Li Yizhi.


    Zhang Bao''er walked up to the cliff and slowly reached out doubtfully. Surprisingly, his hand phased right through the cliff and vanished behind it.


    "My god. This is a fake cliff," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. This is an illusion, concealing the path with a fake cliff. I believe the path forward is right behind the cliff," said Li Yizhi.


    "I thought we were already in a massive illusion. Why is there an illusion within an illusion?" asked Old Du.


    "You''re correct. This is an illusion stacked atop an illusion. By stacking illusions, all intruders will be further confused. The stacking effect will create something akin to a four-dimensional space that can confuse our brains, which can only perceive things in two dimensions. This can even cause a nervous breakdown. The droid in charge of this room is definitely a super modern product utilizing some advanced programming," said Li Yizhi.


    "Nervous breakdown? We have all seen four-dimensional and five-dimensional spaces before. That had never happened. Why do you believe we''d have a nervous breakdown due to stacked illusions?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Here, not only is everything you see fake, the scenarios you''re experiencing might be fake as well. Simply put, in Wind Spirit''s eyes, Dondon could have been the one kidnapped. And the people I''m seeing can very well be fake as well," said Li Yizhi, causing all of us to break out in cold sweat.


    At that time, I saw Dondon, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, and the baron grip their weapons tighter. They seemed to have been convinced by Li Yizhi''s words and were starting to see everything around them as illusions.


    ''This is bad. These fellows are becoming overly anxious,'' I thought anxiously.


    Suddenly, I saw a black flash rushing toward me. I moved aside by instinct, and the mist in my mind suddenly cleared. I noticed Master Crystal throwing rocks at everyone, seemingly trying to wake everyone up. Li Yizhi was no exception. After the disturbance caused by the rock, a look of clarity covered her face.


    "What happened? There is a blank spot in my memories. I don''t remember anything from a moment ago," Li Yizhi asked in astonishment.


    "She was mind-controlled by the program. Through her, the program created a fake scenario to trap everyone else. We Storms have completely different brain waves, so I wasn''t controlled and could wake all of you up immediately," said Master Crystal.


    "What? But I also discovered the issue with Li Yizhi. Why did you think that I was under control as well?" I asked, somewhat unconvinced.


    It was at that moment that I discovered that I was also gripping my gun tightly and had my finger on the trigger. My entire body was drenched with sweat.


    ''Heavens. So I was really controlled,'' I thought with alarm.


    "Damn this program. It was actually able to create an illusion in our minds. Damn it, lady. Why are you so weak that the program could use you to control us?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "But why did the program pick her? The weakest here should be me and Zhang Bao''er. The two of us should have the minds that are the easiest to control," I asked with confusion.


    Suddenly, a new thought surfaced in my mind. All our previous events were stringed together by that thought, pointing me toward the answer.


    "Fatty, this cliff is really an illusion. I''ll go through it first. Follow behind me," said Li Yizhi before turning to walk through the cliff wall.


    Seeing that, I temporarily placed my new thought to rest. We all followed her through the cliff. Behind it, we saw a straight path leading directly to the peak of the mountain. However, we were all shocked to see that something seemed to be lying in the middle of the path. When I scanned with my laser probe, I saw that the thing in the middle of the path was none other than Wind Spirit.


    "Canyue, what''s that? Can you see it?" asked Dondon anxiously. He had lost his scanning gears during his crawl through the tube in the spaceship.


    "According to my probe, that thing seems to be Wind Spirit," I said.


    I had barely finished my words when a white flash darted forth. Dondon was running straight toward Wind Spirit.


    "Watch out! It might be an illusion!" I shouted after Dondon.


    However, Dondon was too worried to listen and continued running, leaving us with no choice but to follow him with our guns raised. Dondon ran quickly and reached Wind Spirit in only a few minutes. The little fellow had little care for whether it was a trap and immediately lifted Wind Spirit up.


    When we caught up, we formed a circle around them and scanned our surroundings carefully with our weapons raised. With Wind Spirit in his arms, Dondon constantly rubbed Wind Spirit''s face. From what Dondon was doing, this was likely to be the real Wind Spirit, not an illusion. Under Dondon''s efforts, Wind Spirit slowly opened her eyes.


    "Where is this? Why am I here?" asked Wind Spirit the moment she woke up.


    Everyone relaxed somewhat upon seeing that Wind Spirit had woken up. That was especially true for Dondon, who had a big smile plastered on his face.


    "You were kidnapped by an invisible monster. We were chasing the monster when we found you here," said Old Du.


    "I had a really odd dream earlier. I dreamed of a gaseous droid giving me a bow and forcing me to shoot arrows at you guys. I firmly refused, so it started burning me with scalding steam. I fainted, and the next thing I know, I woke up with you guys around me," said Wind Spirit.


    "Looks like Master Crystal is right. The Storm race has different brain waves. The program here failed to control Wind Spirit and dumped her here upon discovering that she was useless," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, I have a question. When a program is controlling something, would it be easier to control something with a similar language or would it be easier to control something with a different language?" I asked.


    "Canyue, I don''t understand your question," said Baron Sisse.


    "Simply put, will it be easier to control a different program or a sentient life form with independent thoughts?" I asked.


    "What stupid question is that?" said Zhang Bao''er. "When a program works on a program, it is essentially a process of copy and paste. When a program works on a sentient mind, that''s a trademark of high tech. Even I know the answer to that question."


    "Theoretically, that''s right. But Canyue, why are you asking?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.

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    Everyone focused on me after hearing Baron Sisse''s question.


    "It''s nothing. I was just asking," I explained with a laugh.


    "Something is wrong with you. Why are you wasting time during a critical moment like this?" said Zhang Bao''er as he assumed a reproachful expression.


    The simple Zhang Bao''er had also always been rather simple-minded. But I did not have too much time to explain it to him. Since we had saved Wind Spirit while the water production droid was still nowhere to be found, we had to do something to locate the droid.


    "Senior, I believe if we follow this path to the peak and reach the topmost part of the waterfall, we might be able to find the droid''s hiding place," I said to Li Yizhi.


    "That fellow might really be hiding there. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have needed to create so many illusions to hide. But we need to pay attention to not be misled by its illusions. We will have to rely on the Storm race''s unique ability," said Li Yizhi.


    "Canyue, is Bulu still sleeping? If it''s awake, it might be able to help us," suggested Old Du.


    I took off my backpack and checked inside. Bulu was still sleeping peacefully. The little fellow seemed to have been greatly exhausted from the encounter with the four-dimensional toad and would need a long time to recover. We probably wouldn''t be able to rely on Bulu for now.


    The prolonged high-intensity situation had greatly exhausted all of us. Zhang Bao''er took some rations out of his backpack as we prepared to take a short meal before resuming our mission.


    I accepted a pack of space crackers from Zhang Bao''er and started eating. Dondon and Wind Spirit were hungrily gorging down food as well, looking like they had gone several lifetimes without food. At that time, I noticed Li Yizhi standing in the same spot and maintaining full alertness. She even refused the food Baron Sisse offered her. Shortly after, everyone was done eating. We then followed Li Yizhi and traveled up the path quickly.


    "After we''re free, I''ll build an illusion of delicacies for myself. Baron, can you hand me the relevant technologies to create such illusions?" Zhang Bao''er voiced his desire to Baron Sisse.


    "Why do you need to bother the baron with something small like that? Lord Bao''er, I can help you with that," said Wind Spirit.


    "For real? Can I trust you, Princess?" replied Zhang Bao''er. The pure Zhang Bao''er probably thought that with Wind Spirit''s identity, she could really fulfill that wish of his.


    "Of course. Delicacies are basically food, right? You don''t need an illusion for that. I''ll just build a pigsty for you to stay in," sneered Wind Spirit.


    "Little fellow, don''t push it." Zhang Bao''er was furious.


    "Shut it, both of you. There is movement ahead of us," Li Yizhi suddenly said.


    Baron Sisse and I stepped forth and looked at where Li Yizhi was pointing. At a spot on the path near the peak, we saw constantly changing scenery through some sort of transparent object. The changes were frequent, and the transparent object looked like a blurry lens that functioned to project the scenes on the other side to the observer.


    "There must be some invisible creatures up there," said Baron Sisse.


    "Yes. In fact, there seem to be a lot of them," I added.


    "These monsters must have seen us. Since they''re waiting for us, they must be confident that they can deal with us. There is definitely a big trap waiting at the end of this path," said Li Yizhi.


    "What should we do, then? Do we shoot now?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I don''t think it''s that simple. If firing at them works, they won''t be so confident. They had already experienced the prowess of our bullets and arrows earlier. They must have made some preparations to deal with us. We need to think of something," said Li Yizhi.


    "If we really have no choice, just blast open a path with a nuclear warhead. We''ll bomb them to death. They are just some fake creatures created by the program anyway. We won''t even be killing by wiping them out," suggested Zhang Bao''er, who was visibly becoming excited.


    "No. Our target is to capture the water production droid. A nuclear explosion might be so powerful that all equipment in this room is damaged, which would cause our mission to fail," objected Master Crystal.


    "I''ve never considered a word of what the fatty said. I need to think of a new plan," said Li Yizhi, showing no concern for Zhang Bao''er''s feelings.


    "I have an idea. If this whole place is an illusion, what they can kill is probably the brain of sentient life forms, not their bodies," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, what do you mean? Tell us more," said Baron Sisse.


    "The brain waves of us Storms seem capable of resisting the illusions here. I want to try walking up to them and see if I can break this roadblock," said Master Crystal.


    "That won''t work, right? It''s too dangerous. If they are only capable of mind attacks, why were they able to capture Wind Spirit and carry her into the air before dumping her onto the path?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That makes sense, Bao''er. I did consider that, but since the creature that had kidnapped Wind Spirit had not harmed her, it is proof that the program here can only use illusions to cause the intruders to kill each other. The program itself is incapable of doing any sort of direct damage," said Master Crystal.


    "But Master, an illusion won''t be able to lift someone into the sky," I said doubtfully.


    "Wind Spirit''s capture isn''t an illusion. Instead, it is some tool under the control of the program. The tool is not capable of harming someone," said Master Crystal confidently.


    "I understand. If we can see through the true nature of this water program and ignore its illusions, we will have nothing to fear even if we are captured by it. All so-called damage coming from this program will be illusions. So long as our brains reject the deception, we will be fine," concluded Baron Sisse.


    Master Crystal nodded in confirmation.


    "Only Storms have the brain waves capable of resisting the illusions here. Thus, I intend to go up there alone and deal with this program," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, I''ll go with you," suggested Li Yizhi.


    "No. None of you are suitable for this job. If you can''t control yourself well, your brain might even burst apart from the pressure. Only a Storm can take this mission," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, I''ll go with you," said Dondon as he stepped forth.


    Master Crystal blanked out when he saw Dondon volunteering in his ragged suit. Shortly after, Master Crystal shook his head and said, "You need to stay and protect Wind Spirit. She is Master Wind''s daughter. She must remain safe."


    "Who needs protection? Maybe I''ll be the one doing the protecting instead? I''m going as well!" Master Crystal''s words seemed to have triggered Wind Spirit''s rebellious nature.


    "Fine. The three of you can go together. Go now and stop wasting time," ordered Li Yizhi in a straightforward manner.


    The rest of us looked at each other speechlessly. This Li Yizhi was really treating herself as our commander, ordering us around as she wished. At that moment, Great Princess Wind Spirit threw one of her tempers again. She stood up, ignored everyone, and set off toward the peak in big strides.


    Master Crystal and Dondon hurriedly followed her with their guns raised. We could only stay behind and watch as the three program-destroying warrior cats advanced, awaiting their success.


    And thus, three small yet imposing figures strode toward danger hand in hand. Soon, they arrived at the peak. The thick fog that we saw when we first arrived reappeared, covering the three cats completely, causing them to vanish from our vision.


    "Canyue, what now? I keep feeling like the three fellows are just there to throw their lives away," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    Zhang Bao''er might argue with the three cats a lot, but when it mattered, he showed that he was actually concerned about them.


    "Calm down. Didn''t Master Crystal say earlier that this is just an illusion? We need to stay calm," I said.


    "Dondon, Master Crystal, can you hear me? We have lost sight of you. We can still see your positions with our probes, but we won''t be able to see what is actually going on there," said Old Du.


    "Yes, we hear you. The fog here is very thick. The droid must be nearby. Be on standby for capture. The three of us can''t see each other clearly. We have to hold hands to not get separated," said Master Crystal.


    The situation was rather awkward for strong, healthy adults like us as we were helpless and could only let the three little cats carry out such an important mission. Old Du took out a strong steel net in preparation. Zhang Bao''er and I understood his plan and took out our nets as well.


    "Y-y-you! Who are you?" Wind Spirit''s alarmed voice suddenly came from the communicator.


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    "Wind Spirit, don''t move. You''re either looking at me or Dondon. Anything else is an illusion. Do not fall for it!" reminded Master Crystal.


    "Why did Dondon turn into a ferocious black wolf? It''s coming to bite me!" shouted Wind Spirit as she trembled.


    "Don''t move. If we die, we''ll die together. Wind Spirit, I''m still here. In my eyes, you''re a fire-breathing dragon. Do not fall for the illusion," said Dondon.


    It seemed like the water program was doing its best to ravage the three pitiful Storm warriors.


    "Wind Spirit, Dondon, hang in there. From our perspective, you have merely been covered by fog. There are no wolves or dragons anywhere," said Old Du loudly through the communicator.


    "Calm. Stay calm. Continue ahead. In my eyes, both of you are burning skeletons. Remember, this is an illusion. Continue walking ahead," said Master Crystal calmly.

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    "Dondon, the wolf took a bite out of my shoulder," said Wind Spirit, who was starting to cry.


    "Don''t be afraid, Princess. My head has been burning for several minutes already. I reckon I''m already a roasted cat now," said Dondon comfortingly.


    "Don''t stop. Don''t look back. Follow me out of this fog," shouted Master Crystal loudly. He was probably suffering greatly from the two burning skeletons he was seeing.


    "Be ready. I can already see a white misty silhouette moving back and forth in the fog. That is probably the water production droid. Make your move the moment you get a clear look at it," Li Yizhi continued giving out orders.


    I opened my eyes wide and started scanning the area with my laser probe. I did not detect the white silhouette I saw earlier. It was clear that Li Yizhi''s scanning equipment was much more advanced than ours.


    "Persevere! We''re only a few meters away!" Master Crystal''s excited voice rang out.


    "Great! Charge!" Dondon shouted in excitement as well.


    "No! Watch out!" Wind Spirit''s alarmed voice rang out a few seconds later.


    We stood where we were and listened to the conversation like it was a radio talk show. The words of the three little cats caused our hearts to thump rapidly, feeling like we were on a roller coaster ride.


    "How close. I was nearly dragged down by that ferocious wolf. This abyss is unimaginably deep," remarked Wind Spirit with a shivering voice.


    "I wasn''t having a good time either. The fire-breathing dragon you had transformed into tried to push me down the slope. However, I had stubbornly allowed my entire body to burn rather than to jump down," said Dondon smugly.


    "Looks like the three little fellows had broken through the illusion. Success is near," said Zhang Bao''er.


    We waited in anticipation for several minutes. However, the thick fog before us remained. We were still standing there helplessly.


    "Master Crystal, any updates on your side?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "At the moment, three monsters are standing shoulder to shoulder by the slope and harming each other. However, there is no path ahead for us. A meter ahead of us is an abyss of immeasurable depth," said Master Crystal helplessly.


    "What''s going on? It seems like the path only ends in a dead end on the peak. In that case, the water droid might not be on the mountain. It might instead be in the sea," said Baron Sisse doubtfully.


    "Something isn''t right. Those three might have fallen into the illusion as well," said Li Yizhi.


    "What? Not even Storms can escape the illusion?" I exclaimed.


    "Yes. I believe our answer lies here. Cloudcast isn''t actually a big planet, and its core will be rather small as well. There is a limit to the size of each of these rooms. They aren¡¯t really as big and as dangerous as what the illusions are showing. Otherwise, they will end up killing their own maintenance workers," said Li Yizhi.


    "Senior, in your opinion, how should we solve our current predicament?" asked Baron Sisse.


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    "The deep abyss is an illusion, and it is the final illusion standing in their way. They might be able to disperse the illusion by jumping down," said Li Yizhi.


    "Ah? That''s too dangerous. I had clearly felt the giant waterfall on the peak. If the waterfall is real, it is possible that the abyss is also real. Won''t jumping just kill all three of them?" said Old Du.


    "Perhaps the waterfall is the second layer of the illusions stacked here. Our only solution is to jump down the abyss. Also, they need to jump without the assistance of their jumping gear and drop at a natural speed. Only by maintaining a strong conviction in their minds will they be able to break this illusion," said Li Yizhi.


    "You''re exaggerating too much. These are merely some machine-produced illusions, not actual mind control. Is there a need to jump without the assistance of their gear?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was worried that the three would fall to their deaths after jumping.


    "If we''re going to try, we need to take everything into consideration," Li Yizhi insisted.


    "Canyue, I think Li Yizhi is right. We are suffering terribly from the torment of these monsters. I''m going to try jumping," said Master Crystal.


    "Please wait, Master. Let us give it more thought," said Baron Sisse.


    Abruptly, Master Crystal shouted, "Dondon, what are you doing?"


    "Master, that wolf just jumped into the abyss," Wind Spirit''s shout also rang out.


    "Master, what''s happening over there?" I asked anxiously.


    "Dondon jumped into the abyss," said Master Crystal worriedly.


    "Dondon, Dondon, can you hear me?" Old Du started calling out for Dondon.


    Chaos was slowly descending because none of us knew what to do after Dondon''s sudden jump. Old Du received no reply from Dondon. The communication channel remained open, but Dondon had not said anything.


    At that moment, an inconceivable scene appeared. The dense fog started dissipating. In dozens of seconds, the fog was completely gone. With one glance, I saw the white silhouette that was fading away at a slower rate than the fog around it.


    "Move!" Old Du suddenly shouted. He had obviously seen the same white silhouette. Immediately after, he sent his steel net flying toward the silhouette.


    Zhang Bao''er and I both shot our nets out from the left and right sides of the silhouette. The three nets dropped down, attempting to prevent the white silhouette from escaping. The white silhouette seemed to feel threatened by the nets, as it turned and quickly retreated. It was trying to use its speed to avoid the nets. It accelerated, moving at a speed that was even faster than the nets. There was a chance it could really escape.


    "Shit! If we allow it to escape, we probably won''t get another chance to catch it," I shouted anxiously.


    Anxashe reacted instantly. He pulled his bow, aimed at the right net, and unleashed a powerful arrow. The arrow moved as fast as lightning, and some sort of metallic claw appeared at the tip of the arrow. The claw hooked onto the net and brought the net farther forward. With Anxashe''s impressive strength, the net accelerated toward the white silhouette. With a pop, the net covered the escaping silhouette.


    "Success!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in excitement at the sight of the captured silhouette.


    The white silhouette covered by the net instantly dropped onto the ground. A crazy struggle ensued. But the net was a type of net that would become tighter the more one struggled. Shortly after, the net was tightly wrapped around the silhouette, causing the silhouette to lay motionless on the ground.


    At the sight of that, Li Yizhi charged toward the fallen silhouette. Meanwhile, the backs of Master Crystal and Wind Spirit became visible again at the end of the path ahead of us. Compared with the water production droid, I was more concerned with the safety of Master Crystal''s group. Thus, I ignored Li Yizhi and rushed toward Master Crystal.


    Surprisingly, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, Baron Sisse, and Anxashe also rushed toward the group. It was obvious everyone was worried about the safety of our comrades, which made me gratified. Before long, I reached Master Crystal and Wind Spirit. I did not know whether I should laugh or cry when I noticed that the two little fellows were still facing us with their backs and did not even dare to move. The two seemed to be deep in their illusions; their legs were trembling non-stop. A meter in front of them, Dondon was lying motionless on the ground with his back to the sky.


    I stepped forth and lifted Dondon. When I checked his condition, the little fellow seemed fine. He had merely fainted. Old Du and the others also started working on waking up Master Crystal and Wind Spirit.


    "Holy shit. I was fighting an evil dragon just now. Suddenly, the sky split in two and revealed the fatty''s face. The evil dragon was scared off by the mere sight of it," said Wind Spirit fearfully.


    "You saw an evil dragon while I saw a super king kong that nearly swallowed me whole," said Master Crystal as he wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on his forehead.


    "Master, it has been difficult for you. The illusions here are too powerful. They nearly killed the three of you," said Baron Sisse, expressing the deep respect he had for the three.


    "What are you saying? It wasn''t difficult at all. In fact, the entire thing felt easy." Master Crystal hurriedly covered up his embarrassment.


    ''Sigh. These little fellows have egos the size of the sky,'' I sighed inwardly.


    "How is Dondon?" asked Wind Spirit when she noticed the motionless Dondon. It was rare to see her showing concern for anyone.


    "Let me take a look," said Baron Sisse as he walked over and looked over Dondon.


    A minute later, the baron looked up and said, "He''s fine. He had probably fainted after believing that he had fallen off a cliff. Everything was an illusion. He had merely fallen on flat ground, not over the cliff. Even so, it requires great courage to do what this little fellow did, jumping down the cliff like that!"


    Our respect for Dondon rose to a whole new level after hearing those words.


    "Canyue, what''s that thing under your feet?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked.


    I looked down and saw that where Dondon was lying earlier, a pentagram could be seen on the ground. I was standing right in the middle of it.


    After studying the diagram beneath me, Baron Sisse said, "Heavens! This must be the switch to the water production equipment. To avoid invasion, it had been disguised as a mountain. But when Dondon jumped down, he dropped right on the switch and destroyed the illusion. What an incredible little fellow."


    Hearing that, Old Du walked up to me as well. He placed the unconscious Dondon into his backpack. From our entrance into Lightning''s cockpit to the removal of the water illusions, Dondon had contributed and sacrificed greatly for the team. It was time to let him have a good rest. While everyone was immersed in being grateful to Dondon, a black object wrapped in a net dropped in front of us with a thud.


    "The water droid has been captured. I''ve edited its defensive command. We can now easily access its codes. It''s up to you now," said Li Yizhi coldly at the baron with a commanding tone.


    The baron quickly picked up the small droid. After its defensive command was edited, it had returned to its natural metallic black color. It was no longer invisible, but to be safe, the baron kept the net around it.


    The baron used the same nanobot connection port to access the droid''s core database and study the codes programmed into the droid. Meanwhile, the rest of us started resting. After the intense event earlier, we felt extremely exhausted. We were also trying to not disturb the baron with his work.


    "Is there any food?" Dondon''s voice came from Old Du''s backpack. The noble little fellow was finally awake.


    Zhang Bao''er promptly delivered a can of space food. Dondon started joyfully gorging himself. I looked around, realizing that all of us were still here even after numerous dangerous encounters. I wondered if our luck would hold.


    "Done. The program is altered," said the baron after 10 minutes.


    "Can we produce a large amount of vapor now?" asked Li Yizhi.


    "To create enough lightning to destroy the spaceship, we need to create a super thunderstorm. Two giant cumulonimbus clouds need to be created to create the required lightning. And to create the two clouds, the available water of the entire planet will be required. Furthermore, we need the water in vapor form," said the baron.


    "My god. Do we need to vaporize the water of the entire planet? How big would the two clouds be?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in shock.


    "Cloudcast isn''t exactly water-rich, so it''s not really as impressive as you think. However, there is no denying that the two clouds will be massive," said Baron Sisse.


    "I need to say something. This room can only produce water vapor in the sky. We still need to go to the lightning production room and work alongside this room in order to achieve our goal," reminded Old Du.


    "We''ve already locked onto the lightning room''s program. How long do you need to vaporize all the water on this planet?" asked Li Yizhi with a flat tone.


    "From the speed at which this program can run, I''ll be needing two hours," said Baron Sisse.


    Once again, Li Yizhi spoke commandingly, "Then we need to get working immediately. Don''t worry about the lightning room. Just focus on making the clouds. The lightning room won''t be an issue."


    The baron had no outstanding issues, and he started the process of producing clouds. An abrupt gale appeared in the sky, and the clouds in the sky started rolling. Clump after clump of vapor rose from the sea, which was evaporating rapidly. Shortly after, countless tornado-like pillars of vapor appeared on the surface of the sea. A vast amount of water was being turned into vapor.


    Meanwhile, two clumps of dense dark clouds had appeared in the originally bright sky. The clouds large enough to cover the whole planet were taking form rapidly. Inside the dark clouds, lightning flashed and thunder rolled, giving off a rather oppressive feeling. The water production droid that had fallen under our control was working rapidly.

 CH 188

    The white tornadoes were spinning faster and faster as the water from the sea evaporated in the air. The sea level dropped lower and lower while the dark clouds in the sky became thicker and thicker. The rolling vapor in the sky constantly caused friction as bright lightning flashes appeared repeatedly in the sky.


    "The evaporation process is almost finished. We should next work on the process for producing lightning, right?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Yes. Let''s leave this room. We need to go to the other room," confirmed Li Yizhi.


    We moved through the room and marched toward the door with our soaked bodies.


    The intense gale and tornadoes in the room greatly impeded our speed. After three hours of walking, we finally reached the door of the water production room. When I looked behind me, I saw that the giant waterfall in the distance had nearly dried out. The black clouds in the sky were filled with fierce lightning flashes, presenting a terrifying sight before my eyes. Surprisingly and unsurprisingly, the moment we left the room, our wet bodies turned dry.


    "This damn illusion. It feels way too real," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    We were in a rush, so Li Yizhi moved quickly along the walkway of the third level toward the door directly opposite the water room. Before long, we all reached the door. The door was big and black with black glowing circuits on its surface.


    "Are you sure this is the door?" asked Baron Sisse cautiously.


    "Yes. After careful calculation, I confirmed that this is the thunderstorm production room. So long as we can control the droid inside and have it start producing lightning, our mission will be completed," said Li Yizhi.


    "If even the water droid is so scary, the lightning droid will be even scarier," said Wind Spirit with fear in her voice.


    "You don''t need to go. I''ll go alone this time," said Li Yizhi.


    "Senior, it''s too dangerous for you to go alone. I''ll go with you," said Baron Sisse.


    "I''ll go as well. We can do more with more people. Let''s capture the lightning droid and complete the mission quickly so we can leave," I said.


    When Old Du and Zhang Bao''er heard us, they looked like they were about to volunteer as well.


    "Enough. Do you think you''re on a tour? Useless individuals and those needing protection should not come and create more trouble for us. The baron and Canyue will come with me. The rest of you will wait here," ordered Li Yizhi, still as impolite as ever.


    "Hmph. What''s the big deal? This princess is beyond entering a room like this anyway," said Wind Spirit before sitting down to rest.


    The super clouds were almost fully formed. We were in a rush and couldn''t afford to waste any time. Thus, the baron and I agreed immediately. Old Du stepped forth and installed a timed cluster bomb on the middle of the black door. With a loud explosion, the door collapsed.


    The lightning attacks we expected were nowhere to be seen. The space behind the collapsed black door was completely silent. Li Yizhi nodded at us, and we entered with our weapons raised.


    Once again, an unforgettable scene appeared before my eyes. Inside the massive space, two clouds the size of mountains could be seen. The two black clouds rose from the ground and were tall enough to reach the sky. The two seemed to stand opposite each other. Between the two clouds, a yellow star hung silently in the sky.


    "These clouds are massive," said Baron Sisse with a gasp.


    "Looks like there is still not enough vapor if the two clouds are not touching. In fact, they are quite far from each other. If they don''t touch each other, they won''t create the necessary friction to produce the lightning we need. Our mission will remain incomplete," said Li Yizhi worriedly.


    "But we had nearly evaporated all the water available on this planet through the water room," I reminded her.


    "Yes. The lightning droid is growing the clouds upward. We need to capture it and alter its codes to have the clouds grow sideways. That way, they will touch," suggested Li Yizhi.


    "We can only see the two clouds. The droid is probably hiding inside one of them. But how can we find it in clouds this big?" said the baron worriedly as he looked at the dark clouds within which lightning occasionally flashed.


    "These two clouds are already filled with electric charges due to internal friction. It will be very dangerous to enter," I said.


    "We will stay outside for now. Let''s try using this first," said Li Yizhi as she took out an object from her backpack and tossed it onto the ground.


    The familiar water droid appeared before us, still wrapped in a net.


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    "Why did you take this droid with you? Taking it will disrupt the balance of Cloudcast''s ecosystem," asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "The way the program works currently is by evaporating all the water before producing rain clouds. The program has been set up correctly, but it has yet to complete the task. I will return it to its room after we finish our mission," said Li Yizhi.


    "Senior, why do you need it here?" I asked.


    "When I went through its database earlier, I had discovered something. These droids are extremely territorial. When a similar droid exists nearby, the droid will prioritize duplicating its codes into the nearby droid," said Li Yizhi.


    "I understand. We''re going to use this droid as bait to lure the lightning droid out," I said.


    "Yes. Since we can''t find it easily, we''ll have the fellow come to us instead," said Li Yizhi.


    "But how would it notice us if it''s hidden in these massive clouds?" said Baron Sisse as he looked at the gigantic clouds before us.


    True. We were basically ants before these clouds. In this space, which housed these clouds, we might as well not exist.


    "I have an idea," I suddenly thought of something.


    I then turned on my communicator''s sound amplification mode to the maximum. After aiming it in the direction of the clouds before us, I looked for my favorite song from my system: "Bohemian Rhapsody."


    "Mama, just killed a man. Put a gun against his head. Pulled my trigger, now he''s dead. Mama, life had just begun, but now I''ve gone and thrown it all away~," the familiar engrossing music started playing. For the very first time, a Blue song that was a mix between rock and Western opera made an appearance on this alien planet.


    As I blasted the music loudly, I saw that the cloud to the right started changing rapidly.


    "Well done, Canyue. Looks like your song has successfully attracted the attention of that fellow," said Baron Sisse in excitement.


    "Senior, this droid seems to have an irregular form. How should we catch it?" I asked.


    "All these droids are made from steel. Anything we see here is an illusion. When it shows itself later, just attack it with Tasers," said Li Yizhi.


    "Tasers? Are you sure we''re attacking a lightning droid with Tasers?" I asked, flabbergasted by her choice.


    "Don''t think about it. Just do as told. Baron, bring the water droid forward. I''ll be in charge of attacking later. You just need to watch," ordered Li Yizhi.


    "But senior, we''re trying to catch a lightning droid. How will it be afraid of electric shocks?" asked Baron Sisse, who was as doubtful as I was.


    "Through observation, I''ve found that the right cloud is filled with negative charges. I will adjust my Taser to use proton attacks. Protons are positively charged, so if the lightning droid comes out from the right, I will be able to attract and capture it with positive charges," said Li Yizhi.


    The music was getting louder and louder. Suddenly, a small black cloud surged out of the right cloud, separating from the main bulk of the cloud.


    "Now! Throw the water droid out!" shouted Li Yizhi.


    The baron instantly grabbed the water droid and tossed it forward. The black cloud slowly approached us by following the direction of the music. Slowly, it arrived above us. At that point, it was close enough that I could see the electrical currents around the cloud.


    My heart was thumping rapidly from nervousness. It would be quite troublesome if this lightning fellow was to attack suddenly. Right at that moment, the black cloud finally noticed the struggling water droid on the ground. The small electrical waves it formed in its struggle had successfully attracted the small black cloud.


    Li Yizhi''s theory was proven correct; the black cloud suddenly rushed toward the droid on the ground. Our plan was progressing smoothly. With the beautiful background music as the backdrop, the black cloud reached the water droid. A feeler that looked like a string of codes extended from its body to accommodate the data transmission it was going to perform on the water droid.


    ''This is our chance! Why is Li Yizhi not doing anything?'' I thought anxiously.


    Right at that moment, I saw Li Yizhi draw a black pistol from her hip before shooting at the water droid. A blue proton charge accurately struck the water droid, turning its neutral electric charges into positive charges. A massive force of attraction was generated, and a black sphere was dragged out of the black cloud. With a thud, the two droids were stuck together.


    Beside me, Baron Sisse gleefully shouted, "Success!"


    ''I didn''t expect this to progress so smoothly. It''s like the heavens are helping us,'' I thought joyfully.

 CH 189

    Li Yizhi grabbed the two stuck droids and pulled out two wires from her suit. After connecting to the two droids, she took control of their systems. The wire connection seemed to be working on the lightning droid as I could see the charged clouds in the sky expanding sideways, looking like they would collide soon. The yellow star hanging in the sky was no longer visible, covered by the expanding black clouds. The room we were in turned dark at a rapid pace.


    "Everyone, withdraw. A super thunderstorm is going to form here soon," shouted Li Yizhi.


    We hurriedly ran out of the room. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er and the others were standing outside and looking at us as if watching a movie.


    "Little fellow, give me the coordinates of Lightning immediately," said Li Yizhi to Dondon.


    Dondon did as told and sent her the accurate coordinates of the spaceship. At that moment, we could see that the two charged clouds in the room were about to collide. A massive bolt of lightning seemed to have also formed in the sky.


    "Senior, don''t we need to have more of the two clouds touching?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "We can''t. To form a proper lightning strike, we need to limit contact and release all the accumulated charges in the clouds through a limited surface area. Only then will we be able to achieve our goal," answered Li Yizhi.


    The two clouds churned violently as the electrical currents in the clouds rolled like two giant dragons waiting for their chance to strike. The clouds continued growing sideways, and only a small distance remained before the two clouds touched.


    "Everyone, turn on your shields. Take care of yourself," I ordered.


    "Coordinates locked on. The clouds are going to touch. Get ready to defend yourself, everyone," said Li Yizhi right before the two clouds met in the middle.


    Two blinding flashes rose from the two clouds as the charges rushed toward the point of contact. Then, the charges collided. A thick bolt of lightning cracked the sky open with a deafening rumble and a blinding radiance. Even standing outside the room, we could clearly hear the sounds of the air itself being ripped apart by the lightning bolt.


    Surprisingly, the giant bolt of lightning did not head toward the ground. Rather, it soared into the sky like a dragon, heading toward the planet''s atmosphere while radiating enough light to fill the entire lightning room. With the soaring lightning as the backdrop, the two clouds were akin to two gods staring down on us mere mortals.


    "Success! The lightning strike is probably heading toward Lightning. We''ll see if it can hit the ship accurately," said Li Yizhi.


    "It''s done already? That was fast," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "To destroy a cruiser this size, we need a single overwhelming strike. This planet can only create a strike like this once," said Li Yizhi.


    Li Yizhi was right. The two clouds before us were still colliding, but the electrical currents they were creating were much weaker than before, and most were discharged toward the ground.


    "We have completed our work here. We now need to return to the surface and see if Lightning was destroyed," said Li Yizhi as she tossed the lightning droid back into its room.


    When Baron Sisse saw that, he stepped forth to pick up the water droid before returning it to its room. After the two droids were returned, their rooms rapidly returned to normal. The dark clouds in the sky slowly scattered while the gentle yellow star reappeared in the sky. A massive rainbow could be seen on the horizon, radiating a beauty that gave off the feeling of a renewed life after a calamity.


    "The sky clears after rain. May everything will be smooth for us after this," said Old Du as he gazed at the distant rainbow.


    "Let''s just leave. One moment, the sky is dark with a thunderstorm. The next moment, it becomes a sunny day. This is too freaky," urged Wind Spirit.


    "Senior, it''s time we leave. If Lightning ends up destroyed, we need to leave the planet as soon as possible. We also don''t know if Spacetime is still safe. We need to reconvene with Kelly and the others immediately," I said.


    "Leave, leave, leave. The only thing you know is to make demands. Do you even know where the exit is?" said Li Yizhi.


    "Easy. Just go back the way we came from," said Wind Spirit indifferently.


    "We can''t use the same path. After the damage we did in the core, the door has been locked from the outside. It can only be reopened from the outside. This is a security measure built in to prevent the droids from leaving and doing massive damage on the surface in the event of a program malfunction," said Master Crystal.


    "Where did you learn that from?" asked Wind Spirit in astonishment.


    "Dodo told me before we entered the core," said Master Crystal.


    "What? Old fart, since you already knew about that, why did you not stop them from blasting those doors open? Yeah, we have successfully destroyed Lightning, but all of us are trapped here. What the hell is that, old man?" complained Wind Spirit, who was obviously grumpy because she was exhausted.


    "Princess, don''t worry. Since there is an entrance, there will be an exit. Let me think," said Master Crystal with a helpless tone.


    "No need. When I hacked into the droids, I discovered that the door was locked. But I also discovered that there is a path to the surface behind one of these doors," said Li Yizhi.


    We were relieved to hear that. Even Wind Spirit had a relaxed smile on her face upon hearing the assurance.


    "Senior, are you sure that the door¡ª" Baron Sisse was about to say something when Li Yizhi interrupted him.


    "Give me a few minutes. I need to perform some calculations to locate the door," said Li Yizhi as she sat down and sank into thought.


    "Baron, what were you trying to say before?" I asked softly while nobody was paying attention.


    "When I accessed the droids'' database, I had also discovered an escape door," whispered the baron.


    "There is really such a door? Then we''re saved! What misgivings do you have about this door?" I asked.


    "According to the database, the escape door seems odd. Also, the door leads to the room housing Planet Cloudcast''s rebirth program," said Baron Sisse.


    "Rebirth? That means escape and survival, right?" I asked, somewhat confused by the program''s name.


    "In the culture of the Eternal Civilization, the concept of reincarnation features prominently. Nirvana, rebirth after death. Therefore, I am very worried about the program behind that door," said Baron Sisse while looking at Li Yizhi, giving me an answer that wasn''t really an answer.


    "Nirvana? Rebirth after death? That''s basically being reborn, right?" I asked, still confused.


    I saw that Dondon was constantly trying to contact Spacetime, but no reply came from the communicator. With our task here finished, I was starting to worry about the safety of Spacetime.


    "Calculation completed. I found the escape door," said Li Yizhi as she stood up.


    "Great. Let''s set off. I''m tired of this place," said Wind Spirit gleefully.


    "Canyue, you''re this squad''s commander. I have a mission for you. After exiting, if you find that Lightning is not fully destroyed, please promise me that you won''t allow those lion-faced beasts to reach Blue," Li Yizhi suddenly said.


    "Of course. I won''t let those monsters reach Blue. Protecting Blue is my eternal responsibility," I answered.


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    Li Yizhi appeared relieved by my promise. She then turned and started walking toward the terrace''s upper level.


    "Canyue, why is this beauty giving me an odd feeling? Won''t she do something herself if those lion-faced beasts manage to survive? What''s the point of having you promise to kill them?" said Zhang Bao''er softly into my ear.


    "Maybe our encounter with the lion-faced beasts will turn bloody, and she is afraid that we will shrink from battle. She is just making sure we will fight," I guessed.


    "That old lady must be blind. Do we look like cowards who would shrink from battle?" said Zhang Bao''er with disdain.


    "Alright, alright. Just charge in front when the battle starts later," I said.


    We followed Li Yizhi to the fifth level, the highest level in the core. There, a door different from any other door in the core was plainly visible. Li Yizhi headed toward it directly.


    "This is way too obvious. I should have looked up here earlier. Even I will be able to discover a door like this," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The door was peculiar. Different from the doors around it, it was actually a door merged from two smaller doors and was twice as large as the other doors. The left half of it was made of red steel, while the right was made of white stone.


    I scanned the door with my probe. The left side had a temperature reaching 100 degrees, while the right side had a temperature of negative 5 degrees. Together, they formed a door of fire and ice.


    "This door seems to embody the concept of yin and yang. Old Du, the left half is too hot. Install the bomb on the right," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Old Du stepped forth in preparation to install the bomb.


    "Wait. There is no need to bomb this door. It can only be opened with a different method," said Li Yizhi as she stepped forth to open the door herself.


    Baron Sisse suddenly stepped forth and offered, "Senior, let me try."


    Li Yizhi looked at the baron with an odd expression in her eyes. That was an expression I had never seen her make. A few seconds later, she stepped back and let the baron do his thing.


    The baron stepped forth. After studying the red and white door, he suddenly reached out with both hands and pressed the middle of the door. Surprisingly, two circles appeared where he pressed. With a push, the circles sank into the door.


    Two electrical currents ran along Baron Sisse''s arms, one red and the other white. They started flowing rapidly along his arms. The baron started shuddering while beads of sweat formed on his face. He looked to be in extreme pain.


    "Shit! The baron won''t be able to hold on!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er as he stepped forth to drag the baron back.


    "Don''t touch him, or you''ll waste all his effort!" Li Yizhi hurriedly shouted with a fierce expression on her face.


    Zhang Bao''er was intimidated by her fierceness and stopped. Meanwhile, the electrical currents continued to assault the baron. He resisted the shock with his willpower alone while we watched on painfully. After about five minutes, the electrical currents pulled back into the door.


    The red and white light on the door dimmed. With a loud boom, the door slowly swung open. With the door to the rebirth room opened, the baron could no longer stay standing. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

 CH 190

    Old Du and Anxashe rushed forth to help Baron Sisse. The powerful electrical shocks had caused him to lose consciousness. Master Crystal also stepped forth to check on the baron. Only after he confirmed that the baron had merely fainted and was generally fine did we feel somewhat relieved.


    Beyond the opened door was a peculiar sight. The space inside the room wasn''t big. Countless electrical currents ran along the four walls of the room, and all the currents led straight toward the center of the room. There, a blackish-yellow energy ball hovered, supported by the power of the countless electrical currents flowing toward it.


    The floating energy ball seemed to be constantly absorbing the energy from the electrical currents. The ball was also constantly trembling, as though it was trying to break free from the bindings of the electrical currents.


    "What monster is it this time? It looks like an energy core or something," said Zhang Bao''er.


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    "This is probably Cloudcast''s final energy return location," muttered Master Crystal.


    "Energy return location? What do you mean?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "According to the Theory of Cosmic Serenity originating from Planet Eternal, there is a point of return for everything in the universe. Take this ball in front of us for example. It might be that after Cloudcast reaches the end of its life, the planet will cool down and shrink, eventually withdrawing into this one energy ball, just like how a star turns into a black hole," said Master Crystal.


    "You''re saying that all planets will eventually shrink into some sort of energy ball just like how stars will eventually turn into black holes or white dwarfs?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "According to Eternal''s Theory of Cosmic Serenity, that is inevitable after a planet reaches the end of its natural life span," said Master Crystal.


    "But how is this energy ball related to our escape?" asked Wind Spirit impatiently.


    "A place where life is lost will often also be the place where new life is born. The program housed in this room is designed based on the Eternals'' concept of rebirth," said Li Yizhi, more muttering to herself than answering the question.


    "This is straightforward enough for me. Just bomb this place and blast a way to the surface," said Zhang Bao''er confidently.


    "Senior, what do you think we should do?" I asked, ignoring Zhang Bao''er''s suggestion.


    "I have a way to send all of you back, but the rebirth program here is very powerful. All of you need to go down one level and wait if you don''t want to be harmed by the backlashes of what I''m about to do. I''ll work alone. When you sense a change in the energy core later, rush back here," said Li Yizhi.


    "This is too dangerous. I can assist you, and with me here, we can also watch each other''s backs," I said, disagreeing that she should take the risk alone. Her risking it alone wasn''t something I would let happen on my watch.


    "We can''t. I might need to detonate this core in stages. If anything untoward happens to me, you can continue the task. We can''t risk having everyone exposed to the same danger at the same time," said Li Yizhi firmly.


    "Even if there are dangers, I should be the one to go first. Just tell me what to do. I''ll try. If I fail, you can proceed," I insisted.


    "We don''t have the time for this. I know the programs here the best. If you go, it will be the same as suicide. Just wait for me at the eighth level with your probes on. When you sense any changes, rush back here," said Li Yizhi with a firm commanding tone.


    "But this is too dangerous." I still couldn''t bring myself to let Li Yizhi take such a huge risk.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of myself. When this fellow wakes up later, tell him to organize the data he collected from the droids and transfer them to me," said Li Yizhi as she pointed at the unconscious Baron Sisse.


    Upon seeing how Li Yizhi was still making arrangements for future tasks, we were slightly relieved. From what she had experienced so far, it was evident she had managed to turn peril into safety many times. This gave us the impression that she was simply more capable than us.


    And thus, we followed Li Yizhi''s instructions and retreated to the eighth level of the ring-shaped corridors. Zhang Bao''er and Anxashe were in charge of retreating and carrying the unconscious Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, I have an odd feeling," whispered Old Du.


    "What is it? What do you mean?" I asked.


    "I remember the baron saying previously that the rebirth program is mainly based on the concept of nirvana and reincarnation, to be reborn from death. Coupling that concept with what Master Crystal said about the point of return we found in the room, don''t you feel that all of this is somewhat odd?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "I interpret it as us needing to blow up the energy ball and letting the energy ball rebuild itself to open up a path leading out of the core. That would restart all the programs here and allow us to open the locked door from inside," I said.


    "Your interpretation is reasonable. We all believe that blowing up the energy ball is the key to leaving. But what if the answer is something else?" asked Old Du.


    "What other answer can it be? Will we fail in destroying the energy ball?" I asked.


    "No." Old Du finally voiced his worry, "Could it be possible that what needs to be destroyed is not the energy ball but one''s body, which would be sacrificed to the program?"


    My entire body shook from his explanation.


    "Nirvana, nirvana," I started muttering.


    "Canyue, what''s wrong?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously. He had just reached the eighth level and had no idea what we were talking about.


    "Shit! Something is going to happen to Li Yizhi!" I exclaimed before running back toward the rebirth room.


    Seeing my reaction, the others followed me. Only Anxashe was left behind to care for Baron Sisse, who was still unconscious. We ran toward the entrance to the rebirth room. There, we saw a beautiful figure preparing to step below the energy ball.


    "Senior, stop! Don''t go!" I roared to Li Yizhi.


    She stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at me.


    "Senior, the so-called nirvana is only a myth. Do not try anything stupid and throw your life away for an unconfirmed myth. Come back first. We can think of a new plan," I said anxiously while stepping toward her.


    "Stop. Not a step farther, or I''ll walk in immediately. Canyue, this is not a myth. I saw the secret of this rebirth program when I hacked into the lightning droid. Only when an organic life form enters the energy ball will an energy reaction happen. This reaction will produce the path out of this place," said Li Yizhi.


    I kept trying to persuade her even after I stopped stepping forward. "Even so, you don''t need to sacrifice yourself. We can enter one of those program rooms and catch some beasts for this."


    "Those beasts are all illusions. They will vanish upon leaving their rooms. You won''t be able to bring any here," said Li Yizhi.


    "No matter what, you can''t sacrifice yourself so easily. Come out first. We can think of a different plan together," I said.


    The others behind me were also advising her to stop, hoping that she would return to us.


    "Canyue, we still don''t know if the lion-faced beasts have all been eliminated. Spacetime is still waiting for you to check on them. You have many urgent tasks. As for me, I have completed my mission. I only need to carry out my highest priority order, to ensure your safety at all costs," said Li Yizhi, completely confusing me with her words.


    "Bulu, Bulu, come here and control her!" I suddenly remembered Bulu when I saw how stubborn Li Yizhi was. I took out the little fellow from my backpack, but unfortunately, Bulu was still asleep.


    Li Yizhi turned, showing her back to us once again. She then resolutely strode forth.


    "Bulu, wake up! Please! Control her!" I shouted madly at Bulu.


    Alas, in the universe, things would frequently not happen as one wished. The ideal scenario would usually only exist in one''s optimistic daydreaming. Bulu was still asleep, not reacting at all to my shouts. I was so agitated that I even dropped the little fellow on the ground.


    This time, Li Yizhi did not stop. She continued walking forth. The energy ball suddenly shook. Shortly after, it started moving left and right, fully breaking free from its constraints as the electrical currents around it broke apart.


    Without the electrical currents, the blackish-yellow energy ball started swelling at a rapid pace. From the size of a small car, it turned into the size of a massive truck. And it was still continuing to grow.


    As we cried out in alarm, the energy ball swallowed Li Yizhi''s body. An intense nuclear reaction was produced as the surface of the energy ball started churning violently. That process lasted for roughly 10 minutes. Then, the energy ball started calming down. The ball''s blackish-yellow surface slowly turned light blue as it hovered back into the air and returned to its original size.


    On the floor Li Yizhi had stood on, two objects were left behind. The gentle bluish-white energy ball scattered, transmitting its energy into the room''s wall before vanishing before our eyes. The massive roof above us slowly opened, revealing the sky and the familiar figure of Betelgeuse. A path to the surface had opened up in front of us.


    ''She really did it,'' I thought as a complicated feeling swelled within me.


    "Senior, this is my fault. I had not imagined that the process of nirvana does not refer to opening the door of the room but to sacrificing oneself to the energy core," came Baron Sisse''s voice from behind us.


    I turned around and saw that Anxashe was carrying the baron on his back. The purple tears belonging to Akkos were trailing down the baron''s face. Zhang Bao''er walked up to me, picked up Bulu from the ground, and handed the little fellow back to me. I felt somewhat guilty for dropping Bulu. The little fellow was still soundly asleep, so I returned it to my backpack.


    "Canyue, look at this," shouted Old Du from Li Yizhi''s previous position.


    I jogged over and saw that Old Du was holding the two objects that had appeared after Li Yizhi''s sacrifice.


    "Canyue, this is a synthetic heart and a synthetic brain," said Old Du while he handed the objects to me.


    When I studied the two objects, they were indeed synthetic organs produced from unique materials. At the top of both objects, a series of words could be seen: Made in 2122.


    A big hand snatched the two organs from my hands. I looked back and saw that it was Baron Sisse.


    "What? She¡¯s actually¡ª" the baron couldn''t finish his words.

 CH 191

    "Yes, you guessed right," I said as I patted the baron''s shoulder.


    "The great beauty had sacrificed herself to save us. If I had known she was going to do this, I wouldn''t have bickered with her," said Zhang Bao''er guiltily.


    "This is not the time to wallow in sadness. We need to leave this place as quickly as possible if we don''t want to be locked right back in after the core recovers," I said loudly.


    "Canyue, I want to go up first with my thrusters. If it''s safe, I''ll signal all of you to come," said Old Du. I immediately approved his request.


    After turning on the thrusters on his morph-capable suit, Old Du slowly soared toward the exit that had opened above us. Shortly after, he went through the moderately sized opening in the ceiling. A few minutes later, I saw him beckoning at us from above.


    "Canyue, it''s safe. Come up," his voice came from the communicator.


    We all jumped into action after hearing his confirmation. With the help of our thrusters, we left Cloudcast''s core, a place that had bought us hope and joy alongside death and sorrow. Surprisingly, the moment we left, the ground sealed up under us. The opening we used was completely covered, as though it had never existed in the first place. Only then did I notice that we had arrived at the bottom level of a battleship with its top blown off. The exit was located right under this ship.


    "From the condition of this ship, it was recently damaged," said Master Crystal as he studied the damaged part of the ship.


    "From the age of the damage, this ship is most likely one that had been struck during the recent conflict between the empire and the league," said Old Du.


    I also studied the damaged part of the ship and then pointed at the topmost level and said, "The ship is blocking our line of sight. Let''s go to the top floor to have a better vantage of our surroundings."


    Following my command, everyone used their thrusters to reach the top level. Only then did we realize that we were actually inside a massive repair center. We hurriedly hid inside the cockpit-cum-command-room at the top of the ship.


    From the command room, we could see that the ship we were in was piled in a massive square alongside more than a thousand other battleships with varying levels of damage. Countless droids were wandering back and forth, repairing these damaged ships. On the ground, countless Eternal soldiers and maintenance vehicles were roaming about as well, all working on repairing these ships.


    "We probably entered their repair center. This facility is probably at the front side of the planet," observed Old Du.


    "This might be our chance. The ships here are those that have been damaged from war. We can wait until it''s dark before stealing a repaired ship to complete our main goal here," suggested Master Crystal.


    "Master Crystal is right. We should rest up here and move after it gets dark." I started giving out orders, "Dondon, connect Spacetime with the encrypted channel. See if you can get in touch with Kelly and the others."


    Everyone sat down on the floor to recuperate. At that time, I noticed that Baron Sisse was still holding the two organs Li Yizhi left behind. He seemed to be in deep thought from the blank look in his eyes.


    "I had not expected Li Yizhi to actually be an android. No wonder her physical appearance is so perfect. The person who had created her must have designed her based on the highest standards of beauty," said Old Du, breaking the silence.


    "I don''t understand. Since the programs in the core only have illusions that will work against organic brains, why was Li Yizhi''s body actually destroyed?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "That proves that the final core is not an illusion. It is an actual manifestation of nuclear fusion," said Baron Sisse.


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    "I understand. Perhaps the final room is the energy supply for the entire core. Therefore, the senior had to sacrifice herself to disrupt the core''s natural cycle," said Zhang Bao''er, addressing Li Yizhi as a senior for the very first time.


    "I had suspected long ago that the senior was an android. Master Crystal once scanned her body and found that her body temperature was only 20 degrees. Also, she is able to survive without protection in many extreme environments. She can also easily enter all the rooms in the core. And, during our time in the water room, the water droid''s first target was Li Yizhi. For the droid, she was its kind. Thus, she became the priority target," I said.


    "Since you knew, why didn''t you tell us earlier?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Master Crystal replied on my behalf, "She is very different from normal droids. When I scanned her, I noticed that she was probably made from artificial fibers, giving her the same biological cells as a regular human. Only her brain and heart were produced from unique materials. Thus, it was very hard to judge if she was a droid or if she was merely a new species."


    "Yes, and all her biological parts had been burned clean by the nuclear fusion," said Baron Sisse. "Only the two synthetic organs were left. I scanned the two organs. They weren''t produced from elements known to us. Even now, they still feel warm to me. It is obvious these organs are still alive in a way."


    "When I checked, these organs seemed to have been produced in the year 2122?" said Old Du.


    "That''s odd. When the senior first met us, she said that she had left Blue for a way to defeat Gliese during the onset of the war in 2070. But she was produced in 2122? Is she a time traveler?" I muttered to myself.


    "No wonder she seems so much more technologically capable than us. So she''s from the future," said Zhang Bao''er as he recollected how she had been acting.


    "It''s a pity. I had thought that the so-called nirvana refers to an act of sacrifice when opening the room''s door, not throwing your life to open a path out. It was my fault for not being good enough at the programming language used to code these programs. Why hadn''t I spoken more to her? I won''t have the chance to anymore. I did not appreciate her presence while she was around. Now that she''s gone, I realized that there are many things I didn''t get the chance to tell her yet," said Baron Sisse, blaming himself.


    "Baron, don''t be too sad," I comforted. "The situation in the core was too urgent. None of us had much of a chance to talk. Since the senior''s two main organs are still around, we can try to look for advanced technologies on other planets to reconstruct her body. At worst, we will only have to wait 30 years for the technology used to manufacture the senior to appear."


    "Resurrect her? Yes. So long as we can find the correct human cell manufacturer, we can resurrect her by reconstructing her according to her original structure," said Baron Sisse as he regained some hope. He carefully put the two organs into his backpack.


    "Canyue, I have a feeling the senior had known about you long ago," Old Du suddenly said.


    "Yes. Her last words were very odd. She said that protecting me at all costs was her highest priority. Was she sent here to protect me?" I guessed.


    "Year 2070. What were you doing at the time?" asked Old Du.


    "Nothing. I was a newborn. I didn''t even know what was going on around me. The war had just erupted at the time," I answered.


    "I think I understand. Have you watched a movie called The Terminator? In the movie, an android from the future had been sent back in time to protect a boy. I reckon this was the case for Li Yizhi. She was sent back in time to protect you," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said in excitement.


    "That''s too big an exaggeration. Only you would believe a story like that. In 2070, I was only an infant. Also, we found her on Cloudcast, not Blue. She had been asleep on Cloudcast for 20 years. This place is over 600 lightyears away from Blue. The probability of her being sent back to protect me is lower than the odds of something winning the lottery," I said.


    "You''re wrong, very wrong. Canyue, your train of thought is incorrect. Ever since we started carrying out all these missions, I have had the feeling that everything we have done was the arrangement of fate. Perhaps everything that has happened to us up until now is merely a chain of events that the prophet has laid for us. This would explain the many coincidences we encountered in the course of our missions," said Zhang Bao''er.


    In fact, Zhang Bao''er''s argument was quite reasonable. Even I was unable to refute his words. Although I still refused to believe his words, after reflecting on our experiences, I really couldn''t argue against him.


    "I believe Brother Zhang Bao''er is right. However, there are many things we need to verify about his theory. If we can resurrect Li Yizhi, we will be able to answer many questions. Moving on, we need to start paying attention to technologies and materials related to human cell production. I believe that in a universe this wide, there must exist a civilization with the technology to resurrect someone," said Master Crystal approvingly.


    With Master Crystal''s support, Zhang Bao''er''s face turned into his usual smug look. That also seemed to be the end of the conversation, and we started resting silently. Only Dondon was still busy trying to get in touch with Spacetime. However, no contact had been established. While chatting and resting, we noticed that up in the sky, Betelgeuse was as bright as ever. It did not show any sign that it was going to set anytime soon.


    "Shit. I think the front side of Cloudcast will always be facing Betelgeuse. The sun will never set on this side of the planet," said Master Crystal after we spent a long time waiting.


    "Even if the sun doesn''t set, these Eternals still need to rest, right? We can wait until it''s their resting time before making a move," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, did you see those repair droids?" asked Baron Sisse, who had recovered from his sorrow.


    "Yes. I can see that they don''t need rest. They are able to work non-stop all day long," I said.


    "Yes. Some of these repair droids are also capable of flight. Regardless, each of these repair droids has a small antenna on its back," said Baron Sisse. He was much more attentive to details than I was.


    "Are those antennas for the purpose of transmitting data?" I asked.


    ¡°That is possible. But they are also probably for the purpose of transmission control. This planet''s magnetic fields might be stronger, so the antennas are needed to strengthen their signals," said the baron.


    "Baron, what idea do you have?" I went straight to the point.


    "I want to catch one of these droids and destroy its antenna to prevent all communication. Then, I''ll try hacking into the droid to look for a restored battleship," suggested the baron with a firm look on his face.

 CH 192

    "Good idea. These droids'' databases must contain information about the restored ships. So long as we can catch one of them, we can have it show us to one of those ships. What a surprise that the exit of the core would lead here. Even the heavens are helping us," said Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    "We need to find a way to capture a droid fast enough that it can''t send a warning out and expose us," said Baron Sisse.


    "All of them have those antennas on them. Just have Anxashe shoot the antennas down. That will be enough to stop them from transmitting data," I suggested.


    "No. It is also possible that their antennas are merely acting as amplifiers. We don''t know if destroying their antennas will completely sever their data transmission," said Master Crystal.


    "Do you have a better idea, old man?" said Zhang Bao''er as he started to get grumpy again.


    "If we really have no choice, we can have Wind Spirit show herself and use her identity as the military observer to commandeer a ship from them. I doubt any of them would dare to question her," said Master Crystal.


    Wind Spirit firmly refused.


    "I think the master''s idea is perfect. I agree with him," said Zhang Bao''er, taking the chance to step on Wind Spirit.


    "No, the princess can''t show herself easily, or her life might be in danger," said Baron Sisse.


    Wind Spirit hurriedly nodded in agreement.


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    "Baron, why do you say so?" questioned Zhang Bao''er, not satisfied with what the baron was saying.


    "It''s because the war on Rumble had the direct participation of the Sacred Wing race. I believe that the Sacred Wing race has long disseminated the news of the princess''s cooperation with us to the various armies. Thus, we can''t do anything so risky. The princess is only a military observer. She lacks proper combat experience. She can hurt herself easily in the event of enemy aggression," said Baron Sisse. His argument was strong enough that none of us could refute him.


    "I have an idea. We can capture one of the patrolling soldiers and use the soldier to control the droids. A regular soldier won''t be able to send out a warning signal as fast as a droid. Also, it will be much easier to keep a regular soldier under control," said Anxashe.


    "Anxashe''s plan is very feasible. Let''s do it. We''ll first get ourselves a spokesperson to connect us with the droids," I agreed.


    With the plan set, we started observing our surroundings to identify a suitable target. The sun still hung in the sky, but it was actually getting late as only about a third of the Eternal soldiers were still around. The others seemed to have returned to their rooms to rest. Many soldiers were patrolling alone, and these were all suitable targets for us.


    "Canyue, look at that fellow," said Zhang Bao''er as he pointed after tapping me.


    When I looked to where he was pointing, I saw a frail-looking Eternal military repairman. The repairman looked young. He was standing alone beneath a damaged battleship and was studying a tablet in his hand.


    At that point, the surrounding Eternals seemed to have finished their work for the day and were gradually leaving the repair center. However, the Eternal repairman we saw was still seriously studying the tablet in his hand, standing all alone without any intentions of leaving.


    "That guy will be perfect for us. Let''s think of a way to grab him," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, he does seem like a decent target. He also looks like someone with a decent understanding of this repair center. But he is still about a hundred meters away from us. We need to think of a way to get him closer," said Baron Sisse, who also agreed with Zhang Bao''er.


    "This repair center is probably filled with sensors and monitoring devices. On Eternal, their monitoring devices utilize the genetic lock system. I suggest that we lure him over before making any move on him," I said.


    "Easy for you to say, but how are we supposed to lure him over?" said Wind Spirit.


    That question stumped all of us. We all stared blankly at the repairman, not knowing how to get him to approach us alone.


    "I have an idea," said Old Du after a few minutes.


    When everyone looked at him, he pointed at Dondon.


    "Have Dondon pretend to be an animal and walk on all fours to lure the repairman over," said Old Du.


    "Great! That sounds fun!" Wind Spirit clapped in agreement.


    Dondon was about to refuse, but when he saw Wind Spirit¡¯s smile, he nodded in agreement. Dondon was still clad in his ragged outfit. I stepped forth and helped him remove his weapons. After giving his head a pat, I said, "Be careful. Run back the moment you encounter danger."


    Dondon nodded at me and ran toward the ship''s bottom level without any hesitation. We all watched through the window. Before long, we saw Dondon rushing out of a hole on the bottom level.


    Without a doubt, when Dondon ran on all four legs, he truly resembled a cat on Blue. The only difference was the slight blue shine on his fur. He ran rapidly along the trail of damaged ships. Shortly after, he arrived at a position about 10 meters from the repairman. The repairman was still focused on the tablet he was studying, completely oblivious to Dondon''s arrival.


    Abruptly, Dondon ran out from the bottom level of a ship and rushed past the repairman. He even intentionally flipped several metal sheets on the ground, creating some noise as he ran through.


    Surprisingly, the frail repairman did not even bother to raise his head, still fully focused on the tablet in his hand. That confused Dondon, who tried to run by the repairman again. This time, Dondon picked a big metal pot to flip, creating a noise loud enough for us to hear from afar. However, the repairman still did not react. His attention was still solely on his tablet.


    I understood what Dondon was trying to do. He wanted to attract the repairman by creating some noise before luring the repairman closer to our hiding spot. However, the repairman was too focused on his work, to the point he was completely unaffected by his surroundings. Dondon was starting to get impatient as he slowly approached the repairman.


    "Watch out, Dondon. He has a pistol strapped on his left leg. Be safe," reminded Old Du through the communicator.


    Despite the warning, Dondon continued to approach the repairman. As the distance between the two shrank, our hearts thumped faster and faster. I could clearly hear how fast my heart was beating. At that point, Old Du had raised his gun and aimed at the repairman, ensuring that the repairman wouldn''t be able to suddenly harm Dondon.


    Shortly after, Dondon was about three meters away from the repairman. However, the repairman was still oblivious. It was unknown what was interesting enough to capture all his attention. Meanwhile, we were all dripping with sweat from sheer nervousness. At that point, Dondon seemed to lose all his patience as he ran straight beside the repairman.


    When the repairman continued to ignore him, he bit the end of the repairman''s pants. If the repairman still didn''t react, I would start suspecting whether he was someone without any senses. Finally, the repairman reacted to the sensation. The moment he set his tablet down, he noticed Dondon standing beside his leg.


    We were all extremely nervous. I even wondered if all the nervousness would burst a blood vessel or two in me. An astonished look covered the repairman''s face. His shock was clearly due to the meeting with an animal he had never seen before. He slowly crouched down.


    I could see Old Du''s finger on his trigger. Perhaps the trigger would be pulled the moment the repairman''s hand neared his pistol. Fortunately, that did not happen. After crouching down and looking at Dondon, who was sitting obediently like some house pet, the repairman reached out to pat Dondon''s head with a loving expression on his face.


    "Looks like the fellow has taken the bait. He thinks Dondon is just some cute animal," said Zhang Bao''er gleefully.


    However, the repairman only spared Dondon a few minutes of his attention before standing up and refocused on the tablet.


    "My god. This fellow is a super nerd. He''s only focused on that tablet," said Zhang Bao''er helplessly.


    None of us had expected that. This repairman was actually without any sense of crisis. We found that hard to comprehend, and even Old Du removed his finger from his trigger. I could see that Dondon was growing anxious as he ran in circles around the repairman.


    Suddenly, Dondon performed a shocking move. He jumped up and bit down on the repairman''s tablet before pulling it out of the frail repairman''s hand. Then, he turned and ran toward us.


    The sudden change stunned the repairman. He had not expected that a tiny animal would have the courage to steal his tablet. He started giving chase. At that moment, I saw Old Du raise his gun yet again.


    Fortunately, the repairman was still not reaching for his pistol. Rather, he kept chasing after Dondon. The distance of 100 meters was quite short. It did not take them long to come close to the ship we were hiding in. Just as I was about to go to the bottom level, I discovered that Zhang Bao''er and Anxashe were missing. I hurriedly ran toward the bottom level.


    "Bao''er, use the tranquilizing bullet. Don''t harm him," I reminded.


    At that point, Dondon charged into the ship through a broken window. Shortly after, the repairman climbed through the window as well. The moment he was through, I saw Zhang Bao''er activate the tranquilizing mode of his gun and shoot the repairman. The repairman instantly fell onto the ground.


    "Success!" exclaimed Baron Sisse in excitement. He had been paying close attention to the entire process.


    Not long after, Anxashe returned to the top level carrying the repairman without even breaking a sweat. Old Du helped with removing the repairman''s communicator. Then, we started waiting for the repairman to wake up.


    "Bao''er, what dosage did you use for the tranquilizing bullet?" I asked.


    "I used the weakest dose. He will probably wake up in half an hour," said Zhang Bao''er.


    At that time, Dondon arrived beside me and handed the tablet the repairman was studying to me.

 CH 193

    Looking at the tablet Dondon had handed me, I noticed numerous blueprints on it. As I swiped through the screen, I saw that each blueprint referred to the restoration status of a different battleship.


    "This is a treasure. With this tablet, we will be able to freely pick our battleship," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    I handed the tablet to Baron Sisse. After spending a short time with the tablet, a wide smile formed on the baron''s face.


    "The tablet does not have the exact locations of the battleships. We still need to wake this fellow up and ask him for a way to locate them," said Baron Sisse cautiously.


    Old Du checked the time. We still had about 10 more minutes before the repairman woke up. At that point, Wind Spirit became hungry and loudly demanded food. Dondon immediately stood up to prepare some food for her. But just as Dondon walked near the desk near the window, a bullet whistled through the window and struck him, instantly causing him to fall.


    "Dondon!" Old Du and Wind Spirit exclaimed in alarm.


    "What''s going on?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Stay down, everyone! There seems to be a sniper opposite us. Stay low, don''t raise your head," said Baron Sisse.


    I lay down and crawled toward the window. I pushed my probe out of a hole to scan the square in detail. The results of the scan shocked all of us. There was a juxi beast constantly scanning for us. It had gathered the information about us before transmitting it back to the Eternal headquarters on Planet Eternal.


    In fact, the Eternal soldiers had discovered this plan we thought to be perfect from the moment we started luring the repairman. They even had a juxi beast deployed to pinpoint our location.


    A few heavy tanks had already arrived at the square, surrounding the battleship we were hiding in. The air defense drones and the fighter drones we hated most had also appeared in the sky. Unknowingly, we were already fully surrounded by the enemy.


    "We were too careless. We shouldn''t have been in that much of a rush to act, which caused us to expose ourselves so quickly," I blamed myself.


    "Odd. Why are the Eternal soldiers standing so far away? There are so few of us. Shouldn''t they attack directly?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    I felt odd as well. Why weren''t the soldiers attacking with their amassed weaponry?


    "He''s not dead," said Baron Sisse to Wind Spirit, who was hugging Dondon''s head.


    Everyone felt much better hearing that Dondon was alive. It would be much better to die together facing an overwhelming force than to die off one after another.


    "Canyue, Master, something isn''t right," said the baron as he remained on the ground with us.


    "Baron, what did you find?" asked Master Crystal.


    "There are no visible wounds on Dondon, but he is unconscious. I discovered a mark on his suit with a very low temperature that looks like what a bullet would leave behind after blowing apart," said Baron Sisse.


    "A bullet blowing apart?" muttered Master Crystal. "Are you sure Dondon merely fainted?"


    "Yes. His breathing is steady. He doesn''t look injured. It''s more like he''s asleep," said the baron confidently.


    "Tranquilizing bullet. They must have used an ice tranquilizing bullet. A bullet like this will automatically break apart after reaching its target and will inject the tranquilizer into the target''s body, causing the target to lose consciousness. A corresponding antidote is needed to undo the effect," said Master Crystal.


    "How are you so sure? Have you seen such bullets before?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''ve heard about it before. During the war on Kadote, the Liyates used a large number of these bullets to capture the Kadotes for free labor. They were able to capture a lot of Kadote slaves as a result. Once one was struck, the corresponding antidote must be administered, or one would remain unconscious forever," said Master Crystal.


    "I understand. No wonder they''re not attacking despite their overwhelming power. They are trying to capture us alive," I said as understanding dawned on me.


    "Yes. There must be a sniper watching us. There won''t be many snipers on a repair planet like this. With an interstellar war raging, the actually good snipers must have all been deployed. We need to first take down the snipers they have here," said Baron Sisse.


    "Bao''er, tie that fellow up first. We wouldn''t want him to create trouble after waking up," I said.


    At that time, I saw Baron Sisse raise the repairman¡¯s helmet slightly above the window. Instantly, a bang sounded, and the helmet was struck flying. When Old Du picked up the helmet, the same mark of a destroyed ice bullet could be seen on it.


    "With the juxi beast''s scanning, our location is fully revealed. There won''t be a way for us to hit back," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "That shouldn''t be the case. We''re hiding in a battleship. A battleship should have protections against scans," said Master Crystal.


    "If so, why are they aware of our location?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    Upon hearing Zhang Bao''er''s question, I looked at the big hole in the middle of the room. Looking at the sky where Betelgeuse hung through the hole, a realization dawned on me.


    "Let''s switch to a better-sealed room. The hole in this room has such a big hole. The juxi beast is likely scanning us through that hole," I said.


    Everyone came to the same realization. We started crawling away with our captive in tow and our weapons in hand. We were heading toward the combat room beside the command room. The combat room was still completely intact and filled with small lookout holes. After entering, we felt much safer. Old Du and Anxashe immediately used the lookout holes to observe the situation in the square.


    The lookout holes were made of transparent materials, allowing the crew to continue controlling the ship''s weaponry with their naked eyes even after the ship''s systems were damaged.


    "The juxi beast has retreated! The juxi beast has retreated!" Old Du exclaimed in excitement.


    "Great. Canyue, you''re surprisingly good at analytics!" praised Zhang Bao''er as he patted my shoulder.


    "Hehe, don''t celebrate too early. The juxi beast is gone, but that only signifies the start of the true battle," I said, stopping Zhang Bao''er from becoming too excited.


    Demands for us to surrender sounded from the fighter drones, "People in the battleship, lay down your arms and walk out. Surrender to the empire, and your lives will be preserved."


    "Fine. Looks like that old fart emperor is really trying to catch us alive," said Baron Sisse with a sigh.


    "The emperor had tried killing us multiple times before. Why did he change his mind now?" asked Old Du.


    "Because of her. She might be very important to the emperor," said Baron Sisse as he pointed at Wind Spirit.


    "In that case, am I the reason you''re all still alive? You should properly show your gratitude, then," said Wind Spirit shamelessly.


    At that time, I saw Anxashe placing an arrow on each damaged gunport in the combat room.


    "What are you doing? Are you thinking of having a sniping contest with their snipers?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes. I have never gotten a chance to pit myself against an Eternal soldier. If I''m going to die today, I might as well go out with a bang," said Anxashe.


    His words made sense, and both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were inspired by his words. They set their laser guns into sniping mode in preparation to compete against the imperial snipers with him.


    "Who are you? Why did you capture me?" At that moment, the repairman we had captured woke up.


    I was about to answer when Master Crystal sealed his mouth.


    "Let''s focus on the fight first. We can question him after," said Master Crystal.


    I also walked up to the wall. We split into two groups of two; one group was in charge of observation while the other was in charge of shooting. In this way, we aimed to eliminate their snipers.


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    Our guns had a range of 5 kilometers in sniping mode, making them an excellent choice in terms of sniping. However, I still had some reservations about Anxashe''s bow sniping. I saw the baron and Old Du move back to our previous room. They had probably done so because the juxi beast had left.


    Through the lookout hole, I could see that there were only three battleships directly opposite us. Because we were on the top level of our ship, they would only be able to spot us by borrowing the height of a different ship. Thus, it was very likely that our opponents were hiding inside the three ships across from us.


    Instantly, I heard a series of gunshots. When I looked over, I saw that Anxashe had raised four helmets up with all four of his limbs. All four helmets were sent flying. At the same time, gunshots sounded from the other room. Only Zhang Bao''er remained still like me to continue observing through the lookout hole. Both of us had yet to join the fight.


    "There are at least 10 snipers out there," said Anxashe as he studied the bullet holes on the helmets.


    "Do you have a good way to deal with them?" asked Master Crystal.


    "Our position grants us some advantages since we have our backs to the sun. They''re probably using light-filter scopes," said Anxashe.


    "If we can make ourselves glow, will we be able to escape the detection of their scopes?" I asked.


    "That might work as long as they don''t change the mode of their scopes," said Anxashe.


    "My guess is that they are hiding on the top level of the three ships opposite us. But when I tried scanning with my laser probe, I couldn''t find their exact locations," I said.


    "They are probably using some stealth devices. Your probe won''t be able to detect them. We can only counterattack based on their line of fire," said Anxashe.


    "If we can bait them to fire, are you confident you can eliminate them?" I asked.


    "If you can bait them to shoot while I use a glowing device to hide from their scopes, I am 70 percent confident I can eliminate them," Anxashe gave a prudent answer.


    "I''m also 70 percent confident. I''ll join the counterattack as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I shot Zhang Bao''er a glance before nodding at the two. I removed my helmet, and after turning on the light, I gave it to Anxashe. Next, I went below one of the lookouts and picked up a steel plate from the floor. With everything ready, I looked at the two.


    "Superior, I''m ready. Remember to raise the plate higher," said Anxashe with a nod of confirmation.


    Zhang Bao''er also gave me a confident look. I turned on my morph-capable shield to protect myself from the random pieces of shrapnel. I then exerted a large amount of strength to push the steel plate up above me.

 CH 194

    The moment I heaved the steel plate up, more than ten ice bullets whizzed over and struck the plate accurately. Broken tranquilizing bullets scattered down on me. Fortunately, I had my morph-capable shield on so the shrapnel was all blocked.


    The instant the opposing snipers fired, Anxashe stood up with a brightly shining helmet and rapidly loosed several arrows toward where the bullets came from. In only a few seconds, he had released eight arrows before he quickly dove onto the ground again.


    Zhang Bao''er was also attacking, but I could see that he was actually shooting blindly. After Anxashe was done with his volley of arrows, I could clearly sense that fewer bullets were striking my steel plate. It was obvious that some of the snipers had been struck down by Anxashe. This warrior from Planet Rumble was truly astonishingly powerful. After the counter-snipe operation, I heard the tanks outside move.


    "People in the battleship, listen. You have 30 minutes. If you don''t lay down your arms and surrender, we will attack," came the warning. It seemed that after they had realized that their sniping plan had failed, they had decided to launch a head-on attack.


    "Canyue, what now? If they really attack, the weaponry that they had gathered outside can easily destroy all of us," said Baron Sisse after pulling out of the command room.


    "We still can''t contact Spacetime. Our only choice is to defend our position while waiting for backup," I said helplessly.


    "The moment their tanks start attacking, we won''t last more than 10 minutes. This battleship has been stripped of all its weapons. There is nothing we can use here," said Old Du. He had performed a detailed search of the ship and had not found any usable equipment.


    We were in an extremely passive position and could only react to the enemy. It was starting to look as if surrendering was our only option. Everyone looked rather dispirited. Li Yizhi had bought us this escape with her life, but it did not take us long to fall into yet another dangerous situation. At that moment, the sound of a Nebula cruiser could be heard outside. It was obvious the enemy had deployed their battleships as well.


    "I can help you," a voice sounded behind me.


    We all looked back and saw that Wind Spirit had untied the frail repairman while we weren''t looking.


    "Wind Spirit, how can you release the captive without permission? That is too dangerous," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "He is a good soldier of our Divine Empire. What is there to fear?" said Wind Spirit with a look of derision.


    "Everyone, I know a way out. Can you return my tablet? I can show you the way out," said the frail repairman.


    I saw Baron Sisse nod, and then Old Du handed the tablet back to the repairman. The frail repairman accepted the tablet and started studying a blueprint on it, seemingly looking for a way out for us.


    "Young man, how should I address you?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "You may call me Jack," said the frail repairman without even looking away from the tablet.


    "People in the battleship, listen. You still have 20 minutes left. Lay down your arms and surrender, or the imperial army will attack," the warning came again. We did not have much time left.


    Second after second passed as we waited anxiously for Jack to find an escape route for us.


    Jack suddenly looked up and said, "Come with me."


    Then, he walked along the ship''s corridor toward the ship''s middle level. We followed closely behind him, and Old Du did not forget to place the unconscious Dondon into a backpack before carrying him with us.


    The insides of a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship were extremely imposing. The numerous delicate electronic instruments and sleek design caused us to gasp in amazement repeatedly. From how even a ship so powerful had been damaged, one could imagine just how bitter the battles had been.


    Shortly after, we arrived at the escape cabin with Jack. There, several intact escape pods could be seen. We only had 10 minutes before the imperial army''s attack.


    "Are you planning to have us escape in these escape pods?" I asked in astonishment.


    "We''re surrounded by air defense drones and fighter drones. Using these defenseless escape pods will only turn us into live targets. They will just strike us down one after another," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. I intend to set specific flight trajectories on all these pods before sending them out as bait," said Jack with a shake of his head.


    After saying that, he walked up to the escape room''s dashboard and inserted his tablet into it. He rapidly inserted flight trajectories into the pods so that they would escape in different directions and scatter the enemy''s attention. After he was done, he brought us further down into the ship.


    "Those pods will buy us about 15 minutes," explained Jack to Wind Spirit as we walked.


    "This princess has wasted a lot of time on this shitty planet. If you can help me escape, I will have you promoted to battleship engineer. That will be much better than being a repairman on this dumping planet," promised Wind Spirit with big words.


    Those might be big words, but Jack appeared visibly excited at the offer. It was very likely that Wind Spirit was the highest-level official he had ever spoken to. We moved quickly and reached the bottom level. There, Jack swiftly opened the energy transmission tube and said, "Go through here. This tube is connected to the repair center''s main energy tube system, and we can escape through this system."


    At that point, we were only a minute away before the enemy army attacked. After exchanging gazes with each other, Baron Sisse took the lead to enter the tube. Everyone else followed behind him. I was the last to enter. By the time I entered, the sounds of explosions could already be heard. The tube was big and made of steel. At the other end of the tube, an entrance to a different tube could be seen.


    "Jack, shouldn''t this ship run on nuclear power? Why does it need this energy tube?" asked Old Du.


    "The imperial battleships run on two main power systems, nuclear and electrical," replied Jack.


    "Electrical power? Is that even enough to support the flight operations of a battleship?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "We aren''t using regular electrical power. Rather, we''re using a unique bioelectricity," said Jack.


    "What kind of bioelectricity? Tell us more," said Old Du with the look of someone hungry for knowledge.


    "We do not power our battleships with regular electrical charges. Instead, we use electrical agents that are actual life forms. These life forms are very small, and with trillions of them living together, they form a natural cycle that supplies the battleships with the required electrical power," said Jack.


    "Wow, that sounds amazing! I feel like taking a sample of this tech back with me. This is completely new to us," said Old Du as he exclaimed in admiration.


    "You can''t. These electrical life forms require a replenishment equivalent to 10 percent of their population each month. Due to their extreme reproduction speed, they will easily go extinct due to inbreeding without an injection of new blood. The embryos for these electrical agents can only be found in one location in the Orion Constellation," said Jack.


    "Where can the embryos be found?" asked Old Du.


    "On Planet Newgod, a planet on the fringe of the Betelgeuse System. The planet is heavily guarded by the imperial army," said Jack.


    I could see from Old Du''s eyes that he truly desired to snatch that planet from the empire. At that point, we reached the end of the tube. A massive intersection appeared before us.


    "This intersection leads to the electrical tube system''s core area. I will open the emergency maintenance door. After entering, be sure to not touch the electrical agents as they have a tendency to look for new homes. Your bodies are incapable of hosting them," warned Jack.


    After giving us the reminder, Jack stepped forth to insert the security code and open the door.


    A series of automatic tubes appeared before us. After we followed Jack through the emergency door, it closed behind us. The tube connected to the ship was not connected to any of the other tubes. I could see many tubes moving automatically. Some were clearly in the middle of transmission and were filled with electrical charges. The blue electrical agents were constantly overflowing from the tubes, dropping into a massive pool below the tubes.


    "Be careful of the agents that fell down. Don''t touch them," warned Jack.


    "There are so many tubes. Which of them should we use?" I asked.


    "I''ll choose one. This tube is in the middle of recharging a restored battleship, Skyhawk. After Skyhawk is done charging, we can enter the ship through this tube," said Jack, giving us all a pleasant surprise.


    We had tried painstakingly to steal a ship for so long, and none of us had expected a fully repaired ship to land in our hands right when we were about to escape. Led by Jack, we climbed up the stairs running up the tubes. Shortly after, we arrived on a small platform. A big cylindrical container filled with electrical life forms whistled past us, carrying countless electrical agents toward the battleship''s bioelectricity reserve pool.


    "This tube is charging Skyhawk. It will finish charging in about 60 minutes. Only then would the tube be safe to enter," said Jack.


    "Will the imperial soldiers look for us here?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "If nothing unusual happens, it will take their search about 20 minutes to come this far. Also, to enter the core tube system, they will need the security code. Applying for the code will take them another 30 minutes. The escape pods we used as bait will buy us around 15 minutes," said Jack, indicating that we should have enough time.


    "Why do you know the code to enter?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "I''ve worked here for 20 years. I know every single system in place and can easily hack through any security lock," said Jack smugly.


    At that point, the only thing left for us to do was to wait silently and try to enter Skyhawk before the imperial soldiers reached our hiding place. The torrent of electrical agents continued onward before our eyes. The blue agents were constantly overflowing into the deep pool below us. Some of it even dropped onto our platform. I could clearly see these electrical agents flapping around on the floor for around 3 minutes before dimming and dying.


    "Is that Skyhawk fully repaired?" I asked.


    "Yes. It was damaged during a battle where the Northstar Army broke out of an encirclement. Both its nuclear power system and weapon control system were destroyed. The repair had just finished yesterday. It was supposed to return to the battlefield today after being recharged," said Jack.


    "What time is Skyhawk supposed to be returned to the army?" I asked.


    "After 5 hours. The imperial army will send some people to collect it," replied Jack.


    "Looks like we''ll have enough time. Everyone, be ready for the rapid escape after snatching the ship," I said.


    Suddenly, the energy transmission slowed down. I even noticed that the number of electrical life forms was dropping.


    "Shit. The imperial army might have discovered our escape route. The search team will probably reach us soon," said Jack anxiously.


    "In other words, Skyhawk is not fully charged yet?" I asked.


    "The moment the energy transmission stops, we need to enter the tube. It seems like they are stopping all energy transmissions. However, they shouldn''t be aware of our target. If we rush into the tube immediately after the transmission stops, they will need more time to look for us," said Jack.


    "But can Skyhawk fly since it''s not fully charged?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Its nuclear power system has been fully repaired. It will be able to fly fine," said Jack.


    At that point, the transmission in some of the tubes had fully stopped. We could even hear sounds coming from the tubes far from us.


    "They''re coming!" said Baron Sisse calmly.

 CH 195

    Upon hearing the baron''s words, we gripped our weapons tighter and braced ourselves for battle. However, the tube before us had not fully stopped transmitting energy. I could see that roughly 30 percent of the electrical agents were still in the tube. Before they were delivered to the ship, we wouldn''t be able to enter the tube. The sounds of activity were getting nearer and nearer. In fact, we could clearly hear the footsteps in the tubes below us and the sounds of people trying to open the doors.


    "Stay down, everyone. Try not to expose yourselves when they''re in," whispered Jack.


    "They can easily detect us with a single scan after entering," reminded Baron Sisse.


    "No. Due to the electrical agents in here, the electromagnetic interference is too strong. They won''t be able to detect us with scans. Also, watch your steps. Don''t fall into the pool of agents. You won''t survive the fall," said Jack.


    I stuck my tongue out as I looked at the dark abyss below me. None of us would willingly drop into something so scary. The door right below us suddenly opened. Several soldiers armed with laser guns rushed out.


    When I checked the time, I noted that they had arrived 20 minutes earlier than Jack''s estimations. The empire was actually much more efficient than we had guessed. Since the tube before us was still not done transmitting energy, we had no choice but to stay down and wait with bated breaths.


    "Odd. Why are these soldiers equipped with laser sights? That has never been part of the imperial army''s standard equipment," muttered Jack doubtfully in a low voice.


    "Perhaps that is their spoils of war from their battles with the league?" said Baron Sisse.


    ''What a surprise. The empire is actually so good at reproducing alien technologies? This is truly an opponent we can''t look down on,'' I thought to myself.


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    There were six soldiers among the newly arrived group. They were searching the area rapidly. One of them was heading straight in our direction. Our hearts thumped nervously. The tube was still mid-transmission, and we couldn''t enter yet. Our only option was to take all six soldiers down at once.


    Among us, the individuals with the highest offensive capability were me, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, the baron, Anxashe, and Master Crystal. While on the ground, I drew a plan. Before long, each of us was assigned a target. At that point, the soldier heading our direction was starting to climb the stairs leading to our platform.


    We could no longer afford to keep waiting around. I nodded at the others before we rapidly stood up and pulled our triggers under the soldiers'' astonished gazes. Unfortunately, a mishap happened. All of us were able to take our targets down, except Master Crystal due to his pistol''s lack of power. His target was able to block the shot with his shield. However, the soldier was stunned due to the sudden change and stood there blankly, not knowing how to react.


    The soldier''s stunned state did not last long. He quickly came to himself and raised his gun and opened his mouth to call for help. A fast and accurate arrow arrived with a force powerful enough to pierce through the soldier''s chest, pushing the soldier into the pool of electrical charges. Anxashe''s timely assistance saved us from exposure.


    Before we could even calm down from our panic, the sound of a door opening came from a few other doors. If these newcomers entered before we could enter the tube, our entire plan would be foiled. However, it seemed like the heavens never fully severed one''s path. Or perhaps the prophet was once again blessing us. At that moment, the tube before us stopped transmitting energy.


    Jack hurriedly opened the tube''s maintenance door and notified us to enter. We rushed into the tube, and I was the last to enter. The moment I was through, Jack shut the door. During the split second before the door fully shut, I saw two other doors opening outside.


    We were only a second ahead of our pursuers, but that single second had bought us a lot more time for us to survive. The tube had just finished its bioelectricity transmission, so some leftover blue electrical agents could still be seen on the walls. Some were even still alive. Jack carefully led us around them as we advanced rapidly.


    The tube''s soundproofing was rather good. After entering, we could hear nothing outside. It would probably take them quite a while to expand their search to the tunnel we had escaped into.


    "Everyone, make haste. If the tubes start transmitting energy again, all of us will die," said Jack.


    "We just killed six of them. They already know that we were there, and they will probably focus on searching for us. It will be quite a while before they start transmitting energy to the ship again. Nevertheless, it is still a good idea for us to leave as soon as possible. The imperial army will come for Skyhawk in four hours," said Baron Sisse.


    Hurrying up would definitely be the right choice, so we followed Jack and ran through the tube. After a while, we finally arrived at a more open space. A semi-circular bioelectrical pool had appeared before us. We could clearly see that all the blue electrical agents had been gathered into the pool, and blue electrical currents were constantly flowing within it. This pool was evidently the final destination for the electrical life forms.


    A steel door blocked our path ahead. The other half of the semi-circular pool was located on the other side of the door and was most likely the door that would lead us into Skyhawk. Some blue electrical life forms were still left on the door before us. It was clear that the door acted as a divider to split the flow of the blue electrical life forms into both halves of the pool.


    Since the transmission had stopped, Jack stepped forth and inserted a security code into the door. Now that we had arrived before this door, we became much less nervous than before. We would arrive inside Skyhawk after going through this door. And with this ship, we could both escape and complete our main mission. Surprisingly, Jack seemed to have encountered some trouble. Even after five minutes, the door was still shut.


    "Hey, I thought you could hack through all the locks here? Why are you taking so long? Open the door already. I don''t want to stay near this pool," Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    "Odd. Why did the staff change the procedures for this security lock?" muttered Jack as he continued trying to hack through the lock.


    "Jack, can you open this lock?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Definitely. Someone changed the procedures, but it won''t stump me. I''m already at the code reassembly stage. The door will open in 10 minutes," said Jack confidently.


    We felt relieved, so we continued waiting patiently. Standing beside Jack, I could clearly see the timer on his tablet. I felt like the nervous waiting would feel faster by staring at the timer.


    Before we knew it, eight minutes had passed. We were only two minutes away from cracking the lock and leaving. I even grew excited as those thoughts entered my mind.


    Since arriving at Cloudcast, everything we did had been accompanied by danger and difficulties. We only wanted to steal a ship, and we had not expected it to be so difficult. Right at that moment, a loud boom sounded from the far end of the tube.


    "My god. What weird monster is going to appear this time?" asked Zhang Bao''er worriedly.


    "Shit. The electric transmission has been resumed. The electrical agents will arrive soon," said Jack.


    "What? I thought the baron said that they wouldn''t resume the transmission of energy so soon," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Clearly, the baron had guessed wrong, but it was pointless to blame him right now.


    "Jack, how long will it take the electrical agents to reach us?" Baron Sisse asked.


    "Only 1 minute," said Jack.


    When we looked at the timer on the tablet, there were still 50 seconds. In other words, if everything proceeded smoothly, we would only have 10 seconds left to make our escape. Our hearts raced. The threat of death was so close, but the only thing we could do was wait. That was a sensation no words could capture. My adrenal glands were probably working overtime from all the nervousness.


    The booming sounds grew louder and louder. Traces of blue could already be seen from the far end of the tube. In the final 20 seconds, I could clearly see the blue electrical agents on the other side of the tube. It took less than a second for the flashes I saw to turn into a surging river of blue.


    The following 10 seconds were the longest 10 seconds I had ever experienced in my life. The surging blue torrent was so very near, and despair covered our faces. The blue torrent before me felt just like the ocean monster we had encountered on Sirius with its jaws wide in preparation to swallow us.


    During the final moments, a beep sounded, and the door to Skyhawk opened. We had less than 10 seconds to make our escape. No order was required as everyone scrambled through the door with the blue torrent right behind us.


    Jack was the first through the door, and after everyone else entered, he hurriedly inputted the command to shut the door. The surging blue torrent was blocked on the other side, but some of the blue agents still managed to slip through right before the door was closed, entering the room.


    Nevertheless, the door was still able to fully shut. Only a small amount of the blue life forms could be seen on the ground. Without the support of the rest of the blue electrical agents, they could only flap helplessly on the floor. In their struggle, some almost reached us.


    We hurriedly stepped back, barely avoiding them. After three minutes, all the agents finally died down, and the blue on their bodies dimmed. They finally ceased to be a threat. The past 10 seconds felt like a miraculous reversal from death to life. No words could describe our feelings. The overwhelming pressure and joy caused all of us to slump weakly onto the floor.

 CH 196

    A massive sense of exhaustion assaulted us. But as my mind cleared, I regained clarity over my surroundings. We had already arrived inside Skyhawk. We had four hours to take control of the ship.


    I struggled up before walking over to Jack and helping him up. At that point, the others were also slowly regaining their strength. One after another, they stood up to study the ship. Skyhawk was a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship powered by nuclear and electrical power. The ship was massive, and we were all inside the bioelectric cultivation room.


    With Jack leading the way, we soon headed toward the command room. We had been inside a different Milky Way¨Cclass battleship before¡ªCaptain Wessex''s Starpath. That ship''s incredible firepower had left a deep impression on us.


    Skyhawk''s internal design was basically the same as Starpath''s. Looking through the window, we could see that the ship was semicircular in shape. Its front was slightly angled inward, and numerous rail and laser cannons could be seen at its front. There should also probably be over a thousand drones hanging on the bottom of the ship. This was a terrifying machine of war, a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship with enough firepower to destroy an entire planet all by itself.


    After walking past numerous sleek rooms, we reached the command room. The moment we were there, Jack worked with Baron Sisse to change the entire ship''s procedures and passcodes.


    "Jack, I understand that you''re changing the passcodes to prevent our enemies from entering, but what about the procedures? Is that to prevent the empire from controlling the ship remotely?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. The ship''s central control system can be accessed from a supercomputer called Fantasy at the Imperial Military Academy. We must fully sever its connection with Fantasy to obtain full control over the ship," explained Jack even as he worked at a high intensity.


    "How long will that take? How can we help?" I asked.


    "I will probably need a bit over two hours. Dondon might be able to help, but it''s too bad that he''s unconscious," said Baron Sisse.


    "You can take him to the ship''s medical room. There is probably some equipment there that can wake him up," said Jack after our conversation reminded him of Dondon.


    Old Du immediately left with Dondon with Wind Spirit tagging along.


    "This ship needs at least ten people to crew it. There are only nine of us here. We''re one person short," said Jack.


    "Bao''er, try using this ship''s communicator to contact Spacetime through the encrypted channel," I said decisively.


    Zhang Bao''er did as told and tried to contact Spacetime. With the battleship''s communicator, the range of his connection had extended beyond the planet, but we still did not receive a reply. Slowly, an ominous feeling started rising in my heart. Kelly and the others couldn''t have truly been struck down, right?


    "Canyue, I want to deploy a drone to Lightning to verify the effect of the lightning strike we produced. We must make sure that Li Yizhi''s mission was completed," said Baron Sisse.


    I looked outside the window. The repair center was extremely busy. Apart from the usual repair activities, countless air defense drones and unmanned fighters were roaming about, seemingly in search of us. There were also two juxi beasts constantly scanning the surrounding battleships for us.


    "Don''t bother looking at them. The ship''s outer shield still stands. The juxi beasts'' scans won''t be able to penetrate it. Each restored battleship will be guarded tightly. There are over a thousand restored ships here. By the time they are done searching all the tubes, we would have left," said Jack when he looked up and noticed that I was looking at the juxi beasts.


    "If they follow the tube into Skyhawk, they can quickly reach the command room," I said, still worried.


    "I have already locked the entrance to the cultivation room with a new passcode, turned on the electrical agents'' cycling mode, and altered all the security lock procedures of all entrances to the ship. They won''t be able to enter so quickly," said Jack confidently.


    "I thought you said that there''s a supercomputer called Fantasy capable of controlling this ship?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "That is why I''m trying to sever the connection with Fantasy. Even for Fantasy, it will take some time to establish control over Skyhawk. We should take this chance before the enemy discovers us to quickly sever the connection," said Jack before shifting his focus back to his work.


    "Canyue, should we deploy the drone?" Baron Sisse repeated his question.


    "Since there are too many patrols outside for us to reach Lightning ourselves, permission granted," I agreed.


    With my permission, a drone set off on a mission to scout the area where Lightning had been. Right at that moment, Old Du entered carrying Dondon. The little fellow had awakened, but he still looked exhausted.


    "Dondon, good to see you awake!" I said.


    Dondon only nodded in reply. Old Du then placed him on the control panel. Dondon, recently awakened, immediately got to work, joining the efforts in severing the connection between Skyhawk and Fantasy.


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    "The drone has arrived. Images have been sent back to us," said Dondon when he saw the notification.


    "Show it!" I said.


    The screen in the command room immediately showed the image of a badly burnt area. The super lightning strike had not only destroyed Lightning but had even scorched the area around the ship. The entire ship had turned into a scorched scrap of iron.


    "It was a success! Li Yizhi''s sacrifice was not in vain!" said Baron Sisse with a sigh.


    With the ship''s destruction assured, our hearts were rid of one of our concerns. Now, we only needed to focus on gaining control over Skyhawk and then depart for Planet Rumble. They still needed an hour to work on the connection, so we all waited anxiously. Looking at the three working on severing the connection, I had to rejoice at the fact that at the very least, the enemy had yet to discover us.


    "Old Du, we still can''t contact Spacetime. I''m worried that something has happened to Kelly and the others," I said worriedly.


    "Don''t worry too much. Kelly was once a deputy captain of a Poseidon-class battleship. You need to trust her ability. She is probably moving about farther away in outer space. We need to escape Cloudcast first before doing anything else," said Old Du.


    His words placated me somewhat. Our current focus was to return to outer space on Skyhawk, leaving this planet where so many things had happened. Outside the ship, the patrols were roaming about everywhere. However, none had discovered that we were hiding in Skyhawk. After an hour, the connection between the ship and Fantasy was finally fully severed.


    "This ship is now fully ours. We can leave at any moment," said Baron Sisse in excitement.


    "How should we break through the blockade outside and the blockade in outer space? Will this ship be able to evade the magnetic mines?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I know an escape route. I can take you through the route with the weakest defenses. Apart from these restored battleships, there are no other battleships on Cloudcast itself. After leaving the planet''s atmosphere, we can leave quickly with a wormhole leap," said Jack confidently.


    "The defenses here are simply not good enough to stop a battleship. By moving suddenly, by the time the battleships stationed outside the planet noticed us, we would have wormhole-leaped away already," said Baron Sisse.


    "But we still haven''t established contact with Spacetime," said Old Du.


    "Set the leap destination 0.5 lightyears away. We will return to search for Spacetime after escaping," suggested Baron Sisse.


    Everyone agreed with the plan. Jack promptly set a destination 0.5 lightyears away on the wormhole-leap system. We were going to set off in 10 minutes. There was still a tiny issue we needed to resolve. The ship needed a minimum of 10 people to crew it, but including Wind Spirit, there were only 9 of us. We couldn''t staff the ship like it was meant to.


    Jack worked rapidly on the system, ultimately deciding to set the engine monitoring system and weaponry system on automatic mode after manually turning them on, temporarily vacating one of the spots that needed to be staffed.


    "Hopefully the engine monitoring system will be able to work alongside the weaponry system by itself. I also hope that the weaponry database of this ship is accurate," said Jack.


    With everything prepared, everyone looked at me, the commander of the operation. However, I wasn''t familiar with the empire''s Milky Way battleships. Thus, I made Baron Sisse the captain for our escape. I sat down on the deputy captain''s seat. The round window in front of me gave me a 180-degree view of the area in front of us.


    After confirming that everyone was at their respective posts, Baron Sisse loudly said, "Activate the shield. Enter invisibility in 10 minutes. Turn on all our offensive weapons. Adjust flight trajectory. Full speed ahead!"

 CH 197

    Following Baron Sisse''s orders, Skyhawk¡¯s crew made all preparations to take off before awaiting his final command to take flight.


    After scanning the room with a determined look, Baron Sisse opened his mouth, "Take off!"


    Jack, the ship''s pilot, immediately pressed the main switch down. A row of signal lights lit up in the command room as the ship entered flight mode.


    "Energy supply from the nuclear reactor at normal levels. Shield on," reported Dondon.


    "Invisibility mode on," reported Old Du 10 seconds later. Then, Skyhawk started leaving the ground.


    All the Eternal soldiers in the repair center were stunned to see the ship suddenly depart. However, they reacted speedily; the air defense drones and fighter drones immediately started firing at Skyhawk.


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    At that moment, the powerful shield of a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship made an appearance. The attacks of the smaller aircrafts could only leave some ripples on the surface of Skyhawk''s shield. The Eternal soldiers on the ground fired upon us with their heavy tanks and mounted laser guns. We could also see two cruisers heading over quickly from afar.


    "Reporting to the captain, all weapons have finished the automatic deployment," reported Zhang Bao''er, who had just returned from the weaponry room.


    "Leave Cloudcast''s airspace as soon as possible. Avoid being bogged down," I ordered Jack and Dondon after seeing on the display that the shield had been weakened by 3 percent.


    According to the display, Skyhawk had been fully recharged of energy. It was able to enter high-speed flight mode. Suddenly, the entire ship shook violently. From the holographic combat display, I saw that the two cruisers were attacking from the side.


    Although the Nebula-class cruisers were a tier lower than a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship, we still couldn''t underestimate them when there were two of them. The yellow warning light started blinking, indicating that our shield had been weakened by 10 percent.


    "Adjust the flying angle. Slant 90 degrees to the right," ordered Baron Sisse.


    Skyhawk hurriedly slanted to the right in accordance with the order. I saw two quantum shells whistle past Skyhawk''s shield. If those attacks struck, it would deal a dangerous amount of damage to our defensive system.


    "Bao''er, why are we not counterattacking yet?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Captain, we''re understaffed. The weaponry system is running automatically," said Bao''er helplessly.


    "Odd. Why is the automatic system not firing back? Is this ship not fully repaired?" I wondered in astonishment.


    At that moment, the Milky Way¨Cclass battleship finally displayed its prowess in battle. Numerous rays that resembled gamma-ray bursts erupted from the laser cannons in front of the ship. They combined to form a cylindrical beam before shooting toward one of the cruisers attacking us.


    The powerful combination beam pierced through the cruiser''s shield and struck its front. A blinding explosion erupted as the ship was blasted away, and it spun toward the ground.


    "My god. This ship''s weapons are way too ferocious. This is basically a war beast," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Sit tight, everyone. The ship has finished allocating energy. We are entering high-speed flight mode," reminded Jack upon seeing that everyone was stunned by the spectacle.


    I could feel the invisible ship accelerating. The scenery outside the windows turned into a blur as the ship shot forth in the predetermined flight trajectory. Perhaps the ships the Eternals had were helpless against a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship that had entered invisibility. We were able to easily leave their attacking range without receiving new attacks.


    About three minutes later, the powerful Milky Way¨Cclass ship had left Cloudcast''s atmosphere and returned to outer space. The ship stopped right before reaching the area filled with magnetic mines, and a transparent bubble started forming around the ship. I knew that the bubble was how Planet Eternal''s wormhole technology looked.


    Skyhawk had barely stopped moving when Dondon reported, "Reporting, an invisible battleship was detected 10,000 meters ahead of us. Its body is reflecting our signal scans."


    "We''re already in Cloudcast''s outer space area. There are roughly 15 battleships out here in charge of guarding the planet," said Jack.


    "Damn those battleships. Why are they everywhere? It has only been seconds, and they''re already here?" complained Wind Spirit.


    "Jack, how long will it take the ship to produce the wormhole bubble?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "We need around eight minutes for the energy to gather and take form," said Jack.


    "Zhang Bao''er, leave the coordinate control system. Go to the weaponry room and focus on attacking the enemy ships," said Baron Sisse.


    The baron had barely finished his words when Zhang Bao''er rushed to the weapons room. That was in fact his favorite task.


    A few seconds later, all the cannons in front of Skyhawk opened fire at the detected battleship. The sight of over a thousand artillery shells and energy beams was incredibly imposing, but regretfully, the attacks were unable to accurately hit our target. The enemy ship had moved and was no longer in its original location.


    "Captain, the enemy ship has left its position. All our attacks missed. The weapons are scanning for a new target," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Jack, can you find the enemy ship?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "I''m searching with spherical scans, but the enemy ship is no longer reflecting our signals. It has probably entered silent mode," said Jack.


    "Can we move from our position? If we stay, we''ll be a live target," I said.


    "If we move, our progress with the wormhole bubble will be wiped, and we will need to restart from fresh. Also, the system is indicating that enemy weapons have already locked onto us," said Jack.


    "How long before the bubble is formed?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Four more minutes," replied Dondon.


    Upon learning that the enemy had locked onto our ship, Baron Sisse decisively said, "Activate all our defenses and shields. Try to brace through the final four minutes. Since the enemy has locked onto us, even if we move, they will still be able to follow us. We might as well stand our ground and wait until the wormhole is finished before leaving."


    In short, the baron was telling us to brace for the strongest of attacks. Everyone waited nervously. The enemy ship''s location was unknown while Skyhawk had been locked onto. I felt like prey that was being targeted by a hunter. My life felt as if it were grasped in the hunter''s hand. It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling. We all waited patiently for the attack. Surprisingly, even after four minutes, no attack came.


    ''Are the heavens taking care of us yet again?'' I thought in disbelief.


    "Who cares. Let''s run!" said Zhang Bao''er, who seemed to be wondering the same thing.


    "Jack, initiate wormhole leap," ordered Baron Sisse. Doubt could be heard in his voice as well.


    Numerous ripples started forming within the wormhole bubble. The ripples moved faster and faster, eventually turning into an indistinct sphere. At its peak brightness, the ripples started slowing down. Once again, I was given the chance to experience how advanced the Eternals'' wormhole system was.


    As the ripples slowed, the bubble faded. We had arrived at our destination. Our display was no longer indicating that we were being locked onto by enemy weapons. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    Zhang Bao''er bragged the moment we left danger, "We''re finally safe. The enemy ship must have been scared off by the prowess of my attacks earlier."


    "Canyue, why do you think the enemy hadn''t attacked?" asked Baron Sisse doubtfully.


    "I don''t understand either. Skyhawk was basically a living target. That moment had been their best chance to eliminate us," I said, unable to find an answer.


    While everyone was confused, Skyhawk''s alarm blazed yet again.


    "Captain, the ship''s engine system seems to be going out of control. It is unable to perform regular flight activities," reported Jack.


    "What shitty ship is this? Did you finish repairing it at all? Were you faking the repair just to hit your repair quota or something?" grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "The results of its repair require the verification of many departments. Nothing will be wrong there," refuted Jack.


    "Jack, check and see if the malfunction is due to the unfinished transmission of its electrical agent," said Baron Sisse.


    "I already checked. Its supply of energy is working fine. Oddly, the flight system is malfunctioning. When I tried flying ahead, the ship turned 45 degrees to the side," said Jack.


    "Is there an issue with the steering system?" I asked.


    "No. All parts of the ship are fine. For some reason, the ship just can''t be steered," said Jack, who was just as confused as the rest of us.


    "From the signs, there must be an external factor influencing the trajectory of the ship," said Master Crystal, who had just returned from the system room.


    "External factor? What does that mean?" muttered Baron Sisse to himself. Suddenly, he raised his head and roared at Jack, "Check the area 45 degrees ahead of Skyhawk! See what''s there!"


    Jack hurriedly activated the scanners to scan the area in the indicated direction.


    "Dondon, what is our exact location?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "We''re 1.8 lightyears away from Cloudcast," said Dondon after checking the system.


    We were all shocked.


    "1.8 lightyears! Didn''t we set our leap to bring us 0.5 lightyears away?" roared Baron Sisse.


    "Zhang Bao''er, what were you doing?" I questioned furiously.


    "I-I did set the coordinates to somewhere 0.5 lightyears away!" explained Zhang Bao''er in a flustered manner.


    "Why had we deviated so much from our target, then? Jack, is this ship really fully repaired?" Baron Sisse also started questioning the ship''s status.


    The questioning of Jack''s professionalism triggered him, and he started to madly work on the control panel.


    "Before Zhang Bao''er went to the weapon room, he set the wormhole targeting system to automatic mode. Since Skyhawk had detected enemies locked onto the ship, it had automatically altered the destination to flee the attack," said Jack, finally finding out the reason for the deviation.


    "Bao''er, you¡ª" I was speechless.


    "That only proves that this shitty ship''s system is flawed. You can''t blame me," argued Zhang Bao''er.


    I was about to continue arguing when Jack interrupted us.


    "Reporting to the captain, after a detailed scan, nothing was found to our right. Unable to locate the source of the external factor," reported Jack after the scan was completed.

 CH 198

    "What is going on here? Jack, check the star charts for Skyhawk''s exact location," said Baron Sisse.


    "We''re in between systems and are not within the gravitational range of any systems in the Orion Constellation. The nearest system is the Betelgeuse System, but it is 2.4 lightyears away," said Jack.


    "2.4 lightyears. That''s about 22 trillion kilometers away. Even if Betelgeuse has an incredibly powerful gravity, it shouldn''t have the pull to reach so far," said Old Du.


    "I don''t think the chance of trajectory is due to the gravity of any stars. With the empire''s level of technology, the gravitational pull from stars won''t be able to affect a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship from so far away," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, what do you think is the cause of the malfunction?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "This place feels very weird to me. The darkness here seems to hide a monster that is looking right at us," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, do you still remember Planet Abyss?" Master Crystal suddenly asked.


    "Of course. That''s Bulu''s old home. It was the remnants of a black hole that we only found through transit photometry. It was hiding in space, absorbing all light around it, making it almost impossible to find," I said.


    "Master, do you think there''s a similar planet ahead of us, disrupting our flight with its gravity?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. I don''t think the remnant of a black hole is powerful enough to affect a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship," Master Crystal shook his head.


    "In that case, you think that..." I hesitated to finish my words.


    "Yes. I believe there is a big black hole ahead of us," said Master Crystal.


    "A black hole? Here? Impossible!" denied Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why are you so sure? Can you tell me?" asked Master Crystal.


    "A Blueling astronomer once discovered that in the Orion Nebula, a high-tier black hole is hidden. However, the nebula is located between Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka, and Betelgeuse and is at least 700 lightyears away from us. Apart from that, no other high-tier black holes have been discovered in the Orion Nebula," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Tell me. Are we currently at the Orion Nebula?" asked Master Crystal.


    "On paper, we were indeed at the Orion Nebula. However, we were merely at its fringe. This shouldn''t be a place with a black hole nearby. Additionally, Betelgeuse was too close. If there was a super black hole here, it would only cause instability in the Betelgeuse System," said Zhang Bao''er, showcasing the rich knowledge he had obtained through knowledge download.


    "You''re right. But that''s exactly it, right? Betelgeuse IS unstable," said Master Crystal, presenting an argument none of us could counter.


    That single sentence stunned all of us. We suddenly understood why Betelgeuse had reached the end of its life cycle even though it was still a young star at roughly 8 million years old. There must be some unique reason to accelerate the nuclear fusion within the star and hasten its demise. Perhaps the unique reason was none other than the super black hole hidden somewhere near us.


    "I''m still not fully convinced. This place is really not that far from Betelgeuse. If there is a super black hole here, why isn''t the empire aware of it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "A super black hole won''t be too big. I remember that the gap between Blue and Mercury is big enough to contain the largest black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy, Sagittarius A*. I believe the super black hole here isn''t too big. Also, don''t forget that this place is still considered outside the Orion Constellation. When I checked the database earlier, I found that there was news of spaceships going missing here in the past. Because of that, this place has been excluded from all the general interstellar travel routes," said Baron Sisse while checking his system.


    "In other words, this is a terrifying forgotten corner of the universe," said Wind Spirit, shivering.


    "What do we do now? Can we no longer leave now that the black hole''s gravitational field has started pulling us in?" asked Zhang Bao''er. He was slowly starting to believe that the ship was being pulled in by a black hole.


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    "Dondon, Jack, make a calculation based on the scenario that we move in slanted angles and different levels of speed and see if it is possible for us to escape the gravitational field. If not, calculate how long we have before we reach the field''s control radius," said Baron Sisse.


    "Are you referring to the Schwarzschild radius?" asked Old Du.


    "That must be a term from Blue. What is this Schwarzschild radius?" asked the baron.


    "The Schwarzchild radius is also called the gravitational radius. When an object is compressed to its Schwarzchild radius or smaller, it will irreversibly collapse in on itself due to the gravitational attraction between its particles. This is an extremely important concept in physics and astronomy. Any object whose radius is smaller than its Schwarzschild radius is a black hole, and in non-rotating black holes without an electrical charge, the Schwarzschild radius measures the distance between the black hole''s center and its event horizon. Within this region, neither particles nor light can escape," explained Old Du.


    "This radius you mentioned shouldn''t be too big. Such force should only extend to the very edge of the core region surrounding the black hole''s point of singularity. However, outside this dark zone is a region still influenced by the black hole''s gravity. This gravitational field will be much larger than the area within the black hole''s Schwarzschild radius," said Baron Sisse.


    "Captain, the result is out. According to the calculations, there is a dark field about 13 billion kilometers to the right of our ship. I believe that is where the black hole is," said Jack.


    "Thirteen billion kilometers. That''s basically twice the distance between Blue and Pluto. How is this black hole''s gravitational field so big?" I exclaimed in astonishment.


    "Its range is more than 13 billion kilometers. Even Betelgeuse is affected 2.4 lightyears away, resulting in an unstable core. This black hole is definitely not weak," said Master Crystal.


    "Canyue, from Dondon''s and Jack''s calculations, it is certain that we have gone over the safe range of the gravitational limit," said Old Du while standing behind Dondon and looking at his screen.


    "We''re still 13 billion kilometers away from the dark zone. Did we already reach the Roche limit?" I asked in astonishment.


    "I''m sure. According to the calculations, we have gone beyond the limit by about 100 million kilometers," said Old Du.


    "What Roche limit?" asked Wind Spirit curiously.


    "If we consider two celestial bodies, the Roche limit is the closest distance the smaller, secondary body can approach the larger, primary body without falling apart if the secondary body is held together purely by its own gravity. When the two bodies are of similar composition, this theoretical limit is about 2.44 times the radius of the primary body. At the Roche limit, the tidal forces induced by the primary body exert the same force as the self-gravitational forces holding together the secondary body. If their distance is shorter than the Roche limit, the secondary body will disintegrate because the primary body''s tidal forces would have exceeded the secondary body''s internal gravity," I explained.


    "Zhang Bao''er, your sloppy work and your shitty luck brought us straight into the limit of 100 million kilometers, bringing us into the black hole''s pull!" Wind Spirit started complaining.


    "We''re still at the edge of the limit. I believe we can still try to break free from the gravitational pull," said Zhang Bao''er, who was apparently rather optimistic.


    "Jack, did you manage to calculate the force and resources required to escape?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting to the captain, we can use Skyhawk''s engine and borrow the black hole''s gravitational forces to accelerate in an arc. When we are about 10 billion kilometers away from the black hole, we can activate sublight speed travel before blasting out in some escape pods in the opposite direction, using the momentum and our acceleration to break free from the pull," said Jack, giving a rather bad solution.


    "No, I disagree," I refused resolutely.


    "Canyue, do you have a better idea?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Not at the moment. But we''re still at the edge of the gravitational field. Wouldn''t it be safer to look for an escape here than to move in an arc and go 3 billion kilometers closer to the black hole to reach the optimal speed to break free?" I asked Baron Sisse.


    "But the gravity is pulling us in. If we don''t do something quickly, we won''t even be able to travel in an arc to get away anymore," said Baron Sisse anxiously.


    The baron''s worry was reasonable. If we continued deeper, Skyhawk would no longer have the opportunity to accelerate. But I was unwilling to give up on a battleship we had gained after so many difficulties.


    "Canyue, where there''s life, there''s hope. You have to think long-term," said Zhang Bao''er, who seemed to have seen through my thoughts.


    "I just find it hard to believe that a super advanced Milky Way¨Cclass battleship will be dragged into a black hole just because of a single erroneous leap," I said indignantly.


    "Sigh. It would be great if Li Yizhi were still here. Her technological knowledge is ahead of us by 30 years. She will definitely be able to think of a way to escape," lamented Zhang Bao''er.


    He might not mean anything else by his words, but he did inspire someone.


    "Canyue, I have an idea. Li Yizhi''s synthetic brain still seems to work. Can we try to analyze her brain to look for a future technology that can help us escape?" suggested Old Du.


    "No. There are too many personal memories in her brain. We shouldn''t intrude upon her privacy," refused Baron Sisse, which was quite a surprise.


    We entered a deadlock. Everyone suffered anxiously. Time and the gravitational pull would not wait for us. Slowly but surely, our chances of survival were slipping away.


    "Thirty more minutes and we will no longer have the required space to perform the acceleration required to break free," Jack reminded.


    We could no longer afford to hesitate. The stress that was increasing as time passed forced Baron Sisse to make a decision. I saw Baron Sisse look at Jack, seemingly prepared to make the order to carry out the final plan.


    "I have an idea. Give it a thought. Perhaps it will be worth trying," Master Crystal suddenly said, breaking our deadlock.

 CH 199

    Everyone looked at Master Crystal, anticipating a plan that would bring us hope.


    "We can fully make use of all the engine power in Skyhawk to create a push to bring us out of the gravitational range," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, the engine system of Skyhawk is already working at full capacity," said Jack.


    "No, no, no. I checked. The empire''s Milky Way¨Cclass battleship is a single-engine ship with a dual energy system. The two energy sources are meant to complement each other. That way, even when the nuclear power isn''t working, the electrical agent can act as an energy reserve."


    "I understand, Master. You mean we should use both energy sources at the same time, creating double the propulsion to push us out of the gravitational field," I said in excitement.


    "Yes, that''s my idea. That way, we will have double our original propulsion force," said Master Crystal with a nod.


    "What nonsense. I already thought of this long ago. Skyhawk''s engine has its limit. It is completely incapable of withstanding the supply from both sources at the same time. If we force it, the engine will fail and explode. And without the engine, this ship will be dragged into the black hole in an hour," refuted Jack.


    "Jack, did I say we were using the engine?" said Master Crystal.


    "If not, what are you using to propel us?" asked Jack in confusion.


    "The existing engine system is definitely incapable of sustaining the usage of both sources. I intend to use this equipment instead," said Master Crystal as he pointed at the weapons through the window.


    "That''s a weapon system, not a propulsion system. All those weapons have proper shock absorbers in place to nullify recoil," said Jack.


    "Turn the ship around and have the engine run at maximum capacity. With the weapons facing the black hole, turn off the shock absorbers and power the weapons with the electrical power pushed to the maximum. Then, fire all weapons at the same time. We can try and see if that will be enough to break free," said Master Crystal.


    Everyone sank into thought. His plan would exhaust a large amount of our energy supply, yet we weren''t even sure if it would work.


    "Twenty-five minutes until we no longer have the required space to perform the acceleration needed to break free," reported Jack faithfully.


    "We don''t have time to keep hesitating. I suggest we try Master Crystal''s plan," I said. After all, I still wasn''t willing to give up Skyhawk.


    "Jack, Dondon, follow Master Crystal''s plan. Assign the bioelectricity system to the weaponry system, turn the ship around, and deactivate all shock absorbers. We''ll take a bet," ordered Baron Sisse.


    "Everyone, strap your belts. The push will probably be rather strong," reminded Jack.


    We all strapped ourselves to our respective seats. At that point, Jack was done reassigning the energy supply. Dondon steered the ship to face the other direction, aiming the weapons in the direction of the black hole. Then, we all waited silently for Baron Sisse''s final order. At that point, we were 18 minutes away before losing the required distance to break free.


    A deafening rumble sounded alongside the intense explosions. The entire Skyhawk shook while numerous unfastened objects in the ship were thrown around. The ferocious impact gave us the impression that our ship was about to be torn apart.


    Before we could recover from the first impact, the second round of explosions erupted. Large clumps of smoke were visible through the window. Some of the cannons had also broken apart from the impact.


    "Baron, Jack, this is suicide! This ship is obviously not strong enough to withstand this level of impact! The entire ship is going to be blown apart!" shouted Zhang Bao''er.


    "Jack, the recoil is so strong," said the baron in astonishment.


    At that moment, Jack had actually dropped onto the ground with one leg on his seat, looking rather sorry as he said, "I had not activated the weapon firing system."


    "What? Had the weapons broken down due to the energy injection?" I asked.


    While we were all confused, the third round of explosions sounded. At that point, Skyhawk''s emergency alarm blazed. Clearly, the ship was already pushed to its limits.


    Then, we received a shocking piece of news.


    "Reporting, at 20 kilometers to the front-right of the ship, an invisible battleship has been detected reflecting our scans!" Dondon reported.


    So that was the real reason for the violent shaking and explosions.


    "Jack, focus the shield at the front and enter invisibility. Dondon, adjust the flight trajectory. Move downward to the right by about a kilometer with the full-energy high-speed reverse mode. Zhang Bao''er, lock onto the enemy ship and aim all the weapons at them," ordered Baron Sisse, showcasing his ability to remain calm even when facing a crisis.


    We were already veteran soldiers at this point, so even in such a situation, we were able to quickly return to our posts. As Dondon adjusted the flight trajectory, the ship rapidly descended, barely avoiding the new round of attacks from the enemy ship.


    "They''re testing my patience! Captain, I''ve already locked onto the enemy ship. All weapons are fully charged. Permission to open fire?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The ship is not directly facing the enemy ship yet. I still need one minute to adjust the direction," reminded Dondon.


    At that point, Skyhawk''s weapon system was actually overcharged to twice its power. The moment Zhang Bao''er opened fire, the barrage would cause fatal damage to the enemy. The opposing ship was evidently ready for any counterattack. Since we were only 2 kilometers away from each other, it was rather hard for us to actually avoid each other. Thus, the enemy ship decided to take on whatever attack we had instead of trying to move out of the way. They were clearly prepared to deal the final blow and finish us off.


    "Captain, the enemy''s weapon system has also been fully charged. If we take the attacks on, we might receive grave damages. Do we perform the evasive maneuver?" asked Dondon.


    "Maintain our original position. If we evade, we won''t be able to face and attack them. Do not evade. Just face them head on," said Baron Sisse.


    "Roger. Position adjustment complete. Skyhawk is combat-ready. The enemy ship is within the firing range of all our weapons," reported Dondon.


    "Captain, permission to open fire?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "This is a fight to the death. Permission to open fire granted. Attack freely. Take them down!" said Baron Sisse, voice full of passion.


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    The baron had barely finished his words when the over 1,000 cannons on Skyhawk rumbled, unleashing countless artillery shells and energy beams toward the enemy ship. At the same time we attacked, a series of attacks came from the concealed enemy.


    However, they had not expected us to stake everything in one attack. Also, we had doubled the power of our weaponry system earlier for our escape. Our attacks brushed past each other and accurately struck each other.


    Unfortunately, we weren''t given the chance to check the results of the exchange. It was complete chaos inside Skyhawk as the recoil system had not been activated before the attack. Thus, the whole ship was thrown back at a fast speed.


    At the same time, the enemy attacks had also struck, but fortunately, the shield had been focused at the front of the ship. The ship still shook violently, but the level of damage the ship had suffered this time was much lower.


    However, there was no underestimating the firepower of a Milky Way battleship. Our shield was actually broken through by the enemy''s attacks. The attacks landed, causing our ship, which was already retreating rapidly, to go off balance. Our ship spun, leaving a trail of ship fragments in our path.


    At that point, the command room was pitch black with the alarm being the only source of light. Skyhawk had suffered serious damage, and everyone in the ship was suffering from vertigo due to the intense movement.


    During all the confusion, from my deputy captain''s seat, I vaguely saw a white explosion of light in front of me. The light danced before my eyes, but I wasn''t even sure if it was really something I was seeing or if it was merely the side effect of vertigo.


    Oddly, no further attacks came from the enemy ship. Skyhawk was allowed to spin around in peace without any other attacks. Ultimately, the ship''s balance system recovered and slowly restored balance to the ship.


    All the ship''s affected systems started recovering as well. After a few seconds, the lighting system recovered. Under the dim light, we could see that the entire command room was in a mess. Although we were all strapped to our seats by our belts, the intense explosion had still given all of us a dizzy spell. In fact, trails of vomit could be seen on Zhang Bao''er''s and Dondon''s mouths.


    "Is everyone fine?" asked Baron Sisse.


    We replied one after another. Wind Spirit was the only one who hadn''t replied. She looked like she had fainted.


    "Jack, inspect the ship for the damage level. Master Crystal and Anxashe, verify the enemy ship''s damage level," ordered Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting to the captain, Skyhawk''s body has suffered serious damage. The engine system is still intact, but 60 percent of the weaponry system has been damaged, and our supply room was torn open by the bombardment, leaving us with only 10 percent of life supplies. As for our other systems such as navigation, communication, balance, and the like, they have suffered serious damage. But I noticed one weird thing," said Jack before he paused.


    "What''s weird?" asked Baron Sisse.

 CH 200

    "The ship seems to have broken free from the black hole''s pull. Its inertia is bringing it away from the danger zone," said Jack.


    Only then did I notice that the ship''s balance system had restored balance. Even so, the ship was still moving at an ultra-high speed in the opposite direction of the black hole.


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    "It must be the firing of our weapons earlier. Combined with the impact from the enemy''s attacks, Skyhawk accelerated in the opposite direction and luckily broke free from the black hole''s pull," analyzed Old Du as he recalled what he had experienced earlier.


    "Captain, the report on the enemy damage is out. Our barrage had struck them accurately. Their engine system has failed, and they are being pulled toward the black hole," reported Anxashe.


    ''Looks like the white explosion I saw earlier was real. I wasn''t seeing things,'' I thought.


    Everyone ran toward the window and looked in the direction of the enemy ship. The enemy ship was on the verge of falling apart after taking a hit from our double-powered barrage. Our system indicated that broken pieces of the enemy ship littered the space around it. It had also been blasted out of invisibility. Although it was kilometers away from us, we could still see a vague white dot of light far in the distance. That was most likely the sight of the enemy ship exploding.


    Our scanners indicated that the enemy ship was moving rapidly in the opposite direction toward the black hole. After being struck by Skyhawk''s powerful firepower, it could no longer break free from the black hole''s pull.


    The exchange had been a cruel life-and-death struggle, but the thought of the fate that awaited the enemy at the black hole caused all of us, Baron Sisse included, to stand straight at the window as we solemnly bid farewell to our enemy. This was our way of showing respect for life, a trait shared by all servicemen.


    "The enemy must have chased us through our wormhole bubble. But the system''s automatic destination adjustment came as a surprise, causing both of us to enter a super black hole''s pull. Even so, they did not prioritize escaping and opted to attack us. That level of professionalism is worthy of our respect," I said.


    "Captain, we are slowing down. Permission to create more momentum with our weaponry system?" asked Jack, who still looked anxious. "We need to get away from the black hole as quickly as possible."


    From his nervous looks, it was clear the black hole was unwilling to let us go free so easily. Thus, the baron quickly authorized Jack''s request. We all returned to our seats. After another intense shaking, Skyhawk accelerated and moved away from the black hole at a speed of 50 million kilometers per hour.


    During the escape, we recharged the weaponry system three more times with bioelectricity. Two hours after the bioelectricity supply was completely exhausted, the indicator light for external pulling forces finally dimmed. All operations on the ship returned to normal. We had finally survived and escaped the super black hole''s pull.


    However, we still had plenty of work to do. Everyone split up to inspect the ship in preparation for another wormhole leap. Our plan was to return to Rumble and reconvene with Zhang Xingxing before initiating a search for Spacetime.


    "Canyue, I have a feeling. Should we have taken at least one look at that super black hole?" Baron Sisse suddenly asked.


    I was in deep thought while staring at the dark space outside the window. The distant Great Nebula glinted with a fascinating light show. The mystery and danger of the universe had always been capable of inspiring a sense of curiosity in any sentient life form.


    "I think that since this is the closest we''ve ever been to a black hole, we should give it a try. After all, we have all the resources we need for an exploration," I agreed.


    Hearing our conversation, Master Crystal could only sigh and shake his head. The curiosity of youngsters like us was something he couldn''t wrap his head around.


    "Jack, deploy three scouting drones to the edge of the black hole''s pull. Maintain our course away from the black hole. Ensure that we stay at a safe distance at all times," Baron Sisse ordered.


    I believed Jack also greatly longed to take a look at this gigantic monster of the universe. He quickly deployed three scouting drones the moment he received the order. The three drones were sent forward, each taking a different route as they headed toward the black hole.


    Even after experiencing the close brush with death and the intense shaking during our escape, we all worked tirelessly to inspect Skyhawk for the level of damage it had suffered. Meanwhile, Wind Spirit was still unconscious.


    About an hour later, the inspection was completed. As a whole, the ship had taken heavy damage. Its engine system only had 40 percent of its energy left while the various parts of the ship had suffered a damage level of at least 50 percent and required immediate repair. However, our attention was fully occupied by our curiosity about the super black hole.


    Thus, after a simple repair, we all gathered in front of the monitoring system and slumped into our seats to wait for the result of the scouting drones. The pulling force within the black hole''s gravitational radius was powerful, especially for the tiny drones we used. They had barely entered the radius when their speed started increasing. Even so, we still needed to further accelerate the three drones due to the sheer distance of 13 billion kilometers the drones needed to cover.


    "Reporting to the captain, the three stages of acceleration for the drones are ready. Permission to start," asked Jack.


    "Permission granted," said the baron. With Baron Sisse''s command, Jack activated the drones'' accelerators.


    With the first acceleration, the 3 drones started moving at a speed of 10 million kilometers per hour toward the black hole. Borrowing the pull of the black hole, the drones ultimately reached a speed of 30 million kilometers per hour. After analyzing the data sent back by the drones, the live recording of what the drones were seeing was played in the room. Apart from darkness, nothing of note could be seen.


    Yet another hour passed before the live feed started showing other objects apart from the total darkness of space. The objects in question were the enemy battleship we had battled earlier. The ship had broken into pieces, and only about 50 percent of the ship''s body remained intact. The rest were scattered everywhere due to the explosion and the pull of the black hole.


    ''I wonder if there are any survivors on that ship. If there are, how would they feel when faced with the threat of death by the black hole? It must be a terrible feeling,'' I thought to myself.


    War might be cruel, but none of us looked excited upon noticing our defeated opponents who were simply waiting for their deaths. Rather, we remained silent and solemn as a sign of respect.


    By the time the drones passed the enemy ship, they were already traveling at 50 million kilometers per hour. At that time, Jack activated the second acceleration. The drones reached a speed of 100 million kilometers per hour.


    At that point, the live feed returned to the empty darkness it was before. In fact, this empty darkness was the norm in the gravitational radius of the black hole. Everyone longed to witness the beauties of the cosmos, but the dull and monotonous darkness was the actual main theme of space.


    Time passed, and eventually, we were three hours away before the drones breached the limit of the safe distance from the black hole. From the data we had received so far, the drones were still working fine. In certain aspects, one could say that these drones designed for scouting missions were even more durable than Skyhawk itself.


    During the long wait, we started falling asleep due to exhaustion. The continuous combat had been extremely tiring. The moment when we were falling asleep also happened to be the moment Wind Spirit had picked to wake up. And thus, the pitiful Dondon was unable to sleep like the rest of us since he was forced to accompany Wind Spirit, who had rested enough.


    After sleeping for an indeterminate amount of time, I returned to the beautiful Blue in my dream. Under the beautiful blue sky and white clouds, I lay on a green prairie, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the symphony of various insects. I only wanted peace and tranquility. With those two, any sort of wealth became meaningless.


    Suddenly, Dondon appeared in my dream. He was driving a mower and was seriously pruning the grass. The mower constantly made a "kakaka" sound as Dondon worked. He kept approaching me, and when the mower was about to reach me, I woke up. Oddly, the "kakaka" sound remained. When I shook my head and looked around, I saw Dondon and Wind Spirit loudly eating crackers to the side.


    "Dondon, both of you look like gluttons when eating," I grumbled, annoyed that my sweet dream had been disturbed.


    "Canyue, ignore them. The drones have breached the safe distance, passing the so-called Roche limit and entering the area where the black hole''s pull is stronger. They are moving close to the speed of light. Because of the interference caused by gravity, we are no longer receiving live updates," said Baron Sisse.


    "Can we see anything from the recordings?" I asked.


    "Nothing at all. It''s still dark all around the drones. They are moving faster and faster. I only hope they can send a video recording or even an image of the black hole before they''re lost. That can very well be the closest image of a black hole ever taken in history," said Baron Sisse.


    "There are so many ships around. Why weren''t more drones sent to take these images?" asked Wind Spirit as she ate.


    "Due to how hard black holes are to find and their powerful gravitational force, the empire believes that they are not worth studying. Also, it has always been hard to accurately determine the safe limit of a black hole''s gravitational radius. The Imperial College once gave an order prohibiting all imperial ships from approaching black holes. Thus, I have never gotten a chance to observe this mysterious celestial body at such close range. Speaking of, you have rather impressive technologies on Blue. Have there been any close observations on your part?" asked Baron Sisse.


    We were rather speechless by his question. Yes, the Interstellar League''s technological level was indeed impressive, but we were still at a stage where we rely on binoculars to observe the universe. The years of war and the scramble for resources to fuel the war had resulted in a decrease in exploration for purely scientific reasons.


    The league had delayed research on black holes and had not bothered dedicating even a single telescope or even a satellite to the study of black holes. Under the league''s emphasis on efficiency, black holes had been classified as a worthless existence to focus on.


    ''In that case, let us, a group of people who have accidentally arrived here, bear the mission of observing a black hole from up close,'' I told myself inwardly.


    "Jack, how far are the drones from the Schwarzschild radius, the gravitational radius of the black hole?" I asked Jack.


    "If the drones don''t break down, at this speed, they will take three more hours to reach it," said Jack.


    "Upon reaching the radius, they will be able to take some images of the black hole itself, right? That should be close enough," I asked Jack.


    "Yes. If everything goes smoothly, we can. But after entering that radius, everything will cease to exist, including light and time itself," said Jack, causing our hearts to beat faster.

 CH 201

    "Whether we can get any images on the black hole will rely on how sturdy these drones are," muttered Baron Sisse.


    The lag between the images we received and the actual location of the drones kept increasing. The interference of the powerful gravity on our radio waves was perfectly displayed as we were receiving far more images than videos from the drones as time passed.


    We continued waiting patiently. At that point, Skyhawk had reached a relatively safe distance from the black hole. What we needed to face next was our desire for knowledge of the unknown. Suddenly, an image with traces of light was sent back to us.


    "Canyue, look, there seems to be light on this super black hole," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s not surprising. Light, time, and everything else can''t escape the gravitational pull of a black hole. At the end of the Schwarzschild radius, right before regular space, is a boundary where energy congregates, a boundary known as the event horizon. That is where light, time, and everything will appear for the final time. Due to the accumulation of all of this at the event horizon, there will be more energy around the event horizon than beyond it. Thus, light will be visible. Of course, through the event horizon is a world of nothingness," said Old Du.


    "What world of nothingness?" I asked curiously.


    "It''s a term I coined myself to represent that nothing exists in there," said Old Du.


    "That might not necessarily be true. I believe it is not completely empty within a black hole. It is merely something we can''t see and have yet to discover," said Baron Sisse.


    "Regardless, the existence of light is enough to show that the drones are nearing the black hole itself," said Old Du in excitement.


    As time passed, we received less and less data from the drones. However, from the few images we did receive, more and more light could be seen. Right at that moment, Skyhawk''s alarm blazed.


    "What is it? Is there a new enemy attack?" Zhang Bao''er asked nervously.


    "Nothing unusual was detected. Perhaps the drones are on the verge of collapse. From the data, their bodies have reached the limits of what they can withstand. They will blow apart very soon," said Jack.


    "Jack, how much longer can the drones last?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting to the captain, according to their speed, they will take 60 minutes to reach the event horizon. But from the data, they can break apart at any moment," said Jack.


    "What can we do to help them?" asked Old Du.


    "Nothing. We can only wait silently. I have already issued the order to shift all energy to the laser cameras and take a picture right before destruction. We''ll see how far they can go before they take the pictures and send them back," said Jack helplessly.


    And thus, we waited helplessly because it was the only thing we could do. After about 15 minutes, the first drone vanished from our system. After another 5 minutes, the second drone vanished, leaving the final drone.


    We were all waiting nervously, aware that this was the very first time in history that a black hole was observed from such a close distance. Each second the drone lasted would create a significant record in history. Although that might not be an unsurpassable record, it would definitely stay unbeatable for a very long time.


    As we watched attentively, the final drone miraculously persevered for 30 minutes. We lost contact with it when it was roughly 500 million kilometers from the event horizon.


    Cheers broke out in the ship. The sturdiness of that drone had surpassed all our expectations. We had not imagined that the interstellar technology of the empire had reached such a high level.


    A distance of 150 million kilometers was about the same as Blue''s distance from the sun. With such a distance, so long as the drone was able to take a picture, with the technological level of the drone, we would be able to get a look at the true appearance of the black hole.


    However, we had to hold back our optimism. The black hole''s gravitational field was too big. We weren''t even sure if the data would be able to reach Skyhawk. As we waited, the data and images taken by the drones were starting to arrive one after another.


    From the images, we could see that the outline of the black hole was becoming clearer the nearer the drones got. Although a black hole was something that couldn¡¯t be seen, the event horizon around it was able to showcase the black hole''s outer appearance.


    As more and more data returned, we found with astonishment that the black hole wasn''t actually round. Rather, it was oblate. That was an astonishing finding. Perhaps the powerful gravitational field had resulted in some imbalance between the inner and outer parts of the black hole, resulting in the shape difference.


    Also, from calculations performed based on the data, we found out that this black hole''s Schwarzschild radius was about 2 million kilometers, which was astonishing as it was about one-sixth of the Schwarzschild radius of Sagittarius A*, the largest black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy. It was no wonder this black hole was powerful enough to affect Betelgeuse''s stability.


    "Baron, Jack, something is odd with this picture," said Old Du as he pointed at the final picture.


    We immediately focused on the picture in question. In the picture, the event horizon of the black hole could be seen. In the middle-left area, there was something connecting the two regions. That object existed within the Schwarzschild radius, a place where we had believed that nothing could exist. However, the picture indicated that there was clearly an object there. That discovery captured our attention. According to what we knew, no object should be able to exist there. That should be a place of pure darkness.


    "Is it possible that this is the camera malfunctioning? The gravity there is too strong for any celestial object to exist," said Jack.


    "It''s hard to say. Anything is possible in the universe. I mean, we once entered a white dwarf. Can you imagine that inside a white dwarf, a world full of life can be found?" said Old Du, retorting with his personal experience.


    "Just wait until the next picture arrives. We will know if it''s a malfunction then," I said calmly.


    As we spoke, another picture arrived. This picture was slightly clearer than the previous one, and we could clearly see that not only was there an object in the middle-left area, but there was also an object in the middle-right area. However, the picture wasn''t clear enough for us to see what those objects were.


    One thing we could confirm was the fact that beyond the event horizon within the Schwarzschild radius, there were definitely more objects. That contradicted what we knew before that no physical object could exist within a black hole. That was a discovery that caused all of us to grow incomparably excited.


    Our sole regret was that we couldn''t get a clear look at the objects. All the data we had received so far had come from the first two drones. Thus, all our hope was placed on the final drone, the one that had gotten the nearest to the event horizon out of the three drones. Hopefully, it was able to send us a clearer image. Time continued to pass, but no new data arrived. We started to grow nervous.


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    "Did the last drone get too close to the event horizon, to the point its signals can''t return to us due to interference from the black hole''s gravity?" asked Dondon.


    "The final drone had not only turned on its electromagnetic wave transmission system but had even shifted all its power for ray transmission during the final moments before its engine system failed, all to send one final picture back to us," said Jack.


    "I believe that so close to the event horizon, electromagnetic waves won''t be able to transmit any data. We can only put our hope on the ray transmission system and hope that it can bring us the closest picture ever taken of a black hole," said Master Crystal.


    Alas, the cruel reality continued nibbling away at our confidence. Yet another hour passed as we waited. According to the speed of the laser transmission system, any data would have arrived if there was any.


    "Looks like the gravity near the event horizon is too powerful. No data can be transmitted no matter what system we use. We have wasted too much time here. We need to return and repair the ship. We also need to begin the search for Spacetime," said Baron Sisse, preparing to end the wait.


    "Can we wait a little bit more? The gravity there must be extremely powerful. The laser transmission might have slowed as a result. We encountered a similar situation at Sirius B. The data we were waiting for took several hours to arrive. Since a black hole''s gravitational force is much stronger than a white dwarf''s, I suggest we wait longer," said Old Du, not willing to give up on this rare opportunity to study a black hole.


    He was not alone. None of us wanted to give up on this chance.


    "Skyhawk will stay here for three hours. If we still receive nothing after three hours, the exploration mission will end," decided Baron Sisse after a short hesitation.


    We all understood that the three hours given were extremely generous considering the urgency of our situation. We had wasted nearly eight precious hours just to study this black hole. If we couldn''t receive a satisfactory result, all of us would feel regretful. We started resting and waiting. Surprisingly, everyone was able to easily fall asleep previously, but we were all fully awake despite being exhausted. All of us were waiting for the final data transmission from the drone.


    Without realizing it, two hours passed. That was negligible in the grand scheme of things, but for us, that was a miserable period of time with our confidence slowly slipping away. We were aware of how slim the chance was that any data would make it back. Perhaps the heavens had shown mercy due to our ordeal. We did not have to wait until the end of the three hours for the system to suddenly beep.


    "Two streams of data!" Jack jumped in excitement the moment the data returned.


    All of us also jumped in excitement, including Master Crystal, who hadn''t been very interested in the mission. We all gathered before the screen and waited anxiously for the historic picture of a black hole to appear.


    With trembling hands, Jack opened the first picture. Disappointingly, the picture only showed a blank whiteness akin to what one would see from an exposed film roll. Nothing could be seen on it. That dealt a great blow to our excitement, and a collective sigh was heaved. All our hope lay on the final picture.


    "Jack, let me," said Baron Sisse, volunteering to open the final picture.


    Jack yielded the seat to the baron. Slowly, the baron processed the data stream. He also seemed to have muttered a prayer before solemnly opening the extremely important picture. With that, a picture that would shock the entire space exploration industry appeared before our eyes.

 CH 202

    The precious picture before us clearly depicted a black hole, a black region surrounded by a border of light. Like an unseen beast, it silently hid in its corner of the universe. The black region gave off a sensation of deep and profound darkness, as though it was an endless abyss.


    And within the Schwarzschild radius, numerous objects could be seen. The final picture taken by laser ray photography was much clearer than all the previous pictures we had received. All the indistinct regions in the previous pictures could be clearly seen in this picture.


    All of us could see that at the boundary between the Schwarzschild radius and the event horizon, countless stars, planets, comets, meteors, and even the two drones we had lost contact with could be seen.


    That was a sight that far exceeded our understanding and existing knowledge about black holes. Within the darkness of the black hole, other objects had actually appeared. According to our existing knowledge, even time would be devoured within a black hole, to say nothing of the form of any objects. All of us were stunned by the clear picture of the black hole. We weren''t even prepared to witness this sight, which defied everything known about black holes.


    "Why do I feel like this picture looks weird?" I muttered when I noticed something off about the picture.


    "What''s weird with the picture? Just say it, why are you hesitating?" said Wind Spirit impatiently.


    "I feel like the objects within the picture resemble my space toys when I was a kid," I said.


    "Canyue, those toys are imitations of celestial bodies. Of course they will look similar," said Zhang Bao''er as he rolled his eyes.


    "No, that''s why it''s weird. Look at these celestial bodies. The stars, planets, comets, meteors, and even the drones are of a similar size, just like the toys we played with when we were kids that were intentionally manufactured at different scales. That is understandable for toys, but wouldn''t it be weird to see the same in outer space?" I said.


    Everyone sank into silence. It was indeed weird. Everyone started to silently contemplate because the mysterious appearance of the black hole had assaulted our existing knowledge, causing us to forget our other mission.


    "I believe the issue with time itself has caused these appearances," Old Du suddenly broke the silence.


    "Time? I thought the black hole had swallowed time itself?" said Dondon.


    "At this point, all our existing knowledge on black holes can be thrown away. Do not limit your mind to only existing knowledge. I believe the size of these objects is related to the time they had swallowed. For example, look at that star. It might have been swallowed millions of years ago. Thus, its appearance is a size similar to the newly swallowed drones. We''re probably looking at the different objects this black hole has swallowed for the past millions of years," said Old Du confidently.


    One ought to admit that Old Du''s hypothesis was rather fitting to what we see in the final picture. In any case, we couldn''t think of any better hypothesis.


    "However, one thing is particularly odd. If this star has been swallowed for millions of years yet still exists, just how deep does it go inside this black hole? Also, how big is that star for it to still be visible even after so long? This is too inconceivable," said Zhang Bao''er, voicing a view that we couldn''t deny.


    His words caused all of us to sink further into confusion. Based on what we knew, a black hole was formed from an exploding star. But if a swallowed star could remain flying in a black hole for millions of years without being torn apart, the inside of a black hole would probably be the equivalent of a micro-universe. That was a discovery that would overturn all existing knowledge about black holes.


    "No. That star; those planets, meteors, and comets; and even the drones no longer exist. What we''re looking at is the final image of their existence in the universe," said Baron Sisse after a few minutes of silence.


    Baron Sisse''s hypothesis triggered another round of intense discussion.


    "Baron, you think that these objects are only imprints left behind by the actual swallowed objects?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. The existing knowledge of black holes is correct. Time and space still can''t escape the pull of a black hole, but we have gained the ability to improve what people know about black holes," said Baron Sisse.


    His words piqued our attention. Everyone stopped talking, waiting silently for Baron Sisse to talk more about his idea.


    "I believe that after these objects entered the black hole''s gravitational radius, what you Bluelings know as the Schwarzschild radius, they were torn apart by the powerful gravitational force and ceased existing. But precisely because of the sheer strength of the gravity, these objects were destroyed so rapidly that images of them were left behind. Their physical forms no longer exist, but their images were preserved," said Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, you think that rapid destruction will instead leave a time-space imprint behind?" asked Old Du, still skeptical of the hypothesis.


    "I once studied a recording of a historical interstellar war. The Bluelings once attacked a military base of ours with a super nuclear warhead. At the time, the powerful nuclear attack had instantly evaporated hundreds of Gliesen warriors. Because they were resting, they weren''t suited up. After the ambush, the soldiers tasked to clean up the battlefield discovered that the silhouettes of soldiers that had been instantly evaporated by the nuclear weapon had been left on the ground," said Baron Sisse.


    At that point, we were slowly starting to see his point.


    "Therefore, I believe that these images are imprints left behind after these objects were rapidly destroyed by the black hole. The sizes of the images differ based on the time they were swallowed. As time passes, the images will only keep shrinking. This super black hole must have swallowed a star during its early period. The latest objects it had swallowed are our scouting drones," said Baron Sisse, whose confidence was boosted upon seeing that we approved of his hypothesis.


    One ought to admit that Baron Sisse had been able to further contribute to the existing knowledge on black holes without discrediting any pre-existing knowledge.


    "I approve of Baron Sisse''s hypothesis. This picture is showing the images of these celestial objects before they were destroyed by the black hole. As for the location of these images, that only proves that the gravitational force in that area is exceptionally powerful, to the point that these images were left behind by the destroyed objects," said Master Crystal.


    "Yes. I agree as well. In unique environments, unique sights will appear. A good example would be the auroras on the magnetic poles of Blue," I voiced my opinion as well.


    "In that case, we have helped improve the existing knowledge on black holes. Looks like we have gained much from this exploration," announced Baron Sisse in excitement.


    All of us were brimming with excitement at the thought that we had contributed to the advancement of the exploration of the universe.


    "I think we should name this place. Why don''t we name the unique region with all the images the Sisse horizon?" suggested Master Crystal.


    We all agreed unanimously.


    "No, no, no. This is a team discovery. Everyone has worked hard for this. There are greater researchers in the universe that have not named their discoveries after themselves. My little contribution is nothing. I suggest we name this region the non-event horizon. That will make it easier for the researchers in the future as well," said Baron Sisse, rejecting our offer.


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    Seeing how resolute the baron was, we did not force the issue. With that, this region where images of objects were left behind after rapid disintegration by the black hole came to be known as the non-event horizon.


    At that point, our exploration mission came to an end. Everyone had received a satisfied answer from the exploration. With the perfect ending, Baron Sisse gave the order to return to Planet Rumble. Suddenly, Zhang Bao''er and I felt tired. We went to the corner of the command room and slumped down in two chairs. Jack and Dondon would be the ones handling the return.


    "Canyue, do you think the league will issue us a medal for our discovery?" asked Zhang Bao''er before he went to sleep.


    "With your contribution, I believe you can get at least a purple star medal," I praised Zhang Bao''er.


    "Hehehe. But my military rank is too low. Why am I only a second lieutenant? When would I be able to rise up the ranks?" Zhang Bao''er started grumbling.


    "Yes, that is truly unfair. With your prestige, you should be at least a general," I continued praising the fellow.


    But I had barely finished my words when snores rang out beside me. Zhang Bao''er had fallen asleep. Exhaustion could very easily sink in during the moment of relaxation after an intense episode. Thus, the snores did not bother me as I easily fell asleep as well.

 CH 203

    The sleep was a comfortable one. I was completely oblivious to my surroundings. Even as young warriors, we weren''t able to fight off the exhaustion as we recuperated through sleep. After an indeterminate amount of time, I suddenly felt sore all over, especially the part between my waist and the chair. Thus, I woke up.


    The command room was in complete silence. I did not know where everyone else was. The only other person in the room was Zhang Bao''er. He was still snoring away while a trail of saliva flowed down his mouth to his chair.


    I pushed my body straight with my hands. Suddenly, I heard some noise beside me. I looked over and saw a big head that caused me to jump. I nearly fell to the ground. Dodo was standing right beside me, staring at me and Zhang Bao''er without making a single sound. I rubbed my eyes before I was sure that I wasn''t dreaming. Excitement bubbled within me.


    "Dodo, is that really you? Is Spacetime back as well?" I asked in excitement.


    "This is absolutely me. We have all returned safely to Rumble. Kelly had believed that Master Crystal would be able to bring all of you back. At that time, Spacetime had suffered heavy damages. We were forced to return for repairs before going for you guys," explained Dodo.


    "In that case, Skyhawk is also back on Rumble?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Yes. Skyhawk has safely landed on Rumble. Commander Zhang Xingxing is returning from King Carter''s place," said Dodo.


    "Good lord. How deep in sleep was I? I didn''t even feel the wormhole leap," I said as I rubbed my head in astonishment.


    At that point, Zhang Bao''er woke up from the noise of our conversation.


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    "Wow! Dodo, why are you here? Am I still sleeping?" asked Zhang Bao''er, reacting the same as I had just a moment ago.


    "No, wait, why are there only the two of us here? Where are the others and the baron?" I asked doubtfully.


    "They had left for a meal," replied Dodo honestly.


    "What? Why are they eating without calling us along?" Zhang Bao''er started growing grumpy.


    "It was Wind Spirit''s idea. She said that you were too tired and that we shouldn''t wake you up when you''re in deep sleep. She even mentioned that you hate green worms. It won''t be too late for you to join after waking up. Thus, everyone listened to her," explained Dodo.


    "I knew the female cat would be the culprit! Just you see! I''ll teach her a lesson! I''m going crazy from hunger. Come on, show us the way to the meal," Zhang Bao''er urged.


    Dodo started leading the way. We hurriedly stood up and followed them out of Skyhawk. Walking out of the ship, I saw that we were inside a massive military base in a ravine. A large number of robotic workers were busy performing maintenance and repair works on Skyhawk. With one glance, I saw Jack among the crowd.


    "Hey, Jack, you''re not eating?" asked Zhang Bao''er as he walked up to Jack.


    "I''ve eaten. Skyhawk is too damaged. The repair needs to begin immediately," said Jack.


    After facing two battles and the pull of a black hole, Skyhawk had suffered heavy damage. Numerous components on the ship had been detached. It was truly an incredible feat for Jack and Dondon to navigate a ship so broken back to Rumble. We did not disturb Jack and his work. Rather, we followed Dodo toward the base''s rest area.


    On the way, we saw some Wargod soldiers under intense training. There were also some Akkon soldiers added into the mix. Lin Feixue was drilling them on regular military tactics. There were over 10,000 soldiers in the area, split into several smaller groups, each drilled by a soldier from the 7th Armored Division.


    ''Looks like Zhang Xingxing has finished reorganizing the army. We will need to make the plan for our attack on the Horsehead Nebula next. The critical moment to destroy Emperor Fille''s beast-breeding base has finally arrived,'' I thought and grew excited at the thought.


    It did not take me and Zhang Bao''er long to arrive at the dining hall. The moment we arrived, we saw Wind Spirit leisurely sipping on some beverage with Dondon politely attending to her by her side. The others were busy with their own matters. The table was filled with plates that were already cleaned of food. The moment Zhang Bao''er saw that, he grew furious.


    "Female cat, why did you finish all the food alone? You should have left some for me!" roared Zhang Bao''er.


    "Hey, what are you yelling at me for, weirdo? I thought you didn''t like these green worms," Wind Spirit shot back.


    "There are so many empty plates here. Are you sure you''ve only been eating green worms?" argued Zhang Bao''er, not willing to take even a step back.


    "Bao''er, stop. See, we kept some food for you," Old Du quickly said.


    With a wave of Old Du''s hand, a local military attendant came with two plates of food.


    The two dishes were delicacies resembling roasted fish. They emanated an intoxicating smell that instantly triggered the hunger within my stomach. The moment the military attendant placed the dishes on the table, Zhang Bao''er and I threw ourselves at them without a care for our appearance.


    "Two idiots acting like they''re starving to death," came Wind Spirit''s usual snide remark.


    "What did you just say?" Zhang Bao''er was about to rage when Old Du pushed him down.


    "Canyue, all our preparations are complete. Kelly, Lin Feixue, and the others are helping to train the new soldiers. The two princes and Commander Zhang Xingxing are on their way back. I believe Skyhawk will be fully repaired in three days. We need to make our next plan as soon as possible. Prince Gede and tens of thousands of common citizens are still trapped in Milk City," said Baron Sisse.


    "Yeah. We have wasted a lot of time. We need to increase the pace." I nodded in agreement.


    "Baron, Canyue, where are you?" Prince Arude''s voice came before he had even arrived.


    A familiar figure rushed over. Prince Arude, whom we hadn''t seen in a while, appeared before us.


    "Canyue, Baron, I''m so glad to see both of you alive!" said the prince, causing me to feel somewhat awkward.


    Following behind Prince Arude were Prince Toruse and Zhang Xingxing. Official Dulite was also with them.


    "Canyue!" Zhang Xingxing called out in excitement when she saw me.


    "Commander, I''ve returned from the mission!" I stood up and gave her an official report.


    "The moment I heard of your return, I quickly reached an understanding with King Carter before coming here. When Kelly and the others returned, they told me what happened on Cloudcast. I was so worried about you guys," said Zhang Xingxing, her eyes filled with emotion.


    I had many words I wanted to say to her. In fact, I had practiced saying these words many times in my head. Each time I practiced, I had thought that it would take two or three hours for our conversation to end. But for some reason, I couldn''t find any words to say when I was finally standing before her again. As a result, an awkward silence hung in the air.


    "Commander, we''re all from Blue. You can''t only show concern for Canyue. Why aren''t you expressing your concern for me and Old Du? No matter what, we''ve both served under you for quite a while," said Zhang Bao''er, the absolute brother, after he noticed the awkwardness.


    Zhang Xingxing laughed and walked over to greet Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. And then, Zhang Bao''er took the chance to start telling Zhang Xingxing about our entire experience. He also moved his arms around animatedly while speaking. At the same time, he was blinking at me with a smug look on his face.


    However, Zhang Xingxing had a solemn expression, especially when she heard of Li Yizhi''s sacrifice, showing her respect for the heroic sacrifice. About an hour later, Zhang Bao''er finally finished the rather comprehensive storytelling session. In a way, it was great because he had completely dissolved the awkwardness resulting from my inability to speak when meeting Zhang Xingxing.


    "I did not expect Senior Li Yizhi to be an android. Since her core organs are still around, we need to resurrect her if given the chance," said Zhang Xingxing to Baron Sisse.


    "Commander Xingxing, the emperor is definitely already aware that we snatched an imperial battleship. We had severed the connection between the ship and the supercomputer Fantasy, but there are too many people on Rumble, and news will spread easily. It is only a matter of time before the information about Skyhawk is leaked. Our priority is to restore the ship as soon as possible and begin the next phase of our operation," suggested Baron Sisse.


    "Yes. Before I came, I received a report from Wuzhou on the damage level of Skyhawk. If we perform the repair without rest, the earliest we can restore the ship is in 40 hours. Therefore, I suggest setting then as the time for us to depart for the Horsehead Nebula," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Miss Xingxing, the imperial army guarding the Horsehead Nebula is the Divine Empire''s Midstar Army. I believe the command needs to complete the arrangements for our army and make the battle plan for our next operation. We need a meeting to confirm everything and try to minimize any unexpected circumstances during the operation," said Master Crystal.


    Master Crystal''s suggestion was reasonable. Zhang Xingxing decisively gave the order to call a meeting for all the core members of the 7th Armored Division and the officials of the Kenante army who had been deployed to help us with the operation. The meeting was to be held in an hour at the combat command center.

 CH 204

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    During the hour of wait, everyone headed toward the combat command center one after another. Naturally, people started casually chatting with each other while on the way. Zhang Xingxing and I were walking together. At that time, my heart had calmed somewhat. I was able to recall something that I had discovered but Zhang Bao''er was unaware about.


    "Xingxing, Li Yizhi once told me one thing. She said that I was her priority target for protection. Furthermore, she was manufactured in 2122. Who do you think will manufacture her just to be my protector?" I asked.


    "Since she is from the future, this will be hard to guess. But the manufacturer is definitely someone close to you," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Close to me. But the people in this crew are the only ones I know. Is that person someone from the crew?" I wondered in confusion.


    "Canyue, you''re being silly. We''re still 30 years from 2122. That''s a long time for you to come to know even more people. Perhaps by then, you would have long forgotten us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Absolutely not. No matter what happens in the future, you guys will forever be my best friends. This, I swear," I said solemnly with my right hand raised.


    "Alright. I believe you," said Zhang Xingxing with a firm nod and a unique look in her eyes.


    As we chatted, we arrived at the combat command center in the middle of the base. Lin Feixue, Kelly, and some others were already there waiting for us. I was met with a bunch of faces that I hadn''t seen for quite a while. Domo, in particular, immediately walked over when he saw me.


    "Canyue, I knew you would live a long life. Every time you encounter danger, you can escape unscathed. So, did you find any treasure this time?" asked Domo shamelessly.


    I was speechless. "You must be joking. I almost lost my life. How can I get anything good?"


    "Is this fellow still hibernating?" Domo changed the topic and pointed at my backpack. I understood he was referring to Bulu.


    "It woke up once while we were facing a terrifying monster and saved all of us. But when we were trying to protect an important person, I tried waking it up, but it did not react. It has been sleeping all this while," I said helplessly.


    "What important person? Who? Does he have any important items on him?" asked Domo.


    "No. It''s a long story. Just go ask Zhang Bao''er. He knows more than me," I said, redirecting Domo''s attention to Zhang Bao''er so that he would stop bothering me.


    Although Domo had never gotten along well with Zhang Bao''er, his curiosity was so strong that he actually went looking for Zhang Bao''er. Shortly after, all the core members and military officials arrived. Looking at the full command center, I couldn''t help but be proud of how much the 7th Armored Division had grown. This was the very first time we had ever gotten the chance to organize an army this large.


    "Everyone, we are about to begin an extremely important military operation. The operation will begin in 39 hours. This tactical meeting will be very important. Be ready to carry out your orders. I''ll first invite the combat advisor, Lin Feixue, to elaborate on the plan," said Zhang Xingxing, officially starting the meeting.


    She then nodded at Lin Feixue. The latter immediately walked up the stage.


    "Warriors, the main goal of our operation is to enter the dark region of the Horsehead Nebula in the Orion Constellation. There, we will search for and destroy the empire''s beast production base. To accomplish that, we need to break through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter," said Lin Feixue.


    Sounds of discussion broke out in the room. Everyone knew that the Midstar Army was the Divine Empire''s most elite army. Under their protection, the Horsehead Nebula had always been the empire''s forbidden zone. Everyone knew that there must be something important there, but nobody had ever found out what. Surprisingly, it was actually a beast production base.


    For us in the 7th Armored Division, the Wargod soldiers were a sight for the sore eye. Even after hearing about the difficult opponent they were going to face, they showed no fear. Meanwhile, a small number of the Akkon soldiers with us appeared nervous. That was understandable, as during the battle on Akko, the Divine Empire had nearly annihilated the entire Akkon army.


    "Everyone, do not be too nervous. The target of our mission isn''t the Midstar Army. We will split our army into two. Fearless and Spacetime will work with the group in charge of launching a feint. A part of the Interstellar League soldiers will be in charge of this mission. The main army will be aboard Skyhawk. We will utilize the ship''s invisible mode to penetrate their defensive perimeter during the chaos and then enter the dark region," said Lin Feixue.


    "Will we be able to find the beast production facility after entering the dark region?" asked a Wargod official.


    I stood up and clarified, "It was said that there is an area with three stars in the dark region. The beast production base is within that area. Our goal is the destruction of this base and the prevention of the empire''s further production of these beasts. We will not allow the empire to use these beasts to destroy our homelands."


    "But the so-called beasts are merely myths. Nobody has actually seen them before. Are we going to risk our lives entering such a dangerous place, chasing myths?" the same official questioned me.


    Anxashe said, "The beasts are real. I''ve seen them myself. The lion-faced beasts are real. They are strong and can use weapons. If these beasts are produced en masse, we will not be able to protect the Kingdom of Kenante and the other planets in the Milky Way Galaxy."


    With Anxashe''s assurance that the beast army truly existed, the official sat back down with a convinced look.


    Lin Feixue nodded gratefully at Anxashe. He continued, "Fearless will be led by Deputy Commander Li Canyue and Zhang Bao''er. Both of you will lead 20 league soldiers and participate in the feint. Technician Wuzhou will assist in all repair and maintenance work. Spacetime will be led by Kelly and Old Du. Both of you will lead 30 league soldiers and participate in the feint. Dodo and Technician Jack will assist in all repair and maintenance works."


    I felt somewhat helpless upon hearing the plan. Jack had only recently joined us, yet he was already being appointed a technician of Spacetime and was made to participate in a battle. It was obvious we were rather lacking in terms of specialized experts.


    Lin Feixue had barely finished speaking when someone volunteered, "Permission to join the feint!"


    "Permission to join as well!" came a second voice.


    Everyone looked over and saw that the two were Baron Sisse and Anxashe. I knew very well that the feint would be extremely dangerous. Our main goal would be to keep the Midstar Army occupied and create an opportunity for Skyhawk to sneak through.


    The defensive forces had no less than 700,000 soldiers. Even if we were only going to focus on attacking one part of their perimeter, we would still be facing at least 10,000 people and dozens of battleships with only dozens of people and two battleships. Whichever part of the defensive perimeter we decided to attack, we would still be absolutely inferior. It was an extremely dangerous mission.


    Despite the danger, Anxashe and Baron Sisse had volunteered to join. It was touching how loyal they were to their comrades. Lin Feixue looked at Zhang Xingxing. She nodded, agreeing to their request.


    "Skyhawk will be led by Commander Zhang Xingxing. Everyone else will board Skyhawk and participate in the mission to sneak through the defensive perimeter. After the battleship is through, it will wait at the border of the dark region for an hour. After regrouping with the two ships in charge of the feint, we will enter the dark region together. If the two ships do not show up after an hour, Skyhawk will proceed alone," said Lin Feixue.


    Those who heard that they would only be participating in the sneaking part of the operation reacted differently. Some rejoiced, with Domo being the clearest example of them. However, even more Wargod soldiers showed disappointment. After all, they had the blood of the war god in their veins. They all longed for battle.


    However, there was no changing the given orders. In accordance with the decided action plan, Lin Feixue asked for the opinions of the various leaders present. Surprisingly, nobody objected or suggested any alteration to the plan. After a short discussion, everyone stood up to leave and prepare their respective subordinates for the operation.


    Zhang Xingxing said, "Warriors, this is an extremely important mission. All of you might become the guardians of peace for this system or even the entire universe. We are tired of war, but we do not fear it. We will never fear any threat to our homeland. I have decided to take the initiative to eliminate the threat, to ensure our homeland and families can continue living peacefully. In this operation, we are a family. All of you are now part of the 7th Armored Division. I hereby thank you for helping the 7th Armored Division reach such a level of strength. I also believe that there is no mission this new 7th Armored Division can''t complete!"


    A look of trust filled everyone''s eyes when everyone heard Zhang Xingxing''s short speech. Even those who were still hesitant were encouraged. I looked at her with respect. Although we had only known each other for a short while, she had grown tremendously as a leader, to the point it was astonishing for me to see.


    At that point, we were 38 hours away from the start of the operation.


    Baron Sisse suddenly approached me and asked, "Canyue, can you do me a favor before the operation?"


    "What do you need? So long as I can do it, I will not refuse," I agreed unhesitatingly.


    "I hope you can take a trip with me to Kenante''s royal library. I want to see if we can find a way to reproduce Li Yizhi''s body and cells. I am not willing to give up on any chance we might get to resurrect her," said Baron Sisse.


    "No problem. We''re short of time, so let''s not delay," I said.


    The baron nodded at me. We thus headed toward the flight area, intending to look for a flying vehicle to take us to Gero City. Suddenly, a palm landed on my right shoulder.

 CH 205

    I looked back and saw that it was Zhang Bao''er''s chubby hand.


    "How can you go on a private operation without me? That''s too mean!" said Zhang Bao''er with an angry expression.


    "Bao''er, you misunderstood. We''re only going to the library for some reading. I thought you hated reading? That''s why we didn''t consider bringing you," I said.


    "I love reading. Why didn''t you bring me along?" asked Old Du, who also decided to join in.


    "Fine. It sure feels weird when the three of us are separated. Let''s go together. With more people, we can gather information faster," I suggested to Baron Sisse.


    The baron nodded at me, indicating his agreement.


    "Canyue, where are you going?" Zhang Xingxing suddenly appeared behind me.


    I told her Baron Sisse''s plan. Upon hearing me, she hesitated slightly before agreeing. She even reminded us to return promptly and not affect the military operation. With permission from the commander, we were able to openly strut to the flight area. At that time, Jack and the others were still busy repairing Skyhawk. The place was bustling with busy personnel.


    "Let''s take that flying vehicle," said Baron Sisse as he pointed at a round vehicle ahead of us.


    We did not object and followed him onto the vehicle. The vehicle had the shape of a ball, allowing the passengers a 360-degree view of the outside. The four thrusters under the vehicle were in charge of movement.


    After we were all seated, Baron Sisse started the vehicle in a well-practiced manner. The round vehicle soared into the air. From the system, I could see that the four thrusters below the vehicle had shifted to the back to push the vehicle forward now that the vehicle was in the air. As the vehicle moved slowly, it entered stealth.


    We were not new to flying, but soaring through the air with a clear view of our surroundings and the vast, green grasslands below us caused us to be fully immersed in the beauty of nature. The only thing on Rumble that I couldn''t get used to was the rumble every 15 minutes. The rumble was, in fact, rather annoying.


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    Gero City wasn''t too far from our military base. However, the round vehicle was the slowest flying vehicle I had ever seen. It was only moving at 120 kilometers per hour, approaching Gero City at an incredibly slow speed.


    At that time, night was approaching. Alnitak Aa, massive and blue in the sky, was about to set. This blue indistinct star, known on Blue as the auspicious star of longevity, could be clearly seen here due to its short distance from Rumble. It wasn''t excessively bright, as it was getting late, but we could still see it clearly enough that we could even see the nuclear reaction on its roiling surface.


    "Looks like there are quite a lot of sunspots on this Alnitak Aa as well," I remarked as I saw some black dots on Alnitak Aa''s surface.


    "The sunspots here look so different from the ones on our sun. It''s almost like several black spots are congregating together and moving constantly," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, why do I feel like these sunspots look so weird? I seem to even see a few of them leaving the star," said Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "What?" Baron Sisse immediately turned on the round vehicle''s probe and scanned the sky.


    Instantly, a massive fleet appeared on the screen. Hundreds of enemy ships had appeared in the direction of the blue star, hiding amid the star''s radiance. They were slowly approaching Gero City.


    "My god. Who are these people? They don''t look friendly at all," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "They are definitely unfriendly. The system indicates that the markings on these ships resemble the Sacred Wing race''s writings. Wind Spirit had once shown me this script before. Looks like the traitorous Hakan and the clone soldiers are returning with the assistance of the Sacred Wing race," said Baron Sisse.


    "What do we do now? Our people at the base are busy preparing for the Horsehead Nebula operation. Should we notify Gero City''s garrison immediately?" asked Old Du.


    "We definitely need to notify them, but I don''t know the military frequency they use. We can only notify our base and have them pass the information," said Baron Sisse.


    "No, don''t do it. Sending a message will expose ourselves and our base. The enemies are moving very slowly. They will probably wait until it''s night before making a move. If we can reach Gero City earlier, we can personally notify King Carter to prepare his defenses," I said.


    "Baron, how far are we to Gero City?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We still need 30 minutes to reach the city. We are two hours away from nightfall. If the enemies plan to attack at night, we will have enough time," said Baron Sisse.


    Having decided on a plan, we could only helplessly approach Gero City on our slow round vehicle. After about 15 minutes, we started seeing the familiar mechanical bird in the darkening sky. We were near Gero City.


    "Hey, I suddenly recalled something terrifying. This city should be very easy to attack. They only need to take down this giant bird, right?" said Zhang Bao''er when he recalled that Principal Sosse had said that the city would stand as long as the bird stands.


    "Do you think a divine bird that has been protecting this city for over 1,000 years is so weak?" asked Baron Sisse.


    The baron''s words made sense. The giant mechanical bird was definitely not as weak and simple as Zhang Bao''er thought. There must be something special about it. Nevertheless, we reached Gero City before the Sacred Wing race. The defenses in the city were rather lax. We were able to enter without even a basic inspection.


    When we arrived above the basin, the vehicle left stealth. Soon, a guide mechanical bird came to lead us to a landing zone. After landing, we leaped off the vehicle and quickly looked for a mechanical cart. We had the driver take us to the Kenanten palace at top speed. The mechanical cart rushed toward the palace. About 15 minutes later, we arrived at the palace gate. At that point, there were only 75 minutes before nightfall.


    "I have an urgent military report. I need to meet King Carter immediately. We''re envoys from the Interstellar League," Baron Sisse announced loudly as he strode forth with wide steps.


    Perhaps the guards had been used to the frequent presence of outsiders in recent days, so when they saw how impatient we looked, they wasted no time and led the way to the king. After going through the familiar garden, we reached a small dining hall. With one glance, I saw King Carter and Principal Sosse enjoying a meal. Our old friend Baobao was standing beside them, acting like he was some sort of military attendant.


    "Your Majesty, Principal, we have an important military report to give. The fleet of the empire''s Sacred Wing race is about to reach Gero City soon," said Baron Sisse the moment we were there.


    Principal Sosse turned pale with fright. It was obvious the imperial army had left quite a shadow in his heart. On the other hand, King Carter still looked as composed as ever. After swallowing the big green worm in his hand, we waved at an attendant beside him.


    "Notify the old, young, women, and children to enter the Farmer''s Valley, which is in the right side of the city, and tell them to take shelter from the enemy attack. Have the royal guards take the lead and organize all the soldiers in the city. Have them man their posts and prepare for battle. Send our mechanical birds out and notify Gunda to return as soon as possible with his 30,000 soldiers. Notify Chief Maley and try to get his assistance as well," said King Carter. He acted with the composure expected of a ruler of the Wargod race, giving out a series of orders in a calm and unhurried manner.


    "Maley? Can we even trust that fellow?" asked Principal Sosse.


    "I don''t expect to see him here. I only intend to notify him since we''re notifying the others," said the king with a frown.


    "Your Majesty, can you have a mechanical bird notify Commander Zhang Xingxing as well? We will be staying behind to help with the defense of Gero City," said Baron Sisse.


    "That''s great to hear! I know you''re on the verge of leaving on an important operation. However, Kenante is facing war now. We Wargods do not fear war, but we will still welcome any help," said King Carter gratefully.


    "Baobao, what are you doing here?" I took the chance to ask.


    "Commander Xingxing assigned me as Principal Sosse''s assistant. Therefore, I was sent here," said Baobao helplessly.


    "Principal, since its wartime, can we have Baobao temporarily assigned to our team for the battle?" I asked.


    Principal Sosse hesitated, but when he saw that even King Carter was looking at him, he had no choice but to agree. Baobao ran to us in excitement. Since we were in a rush, an attendant immediately came to bring us out of the palace and to the city gate.


    "I thought we were here to read some books? Why did it turn into a battle? Just how unlucky can we get?" Zhang Bao''er started complaining.


    "We need to rejoice that we have decided to come and look for a way to resurrect Li Yizhi. We wouldn''t have accidentally discovered this sneak attack otherwise, and the Kenante Kingdom could have suffered gravely from the attack," said Old Du.


    "Zhang Bao''er, if you''re afraid, the round flying vehicle is still there. You can leave at any time. None of us will stop you," said Baron Sisse, who was becoming tired of Zhang Bao''er''s complaining.


    "What nonsense are you saying? I was merely grumbling," said Zhang Bao''er before shutting his mouth, worried that the baron would really send him away.


    Soon, we reached the city gate. The so-called defensive zone was a military fort near the edge of the basin. Numerous mechanical animals had been assembled there. There were also hundreds of rangers and Wargod soldiers around. Some laser cannons that seemed to serve as anti-aircraft defenses could be seen on the ground as well.


    "The Wargods are amazing at close-range combat, but their long-range weapons are rather...sigh," said Baron Sisse with a helpless sigh as he shook his head.


    At that point, we were 15 minutes away from nightfall.

 CH 206

    A Wargod military official walked over under the lead of our guide and said, "Hello, everyone. I am Afanso, the commander of the Western Fort. I hear you are here to help us. I am honored to have the chance to fight alongside you. We have received the order to conceal ourselves before the battle. I have made arrangements for your team to work beside the rangers, in charge of long-range attacks."


    "The enemy is attacking in battleships. How can our firearms damage their ships?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t worry, warrior. You will see. You only need to focus on attacking their soldiers at range," said Afanso confidently.


    After all the preparations were made, we hid below a pavilion on the fort walls.


    At that time, Alnitak Aa had fully set from the sky. We knew that the enemy attack was going to start soon.


    "Canyue, Master Crystal said before that the Sacred Wing race is the emperor''s secret force. Today, let us witness just how capable this secret force is," said Zhang Bao''er who looked rather excited for the battle to come.


    "Don''t overthink it. Perhaps we will face yet another group of clone soldiers. I don''t even know if any actual Sacred Wing will be in a battle of this scale. Most of their attention is probably placed on larger opponents such as the Interstellar League," I said.


    "We''ve encountered their clone soldiers before. I didn''t think they were anything special. From their standards, their teachers, the Sacred Wing race, are probably nothing special as well," replied Zhang Bao''er arrogantly.


    "Bao''er, you''re getting real cocky recently. Things can go wrong easily when someone gets too cocky. You need to keep that attitude in check," I said as I assumed the strict face of a deputy commander.


    "No, don''t say that. When you start getting cocky, you will be even worse than me," said Zhang Bao''er with a wide smile on his face.


    "Stop joking around, the enemy is here," Old Du suddenly said.


    A clump of black silhouettes appeared on the horizon. Hundreds of ships covered the stars in the sky and were imposingly approaching Gero City.


    "Looks like the air combat wouldn''t be too intense," said Baron Sisse after studying the ships in the sky.


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    "What makes you say so, baron?" I asked.


    "Through their composition. Most of them are transport ships guarded by a small number of battleships. It is very likely that this fleet is in charge of carrying an army of clone soldiers," said Baron Sisse.


    "I understand. The war with the league is too intense while Kenante has a weak air force. Thus, to destroy Kenante''s ground forces, they will need a combination of air and ground forces." I was able to gain some insight into the Sacred Wing race''s plan here.


    "It doesn''t seem like there will be only 50,000 of them here. From the number of transport ships, there are at least 100,000 of them," said Baron Sisse.


    "A hundred thousand? Isn''t that the same number as the Kenante Kingdom''s army?" asked Old Du in astonishment.


    "It''s different. They have 100,000 people focusing on Gero City alone, while King Carter''s army is spread all over the planet. This will be a cruel battle," said the baron, causing us to feel nervous.


    While we were talking, several laser beams soared through the sky from the hidden parts within the Western Fort. The red laser beams were akin to guided missiles that were flying straight toward the enemy ships.


    Even more red laser beams rose from several different parts of the fort. The approaching fleet immediately reacted. Purple shields appeared around the fleet, and as the laser beams struck the shields, numerous ripples appeared in the air.


    The anti-aircraft laser cannons continued firing madly. I could clearly see a spot of the purple shields fading rapidly after a concentrated barrage. Finally, with a pop, that part was penetrated by a laser beam.


    The moment an opening was created, dozens of red beams focused on one of the transport ships. Instantly, a massive explosion erupted in the sky. The ship was struck and completely decimated by the chain explosions. It spun into the ground and erupted in an even larger explosion.


    ''Just like that, an entire ship of soldiers is gone. War is truly cruel,'' I thought.


    The imperial army, which thought they were the ambushing party, seemed surprised by the sudden attack. However, they were able to react speedily as the battleships at the rear of the formation rushed forth and protected the opening with their own shields. Before long, the opening was closed.


    After stabilizing their formation, they counterattacked. The battleships utilized their laser cannons, rain cannons, and ray weapons to attack the anti-aircraft cannons. Explosions immediately littered the ground. Without the cover of an air force, the cannons were rapidly destroyed. The ground shook from the massive explosions. We remained prone as we took shelter from the chunks of rocks and broken equipment thrown around by the explosions.


    "Where are the mechanical birds? Why are they not attacking the imperial fleet?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "How can those birds penetrate the shields of these battleships? That''s not possible," said Old Du.


    The enemy ships unleashed a concentrated barrage on the fort. Without a care for saving energy, they carpet-bombed everything they saw. After over 10 minutes of bombardment, the area with the anti-aircraft cannons was reduced to a scorched field.


    After the bombardment, the imperial fleet noticed that all the anti-aircraft defenses had been destroyed. They started firing freely at the city itself. Three Nebula-class ships, in particular, were even heading toward the city''s divine bird.


    Right at that moment, I saw the transport ships spread out and land everywhere within the city. Among them, two flew away from the main group and headed toward the Western Fort we were at.


    Suddenly, a military messenger ran up to us and said, "As per the commander''s orders, you will be attacking after the rangers release their arrow barrage."


    After delivering the message in a hurry, the messenger ran off to deliver the next message.


    "You all heard it. After the enemy enters the encirclement, the rangers will fire their arrows. Then, it will be our turn to attack. Try to wipe them out," said Baron Sisse.


    We continued to hide on the wall. We breathed softly as we observed the two transport ships preparing to land. There were no other anti-aircraft defenses on the ground, so the two transport ships bravely landed in the middle of the fort even without any escorts. After they landed, their doors opened, and a stream of soldiers in black armor walked out. From their appearances, they were all of the Wargod race. It was basically confirmed now that they were clones.


    Surprisingly, not a single member of the Sacred Wing race could be seen. It was obvious this race hid themselves very well and would not easily show themselves. Because of that, we grew even more curious about them.


    One clone soldier after another marched down from the two ships. From their numbers, each ship carried roughly 500 people. With two ships, there were at least a thousand clone soldiers here in the fort. There were also 20 heavy tanks coming out of the ships. This was an army with formidable firepower. After some time, they finished gathering and were about to search the fort.


    "Why are the rangers not attacking? The soldiers will split up if they keep waiting," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    He had barely finished those words when a white arrow shot out like a bullet from above the wall opposite us. The arrow accurately struck a clone commander. The commander''s shield was turned on, but the arrow was too powerful. It pierced through the shield and stabbed into the commander''s chest, killing him with one shot.


    Before the other soldiers could react, hundreds of arrows rained down on them. The sudden attack caused them to panic, and they were dropped one after another. At that time, a different commander finally reacted. He reorganized the clone army and directed them to open fire toward the area the arrows had come from. Their attacks even caused one of the walls to collapse.


    Suddenly, roars rang out from within the fort. The Wargod warriors that were lying in ambush finally showed themselves, charging right toward the clone soldiers in the middle of the fort.


    Countless mechanical dogs rushed out from all directions, attacking the clone soldiers ferociously. In the sky, the mechanical birds made a reappearance, diving down to attack the clone soldiers rapidly.


    Zhang Bao''er was provoked by the intense battle. "Kill!" he roared as he pulled out his laser gun before firing at the clone soldiers.


    The rest of us also raised our guns and joined the battle. Unfortunately, the clone soldiers clearly came prepared. Despite the encirclement, their confidence was bolstered by their numerical superiority. They rapidly built up a defensive perimeter and utilized their transport ships'' mounted guns and their heavy tanks to launch a counterattack.


    It was a battle between bullets, arrows, and shields. The endless attacks created numerous ripples among the many shields in the fort. The ones with broken shields would very likely be the ones to fall first.


    With the support of their heavy tanks, the clone soldiers were able to quickly reorganize before counterattacking madly. It wasn''t long before the ground was littered with the corpses of the ambushing soldiers and broken mechanical dogs.


    At that time, an even more terrifying thing happened. An imperial Star-class battleship had arrived and was joining the battle. The situation was turning critical as the Wargod soldiers were killing themselves like moths throwing themselves at fire.


    "Does Afanso know how to fight a battle or not?" cursed Baron Sisse as he fired his gun and looked at the sights of devastation in front of him.


    "We need to think of a way to reverse the situation. Otherwise, the Wargods will lose no matter how many soldiers they have," I said anxiously when I looked at the Wargod soldiers charging forward suicidally. Suddenly, a heavy tank discovered us. It raised its turret and took aim at us.


    "Take cover!" Old Du roared when he saw the attack.


    We all turned on our morph-capable shields, but the wall we were on couldn''t withstand the tank''s firepower. Suddenly, the ground below my feet felt light as the wall started collapsing.

 CH 207

    During the violent explosion and collapse, I turned my morph-capable shield to the maximum, not forgetting to also extend it to Baobao, who was beside me. At that time, I found with astonishment that the wall we were on wasn''t built completely of bricks. The inside was actually made of soil. Thus, we were mostly unharmed despite the broken chunks that rained down on us.


    With my shield on, I was the first to rush out of the collapse. Roughly 10 meters ahead of me, a heavy tank was firing at the charging Wargod soldiers. Looking at the Wargod soldiers that were charging unhesitatingly before being blasted away, I did not waste any time. I rushed toward the tank before sending my shield crashing into it. The massive impact nearly sent me flying.


    I turned my shield to the maximum before using my thrusters to push through the tank''s shield. Then, I installed five timed cluster bombs between the turret and the tank''s body before rolling away. A blinding explosion erupted. The sound of metal being torn apart could be heard as the turret was blasted into the air. Finally, the artillery suppression ended.


    The morale of the Wargod soldiers rose as they used my position as the breakthrough point. Dozens of mechanical dogs charged in front of us and pounced at the firing clone soldiers. The Wargod soldiers behind the dogs did not hesitate to charge into the midst of the clone soldiers and start slashing away.


    And due to the melee brawl between the two armies, the other heavy tanks and mounted guns could no longer help. The two transport ships immediately rose into the sky after feeling the threat.


    At that point, the prowess of the Wargods in close combat was clearly showcased. A Wargod soldier could be seen brandishing a broadsword and madly slaughtering the clone soldiers around him. Although the clones also had Wargod genes, they had grown and trained differently. There was no comparing them and the veteran Wargod warriors. Thus, the clones eventually started fleeing in panic from the Wargod soldiers.


    With the gap opened by the escaping clone soldiers, their formation sank into chaos. The battleship supporting them from the sky immediately aimed at the chasing Wargod soldiers and opened fire, helping the clone soldiers on the verge of collapse.


    "Everyone, charge! Charge into them!" shouted Afanso.


    At his command, the Wargod soldiers hurriedly ran into the midst of the brawl to avoid the bombardment. This rendered the enemy battleship incapable of doing anything, allowing the Wargod soldiers to battle in relative safety. But then, the battleship noticed Zhang Bao''er and the others who were still shooting from afar. It moved its turrets to face them.


    "Bao''er, watch out! The Star-class battleship is aiming at you!" I roared at them.


    Hearing my reminder, Zhang Bao''er and the others hurriedly ran in my direction. However, the battleship opened fire, creating a terrifying net of bullets in the path between me and Zhang Bao''er. The concentrated firepower forced Zhang Bao''er and the others to retreat instead, and the distance between us increased.


    "Bao''er, watch out for the enemy ship''s barrage. It has already locked onto you guys. Find a spot to conceal yourself," I said before firing my gun at the battleship, attempting to shift its attention.


    However, my shots did nothing to the battleship. It continued raining destruction upon Zhang Bao''er and the others. The fort''s hiding spots had mostly been destroyed during the initial bombardment launched by the enemy ship. Thus, there was really nowhere they could hide. The situation was turning critical.


    When I turned to look at Afanso, I noted that the fellow had actually grown berserk from combat. There was no counting on him anymore. Even the rangers who were attacking from concealed positions were forced to draw their daggers and join the chaotic battle. There was simply no way of providing ranged support with how chaotic the battle was.


    At that time, Zhang Bao''er and the others were already completely covered by the battleship''s artillery barrage. I could see them turning their shields to the maximum. However, their energy levels were dropping rapidly, and they wouldn''t be able to last more than a few minutes.


    "Canyue, we can''t last much longer!" Zhang Bao''er roared at me.


    Looking at the furiously attacking battleship, I felt extremely helpless. We had experienced so many battles, and we had not expected that a small battleship like this would be the end of us. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and the baron were too important to me. I had to think of a way to save them. At that thought, I took out my nuclear warhead in preparation to attack.


    Currently, the Star-class battleship was only 30 meters from the ground. If I attacked with the warhead, the many soldiers from both parties in the melee could very well all perish without the protection of proper shields.


    However, Zhang Bao''er and the others were being subjected to an intense bombardment, to the point they couldn''t even raise their guns. The situation was urgent. To save Zhang Bao''er and the others, I couldn''t afford to think too much. I didn''t even need to ask for their opinion.


    ''I shall be the one to shoulder the morality of this action.'' At that thought, I reached for the nuclear warhead''s activation trigger.


    Suddenly, a loud whistling sound came from the sky. I lifted my head and looked at the source of the sound. Above Gero City, about a dozen imperial battleships had surrounded the divine bird.


    The sound was so loud that the battleships at different positions in the sky all stopped attacking. The sound seemed to be some sort of an emergency signal. A second whistle sounded. At that point, all the enemy battleships flew toward the divine bird.


    ''Shit. The enemy ships are starting to attack the divine bird,'' I thought worriedly.


    Nevertheless, one good thing did come out of that. The attacks on Zhang Bao''er and the others had stopped.


    "My god. A single battleship is actually so fierce. I nearly lost my life here," cursed Zhang Bao''er, cutting quite the sorry figure.


    "You were becoming too cocky earlier," I teased with the passing of the danger.


    At that point, the soldiers of both sides were still engaged in the chaotic melee. Old Du immediately incapacitated two clone soldiers, who were about to attack us. After getting out of the danger, we were ready to join the chaotic melee. But then, a third whistle sounded. This time, it felt completely different than before, as it sounded much more urgent.


    Following the urgent whistle, all the other enemy battleships made the same whistling sound, filling the sky above us with noise. Then, the clone soldiers started pulling out of the battle rapidly, as though they had received an order to retreat.


    Suddenly, an odd stuttering sounded. It was shrill and ear-piercing. The Wargod soldiers who were about to give chase immediately stopped and looked up in unison.


    That was because they knew that the stuttering was made by their divine bird. In the sky, a massive net had formed around the divine bird flying in circles. All the enemy battleships had formed an encirclement around the bird.


    "Shit! The enemy is going to attack their divine bird! Will the bird''s defeat cause our defeat?" asked Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "Don''t worry. We must trust the divine bird''s strength," said Afanso confidently. We had not noticed him appear behind us.


    We were still doubtful as we looked up into the sky. The Sacred Wing race''s battleships seemed to have finished their preparations. One ship, that seemed to be the leader, started flashing with some sort of light signal. Then, all the battleships gathered energy while electrical currents rippled around their weapons. They were ready to launch a fatal strike at the divine bird.


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    "This doesn''t look good at all. Afanso, are you sure your bird can take this joint attack? The Sacred Wing race is clearly planning to destroy the bird in one fell swoop," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This should be fine, I think. After all, Gero City will also cease to exist if the divine bird dies," said Afanso, less confident than before.


    An odd scene appeared on the battlefield. All the soldiers had stopped fighting. Instead of fighting, everyone was waiting silently for the exchange in the sky. The result of the exchange would determine the result of this battle. There was no need for there to be more deaths on the ground.


    The energy gathered by the battleships appeared to become more and more intense. A minute later, the moment everyone was waiting for finally arrived. A deafening sound erupted as the over 1,000 cannons on the leading battleship unleashed countless laser beams, rays, shockwaves, and artillery shells toward the divine bird.


    Then, the other battleships followed suit. Intense explosions filled the sky, turning the area around the divine bird into a flaming ball. The surface of the flaming ball roiled intensely, with the divine bird completely covered.


    "Shit. Just like that, the bird was decimated," muttered Old Du.


    "Looks like this will be the end of this battle. Let''s go back and focus on our operation. We can return with our army in the future to help," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "What are you saying? Would the warriors of the Wargod race need outside help?" said Afanso furiously.


    "But your divine bird is dead. According to your own prophecy, this should be the end of the war for you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Who told you the bird was dead? If it is dead, the center of Gero City will also collapse. That clearly hasn''t happened," said Afanso loudly.


    His words stunned us as we hurriedly shifted our gazes to the flaming ball in the sky.

 CH 208

    The flaming ball in the sky still burned as intensely as ever, to the point we couldn''t help but feel worried for the divine bird. While we were feeling scared for the bird, the enemy battleships launched a few more volleys, causing the flaming ball of energy to intensify even more.


    "I don''t think the bird will be able to withstand this. They are clearly bullying it with numbers," whispered Zhang Bao''er to me.


    "Canyue, the enemy is not attacking us. If we''re retreating, this will be our chance," Old Du suggested.


    I looked at all the soldiers focused on the battle in the sky. Clearly, if we decided to escape, nobody would care. But after thinking about it, I shook my head and rejected the suggestion.


    "Now, more than ever, the Kenante Kingdom needs our help. Leaving is not the right thing to do. We should stay and help," I said firmly.


    Suddenly, the shrill stuttering sounds came from the sky again. We quickly looked up, and a surprising change occurred. An energy beam suddenly shot out of the flaming ball. The red beam shot straight at a Nebula-class battleship, instantly piercing its shield before striking its cockpit.


    The powerful attack instantly created an explosion at the front of the Nebula-class ship. This explosion and the energy beam created a chain reaction that caused more explosions to go off all over the ship, reducing the ship into broken chunks in only a few seconds.


    "My god, what is that? The divine bird is counterattacking?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er with his mouth agape.


    Seeing the bird destroy their ally, the other ships appeared worried as they madly fired at the bird.


    "It''s over for these battleships," remarked Baron Sisse.


    "Baron, why do you say so?" I asked.


    "It is clear. The divine bird obviously absorbed the energy from their attacks before utilizing the energy for its own attack. The more the imperial ships attack, the stronger the counterattack," said the baron.


    The baron''s words made sense to me. Soon, a second beam shot out of the flaming ball around the bird. Yet another battleship was sent spinning, and it crashed down from the sky. Then, the same happened to the third ship, the fourth ship¡­. In less than 10 minutes, the divine bird destroyed nine ships.


    The reversal caused the Wargod soldiers to cheer in excitement. In direct contrast, the clone soldiers, who had still been in high spirits earlier, looked exceptionally gloomy, as though they were already defeated.


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    Even the richest army in the universe would not be able to withstand such heavy losses. The leading Milky Way¨Cclass battleship released a series of signal lights before it turned around and left. About a dozen battleships were left at that point, and they all left as well, flying far away from the divine bird. This further increased the morale of the Wargods, and as they became filled with an intense battle intent, an ear-splitting roar rang out on the ground.


    With the departure of the battleships, the red flaming ball around the divine bird started to fade. After a few minutes, the bird reappeared before everyone''s eyes. Different from before, the black bird was blazing red, as though it had been reborn into a new being. It flew in circles and shrieked at the Wargod soldiers on the ground.


    Without the cover of the flaming ball, we suddenly noticed that numerous streams of blue translucent rays were rising from the ground. The streams were converging on the divine bird unendingly and seemed to be some sort of energy supply for the divine bird.


    "So it''s Rumble''s energy waves that have been supporting the divine bird. No wonder it was able to withstand the concentrated bombardment," gasped Old Du in astonishment.


    "A single mechanical bird is being supplied with energy by an entire planet. Looks like it is actually one of the nodes of the natural energy flowing through the planet," said Baron Sisse.


    After absorbing a sufficient amount of energy, the bird''s red body became covered in some sort of blue flame, making it look like an imposing mythical beast. Abruptly, the divine bird unleashed a blue shockwave toward the ground. A blue mushroom cloud rose from the area about 4 kilometers ahead of us, and it looked like an intense explosion had erupted there.


    The Wargod soldiers howled in excitement. Filled with a murderous spirit, they all suddenly looked like they had been possessed by the god of war. With their weapons raised, they madly charged at the clone soldiers. Even Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and Baobao were infected by the mood and they joined the charge with their weapons raised.


    "Canyue, the enemy has three times our numbers. We need to maintain calm and act cautiously," reminded Baron Sisse while everyone around us sank into battlelust.


    "Let''s follow the main group for now. We''ll see if we can borrow the divine bird''s might to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop," I said, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to defeat the many with the few.


    The clone soldiers seemed taken aback by the sudden charge. Some were simply standing there blankly, and these stunned soldiers were basically ignored by the charging Wargods, who then charged deeper into the clone army.


    We followed the charge and saw that some Wargods were already starting to take the stunned clone soldiers captive. Before long, our group of 200 had captured roughly 500 clone soldiers.


    At that point, the enemy command finally noticed what was going on and tried to reassemble their forces. Their remaining 500 soldiers gathered into a new defensive formation. Using the ruined buildings around them as cover, they started striking back. Their final three heavy tanks were also aimed at the charging Wargods.


    With several loud booms, the Wargod soldiers at the front of the charge were knocked down. The clone soldiers who had reorganized themselves regained some of their morale upon seeing that. With their shields on, they engaged the charging Wargods in yet another intense battle.


    Due to the speed of the charge, the Wargod army had spread out slightly. The ones charging in front were being killed en masse by the concentrated firepower. If this continued, it wouldn''t be long before all the Wargods were dead.


    "Afanso, have your soldiers pull back and reorganize the attacking formation," I yelled.


    At that point, even Afanso had noticed the problem with our offensive formation. He hurriedly ordered the soldiers to pull back and reassemble outside the enemy''s firing range. By then, both sides had suffered large casualties. In fact, both sides had lost at least 50 percent of their original numbers.


    The only difference was that the Wargod losses were all casualties while some of the enemy losses were actually captives. To watch over the 500 captives, Afanso was also forced to pull out 50 of his soldiers from the battle. Thus, we had fewer than a hundred soldiers on our side in the battle.


    Both armies were starting to engage in a positional warfare where bullets, arrows, and beams were continuously unleashed at each other. It seemed like we had reached a deadlock.


    "Why is the divine bird not helping us?" complained Zhang Bao''er as he looked up at the sky.


    "I believe it can''t actually reach us. I noticed that it has only been able to fly in circles above the city without moving out of the radius. This fort is too far from its range. It won''t be able to come to our aid," said Old Du. He had been paying close attention to the battle.


    Several loud booms sounded. The clone soldiers had retreated to their three heavy tanks to establish superiority in the battle.


    "We must think of something. If this continues, everyone will be blasted into smithereens," said Baron Sisse worriedly as he looked at the Wargod soldiers who were continuously being blasted apart by the barrage.


    "How about this? Old Du and I will flank from the left. You and Bao''er will flank from the right. Try to bomb the three tanks. We will reconvene behind them," I put forth an action plan.


    "Let''s do it. So long as we can take the three tanks down, Afanso and his army will be able to charge again," said the baron with a nod.


    We did not delay and immediately prepared to split up. Before that, I reminded Baobao, who was staying behind, to contact Zhang Xingxing immediately if there was a mishap and tell her everything. However, a battlefield was ever-changing. Just as we were about to move out, a dark mass of soldiers appeared atop one of the cliffs forming the walls of the basin.

 CH 209

    "Whose army is that?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously upon seeing the black mass of people.


    The newly arrived army was starting to enter the basin through the elevator at the edge of the basin.


    After scanning with his laser probe, Baron Sisse excitedly said, "They are our reinforcements. They seem to be Gunda''s army. Maley''s barbarian army seems to be mixed within the group as well."


    "It''s Gunda and Maley? Great! With them, we won''t suffer from our lack of numbers anymore!" said Old Du, who was similarly excited.


    Gunda and Maley had come with around 40,000 soldiers, solving the numerical disadvantage that had been causing us to suffer. At the same time, these new arrivals were fresh elite soldiers. With their arrival, the situation on the battlefield changed abruptly.


    First to arrive were the mechanical birds. They soared into the sky and dove down into the clone soldiers. Who would have thought that the Kenante Kingdom, which was still suffering from their lack of battleships just 30 minutes ago, was now holding superiority in the air?


    The mechanical birds further boosted the original garrison''s morale, and cries of bloodlust rang out from all over the city. The mechanical birds and mechanical dogs worked together to suppress the clone army. The enemy''s morale dropped and dropped, and their army started to show signs of imminent collapse.


    The heavy tanks had stopped attacking, and they were instead retreating with the remaining clone soldiers. Afanso led his soldiers and gave chase relentlessly, not giving the enemy any chance to rest.


    At that point, the reinforcements had reached us as well. An army of about a thousand Wargods ran by us while roaring, chasing after the retreating clone soldiers. The enemy army''s formation was starting to turn chaotic. They retreated while attacking, but many of them still fell after being struck by arrows. It was obvious that the prolonged battle had exhausted most of their energy supplies.


    Suddenly, the sounds of battleships rang out in the sky. We saw that the enemy transport ships had gathered southeast of the city. About a dozen of their battleships remained as well, and those ships formed a defensive formation in the sky, seemingly prepared to cover the defeated clone soldiers as they withdrew from the battlefield.


    "Everyone, let''s follow the attackers. Do not let our enemies escape. They will only return at a later date. Try to wipe them out," said Baron Sisse.


    We followed the baron''s suggestion and joined the pursuing army''s attempt in foiling the enemy''s retreat. We ran by many of the areas where intense fights had erupted earlier. We could see how badly damaged the buildings and fortifications around us were. Numerous corpses and injured soldiers were sprawled all over the ground. Some medical soldiers were handling these casualties.


    "War is truly disgusting. A beautiful city like this has been reduced into such a state by artillery bombardment," said Old Du as he looked at the damage done to the city.


    "Stop being all emotional here. A destroyed home can be rebuilt. But if we don''t eliminate all of the enemies, they will be able to continue to destroy your home. Go, let''s crush them," said Baron Sisse.


    Everyone increased the speed of the pursuit. There was a saying that troops in defeat were akin to a landslide. After the Sacred Wing race battleships were defeated by the divine bird, the morale of the clone army had dropped to the lowest level. And with the arrival of the Wargod reinforcements, the enemy forces were on the verge of complete collapse. As we pursued them, we kept encountering surrendering clone soldiers. It would seem like the command structure of their army had collapsed.


    "About 50,000 soldiers of the defeated enemy have gathered at Gero City''s Skycliff District and are in the middle of withdrawing. King Carter has ordered all forces to make haste and prevent their escape," said a military messenger as he rode over on a mechanical horse, delivering the king''s latest order.


    Right at that moment, I heard the sounds of the anti-aircraft cannons being fired once again. The anti-aircraft cannons had actually been hidden somewhere during the enemy bombardment. Now, they were taken out again to attack the enemy ships.


    The artillery barrage grew more and more concentrated. It was as though all the anti-aircraft cannons in Gero City were firing in the direction of the Skycliff District. The Sacred Wing race''s ships turned on their shields to withstand the anti-aircraft barrage. Some of the transport ships were unable to even pick up any of the withdrawing soldiers before their shields were pierced and they were destroyed.


    They no longer had enough transport ships to carry their soldiers away, so even the dozens of battleships remaining were picking up the withdrawing soldiers. Because of that, they were too occupied to even hit back at us. That allowed the countless mechanical birds to bravely dive down on the withdrawing clone soldiers and kill as they wished.


    That was a scenario where a retreat and a slaughter were happening at the same time. The spirited Wargod soldiers rushed the enemy soldiers like a wave while the defending clone soldiers were pushed back again and again.


    Following the charging army, we arrived in front of the enemy soldiers'' defensive formation. I could see countless mechanical birds charging the enemies from above. Surprisingly, the enemies before us were actually able to organize an effective counterfire to halt our charge.


    "Flatten their formation with bombs!" Afanso roared. When I looked over, I saw him shouting a string of orders to about a dozen rangers.


    The rangers stood in a row before nocking explosive arrows and pulling back the bowstring. A volley was then unleashed, and massive explosions erupted among the enemy. Some of the enemy soldiers who were prone on the ground and firing at us were instantly blasted into the sky.


    "Well done! Continue firing! Do not stop! I don''t want to see anyone standing among them!" shouted Afanso in excitement upon seeing the success of the rangers.


    The rangers, who had just stopped attacking, started unleashing volley after volley of arrows in turns. The enemy formation instantly transformed into a sea of fire with numerous explosions erupting, turning the formation into a terrifying hell. Under the concentrated barrage, the enemy firepower was finally suppressed. Against the unending stream of Wargod soldiers, they were only able to fire a sparse few bullets.


    "With me, everyone! Charge!" roared Afanso as he took the lead and charged into the enemy formation.


    The spirited Wargod warriors brandished their melee weapons and followed closely behind Afanso. Following closely behind them were the rangers. The enemy''s retreating zone kept shrinking. Up in the sky, the transport ships filled with soldiers were continuously struck and were constantly exploding and crashing into the ground. That was a sign that planted fear deep into the hearts of the clone soldiers.


    At that moment, a uniquely shaped mechanical bird appeared in the sky. The bird appeared rather chubby, and it flew among the clone soldiers while shouting at them to surrender. The retreating soldiers were being pushed back again and again. Numerous anti-aircraft cannons had arrived as well, unleashing a concentrated barrage that made it impossible for any enemy ships to land without suffering more losses.


    Then, we saw in the sky the few remaining transport ships and the roughly one dozen battleships that had survived with the protection of their shields. They were flying rapidly toward outer space. Clearly, the enemy ships had given up on saving the remaining soldiers on the ground. Carrying the soldiers that had been able to get on the ships in time, they fled the cruel battlefield.


    After the fleet withdrew, the remaining clone soldiers only put up some symbolic fight before they laid down their arms and surrendered. And with that, the Sacred Wing race''s massive sneak attack was over. Facing the counterattack of Planet Rumble''s divine bird, the Sacred Wing race had suffered massive losses.


    Apart from a small number of soldiers who had managed to escape, they had lost most of their attacking forces. The numerous clone soldiers surrendered and were led out by Wargod soldiers in charge of cleaning up the battlefield. There were so many captives that they filled an entire subdistrict.


    "I wonder if that traitor, Hakan, is also among the captives. If yes, I reckon Maley will be looking for him," muttered Zhang Bao''er as he gazed at the captives from the side of the road.


    "That fellow is too crafty. He probably escaped long ago," I replied.


    "These soldiers have mostly been defeated due to the loss of morale and leadership. Otherwise, it would almost be unimaginable for a larger army to be defeated by a smaller army with cold weapons. What a pity that they fought so terribly with their numbers and weapons," said Baron Sisse.


    The baron''s words gave rise to a bizarre thought in my mind.


    "If we can make use of these soldiers, they can perhaps become the foundation of the force we''re going to use to defeat the Divine Empire," I voiced my thoughts to Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


    "Canyue, you''re oversimplifying this. These clone soldiers were grown by the empire for decades. They have been thoroughly brainwashed by the enemy. How will they betray the empire and join you?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Any sentient life form is capable of changing its mind. These soldiers are clones, not robots. I still think we should try. After our operation at the Horsehead Nebula, I''ll look for King Carter for a talk," I insisted.


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    "Right, shouldn''t we return immediately? We have wasted quite a lot of time here," said Old Du, who was reminded of our original mission upon hearing me talk about the Horsehead Nebula.


    I looked down to check the time. We had less than 16 hours before the commencement of the operation. Unknowingly, we had spent over 20 hours battling in Gero City. We were running out of time and had to return promptly.


    "Everyone, let''s head to Gero City''s flight zone. Let''s see if our round flying vehicle is still there. Zhang Bao''er, since the enemy has been defeated, contact the base and update them on our status. If our flying vehicle was destroyed, tell Zhang Bao''er to send a flying vehicle to pick us up as soon as possible," I gave a string of orders in an orderly fashion.


    We headed toward the flight zone. In less than 15 minutes, we were there. Surprisingly, amid the rubble and craters, our flying vehicle had miraculously evaded all damage. It was still perfectly fine, parked right where we had left it.


    "Canyue, Zhang Bao''er is already aware of the situation here. She ordered us to return as soon as possible. They don''t have any flying vehicles to spare, as all resources are being poured into preparing for the operation," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Let''s not delay. Board the round flying vehicle. We will be returning," I ordered.

 CH 210

    We boarded the round flying vehicle in the same order we had boarded it before. Then, we flew slowly toward our base. Looking down at Gero City from above, I saw black plumes of smoke coming from various parts of the city. War had brought great destruction to Gero City.


    Fortunately, the Wargods had managed to protect the great city. Countless captive clone soldiers could be seen being herded by the Wargods to the prisoner-of-war camp. In the sky, the divine bird was still radiating a bright golden light, flying round and round above the city. It looked especially dazzling during the moments when daybreak was at hand. The round flying vehicle was extremely slow. However, we were all fully focused on our coming military operation.


    "Canyue, do you think we''ll be able to break through the empire''s defensive perimeter? If Skyhawk is struck down, that will almost be a total elimination for us," said Baron Sisse.


    "At this point, we have no alternative. The two princes insisted on attacking the Horsehead Nebula. With the plan made and the operation imminent, we''re like an arrow let loose. There is no returning," I said, unable to give the baron a proper answer.


    "Everything is looking suspicious. I keep feeling like there is some conspiracy somewhere. Are the man in black on Lightning and the man in black that had attacked the Horsehead Nebula the same person? Is there a trap waiting for us at the beast base? All this still feels inconceivable. I feel like someone is in control of everything we''re doing. Everything we did was pre-arranged for us to do," said Baron Sisse.


    "That''s understandable. In fact, ever since I walked out of Nommo''s ship on Sirius B, I have been having this feeling that someone is monitoring everything we''re doing," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t waste your energy being too suspicious. Just stay positive. We need to adjust our mentality and be ready for a new battle," I said to the two.


    The round flying vehicle continued moving ahead. We all sank into silence, trying to recover our strength and stamina before the next battle. After three hours of seemingly endless flight, the flying vehicle was finally back at the base. Master Crystal and Anxashe had been waiting for us at the aviation zone for quite a while.


    "Old Du, I heard you guys just experienced a massive battle. Too bad Zhang Bao''er did not allow me to return and join the fight," said Anxashe regretfully.


    Zhang Bao''er started bluffing again, "Yes, it''s quite a pity that you weren''t able to join. It was such an enjoyable experience, slaughtering all those enemies. In fact, I alone annihilated three heavy tanks and one transport ship."


    However, Anxashe believed every word he said and felt extremely envious of the experience.


    "Alright, enough bluffing." I asked Master Crystal, "What''s the latest update?"


    "All ships have been repaired, and all preparations are complete. The soldiers have all been assembled as well. We''re now only waiting for the operation to begin," said Master Crystal.


    "Where is the commander?" I asked.


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    "Zhang Xingxing is already heading toward Skyhawk to get into position. She has also ordered everyone to head to their posts," said Master Crystal.


    "Looks like she''s not very happy with our participation in the battle earlier," muttered Zhang Bao''er.


    I agreed with Zhang Bao''er. After all, resurrecting Li Yizhi wasn''t the top priority at the moment. But we had left the base just to look for a way to resurrect her instead of staying and helping perfect the plan to attack the Horsehead Nebula. It was understandable that Zhang Xingxing would be annoyed.


    We acted according to the plan. Zhang Bao''er, Wuzhou, and I led 20 soldiers to man Fearless while Kelly, Old Du, Dodo, and Jack led 30 soldiers to man Spacetime. Baron Sisse and Anxashe boarded Fearless to join the mission to perform the feint. Surprising me, Master Crystal had joined Spacetime on the feint mission.


    Inside Fearless, I repeated the entire plan, "According to the plan, our ships will be launching a feint at the waist of the Midstar Army, trying to tear open a path during the chaos and allow Skyhawk to pass through while invisible. After Skyhawk reaches the predetermined location, Fearless and Spacetime will link up. When the moment comes, Fearless will launch another feint to allow the stealthed Spacetime to sneak through. A new gathering spot will then be decided.


    "Dodo will be waiting outside for us on Fearless. If we do not return, Dodo will return to the Interstellar League and give them a full report of our operation."


    "Perfect plan. Looks like this is a mission where once again, all of us will escape unscathed," said Zhang Bao''er rather ominously.


    We all glared at him, expressing our unhappiness at his words. Seeing our reaction, Zhang Bao''er decided to shut his mouth. After I gave some orders regarding the details of the mission, everyone dispersed back to their respective posts.


    A brand-new Fearless stood before me. After numerous modifications by Wuzhou, the Fearless before me had even stronger firepower. Its stealth technology had also been improved, making it easier for us to sneak behind enemy lines. Additionally, the ship''s thrusters had also been greatly improved, increasing the ship''s movement speed. The current Fearless was already at a level capable of contending against an Achilles-class destroyer from the league.


    "Well done, Wuzhou. How did you even accomplish this?" I said as I looked at the ship before me in astonishment.


    Wuzhou remained humble and did not say anything. He stepped forth and was the first to board the ship. The rest of us also boarded. Before long, we were all ready for take-off.


    Through the communication system, Zhang Xingxing started giving a speech, "Brave warriors, where we are going is a dark place, a barbaric and cruel region. However, we will not allow that nightmare to spread to the rest of the universe. Every single one of us is obligated to do our very best to transform this dark place into a place of new life and hope, protecting the right of all lives in the universe to exist equally."


    One ought to admit that Zhang Xingxing''s interactions with King Carter during our absence had elevated the position from which she viewed the world to a brand-new level. Her words caused all of us to be fired up. After the commander finished her speech, the operation began. Fearless and Spacetime were the first to move, flying out of the planet together.


    Shortly after, the two ships arrived in outer space. Alnitak Aa, light blue in the distance, was still as mesmerizing as ever. To the lower left of Alnitak Aa was a dark red backdrop. That was our destination, the Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation, a place 250 lightyears away from our current location.


    The Horsehead Nebula was a dark nebula. From Blue, the nebula appeared as a dark cloud of dust and rotating gas that took a form resembling the head of a horse. That was the origin of its name.


    "Commander Xingxing, Fearless and Spacetime are ready to initiate the wormhole leap. Skyhawk will leap in two hours. Before then, the communication between us will be cut off," I said through the communicator.


    "Permission granted to initiate wormhole leap. Stay safe and take care of everyone," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With permission from the commander, the two ships began the wormhole leap. After the familiar experience of traveling through the wormhole, we arrived 300 million kilometers away from the Horsehead Nebula. The moment we arrived, we entered invisibility. Even from so far away, the massive black cloud of dust looked like a terrifying beast, giving all of us a heavy mental pressure.


    The dark nebula with the shape of a horse''s head stood alone in its corner of the universe. Within, indistinct flashes of light could be seen. We were aware that the flashes we saw were where stars came into existence, the so-called origin of life. Even more of the dark nebula was simply shrouded in darkness, hiding dark things within. Putting an end to the darkness there felt as impossible as a mortal facing a god.


    "Canyue, the nebula is 1 lightyear wide. How are we supposed to look for the beast base in such a wide area?" asked Kelly through the communicator.


    "From the information left by Nommo, I remember that the beast base is located in a system with red, yellow, and blue stars. Have Dodo perform a scan to look for a triple star system that meets these requirements in the nebula," I said.


    Kelly passed on the message and told Dodo what to scan for.


    "An area a lightyear wide covered by thick darkness will be hard to search with only regular scanning. We need to think of something else as well," reminded Old Du.


    "There is no other way. I reckon even the Midstar Army in charge of guarding this place isn''t aware of the beast base''s exact location. For now, we need to stop overthinking and allow Wuzhou and Zhang Bao''er to assist Dodo in scanning the protected area. According to Wind Spirit''s information, the enemy army is staying about 50 million kilometers away from the nebula. We need to scan the area where Skyhawk will arrive and look for a weak point there," I ordered.


    With the order given, the scan started. We were 100 minutes away from Zhang Xingxing''s arrival.


    "Canyue, how big of a chance do you think we have at breaking through the defensive perimeter?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Judging from the other imperial armies we had met before, I estimate we have about a 10 percent chance of success," I said.


    "A chance of only 10 percent? Why so pessimistic?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "I''m not being pessimistic. I''m just being realistic. But even if we only have a 1 percent chance, I will still do my best," I said resolutely.


    The baron patted my shoulder. He was grateful for the support I was showing the two Akkon princes. After 20 minutes, the result of our initial scan was out. In the massive universe, the Midstar Army with only hundreds of thousands of soldiers was as insignificant as an ant. According to our data, the breakthrough point we had picked was over 10,000 kilometers wide and was guarded by only 5,000 soldiers. It looked like we would be able to break through easily.


    "They only have these little soldiers here? They''re not even enough to scratch my itch," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "Don''t take them too lightly. I have a feeling the defenses here won''t be so simple," said Baron Sisse.


    I was in agreement with the baron''s words. "Bao''er, don''t forget the lesson from Cloudcast. They have such powerful defenses for a mere repair planet, so an important beast-breeding base will definitely be protected by a dependable defensive force."


    Zhang Bao''er sank into silence.


    "Kelly, have Spacetime follow closely behind Fearless. We will go to a spot 50 kilometers away from the nebula before performing a second scan," I said through the communicator.

 CH 211

    The two ships started moving toward the destination in a line. About 30 minutes of high-speed travel later, we arrived 50 million kilometers away from the Horsehead Nebula.


    "Canyue, we have discovered the enemy ships and a large number of transport ships. My god, there''s also a lot of drones," exclaimed Dodo in alarm.


    "I thought this spot was only guarded by 5,000 people?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Through the long-range heat scan earlier, we were only able to detect life and heat signatures. But these drones are surprisingly low in temperature, so they had remained undetected by the scan. They were only noticeable after we got near," said Dodo helplessly.


    "Dodo, send over the latest intelligence report," I ordered.


    Soon, a clear image was projected on our ship. The scene before our eyes was inconceivable. Floating in the middle of space was a massive fortification. What we faced was merely a tiny part of the base.


    The massive metallic fortification was an assembly of numerous small metallic cubes. Together, they formed a massive ring-shaped tunnel. Countless drones moved in and out of the tunnel. Transport ships of all shapes and forms could be seen coming from afar to unload or load before departing.


    "I did not expect the empire to be so technologically advanced. They had actually built such a massive base here in outer space?" I exclaimed as I gazed at the sight before me.


    "Canyue, right ahead of us, there are about 15 battleships of numerous sizes, roughly 5,000 soldiers, and over 20,000 drones," reported Dodo.


    Zhang Bao''er said in astonishment, "20,000 drones? That is enough to blast through even the strongest of shields. Just where did the empire get all the material to build so many drones? If they have 20,000 drones in this section alone, do they have, like, millions of them in total?"


    "Perhaps this is also the reason the league has been itching to go to war with the empire. The Divine Empire has such a rich supply of iron. How can the league not drool over it?" said Old Du, who was similarly impressed.


    That was true. The level of wealth we were witnessing was truly impressive. But at the same time, it was scary. How were we supposed to defeat a giant like this?


    "There are too many drones here. If we want to create an opening, we can only lure them away so that Skyhawk can sneak through," said Master Crystal.


    "Canyue, look above and below the area ahead. They are relatively lax with only a few patrolling drones. Can we try entering there?" said Zhang Bao''er while pointing at the map.


    I looked at where he pointed. Yes, the two locations were really quite empty with only a small number of patrols, forming a clear contrast with the bustling sector in the middle.


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    "No, we can''t. I suspect there are a lot of invisible mines there," said Dodo.


    "How are you so sure? That''s such a big place. How many mines do they need to cover the area? This place is 1 lightyear wide," argued Zhang Bao''er.


    "I thought the same originally, but after looking at the number of drones and the size of this base, I believe the emperor can achieve anything. Also, look at those patrols. They are all moving in some sort of a route. I believe they are moving through the mines," said Dodo.


    "Dodo is right. There must be some mines or other invisible sensors. The Midstar Army is known as the empire''s strongest army. They are worthy of their reputation, after all. They must be guarding something extremely valuable here," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, are you referring to the beast-breeding base when you say they''re guarding something valuable?" I asked.


    "No. The beast-breeding base is a secret that I doubt even the Midstar Army''s commanders know about. There must definitely be something else that''s important here," said Master Crystal.


    Upon hearing that, I suddenly recalled the recordings left by Nommo regarding the enormous cloud that was also an energy source.


    "The giant dust cloud might be it. In the old recordings we saw before, the empire seemed to be harnessing energy from the dust cloud," I said.


    "We''re at the edge of the Horsehead Nebula. Theoretically, the dust cloud where stars are born can exist anywhere here. If someone tells me that the empire is harnessing the energy from the cores of these newborn stars, I will find that completely believable," said Baron Sisse.


    "But the dust cloud in the recordings is massive. However, we''re not seeing the cloud at all from here. So where are the bases in charge of harnessing the energy?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    That was a reasonable question. We had yet to encounter any traces of the dust cloud. If the dust cloud was actually here, we should be able to see traces of it from how far we could see with all our probes. Furthermore, what were these transport ships carrying? This was a massive puzzle.


    "Canyue, look at those transport ships. They all came from afar just to stop in that square for about 10 minutes before leaving quickly. It is so odd. Are they transporting air?" said Baron Sisse as he observed what was happening.


    Upon hearing the baron''s words, we started paying attention and saw that the baron was right.


    "Also, look at those enormous floating tubes. I don''t see any ships approaching or docking there. I also don''t see any drones or battleships resupplying in the base. In that case, what is the actual point of this base?" questioned Baron Sisse.


    Those questions confused us as well. We tried to observe more, with Wuzhou and the others scanning repeatedly with our probes, but we still couldn''t figure out this base''s purpose.


    "This is too weird. The base is massive, but it''s almost empty inside. There are no spots to land at nor are there any stations for one to rest. What''s the point of this base?" I muttered in confusion.


    "Regardless, the enemy wouldn''t have built such a big base for nothing. Canyue, I believe the issue lies with those transport ships. They won''t go in and out for no reason. I believe these transport ships will be the perfect tool for our diversion," suggested Old Du.


    "Skyhawk will be performing the leap in 40 minutes. We don''t have much time left to prepare," reminded Anxashe.


    "I think we can consider Old Du''s suggestion," Master Crystal voiced his agreement.


    "According to Old Du''s plan, we will need to attack the transport ships. But the battleships and drones here are always around to protect them. It might be difficult for us to withdraw after our attack. However, it will indeed work as a diversion," analyzed Baron Sisse.


    "I have an idea. If we''re doing it, we might as well do something bigger," I said.


    "Canyue, stop keeping us in suspense. Tell us your idea," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "I wish to use our nuclear warheads for the diversion. We will have our drones carry the nuclear warheads and perform suicide attacks on the transport ships. Regardless of the result of the attack, several nuclear explosions will be enough to throw them into chaos. At that time, all three of our ships can take the chance to sneak through," I said.


    "Using nuclear warheads in outer space isn''t the same as using them on a planet because they are too destructive when used on a planet. We''re in the middle of  boundless space. The power of the nuclear explosions can easily attract their attention. Sacrificing a few drones and nuclear warheads to lure their army away? This is totally worth it," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement, voicing his support immediately.


    "Doing so, we don''t even need to throw Fearless and Spacetime into the attack. All of us will be safe," said Old Du, who agreed as well.


    "So in the end, it is still nuclear weapons that are useful. That is the greatest invention of Blue," said Zhang Bao''er proudly.


    "Will using nuclear weapons create some sort of irreversible consequence?" asked Master Crystal through the communicator.


    "The space here is so wide. A few nuclear warheads can''t even compare with the power of planetary nuclear fusion. You worry too much, Master," said Zhang Bao''er confidently.


    "One can never be too careful. Master Crystal did nothing wrong. Dodo, calculate suitable attack points in accordance with the range of the nuclear explosion. Remember, make sure the explosions won''t actually reach the base. We don''t want any unexpected accidents to happen," I said.


    Having received the order, Dodo started calculating.


    "Canyue, we need to wait for Commander Zhang Xingxing to arrive and tell her the plan. All three of our ships need to sneak in at the same time," reminded Old Du.


    I checked the time. We still had 20 minutes before Skyhawk''s leap. Everyone started waiting impatiently for the results of Dodo''s calculation.


    "Dodo, make sure to calculate properly. According to the plan, we only have one chance at this. We have already diverted from the plan by attacking with drones instead of our battleships. If this fails, the entire operation will be a failure," I said. I was feeling extremely nervous.


    After another 10 minutes, Dodo''s robotic voice rang out from the communicator, "Calculation complete!"


    "What''s the result? We''re only 10 minutes away from Skyhawk''s leap!" urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "I have determined five attack points. We will require 20 drones for this mission. They will move in groups of four, and in each group, three drones will be in charge of covering the one drone carrying the warhead. Regardless of whether we can destroy the enemy ships, the explosions will still happen at the predetermined spots. I will also set the order of explosions, creating a situation where each subsequent explosion will happen farther away. That will make it easier for us to sneak through. All the drones have been given the correct commands. We only need the deputy commander''s order to begin the mission," said Dodo, perfectly finalizing the proposed combat plan.


    "Dodo, well done!" I couldn''t help but praise the android for the job well done.


    With everything ready, we waited silently for the signal from Skyhawk. There were only a few minutes left before its arrival.

 CH 212

    After roughly 10 minutes, Skyhawk''s signal came from the communication system.


    "Skyhawk, Skyhawk, this is Spacetime. Do you hear me?" Dodo started speaking.


    "Yes. This is Skyhawk''s pilot commander, Lin Feixue. Please give us your current location."


    A few minutes later, our communication systems were fully linked up. The moment that was done, Old Du told Commander Zhang Xingxing about the alterations we had made to the plan. Hearing about the number of drones here shocked them all, and they sank into silence.


    "If the enemy forces are so powerful, it will be too dangerous to attack with our ships. I agree with the use of drones and nuclear warheads. I have also reached an agreement with the two princes. If our drones can''t tear an opening, we will temporarily abandon this operation and return to the league," said Zhang Xingxing, who finally broke the silence with the latest order.


    With her order, everyone finally had a clear direction to work toward.


    "Canyue, do we deploy the drones now?" Dodo asked.


    I looked outside the window, clenched my teeth, and replied resolutely, "Begin!"


    With the confirmation, Dodo immediately released 20 drones from Spacetime. Among them, five were carrying nuclear warheads. They maintained invisibility as they flew away from Spacetime.


    The red dots representing the 20 drones could be clearly seen on our screen. Each group was made of four drones, and together, they formed five groups. Shortly after, they split up and headed toward their respective targets.


    "Commander, the first group has arrived at their destination. They are only 300,000 kilometers away from their target. Permission to attack," said Dodo.


    "How far away is Skyhawk from us?" I asked.


    "Skyhawk will be able to reach us in roughly 15 minutes," said Dodo.


    I knew very well that there was no turning back from this plan. The moment the first attack was launched, we could only keep going ahead without stopping. I looked at Baron Sisse, Zhang Bao''er, Anxashe, and the other comrades who also came from Blue. They all gazed at me with a look of trust.


    "Dodo, launch the first nuclear attack. Have the other drones attack in turns as per our plan," I ordered firmly.


    Then, our screen immediately showed a red arrowhead flying straight toward an imperial transport ship. Everyone focused on the surveillance screen and saw that the enemy transport ships were still busy moving in and out in an orderly fashion, completely oblivious to the fact that a nuclear attack was imminent.


    Suddenly, we noticed from the screen that the enemy drones seemed to have discovered something as a group of them were rushing in a direction. A few battleships were also following them.


    "Looks like our attack has been discovered," analyzed Baron Sisse, who was watching nervously.


    Right at that moment, a deafening sound rang out in front of our ship to the right; a massive red cloud had formed while a red dot on our screen vanished. However, the explosion had occurred quite far from our actual target. We couldn''t see the explosion on our screen, but we could see that the transport ships were still operating normally.


    "Shit, the drone carrying the warhead was intercepted before it could reach its destination," said Zhang Bao''er as he stared at the rolling cloud.


    I ignored Zhang Bao''er and asked for the data from Dodo, "Dodo, evaluate the attack of the first warhead."


    "The warhead was intercepted 100,000 kilometers away from the target. It was unable to deal any damage to the transport ship, but a large number of enemy drones are rushing toward the explosion site," said Dodo, giving us a piece of news that wasn''t too bad.


    Just as I was about to ask more questions, the second nuclear warhead detonated. Somewhere over 10,000 kilometers away from the first explosion, an even larger and brighter rolling cloud formed. The two clouds formed a reflection of each other, coming together to present a terrifying sight.


    At that point, the radius of the first explosion had expanded to a wide area. The shockwaves that followed the explosion were able to spread even farther in boundless space. Even Spacetime and Fearless could feel the shockwaves; they were shaking intensely even with the protection of our shields.


    "I did not expect a nuclear explosion in space would be so much more powerful than one on a planet," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Canyue, the enemy transport ships have been struck by the shockwaves," Dodo''s joyful voice rang out from the communicator.


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    From the screen, we could clearly see that the shockwaves of the first explosion had sent several transport ships flying and spinning away. After losing their flight capabilities, these ships actually dropped below the base. After a while, they seemed to have knocked onto something as they all blew up in dazzling and fiery explosions before vanishing into nothingness.


    "Invisible mines. Looks like the lower and upper parts of the base are well-defended. Good thing we didn''t take the risk to sneak through there," said Old Du fearfully upon seeing the intense explosions.


    While we were talking, the shockwaves of the second explosion arrived. The shockwaves from the second explosion were several times more powerful than the first, and our two ships were nearly sent flying. As for the enemy transport ships, they suffered heavy losses, and almost a hundred of them were sent into the mines and blown up.


    "Canyue, we have arrived at the appointed location. Skyhawk is right behind you," Zhang Xingxing''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Reporting to the commander, the nuclear attacks have begun. Please have the ship ready to sneak through," I replied.


    At that time, the enemy ships had started to perform mass maneuvers to deal with the explosions. Even so, there were still far more drones remaining behind than we had expected. Then, a new bright explosion erupted far away. The third warhead had been detonated.


    "The third warhead was intercepted by the enemy drones about 50,000 kilometers from their transport route and was forced to detonate," reported Dodo.


    "Each subsequent explosion has been able to shift closer to their transportation route. Hopefully, the final two warheads will be able to strike the transportation route," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The third explosion created a chain effect with the previous explosions to create a ring-shaped shockwave that destroyed all drones in the ring. However, the enemy ships seemed to be employing a rather simple tactic. They were basically sacrificing their numbers to intercept our attacks without a care for the cost. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that more drones were flying toward the explosions to prevent more attacks. Our diversion seemed to be working perfectly.


    "Canyue, a majority of the enemy defenses have left. Should we attempt to sneak in now?" asked Old Du through the communicator.


    "I suggest we wait until the fourth explosion before moving," I said.


    But then, an enemy battleship appeared on our screen. It was leading a group of drones to attack the drones carrying the fourth warhead. About 300 imperial drones were encircling and attacking our drones. In a short while, the red dots representing the fourth group vanished from our screen.


    "Shit, the enemy has seen through our invisible drones. Our fourth warhead was destroyed before it could be detonated," came Dodo''s urgent voice.


    "Canyue, start sneaking through earlier. If the fifth warhead also fails, the enemy defenders will return to their positions," said Old Du.


    "Dodo, according to our plan, how much longer will the fifth warhead take to reach its target?" I asked while looking at the four final red dots on the screen.


    "If they are not intercepted, they will reach their destination in 2 minutes. The earlier explosions have distracted the defensive forces. We might succeed if we sneak in now," said Dodo, giving the same advice to move earlier.


    "Canyue, Lin Feixue estimated that there is only about 30 percent of the enemy drones left in their original positions. Do we move in?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    This was the longest 2 minutes I had ever experienced in my life. It felt more like hours than minutes. However, I insisted on waiting for the final cloud to rise as I fixed my gaze on the busy transportation route.


    The heavens seemed to have decided to reward my patience. When the appointed time arrived, an even larger explosion cloud formed in the distance. Even our screen was filled with a white radiance.


    "Success! The fifth warhead exploded directly on its target at the center of the transportation route!" exclaimed Dodo in excitement.


    The intense explosion caused our recording system to fail, forcing us to look out of the window. A massive cloud could be seen, and right below the cloud, a string of explosions had occurred, chaining toward us.


    "The nuclear strike has caused a chain explosion. All the enemy drones have moved to contain the explosion with their bodies," reported Old Du. This was our best chance to sneak through. We could no longer hesitate.


    "Dodo, verify the sneaking routes of all three ships. Set off immediately," I ordered.


    The three ships flew rapidly toward the enemy''s defensive perimeter.


    I thought inwardly, ''Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula, Nommo''s ancient memories, we have come today in accordance with the prophecy. The 7th Armored Division shall unveil this ancient puzzle.''

 CH 213

    The three ships moved forward in a line. Moving while invisible, we attempted to sneak through the defensive perimeter into the Horsehead Nebula''s inner region while the imperial forces were in chaos.


    Due to the nuclear explosions, many of their defensive forces had headed toward the explosion sites. The chain explosion set off by the fifth nuclear warhead had yet to cease. The fiery shockwaves continued spreading and wreaked havoc everywhere, destroying more and more transport ships. Our attacks seemed to have angered the enemies, as suddenly, Fearless''s probe let off an urgent alarm.


    "Canyue, more battleships and drones have appeared from a different defensive section as reinforcements. There are nearly 60,000 of them. This is triple our estimation," said Dodo.


    "Looks like the explosions had attracted the attention of their command. They were able to send so many reinforcements over so quickly. This is quite a fast reaction," said Baron Sisse.


    "Only 60,000 drones? I thought they had millions of these drones. Are they looking down on us by sending so little over?" Zhang Bao''er was uttering nonsense as usual.


    "Brother Bao''er, they need to defend an area a lightyear wide. You should think before speaking," teased Baron Sisse.


    "That fellow has never been that bright," Domo''s voice also came from the communicator.


    "This is the communication channel for the command. Why are unrelated individuals in here?" Zhang Bao''er immediately raged.


    "Fatty, I''m sorry to tell you that I''m now in charge of Skyhawk''s flank warning system. I need to stay in contact with the commander at all times," said Domo smugly.


    "Zhang Xingxing is truly bad at delegating," complained Zhang Bao''er softly to me as he didn''t dare to actually voice those words out.


    Everyone knew that Domo and Zhang Bao''er never got along well. But since we were in an urgent military operation, nobody tried to comfort Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, we have entered the front formation of the enemy''s defensive perimeter. We need roughly 15 minutes of constant flight to avoid their scans," said Dodo.


    To avoid their scans, we had been moving at a lower speed, attempting to sneak through by moving at a consistent speed. Currently, the chain explosions had been contained by the imperial drones. The outer defensive perimeter was slowly returning to normal, and around us, random drones were starting to appear. These drones were searching for the culprit of the nuclear attacks.


    According to our probes, the drones that had come as reinforcements were rapidly approaching our area. Once they arrived, with their sheer numbers, they would be able to detect us without even scanning. But to stay invisible, we were unable to accelerate. Thus, we could only carefully maneuver around anything that could detect us.


    Behind us, the enemy ships were reforming their defensive perimeter. The radiance and the clouds from the nuclear explosions had yet to fully fade. In fact, with the absence of wind, the clouds could potentially remain for a long time. Perhaps if one was looking this way through a telescope on Blue, one would even mistakenly believe that a new nebula was forming.


    At that point, the shockwaves from the nuclear explosions had spread farther away. Meanwhile, calm was slowly returning to the central explosion zones. However, our nuclear attacks had definitely angered the enemy army. A large-scale search was underway, but they had probably not expected us to have sneaked through their lines.


    "Canyue, the enemy has reformed their formations. At this point, there is no going back for us," Baron Sisse reminded.


    "I never expected to return from the same way we came in anyway. Only by entering the dark region can we find a path of survival," I said as I pointed at the massive Horsehead Nebula ahead of us.


    "Canyue, we''re approaching their space base. Watch out and utilize manual piloting to avoid touching anything," reminded Dodo.


    At Dodo''s reminder, we shifted our attention from the back of the ship to the front. The imposing space base could clearly be seen in front of us. Previously, when we looked at the base from afar, it looked like a gigantic space fortress. Now that we were slowly approaching it, we were able to better observe this great metallic construct.


    "My god. Look at the workmanship that went into constructing this place. It is at least centuries ahead of us in technology," we gasped in admiration.


    A massive tube so deep its other end couldn''t be seen floated in the middle of space. The tube also looked like it actually circled around the entire Horsehead Nebula. Numerous cubes floated around it, and the tube was running through the middle of them. The distance between each cube was exactly the same.


    We could also see that these constructs were all made with an extremely high level of craftsmanship. On the surface of each cube, millions of nuts could be seen, and the size of these nuts and the gaps between them were also exactly the same.


    ''This is basically a delicate work of art. It is so beautiful I almost can''t bear to damage this place,'' I thought inwardly. This base was indeed made with a level of technology far ahead of ours.


    "Wuzhou, if given a chance, will you be able to construct something like this?" Zhang Bao''er started talking nonsense again.


    "Something like this requires large-scale space construction equipment to build. Also, a powerful energy source is required to support the operation of a base this large. Look at how neatly they are arranged. They are not being held in place by dark matter. Rather, they are keeping these cubes fixed in place with their energy supply," said Wuzhou.


    "What? This base is maintaining its balance through its energy supply instead of making use of the gravitational forces of dark matter?" I asked in shock.


    "Yeah. If you''re right, just how much energy would be required to support something of this scale?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "Energy is something the universe never lacks. If something this massive only relies on dark matter to maintain balance, a malfunction with a single cube will be enough to destroy the entire base. A base engineered so meticulously will definitely be supported by a powerful energy source," said Wuzhou convincingly.


    "I did not notice any supporting power system in this base. Wuzhou, where is the energy source you speak of?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I believe they are using electrical power. These cubes are being fixed in place by electromagnetic power," said Wuzhou.


    "Weird. Why did the empire spend so many resources to build a massive space fortress like this?" I looked at the floating construct in confusion.


    "Canyue, look at those transport ships. Just what are they transporting?" said Baron Sisse as he pointed at the fleet of transport ships above us.


    We could clearly see that under the escort of a group of drones, several transport ships had passed through the perimeter of cubes and stopped at a distance. Nothing seemed to happen for 5 minutes before they returned to where they came from.


    "This is so weird. They didn''t do anything at all. They merely stopped before returning. Just what are they doing?" muttered Zhang Bao''er, who had shifted his attention to the behavior of the ships.


    "Canyue, there is no need to think about this. Perhaps we will find the answer after going through the giant tube. I believe the answer we want lies at the other side of this fortress," said Zhang Xingxing through the communicator.


    With Zhang Xingxing''s reminder, we stopped guessing. The three ships continued moving slowly. It was quite fortunate that we still remained undiscovered.


    "Dodo, adjust our trajectory based on our distance from the tube. Take note of the electrical energy there. If we touch anything, we might be discovered," reminded Wuzhou.


    Upon hearing the reminder, Dodo immediately made some minute adjustments to the flight trajectory, trying to distance the ships as much as possible from the tube. This was a delicate job because the three ships couldn''t get too close to the tube or be too far away. After all, the space above the tube was filled with invisible mines. If we accidentally touched anything, we would be swallowed alive by numerous drones.


    I believed that Dodo was probably utilizing their computing power to the maximum capacity at the moment. I could see the three ships slowly and steadily moving across the meticulously built space fort. A few minutes later, we successfully crossed half the tube, arriving at the other side of the fort.


    The moment we crossed the halfway point, we had a feeling that the space around us was different from the universe we were in before. All around us, we were surrounded by some sort of shining substance.


    "Dodo, what is this light?" I asked Dodo.


    "I am still analyzing its spectrum. I will report the moment I have the result," replied Dodo.


    The ships continued moving forward. At that point, we had crossed over the ring-shaped tube and were heading toward the end of the base of cubes. Shortly after, we arrived close to where the transport ships had been stopping. Looking at the vast darkness before me, we kept having the feeling that something enormous was hidden within the darkness. However, none of our scans detected anything extraordinary.


    "Canyue, we have arrived at the transport ships'' final point. No transport ship would go farther than this. Do we continue?" Dodo asked.


    At that time, the people in Fearless focused on me once again. Perhaps what awaited ahead of us was an abyss of terror. However, we had to suffer so much hardship to come here because we wanted to penetrate and learn more about this place. In fact, Dodo asked me if we should continue only because it was part of the standard operating procedure.


    "There is nothing to hesitate about. Continue ahead. This is only the outer region of the Horsehead Nebula. Fearless will take point. The other two ships will enter after we confirm that it is safe to enter," I ordered.


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    Domo, who was in charge of the warning system, reported, "Canyue, two groups of drones are approaching us, one from each side. They seem to be scanning the surroundings of the tube."


    "Fearless, sneak in immediately. Be careful. We will enter after receiving your confirmation," Zhang Xingxing ordered, adding her support to my plan and expediting it.


    "Bao''er, start moving Fearless. Move ahead slowly," I ordered.

 CH 214

    Under Zhang Bao''er''s control, Fearless slowly advanced. Suddenly, we entered an even more obvious wall of light. Compared to the light we had noticed previously, the light in this region was thicker and clearer. The ship seemed to have gone through a pink barrier of light and reached a different space. Before us, a mystical sight of the universe appeared.


    The giant concentration of dust clouds we saw in Nommo''s recordings was before us. However, we weren''t looking at any recordings this time. Rather, we were looking at the real thing. Within each thick cloud, some vague flashes of light could be seen. Those were energy sources.


    Different from what we saw in the recordings, there were over a dozen dust clouds here. This was much higher than in the past. The massive energy harvest machines were nowhere to be seen. Rather, countless orange beams were shooting out of each cloud toward the pink wall of light.


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    "These dust clouds are probably the original form of unborn stars. What I don''t understand is, why are there so many stars being born here?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "I suggest that everyone see this. From what we can see, there aren''t any obvious dangers here. We need to notify Spacetime and Skyhawk as soon as possible and have them reconvene with us," I said.


    Following my order, Zhang Bao''er contacted the other two ships and had them go through the wall of light as well. A minute later, Zhang Xingxing''s and Kelly''s ships came through the wall of light. We had successfully reunited.


    "Phew! We''re lucky to get away in time. If we were a few minutes later, the enemy ships would have found us," said Domo.


    But at that moment, everyone was more occupied by their shock at witnessing the sight before us.


    "What is this? Why are there so many dust clouds? How can so many newborn stars appear in a single place? This is a great discovery," said Dodo in excitement as they hurriedly started recording.


    "I believe these beams had replaced the machines used to harness the energy within these clouds," said Old Du.


    "I think I understand. The space fort creates a massive wall of light with the energy source here, shielding the situation here from any prying. At the same time, they''re utilizing the light transmission method to harvest the energy within the dust clouds," said Baron Sisse.


    "But why are there so many of these dust clouds here? This is too weird," said Master Crystal in bewilderment.


    "Old man, anything is possible in the universe. What''s the point of asking that question?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, I believe these clouds were actually gathered here by that giant wall of light. The Divine Empire is powerful enough militarily that they don''t need to build such a big space fortress just to hide an energy source. I believe the fortress is actually here to control the permissions of the wall of light, and the wall of light definitely has more functions than to hide the clouds," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, are you saying that the wall has some sort of attractive force that can pull these clouds near it?" asked Dodo.


    "I agree with Old Du. In the royal library, I once saw a theory resembling how this wall works. This wall is capable of breaking apart the space occupied by dark matter to create some sort of spatial whirlpool. The whirlpool effect would grow without limits, to the point where many giant objects would start to approach the whirlpool," said Prince Toruse, who similarly voiced his agreement.


    To control the dust clouds with the wall of light, to use the wall to harness the energy, and to process and deliver the harnessed energy with transport ships. That was a level of technology high enough to awe all of us.


    "I have one more question. When we found Skyhawk, it was powered by bioelectricity and nuclear power. In that case, what is the empire using the energy harnessed here for?" asked Zhang Bao''er, ever doubtful.


    "Maybe the core of their artificial planets and the raw materials for their space forts and battleships were transformed from this energy somehow," said Jack.


    "Transforming energy into metal and other materials? In that case, wouldn''t this energy be of some structural makeup with countless possibilities?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "Jack makes some sense. The league scientists have long confirmed that the byproduct of supernovae contains numerous elements, including the many metallic elements. Thus, the energy harnessed from embryonic stars should probably contain many elements, including the metallic elements," said Old Du.


    "Yeah. It won''t be odd to see these elements in a star. What''s difficult is the way to extract the elements. Surprisingly, the Divine Empire''s technology has actually reached a level where they can transform star energy into different elements. This makes them an extremely difficult opponent," said Zhang Xingxing with a sigh.


    "Commander Xingxing, do you still remember Nommo''s recordings? Back then, they had attacked the empire''s energy harness installations here. Looks like after tens of thousands of years, those machines have been upgraded into a space fort. Should we follow the senior''s footsteps and destroy this fort?" I asked.


    "For now, our priority is to locate the beast-breeding base and destroy it. If we can''t destroy it, we need to take the information back to the league and ask for reinforcements. We do not have enough strength to destroy this space fortress," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I agree with Commander Zhang. We are lucky to be able to sneak through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter. If we rashly attack the space fortress, the enemy can easily put an end to us. We should stick to the plan and focus on searching for the beast-breeding base," said Prince Toruse.


    Prince Arude, Principal Sosse, Baron Sisse, and Master Crystal, whose words held some weight, also voiced their support for that suggestion. Thus, Zhang Xingxing ordered everyone to proceed according to our original plan and enter the dark nebula. Dodo and Dondon worked together to resume scanning, attempting to look for the system with red, yellow, and blue stars.


    "I remember that Nommo had to get through the dark nebula before encountering the three-star system. Around the three stars are nine planets, and that was also where the man in black went missing," reminded Old Du.


    "I know. But this place is too big. There are also too many newborn stars in the dark nebula. To look for the three stars, we need to use the light positioning method," I said.


    "Deputy commander, should we start moving toward the predetermined coordinates at the edge of the dark nebula?" asked Dodo.


    "Go," I answered.


    The three ships started leaving the region of enormous dust clouds. All around us were stars in the process of being born. They were at the very beginning of their lives, but the Divine Empire was forcefully harnessing their energy, inhibiting their growth.


    "Retribution will come for them for violating the natural order of things," I said as I looked at the dust clouds.


    "I disagree, Canyue," said Baron Sisse.


    "What is your opinion, Baron? Please tell me. I am willing to listen," I said.


    "I have seen previous cases of stars being devoured by black holes. Even Sagittarius A* at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy was formed through devouring other stars. Therefore, I believe that the relocation of energy is part of the natural order," said Baron Sisse.


    "I disagree. The natural order will always follow the law of the conservation of energy. Everything happens for a reason. But artificial destruction such as energy harnessing does not care for natural balance. It will disrupt the natural balance of the universe," I countered.


    "Are other existences not part of the universe? Sentient life forms and the celestial bodies of the universe are all made of different elements. If harnessing the energy of stars is wrong, how about the iron you harvest? Isn''t that an act of damaging the planets you harvest from? If you insist on such logic, you will only confuse yourself," said Baron Sisse. I found myself unable to counter his argument.


    "Enough," Kelly said. "I don''t think there is right or wrong in this matter. For example, Zhang Bao''er and the green worms. The green worms are life forms as well. Why must Zhang Bao''er eat them?"


    "How is this related to me? Also, I don''t even eat green worms!" said Zhang Bao''er, who felt incredulous at being dragged into the argument for no apparent reason.


    "We have arrived at the edge of the dark nebula," Dodo suddenly said.


    "Let''s stop our philosophical debate. All of you are right. What I want to know now is what we should do next?" complained Domo.


    Only then did we notice that we had gone far away from the dust clouds. The ships had entered a dark place, and right ahead of us was a dark cloud of immeasurable size.


    "Orion Constellation''s Horsehead Nebula. We''re currently at the waist of the nebula. Further below is the underlay of the nebula, and it is incomparably large. Back then when we saw the recording, Dondon and I had spent a long time calculating. We both agreed that in theory, the three-star system should be located at the horse''s torso," said Dodo.


    "Since that is the result of your calculations, I''ll trust you. We shall enter the torso," I agreed.


    With my order, we prepared to join the shields of three ships before entering. That way, we could ensure that we would remain together even after entering the nebula. Suddenly, the alarm in the ship blazed.


    "Shit! A battleship''s offensive system has locked onto us," Dodo exclaimed.


    "What? Have you discovered any enemy ships? Start scanning immediately!" I ordered quickly.


    "I have scanned behind us. No enemy ship has been discovered yet," replied Lin Feixue from Skyhawk.


    "No discovery here either," Zhang Bao''er replied.


    All around us, only darkness could be seen. Both our probes and our naked eyes were unable to detect any enemies.


    "That fellow must be hiding somewhere near us while invisible. It must have followed us for quite a while," analyzed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Deputy Commander, the enemy ship is preparing to attack. According to the system, their weapons will open fire in around 100 seconds," reported Dodo. The atmosphere in the ship turned nervous.


    Once again, we were faced with a crisis.

 CH 215

    "Dodo, have Spacetime enter the dark nebula immediately. Use the dark clouds to hide from the enemy''s targeting system. The other two ships will move at the same time as well," I said.


    "But we have yet to link our shields. If we enter now, we might split up after entering," said Dodo.


    "There''s nothing we can do about that. We need to move now. The enemy''s targeting system is like a sword hanging from above, waiting to fall down on us," I insisted.


    At that point, we were less than 30 seconds from being attacked. Thus, Spacetime accelerated suddenly and rushed into the waist of the Horsehead Nebula. Fearless and Skyhawk followed closely behind.


    The moment we entered, we found ourselves surrounded by thick, dark clouds. The clouds looked calm outside, but upon entering, we discovered that the cloud movements inside were rather violent. The clouds constantly moved, similar to the clouds on Blue during a typhoon.


    "I did not expect that this dark nebula, which looks so calm outside, is actually so intense inside," said Old Du in astonishment.


    "Dodo, has Spacetime escaped the enemy''s targeting?" I asked. Compared to the dark nebula, I was more worried about being hit by the enemy''s attack.


    "Reporting to the deputy commander, the enemy''s targeting system is still locked onto Spacetime. They will attack in 10 seconds," reported Dodo.


    "Canyue, what should we do now?" asked Old Du anxiously. He was also within Spacetime.


    "We wait. There is no alternative," I decided. In truth, I did not know what to do either. However, I believed that the dark nebula would be capable of obstructing the enemy''s attack.


    "Counting down," Dodo started the final countdown while everyone waited with nervous expressions.


    "Five, four, three, two..."  Dodo suddenly stopped.


    "Dodo, what happened? Are you still alive?" Zhang Bao''er asked.


    "The targeting system vanished during the final second," Dodo replied.


    Once again, luck stood on our side. The dark nebula had successfully obstructed the enemy''s targeting system, allowing Spacetime to escape the crisis. Our strained nerves relaxed, and I breathed out in relief.


    Our ships flew within the dark nebula and were temporarily safe from the threat and pursuit of the Midstar Army. Compared to war, I would much rather spend my time exploring the dangerous parts of the universe.


    Outside the window, the turbulence of the dark nebula was extremely intense. With the lighting system of our ships, this was perhaps the first time the scene within this dark nebula was presented before organic life forms.


    "Reporting to the deputy commander, Dondon and I have discovered a location where our scans indicated that there might be a three-star system. I suggest we go there for our search," said Dodo.


    "Agree. Let''s head there," I said. We didn''t have any other targets anyway.


    We accelerated toward our new target. The deeper we went, the thicker the dark nebula was. The clouds with different elements mixed within seemed to be gradually intensifying. At that point, only pure black clouds could be seen outside the window instead of the ash-gray clouds we saw when we first entered.


    "Why would there be different colors in the dark nebula itself?" asked Zhang Bao''er. This was something not available in his downloaded knowledge.


    "I believe that might be due to the temperature and elemental makeup of the regions in the nebula. The region we are in is completely dark, which means that there are no newborn stars nearby. The temperature here is lower, and the probability of metallic elements appearing here is higher than regions with higher temperature," said Baron Sisse.


    "In other words, you believe that the dark clouds are composed of heavy metals. That causes a change in the shape and form of other elements such as hydrogen and helium," said Zhang Bao''er as understanding came to him.


    "The Divine Empire probably knows this place more than us. After all, the league has never really explored the Horsehead Nebula," said Old Du.


    Our ships continued moving through the thick dark clouds. All of us were relaxing and recuperating. We also took some food to replenish our energy. According to Dodo''s calculation, we were still three hours away from our target. Right at that moment, Skyhawk initiated a docking request. During the high-speed travel, someone was trying to enter our ship through the docking bridge.


    "Canyue, the prince and I are going over to have a face-to-face meeting," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With the order from the commander, Zhang Bao''er and Wuzhou hurriedly cooperated and adjusted Fearless''s flying speed to the same speed as Skyhawk. Then, a docking bridge was extended from each ship.


    It was extremely difficult to complete the docking process during high-speed travel. Everything needed to be done in accordance with the calculations of the computer program. This wasn''t a task one could manually complete.


    In accordance with the flying speed and docking channel, Zhang Bao''er and Lin Feixue only needed to insert the commands for the correct docking channel. The system would complete everything else.


    Fearless''s docking bridge attempted to connect with Skyhawk''s docking bridge. Although the two ships were moving at a high speed, the system''s accurate calculation allowed the two to move at the same speed.


    A few seconds later, the two bridges touched. After several attempts in accordance with the simulated data, the two bridges were finally locked together. The docking process had been completed.


    After a short depressurization process, Fearless''s airlock opened. A group of people walked in. Next, the bridges disconnected and returned to their respective ships. Zhang Xingxing and the two princes entered. Surprisingly, three other people were behind them: Wind Spirit, Dondon, and Domo.


    "Are the children here for tourism?" sneered Zhang Bao''er the moment he saw Domo.


    "We are assisting the commander on an important assignment. We will not waste any time with slow-witted individuals," said Domo to Wind Spirit, deliberately ignoring Zhang Bao''er.


    "Commander Xingxing, what is so important that you have to come yourself instead of using the communicator?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Prince Toruse has some thoughts he wishes to share with us. I believe it will be better for the conversation to be private," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Is there a problem? Why must you be so cautious?" I asked Prince Toruse.


    "Canyue, I have a presumptuous request," said Prince Toruse without beating around the bush.


    Hearing his words, I understood that he was about to make another big request.


    Unsurprisingly, the prince requested, "Is it possible to lend me and Arude a battleship? We need to carry out a secret mission independently. We will regroup with everyone after our mission."


    I found the request shocking. I wasn''t shocked by the prince''s audacity in making the request but by the prince''s words, which made it clear that there were more secrets buried in the Horsehead Nebula. The two princes were still holding back some information from us.


    "Secret operation for the two of you. How are you going to pilot a ship with only two people?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Princes, can you tell me about your mission? If it is appropriate, we can even help you with it," I suggested.


    "The two Storm warriors, Wind Spirit and Dondon, will be helping us. We only need to borrow five more Blueling soldiers to help us staff the ship. We really can''t reveal the contents of the mission at this time. We will arrive at the predetermined location after 24 hours. At that time, I will tell all of you about the mission," said Prince Toruse with a polite yet resolute tone, completely unwilling to leak anything.


    I looked at Zhang Xingxing. It wasn''t an easy request to agree to. Zhang Xingxing sank into deep thought and remained silent for quite a while. Seeing that, I was prepared to reject the prince. After all, we were already lacking in numbers. Losing another ship would greatly reduce our strength.


    Before I could speak, Zhang Xingxing suddenly asked, "Wind Spirit, Dondon, are you willing to accompany the prince on this secret mission?"


    "What secret is it that he''s so tight-lipped about? I don''t mind going along to take a look," said Wind Spirit. She had always been a curious one.


    And so long as Wind Spirit was willing to go, there wasn''t even a point in asking Dondon. The only thing he wanted was to spend all his time with Wind Spirit. I could see that Zhang Xingxing had reached a decision after confirming that the two were willing to join the secret mission.


    "I am willing to lend you Fearless for the secret mission. I''ll also lend you 50 soldiers. We will reconvene at the predetermined location in 24 hours. Keep the communication channel open at all times," Zhang Xingxing said, agreeing to their request. I wasn''t even surprised that she would reach this decision.


    And since the commander herself had agreed, I did not disagree.


    "You''re not invited to the secret mission. Why are you here?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked Domo.


    "This officer is carrying out a classified task. Only the commander has the clearance to know about my task," replied Domo smugly.


    "A junior sergeant like you dares to call yourself an officer? You even claim to be equal to the commander? Don''t you think that''s a little excessive?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, this is not the time to bicker. Reconnect with Skyhawk. We will retreat to Skyhawk. The two princes will take Fearless," I said.


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    At that time, I noticed Prince Toruse rejecting Baron Sisse''s offer to help with the secret mission.


    "Just what are the two princes planning? Just like that, they took one of our ships away. And Zhang Xingxing even agreed!" I was still doubtful.


    But since the decision had been made, there was nothing I could do. Zhang Bao''er and Lin Feixue worked together to have the docking bridges link up again. At the same time, we picked 50 capable soldiers to help the princes with their mission. In less than 10 minutes, the bridges were connected. We started moving out, leaving Fearless to the princes.


    "Princes, we will be moving out. I look forward to hearing good news from you. Please return safely with Fearless and the crew members," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The princes promised firmly that they would return safely. We then walked through the bridge and entered Skyhawk.


    The moment we were inside, Zhang Bao''er said, "Commander Zhang Bao''er, why did you agree to let them go with our ship? With the strength they have, I don''t think they will be able to complete their mission safely."


    Zhang Xingxing calmly looked at Fearless''s withdrawing bridge without saying anything. I understood how she felt. She had chosen to believe in the two princes and was waiting for the two to bring everyone an unexpected miracle.

 CH 216

    The moment the two bridges completed disconnection, Fearless turned around and flew in the other direction, vanishing amid the dark clouds.


    "Hopefully he can complete his mission and return safely," said Baron Sisse with a sigh.


    "Commander, the princes had shut down Fearless''s communication system. We have lost contact with Fearless," reported Dodo anxiously.


    "I knew this would happen. The moment the two princes told me that it was a highly important secret mission, I knew that they wouldn''t maintain contact with us," said Zhang Xingxing calmly.


    "Since they have left, let''s ignore Fearless for now. Dodo, how long will it take us to reach our destination?" I asked, shifting the focus back to our operation.


    "In 15 minutes, we will reach the outer edge of the three-star system," reported Dodo.


    Hearing that, everyone stopped worrying about other issues. Rather, the focus was shifted to the monitoring screen, awaiting the first sight of the three-star system. After waiting for 15 minutes, some flashes of light appeared outside the window. Then, the space outside seemed to have opened up all of a sudden. The complete darkness that shrouded us was slowly penetrated by golden rays of light. As the rays of light entered the ship, we could even feel a trace of warmth.


    I quickly walked up to the window and saw that we had moved out of the dark nebula. Far ahead of us, a two-star system could be seen. Due to its distance from us, the stars were as small as beans. Surprisingly, the rays of light from the bean-sized stars were powerful enough to enter and brighten the ship even when the stars were so far away. Numerous questions arose in my mind as I rapidly went through the downloaded knowledge to look for an explanation for what I was experiencing.


    "Canyue, we are still over a billion kilometers away from the system. You won''t be able to see much even if you stand so close to the window," said Domo from behind me.


    I immediately returned to the monitoring screen. At that point, everyone else was already gathered there. The ship''s monitoring system worked rapidly. We would receive a status report on the discovered system soon.


    "I think I saw a two-star system just now, but we''re looking for a three-star system," I said to Dodo.


    "We''re too far away, and the naked eye won''t be able to see well enough. Just wait for the result from our scans. We will be approaching the inner edge of the system in 40 minutes," said Dodo.


    A few minutes later, the scan result was out, proving that this was really a three-star system. It would seem like Dodo''s and Dondon''s calculations had been right. From the images, the two larger stars and the one smaller star had come together to form a three-star system. The smaller star was between the two bigger stars, and the gravitational pull of the two bigger stars had created some sort of balance that resulted in the formation of a three-star system.


    Around the system was a clear space that was not part of the dark nebula. Within the clear space, we could detect the traces of several planets. At the outer layer of the pure space were layers of dust clouds. Whirlpools of different sizes and flashes of light could be seen within the dust clouds, and perhaps new planets or even stars were in the process of being born.


    "Reporting to the commander and the deputy commander, we have managed to calculate the age of the stars by using the mass calculation method. The two bigger stars have a lifespan of about 4 billion years old while the smaller star has a lifespan of about  30 billion years old," reported Dodo.


    "Mass calculation method? How does that work?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Blue''s primary star, the sun, is about 4.6 billion years old with a mass of 1.989 ¡Á 10^30 kilograms. By comparing the mass of the sun and other stars, the researchers on Blue were able to determine the age of other newly discovered stars," explained Dodo.


    "Is that accurate? What if the star was born bigger than your primary star? That is also likely to happen," questioned Principal Sosse.


    "Principal, that does not conflict with our calculation, and there is no denying that the scenario you mentioned might happen. The lifespan of a star depends on the rate at which the star exhausts its nuclear fuel and the amount of fuel available. We''re talking about the formula used on Blue. In our formula, the mass of our primary star is the unit of measurement we use for other stars. Depending on their mass, certain stars hit their age milestones and grow into different stages after a different number of years. Our formula should work on paper.


    "The bigger a star, the shorter the lifespan. For example, Alnilam is more than 30 times the size of our primary star, and its lifespan can perhaps be as short as 10 million years," said Dodo.


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    There was not much argument against Dodo''s theory. After all, this wasn''t our true concern.


    "If this little star has a lifespan of 30 billion years, then it will be very odd. How can the dust clouds form a new star in between two mature stars? And how can it maintain such a stable form?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I believe this small star wasn''t formed here. Rather, it took form somewhere else," Old Du suddenly said.


    "Not formed here? Are you saying that it flew here by itself?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "Exactly. I think this small star is a wandering star. Where it was born, the dust clouds had been shifting in accordance with the outside pull. Ultimately, the pull of the two stars dragged it here. By pure coincidence, the three stars formed a balance," said Old Du.


    "Wandering star. Generally, due to the mass of each star, an entire star system, a celestial system with higher total mass is required to restrict stars in a certain area. But in the universe, different star systems will often affect each other with their respective gravitational pulls. Ultimately, they will collide and become a new system. In the process, some stars might also be thrown off from their original system, becoming wandering stars," said Dodo.


    "In that case, there must be something powerful that had altered the original movement of this star, causing it to depart from its original position and come into this system instead," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Apart from the collision of systems, the great acceleration created from black holes colliding might create wandering stars as well," said Dodo.


    "With the size of Horsehead Nebula, it is unlikely for there to be two massive systems in it. In that case, it is more likely that there are two black holes here," I concluded.


    "There is actually a black hole in the Horsehead Nebula? No, are there multiple? That is inconceivable. This is a place where stars are born. Even the Horsehead Nebula itself is relatively young. It is estimated to only be around five billion years old. It doesn''t make sense that there are two dead black holes in a nebula where new stars are born," said Zhang Bao''er, feeling like everything he had learned was a lie.


    "That isn''t exactly surprising. Since a wandering star can exist here, these black holes might also be of similar nature: wandering black holes," I said as an idea suddenly struck me.


    Wandering black holes wasn''t a new concept. On Blue, it had been proven long ago that wandering black holes existed. That would explain the existence of black holes in the Horsehead Nebula.


    "But to have two wandering black holes appear here at the same time before colliding, the probability of that happening is way too low," questioned Principal Sosse.


    That was a reasonable question. From how young the Horsehead Nebula was, it was way too unlikely for two black holes to wander in at the same time. Everyone sank into silence. Everyone on Blue understood that it was all due to the unique and safe environment that Blue had been able to grow safely for over four billion years.


    Blue was located in the outer region of the Milky Way Galaxy, and its location placed it far from supergiant black holes, supergiant meteoroids, supernovas, and other life-ending disasters. In fact, it was located in a stable location suitable for life to grow.


    "Space fortress," I suddenly exclaimed after a long silence.


    "Are you saying that the light wall of that space fortress is capable of pulling over a celestial body so big?" asked Baron Sisse in astonishment.


    "The spatial whirlpool created by the space fortress releases ripples that are infinitely empowered by repetition, creating an effect similar to the pull of a star system on a wandering star," I explained.


    "That isn''t right. The space fortress can''t be older than 100,000 years. That is nothing in the universe. It is too unbelievable that the fortress can attract two black holes in the span of only 100,000 years. If that''s really the case, the fortress''s ability to alter the order of nature would be so terrifying that we need to really change our plan and should instead consider destroying the fortress," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Impossible. No matter how powerful that fortress is, with how big the universe is, a period of 100,000 years is far too short to alter the trajectory of a massive celestial body. We must have overlooked something," said Master Crystal. He disagreed with my theory.


    "There must be something deeper than this. We can only investigate it further if we want to know more. Dodo, how long will it take for us to reach the three-star system? Perhaps we will get more answers after observing the system from a closer distance. Also, have the nine planets been discovered?" I asked.


    "We will be 600 million kilometers from the system in 20 minutes. However, the nine planets have yet to be discovered. But since the empire has quite a lot of invisible planets, we can''t draw any conclusion before making a closer observation," said Dodo helplessly. They were somewhat losing their confidence in their analytical ability due to the empire''s level of technology.


    Hearing that, we stopped the discussion. We could only make further observations upon approaching the system.


    "All these people are acting like theorists, but not one of their words can be believed. All of them are merely guessing based on their personal opinions. This is completely unreliable. Attracting a black hole within 100,000 years? It would be more believable if there was a giant wormhole or time tunnel involved and working as a medium," said Domo, assuming a lecturing tone as he spoke to the simple-minded Baobao.

 CH 217

    The speaker did not mean anything, but Domo''s words did give me a new idea.


    "Everyone, I know what we''re missing. There might be a massive wormhole, a time tunnel, or something similar in the Horsehead Nebula. Because of that, the ripples from the whirlpool were transmitted even farther away, attracting celestial bodies from far away," I said in excitement.


    "That makes sense. If a wormhole is involved, the distance involved can be explained," Old Du agreed.


    "Li Canyue, what are you saying?" Domo''s furious voice rang out behind me.


    I hurriedly turned around. Since I had taken his idea, the little fellow was so angry his face had turned red.


    "You''re blatantly stealing from me!" Domo continued scolding while everyone else was confused.


    "Everyone, Domo was the first person to come up with this idea. Let us show him our appreciation as encouragement," I quickly said.


    And thus, everyone looked at Domo with a look of praise, including Commander Zhang Xingxing, who nodded at Domo with a look of acknowledgment.


    "Don''t worry about it at all. As an officer in the 7th Armored Division, this is what I should do," said Domo. He was no longer angry. Rather, he had a smug smile on his face.


    "A low-level soldier insists on pretending to be an officer. What has the world become?" said Zhang Bao''er, who was obviously jealous of the praise Domo was receiving.


    "What a surprise, Domo. I did not expect you to come out with such an idea. I have a whole new level of respect for you," praised the honest Old Du.


    I could see that Baobao was about to speak, but then Domo tripped him and made him fall onto the floor.


    "Ahh? Kid, if you want an autograph, just let me know. Why are you so impatient? You even broke my leg!" Domo even hurriedly threw out an accusation, afraid that Baobao would expose him.


    "If there is a wormhole or a time tunnel, we could use it during our retreat," suggested Dodo.


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    "Jack, start scanning immediately. Look for the tunnel immediately. If it is big enough for a black hole to pass through, it will be so big that it can be easily found," said Zhang Xingxing.


    As the command room bustled with noise and activity, we reached a spot 600 million kilometers away from the three-star system. At that point, we were already able to get a clear look at the three distant stars.


    With the dark universe as the backdrop, the three bright figures hovered before us, looking grand and majestic. Different from the red, yellow, and blue stars that we remembered, two of the bigger stars were actually blue giant stars that were about six times bigger than Blue''s sun. The smaller star in the middle was a yellow dwarf star and was about 80 percent the size of Blue''s sun.


    "Canyue, these stars don''t really look like the three stars we saw before. At the very least, the colors are different," said Old Du.


    "Is it possible that they have changed over the past 100,000 years?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Not possible. From their appearance, 100,000 years will not be enough for them to undergo such a change in appearance. Stars that can actually change their appearance within 100,000 years will be stars at the end of their lifespan, not these three that are still relatively calm and stable," said Dodo.


    "Canyue, I think we might have gone to the wrong place," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Might? We have definitely gone to the wrong place. This is a three-star system, but not the one with the beast-breeding base," I said.


    "The view here is so beautiful. I am in awe of the power of nature for creating such a sight," said Zhang Xingxing as she gazed at the three stars before us.


    "After your father is found and peace is returned to the universe, we can take a ship together and explore the far corners of the universe for the secrets hidden there," I made a wish.


    "That would be great. May all of us get through this difficult period safely and return to our beautiful job of exploring the universe for its secrets," said Zhang Xingxing, who looked pleased to hear my wish.


    "The premise for that is that Blue needs to gain its independence as well," interrupted Zhang Bao''er, who had come behind us without us realizing it.


    I turned around and gave a good look at the initial squad of four when I first started my career as an explorer. It was truly fortunate that all four of us were still alive. In fact, the team had been growing without stopping. Of course, we also owed a lot to the righteous warriors who had sacrificed to help us, such as Blueflash, Adelan, Li Yizhi, and the Blueling warriors who had left their lives behind on alien lands for a righteous cause.


    "Dodo, resume the search. Try to locate the correct three-star system as quickly as possible," I gave the order.


    With my order, Dodo started scanning the massive dark nebula once again.


    "Commander, do we leave this place first?" I asked.


    "I wonder how the two princes are doing. We are still 20 hours away from the agreed time. Can they return safely? Will Jack be able to discover the wormhole that can help us retreat safely?" asked Zhang Xingxing. She was filled with worries.


    "Commander Xingxing, don''t worry about them. We haven''t even found the beast-breeding base we''re here for. It''s still not the time to think about retreating," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Reporting to the deputy commander, this part of the nebula is too thick. My scans can''t pick up any rays of light from the nebula," reported Dodo.


    "The thick nebula has obstructed light, making it hard for our laser probes to discover new stars. I suggest we use our infrared equipment to try to pick up the stars through heat," suggested Jack.


    "Infrared probes? With Blue''s current level of technology, our infrared scans will be limited in distance. We can only detect heat in a rather small range. We won''t be able to pick up the heat from stars so far away from us," said Dodo helplessly.


    "You don''t have to use Blue''s technology. This Skyhawk is the Divine Empire''s battleship. Let me show you the high capability of the empire''s technology," said Jack in excitement.


    Next, Jack immediately went to the control panel and started working on the infrared probes right in front of Dodo. The technological level of the Divine Empire was truly far beyond our imagination. Jack activated Skyhawk''s infrared probe, which could detect heat 100 billion kilometers away. That was far beyond what the league was capable of.


    "A distance of 100 billion kilometers, but the Horsehead Nebula is a lightyear wide. How long will it take us to completely scan the place?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I reckon we will need more than 100 hours if we''re really unlucky," replied Jack calmly.


    "We can afford to wait 100 hours. If the princes send us a message during that time, just have them come to us," I said and ordered Jack to start.


    Following my order, Jack started scanning the entire Horsehead Nebula. The rest of us took the chance to rest. A period of 100 hours was rather long. It was enough for all of us to take a good rest.


    With my free time, I decided to visit my old friend, Nyx, at the bottom level of the ship. Before that, I also took a look at Bulu who was still in my backpack. The little fellow was still in deep sleep. After leaving Bulu in my room, I headed to the bottom level.


    At that time, Skyhawk had stopped within the three-star system. The three stars were relatively near, and their rays of light filled the ship, giving us a relaxed sensation akin to sunbathing amid the spring breeze, setting a big contrast with the cruel battle earlier and the danger we were going to face next.


    "Canyue, where are you going?" came Zhang Xingxing''s voice right after I stepped out of my room.


    "I''m going to the bottom level to visit Nyx. It has been a while since I last saw him," I said.


    "Can I go with you?" asked Zhang Xingxing with a rather cautious tone.


    "Of course! I had not expected you to come with me at all. Your company is definitely appreciated!" I said in excitement.


    Upon receiving my agreement, Zhang Xingxing walked beside me. I saw that she was carrying a big backpack. It was probably filled with Nyx''s favorite food.


    "Canyue, do you think we will succeed in our goal?" asked Zhang Xingxing as we walked.


    "Of course! Evil will never prevail over justice. So long as we remember our aspirations and persist in the face of all hardships, I believe we will obtain success!" I replied firmly.


    "But I have been feeling lost recently. I don''t even know what my goal is anymore. From a small and poor team, we have grown to a level where we have a small fleet of our own and an army of over 10,000 people under our command. However, every single life we command is incomparably precious. All these lives will be endangered just because I wish to look for my father. Is that worth it? I don''t know the answer," confessed Zhang Xingxing.


    "Everyone''s goal will change upon reaching a different stage of life. I think you worry too much, Commander. Existence itself is meaningful. What every soldier experiences and each event that happens are in accordance with the universe''s law of survival. You do not need to blame yourself too much. So long as you remember your heart and do not give up on righteousness, everything will be fine. Everything that will happen, will happen during our pursuit of justice. All sacrifices will be for the sake of preserving peace and ensuring the survival of even more lives in the universe. That is a price that must be paid," I said, sharing what I had concluded after all I had experienced recently.


    "Well said, Canyue. You make me realize something. So long as we continue striving for justice, we will be able to fight for equality and the right of living for more life forms. Even if some of us have to sacrifice for that goal, it will be worth it," said Zhang Xingxing as the light in her eyes slowly returned.


    "Yes. There is no absolute fairness in the world. Let us shoulder the inequality and hardships so that others won''t have to experience the same. My only hope is that in the future, everyone can live peacefully without war and slaughter," I said.


    "I understand. Your words made me understand. I know what our mission is. We should bravely face all hardships. Through the pursuit of our goals, we will change the unequal state of the universe and fight for the equal rights of existence for all living beings in the universe. I will keep this in my mind until the very end!" said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Whatever happens, I will walk alongside you. Our squad will also support you until the end," I vowed.


    My promise helped her regain her spirit. A determined look covered her face, as though all her misgivings were gone. We only had one goal in mind: to fight until the very end for justice and the equal rights of existence.


    Suddenly, she held my right hand tightly with her left hand. This was the first time our hands joined, and a sense of responsibility and joy flooded my heart. We did not say anything else. Hand in hand, we walked silently to Nyx''s room.

 CH 218

    Nyx resided in the cargo bay at the bottom level of the ship. While Zhang Xingxing and I headed there, we encountered some Wargod soldiers that were alert and ready for combat. We also encountered some relaxed Akko soldiers who were resting in the cabin. One could easily see the difference in the quality of these soldiers.


    "Reporting to the commander, we have obtained some clues on the wormhole. Please return to the command center," Jack''s voice suddenly sounded, announcing a piece of news that caused our hearts to skip a beat.


    We immediately canceled our plan to visit Nyx and ran back to the command center. Dodo and Jack were already rapidly analyzing the data to verify the accuracy of the scan results. At that time, Baron Sisse and Lin Feixue had also returned to the command center. We waited impatiently for the information to be released.


    "It is confirmed. We have discovered a giant wormhole. I did not expect Domo to actually get it right. The giant wormhole is located at the mouth of the Horsehead Nebula. There, a super wormhole with a diameter of 100 million kilometers can be found," said Dodo in excitement.


    "Great! With that wormhole, we no longer have to worry about our path of retreat," said Lin Feixue.


    "We don''t know that yet. We don''t even know where the wormhole leads to. If it''s a time tunnel, it will be even more troublesome as it might be a one-way trip," said Dodo, pouring a bucket of cold water over our burning excitement.


    "No matter what, we''ve found the super wormhole and confirmed our previous guess to be right. Now, we need to focus on finding the three-star system and complete our mission," I said.


    "Commander, we''re four hours away from the appointed time with the princes. Skyhawk''s infrared scans have also highlighted dozens of newborn stars. We''re getting nearer and nearer to our target," said Dodo.


    "I wonder if the princes and the others can return safely on time," muttered Zhang Xingxing.


    "We don''t even know what mission they''re on. A bunch of people are confused because of those two. Is there even a mission they can complete in 24 hours here?" I said.


    "Superiors, please believe that the princes of Akko will be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility and complete their mission," promised Baron Sisse.


    "There are only four hours before their return. We''ll wait patiently," I said.


    Right at that moment, we received a series of weird images from our infrared scans. The images clearly depicted a clump of heat moving rapidly.


    "What''s that? Why is it moving so quickly? It''s roughly 500 million kilometers away from us," said Dodo nervously.


    Everyone focused on the moving clump of heat. Before long, a second clump of heat appeared, a third clump appeared, until finally, five clumps appeared. They were about 50 million kilometers from each other, and each was the size of a flagship and the corresponding support ships. They were all moving rapidly in different directions.


    "Shit. That might be the imperial fleet performing a search in the nebula," said Jack anxiously.


    "Notify everyone of an emergency meeting. All combat personnel will return to their posts. Skyhawk and Spacetime will immediately enter combat mode," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    The emergency meeting alarm blazed in the ship. In less than 10 minutes, everyone had either gathered at the command center or their respective posts.


    "I''ve barely gotten any rest. What is it? Why are we having an emergency meeting?" Zhang Bao''er could be heard complaining before he even reached the room.


    "Everyone, we have encountered an emergency situation. Our infrared scans have detected five imperial fleets searching through the Horsehead Nebula. It is now obvious that our enemies won''t spare us easily. I need everyone to be ready for combat. A battle might start at any time," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What? The imperials are on our tail again? Those fellows are getting annoying. This place is so big. How can they find us?" Zhang Bao''er continued complaining.


    "Baron, do you think the empire will strengthen the defenses of their beast breeding base as well? I believe the emperor is aware of our goal here," I asked.


    "We have been living under the Divine Empire''s rule for so many years, yet we weren''t even aware of the beast-breeding base''s existence. I don''t think the imperial soldiers know it either. I doubt the emperor will easily expose the secret here to his soldiers. He still needs to be careful in case of mutiny. After all, not many people can accept the existence of a beast army," said the baron.


    "Those soldiers are probably only searching the area to prevent us from discovering what we''re here for. Therefore, we need to hide and get as far as possible from those battleships," suggested Master Crystal.


    "Dodo, plot a flight trajectory. We will enter the nebula and hide from the enemy ships," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    The two ships immediately moved away from the three-star system in the opposite direction of the enemy ships and entered the belly of the Horsehead Nebula. The moment we entered the nebula, the familiar roiling clouds reappeared around us once again. The deeper we went, the darker it was outside the window.


    Skyhawk was in the middle of high-speed travel when its collision alarm blazed. According to our scanners, there was a massive object flying right at us. The ship was still surrounded by darkness, but the system clearly depicted an object the size of the moon heading rapidly toward us. There also seemed to be some sort of attractive force pulling us toward the incoming object.


    "Immediately move out of the way. Have all our weapons enter attack mode," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    "Reporting to the command, we have changed direction. According to the system, no life signatures have been detected on the object," said Dodo.


    Jack and Dodo were in charge of piloting Skyhawk, and Spacetime also changed its trajectory behind us under Old Du''s control. The two ships moved quickly to the right, trying to avoid colliding with the incoming object. Not a single person spoke as everyone was focused on the screen. The object that had suddenly appeared was spherical, and our ships had yet to fully move out of its way.


    Desperate, we further accelerated. Skyhawk, in particular, was forced to use our bioelectricity energy supply once again. With the rapid acceleration, when we were 10 million kilometers away from the incoming object, which was also the critical point before we could no longer evade it, we moved out of the collision zone. The alarm immediately stopped.


    "That was close," I broke out in cold sweat as I looked at the trajectory on the screen. We had barely avoided the collision.


    I gazed outside the window. We were still surrounded by darkness, but I could clearly feel the pressure of the giant object passing by us. The massive sense of suppression seemed to be telling me how insignificant a mere human was before that giant.


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    "That is probably an asteroid. Why would it appear here? It''s so big!" said Zhang Bao''er, who appeared fearful as well.


    "No, that''s not an asteroid but a large wandering planet. It is actually flying around randomly in the nebula," said Dodo.


    "Wandering planet? Its appearance only proves how powerful the ripples of the space fortress are. The super wormhole is clearly constantly attracting different celestial objects here. I suggest we visit the super wormhole and study it while waiting for the result of our scans," said Baron Sisse.


    Everyone agreed with the baron. Not only could we satisfy our curiosity by studying the wormhole, but we could also avoid the imperial ships that were searching the waist of the Horsehead Nebula.


    "We''ll follow the baron''s suggestion. Move toward the super wormhole," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    With the commander''s order, the two ships started moving toward the mouth part of the Horsehead Nebula. This time, we used the wormhole-leap method to reach our destination. After about 15 minutes, we arrived at the head of Horsehead Nebula.


    "Reporting to the commander, we have reached the nebula''s head. We are currently scanning for the accurate location of the super wormhole. The result will be out in 10 minutes," reported Jack.


    At that point, we had also reached the agreed-upon time to reconvene with the two princes. However, our communication channel was still silent because we had left our earlier location by going through wormhole-leaps. From our new location, our electromagnetic waves would take about a year to reach Fearless. Thus, we had temporarily lost contact with Fearless. However, everyone was still fully focused on the super wormhole.


    "Dodo, make sure to not fly out of the nebula''s head. There might be a lot of invisible mines right outside," reminded Zhang Bao''er.


    "The invisible mines should all be outside the wall of light. We are now within the area covered by the wall of light. So long as we stay inside, we will be safe from the mines," said Dodo, allowing Zhang Bao''er to stop worrying about the mines.


    "Damn that emperor. He had actually wasted so many resources to cover the entire Horsehead Nebula with a wall of light. But in that case, why can we see the appearance of the nebula outside the wall?" said Domo. To be precise, he was actually jealous of the emperor''s wealth.


    "We weren''t actually looking at the nebula. What we saw outside was actually a fake appearance. Perhaps we were only looking at a scene from tens of thousands of years ago that was being replayed again and again. Its actual appearance has been covered by the wall of light," said Dodo, tossing out an answer that shocked all of us.

 CH 219

    About 10 minutes later, we determined the exact location of the super wormhole. The wormhole was gigantic and transparent, and it was less than 3,000 kilometers ahead of us. To better observe the natural wormhole, Dodo marked the wormhole as red in the system, allowing us to see a massive red area on the screen.


    "This red zone is the super wormhole. We are going to get as close to it as we can and observe it from roughly 1,000 kilometers away," said Dodo.


    The two ships started moving according to the plan. A few minutes later, we reached our destination. Although the system was telling us that the wormhole was right ahead of us, our naked eyes could only see a vast starry sky. Perhaps what we saw was also a fake scene projected by the wall of light.


    "Weird. Shouldn''t a wormhole exist in some sort of reflective bubble? Why is it so clear that it''s like there''s nothing there? Are we looking at a projection produced by the wall of light?" said Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "The projection should probably be aimed outside, not inside. We are looking at the wormhole''s actual appearance. It is right ahead of us, but it is completely transparent," said Baron Sisse.


    "Be careful with the flight trajectory. Do not enter the wormhole, or we''ll be sent to somewhere completely unknown," reminded Zhang Xingxing.


    The two ships were hovering silently before the super wormhole. Facing this celestial body not visible to the naked eye, we could only imagine what it looked like. Suddenly, we felt some vibrations. A black asteroid appeared out of nowhere, surprising all of us. When its entire body was revealed, we noted that it was oval-ish. It had actually appeared from the wormhole. The entire incident occurred suddenly. In less than one minute, the long and narrow black asteroid flew out of the wormhole and into the Horsehead Nebula.


    "My god. This is a great discovery. We are the first to ever witness a celestial body going through a natural wormhole," said Dodo in excitement.


    "Dodo, did you record the entire thing?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was just as excited.


    "Yes! We can''t miss such a rare phenomenon. Of course we need to record everything and preserve it," replied Dodo.


    "Two fools. This is no natural phenomenon. This celestial body was pulled over by the space fortress''s ripples. It is artificial, not natural, like a special effect in a movie that can be recreated at will," said Domo with contempt.


    One ought to admit that Domo was completely right. This was not some magical natural phenomenon. It was artificial, so it couldn''t even be considered a great discovery in the field of astronomy. Dodo, Zhang Bao''er, and the others appeared rather downcast after hearing the truth from Domo.


    Right at that moment, we sensed more vibrations. The completely transparent wormhole started warping, and it warped so much that we could even see the changes with our naked eye. The vibrations intensified to the point our ship was affected and our alarm blazed. The pressure and gravitational force outside the ship suddenly intensified, forcing our two ships to start moving in the opposite direction to counter the powerful pull.


    "What monster is coming through the wormhole this time? Why is it creating such a ruckus?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    At that point, a loud boom rang out. Accompanying the sound was a sudden increase in temperature and even more intense vibrations. A white fog appeared out of nowhere as well, as though something had suddenly evaporated.


    "This isn''t looking good. Dodo, Kelly, pull back both ships immediately. There must be something gigantic coming through the super wormhole. We''re too close," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The temperature outside the ship kept increasing. In only a few seconds, the temperature surpassed 1,000 degrees Celsius. Even the hull of the ship was starting to smoke. Both ships had their shields on as we hurriedly turned around.


    The intense vibrations and heat were pursuing us, as though they were about to swallow us. However, advanced technology revealed its prowess, and we were able to quickly accelerate away from the vile environment. We stopped at a safe distance of 500 million kilometers away.


    The booms grew louder and louder as the fabric of space warped in the distance. The temperature had also gone above 3,000 degrees. After the ship had reached a safe distance, we all gathered before the window and watched this incredibly rare sight in both anticipation and nervousness. We all wanted to see the monster that was going to come through the wormhole.


    Even knowing that this was not a natural phenomenon, Dodo still seriously recorded everything that was happening. In any case, a wall of light capable of surrounding an entire nebula was still an incredible engineering feat that would not be replicated in the universe. Thus, the chance to record something like this was still incredibly precious.


    At that moment, everything in the distance seemed to be vibrating violently, to the point the view before our eyes turned blurry. We understood that the giant monster was about to come through the wormhole.


    First, something like a solar prominence appeared in our view. The yellow flare unleashed a heatwave over 10,000 meters tall, pushing the temperature outside to another level. I believed that all the noise I was hearing was due to the particles being torn apart by the extreme temperature.


    Following behind the solar prominence was a deep yellow figure. Unsurprisingly, it was a yellow star that had been attracted by the ripples of the space fortress and had traveled through the wormhole.


    "Only the might of a star can create such a powerful effect. It almost feels like I''m witnessing the apocalypse," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The yellow star moved quickly out of the wormhole. Before long, its imposing body was visible before all of us. Due to our distance of 500 million kilometers from it, we were able to observe it from a relatively close distance. The intense nuclear reactions on its surface could be clearly seen. It looked just like any other star, and from its appearance, it was most likely a yellow dwarf star.


    After about 10 minutes, the entire yellow star had passed through the wormhole. The yellow dwarf star looked slightly smaller than Blue''s sun. From its surface, it seemed to be a relatively stable star, so I was curious how it had been pulled into the super wormhole.


    "Stars, black holes, and asteroids. Why are there so many celestial bodies being pulled into this wormhole? Just what kind of world is on the other side of this wormhole?" muttered Baron Sisse as he looked at the star before us.


    "There are too many of them for them all to be wandering celestial objects. I believe that the other side of the wormhole must be a place with a large concentration of stars. But I have no idea where it is or why these black holes, stars, dust clouds, and other celestial bodies are staying so close together," I said.


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    "I also think that the other side is some sort of gathering place for stars, such as the Horsehead Nebula. That is the only way so many celestial bodies can be pulled through the wormhole," said Old Du.


    At that point, the yellow dwarf star had fully emerged from the wormhole. It was heading toward the distant nebula at a high speed. It was truly impactful to witness a massive burning sphere passing by 500 million kilometers ahead of us. Our eyes were filled with wonder and awe as we gazed at the incredible celestial body before us.


    As the star departed, the noise also slowly faded away. At the same time, the temperature around us returned to normal. As for the wormhole, it was gradually returning to its transparent state.


    Just when we all thought that this was the end of the incident, a brand new figure started coming out of the wormhole. The second object brought us an even bigger visual impact and gave us a feeling of incomparable beauty.


    According to the system, the second object was a gaseous planet. There were over 100 stripes on the planet''s surface, and each stripe differed in color. The stripes ran across the entire planet, and the width of each stripe was exactly the same. Each stripe was extremely stable, and the borders of each stripe were clearly visible, making it easy to separate each stripe from the others.


    "This, is this a gaseous planet? Can the surface of a gaseous planet be so stable and calm?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    The gaseous planets we Bluelings were familiar with were Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Their surfaces were always filled with intense storms. A gaseous planet as calm as the one before us was beyond our understanding.


    "Is this a gaseous planet or is it a completely new type of planet?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "It is definitely a gaseous planet. According to the system, it is filled with hydrogen, nitrogen, and helium. Also, the system indicates that intense storms are below its calm surface," said Dodo confidently.


    "So this is a planet with a pretty face and a violent heart. Considering its distance from the yellow star, I reckon it is a planet in the star''s orbit and that it had been pulled alongside the star into the super wormhole," said Baron Sisse.


    "So the mother and son were both dragged over together? That space fortress is too powerful," I said fearfully.


    The beautiful planet followed the yellow star and slowly moved farther away from us. With that, the shocking phenomenon came to an end. This was the first time we had witnessed such a spectacle. We knew that it was artificial, but we still couldn''t help being shocked.


    "Commander, emergency!" Dodo suddenly reported while everyone was still immersed in what we just witnessed.

 CH 220

    "What''s going on?" asked Zhang Xingxing when she heard the nervousness in Dodo''s voice.


    "Some unknown offensive system has locked onto Skyhawk. And there is more than one offensive system involved," reported Dodo.


    Jack hurriedly scanned our surroundings, but no enemy ship could be found. We were unable to figure out how many enemy ships were involved.


    "Commander, this isn''t looking good. If the enemy ships really attack, our defensive system won''t be able to defend against so many attacks at the same time," said Dodo.


    What humans feared most wasn''t death itself. Rather, the sensation of facing an unknown source of destruction was what humans feared more. And that was exactly what we were facing.


    "Dodo, initiate a wormhole-leap immediately to escape from the enemy''s targeting," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Zhang Xingxing, Li Canyue, I''m Prince Toruse. Do you hear me?" Prince Toruse''s familiar voice suddenly came from the communicator.


    "Prince, is that you? Where are you?" replied Dodo.


    "I''m leading a special fleet. We have been trying to follow Skyhawk, but you guys were moving too fast. We are now locking on to your ships with our offensive system to confirm that everything is normal on your side," said Prince Toruse.


    "Normal, everything is completely normal here. You, why can''t you contact us normally? What is the meaning of targeting us with your offensive system?" Zhang Bao''er did not find the explanation acceptable.


    "Brother Bao''er, don''t be angry. Using the offensive system is the most efficient and fastest method. We need to establish contact before you disappear from our detection system again," said Prince Toruse.


    "Prince, that is way too dangerous. We might launch an offensive at any time. We could very well end up killing each other," said Old Du, voicing his support for Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t worry. We''re still 30 million kilometers away from you. Our scouting drone was the one that had locked on to you. The resulting alarm was a result of confusion," said Prince Toruse.


    "A scouting drone? No wonder we couldn''t detect any enemies nearby. A single drone has created such a ruckus. Looks like the imperial ships aren''t really that impressive when it comes to battleship defense," said Zhang Bao''er, finding an excuse for his embarrassing performance.


    "Not really. This only proves that the imperial ships are extremely effective at confusing the enemy. Even a Milky Way¨Cclass battleship can''t accurately determine if the enemy is actually attacking or not," said Jack.


    "Prince Toruse, where are you? Are Dondon and the others safe? Join us as soon as possible. Do you need Commander Zhang Xingxing herself to give the order before you''re willing to move?" said Domo with a reproachful tone. It was quite surprising to hear Domo say such words.


    "Roger. Please wait a moment. We will reach you in roughly 10 minutes. The others are safe. We will see you guys soon," said Prince Toruse. He did not argue.


    Everyone was relaxed upon learning that the offensive system that had locked onto us came from Prince Toruse''s ship. We all waited silently for the two princes and the others to return. After roughly 10 minutes, a massive fleet of mixed ships appeared to the right of us. That was a fleet with 3 battleships and over 30 smaller ships. The leading ship at the very front of the fleet was none other than Fearless.


    "Looks like the princes have succeeded in their mission," said Baron Sisse in excitement at the sight of that fleet.


    "Baron, you must have been aware of what the princes were doing. You were simply unwilling to tell us the truth," I said.


    Baron Sisse remained silent, tacitly agreeing to my assumption. A few minutes later, Fearless completed the docking procedure with Skyhawk. When the door opened, the two princes, Wind Spirit, and Dondon walked out of the bridge. Following behind them were two individuals who looked like Eternals. We had been worried about Wind Spirit and Dondon, but this worry was quickly scattered when the two were standing before us once again.


    "Princes, what is up with this fleet?" Zhang Xingxing went straight to the point.


    "This is my private army. They are here to help us with the attack on the beast-breeding base," said Prince Toruse.


    "Your army? But these ships don''t look like they''re from Akko. All of them are imperial ships," questioned Zhang Xingxing.


    "This is Commander Herbert of the Midstar Army''s 37th Fleet. This is Commander Xidor of the Midstar Army''s 15th Fleet. They are here to help us with their fleets," introduced Prince Toruse.


    "Pleasure to meet you. But I don''t understand why some Eternals would help us attack a base of their own emperor," Zhang Bao''er inquired doubtfully.


    "They do not trust the emperor''s rule. The two commanders were once stationed at Akko. During their time at Akko, we had reached an agreement to work together and overcome imperial rule. Subsequently, the two commanders were transferred to the Midstar Army. I wasn''t aware if they still had the same aspirations. Thus, I had to personally visit them to verify their current aspirations," explained Prince Toruse.


    "It would be fine for you to go alone. Why do you insist on dragging Wind Spirit and Dondon with you?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "We need the princess''s prestige to suppress the officers and other soldiers under the two commanders. That way, we can reduce the risk of mutiny," explained Prince Toruse patiently.


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    Wind Spirit''s face turned smug at that explanation.


    "Do not doubt the two princes. We have been unhappy with the emperor''s iron fist rule for a very long time. The two princes had taken great risks to get in touch with us. Xidor and I are willing to help you destroy the beast-breeding base. We are already tired of the emperor''s endless wars," said Commander Herbert.


    "Welcome to the team. With your help, we have even more confidence to face the empire and its beasts. How many soldiers have you brought with you?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We brought nearly 20,000 soldiers with us and over 30 battleships. However, the empire has sent several fleets out to hunt for us as a result of our defection. We might have exposed your operation here," said Commander Herbert.


    "Don''t worry about the empire. They can only search around the nebula''s outer region. The beast-breeding base we''re aiming for is one of the empire''s core secrets. At present, all the forces here are still unaware of the base''s location," said Baron Sisse.


    "No wonder the empire spent so much effort to build such a big base. They even have so many soldiers stationed here. When we were deployed here, we were only told that we were here to harness new energy sources. I did not expect this place to hide such a large conspiracy," said Commander Xidor furiously.


    "The emperor will never do anything good. Since our planet was conquered, we have only faced endless plunder and slaughter. We can''t see hope anywhere," said Domo, talking about the tragedy of his planet.


    "Yes. As an Eternal, we have long gotten tired of the endless wars. Many soldiers like us long for peace as well. However, the imperial police and the Sacred Wing race are staunchly loyal to the emperor and are too powerful. Many soldiers have no choice but to submit under their authority," said Commander Herbert.


    "This situation won''t last long. So long as the true nature of the empire is exposed and its beast-breeding base is destroyed, there will be a chance for us to obtain victory over the emperor. At that time, hope and peace will return," said Prince Toruse with great fervor.


    Listening to Prince Toruse, I could feel that he had grown more mature than before. He was starting to look more and more like a proper king.


    "How did you know that we were here? This place is one lightyear wide. How can you find us so easily?" Dodo asked.


    "I told them," a voice rang out. When we looked over, we saw that it was Principal Sosse.


    "We have a set of secret communication devices. Prior to our wormhole-leap, I had tried sending a secret message to the princes because I was afraid that they wouldn''t be able to find us. Surprisingly, they had received the message," explained Principal Sosse.


    "You even have a secret communication channel between you? Just how little do you trust us? We have abandoned quite a lot of our plans for the sake of your difficult requests. Even now, you''re still communicating behind our backs?" said Zhang Bao''er unhappily.


    This was not the time to bicker, so I interrupted Zhang Bao''er and asked, "Prince, do you¡ªor the commanders¡ªknow the location of the three-star system?"


    "We don''t know, but there has always been a legend in the Midstar Army. I don''t know if it will be helpful," said Commander Herbert.


    His words attracted all our attention. Perhaps that legend would be helpful in discovering the three-star system.


    "Commanders, can you tell us about the legend? It will be much appreciated!" I said.

 CH 221

    "Three years ago, something happened in the Midstar Army. Because of that incident, everyone in the Midstar Army suspected that the empire might have even more secrets and that we might be guarding a terrifying slaughter factory instead of the so-called operation to harness energy," said Commander Herbert.


    Everyone gathered around the commander and listened silently.


    Herbert paused slightly, glanced at everyone, and continued, "A soldier named Dirk, who was in the Maintenance Brigade of the 80th Fleet in the 15th Legion, was in charge of piloting the maintenance ships to perform maintenance work on the space fortress''s light transmitters. The transmitters are the cubes you saw.


    "One day, Dirk went out on a normal maintenance route. Each maintenance staff pilots a maintenance shuttle alone and performs the maintenance work through their ship''s mechanical arms. Those shuttles are not equipped with any offensive capabilities. Thus, Dirk''s sole self-defense method was his personal ray pistol.


    "After finishing his repair route, which was over 10 million kilometers long, and confirming that the wall of light was working as normal, Dirk prepared to return to base. At that time, a different shuttle flew out from the other side of the wall. Unlike Dirk''s maintenance shuttle, the other shuttle was unmarked. It was a completely unknown shuttle.


    "Curious, Dirk called the other shuttle and asked for its team. But no matter what Dirk said, no response came from the other shuttle. Due to the lack of response, Dirk concluded that it was an intruder and decided to report it to the headquarters.


    "Just as Dirk was about to make the report, a blue flash appeared, causing Dirk to lose his train of thought. As if mind-controlled, he flew toward the unknown shuttle. Soon, the two shuttles were linked. Then, Dirk gave the other shuttle the information in his database, including the defensive arrangements of the Horsehead Nebula and other military information.


    "After all the information was given, Dirk, who was still under control, followed the unknown shuttle and moved deeper into the Horsehead Nebula. The shuttles of the empire are extremely powerful. They can carry their passengers deep into numerous complicated environments in the universe. And thus, the two shuttles moved deep into the nebula at high speed. After an unknown amount of time, they reached a three-star system."


    "Three-star system. Is it a system with red, yellow, and blue stars?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who could no longer hold his curiosity.


    Everyone else had plenty of questions to ask as well, but Zhang Xingxing stopped everyone. She wanted Commander Herbert to finish the story before inquiring further.


    "This officer is right. That is a system with red, yellow, and blue stars. There are 27 planets in the system, orbiting the 3 stars like a pinwheel," said Herbert.


    "What? 27 stars? Am I hearing things? Shouldn''t it be 9 stars?" Even the usually calm Old Du couldn''t control himself.


    "I''m sure it''s 27 stars, not 9. I have personally seen the records," said Commander Xidor.


    "Is there a different three-star system in the Horsehead Nebula?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


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    "I don''t think there will be that many three-star systems here. It is more likely that the emperor had built even more beast-breeding bases. Initially, there were nine of these artificial planets. Tens of thousands of years later, the number had increased to 27," I analyzed.


    "Silence, everyone. Let Commander Herbert finish his story," said Zhang Xingxing, preventing the scene from devolving into further chaos.


    With Zhang Xingxing''s order, everyone stopped talking. Commander Herbert continued his story, "With Dirk still under control, his shuttle approached one of the planets. The planet looked extremely sleek, as though it was a forged ball of metal. A few minutes later, his shuttle slowly entered the planet.


    "Dirk controlled his shuttle and prepared to land. As the shuttle neared the ground, a platform rose from the sleek ground. Two tentacles extended from the platform and attached themselves to the bottom of the two shuttles, fixing the two shuttles in place.


    "Then, a black hole slowly opened beside the platform, and a set of tubes rose from the black hole and attached themselves to the two shuttles. The process finished a few minutes later. At that time, Dirk stood up and entered the inner part of the planet through the tube."


    At that point, we grew excited. We still clearly remembered that the man in black had also entered the inner part of the artificial planet. That was a place we still had zero information about. Surprisingly, Commander Herbert had so easily obtained clues about the mysterious inner part of the planet.


    "Under the control of the mysterious power, Dirk continued walking. After going through a long corridor, he arrived at a big, golden door. At that point, he had not encountered a single monster yet," said Commander Herbert.


    "How do you know if there were any monsters there?" questioned Zhang Bao''er, resuming his bad habit of interrupting others when talking.


    Commander Herbert shot Zhang Bao''er a glare before saying, "Right at that moment, the golden door opened. An extremely ugly creature appeared before him. The creature had a big nose that constantly released some sort of low-temperature gas. Above the nose was a pair of yellow triangular eyes. Its torn mouth constantly drooled, and the monster occasionally lowered its head to lick its own saliva from the ground.


    "To the sides of its body was a pair of greatly damaged arms each tipped with six sharp fingers. Surprisingly, it did not have any legs. It was unknown if it was born legless or if its legs had been severed. In any case, it was lying on the ground, unable to move away.


    "The mind-controlled Dirk showed no fear of the ugly creature and strode forth. At that moment, countless bugs with paws crawled out from under the creature and covered the ground around Dirk, leaving only the spot he was standing on empty.


    "With each step forward Dirk took, the bugs would move aside, leaving an opening for him to walk. By then, the room was already filled with those bugs. Dirk soon arrived before the paralyzed creature. The creature reached out with one of its sharp claws and solemnly caressed Dirk''s face. A silver ring could be seen on the creature''s finger.


    "Suddenly, the creature approached Dirk''s face with its own face. From its big eyes, a star chart seemed to be visible."


    At that point, Commander Herbert seemed to recall something and suddenly sank into thought.


    "And? Continue your story. Come on, don''t keep us waiting," urged Domo impatiently.


    "There''s no and. That''s where the recording ends. Three days later, the brigade sent out a search team due to Dirk''s disappearance. His shuttle was found outside the wall of light, but Dirk wasn''t inside. On his pilot''s seat, his helmet and suit were neatly placed," said Herbert.


    "It''s almost like you''re narrating a movie. Did you really see all that or is that a story you heard somewhere?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "At the time, both Commander Xidor and I were the deputies of the 80th Fleet''s Maintenance Brigade. When the shuttle was found, the brigade''s soldiers dragged it back to our base. Commander Xidor and I sent most of the officers away and left only the core members in the room. Together, we went through the shuttle''s records and the recording caught by Dirk''s helmet three times. I can remember everything clearly. We had not imagined that there was actually such a terrifying base within the Horsehead Nebula," said Commander Herbert.


    We sank into a long silence.


    "Canyue, I believe the bugs mentioned by the commander must be those paw worms," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Most likely. Commanders, since there is a recording, can you show it to us? Perhaps we can get some clues about the three-star system from it," I requested.


    Upon hearing my request, Commander Herbert sighed. It would seem we wouldn''t be getting the recording.


    "Less than five hours later, a Sacred Wing race elder had come with a group of soldiers. Together with them was the highest commanding officer of the Midstar Army, Marshal Wodyr. They took away the shuttle and everything we had found without saying a thing. But at that time, rumors about the secret beast base started spreading. The arrival of someone from the Sacred Wing race had only served to strengthen that belief," said Commander Herbert.


    "That means we don''t have any of the data left. What a pity," I said regretfully.


    "The commander also told us that the 80th Fleet was disbanded after the event and the two commanders were dispatched to other positions. All the officers who had seen the recording were scattered into different teams. And over the past two years, the witnesses from back then went missing one after another. The two commanders were worried, so they tried to contact me when they had the chance. At that time, I was on Lidu," said Prince Toruse.


    "Too bad that the only thing we can confirm from the story is that the three-star system truly exists. We still don''t know its location," said Zhang Xingxing regretfully.


    "No, we didn''t lose everything. Before the Sacred Wing race could take everything away, I was able to hide something valuable," said Commander Herbert, giving us a much-needed boost in confidence.

 CH 222

    "What is it? Show us!" said Zhang Bao''er impatiently.


    Commander Herbert nodded at Commander Xidor, and the latter took out an item from his pocket. He held it tightly within his palm, as though he was afraid he would lose it.


    "What is it? Open your palm," said Domo, who was being tortured by his curiosity.


    Commander Xidor slowly opened his hand, revealing a silver ring lying on his palm.


    "What a treasure! Let me get a closer look," said Domo as he reached his hand over the moment he saw the ring. However, Commander Xidor immediately pulled his hand back.


    "Ring? Where is it from?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I saw this ring in the recording. It was the ring on the creature''s finger, and it was left atop Dirk''s helmet. I recognized it the moment I saw it, so I stealthily hid it," said Commander Herbert.


    Upon hearing that, I took the ring from Commander Xidor and studied it. The ring was extremely light, to the point one could almost feel no weight when holding it. The ring was also extremely hard, and it felt rather icy to the touch. Some characters were carved onto it, but I couldn''t understand them.


    "That creature placed its ring on Dirk''s helmet and then sent the items back to you. Is it some sort of secret message?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "That''s very likely. I think the creature was trying to lure us to its lair. All those clues were meant to help us find it," said Old Du.


    "Are you sure? Is this some sort of trap to lure prey over to the creature?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "With the beast army''s strength, if they want to reveal themselves, they only need to launch a direct attack. There is no need for such a complicated ploy. There must be some other reason," said Old Du.


    "If that''s true, then the characters on the ring are probably a clue. Can anyone translate it?" asked Zhang Xingxing. She looked rather excited upon hearing Old Du''s words. After all, we had finally found some clues after so long.


    "Dodo, come look at these characters. Can you find them or a similar language in your database? You can also check if this is a diagram or something else," I asked as I passed the ring to Dodo.


    Dodo took the ring and scanned it before performing a quick search of the imperial database. The ring''s data was also sent to Spacetime, allowing Old Du to scan and search the league database as well. About a dozen minutes passed, but no similar language was found in the two databases.


    "Can I take a look? I''ll see if I''ve seen these characters before," said Amethyst, a Brightling descendant who also happened to be a master linguist.


    I was hopeful when I saw Amethyst offering to help. I quickly handed the ring to her. She took the ring and started studying it. Everyone else remained silent, afraid to disturb her concentration. She spent an entire hour seriously studying the characters. We could sense that Amethyst was constantly comparing the characters with all the ancient characters she had in her brain. Unfortunately, an hour later, she looked up and shook her head at our hopeful gazes.


    "It hasn''t been easy for us to get this clue, but we can''t even translate the characters on it? What was that creature doing? Why didn''t it provide a translation? What''s the point of this? Might as well let me keep the ring as a collector''s item," said Domo, whose greed for the ring reappeared.


    "You greedy bastard. Is there anything that you don''t want? Let me take care of the ring. I can protect it against his thievery," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Who''s the thief here? You were the one who stole some solidified time and refused to admit it," said Domo, going straight for Zhang Bao''er''s weak point.


    Because of that, Zhang Bao''er could only shut his mouth.


    "Stop bickering. Canyue will keep the ring for now. The data of the characters have also been sent to everyone. Take three hours to do your own research and rest," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    "Commander, I thought we just finished resting?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "Dodo and Jack are still looking for the three-star system. The other imperial fleets are searching for us as well. I need to have a longer discussion with the two princes and commanders, and that will take a few hours," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At that order, everyone returned to their rooms, some to rest and some to do more research on the unknown characters.


    "Baron Sisse, Old Du, Master Crystal, Kelly, Principal Sosse, and Canyue. Can I trouble you to join the meeting? Kelly and the others, come over to Skyhawk for now," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Zhang Bao''er appeared rather dissatisfied that he wasn''t called to the meeting. Domo, who had always proclaimed himself as an officer, also looked extremely unhappy.


    "Reporting to Commander Xingxing, I''m slightly tired. Permission to take a rest instead?" I asked. I did not feel like participating in the coming discussion, and I felt tired just thinking about it.


    Zhang Xingxing was clearly surprised that I wasn''t willing to join, but after a slight hesitation, she agreed.


    "Take care of yourself," said Zhang Xingxing with concern.


    I responded with a firm nod. With the commander''s permission, I returned to my own room. For an unknown reason, I only wanted to rest and bring my mind back to its peak state. I had barely lain down before Zhang Bao''er and Domo squeezed through my door.


    "What is it, you two? I''m very tired and sleepy. Why are you here?" I complained to the two who were seated on the ground and staring at me.


    "Canyue, just ignore me and sleep. I was worried that this fellow would steal your ring. The ring must be well protected as a precaution against the alien''s thievery," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Who''s the alien here? Explain yourself. This fatty is most likely here to steal the ring. Canyue, I''m here to protect the ring," said Domo unyieldingly.


    I was rather speechless at how the two were behaving, so I turned over and ignored them. A few minutes passed, but I felt like my back was burning from the stares. I couldn''t sleep at all, so I sat back up and turned around. The two clowns were still there staring at me.


    "I feel terrible to be stared at like this. Sleeping is impossible when someone is staring at you. Can you please turn around, my lords," I pleaded.


    However, the two merely exchanged glances with each other. They still remained where they were.


    "If you continue, I''ll go to a different room," I threatened as I stood up.


    "No, no, no. How about this? Let me take one last look at the ring to confirm that you still have it. After that, I''ll turn around with the damn fatty," said Domo, making a request that caused me to roll my eyes.


    I looked at Zhang Bao''er. He actually agreed with Domo. I felt extremely helpless. I couldn''t understand why they were so worked up over a ring. I then took out the ring from my pocket and showed it to their faces.


    "See? The ring is safe. You can turn around now. I need my sleep," I said.


    Seeing that the ring was safe, the two finally turned around, not forgetting to scold each other while doing so. I shook my head before lying down again.


    ''Sigh, just what are these characters saying?'' I sighed after giving the ring one more look.


    At that moment, I felt sleepy again. I was about to put the ring back into my pocket when I saw a red flash from the ring. I rubbed my eyes and confirmed that there was a slight red light coming from the characters on the ring. It was not hard to discover against the backdrop of the silver ring.


    At that point, all my exhaustion was gone, and I sat up in shock. Zhang Bao''er and Domo hurriedly turned around when they heard the noise I made, thinking that something had happened to me.


    "Domo, Bao''er, come see. There is a red light coming from the ring," I shouted in excitement.


    Zhang Bao''er immediately reached over to take the ring, but he was cut off by a smaller hand. Domo was much faster than him.


    Domo held the ring close to his face and observed it seriously before nodding. He said, "The lower portion of four characters is emitting red light. I wonder if this is some kind of signal."


    "More than four. A few characters on the other side are also emitting red light," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I took the ring back and studied it. But even with the red light, I still couldn''t figure out the ring''s secret.


    "Canyue, should we show Commander Zhang and the two Eternal commanders the ring? Perhaps they can discover something new from this," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    As I gazed at the ring, I kept having a feeling of deja vu. However, I couldn''t wrap my head around it.


    "This shouldn''t be delayed. Let''s stop wasting time here. Maybe the creature is guarding some treasure, and this ring is the key to that treasure," said Domo. He was still as wealth-loving as ever.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Since the three of us obviously couldn''t unveil the ring''s secret, I stood up, and we rushed to the command room. We moved rapidly, but oddly, the moment we left my room, the ring''s red light dimmed.


    "This red light is so weird. Why is it randomly turning bright and becoming dim? Is it running out of energy?" asked Zhang Bao''er, whose eyes never left the ring.


    ''Red light. Bright and dim. Unknown meaning,'' I thought to myself.


    Just as we were about to reach the command room, a familiar thought surfaced in my mind. I instantly came to myself and turned around, rushing back to my room.

 CH 223

    "Canyue, have you gone mad?" I heard Zhang Bao''er shout loudly behind me, but I did not slow down.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    Zhang Bao''er and Domo thought that something had happened to me, so they quickly followed. In a few minutes, I returned to my room. My gaze immediately landed on the familiar backpack in the corner of the room.


    I clearly saw the red light return the moment I entered the room. I had zero hesitation as I flipped the backpack''s cover open. Inside, Bulu, who was slumbering, seemed to be on the verge of waking up. The liquid in its body was starting to flow faster while its belly was shining with red light. I picked Bulu up and saw the red light on Bulu''s belly flowing in some sort of pattern that greatly resembled the alien characters on the ring.


    "My god. It''s like they are communicating with each other," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er when he saw Bulu.


    "This is so obvious. Is there a need for you to remind us?" Domo did not let go of the chance to step on Zhang Bao''er.


    The red light on the ring and Bulu''s body was shifting rapidly. It was as though both parties were typing to each other as the red light constantly changed forms. It was clear that Bulu and the ring were communicating.


    "This is too magical. I wonder what they''re talking about. Canyue, can you enter Bulu''s mind?" asked Zhang Bao''er. However, I had no answer because the characters were simply unrecognizable to me.


    "Is it possible that Bulu and that creature are actually the same species? If that''s the case, it would be very surprising since it means that Bulu''s race actually has its own set of written characters!" I said.


    "But none of us can read these characters. Perhaps one can only communicate with them after entering Bulu''s mind," said Domo.


    "Canyue, why aren''t you in Bulu''s mind yet?" Zhang Bao''er even started urging me.


    "Bulu is the one with control over whether I can enter its mind. How can I control it? If you''re so capable, you can try. Bulu seems to still be sleeping and has not fully awakened yet," I said.


    "This damn fellow. What is it waiting for? It should drag Canyue in already. What''s the point of chatting with a ring?" complained Domo.


    The moment I heard those words, an ominous feeling rose in me. Sure enough, Domo suddenly turned still, and his eyes turned empty, looking like he had been placed under Bulu''s mind control.


    "I agree with Domo. This little ball spends all the time sleeping. It is in need of some discipline," grumbled Zhang Bao''er, who had yet to notice Domo''s changes.


    Unsurprisingly, the same thing happened. As soon as he finished talking, he turned still. He had fallen under Bulu''s control as well. At that time, I discovered that the liquid in Bulu''s body was flowing even faster than before. The red coming from its belly was blinding as the speed at which different characters formed on its belly increased significantly. Even the feelers on its head were starting to move. This little fellow had finally awakened from its sleep.


    Worryingly, both Zhang Bao''er and Domo were under Bulu''s control, yet the little fellow had left me out. Looking at the growing level of brightness on Bulu and the mindless Zhang Bao''er and Domo while I was still wasting time out here, I grew anxious.


    "Hey, Bulu, come on, get your dad inside as well. Can you hear me? Are you deaf? Hey!" No matter how I scolded Bulu, the little fellow did not react. I could clearly feel my clarity of mind. I was still not under Bulu''s control.


    Suddenly, I noticed that the character formation on Bulu''s belly was slowing down and that the red was dimming. It seemed as if Bulu''s talk with the ring was coming to an end. I grew even more anxious. But no matter how I scolded Bulu, I was ignored. An idea struck me as I raised my right fist and smashed it into Bulu''s head.


    Abruptly, I felt a fist smash into my face before my mind went blank. While in a daze, I was awakened by the sounds of metal grinding against the ground. I slowly opened my eyes and finally understood why Bulu had been unwilling to control me. I was lying in a dark tunnel filled with murky water. Bulu was lying silently atop my chest. Zhang Bao''er and Domo were nowhere to be seen.


    "Do not make any noise. Remain silent," an unfamiliar voice rang in my ears.


    I looked around in astonishment, but I saw no one. At that time, I noticed Bulu''s feelers wiggling in the direction of my head. Looking at the feelers, I pointed at my ear, asking Bulu if it was the one who had spoken to me. The feelers then moved up and down, as though they were nodding. It looked like Bulu had spoken to my thoughts after putting me under mind control.


    At that time, some noise came from outside the tunnel. I lowered my body by reflex. Only then did I notice that the dark tunnel was connected to a cavern. Inside, a burly individual was walking around slowly with a gigantic blade in his hand. The individual seemed to be looking for something in the cavern. Terrifyingly, behind the individual was an ugly legless creature, crawling on the ground as it followed the blade wielder.


    From my position, I saw a yellow triangular eye on the side of the creature''s face, the same eye that Herbert had talked about. The creature''s tongue drooped out of its mouth, and its right limb had six fingers. The creature was constantly sniffing around in the cave, looking like it was searching for something.


    "Canyue, do not make any noise. That nose is actually its ear. It can detect sound waves. Zhang Bao''er and Domo are hiding in a different tunnel. I have given them the same instruction," said Bulu.


    ''What place is this? What are those two freaks doing?'' I wondered inwardly.


    "The blade wielder is probably Dirk. The creature behind him is the original soul of the sludge beast," answered Bulu, who was surprisingly able to hear my thoughts.


    ''What? That''s Dirk? What is going on? I thought he was captured by the creature?'' I asked in my mind.


    "The soul beast had merely captured Dirk to transplant its soul into Dirk''s healthy body, freeing itself from its damaged body," explained Bulu.


    ''Original sludge beast? What is the origin of this beast? It can actually control minds like you? That''s too powerful. How did you know about Dirk and the sludge beast?'' I asked. Fear was starting to rise within me.


    "It came from the same grayroid I came from. It must have been captured at an earlier time. The empire hadn''t returned empty handed from their previous explorations despite what they had said. As for the things I know, I learned them while communicating with your ring when our minds were connected," said Bulu.


    ''Good heavens. I did not expect the emperor to hide even more things from us. He had not spoken the truth to us even after we had successfully completed our mission.'' I started to curse the emperor inwardly.


    Dirk and the creature were walking all over the cavern, attempting to locate us as we hid in the tunnels. As Dirk walked, he dragged his blade on the ground, making the grinding sound that I had heard earlier. He made quite a terrifying sight, especially with the empty and dark cavern as the backdrop.


    ''Bulu, how are Zhang Bao''er and Domo? Will they expose themselves?'' I asked, worried about the two.


    "Their position is relatively safe. They are hiding within one of the tunnels," said Bulu.


    ''Since we''re already aware of the story behind those two, just pull us out of this illusion. Why are we wasting time hiding from these two? We can just retreat, right? This is a fake world, after all,'' I said, requesting that Bulu move us out of the illusion.


    "Sorry, Master, but this monster''s mind control ability is even stronger than mine. A large part of this illusionary world was made by it. Without defeating them, we won''t be able to escape," said Bulu helplessly.


    ''What? Why did you pull us in if it''s so dangerous?'' I asked reproachfully.


    "Please recall what happened. Earlier, Zhang Bao''er and Domo were able to enter normally. At that time, there was only Dirk in here. The sludge beast had yet to appear. I was busy trying to communicate with him. Subsequently, you insisted on coming. If that punch of yours had really hit me, all three of us would have bid you farewell forever," said Bulu.


    When I recalled the things I did to enter the illusion, I regretted my rash behavior. I felt my body and found that I did not have any heavy weaponry on me. The only weapons I had were my pistol and a dagger.


    ''Bulu, can you get the cluster laser gun from my room over here?'' I asked.


    "No. I can only affect organic life forms and what they have on them. Non-sentient weapons are out of my reach," said Bulu.


    ''That is troublesome. I only have a single pistol with me here. I doubt I can defeat the two freaks with only a pistol. Bulu, if this monster''s mind control is stronger than yours, why hadn''t it controlled all of us earlier?'' I asked.


    "I rely on light to detect and control organic life forms. This monster, on the other hand, relies on sound waves. That big nose is a powerful sound detector. I believe the sludge beast''s original form was preserved because of that powerful nose. After all, Eternals don''t exactly have powerful senses," said Bulu.


    ''We need to do something. If we keep waiting, things will eventually end badly for us,'' I decided.


    At that time, I noticed the sludge beast slowly move toward the middle of the cavern. There, it lay down, seemingly trying to build up something. Meanwhile, Dirk started walking in circles in the cavern while dragging his giant blade. I took the chance to move closer to the cavern. Bulu stayed on my shoulder and remained completely still.


    Near the entrance to the cavern, I finally had the chance to get a good look at the cavern. I couldn''t see the ceiling due to the limitations of my position, but I could see that the cavern was circular. There were 30 dark holes lining the walls of the cavern. The large number of exits was how we had been able to hide from them until now.


    ''Bulu, you must be the one who made these tunnels, right?'' I asked.


    "Of course. I tried my best here," replied Bulu in a somewhat smug manner, reminding me of Zhang Bao''er. It would seem like Bulu had been learning from the behavior of those around it.


    Suddenly, I saw the sludge beast tremble. Its body shook violently, and its belly enlarged, as though it was about to explode.


    "Shit! Something big is happening," said Bulu nervously.

 CH 224

    Bulu''s words caused my heart to beat even faster as I stared at the sludge beast, waiting to see what was going to happen next.


    "Bulu, what¡¯s going on?" I asked nervously.


    "The sludge beast is self-reproducing. It is going to produce many small sludge beasts that it can use to search for us. With the army of small sludge beasts, we won''t be able to hide anymore," said Bulu.


    "What are we waiting for, then? We can only attack. We''ll seize the advantage by attacking first!" I said.


    I stopped hiding and rushed forth while roaring, "Zhang Bao''er, attack!"


    My loud shout surprised the two monsters in the cavern. The two were stunned, not knowing how to react. I did not hesitate and fired a shot at the sludge beast''s belly. Perhaps the sludge beast had not expected its prey to attack.


    The sludge beast was careless and suffered from it. Its enlarged belly was its weak point, and it was directly pierced through by my shot. A bunch of immature small sludge beasts poured out of the torn belly before piling onto the ground. The only thing they could do was shudder.


    The sneak attack was successful, and the self-reproduction plan was interrupted. I even started feeling smug from my success. Right at that moment, I felt a gust of wind from above me. When I looked up, a giant blade was already falling down toward me. It moved at such a speed that there was no way I could avoid it.


    At the final moment, time seemed to stop as the blade halted a few centimeters away from my head. I grabbed the precious chance to roll away. The moment I moved out of the way, the blade struck the ground, creating a loud sound and a massive crack.


    I broke out in a cold sweat at the sight of the destruction. It was then that I noticed that Bulu, who remained on my shoulder, was shining with a blinding red light. I knew very well that the momentary pause of time earlier was a feat Bulu had accomplished with all its strength. Suddenly, a laser beam struck Dirk''s back, instantly assaulting Dirk with intense pain.


    "You dare bully my brother? I''m going to mess you up!" Zhang Bao''er''s voice rang out.


    I saw that both Zhang Bao''er and Domo also only had their handheld laser pistols with them. They were shooting furiously at Dirk, but the oppressive figure remained standing despite being hit. He was even able to approach them while dragging his blade behind him.


    At that moment, the sludge beast finally recovered from the pain of having its belly blasted apart. It raised its head and looked at me before roaring loudly. The loud roar reverberated throughout the cavern, tormenting our eardrums.


    I was already feeling rather agitated. The roar further annoyed me, and I fired several more shots at its big mouth. Surprisingly, the sludge beast actually dropped to the ground and started thrashing around in pain.


    "That''s not its mouth. That''s its nose! It''s a very sensitive organ used to detect sound waves. The laser shots might have dealt massive damage to it!" Bulu''s reminder sounded in my head.


    With the reminder, I raised my gun and unleashed a bunch of shots at the sludge beast, taking great care to aim at every single orifice on its body. My fierce assault caused the sludge beast to thrash around painfully. It fled toward one of the tunnels, crying in pain.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er and Domo were being chased by Dirk and his blade. The two had been forced to retreat into a tunnel as well. With his massive body, Dirk was unable to enter the tunnel. Thus, he turned around to face me instead. At that moment, only the two of us were left in the cavern. For some reason, I didn''t feel like running anymore. In any case, this was a confrontation I couldn''t avoid. I decided to face it calmly.


    While dragging the blade behind him, Dirk approached me one step at a time. I did not stand there doing nothing. While observing my opponent, I never stopped shooting at him. I could clearly see the damage dealt to Dirk''s body, but the fellow seemed completely unperturbed by the damage. He continued slowly walking toward me.


    At that moment, Bulu lit up like a tiny sun. I knew a mind battle between Bulu and Dirk had erupted. In fact, Bulu''s mind attacks were why Dirk was walking so slowly. The cavern was not exactly big, so even when walking slowly, Dirk eventually reached me. He raised his blade once again. At that moment, Zhang Bao''er and Domo reappeared and fired shots at Dirk''s back, ruining his swing.


    Dirk merely shot the two a glance before raising his blade once again. A sudden "bang" rang out as Domo knocked into the wall. The sludge beast, who had escaped into a tunnel, had returned and tackled Domo.


    "Domo!" Zhang Bao''er roared before turning around to face the sludge beast. The two thus engaged each other in a battle.


    Free from interference, Dirk raised his blade in preparation to bring it down on me. During that critical moment, Bulu leaped from my shoulder. When it was between me and Dirk, its body started changing. The light from its body turned from red to purple.


    And the moment Bulu changed color, Dirk froze. I immediately understood that the ultimate showdown between two mind control experts had begun. The cavern was filled with an atmosphere of extreme nervousness. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er had beaten the sludge beast into retreat and was checking up on Domo.


    Before my eyes, the two mind control masters remained unmoving as they contended with each other. Any carelessness would result in instant defeat. Time passed, and after roughly 10 minutes, I suddenly noticed that Bulu''s body was trembling violently. The flow of liquid in its body was incredibly fast. It was clear Bulu was having an extremely hard time. Suddenly, a trace of green invaded Bulu''s body. The green slowly nibbled away at the purple, slowly moving toward Bulu''s feelers.


    ''This is bad! Bulu''s mind control is not as powerful as the monster''s. It won''t be able to hang on much longer,'' I thought anxiously.


    The situation was urgent, but I was completely helpless. I couldn''t think of any way to help.


    "Zhang Bao''er, Bulu can''t hang on anymore. Think of something!" I shouted.


    Zhang Bao''er gave me a thumbs up and lifted Domo before running over.


    "How''s Domo? Is he alive?" I asked.


    "Li Canyue, do I look like someone who will die so easily?" protested Domo who looked visibly uncomfortable being carried around.


    "This fellow was merely knocked unconscious from the impact. He''s awake now," said Zhang Bao''er as he placed Domo on the ground.


    At that point, they noticed the unfavorable confrontation as well. Half of Bulu''s body had been invaded by the green light. It wasn''t going to last any longer. Seeing that, Zhang Bao''er did not hesitate to raise his gun and shoot furiously. I did the same, attempting to help Bulu.


    Dirk''s flesh flew everywhere as we bombarded his body, but the freak persisted in prioritizing Bulu due to its importance. He ignored our attacks and continued dealing with Bulu. Our attacks did not do anything, and the green light was slowly reaching Bulu''s feelers.


    "Damn it! Why do we only have these shitty pistols? Without any heavy weapons, I reckon we will all die here," cursed Zhang Bao''er.


    From the ground, Domo suddenly said in a weak voice, "This won''t do. Guys, see if this thing can help."


    We both turned around and saw Domo taking out a small case from his pocket with trembling hands.


    "Why are you hiding your trump card in such a critical situation?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fatty, the thing in this case is extremely precious. Remember to return any leftovers to me!" said Domo with a painful look on his face.


    "What treasure is this that you''re so reluctant to part with?" muttered Zhang Bao''er as he opened the case. A gelatin-like object appeared before our eyes.


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    "Th-th-this is s-solidified time! Domo, you also¡ª" Zhang Bao''er was so shocked he couldn''t even speak properly.


    Since we were running out of time, I couldn''t afford to think too much. I snatched the case from Zhang Bao''er''s hand. But at that moment, I encountered a new problem. Where should I smear the solidified time for it to work? There was only a small amount of solidified time available. If I used it wrongly, there would be no return.


    I suddenly recalled my experience in the Dark Hall. After stabbing my hand into solidified time, I had entered a land of illusion. A sense of realization hit me. By then, the green light had reached the lower half of Bulu''s feelers. I did not have any time to hesitate or think. I quickly walked up to Dirk and smeared the solidified time on his right hand. Zhang Bao''er also ran over to help. The two of us worked together to cover Dirk''s right hand with solidified time.


    "Hey, leave some for me!" shouted Domo as his heart ached.


    "Stop shouting. Everything here is an illusion. Your actual stuff is still out there in the real world. Don''t forget to give me half later. You have been accusing me of being a thief every single day, but it turns out you also stole some. What a despicable person," said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "Birds of a feather flock together, birds of a feather flock together," replied Domo. He did not offer a retort since it was obvious he was wrong.


    While smearing the solidified time, I noticed that Dirk was wearing a silver ring on the little finger of his right hand. Since the ring was in the way of the solidified time, I took it off and put it in my pocket. Shortly after, we had smeared all the solidified time over Dirk''s right hand. I noted happily that the green light had stopped spreading on Bulu''s body.


    "I think we succeeded!" shouted Zhang Bao''er as he jumped in excitement.


    I was just as excited. The solidified time seemed to have worked, messing up Dirk''s perception of time. While I was feeling happy, Dirk''s left hand suddenly moved. A heavy fist punched right into my face. My vision turned dark, and I fainted immediately.

 CH 225

    After an indeterminate amount of time, I woke up from the sounds of an argument. I opened my eyes in a dazed manner and saw Zhang Bao''er and Domo bickering and wrestling with each other non-stop in my room.


    I rubbed my head and looked around, confirming that I had returned to the real world. I hurriedly turned around to look at my backpack. It was empty. Just as I was starting to worry, I saw Bulu peacefully sleeping in the corner of my bed. The light on its body had long dimmed. It was sleeping soundly after the intense battle. At that moment, I was finally sure that I had escaped danger. However, I still felt some lingering fear and wasn''t completely at ease.


    "Canyue, you''re awake. Help me. Zhang Bao''er is trying to rob me!" Domo shouted the moment he saw that I had awakened.


    Only then did I refocus my attention on the two busy wrestling with each other.


    "Robber, let go of me!" roared Domo unyieldingly. Domo, who was thin and frail, was being firmly suppressed on the floor by the chubby Zhang Bao''er. Even so, he still protected his pocket resolutely.


    "You little thief. You have accused me of being a thief for so long. Today, you need to give me some compensation," said Zhang Bao''er, who did not relent and continued trying to reach for Domo''s pocket.


    "What are you doing? Stop messing around. Get up," I said, unable to take their antics any longer.


    "No! Unless he gives me half his solidified time, I won''t get up!" said Zhang Bao''er stubbornly.


    At that point, Domo, who was being pressed on the ground by Zhang Bao''er''s chubby body, was starting to have a hard time breathing. Seeing that, I hurriedly stepped forth and dragged Zhang Bao''er''s heavy body away. The moment I dragged the fellow off Domo, I saw him fish out a case from Domo''s pocket.


    "Hahaha! As we agreed, each of us will have half of the solidified time!" said Zhang Bao''er smugly toward the dispirited Domo.


    "Who agreed to that? That was a one-sided agreement!" scolded Domo furiously.


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    I couldn''t do anything about the rivalry between the two and could only shake my head helplessly. Zhang Bao''er impatiently opened the case, but the moment the case was opened, his expression changed into one of extreme disappointment.


    Curious, I stretched my head over to take a look as well. The case was completely empty. There was nothing in it. Seeing our expressions, Domo also scurried up before seeing the empty case.


    "Hahahaha!" Domo howled with laughter when he saw Zhang Bao''er''s dazed appearance.


    "Weird. What is this? How can something we use in an illusion be gone in reality as well?" asked Zhang Bao''er in confusion.


    Upon hearing those words, I drew my laser pistol from my thigh. I saw that the pistol only had about 40 percent of its energy left. The number proved that the resources we had exhausted in the illusion had also been exhausted in reality.


    When I told Zhang Bao''er my conclusion, he tossed the case onto the ground in frustration.


    "Canyue, do we need to report everything to the commander?" asked Domo when we all calmed down and took our seats.


    "Of course. But it''s a pity that even after braving such a danger, we have not found any useful clues. We still don''t have the coordinates of the three-star system," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Then, we stood up, ready to tell Commander Zhang Xingxing about what we had experienced in the illusion.


    "The ring! Canyue, do you still have that ring?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly recalled something.


    I hurriedly searched my own body. When my left hand entered my left pocket, a stupefied look appeared on my face.


    "What is it? You can''t find the ring?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "No, but I have one extra ring with me," I replied as I took the rings out.


    In the middle of my palm was an extra silver ring, which was most likely the ring I had taken from Dirk''s finger when smearing the solidified time on his arm. Domo snatched the two rings with the speed of lightning and held them close to his eyes to study them. The two rings looked the same, but when Domo was studying the new ring, he suddenly froze, looking like he had discovered something new.


    "What are you blanking out for?" said Zhang Bao''er, who snatched the new ring from Domo''s hand.


    I also went over to take a closer look at the new ring. A diagram was actually carved on the surface of the small ring.


    Upon seeing the diagram, Zhang Bao''er turned the ring the other way around. Then, a diagram resembling the Horsehead Nebula appeared before our eyes. At the neck of the nebula, a three-star system was clearly marked.


    "Canyue, this is a map! This is probably the map to the three-star system!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    I was filled with excitement as well. I had not expected my random act of removing a ring to bring us the map to the three-star system. It almost seemed like the prophet was blessing us with success in all our endeavors.


    "Canyue, let''s tell the commander immediately. We can set off toward the three-star system earlier," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I immediately placed the sleeping Bulu back into the backpack and headed to the command room. I did not forget to carry the backpack with me. While we were about to leave the room, I caught sight of Domo sneakily slipping the other ring into his pocket.


    ''Domo is a money-grubber through and through,'' I thought, somewhat speechless by his behavior.


    By now, we were near the end of the three-hour rest that Zhang Xingxing had given us. Many of the crew members were returning to the command room. Sarje, Baobao, and the others even had the drowsy looks of people who had just woken up from sleep. Nobody knew that while they were enjoying sleeping, the three of us were undergoing a life-and-death struggle.


    We quickly headed to the command room. Zhang Xingxing and the others were already waiting. From their expressions, it was clear their three-hour-long meeting had not brought them any useful results.


    "Commander, there was a great breakthrough on our side," said Zhang Bao''er before I could say anything.


    "It''s so obvious this fatty is trying to snatch the credits for the discovery," complained Domo.


    Everyone focused on Zhang Bao''er the moment he shouted, and it appeared as if he felt like some sort of superstar.


    "Commander, I know everything. It is better to have me make the report instead. In fact, I was the one who had made the discovery. I also participated in the whole event," said Domo, not willing to fall behind Zhang Bao''er.


    Domo''s action provoked Zhang Bao''er, who no longer bothered with waiting for permission and started his storytelling session. Meanwhile, Domo remained stubborn and started telling his story as well. With the two speaking at the same time, the people in the room did not know who they should listen to.


    "Zhang Bao''er, stop. Let Domo talk first. You''ll go after," ordered Zhang Xingxing, curbing the chaos.


    Zhang Bao''er was obviously unhappy, but he obeyed and shut his mouth. A smug expression covered Domo''s face as he impatiently told his story. Of course, he altered a large part of the story to make himself look better and lower Zhang Bao''er''s level of contribution.


    Even more excessive was the part where Domo claimed that Zhang Bao''er was the one who had been knocked unconscious by the sludge beast and that he was the one who had risked his life to protect Zhang Bao''er. He even claimed that he had selflessly offered his solidified time in order to save Zhang Bao''er''s life. Let alone Zhang Bao''er, even I couldn''t keep listening.


    "Solidified time? I thought the emperor took all of it. Why do you still have some on you?" asked simple-minded Old Du. That was also the question Domo feared most.


    "Yeah, why did you have solidified time on you? Explain yourself," Zhang Bao''er took the chance to question Domo as well.


    However, Domo was not so easily intimidated. He ignored the question and continued his story, eventually reaching the part where there was a map on the ring. At that point, Zhang Xingxing and the two princes became excited. The coordinates to the three-star system that they had been looking for had actually been found in an illusion. I took out the ring from my pocket and handed it to Dodo.


    "Is it my turn now?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who had been impatiently waiting for his chance to tell the story.


    Zhang Xingxing was about to answer when Dodo interrupted her.


    "Canyue, where''s the ring?" asked Dodo loudly.


    Astonished, I took the ring. The star chart of the Horsehead Nebula and the three-star system could be clearly seen on it.


    "Isn''t it here?" I pointed.


    "No. I can''t see anything apart from the ring''s sleek surface," said Dodo.


    "That''s impossible. Let me take a look," said Domo as he anxiously took the ring and studied it.


    "Here, isn''t it here? Are your robotic eyes broken or something? It''s so obvious. Why can''t you see it?" said Domo. His words reduced my worry. I almost started wondering if I was still stuck in an illusion.


    After everyone took turns looking at the ring, we concluded that only the three of us who had entered the illusion could see the map. Nobody else could see it. Domo had no choice but to draw the map. One ought to admit that Domo was actually quite good at drawing. The enlarged version of the map he drew was actually exactly the same as the map on the ring.


    "With this map, we now know the location of the three-star system. It is at the neck of the Horsehead Nebula. We can head there first and then scan the area with our infrared scanners to get the coordinates," said Dodo after studying the map.


    The map we found was very helpful to Zhang Xingxing and the two princes. After a short discussion, they agreed with Dodo''s request. We started heading toward the three-star system.


    "I hope this is not another trap," said Baron Sisse, who remained cautious.


    "Yeah. We''re no longer a small team with only three ships. Instead, we''re a fleet of over thirty ships. For a fleet this big, it will be hard to protect everyone in the event of a battle. Therefore, be careful in our subsequent operation. I am responsible for the life of every single soldier here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Dodo followed the order and arranged for the fleet to perform a wormhole-leap to a location 0.3 lightyears away from us: the Horsehead Nebula''s neck.

 CH 226

    "Shit! Canyue, I can''t find the other ring. Did we leave it in your room?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly asked nervously.


    Looking at this simple-minded brother of mine, I felt somewhat speechless. It was obvious Zhang Bao''er still believed that he had managed to snatch both rings from Domo.


    "Don''t worry. Go look for it. My door isn''t locked," I said. I did not expose Domo, as I did not want to see the two bickering yet again.


    Upon hearing my words, Zhang Bao''er was overjoyed. He sneaked off to look for the ring alone, afraid that Domo would follow him. Surprisingly, he returned in disappointment after only a few minutes. In fact, he even hid in the corner, as though he was afraid that I would scold him. I felt rather awkward upon seeing his behavior.


    Soon, we were ready to initiate wormhole travel. This was the strongest the 7th Armored Division had ever been. Each battleship needed its own wormhole, so when our entire fleet moved, we created quite a spectacle.


    About 10 minutes later, the fleet arrived at the new location: the neck of the nebula. Like other parts of the nebula, the place was also filled with rolling dark clouds. No stars could be seen around us.


    Dodo and Jack used infrared scanners to search the area for heat signatures. Before long, several star systems were discovered. Among them, a three-star system could be clearly detected. This time, Dodo did not say anything. Rather, they only led Zhang Xingxing toward the image of the three-star system.


    "After untold hardships, we finally found you," said Zhang Xingxing, who couldn''t help but feel emotional.


    "The fleet can reach that system after traveling at top speed for two hours," said Dodo.


    "The entire fleet will become invisible to avoid being detected by the enemies on the beast-breeding planet," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Following the order, the entire fleet turned invisible and moved rapidly toward our destination. After about 30 minutes of flight, we flew out of the dark clouds. At that moment, a terrifying sight appeared before our eyes. To the front right of our fleet, a newborn yellow star surrounded by dust clouds was spinning rapidly. That was obviously abnormal. The reason for its high-speed rotation was the two terrifying giants to the front right of it. The gravitational pull of the two giants had caused great instability to the yellow star.


    A blue giant star was being devoured by a black hole, and it was struggling valiantly to avoid destruction. A massive spiraling blue flare leaked out of the blue star, and it was being devoured by the tiny black hole. Although we couldn''t exactly see the black hole with our naked eyes, the black circle highlighted by the spiraling blue spiral had exposed its existence.


    The blue giant star was hundreds of times bigger than a newborn star. Due to the blue giant star''s gravitational pull, the yellow star was losing its balance, to the point its physical appearance looked unstable as well.


    Of course, the blue giant star did not look like it was doing well either. The black hole was akin to a maggot that had bitten through its belly, and the belly was bleeding non-stop. From what we could see, the blue giant star and the black hole were probably wandering celestial bodies. As for the dust clouds around the yellow star, they were probably the embryonic forms of planets, and some were probably even fully formed planets. These dust clouds and planets were being torn apart by the pull of the three bigger celestial bodies.


    "Perhaps these planets used to be full of life. However, this damn space fortress has ruined the balance of the universe and caused the extinction of these new life forms," sighed Baron Sisse.


    "All life forms are supposed to only face the threat of natural disasters during the process of evolution. I suppose even artificial disasters need to be taken into consideration now," said Kelly.


    Suddenly, the scene before us changed. Pulled by the blue star''s gravity, the yellow star finally fully lost its balance. It was diverted from its orbit by about 80 degrees, and the loss of balance caused its core to instantly collapse, creating a blinding explosion.


    "Heavens! Gamma-ray explosion!" exclaimed Dodo as they looked at the terrifying explosion, which was accompanied by a horrifying ripping sound.


    Two powerful beams of light erupted from the top and bottom of the yellow star. The bottom beam instantly traveled tens of millions of kilometers. As for the top beam, it shot straight toward the blue star.


    "Dodo, order the fleet to evade the gamma-ray explosion. A few of our ships are too close to the explosion," ordered Zhang Xingxing loudly.


    "Commander, this explosion stands right in our path to the three-star system. We will have to take a long detour to avoid the explosion," said Dodo.


    "Set up a new safe trajectory and notify the fleet about the detour. Prioritize the safety of all our ships," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With the order, Dodo started plotting a new route. But none of us had expected a new crisis to erupt at this time. When the yellow beam struck the center of the blue star, it started swelling.


    "Shit! This blue giant''s core seems to have turned unstable after the rush of energy. We need to leave immediately," shouted Baron Sisse.


    We knew that the gamma-ray explosion created by the collapse of a blue giant''s stability would be far more powerful than the explosion of a newborn yellow star. The explosion could reach a range of 50 lightyears and obliterate everything within its reach.


    "This blue giant''s explosion can even damage the space fortress''s wall of light. That would probably be a good opportunity for us to escape," said Dodo, who was paying close attention to the blue giant as it started deforming.


    "If the burst happens to be in the direction of the three-star system, we might all perish before we even have a chance to escape," said Baron Sisse.


    "I have already calculated the burst''s coverage based on the angle of the blue giant''s core. The three-star system is outside the coverage, but I''m not sure if the gravitational pull of the yellow star and the black hole will change its angle later," said Jack.


    The blue giant was under the effect of the yellow star explosion and the black hole''s pull. The two factors caused it to be extremely unstable. The smart thing to do was to leave as soon as possible. The fleet started moving away from the terrifying area in accordance with the new route plotted by Dodo, and it headed toward the three-star system from a different direction.


    In truth, for there to be so many chaotic celestial bodies to exist in such close proximity to each other, the space fortress''s ripples would sooner or later ruin this birthplace of stars. According to the results of our scan, the three-star system was roughly 480 billion kilometers from us. It wasn''t a short distance. The distance between Blue''s sun and the farthest planet in the system, Neptune, was only roughly 4.5 billion kilometers.


    Thus, the explosions would temporarily not reach the three-star system. Nevertheless, there was no doubt that we were running out of time. The fleet remained invisible as we started detouring. With our speed, we will approach the three-star system after roughly three hours.


    "There won''t be any mishaps this time, right?" said Old Du, who had come beside me without me knowing.


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    "Based on the results of Dodo''s scan, I believe there won''t be any other surprises. But I am very worried about the 27 planets mentioned by Commander Herbert. If that''s true, then the beast army must have expanded by three times their original number. With our current strength, it will be very hard for us to obtain victory," I said.


    "At this point, we can only brace ourselves and keep going. We have the beast army ahead of us and the pursuing soldiers behind us. The wall of light is also acting as a barrier to stop our wormhole-leap. We must destroy the beast base, or this journey would have been for nothing," said Old Du, showcasing his determination to perish together with his enemies if needed.


    I nodded at Old Du. At that point, everyone in the ship could already feel the tense mood before a battle. In the wide universe, the battleships were our sole shelter. And now, we were going to take our shelter to face our enemies. There would only be one result. Life or death.


    Lin Feixue was already on his way to the bottom level. He was going to prepare the Wargod soldiers for combat. The various captains had also returned to their own ships through the docking bridges. An interstellar battle was imminent. Three hours passed in the blink of an eye. By then, the fleet was traveling at an average speed of 15 million kilometers per hour.


    After we went through the thick dark cloud, an expansive space suddenly appeared before us. In the distance, a stellar system of red, yellow, and blue stars could be seen. This had been our target for a very long time.


    In the very beginning, a small squad would brave numerous dangers and solve countless puzzles, and eventually, the squad of Blueling warriors would lead their army and come here. This was a part of Nommo''s prophecy. And our arrival at this system could very well be only the start of what was to come.

 CH 227

    "Slow down the fleet immediately. Assemble 3 billion kilometers away from the three-star system. We will convene a combat meeting," Zhang Xingxing gave her latest order.


    "Reporting to the commander, all battleships and land combat units have entered a combat-ready state. They are all on standby for combat," reported Lin Feixue.


    Zhang Xingxing started giving a speech to the fleet, "Warriors, I am grateful to every single one of you for being able to persist in defending justice even in such hard times and fight for the universe and peace. Waiting ahead of you could very well be a terrifying monster that you have never dreamed of existing. As mere ordinary mortals fearing no evil, we only pursue a clear conscience, leaving our footprints in the fight for the universe and peace."


    Her words ignited the spirits of all the soldiers, to the point where they felt like no monster could defeat them. The fleet continued advancing at a moderate speed. Soon, we were 3 billion kilometers from the three-star system. There, we were once again presented with the magnificence of creation.


    The red, yellow, and blue stars formed a perfect triangle before us. The blue giant star should have been much larger than the yellow star, but the three stars before us were exactly the same in size. Once again, our downloaded astronomy knowledge was toppled.


    The three stars formed a cycle of mutual absorption. It was as though each star was devouring the required energy to survive from its own target. Together, they restricted and supported each other, forming a balanced ecosystem.


    After scanning with our laser probes, Dodo was able to quickly confirm the exact positions of the 27 planets in this system. They were mostly concentrated 600 million kilometers from the 3 stars.


    "Commander, the beast bases have been found. From the data we have, no signs of life can be seen on these planets yet," reported Dodo.


    "I intend to split the fleet into three. Commander Herbert and Commander Xidor will lead 10 ships and head toward 9 planets. Commander Kelly will lead 10 ships and head toward 9 other planets. The remaining ships will remain under my command and head toward the remaining 9 planets," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Commander, the giant claw worms are extremely powerful. There are also the lion-faced beasts we encountered before. Would we be too weak to deal with them after splitting up?" asked Old Du worriedly.


    "After Commander Herbert and Commander Xidor joined us, our 7th Armored Division swelled to 30,000 soldiers. We have tripled our numbers. The number of planets here has also tripled. Therefore, it won''t change much to split our fleet. In fact, our fleet is much better equipped now compared to before," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Lin Feixue started making his arrangements, "Commanders, be sure to avoid artillery attacks during landing. The destruction of ships will result in the greatest number of casualties. Whatever the cost, ensure to deliver these brave warriors safely to the planets. That is a mission you must complete."


    "The surfaces of these beast planets are very sleek. When landing, try to find a way into the internal parts of the planets. Even if you have to blast your way through, do it. Kill any beast you encounter. I don''t want to see any surviving worms or other beasts," added Baron Sisse.


    The various ships started moving to their respective targets in accordance with the order given. This time, Old Du did not return to Spacetime. Rather, he stayed with me and Zhang Bao''er. From our initial landing at Jupiter II, the three of us had braved numerous hardships to reach this point.


    Most of what we had experienced were localized battles and conflicts. Today, we were finally going to face a true large-scale battle. At that thought, the three of us couldn''t help but grow excited.


    "Canyue, Bao''er, Old Du, return to your combat posts," Zhang Xingxing ordered.


    Hearing her command, Old Du and I returned to the two copilot seats. Baron Sisse, who was previously in charge of assisting me, had left for Spacetime with Kelly. After so long, we were finally able to once again pilot a ship together. As for Zhang Bao''er, he was assigned to the weapons room as usual. With familiar and old comrades by her side, Zhang Xingxing appeared even more confident than usual.


    "Commander, Skyhawk is slowly entering the upper atmosphere of a beast planet. All the ships are invisible, awaiting the order to land," reported the diligent Lin Feixue.


    At that moment, an imposing group of planets arranged like a string of pearls appeared before my eyes. The sight before me was exactly the same as what I saw in Nommo''s recordings. The nearer a planet was to a star, the larger the planet would be. Looking at the sight before us, we felt like we had traveled back in time to over 100,000 years ago.


    "Commander, I remember that Nommo had landed on the small planet occupying the outermost position among the string of planets. But I don''t know if this is the same string of planets," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    "If this is the same string of planets, the man in black would have definitely left some traces of his presence behind," said Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing''s body trembled slightly when the man in black was mentioned. The mystery of the man in black had troubled us for a very long time. Who was that Blueling? Why had he left traces of his presence behind multiple scenarios? Was that one person, or was it actually an organization? It was very likely that Zhang Xingxing would try her best to get to the bottom of this matter.


    "Lin Feixue, scan the first planet for the situation on its surface. Domo, keep us updated about the results," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone started working. In less than five minutes, the result of the scan was out. The artificial planet had a sleek surface, and there seemed to be a large empty space beneath its surface. However, no entrance could be seen. Not even a crack was present. It was as though the entire planet was wrapped in a layer of seamless steel as thick as 100 kilometers.


    "A thickness of 100 kilometers. The shell of this planet is way too thick. How are we supposed to blast out an opening? We can only drill our way in," said Zhang Bao''er, who was visibly shocked by the thickness of the shell.


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    Lin Feixue said, "Commander, our scans have not detected any beasts so far. Two other units that are going to land at the same time as us also found nothing. Permission to continue with the landing operation?"


    "Should we have one ship land first and scout around in case there is an ambush?" asked Old Du.


    "I disagree. I remember that in Nommo''s recordings, the landing team was suddenly attacked by all the beasts on the planet. If our advancing party is too weak, the entire team might get destroyed," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing lowered her head in contemplation. After making a decision, she raised her head.


    "Notify Kelly''s team to land together. Notify Commander Herbert''s team to remain on standby for now," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    "How about Skyhawk''s team?" asked Lin Feixue.


    "Dodo will work with Jack to arrange for Skyhawk''s team and Kelly''s team to land at the same time," said Zhang Xingxing, giving an order that caused all of us to grow excited.


    "Roger!" replied Lin Feixue.


    Dodo started coordinating our invisible fleet to move toward the beast planet. The landing operation was about to begin. The mood in the ship was tense. Both our scanners and our manual sentries were working overtime to discover anything on the planet that might pose a threat to us, ensuring that the worst would not happen.


    The invisible fleet slowly approached the beast planet''s surface. Before me, a white steel planet could be seen. The planet was akin to a round ball of steel. It was sleek and glossy, and although the three stars were far away, their reflections could still be seen on this glossy planet.


    "This planet''s surface is too sleek. Will we even be able to stand properly on it after landing?" asked Zhang Bao''er from his weapons room.


    "Don''t worry. This is merely its appearance from far away. When we''re close enough to the surface, all you will see is flat land. That''s knowledge at the primary school level on Blue. Zhang Bao''er, your knowledge base is deteriorating at a surprising rate," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, you''re really too polite and like to beat around the bush. He hasn''t degenerated. He has never known it in the first place. He had gotten the last place during his time in school. One time, the student in second-to-last place suddenly found himself becoming the last-place student. The headmaster had thought that the fatty had improved in his studies, but it turned out that the fatty had taken sick leave during the exam," said Domo.


    "What story are you making up here? Be careful lest I feed you to the lion beasts for lunch later," said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "I don''t taste good. You, on the other hand, will be the lion beast''s favorite with all your fat," said Domo.


    "Shut up. We''re in the middle of a combat mission. If I hear another word about something unrelated to combat, you will be pulled out of the mission, and you can stay in Nyx''s room instead," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The two were instantly fearful when they saw that Zhang Xingxing was really furious. They shut their mouths and stopped talking.


    "Warriors, please be seated. The ship is going to start landing soon," announced Dodo.


    Kelly''s unit was also landing at the same time. As of now, we had yet to detect any air-defense weapons. The entire landing operation was progressing smoothly.


    "This is way too peaceful. The beasts can''t be all dead, right?" I muttered as I looked at the deserted planet.


    "Don''t be careless. The more peaceful this place seems, the more restless I feel. This is not normal. If there are no beast bases here, why did the emperor bother hiding this region with such a massive wall of light?" said Zhang Xingxing. She was truly worthy of being the commander; she could see things from a larger perspective.


    "Something must be wrong here. It is too peaceful. We need to stay on alert," said Old Du.


    "Landing in one minute," Dodo''s announcement rang out in the ship.

 CH 228

    When I heard that we were going to land soon, I felt my adrenaline pumping, my excitement making it feel as if blood was rushing to my head. At that moment, our fleet had started to penetrate the thin atmosphere of the artificial planet. The friction between the ships and the atmosphere created a small number of sparks.


    "Countdown starting. Reduce energy expenditure and cancel our invisibility," said Dodo. After 10 seconds, Skyhawk slowly landed on the ground.


    Looking outside from the cockpit, I could see the three stars hanging in the sky. The white planet did not need another source of lighting because the visibility on the planet was at a level similar to Blue''s midday. According to our scanners, the temperature outside the ship was roughly 38 degrees Celsius, and the oxygen level was only about 60 percent of Blue''s.


    "Commander, the fleet has landed successfully. What is your next order?" asked Lin Feixue.


    The beast planet was so silent that it was unnatural. Our landing should have created enough vibrations on the surface of the planet for the beasts underground to detect us. Thus, we were paying close attention to the surface for any signs of the beasts coming out of the ground, and if we could find one, we could even avoid the trouble of digging through the planet''s steel ground.


    The situation on the planet Kelly had landed on was the same. No signs of life could be detected there either. We waited in silence for about 10 minutes. However, the planet was still unnaturally calm.


    "Commander, Canyue, there is something odd about this place," Old Du suddenly said.


    "Old Du, what did you discover?" I asked.


    "I have been observing for a while. This place feels like a dead planet with no life," said Old Du.


    "Dead planet? That''s not possible. Both Nommo''s recordings and Dodo''s scans have indicated that there is a large underground space on this planet. The beasts should be hidden deep in the heart of the planet," I said.


    "The planet''s surface is made of steel. With our scanning capacity, wouldn''t we be able to detect life on the other side of the 100-kilometer thick ground if there was any?" Old Du gave a convincing argument.


    "Maybe there are some unknown elements mixed in the steel ground, giving it a similar function as the wall of light to help hide all signs of life," suggested Dodo.


    Old Du continued arguing, but nobody supported his point of view.


    "Everyone, stop arguing for now. It doesn''t look like we will find anything if we continue staying on the ship. I suggest that we send a team out while the fleet stays on standby with all weapons on so that it will be ready to provide assistance," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Right after Zhang Xingxing said that, I saw Zhang Bao''er rush out of the weapons room.


    "Commander, permission to join the scouting party?" volunteered Zhang Bao''er.


    Immediately, more people offered to join the party. Everyone wanted to be the one to leave their name in history.


    "There is no need for this. I have already decided on a suitable team for this," Zhang Xingxing said firmly.


    Seeing the look in Zhang Xingxing''s eyes, I knew that this was a crucial moment in her search for her father. Nobody would be allowed to disobey her at this time.


    "Li Canyue will lead the scouting party. Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, Anxashe, Dodo, and Sarje will be its members," said Zhang Xingxing. Naturally, us three brothers were very satisfied with this arrangement.


    When the others saw how firm Zhang Xingxing was, nobody argued. And thus, the composition of the scouting party was confirmed.


    "Canyue, make sure to keep everyone safe. We will maintain contact. Kelly''s unit will be on standby for now. We''ll all be waiting for your scouting result," said Zhang Xingxing, emphasizing the importance of my mission.


    "Don''t worry. I guarantee I''ll complete this mission," I promised with a determined look.


    "Deputy Commander, the Kangaroo is ready. You may leave at any time," said Lin Feixue.


    The time had come to carry out the mission. I did not say anything else and only nodded at my team members. We were old comrades who had fought together for a long time. We knew each other well enough that there was no need to say anything prior to the mission. Together, we walked in silence toward the airlock.


    The Kangaroo was already ready. Its six big wheels were filled with treads, letting the wheels grip the planet''s sleek surface better. As we entered the Kangaroo, the door closed behind us. Then, the decontamination procedure activated. Afterward, the door leading outside the ship opened, revealing the beast planet''s unique environment to us.


    Dodo carefully drove the Kangaroo out of Skyhawk, finally bringing us onto the planet Nommo had arrived on over 100,000 years ago. A heavy sensation suddenly rose within me. The surface of the beast planet looked sleek, but the powerful grip of the Kangaroo''s wheels enabled the vehicle to travel smoothly. While Dodo focused on scanning the surroundings, we looked around with our eyes.


    "Canyue, have you found anything?" came Zhang Xingxing''s anxious voice after only a few minutes.


    "Reporting to the commander, our scans indicate that this is a planet of pure steel. Apart from steel, nothing can be found. No entrance to the underground can be found either," said Dodo.


    "I still feel like this is a dead planet. I don''t know why, but I''m feeling this very intensely," said Old Du.


    By then, the Kangaroo had traveled about a dozen kilometers, and nothing of value had been found.


    "If this continues, we won''t be able to find anything. I suggest we leave the Kangaroo and personally search around," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing agreed. "Permission granted. Be careful." The lack of any discovery seemed to have caused everyone to be less cautious than before.


    "We will leave together. The Kangaroo will stay here," I ordered.


    With my order, everyone started preparing their defensive equipment. Dodo then opened the door, granting us direct contact with the beast planet.


    "Stick with me and maintain our combat formation. Anxashe will scout ahead. Zhang Bao''er will bring up the rear," I ordered rapidly.


    The ground was extremely hard. When we were stepping on the ground, we could feel a weak magnetic pull. The planet''s surface was untainted by even a speck of dust, but when we actually went outside, the surface wasn''t as slippery as we had thought since the weak magnetic pull was helping us get a better footing.


    "Everyone, split up and search around. See if you can find anything helpful," I ordered.


    Following the order, everyone scattered and continued searching. I walked with Dodo, who was already prone on the ground. They were constantly rubbing the hard steel ground with their hands, seriously scanning the planet.


    "Canyue, this planet is made of regular steel," said Dodo. "The designer seemed to have utilized the planet''s core to create a big pressurized space to keep all the steel firmly together. Apart from that, I can''t find anything unusual about this place."


    The other members of the scouting party weren''t able to find anything either.


    "Canyue, in my opinion, we should just blow the entire planet up," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "Absolutely not. Blowing up the planet will only create unexpected consequences. It might even be what our enemies are waiting for us to do," objected Old Du.


    Not far away, Sarje was wandering aimlessly, dragging his iron staff around. He had obviously also found nothing. This was our first time conducting an operation with Sarje. Zhang Xingxing had probably taken his impressive combat strength as a Gando into account when making her arrangements. He would be very helpful when we decided to actually damage the steel surface of the planet.


    I was staring mindlessly at Sarje''s staff when I suddenly noticed that the nine planets we were assigned to actually made a straight line when they were orbiting the three stars. Due to the shift in position, the shadow left on the ground by each star was different. I saw that in the middle of the shadow cast by the staff, a flash of light had appeared for an instant.


    I suspected that I was seeing things, but not long after, the second flash appeared. Unfortunately, both flashes had ended too abruptly, so I wasn''t able to pinpoint their exact positions.


    ''There might be a different material there that causes the reflection!'' I thought in excitement.


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    "Sarje, continue roaming around your current position. Dodo, come with me. Pinpoint the location of the flash in Sarje''s shadow the moment it appears," I said in excitement.


    Everyone gathered around us upon hearing my new order. Meanwhile, Sarje was still confused, standing there foolishly.


    "Sarje, continue walking around with your staff. Ignore everyone else. Anxashe and Dodo, look out for a flash of light and pinpoint its location," I said.


    "Canyue, did you find anything new?" asked Zhang Xingxing through the communicator.


    "Commander, I saw an unknown flash just now. But we still need further observation to determine the exact source of the flash," I replied.


    Sarje continued walking around aimlessly, but the third flash did not occur.


    "Canyue, were you seeing things due to your exhaustion?" grumbled Zhang Bao''er. He had been staring at Sarje''s shadow for so long that his eyes had become sore yet nothing had been found.


    "Absolutely not. I am sure I saw two flashes," I insisted.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to say more when the third flash finally appeared. A dazzling flash had revealed itself right behind Sarje''s iron staff. The instant the flash appeared, Anxashe darted toward it like an arrow, and everyone rushed over. Anxashe was already prone on the ground, studying it in great detail. Dodo got down on the ground to study it too. After more than 10 minutes, the two finally looked up and helplessly shook their heads.


    "Nothing can be found on the ground. We can''t determine the source of the flash," said Dodo gloomily.


    Astonished, Zhang Bao''er said, "This is so odd. Why would there be a flash in the middle of a shadow? Is this due to this three-star system''s special environment?"


    "I don''t believe that something would happen for no reason. There must be a special meaning behind the flashing," said Old Du.


    "A flash had appeared thrice in the middle of a shadow. Canyue, do you remember the two previous positions?" Dodo asked.


    Although I wasn''t sure of the exact positions, I was still aware of the general area the flashes had appeared. Dodo used the laser probe to scan the two spots. Suddenly, I saw their hands trembling.


    Zhang Bao''er also noticed, and he asked with concern, "Dodo, are you fine?"

 CH 229

    "I''m fine. I was only a bit excited," said Dodo, confusing all of us.


    "So Dodo, did you find anything?" I asked.


    Instead of answering my question, Dodo asked, "Sarje, do you have any special elements in your iron staff?"


    "I''m not sure, but this staff has been passed down from my ancestors. It is very durable. My grandpa once told me that its materials were from Lasha Valley on Planet Eternal," said Sarje.


    "Jack, are there any special ores in  Lasha Valley?" asked Dodo through the communicator.


    "Lasha Valley is one of the areas where an element called soft can be found. The empire uses this element to make their steel more pliable and tough," answered Jack.


    "Do we have any of this material in Skyhawk''s cargo?" asked Dodo.


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    "We have a lot among our reserve maintenance materials. Feel free to use it," said Jack.


    Meanwhile, the rest of us were still completely confused, not knowing what Dodo was trying to do.


    "Canyue, with my laser probe, I found that the flashing points actually connect into an arc. The flashing points can only be discovered when they are covered by shade and come in contact with materials containing the soft element. I intend to join all the flashing points and see what pattern I can find," said Dodo.


    "Shade? With such a large space and three stars above us, how are we supposed to block the light from the three stars?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Easy," said Dodo before pointing at Skyhawk.


    I instantly understood what Dodo meant. Skyhawk was big enough to provide the shade we needed. I immediately nodded and approved Dodo''s plan. With my approval, Dodo quickly contacted Skyhawk. Then, the battleship soared into the sky and hovered above us, covering the three stars and creating a massive shadow on the ground.


    At the same time, a small transport ship descended from Skyhawk''s bottom. Before long, it landed ahead of us. Dozens of sturdy Wargod soldiers, each carrying a big steel plate, walked out.


    "Excellent. This is what I want to see. Sarje''s staff is just too small for what I need," said Dodo, looking quite excited.


    "Dodo, what are you going to do next?" I asked, still not fully understanding Dodo''s arrangements.


    Dodo did not answer. Rather, they drew a green circle on the ground with the laser probe.


    "Warriors, please carry your plates and stand along this line," said Dodo.


    The Wargod soldiers moved and stood on the green line that formed a circle.


    Then, a peculiar scene unfolded before our eyes. From the steel plates held by the soldiers standing in a circle, 12 dazzling flashes appeared. These flashes had been created by the soft element in the plates.


    "What is this? Is this a password to go underground?" asked Zhang Bao''er excitedly.


    In fact, the entire fleet became excited because of this discovery. After an intense discussion, everyone slowly calmed down. The 12 flashes were mere projections that had appeared on our own steel plates. We still hadn''t found anything from the planet''s ground. Thus, after the bout of excitement, everyone sank into deep thought.


    "Dodo, what is this circle? Also, what is the meaning behind the circular arrangement of the flashing points?" asked Old Du.


    "I''m searching my database for something similar," said Dodo.


    About 15 minutes later, Dodo looked up and said, "According to the shape formed by the flashing points, the angle, and the distance between them, this diagram resembles a clock from Blue."


    "Clock?" I was surprised.


    "Canyue, why are you so shocked?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously.


    "If I remember right, there are 48 hours in a day on Eternal. Twelve points representing 24 hours proves that this thing is a reference to Blue''s, or the league''s, method of displaying time. But what is it doing here?" I muttered, causing everyone to sink into thought.


    Suddenly, Master Crystal suggested through the communicator, "Dodo, have them keep searching the planet''s surface. See if there''s any new discovery."


    After hearing Master Crystal''s suggestion, Dodo immediately had the Wargod warriors who were holding the steel plates that didn''t cause flashes to search around in the shade. Sure enough, there was soon a new discovery.


    New flashing points had appeared on some of the steel plates. In order to search for more flashing points in the diagram, Zhang Xingxing ordered all the ships in our unit to soar into the sky and create an even larger shadow.


    Ultimately, we confirmed that a circle formed of flashing points would appear every kilometer. The circles were arranged in a straight line, and it was likely that they would actually run around the entire planet. Finally, our scouting party had made a big breakthrough. Everyone became excited. Kelly''s unit had also made a similar discovery by replicating what we did.


    "Why would Blue''s method of displaying time appear here? I don''t understand the meaning of these flashes," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Puzzle. I believe these diagrams might represent some sort of puzzle," I said.


    "I agree," said Old Du. "So long as we can solve the puzzle, we will be able to unveil this place''s secret. But we still don''t know how to solve this puzzle."


    "There are so many points, but there is nothing on each of these clocks to indicate the time. If this really signifies Blue''s system of measuring time, there should also be an hour hand and a minute hand on each clock," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yeah. Maybe that''s the solution to the puzzle. We just need to find a way to discover the hour and minute hands," said Old Du.


    "For an Eternal construct to be locked with Blue''s clock, the designer of the lock must be a Blueling," said Baron Sisse.


    "The man in black. He was once here. Perhaps he had helped design this system," said Zhang Bao''er.


    ''I have suspected this since long ago; I have just been silent about it,'' I thought to myself.


    "Can this be a clock puzzle? I once downloaded some theories regarding clock puzzles during my astronomy training," said Old Du.


    "I also know those theories. From what we know, these clocks do resemble the clock puzzles we know about," said Kelly through the communicator.


    The knowledge regarding clock puzzles was not a part of the standard knowledge-download package. Zhang Bao''er and I did not really pay more for the additional knowledge. Thus, when Old Du started talking about clock puzzles, we felt like we were listening to a completely alien language.


    "What do you know? Just say it." Surprisingly, Dodo was the one to urge Old Du. It seemed that the android had not downloaded the relevant knowledge, either.


    "The clock puzzle is a secret of time that one can solve by using the clock''s surface. While solving the puzzle, the hour and minute hands do not exist. The person solving the puzzle must install the hands themselves to solve the puzzle," said Old Du.


    "Secret of time? What do you mean?" asked Zhang Bao''er blankly.


    "In short, the ability to predict the future. If you can solve the clock puzzle, you will be able to transcend time and obtain the secret of time," said Old Du.


    "That sounds way too mystical. Also, isn''t that basically fortune-telling? Has anyone ever solved the so-called clock puzzle before?" questioned Zhang Bao''er.


    "History is filled with prophets. Some conspiracy theorists believed that these prophets had actually solved the clock puzzle. That was how they were able to make accurate predictions of the future or obtain knowledge ahead of their time. For example, individuals such as Jules Verne, Albert Einstein, Edison, and some other great inventors and prophets were actually related to the clock puzzle. Of course, this is merely a conspiracy theory. That is why the clock puzzle is not part of the standard download package," said Old Du, explaining why we weren''t given the same knowledge.


    "No wonder. Something that will create doubt in the great scientists and theorists will not be freely available for commoners like us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Let us put aside history for now. Old Du, can you solve the clock puzzle?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I once learned the theories concerning the clock puzzle. I can try, but I might also need Kelly''s help," said Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing directly ordered, "You and Kelly will start working together to solve the puzzle. Let me know if you need anything."


    "According to Old Du''s theory, the clock puzzle can let one get a glimpse of the future. What we need to do now is assign a default value to these handless clocks. In accordance with the default value, we will find some patterns to these clocks and figure out the secret behind them," said Kelly.


    "What should we assign as the default value?" asked Old Du.


    "Old Du, I intend to set zero o''clock as X, our default value. But theoretically, we need a variable to help assign X with different values," said Kelly.


    "That is fine, but what should we use as the variable?" asked Old Du, sinking into thought.

 CH 230

    At that moment, I suddenly discovered something. The 10 ships in the sky weren''t exactly packed together. There was still space between them, and the rays of light coming through those openings looked like beams of light with different colors. Old Du and Kelly were still busy trying to think of a variable for the puzzle, but an idea suddenly rose in my mind when I saw the many beams of light coming down.


    "Can the variable be the light of the three stars? The three stars are constantly moving, and the light coming from them will shift as time passes. Perhaps the rays of light can serve as hour and minute hands," I suggested to Old Du.


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    Upon hearing my suggestion, Old Du looked up at the ships in the sky. He looked pensive. On this completely bare planet, the light from the three stars was clearly the only thing they could use as a variable.


    "Jack, move Skyhawk''s front by 45 degrees. Form a triangle with the two ships to its right," ordered Old Du.


    Jack immediately did as told, creating a triangle in the sky. A blue beam of light came down from the created opening. Old Du continued giving Jack orders to fine-tune the ship''s angle, trying to aim the beam of light at one of the clocks.


    Soon, the angle was adjusted. The blue beam of light was aimed at one of the clocks, but nothing changed. The clock hand we had expected to see had not appeared.


    "There is no change to the clock. We still don''t have the variable," said Old Du, shaking his head.


    Once again, everyone sank into silence. We were all trying to think of a way to solve the puzzle.


    "Old Du, the three stars in the sky are red, yellow, and blue. If the blue beam doesn''t work, should we try a different beam?" suggested Kelly.


    "I''m also considering the three colors," said Zhang Xingxing as inspiration hit her. "Generally, a yellow star is a young star, a red star is an old star, and a blue star is in between. I suggest we try the yellow light first."


    Her words injected everyone with fresh hope. Old Du did as she suggested and ordered Jack to change the ship''s angle again. Shortly after, a yellow beam bearing all our hope came down upon one of the clocks. Everyone stopped breathing, waiting for Old Du to announce the result.


    After looking down for a while, Old Du abruptly looked up in excitement, "A clock hand has appeared! It should be the hour hand!"


    Everyone cheered, seemingly having forgotten that we were doing all this in order to find the beasts and undergo a dangerous battle with them. They were all feeling the excitement of solving a puzzle.


    "We now have the hour hand. What time is it?" I asked.


    "The hour hand should be pointing roughly toward one o''clock," said Old Du.


    "Adjust the angle of the other ships. According to our previous guess, we will need the blue beam now. A new angle is needed," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    Soon, a new opening between the ships was created, allowing a blue beam to land on the clock with the hour hand. With that, the minute hand appeared on the clock. The time displayed on the clock was 1:15.


    "1:15. This is a start. Next, we can figure out the time displayed on each clock and try to find some pattern," I said.


    "Since there are red, yellow, and blue stars, it is clear there is also a second hand on the clock. We need to create the second hand as well," reminded the prudent Kelly.


    Her words reminded everyone. We had nearly forgotten something so important. After another adjustment, the clock showed the time 1:15:30. We performed the same steps on the 10 clocks we found. The time difference between each clock to the next was 1 minute. It seemed like we had found some sort of pattern to the puzzle.


    "We now have the order of time. We only need to find out what they mean," said Old Du as he started studying the time sequence.


    "What does this sequence represent? Don''t tell me we can use this sequence to travel to different points in time in the future?" muttered Zhang Bao''er beside me.


    "The beast planets have existed for at least 100,000 years. However, these are clocks for the 24-hour system. If they represent the time these planets have existed, does the one minute difference between each clock indicate that these are the points in time when unique events would happen?" wondered Zhang Xingxing.


    "One minute difference per clock. Does this signify that the beasts will appear in a day, a month, or a year? And what point in time are we on?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Repeating what we did, Kelly also found the same sequence of time on a different planet. Different from us, the time difference on her planet was two minutes per clock.


    "I feel like this is an alarm clock," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    "Alarm clock? Explain what you mean," asked Old Du.


    "I believe the concept of an alarm clock is that once per day, the beasts will be given some free time on the surface. Or perhaps it''s once a year. I suggest that we wait a day here. If the beasts appear in accordance with the time on these clocks, we will be able to see them in a day," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "Brother Bao''er, I did not expect you to come up with such a profound idea. Your idea makes a lot of sense," said Baron Sisse in support.


    "So in accordance with Bao''er''s idea, these clocks are basically alarm clocks and the time displayed on them are the points in time when they will be awakened. This point of awakening is also different for each planet," Old Du concluded based on Zhang Bao''er''s idea.


    Without a better alternative, we had accepted Zhang Bao''er''s hypothesis for now. I also suggested to Zhang Bao''er that the fleet should stay in the sky to observe for a day.


    Suddenly, Kelly voiced her objection, "I don''t think this clock puzzle is as simple as Zhang Bao''er had thought."


    "Lady Kelly, what do you have in your wise mind?" said Zhang Bao''er unhappily.


    "If the gap of one minute represents the settings of an alarm clock, I believe 10 of these clocks would be sufficient for them. What''s the point of making enough clocks to circle the planet? According to what we know, there should be 1,440 of these clocks on this planet. Wouldn''t that be a waste?" said Kelly.


    "Easy. This planet is too big. With so many clocks, they can more easily wake up the beasts," said Zhang Bao''er, giving an argument that was also actually reasonable.


    "Look at this planet. There are no signs of life. If the beasts will show up in a day, why set the alarm on the surface? In that case, this clock puzzle will no longer be a puzzle. I believe Zhang Bao''er is oversimplifying something as complicated as a clock puzzle," said Kelly, giving an argument that was just as convincing.


    "Kelly, if these clocks do not represent alarm settings, what do you think they are?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I don''t think the times on these clocks represent the future. Rather, they represent the past. We need to view these clocks in reverse," said Kelly.


    Zhang Xingxing asked, "View these clocks in reverse? Can you explain more, Kelly?"


    "We have confirmed that these are Blue clocks. If there are 1,440 of these clocks on your planet, I believe that each clock should have its own meaning," said Kelly confidently.


    I also voiced my support. "I agree with Kelly. The puzzle here is definitely not as simple as Bao''er thinks. Each clock on this planet has its own special meaning."


    "I also agree with Kelly''s profound opinion. Zhang Bao''er''s fallacious reasoning is completely unscientific and unreliable," said Domo, taking the chance to step all over Zhang Bao''er.


    "But we still don''t know the meaning of the recorded time on these clocks. We also don''t know how we should even start solving this puzzle," said Zhang Xingxing gloomily.


    Everyone started exchanging opinions, trying to figure out a way to unveil the secret hidden by these clocks.


    "There are 1,440 minutes per day. Bao''er, let''s try seeing this using Kelly''s theory. What would you like to do during the span of one day?" I asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "What else can I do? After sleeping in, I''ll wake up for breakfast. Then, I''ll play some games until lunch. After that, I''ll take a nap. Later in the afternoon, I''ll wake up to have some snacks and then take a walk outside. In the evening, I''ll have a big meal and go to the bar. Finally, I''ll go back home and sleep. A simple day of an ordinary person," said Zhang Bao''er joyfully.


    "More like the life of a pig. Are you going to spend your days like that? I want a regular day for you," I said.


    "That is basically what I usually do in the span of a day. Not to mention a month, I''ll do the same for the entire year," argued Zhang Bao''er, who seemed to be addicted to arguing.


    "Fine, fine, you''re amazing. You can live a life of eating and sleeping for 365 days a year," I said.


    "Sigh. You don''t understand. If someone can live like that for a lifetime, it would be quite a comfortable life," said Zhang Bao''er, insisting on his fallacious reasoning.


    I ignored Zhang Bao''er and started muttering to myself, "A lifetime like that will cripple someone. The appearance of every single complex life form is incredibly rare in the grand scheme of things. Wasting a precious life away like that is not something I can accept. A lifetime. A lifetime¡­"


    "What is it, Canyue? Why are you mumbling to yourself? Are you feeling jealous because of my beautiful life?" asked Zhang Bao''er, seemingly asking for more nagging after seeing that I was ignoring him.


    "A lifetime of living a beautiful life. Hahaha, Zhang Bao''er, that would be a waste of a life. If you really live an entire lifetime like that, won''t you¡ª" I froze, suddenly thinking of something.


    Seeing that I was suddenly blanking out, Zhang Bao''er was alarmed. He shook my shoulders and shouted, "Canyue, how are you? What happened?"

 CH 231

    My brain spun rapidly as I sank deep into thought and ignored Zhang Bao''er''s question.


    "What are you thinking about?" Zhang Bao''er roared at me.


    After I was finally done thinking, I replied, "I''m thinking about an entire lifetime."


    "A lifetime? What do you mean?" Zhang Bao''er was confused.


    "Dodo, if Blue''s history is compressed into only one day, what time of the day will humans start appearing on the stage?" I asked.


    "23:59:22. That will be the time humans get on the stage," replied Dodo.


    "Canyue, you think these clocks represent different points in time on Blue?" asked Zhang Xingxing, instantly understanding me.


    "Yeah. I think if these clocks are so accurate that there are even second hands, this puzzle might be created based on Blue''s history, which has been compressed into a single day. After all, this clock system is Blue''s way of measuring time," I said.


    "Canyue, if we follow your theory, I don''t think we should take the time when humans stepped onto the stage. This is a beast planet. We need to look at the time when beasts stepped onto the stage," said Old Du.


    "When beasts stepped onto the stage? What is the strongest beast in Blue''s history?" Zhang Xingxing asked Dodo.


    "Probably a T. rex, right?" replied Zhang Bao''er.


    "The strongest beast in the history of Blue is not the T. rex. It should be the megalodon, which was a species of shark that could grow up to 21 meters long and weigh 100 tons. Its biting force is far stronger than a T. rex''s," said Dodo, rejecting Zhang Bao''er''s idea.


    "Megalodon, a species that lived on Blue roughly 15 million years ago. After the fifth mass extinction event, it came to dominate Blue''s ocean. It was also a species that had appeared relatively late on Blue''s timeline," said Old Du.


    "Fifteen million years ago. What time would it be if history is compressed into a single day?" I asked Dodo.


    They replied, "23:57:44."


    Everyone appeared excited upon hearing that. This was a great breakthrough in our attempt to solve the clock puzzle.


    "Follow the pattern of the clocks and calculate the position of that time!" I ordered quickly.


    "But the clocks here only display 12 hours. The same time will appear twice. We need to be sure which clock is correct," said Dodo.


    "That''s simple. We can make a simple test after finding the two clocks," I replied.


    Since the time difference between each clock with the next was only one minute, we were able to easily find the clocks bearing the time we wanted. One of them was close to us while the other was quite far away.


    The members of the scouting party returned to the Kangaroo and headed toward the closer clock while the Wargod soldiers returned to the battleship to head toward the second clock. Based on Dodo''s calculation, the clock we were heading to was only 30 minutes away. The other battleships also followed us in the air.


    "Commander, permission for Spacetime to head toward the clocks bearing the same time?" Kelly asked, maintaining the same pace of exploration as us.


    Kelly''s request was quickly granted. Apart from the fleet led by the princes, who were told to wait, the other two fleets started to work on solving the clock puzzle.


    In the Kangaroo, Zhang Bao''er asked, "Canyue, how did you come to the conclusion that these clocks are based on Blue''s history compressed into one day?"


    "Our conversation about a lifetime. It had reminded me that Blue''s lifetime could also be portrayed through a clock. Of course, that was only a guess. We will know if it''s correct after we arrive," I said.


    "In short, I am the main contributor?" said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    Sarje joined the conversation. "Following Zhang Bao''er''s logic, I am the one who discovered the flashing points making up the clocks. Without my staff, Canyue wouldn''t have been able to find them."


    While everyone was talking, Dodo suddenly slammed the brake. We had arrived.


    "Jack, please assist with forming the correct angles in the sky to reveal the clock," said Old Du.


    Jack, who was already experienced by now, quickly adjusted the positions of the ships to reveal the clock on the ground. By then, we had left the Kangaroo and scattered around our target. One of the battleships had also deployed about a dozen Wargod soldiers. Each soldier was carrying a steel plate.


    In a well-practiced manner, the soldiers formed a circle. With the help of the ships in the sky, the familiar clock appeared on the ground. I grew nervous for no reason, an ominous feeling rising in me.


    "Everyone, turn on your shields and be ready for combat!" I ordered in my nervousness.


    Next, yellow, blue, and red beams were allowed through the cracks between the ships. The time on the clock was revealed: 23:57:43.


    "A difference of one second. This is the moment right before the megalodon steps onto the stage. Looks like the beasts are going to appear soon," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    Zhang Xingxing suddenly said, "Canyue, the surrounding air pressure seems to have changed. I suggest that you all return to the Kangaroo."


    Our surroundings were still calm. The clock could clearly be seen on the ground, but the planet was still as uneventful as ever.


    "Perhaps the correct password isn''t megalodon''s time of appearance but the T. rex''s?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Or perhaps the time displayed here is 11:57:43 in the morning and we need to get to the next clock," suggested Dodo.


    We waited for 10 more minutes. Nothing changed, so I decided to give up on this clock and head to the next clock.


    "Commander, let''s give up on this clock for now and head to the other clock," I said to Zhang Xingxing.


    But only static came through the communicator.


    "Commander, Commander, do you hear me?" I started calling.


    By my side, Dodo and Old Du were also trying to contact Skyhawk, but the result was the same. Only static could be heard.


    "What is this? It''s like contact was cut off immediately after Zhang Xingxing reminded us about the change in pressure," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Had the change in air pressure interrupted the transmission of our radio waves?" muttered Old Du as he waved at the ships in the sky.


    With the short distance between us and the ship, Lin Feixue and the others in the ships should have been able to easily see us when we beckoned to them. Oddly, none of the ships in the sky showed any reaction.


    "Weird. What are they doing?" said Zhang Bao''er as he looked up at the ships.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, prepare for combat. Something isn''t right," I hurriedly said.


    Immediately, something happened. We had been looking for some sort of progress in solving the puzzle, and the important moment had appeared just like that. The clock on the ground was no longer formed by the flashing points generated by the Wargod warriors'' steel plates. Rather, the ground itself displayed the clock. Alongside the three hands of light, a complete clock took form. The clock''s second hand started moving, making us even more nervous.


    "Canyue, look! The second hand is moving!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Yes, I see. Everyone, get ready for combat. Old Du, fire a few flares into the sky and see if the commander and the others can notice us," I ordered.


    Two orange emergency flares soared into the sky. They were very obvious and impossible to miss, but oddly, the ships still didn''t react.


    "This is troublesome. Did they encounter some trouble? Why are they not reacting at all?" asked Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "What I don''t understand is the loss of contact with the entire fleet. Just what kind of power had caused something like that?" I said.


    Old Du voiced his worry. "The ships are filled with experts. Master Crystal and Baron Sisse are there as well. I believe they can solve any trouble they encounter. What about us? It seems like we''re trapped here."


    The time displayed on the clock kept changing. At that moment, it became 23:59:00, and my surroundings slowly darkened.


    "Canyue, the sky is turning dark," said Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "Anxashe, have all the Wargod soldiers put down their steel plates. There is no need to keep them raised," I ordered.


    With my order, the dozen or so Wargod soldiers put down their steel plates and raised their weapons, assembling with us. The sky was getting darker and darker. The three stars were still covered by the ships in the sky, and we couldn''t return to our ship due to a lack of transportation.


    "Canyue, look, a river of stars has appeared in the sky. It''s so beautiful," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at the sky.


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    At that point, the sky had turned completely dark. To my astonishment, I found that the sky was suddenly dotted with stars. Running through the starry sky was a beautiful river of stars.


    After some observation, Old Du said, "This isn''t something we can observe from Blue. This is something completely new.".


    "This is weird. The systems inside the Horsehead Nebula are covered by the dark nebula and the space fortress''s wall of light. This river and these stars, where did they come from?" I questioned doubtfully.


    Our visibility gradually decreased. Apart from the three hands on the clock, the stars in the sky, and the dark silhouettes of the ships blocking this star system''s three stars, the world around us sank into complete darkness. We instinctively drew close to the clock, the only bright place near us. There, we entered a defensive position.


    "Canyue, we can no longer see with the naked eye. We need to immediately turn on our lighting equipment," said Old Du.


    Zhang Bao''er complained, "What shitty place is this? Why is it suddenly so dark that we can''t see anything?".


    Instantly, a terrifying howl sounded from the darkness ahead of us.

 CH 232

    ''What will come, will come. Beasts, we have been looking for you for quite a while,'' I thought inwardly as I gripped my laser gun tighter in preparation for combat.


    "I wonder what manner of ugly bastards are they to make such terrible noises," muttered Zhang Bao''er beside me.


    "Up until now, I have yet to see a good-looking beast. This is probably another one of those disgusting beasts," said Old Du.


    Following the first howl, a second howl came from a different direction. Then, a third howl, and a fourth howl¡­ A tsunami of howls came from the darkness surrounding us. At that moment, calm returned to me. A single beast could bring fear, but a group would bring war. And war was what we were not afraid of.


    "We still can''t contact the command center," said Dodo as they continued trying to establish contact with Zhang Xingxing''s Skyhawk.


    "There will be combat soon. Dodo, stay behind me later. I''ll protect you," I reminded Dodo, who was not equipped with any offensive capabilities.


    At that moment, the howls around us had turned into complete chaos. From the howls, it seemed as if countless beasts were running around in the darkness, looking at us standing in the light.


    The fleet remained above us, but from the lack of contact with them, we clearly could no longer rely on them to give us cover fire. We would have to rely on ourselves. Before any of us could fully rearrange our thoughts, the situation changed yet again. The howls started to approach us, but there was still some distance before they reached us.


    "Canyue, I feel as if we are actually within a room and that these beasts are being kept away from us by the room''s walls," said Old Du.


    "Within a room? Don''t be stupid, Old Du. Look up at the ships and the starry sky. Have you seen a room so open?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. This time, I really feel like we''re within a room. The ships up there are no longer in the same temporal dimension as us. That is why Zhang Xingxing hadn''t responded to our communication. Both of us are located in different dimensions," said Old Du, giving an incredibly shocking opinion.


    Old Du''s words were akin to a bolt of lightning that struck my mind clear. His theory was the best answer to our situation.


    "No wonder they''re not replying to us. We''re actually in different temporal dimensions," said Zhang Bao''er with a look of realization.


    Old Du said, "Because of that, the ships we had seen in the sky have a different temporal condition. That is why they couldn''t receive any of our signals."


    "They must not be able to see our true condition, either. They are probably worrying as much as us right now," I said as Zhang Xingxing''s anxious face appeared in my mind.


    "Stop theorizing. We should prioritize solving our current predicament," reminded Sarje.


    "Anxashe, move ahead with me. Everyone else, stay and be on standby," I ordered.


    Following my order, Anxashe advanced alongside me. After walking forward for less than three meters, we entered the darkness. I immediately turned on the flashlight on my helmet. Oddly, even with the flashlight, I couldn''t see farther than three meters around me.


    "Canyue, watch out for a sneak attack from the beasts hidden in the darkness," reminded Old Du through the communicator.


    The distant howls were growing more and more frequent, but they also proved Old Du''s theory because the distance between them and us remained. After Anxashe and I advanced more than 20 meters, a towering wall appeared before us. Due to the limitations of my flashlight, I couldn''t see the top. However, there was no denying that a wall was standing before me.


    Updating Old Du, I said, "Old Du, there is really a wall here. I wonder if it''s some sort of an isolation fence or if it''s more like the walls of a building. I''ll try searching around."


    "Try to see if you can find a door or a window, but don''t go out. There are probably countless beasts outside," said Old Du.


    "There won''t be a different temporal dimension beyond the walls, right? We might not be able to return after leaving," reminded Anxashe.


    At that time, Anxashe and I were searching along the wall. I had a hunch that it was the outer wall of a large warehouse; after all, we had encountered some piled crates while searching around.


    Anxashe suddenly pointed at a large door not far away and said, "Canyue, this seems to be the door."


    The door was incomparably massive. It was tightly shut at the moment, and numerous beast howls could be heard coming from the other side of the door. The howls were only a wall away from us. We had finally approached the beasts that had been isolated from us by the temporal dimension created by the clock on the ground.


    Immediately, I saw a smaller side door right above the main door. I gestured at Anxashe to turn off his flashlight as I turned off my own. There was a small crack on the side door. Some rays of light were coming out of it.


    "Old Du, I think I''ve found an opening I can use to take a look outside. I intend to approach the opening to try to look outside," I said in excitement.


    "Be very careful. Do not fall into a different temporal dimension," reminded Old Du prudently.


    I approached the door. I looked through the gap, and a brand new world of beasts appeared before my eyes. There was a massive square outside the door. Above the square, numerous beasts of different sizes could be seen. There were too many of them to count. Beasts of different shapes and sizes had gathered there to form a world of beasts.


    The howls were coming from a type of large beast shaped like a spider. These spiders were equipped with long white fangs, and they seemed to be overseeing some sort of work. Chained chubby beasts of some kind were arranged in long lines. Under the supervision of giant paw worms, they were carrying large crates and slowly moving toward a massive warehouse. The spider beasts were the ones in charge of overseeing the overall workflow.


    At the entrance of a different warehouse, I saw several lion-faced beasts. They were supervising the carts being pushed out of the warehouse. Each cart was pushed by three of the chubby laborers. Occasionally, the lion-faced beasts would pick up some of the black weapons in the carts for closer observation. Unsurprisingly, the other warehouse was actually a massive arms-processing center.


    "Old Du, there seems to be a beast arms-manufacturing base outside," I whispered to the communicator.


    "We can see everything from your bodycam. I think I understand how the empire has been keeping these beasts hidden. The beasts have been hidden in a different temporal dimension. When required, a time tunnel will be used to transport them out. Those clocks might be the key to the time tunnel," said Old Du.


    "In that case, is this base our actual target?" I asked.


    "Yes. But the number of beasts here is too astonishing. This is not only a beast-breeding base. The beasts have evolved enough to be able to manufacture and use weapons. This will be an extremely terrifying army," said Old Du.


    "Canyue, if this is an arms-manufacturing base, we should just blow it up first. That will show these beasts that we mean business," suggested Zhang Bao''er confidently.


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    I ordered, "Come meet up with me immediately. Dodo, note the correct positions. We need to look for the password to return and for the way to travel back and forth between this place and our temporal dimension."


    "Canyue, are you sure we can find the password to return?" asked Dodo with some hesitation.


    "If there is a way to come here, there must be a way back. There must be someone with the password among these beasts. We only need to capture that someone to return," I said confidently.


    Everyone saw hope when they heard my words, and approached me quickly. Five minutes later, Old Du and the others successfully traversed the darkness and linked up with me. We picked a spot behind a pile of crates for us to hide temporarily. There, we held a mission briefing.


    "I believe Zhang Xingxing and the others are also working very hard to look for the time password. We will make the first move and create a great start for our operation," I said.


    "Canyue, what if Zhang Xingxing and the others can''t come into this temporal dimension in time?" asked Anxashe worriedly.


    "Then we''ll rely on our own strength to try to complete the mission as best as we can," I said. In truth, I did not hope for Zhang Xingxing and the others to find us. After all, with us being in a different temporal dimension, I had fewer misgivings about the amount of damage I could do during the mission.


    "Canyue, we can''t destroy this planet. Zhang Xingxing is at a further point in the timeline. We have actually returned to a previous point in time. If we destroy this planet, the disappearance of the planet might create temporal chaos, throwing them into a place of drifting timespace," said Old Du, having read my mind.


    "Old Du, why are you coming up with yet another new term? Drifting timespace? Just how much secret knowledge are you hiding from us?" questioned Zhang Bao''er unhappily.


    "Like I said previously, I once learned some knowledge unavailable in the standard package from the parliamentary library on Gliese. The concept of drifting timespace was mentioned there. Drifting timespace is a dimension of inaccurate and immeasurable time. The moment you enter, leaving is impossible. It''s a place that will appear from the chaos that arises from altering history," explained Old Du patiently.


    "If we can''t destroy this planet, we will have to think of a way to deal the most damage possible to this base and ruin their production," I said, slightly lowering my goal.


    "From what we can see, this place is probably an arms-manufacturing base. The beast-breeding base might be at a different location on the planet," said Dodo.


    "Then let''s start with the arms-manufacturing base," I said. "The giant paw worms and the lion-faced beasts are actually working together. These beasts have clearly attained a high level of intelligence. It''s a good thing we listened to the princes and came here. Otherwise, these beasts would have grown into a calamity for not only the Milky Way Galaxy but also the entire universe."


    Anxashe, who was on watch duty, suddenly said, "Canyue, a group of them is heading our way."

 CH 233

    "Who are they?" I asked immediately, my voice lowering to a whisper.


    "They look like a group of laborers. Two giant paw worms are supervising them. There''s also a tiny fellow clad in an attire resembling the Sacred Wing race''s clothing," said Anxashe.


    "Are you sure they''re heading toward the warehouse we''re in?" I asked.


    "Yes, and they''re about to enter. I need to hide. Wargods, take note of my signal," said Anxashe as he hurriedly hid.


    A minute later, the sounds of movement came from the warehouse''s door. Shortly after, the door opened.


    "Faster, faster. Move these raw materials to the workshop ahead of us," said a voice. Surprisingly, the language was the Eternal language.


    I hid in the darkness behind the pile of crates as I observed them. There were two giant paw worms supervising more than ten chubby beasts in the group. They were walking straight toward our hiding spot. It was clear the crates piled in front of us were their target. A Sacred Wing race official wearing a black robe walked behind the group, barking one order after another.


    A flash suddenly appeared in the darkness. Three figures darted out from three different directions. Without making a noise, the two giant paw worms and the Sacred Wing race official dropped to the ground.


    At the same time, four burly Wargod soldiers rushed forth and shut the warehouse''s door. The other Wargods raised their weapons and took the chubby laborers captive. The laborers were too shocked by the sudden change, so they all lay down on the ground with their arms over their heads in fear.


    The entire thing had happened in less than 10 seconds. Anxashe and his fellow Wargods had been efficient at their work. Seeing that, the rest of us rushed out from the darkness. I ran straight toward Anxashe.


    "The giant paw worms are dead. The Wargod soldiers had stabbed right through their necks," reported Zhang Bao''er.


    Immediately, I noticed that the man in black under Anxashe''s foot was also dead. An arrow had stabbed down through his neck and into his spine.


    "Anxashe, why did you kill him? You should have left some alive for us to interrogate," I said, somewhat angered.


    "Sorry, Commander. It was an emergency, and I attacked too harshly to prevent him from alerting the soldiers outside," said Anxashe apologetically.


    Since it was done, there was no point in blaming him. Suddenly, I recalled how I had never seen the appearance of the Sacred Wing race. In fact, this was the closest I had ever been to a member of the Sacred Wing race.


    At that thought, I removed the cover from the corpse''s head. When my flashlight shone down, a familiar face entered my gaze. I was so shocked I took a step back. Beside me, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du noticed my action and rushed over to also take a look at the Sacred Wing race member.


    "Th-th-this, isn''t this Domo?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    After looking at the corpse in more detail, Old Du said, "No. This isn''t Domo. But this is a Jido."


    "I had not expected Domo to actually be a member of the Sacred Wing race," said Zhang Bao''er in disbelief.


    "Don''t come to any rash conclusions. Perhaps this is a Jido in Sacred Wing attire. If Domo is really a Sacred Wing, I believe there must be a unique reason for him to be with us now," I said, stopping Zhang Bao''er from generating more distrust of our fellow comrade.


    "Yeah, Bao''er. Don''t come to any rash conclusions. We had even met Domo''s countryman, Kado. Both of them should be Jidos," said Old Du.


    "Could it be that this Jido had been placed under the control of the Sacred Wing race?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "There is also a possibility that the Sacred Wing race is basically the Jido race of a different branch. We still need to investigate it more to reach a conclusion," I said.


    Old Du crouched down and searched the Jido corpse for any other clues. However, he only found a pentagram with a dragon-like crest on it and a translation device. Nothing else of value could be found on the corpse.


    "This fellow is certainly not a Jido if he''s so poor. Someone like Domo would have a bunch of treasures hidden in numerous pockets all over the body," said Zhang Bao''er, slipping the pentagram into his pocket.


    "Anxashe, see if this is the Sacred Wing race''s crest," I said as I spread my palm in front of Zhang Bao''er, asking for the crest.


    Seeing that he couldn''t get away with it, Zhang Bao''er could only grudgingly take the crest out and place it in my palm. Anxashe picked up the crest and studied it. He said, "Yes, this is definitely a crest of the Sacred Wing race."


    "Although we don''t have any other information, this Jido is definitely working with the Sacred Wing race," I concluded.


    "I wonder what they''re trying to get from this warehouse," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Hearing Zhang Bao''er''s words, I turned around to look at the chubby laborers lying on the ground. These beast laborers had thick yet short limbs, and each had an oval head decorated with a mouth and nose that seemed to fuse together and protrude from the face. Every laborer was also wrapped in heavy chains.


    "They seem to be slaves," said Old Du as he looked at the chains.


    Upon hearing that, Anxashe crouched down and placed one hand on a laborer''s shoulder while holding a sharp arrow in his other hand. He questioned loudly, "What are you doing here? Answer! We don''t have much patience!"


    The chubby laborer seemed terrified by the sharp arrow. They turned limp as they frantically made some gurgling noise from their mouth.


    "I reckon this fellow''s language is not in our translators. We can''t understand them," said Dodo.


    "Dodo, try using this translator," I said as I handed them the translation device I had gotten from the Jido.


    Dodo took the device before repeating the same question to the beast laborer. This time, the beast laborer seemed to understand the question. The laborer pointed at the pile of crates to the side and started gesturing with their arms. However, we were still hearing the unknown language from their mouth.


    "Looks like the Sacred Wing race''s translator can only allow these beasts to understand us. Their language, on the other hand, can''t be entered into the imperial database at all. We won''t be able to understand their speech," said Old Du.


    "This could be intentional on the emperor''s part. He was ensuring that these beasts would not develop too many unwanted thoughts when communicating with outsiders. This will make controlling them easier," I said.


    Dodo continued asking the laborers questions. They couldn''t exactly speak to each other, but the laborers could clearly understand our questions. The laborer scared by Anxashe hurriedly stood up and led three other laborers to carry over a large crate from the pile.


    The laborer signaled the other three with their eyes. One of them then took out a crowbar, seemingly from thin air, and pried the lid open. When we looked inside the crate, we saw numerous black block-like ores.


    "Heavens, aren''t these source ores?" exclaimed Anxashe with excitement and envy.


    "What are source ores?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "This is the best raw material for arms manufacturing. Arrowheads and bullets made from this material will be strong enough to easily penetrate battleships. This ore can only be found on a planet in Betelgeuse called Source. The planet has an average temperature of negative 50 degrees, so the work conditions are atrocious. However, that harsh environment is also how a material so excellent had come into existence," explained Anxashe patiently.


    "I did not expect the emperor to have these ores sent here after mining them. What I don''t understand is, why hadn''t we noticed their transport ships? Which direction are they entering the Horsehead Nebula from?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "The space fortress and the wall of light are both constructed by the empire. It won''t be much trouble for them to sneak in. Their stealth system is good enough to hide the appearance of an entire nebula, so it won''t be an issue to also hide those transport ships," said Dodo.


    "Dodo, ask these laborers what they are making with these ores," I said.


    Dodo immediately relayed the question. The laborer gestured and made a series of unknown sounds. From their gestures, they were referring to some massive object, but none of us understood what they were trying to say.


    "Looks like the Sacred Wing race is manufacturing a terrifying weapon. We need to enter their arms factory as soon as possible and see just what terrifying weapons they''re building. We need to destroy them," I said.


    "But how are we supposed to enter the factory? The square is filled with giant paw worms and steel spiders," said Anxashe.


    I gave Anxashe a glance before lowering my head in thought.


    "Canyue, I have a good idea," Zhang Bao''er exclaimed abruptly, his declaration coming as a complete surprise to me.


    "Bao''er, do you have a good way for us to sneak in?" I asked.


    Instead of giving a direct answer, Zhang Bao''er said, "Canyue, do you see those crates? Do you remember the Great Squirrel Battle we played when we were kids?"


    "Of course," I said. "It''s a virtual game from quite a while ago. Wait, do you mean..."


    "Exactly. The core of the game is to have two squirrels hide in crates. With the crates as cover, the squirrels can approach the enemy," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "Bao''er, do you mean that we should hide in these crates and have these laborers carry us in as if they''re carrying some ores?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. Apart from that, I can''t think of any other ways," said Zhang Bao''er.


    In fact, that seemed to be the best idea we had at the moment.


    "What if those beasts decide to inspect the crates? Wouldn''t we be trapped?" asked Dodo.


    "I doubt that any of the beasts expected their clock puzzle to be solved and for some intruders to travel through time and come here. The inspection should be quite lax. I''m not worried about any inspection. I''m more worried that these laborers will betray us," said Zhang Bao''er. It was rare to see him display such wisdom.


    "That''s easy. I''ll deal with it," said Anxashe as he took out a shiny dagger and walked toward the leader of the laborers.

 CH 234

    When the chubby laborer saw Anxashe''s dagger, they stepped back in fear.


    "Anxashe, what are you trying to do? Don''t threaten them with violence," I said.


    However, Anxashe seemed to be completely ignoring me. He took wide steps forward before raising the dagger and stabbing at the laborer''s neck. A clang sounded as the chains wrapped around the laborer dropped to the ground. Anxashe had actually severed the chains around the chubby laborer.


    "Anxashe, what are you doing?" Zhang Bao''er was completely confused by Anxashe''s action.


    "Dodo, tell the remaining laborers that if they can safely deliver the crates to the opposite building, we will give them freedom. We''ll even take them out of this place," said Anxashe solemnly.


    We instantly understood what Anxashe was trying to do. Dodo wasted no time in giving the laborers our offer. After hearing the offer, the laborers started whispering to one another. Before long, the one whose chains were severed stepped forth and gestured with their arms. I could roughly understand that this fellow was leading by example, trying to persuade their companions to work with us.


    Shortly after, the laborers started moving. They took out four large crates from the pile and emptied them of the ores that were inside. Then, they pointed at the empty crates and spoke to Anxashe in their alien language.


    "Canyue, I think they''re telling us to pick four of us to hide in the crates. Since they need four of them to carry a single crate, they can only take four of us through at one time," said Dodo.


    "Only four? Fine, we''ll pick four first. The others will wait here, including this laborer that already has their chains removed," I said as I pointed at the chainless laborer.


    "Good idea. One of them will stay as a hostage so the others will behave," said Zhang Bao''er approvingly.


    In truth, I had merely asked the chainless laborer to stay because the lack of chains would easily expose us. But since Zhang Bao''er had arrived at his own conclusion, I did not bother explaining. The four people to go first were then decided; Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, Anxashe, and I would be the suicide squad to go first.


    "Sarje, wait here with the Wargod soldiers. Protect Dodo and this laborer. Wait for my order," I said.


    Following my order, the others hid behind the pile of crates again while the four of us entered the four empty crates. Next, the laborers nailed the lids onto the crates.


    "Canyue, I''m Dodo. We''ll keep the communication channel open. I''ll be in charge of observation," said Dodo.


    I felt more assured with Dodo''s help. Nevertheless, the massive difficulty waiting ahead of us still caused me to feel quite nervous. Vaguely, I heard the sound of a door opening. I could feel the crate I was hiding in being lifted and carried forward. After the crate left the warehouse, the door shut behind us.


    I knew that I had arrived at the square filled with beasts. Numerous noises could be heard outside the crate. Apart from the unknown gurgling alien language and the howls of the spider beasts, there were also some unknown Eternal words being spoken in the square. I knew that the words were being said by members of the Sacred Wing race. The crate swayed around as it was carried forward, and I felt as though my nervous heart was swaying alongside the crate.


    "Canyue, there are a lot of giant paw worms and spider beasts in the square. Your group isn''t supervised by a giant paw worm, so it might be dangerous. Be sure to make no sound whatsoever and be ready for combat at all times," reminded Dodo.


    To avoid exposing ourselves, I couldn''t say anything. The only thing I could do was listen.


    "Shit! It is as I feared. A giant paw worm seems to be paying attention to your group," said Dodo with the same mouth that had successfully jinxed this operation.


    The sound of a giant paw worm crawling could be heard coming from outside the crate. The laborers carrying us started speaking in their gurgling voices, seemingly in the process of explaining something.


    "Canyue, this is bad. A giant paw worm is heading toward your crate," Dodo reminded, the nervousness in their voice infecting me and causing me to be nervous as well.


    The noise outside the crate grew louder and louder. The laborers carrying my crate seemed to be nervously saying something to the giant paw worms. Through a small gap, I saw a crawling figure approaching my crate. With a thud, the crate I hid in dropped onto the ground. Even in the crate, I could hear the movements of a giant paw worm circling my crate.


    Suddenly, the figure stopped right in front of the gap. I could hear its paw sliding across the crate''s surface. Its claws created ear-piercing sounds that caused my heartbeat to accelerate. I tightened the grip on my laser gun and was prepared to give the worm a fatal attack the moment the lid was lifted.


    "Canyue, it seems to be trying to open the crate. Zhang Bao''er''s underestimation of their security is going to cost us our lives," said Dodo, who was both anxious and angry.


    The gurgling voice of the laborers grew louder as they frantically explained themselves. I could hear the worm trying to pry the nails off with its claws, but the nails were too tight for the worm to be successful.


    Then, I heard claws rapping against the crate, as though the worm was trying to listen inside the crate. At that moment, my gaze suddenly landed on the source ores under my feet. An idea rose in my mind as I grabbed one of them and pushed it close to the place the worm was rapping.


    Suddenly, a sharp screech sounded outside the crate. With a pop, a claw punctured the crate and hit the ore I was raising. I did my very best to prevent the ore from being pushed back by the single claw.


    A painful groan came from the worm. The hard ore seemed to have caused some pain to the worm''s claw. After all, this was an ore that could be used to forge ship-puncturing bullets. While the groans continued, I felt my crate being lifted and carried forward once again.


    "Canyue, did you give that fellow an electric shock? Why did it collapse suddenly?" asked Dodo in astonishment.


    "It''s not safe to speak. Continue observing. I''ll tell you later," I whispered and reminded them to stay alert.


    "I won''t be able to continue observing for long. You''ll enter the workshop soon," said Dodo.


    Suddenly, my surroundings darkened. I could feel that I had entered a massive room. Intense grinding sounds of machinery could be heard all around me. It was unknown what odd weapons they were manufacturing here.


    Even after entering the workshop, I could still hear the noises made by the giant paw worms and the spider beasts. After going through a long corridor, I once again heard someone speaking the Eternal language.


    "Pile these crates at that corner with the other supplies. Take the ores out and stack them up. Why are you fools so slow? Where is Maka? He dares to skip the escorting job? How audacious!" A Sacred Wing race official was cursing outside the crate.


    The familiar gurgling sounds rang out as the laborers replied.


    The official continued scolding, "Huh? There are about a dozen crates waiting to be delivered and Maka is waiting there? That idiot! Why did he take so few of you to deliver so many crates? How many times would you need to go back and forth to finish the delivery?"


    ''Looks like Maka is the Sacred Wing official whom Anxashe had killed. Also, it seems like the Sacred Wing officials can understand these laborers?'' I thought.


    A minute later, the crate I was hiding in was placed on the ground again. Sounds of crates being opened rang out. I gripped my gun tighter as a precaution against any surprises. Soon, the lid of my crate was removed. The chubby face of a laborer appeared before my eyes. Only then did I heave out a breath of relief. Two of the laborers helped me out of the crate, and Zhang Bao''er was slumping weakly on the ground.


    "I almost died from suffocation. This shitty crate is too small," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    I ignored him and started observing my surroundings. This was a corner with numerous piles of source ores. Further to the front right of us was the registration counter manned by the Sacred Wing official.


    A laborer suddenly walked up to me and gestured at the wall before walking away. I followed the laborer. In front of a wall beside a pile of ores, the laborer exerted some strength and took off a window that also looked like a ventilation cover. On the other side of the cover was a pipe that could serve as a hiding spot.


    "I didn''t expect to see a pipe like this here. These beast laborers are not to be underestimated, it seems," said Old Du in excitement. He had come behind me without me realizing it.


    The laborer who had removed the cover continued speaking in their gurgling voice, gesturing at us to hide inside. They still needed to return to the warehouse to bring over the rest of our companions.


    "Dodo, we have entered a tunnel within the workshop. The laborers will be returning for you guys. We''ll meet in the tunnel," I said.


    "Roger, Deputy Commander. We''re all ready," replied Dodo.


    "Dodo, have everyone carry a few of the source ores in their crates. You can use the ores to deal with the inspection," I said.


    Then, the four of us climbed into the pipe. The laborer snapped the cover back in place and left with their companions. At that time, we started studying our surroundings. We were inside a rather spacious ventilation duct. There were several tunnels around us, seemingly leading to other parts of the building.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Canyue, we don''t have a clear line of sight here due to the piled ores. I intend to move along the pipe and search around. Maybe I can survey the building design and the personnel makeup here," said Anxashe.


    With a nod from me, Anxashe immediately moved out. I also suddenly realized that there was a lot of noise in the workshop, likely due to all the manufacturing work. Even with both my ears covered by headpieces, they still buzzed from all the noise.


    "Damn it. Just what noise is this? I feel like my eardrums are bursting," grumbled Zhang Bao''er.


    "I wonder what manner of terrifying weapons they are manufacturing here. It is really quite loud," I said.


    "Anxashe is out scouting, right? We''ll know when he''s back," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I don''t think we need to wait for Anxashe. I have a better idea to find out what they''re manufacturing here," Old Du said.

 CH 235

    "What do you have in mind?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, look at the Sacred Wing official at the registration counter. From my observations, he is unguarded and is working alone. Won''t we know everything after capturing and questioning him?" suggested Old Du.


    We hurriedly crowded around the ventilation cover to look at the official in question. The official was sitting alone behind a round table at the entrance to the room with piles of ores. There was not a single guard around him.


    "There is a small path behind the left pile that can lead to his back. We can use that path to sneak up on him," suggested Old Du.


    "Old Du, you''ll watch our backs. I''ll sneak over with Canyue and capture him. We can''t let Anxashe go for this. He hits too hard," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Wait. Look at his left hand. Beside it, there''s a gun leaning against the table," said Old Du.


    I hurriedly used my laser probe to further observe. Sure enough, there was a raygun resting beside the official.


    "Canyue, four Wargods are heading toward the workshop. Be ready to receive them," Dodo''s voice rang out from the communicator.


    "If we''re making a move, we better make it quick. We''ll capture this fellow before the second group arrives," I ordered decisively.


    "Old Du, watch our backs. Canyue and I will go," Zhang Bao''er repeated his request.


    With a nod from Old Du, Zhang Bao''er and I opened the ventilation cover and moved out of the pipe. Zhang Bao''er took the lead with his laser gun raised. I followed closely behind him and acted as his cover.


    The loud noise inside the workshop had acted as the perfect cover for the noises we made when moving. Before we realized it, we were already behind the Sacred Wing official. The official was focused on working on some numbers, completely unaware that someone was behind him.


    After looking around and confirming that there were no guards, I signaled Zhang Bao''er with my eyes. Our excellent teamwork was displayed as he immediately understood my meaning. Both of us rushed forth at once. Zhang Bao''er quickly covered the official''s mouth with his hand to prevent the official from calling for help while I pressed my gun against the official''s skull.


    "Stop resisting, or I''ll pull the trigger," I said as I kicked away the raygun resting against the table.


    Fear filled the official''s eyes when he saw us. He had probably not expected to encounter an enemy here.


    "Argh! Bastard, you dare to bite me?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly cursed and struck the official''s neck, instantly knocking the official unconscious.


    "Damn it, fatty! What are you doing?" I asked in agitation.


    "He bit me! I reacted instinctively!" said Zhang Bao''er with the expression of someone who had been wronged. I could clearly see the bite mark on his palm.


    "We''re lucky this fellow is still alive," I said in relief after bending down and checking that the official was still breathing.


    At that time, the laborers arrived with the second group of our soldiers. They all appeared surprised to see the Sacred Wing official and us, but the laborers did not stay for long. After opening the crates and releasing the soldiers, they left for the third group.


    "What should we do now? Do we dig in or hide inside the pipe?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, you guys should return to the pipe with the captive. Anxashe found a nice spot in here," said Old Du.


    "Follow Old Du''s suggestion. We''ll retreat," I ordered.


    Zhang Bao''er lifted the unconscious official, preparing to walk back to the pipe.


    "Bao''er, will we alert the patrol if we leave this place empty like this?" I asked after glancing at the empty registration counter.


    "It''s not like we have a better choice. Look at these Wargods. Every single one of them is a big guy. None of them is fit to impersonate this little fellow," said Zhang Bao''er helplessly.


    "Sigh, it would be great if Domo were here," I muttered before leading everyone back to the ventilation duct.


    At that point, Dodo had notified us that Sarje and the chainless laborer were prepared to sneak over in the third group.


    "Old Du, where''s the nice spot you mentioned?" I asked the moment we were back in the pipe.


    "Come with me," said Anxashe before moving away.


    After we traveled about 50 meters inside the pipe, a large room appeared before us. There were several ventilation covers lining the walls of the room, but the room itself was empty. It looked like a place previously used to house some large installations.


    "We can finally stand straight again. It''s torture having to bend over all the time in the pipe," said Zhang Bao''er as he leaped out of the ventilation duct.


    "Canyue, look at this big guy," said Anxashe. He was crouched beside one of the ventilation covers looking outside.


    Hearing Anxashe''s words, we rushed over curiously before looking out of the cover as well.


    A part of a giant object appeared before our eyes. The gigantic object we saw looked like a leg, and it was big enough to fill an entire room. The leg was decorated with numerous spikes, and electrical currents could be seen constantly running along the spikes. Numerous flying devices were moving all around it, either transporting other objects or performing maintenance work.


    "My god. What monster is this? Is this the leg of a robot or a monster? How can it be so big? How big will the robot itself be?" said Zhang Bao''er whose mouth was agape with shock.


    "This looks like the leg of an armed robot. I wonder how the robot looks in its entirety," I said. I was just as shocked as Zhang Bao''er.


    "We''ll know after waking that fellow up and asking him," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    That was a good idea to quickly get our answer. We turned around, but surprisingly, the Sacred Wing official had vanished.


    "Shit! That fellow had awakened and fled while we were looking at the super weapon outside," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "We can''t allow him to escape, or all of us will be exposed," I said. I had barely finished my words when Anxashe shot forth like an arrow.


    All of us were anxious. This concerned the life and death of our entire group. This served as a harsh lesson that we could never afford to be careless. Some chaotic noises rang out ahead of us. Shortly after, Anxashe returned with the Sacred Wing official in tow. Dodo and the others were following behind him.


    "Good thing we arrived in time. We encountered this fleeing fellow and captured him immediately," said Sarje smugly.


    "Nicely done. You saved all of us," I praised. A proud smile appeared on Sarje''s face.


    We returned to the big room and formed a circle around the Sacred Wing official. Anxashe stepped forth and removed the hood covering the official''s head. Unsurprisingly, the official had the face of a Jido. It also seemed like most Jidos looked almost the same.


    Zhang Bao''er impatiently questioned the Jido, "Answer me. What weapons are you building in this base? Tell the truth, or you''ll regret it."


    The official shot Zhang Bao''er a cold look and didn''t say anything. He looked like he would rather die than speak.


    "You bastard. You''re still trying to act unyielding? Let me teach you a good lesson, invader," threatened Zhang Bao''er.


    However, our captive had a look of disdain on his face and showed no fear. If this was a psychological game they were playing, he was firmly holding the upper hand over Zhang Bao''er. This time, Zhang Bao''er did not erupt in temper like usual. In any case, we didn''t have experience in interrogating captives. With that, Zhang Bao''er''s plan failed.


    "Anxashe, give this a try," said Zhang Bao''er, finally deciding to throw the responsibility onto Anxashe''s lap after some thought.


    Hearing his name, Anxashe drew his dagger and stepped forth.


    "Anxashe, wait. Let me try," Dodo suddenly said.


    "Dodo, are you sure you can do it? You''re a droid," asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Dodo ignored Zhang Bao''er''s worthless words and said to the official, "Hello. I''m Dodo from the Interstellar League. We wish to learn something, and I hope you can assist us with it."


    Unfortunately, the captive still refused to answer. An awkward silence descended.


    Becoming impatient, Zhang Bao''er said, "Stop wasting time with him. Anxashe, just go give him a beating. Let''s see if he can keep his mouth shut after that."


    "Shut up! Let Dodo talk to him." I stopped Zhang Bao''er.


    Looking at the official who was stubbornly keeping his mouth shut, Dodo skewed their head to the side, seemingly deep in thought.


    "Do you know Wind Spirit?" Dodo suddenly asked.


    The official''s eyes flickered at the mention of Wind Spirit''s name, but the look quickly disappeared.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

 CH 236

    Upon noticing the Sacred Wing official''s expression, I pressed, "Looks like you know Wind Spirit. Or maybe it''s Master Wind you know?"


    "Don''t bother. I won''t tell you anything," the official finally said, his voice laced with arrogance.


    "Kid, look around you before you speak if you don''t want to suffer any pain. This place is so noisy that even if you start screaming, nobody will help you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The Sacred Wing official snapped, "Don''t insult me by referring to me as a kid. This one is called Temo,"


    "Temo, Domo, hehe, the Jidos are really funny with their names. Must they have a ''mo'' in every single name?" Zhang Bao''er sneered.


    Fury covered Temo''s face upon hearing Zhang Bao''er''s mention of Jidos.


    "Do not mistake our noble blood for the lowly peasants known as Jidos. That is the biggest insult to us Sacred Wings," said Temo furiously.


    His words piqued my interest. From his words, it was clear the relationship between the Sacred Wing race and the Jido race ran deeper than I thought.


    Dodo went straight to the point."Don''t get so sidetracked. Tell me, what are you building here? Also, how do we leave?"


    "Trying to get information from me, fatty? Don''t even dream of it. I won''t tell you anything even if you kill me," said Temo with complete disdain on his face.


    This Sacred Wing official was surprisingly stubborn, and our interrogation was stuck in a deadlock.


    "Canyue, I''ll cut off his left hand first. We''ll see if he remains stubborn after that," said Anxashe as he stood up with his blade.


    I knew Anxashe was merely posturing to scare Temo, but since he had accidentally killed someone in the warehouse, I did not want to take the risk. In any case, it wouldn''t be right to torture during an interrogation. Thus, I refused his request.


    Temo''s head was still raised high. He seemed to have no fear of death. Suddenly, Old Du stood up, walked over, and whispered into my ear. My eyes lit up when I heard his suggestion. I immediately nodded, giving him my approval.


    With my permission, Old Du walked up to Temo, took off his own helmet, and played a video on it. In the video, Domo''s face could be clearly seen. Disgust covered Temo''s face upon seeing Domo in the video. The sight of Domo''s unceasing bickering with Zhang Bao''er in the video caused his expression to turn even uglier. After seeing Temo''s reaction, Old Du stopped playing the video.


    "Temo, what you saw is the fiercest warrior among us. He is a Jido, and his name is Domo. He is currently heading over from the warehouse across from here. If you don''t answer our questions, we will have no choice but to have Domo personally interrogate you," said Old Du, threatening Temo with a lie.


    "Dodo, the last group is going to enter the workshop now," reported a Wargod soldier. That was quite a pleasant coincidence.


    That threat seemed to have worked on Temo.


    "No. Don''t let the filthy peasant do something like that to me. That is the biggest insult to our noble bloodline. I would rather die than be subjected to that!" said Temo. Worry was apparent on his face.


    "If you''re willing to work with us and tell me something about this workshop, I won''t make things difficult for you. I''ll even send the Jido on a mission somewhere else," said Old Du.


    I could see beads of sweat forming on Temo''s forehead. I could almost feel the mental struggle going on in his mind.


    "Alright. Send that fellow away, and I''ll work with you," said Temo. It seemed that his disgust toward Jidos was at an even higher level than we had guessed.


    Old Du then signaled Zhang Bao''er with his eyes. Zhang Bao''er immediately understood Old Du''s meaning.


    "Hey, Domo isn''t with your group, right? If not, tell him to keep waiting," Zhang Bao''er talked to the communicator.


    "He''s not here¡ª"


    Zhang Bao''er cut the communication at that.


    ''Zhang Bao''er is quite a crafty one, it seems,'' I praised inwardly.


    "We have fulfilled our promise. You can answer our questions now, right?" asked Old Du.


    "Sigh." Temo helplessly sighed and asked, "What exactly do you want to know?"


    "Nothing too complicated. What is the weapon outside? What is its purpose?" Old Du went straight to the question we cared most about.


    "It''s better if you don''t know. You will only shatter your own confidence after getting the answer you want," said Temo. He was still unwilling to give us the information we wanted.


    "Don''t you worry about that. What have we not seen before? We''ve even seen a moon turning into an animal before. Nothing can shock us. Just tell us," said Old Du firmly, dispelling any excuse Temo could have for avoiding the question.


    Once again, Temo sank into an intense mental struggle. Ultimately, his disgust over Jidos prevailed over his unwillingness to leak any information.


    "It is a superweapon, a part of a super robot. This robot specializes in moving planets and altering their trajectory," said Temo, revealing an extremely shocking piece of information.


    "Moving planets? Are you kidding? With the size of the thing outside, it won''t be able to move an entire planet," said Zhang Bao''er in disbelief.


    "Hmph. I told you the truth would frighten you yet you refuse to believe me. What you saw is merely a small part of the superweapon," Temo derided.


    "A small part? How small?" I pressed on, trying to get a clearer answer.


    "About 1/10000 of the superweapon. For the past five years, this planet has been focused on this superweapon. All the other workshops are also here for the purpose of manufacturing its various parts," said Temo.


    "You mean there are about 10,000 workshops dedicated to manufacturing the different parts of this superweapon on this planet?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. From the information I have and the work I have performed for the past few years, this entire planet is currently focused on the production of this superweapon," answered Temo confidently.


    I asked, "When will the weapon be completed?"


    "According to the plan, it should finish in about 500 Betelgeuse days," said Temo.


    Everyone sank into silence, utterly stunned by the prowess displayed by Emperor Fille.


    "I still find this fellow hard to believe. A single robot can move an entire planet? What is that robot? Superman?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That is still possible. Archimedes of Blue once said this: ''Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.'' So long as they find the correct lever and fulcrum, they can move even planets," said Dodo, showing their support for Temo.


    "Hehe, that is a principle of a backward civilization like yours. This super robot does not require a fulcrum to move a planet," said Temo, completely disregarding Dodo''s support.


    "In that case, how would it accomplish altering the trajectory of a planet without touching it?" asked Dodo.


    "Can you tell me what makes a black hole float? Why can it devour stars without any external source of power? What is the origin of a black hole''s power?" questioned Temo instead of answering.


    This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Th-that..." those questions had gone beyond the scope of Dodo''s database, so they were unable to answer.


    "The super robot draws its power from the core of a star. Planets are nothing but toys for it. It possesses the strength of the Creator. It is a mighty feat of engineering that can not be defied. It is a level of existence beyond a star-level civilization," said Temo as excitement filled his eyes.


    "Planet-level civilization, star-level civilization. Is this how civilizations are graded on Eternal?" asked Dodo like a child thirsty for knowledge.


    "Is there a civilization on Eternal?" Temo asked a question that we couldn¡¯t understand.


    ''Looks like Emperor Fille has obtained a supremely high level of technology from the Horsehead Nebula that we can hardly match. This is too terrifying of an opponent,'' I thought.


    "Canyue, this weapon is too scary. If this fellow is telling the truth, wouldn''t it be able to easily move any planets to any appointed position? All living beings on the chosen planets will be completely at their mercy," said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "Yes. We must destroy this monster," said Old Du.


    I was about to voice my agreement when Dodo asked a different question.


    They asked, "This planet is here to manufacture the superweapon known as the planet transporter. Since there are 27 planets here, what are the other planets doing? Is there anything even more shocking than the planet transporter?"


    Temo stared deeply at Dodo''s iron head before saying, "Is a superweapon not enough to shatter your confidence? Are you trying to be further insulted by your inferiority?"


    "You bastard, just spit it out already. I''m not afraid of all the stuff you''re capable of pulling. I am the bane of your emperor!" said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "Why would I care if you''re the emperor''s bane? The Sacred Wing race only cares about contributing our wisdom to the grandest and greatest of technologies in the universe," replied Temo, giving an answer that caused me to be astonished.


    Temo''s disregard for the emperor gave me some hope that we could cooperate.


    "Respected Scientist Temo, if possible, can you tell us about the other 26 planets? If you really don''t want to, I won''t force you. As promised earlier, we will be happy with learning about this workshop," I said.


    Temo blanked out slightly upon hearing my words, but a few seconds later, his eyes flickered. It seemed he was really going to tell me something.


    Sarje, who had been sent out to receive the final group of soldiers coming over from the warehouse, suddenly warned, "Shit! The beast patrols are here! They seem to have discovered Temo''s disappearance!"

 CH 237

    I ordered decisively, "Everyone, get ready for combat. Have the laborers stay behind us. Soldiers, enter the tube. We''ll gather a little ahead of the entrance."


    With my order, everyone moved to their positions. The soldiers entered a combat formation, and Sarje even covered Temo''s mouth to prevent him from shouting for help. I also approached the ventilation cover to observe the situation outside.


    Two giant paw worms that seemed to be patrolling the area had reached Temo''s workplace. They were curious about Temo''s absence. At that moment, all of us were holding our breath in the ventilation duct. As we were quite far away from the registration counter, the giant paw worms had yet to notice any clues about Temo''s disappearance.


    The two worms crawled around for a bit before deciding that Temo was probably temporarily away since they couldn''t find anything suspicious. They looked like they were about to leave. Seeing that, I heaved a long breath in relief, as though the crisis was over. Suddenly, one of the worms stopped moving and turned around to look at something.


    ''Shit! Did someone leave something behind? Zhang Bao''er must have dropped something while sneaking up on Temo earlier!'' I thought anxiously.


    Even from far away, I could hear the worm''s cooing as it communicated with its companion. Shortly after, it picked up a weapon from the ground with its giant paw. It was Temo''s raygun, which I had kicked aside earlier.


    ''I was the careless one here!'' I thought as guilt welled within me. I was becoming so nervous that my entire body was soaked with sweat.


    Unsurprisingly, Zhang Bao''er immediately and eagerly questioned me, "Canyue, why didn''t you take the gun with you?"


    I did not reply. I couldn''t even muster a proper excuse. That was a mistake, and there was nothing to say about it. Far away, the two giant paw worms sank into a discussion. Suddenly, one of them made a shrill sound while facing the deeper parts of the workshop. The sound was ear-piercing, as though it were a sound attack assaulting our eardrums. All of our eardrums ached.


    "That fellow seems to have sounded the alarm to ask for reinforcements. This beast''s voice is too terrible to listen to," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Bao''er was right. Before long, a group of beasts and droids appeared before us.


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    Apart from about a dozen giant paw worms, there were also two large spider beasts among them. The maintenance droids we saw working in the workshop earlier had also appeared. There were about five of them, all flying in the air. They seemed to be in charge of scanning the area. Even more terrifying was the sight of over a hundred small beetle-like beasts on the ground. The small beetles scattered all around as they searched the area.


    "Canyue, we need to think of a way to leave. There is only a wall between us and them. It won''t be enough to keep us hidden. Either we fight or we run. We need to decide immediately," said Old Du.


    "Anxashe, go look for Dodo and ask the laborers who had helped us if there is any other way out of this place," I ordered. Anxashe rushed off with the order.


    At that moment, some of the beetles were already starting to search the corner containing piled ores. A few were coming closer and closer to the ventilation duct we were hiding in. The five droids were constantly flying back and forth, getting dangerously near us a few times. If this continued, we would be exposed in only a few minutes.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, ready our flamethrowers. If the beetles come in, burn them to death," I ordered softly.


    "Roger. From my observations, these beetles have extremely sharp mandibles. Don''t be bitten by them," warned Old Du.


    At that moment, several beetles reached the foot of the wall. They looked like they were going to climb into the ventilation duct soon. I felt abnormally nervous, as though all my previous combat experience had been rendered irrelevant.


    "Deputy Commander, we found an escape path. Lead our people and come with me," Dodo finally brought a piece of good news.


    I did not hesitate to give the group the order to retreat. The soldiers on standby for combat retreated from the pipe into the room we had found earlier. The chainless laborer was opening a hole near the room''s corner. I could see that the hole led to another pipe.


    "Canyue, let''s retreat with the laborers," said Anxashe excitedly.


    I nodded at everyone. One by one, we followed the laborers into the pipe. Sarje also entered the tunnel, pushing Temo in front of him. Anxashe, the chainless laborer, and I were the last to enter. After the chainless laborer entered, the laborer covered the entrance with the steel slab they had pried off earlier. The moment the entrance was covered, I heard the same ear-piercing sound coming from outside. The beetles had probably discovered the ventilation duct.


    "We need to move away as quickly as possible. I reckon this pipe will be found before long," said Anxashe.


    Everyone retreated through the pipe. The pipe was cylindrical and wasn''t exactly big; we needed to bend as we moved. The pipe was long and winding, but our surroundings were completely sealed. It seemed to be part of a sewage system.


    We could still hear the loud sounds coming from the room behind us. The beasts had evidently found our previous hiding spot and were currently searching the room. Upon hearing the noise, we all moved faster.


    Before long, we reached an exit. The area near the exit was comparatively more spacious, but I had not expected to see an electronic door standing ahead of us. The two parts of the door met in the middle in the shape of a sawtooth. The door was so tightly shut that it was impossible to see what was on the other side.


    "How do we open this door? And what''s on the other side? Dodo, ask the laborers," I ordered.


    Dodo did as told and asked the laborer who had been leading the way. But due to the language barrier, not a single one of us understood what the gurgling noise and their gestures meant.


    "I don''t think even gods can understand a language like this. Every spoken word sounds like a rumble. This idiot probably brought us to a dead end," said Zhang Bao''er, ever the complainer.


    "Anxashe, lead five Wargod soldiers to lay some motion sensor bombs in the pipe and form a defensive perimeter. Zhang Bao''er will go with you. I''ll stay here and try to think of a way to open the door," I said, throwing the grumbling Zhang Bao''er over to guard duty.


    Zhang Bao''er was clearly unhappy with his assignment, but he still followed the order and left.


    "Deputy Commander Canyue, we have no way of translating their alien language, but from their gestures, I understand that this door should have been left open," said Dodo.


    "A door that is supposed to be open is suddenly shut. Clearly, someone other than us has been here. We don''t have any other choice. We must open this door if we want to escape," I said, emphasizing the importance of our current task.


    "I''ve already studied the door. There are no interfaces or ports, so I believe the switch to the door is on the other side," said Dodo.


    "Canyue, if we really can''t open it, do we consider bombing it?" asked Old Du.


    "No. This place is too small. Using too few explosives will result in a weak explosion, but using too many will create shockwaves that could harm us," I said as I gestured at the people around us.


    "In that case, we can only hope to hack the door to open it. Dodo, we''re counting on you," said Old Du.


    Dodo was in deep thought. I was also studying the door with all my focus. The door was tightly shut, and no traces of any sort of power circuit could be seen on or around the door. The door''s surface was seamless and sleek, and not a single nut could be seen.


    "This door looks like two slabs of steel brought together. It must be an extremely sturdy door. Also, its craftmanship is rather exquisite," said Old Du.


    "A door with such exquisite craftsmanship must have a rather complicated internal structure. This is an extremely high level of technology," Dodo muttered.


    "Dodo, if this facility is filled with high-level technology, it means that every separate part of the superweapon plays an extremely important role, right?" I asked.


    "Naturally. Consider a Star-class battleship. It is large, but the absence of any part of the ship will trigger the ship''s alarm. Without a speedy restoration, it might bring unwanted consequences," said Dodo.


    "If this door is not actually a single slab of steel and is instead a structure formed from two frames, we can conclude from the exquisiteness of the seam between them that this door is an extremely complicated feat of engineering. In that case, what if we damage only a part of the door? Would we be able to ruin its integrity and cause a malfunction?" I asked.


    "Theoretically, that is possible. But you should take into consideration the system''s safety protocols. If you use a timed bomb, we can''t accurately pinpoint the blast to a single spot. And if the explosion spreads too far, the system might initiate a complete lockdown. At that time, we would have triggered a defensive response instead of causing a malfunction," said Dodo.


    "You''re right, and that''s why I never intended to use explosives," I said, dispelling Dodo''s misgivings.

 CH 238

    "Then, how do you intend to get through this door?" asked Dodo.


    "Sarje, with all the martial arts you''ve learned, how good are you at precision?" I asked.


    "I can''t say I have a precision of 100 percent, but I can confidently say that I will hit my target 90 percent of the time," said Sarje. He had been listening to our conversation, so he had been quick to reply.


    "Good. Aim your staff at the middle of this door and keep striking a single spot. See if you can damage a part of the circuits inside," I ordered, pointing at the part where the door''s two frames meet.


    Sarje immediately stepped forth with his staff to carry out my order.


    "Wait," Old Du said. "Canyue, if Sarje hits the door with his staff, the noise will attract the beasts'' attention. They might not have found us yet. It will always be better for us to stay hidden than to be exposed."


    Dodo said, "Yeah. Maybe they aren''t even sure there are intruders yet. The only thing they know for sure is Temo''s disappearance. If we make too much noise, even if we can escape this pipe, it will only make our goal of sabotaging the production of the superweapon much harder."


    Their reminder made me realize that I had nearly created a big blunder. This lapse in judgment was probably caused by the anxiousness that I had been feeling since the start of this mission.


    "We''ll put that plan on hold since it won''t work. But we still need to open this door," I said, admitting the mistake I had made.


    Anxashe walked up to us.


    "Deputy Commander Canyue, how is the progress on the door? All the bombs have been planted. The enemies have gathered in the room we hid in previously. They''re searching for the hidden exit. We keep hearing knocking sounds. This pipe will probably be found in a few minutes," said Anxashe.


    "We still don''t have a way to open the door without exposing ourselves," I said helplessly.


    "Why don''t you let him try?" Anxashe pointed at Temo, whose mouth was covered.


    Realization struck me when I heard Anxashe''s words. All of us were busy thinking of a solution, completely forgetting the Sacred Wing official we had with us. He definitely knew a lot about this planet, and he might even know how to open the door.


    "Temo, can you open the door for us? If you can, I promise we will release you after completing our mission," I said.


    Temo looked at me with an odd glint in his eyes. Ultimately, he blinked, seemingly signaling that he agreed. Seeing that, I removed the strip of cloth covering his mouth. At the same time, Anxashe raised his bow and arrow behind Temo, seemingly prepared to deal him a fatal blow the moment he screamed for help.


    The moment the cloth was removed from his mouth, Temo complained, "Remove the strips of cloth around my hands as well. How am I supposed to open a door with my hands tied, you lowly beings?"


    I could understand why he would be displeased after having his mouth covered for so long. I hurriedly helped relieve him of his bindings.


    Temo stood up and asked, "Do your words count?"


    "Of course. That is a promise," I said solemnly.


    With my promise, Temo walked up to the door. He reached out with both hands and pressed down on both frames of the door. The moment the door''s sleek surface came in contact with Temo''s palms, flowing electrical currents appeared on it. Green currents coursed out of Temo''s palms in a certain pattern and spread across the door''s surface. In a short while, the green currents had spread through the entire door. With a hiss, the door slowly slid open.


    "My god. So his palms are basically the key to the lock. Why didn''t you say anything if it was so simple?" exclaimed Dodo.


    "You stupid robot. Why don''t you try speaking with your mouth covered?" Temo derided.


    "I can still speak with a covered mouth. My voice generator is actually in my abdomen, not my mouth," said Dodo with a smile. Temo had not thought his retort through, allowing someone of a so-called lower civilization to talk back to him.


    Naturally, Temo''s face turned ugly upon realizing that someone he regarded as a lower being had won an argument against him.


    "Anxashe, have Zhang Bao''er remove all our planted bombs. We need to stay hidden. Afterward, have him join us behind this door," I ordered.


    Anxashe rushed off with my order. The others started moving through the door. It was pitch-black behind the door, to the point we couldn''t even see our own fingers. Beside me, Old Du hurriedly opened his flashlight.


    "Temo, can you turn on the light here?" I asked, learning from my previous lesson of disregarding Temo.


    I heard a satisfied grunt from Temo. He waved at Old Du to light the way for him, and he turned on the room''s light with the control panel beside the door. A green source of light appeared above us. Although it wasn''t exactly bright, it provided enough light for us to see our surroundings.


    After giving my eyes several seconds to adapt, I started studying my surroundings. The room was peculiar; it was filled with numerous large pipes connecting to a massive rhombus-shaped machine.


    Dodo and I stepped forth to observe the machine. The machine was in the center of the room. The numerous pipes propped it up, allowing it to stand about 10 meters from the ground. A loud sound was constantly coming from within the machine.


    "What do you have inside this thing? What is the purpose of this thing?" I asked Temo.


    "Pitiful lowly beings. It''s better you don''t know this. With your level of intelligence, you will only damage this grand piece of technology," said Temo, still as arrogant as ever.


    "Canyue, is this guy reciting a poem or something? Why does he sound so odd when speaking? Maybe he needs me to beat him up," said Zhang Bao''er, who had returned from his job of removing the planted bombs.


    Something peculiar happened. After all of us entered the room, the door closed shut again.


    "Bao''er, be polite. I''m asking Temo some questions," I said.


    "This room is part of the energy system powering this planet. A powerful special substance is being used to provide the energy required to construct the superweapon," said Temo, who was pleased to see me defending him.


    "Special substance? Can you be clearer?" asked Dodo politely.


    Temo shot Dodo a glance before looking at the rhombus-shaped machine. He then sighed.


    Zhang Bao''er said, "You''re acting up again. Be aware that there is a limit to my patience!"


    In fact, Zhang Bao''er was even more curious about this place than me. He had merely been too stubborn to admit it.


    Temo abruptly faced the sky and prayed, "Seniors and elders of the Sacred Wing race, today, I have unfortunately fallen into the hands of some inferior life forms despite the so-called strict protection of Fille''s imperial clan. My noble life is under threat, and I am forced to expose the secret of a star-level civilization. Elders, please understand my position. I do not fear death, but it will be regrettable if the noble knowledge in my brain can no longer be used to help the Sacred Wing race reach a greater height of technological advancement. Thus, I have no choice but to share some of my knowledge with these inferior life forms, allowing them to take a glimpse into the secret of the Sacred Wing God."


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    Zhang Bao''er rushed forth to give Temo a beating, but he was stopped by Old Du.


    Even as Old Du held him down, Zhang Bao''er still continued to roar, "Just admit that you fear for your life. Why create such a lie to excuse your cowardice? How hilarious. I can''t take this anymore. I need to teach you a lesson on how a proper person should behave."


    "Violence is the only thing an inferior life form like you is capable of. I am not a person; thus, I don''t need to behave like a person. I am a member of the superior Sacred Wing race," said Temo, who seemed to be infuriated by Zhang Bao''er''s words.


    "Zhang Bao''er, if you keep shouting, you''ll be on watch duty outside the door," I quickly said when I saw that the situation was going out of control due to rising tempers.


    "Great Temo, that''s the kind of person Zhang Bao''er is. Don''t mind him. The rest of us absolutely adore you. We''re all waiting to learn from your noble star-level civilization," said Dodo, who seemed infatuated with the promise of high-level knowledge.


    "This special substance is only a millimeter in length. It is stored in this rhombus-shaped device. In the device, there is a special vessel forged from a material extracted from a white dwarf. Only a vessel like this can contain such a substance," said Temo, saying something so surprising he instantly had all our attention.


    "A vessel forged from the extracts of a white dwarf? How do you even begin to extract something like that? And just what kind of substance needs to be stored in such a vessel?" asked Dodo.


    "Robot, you ask too much. This is truly the standard behavior of someone from an inferior civilization," said Temo, who started feeling all superior again. One ought to admit that all Jidos behaved the same, likely due to their genetics, regardless of how technologically advanced they were. This only served to prove that no life form could escape the mysterious grasp of the Creator.


    "You only need to answer the question," I said, helping to alleviate the awkwardness Dodo was feeling.


    "The substance came from a super black hole, and it contains a massive amount of energy. Something with a length of only a millimeter is enough to devour an entire planet. Thus, only a vessel forged from the extracts of a white dwarf can contain it," said Temo.


    "Super black hole? Are you referring to a bigger-than-average black hole? And how does one begin to extract this substance from a black hole?" asked Anxashe. At this point, he was completely awed by what Temo had said and was basically presenting himself to receive more insults from Temo.


    "That''s why inferior life forms like you are only worthy of being soldiers. Emperor Fille has all of you completely within his grasp," said Temo with disdain. At this point, it was no longer surprising that Temo would speak with such derision.


    However, Anxashe was sufficiently awed that he did not lose his temper like Zhang Bao''er. Rather, he continued waiting for Temo''s answer with a devout look on his face.


    "The so-called super black hole refers to a black hole that is not only massive but also active. It is a high-energy black hole with a high level of activity. As a result, it houses a source of energy too powerful for words to describe," said Temo.


    Dodo blurted, "You''re referring to a quasar?"

 CH 241

    The soundproofing sand warehouse was much larger than I had imagined. I couldn''t find any trace of the two missing individuals. I didn''t even know if they were still in the warehouse.


    ''That''s unlikely. No matter how much Dodo worships Temo, they won''t abandon us,'' I thought to myself.


    I continued searching. After walking 200 more meters, I was forced to rely purely on my flashlight to show the way. Perhaps it was because the sky was getting dark, or perhaps it was due to a lack of windows in the area I was searching.


    ''They shouldn''t have gone this far. There''s nothing here,'' I thought, deciding that I should turn back.


    I turned around, but at that moment, a pop sounded beneath me. I seemed to have stepped on something. I took a step backward and shone my flashlight on the ground. An injured pulp worm was on the ground.


    I had stepped on the worm unknowingly, and one of its feelers had been broken. The pulp worm was struggling painfully on the ground. A sense of guilt welled within me, and I hurriedly bent down. I studied the worm and saw that blue blood was gushing out of its broken feeler. It was shivering non-stop, clearly in great pain.


    The guilt in my heart intensified at the sight of its struggle. I cupped the worm to pick it up and took out my rapid-heal spray. I then applied it to the worm''s wound. The wound started healing with the help of the spray, and the worm slowly regained some of its vitality.


    Only after I saw the worm''s recovery did the guilt in my heart lessen somewhat. At the same time, I started feeling doubtful. Why was there a single worm here? Instead of staying with the other worms outside, how had it entered this warehouse?


    Suddenly, the worm in my palm started flipping its body rapidly for an unknown reason. The pose it assumed while flipping over was rather peculiar, looking clumsy and adorable. Amused, I lifted the worm up to my face to take a closer look at its antics. Suddenly, I felt something strike my face. My vision turned black as I fainted. After an indeterminate amount of time, I started hearing someone speaking.


    "Canyue, Canyue, wake up."


    "He''s still breathing. He merely fainted."


    "His pulse is normal. We need to wake him up as quickly as possible."


    "Zhang Bao''er, you need to perform CPR on him."


    My eyes opened wide the moment I heard that. I immediately saw Dodo, Anxashe, and Zhang Bao''er looming over me.


    "Wow, Canyue is awake! You don''t need to perform CPR on him anymore," said Dodo in excitement.


    "Who was the one who gave the shitty idea of having Zhang Bao''er perform CPR on me?" I grumbled even though my body was aching all over.


    "Canyue, why did you come so far alone? If it wasn''t for your flashlight, we wouldn''t have been able to find you," asked Anxashe.


    "I don''t know. I just reached this place after walking around. Dodo, where did you go with Temo? Come on, help me up. I caught a pulp worm earlier," I said.


    They hurriedly helped me up at the mention of a pulp worm. Oddly, the worm was nowhere to be seen. The broken feeler on the ground was gone as well. Not even the worm''s blue blood could be seen on the ground.


    "Where''s the pulp worm? Is it in your backpack?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    I hurriedly took off my backpack and opened it. But apart from the sleeping Bulu, there was no other life form inside.


    "Canyue, you must be seeing things because of your exhaustion. There are a lot of pulp worms, but they''re all outside. If you want one, I''ll catch a few for you later," said Zhang Bao''er jokingly.


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    "Deputy Commander, Temo and I found a way to leave this place. We need to start moving," urged Dodo.


    Hearing that we could leave, I struggled back on my feet and followed Anxashe back to the main group. There, everyone was waiting for us near the door. Everyone looked ready to move out, but Temo was still missing from the crowd.


    "Dodo, where''s Temo? What''s the way you found?" I asked.


    "Our vehicle is waiting outside. We only need your permission to start moving," said Dodo.


    Hearing that, I approached the door and looked outside. A smaller transport vehicle was parked outside. It was covered by a black tarp, and a comparatively smaller single-horned beast was in charge of pulling it.


    Beside the smaller transport vehicle was a regularly sized transport vehicle. The big single-horned beast pulling that vehicle was intimately licking the smaller beast beside it. The bigger beast seemed to be the mother of its smaller counterpart. Even more surprisingly, Temo was standing outside the door. He was in the middle of a conversation with a spider beast.


    "Dodo, do you see the spider beast outside? It will be troublesome if it sees us. Temo is with it. Will he betray us?" I asked.


    "Don''t worry. I have reached an agreement with Temo. He will help us until the end," said Dodo confidently before pushing the door open and walking outside.


    That action shocked me. I hurriedly raised my laser gun in preparation to kill the spider beast outside. Surprising me, the spider beast did not react upon seeing Dodo. Rather, it helped by stopping some of the scouting beetles from coming near us.


    I still couldn''t understand what the beast was doing, but I was most certainly looking at a perfect window of escape. Thus, I walked outside after Dodo. With my signal, the other members of the team and the laborers moved as well.


    Temo noticed me the moment I stepped outside, but he did not say anything. Instead, he pulled aside part of the black tarp covering the vehicle, revealing an entrance which Dodo gestured for us to slip through. Before long, everyone was inside the vehicle, leaving me and Temo outside.


    "Temo, are you not going in?" I asked.


    "Go and hide. I need to control the little single-horned beast. It is still not an adult here, so it needs supervision. Otherwise, it will run around madly. We will lose control over the carriage," said Temo.


    I did not think much and entered the vehicle. Temo hurriedly pulled the tarp back down. Shortly after, I heard the noise of him sitting down on the coach''s seat.


    "Dodo, what''s going on? Why would that spider beast betray its companions to help us?" I asked.


    "Life forms with independent thoughts can be found all over the universe. That spider is Temo''s friend. That''s why it has agreed to help us," said Dodo.


    "How do we know that Temo isn''t tricking us? Perhaps he is leading us right into a trap," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I made a trade with Temo. If he helps us, I''ll hand a copy of all the information regarding a planet-level civilization in my database to him," said Dodo smugly.


    "Hmph. Planet-level civilization? Why are you lowering yourself before him? I don''t even know if I can trust you, iron-head. How can I trust that dwarf outside?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    While we were speaking, the big single-horned beast roared. Then, the small single-horned beast also roared. With that, the vehicle started moving. We were finally taking off. The ground on this planet of steel was probably incredibly flat. The ride was so extremely smooth that it felt as if we were traveling on the ground.


    It was a pity that the enclosed space within the tarp-covered vehicle was too stuffy. For us with morph-capable suits, we could still use the internal cooling system to make us feel better, but the laborers and Wargod soldiers were sweating madly from the heat. Seeing that, I used more of the energy in my suit to release some of the cool air into the vehicle.


    Accompanied by the constant roars of the two single-horned beasts, we traveled for roughly 20 minutes before the vehicle suddenly stopped. I could hear the roars of many spider beasts outside. All of us instinctively raised our guns upon hearing their roars.


    Temo''s voice rang out, "This vehicle is carrying the Sacred Wing race''s high-level supplies. Without the written order of an elder, anyone who takes a look at its contents will have their eyes dug out."


    Roars and gurgles rang out at Temo''s declaration. A few minutes later, the vehicle started moving again. It seemed as if Temo''s threat had worked. As the two vehicles moved, the noises of the beasts became softer and softer, as though we had left the city district and arrived at a desolate countryside.


    With the cool air I released and the vehicle''s smooth traveling, the people in the vehicle actually fell asleep. To be safe, I kept myself awake and gripped my gun tightly. However, the trip was truly too smooth. After about three hours, I too felt my eyelids growing heavy. At that moment, our vehicle came to an abrupt stop.

 CH 242

    While all of us were feeling doubtful about the stop, the tarp covering the vehicle was lifted. We saw that we had arrived in the middle of a boundless wilderness. The two single-horned beasts were nowhere to be seen. The other transport vehicle was also missing. Temo alone stood beside our vehicle, slowly stuffing the black tarp into his backpack.


    After hopping off the vehicle, Zhang Bao''er loudly questioned, "Where is this? It doesn''t look like we reached our destination."


    "If we go straight there, all of us will die. This place is an hour away from the worm colony brain. Our destination is heavily guarded, and a type of beast known as a buer is guarding it as well. Buers are even stronger than spider beasts," said Temo.


    Old Du got off the vehicle and asked, "In that case, we will advance on foot. How about these laborers?"


    "Just have these deadweights flee for their own lives. You won''t be able to complete your mission if you bring them with you," said Temo.


    The laborers started gurgling in protest at what Temo said.


    "Dwarf, can you understand them? What did they say?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "You idiots actually promised to help them escape this planet? What gives you the confidence to make such a big promise?" said Temo with a look of disbelief.


    "Since we''ve promised, we will keep it. They will stick with us. Sarje, your coming task is to protect these laborers," I ordered.


    "Roger!" Sarje answered.


    "What a bunch of fools," said Temo as he shook his head and walked away alone, ignoring us.


    We hurriedly followed him. We were in the middle of a vast wilderness that stretched as far as the eye could see. Flickering lights could be seen on the distant horizon, and a starry sky was blanketing us. It might already be night, but it wasn''t too dark since this was a three-star system.


    We walked in silence for about 40 minutes. The ground was smooth, and there were no obstacles in our path, but gravity alone was enough to cause us fatigue after such a long march. Suddenly, clumps of dark smoke appeared in the distance.


    "Look at that smoking place. That''s your destination," said Temo as he pointed ahead.


    "That''s the place housing the worm colony brain? What are they burning there?" I asked.


    "Yes, that''s the worm colony brain. It is the sole part of the superweapon currently operational. Due to its organic nature, it must be kept running at all times. The smoke comes from the dead worms they burn there," replied Temo.


    "What are we hesitating about? Let''s burn all these worms to death and ruin this brain. Without the brain, the superweapon will be useless," said Zhang Bao''er.


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    "You''re too naive, fatty. There is a terrifying number of beasts guarding the area. With the few people you have, you will die before you can even get near if you decide to attack," jeered Temo.


    "Honorable Temo, do you have any good ideas that will help us approach?" asked Dodo respectfully.


    "I can''t think of anything for now. Dawn is near. We need to hide somewhere and wait for the next night. That would give us the time to think of something," said Temo helplessly.


    While we spoke, a blue ray of light parted the horizon. Next, a yellow ray and a red ray appeared. Like a rainbow, the three rays of light brightened the world as the three stars started their ascent in the sky.


    As the sky turned bright, we finally noticed a group of winged beasts in the sky and a large number of scouting droids. They seemed to be on watch duty. Directly below them was a massive building.


    "Our surroundings are completely empty. The patrols in the sky can discover us at any moment. How do we hide from them?" I asked Temo.


    Temo shot me a glance before shaking his head helplessly.


    "Too bad we don''t have enough resources with us. Otherwise, I could have printed camouflage cloaks for us," said Dodo.


    Dodo''s words gave me an idea.


    "Dodo, we can''t print anything here, but you''re capable of spraying, right?" I asked.


    "What? Spraying? Don''t joke. Since when am I capable of that?" asked Dodo.


    "I don''t mean spraying in the traditional sense. I mean spraying light," I said.


    "Spraying light? What in the hell are you talking about? Can you be clear?" asked Zhang Bao''er, whose curiosity was piqued by my words.


    Even Temo, the ever-arrogant member of a star-level civilization, was looking at me curiously.


    "Old Du, give me your backpack," I said.


    Old Du did not hesitate to hand me his backpack. I placed the backpack on the ground. Then, I formed a circular morph-capable shield above it. Then, I took the scope of my gun off and faced the three rising stars with it.


    "Canyue, what exactly are you doing?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously. The others were as clueless as him.


    As the three stars rose slowly, red, yellow, and blue light started approaching us. Finally, the first ray of blue landed on the scope in my hand, followed by the yellow and red rays. My scope altered the trajectory of the rays of light, sending them toward the circular shield above the backpack. And after going through the shield, the concentrated rays of light finally reached Old Du''s backpack.


    At the same time, I turned on my flashlight. The white ray of light went through the shield and overlapped with the red, yellow, and blue rays. At that moment, a gray reflection appeared on Old Du''s black backpack.


    "The colors of red, yellow, blue, and white can be combined to make something black look gray!" exclaimed Dodo in excitement.


    "And gray is the natural color of this planet," said Old Du with a pensive look.


    "Heh, I understand now. You planet-level folks are planning to use four different colors to create a camouflage that can hide you," said Temo.


    When the others heard him, they grew excited.


    "But Old Du''s backpack is too small. How can it hide so many of us?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Think, Bao''er, think. The backpack is so small, can it hide anyone? Temo, can you lend us your black tarp?" I asked.


    Hearing my request, Temo took out the black tarp he had used to cover the vehicle and handed it to me. The moment I took the tarp into my hand, I understood that I was holding an excellently produced item. It was big enough to cover the entire vehicle yet entirely weightless. Also, when folded, it was merely as thick as perhaps two papers stacked together.


    I instructed several Wargod soldiers to help spread the tarp out. Then, I had Zhang Bao''er work with me to produce a larger shield atop the tarp. Meanwhile, Old Du and Dodo worked together to adjust two scopes and two flashlights at the correct positions to ensure the overlapped light of four colors would fall on the black tarp. When everything was done, the black tarp had become gray, providing perfect camouflage for us to hide.


    "Nicely done. We can actually blend into our surroundings by using light," gasped Anxashe in admiration.


    "Isn''t this just mixing colors? Why are you so shocked?" said Temo, who had returned to his usual arrogant self.


    At that moment, some shrieks sounded from the distance. The flying beasts seemed to have spread around to search the area, with a few heading our way.


    "This is bad. The flying beasts are heading toward us!" said Sarje, who was diligently watching over the laborers.


    With Sarje''s warning, Anxashe propped up a corner of the tarp with an arrow. Seeing that, the other three Wargods had a look of realization as they did the same to the three other corners.


    "Everyone, hide under the tarp," shouted Anxashe.


    We hurriedly crawled under the tarp, people and beasts alike. Temo and I were the last ones to enter. Right after we went under the tarp, the sounds of the flying beasts resounded above us.


    "Dwarf, are these flying beasts the buers you mentioned?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was crouched in a rather odd position.


    A nervous look instantly covered Temo''s face as he hit Zhang Bao''er''s forehead with his hand. Zhang Bao''er was about to lose his temper when a sharp screech rang out from the sky.


    ''Shit! These flying beasts might have extremely sensitive hearing! They must have heard Zhang Bao''er speaking!'' I thought anxiously.


    At that moment, I saw Temo gesturing at us to stay silent. Under the tarp, we were so nervous we didn''t even dare to breathe too hard. The screeches came closer and closer, to the point I could even hear the sounds of their wings flapping. I wondered if the tarp could hide us from these beasts.


    Old Du, who was crouching while facing me, made a gesture at me that meant shield. I understood his plan. He was saying that if these beasts flew low enough to knock against our shield, we would be exposed.


    We waited nervously, not daring to even move. Fortunately, the screeches seemed to start going farther away after a while. Old Du nodded at me. We had probably evaded the search by sheer luck.


    "Pop!" During the critical moment, someone made a sound.


    Immediately, the ear-piercing screeches returned as the flying beasts flew toward us at a rapid pace.


    ''Shit! Looks like there''s no hiding from them this time!'' I thought as I gripped my gun tighter.


    A few seconds later, a loud thump rang out.

 CH 245

    Listening to the world-shaking roars of the buer behind us, I knew that a cruel battle was unfolding behind us. I couldn''t bring myself to look back because if I did, I would not be able to stop myself from joining the fight. Accompanied by the loud collisions, the entire ground shook. It was truly astonishing that the buer was capable of such a feat in strength.


    Using the opening Anxashe had given us by battling the buer, we retreated rapidly. Soon, we were dozens of kilometers away from our previous spot. After ensuring that we were no longer in a crisis, we stopped to take a rest. Danger might have left us for now, but the sounds of the distant battle could still be heard. It was obvious the battle had yet to end.


    "I did not expect that fellow to be able to fight a buer for such a long time. Looks like the combat strength of a planet-level civilization is far higher than I imagined," said Temo as he clicked his tongue in praise.


    "Anxashe is the Wargod race''s strongest warrior. He won''t be defeated so easily," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "It doesn''t matter how strong a warrior he is. A buer will never be defeated. What a pity for such a waste, for such a talent to go like that," said Temo regretfully.


    While we spoke, the sounds of battle abruptly stopped.


    "It''s over," said Dodo, grief in their voice.


    "Stop being all sad here. We need to leave as quickly as possible. That would be what Anxashe wanted to see," said Temo.


    However, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du remained rooted on the spot, unwilling to take another step away. Looking at the two, I understood what they were thinking.


    "Canyue, no matter what, we need to bring Anxashe''s body back with us," said Old Du, verifying the guess I had in my mind.


    "Would the buer eat his body?" asked Dodo meekly.


    "The buer is a noble species. They don''t eat corpses," said Temo.


    Hearing Temo''s words, I nodded at Zhang Bao''er and Old Du. The two understood tacitly what I meant.


    "Sarje, Dodo, lead the team in continuing to retreat. I''ll go retrieve Anxashe''s body with Zhang Bao''er and Old Du," I ordered.


    "That''s suicide. Although the buer won''t eat the corpse, with its anger, it would have stomped the warrior''s body into mincemeat," said Temo, addressing Anxashe with respect.


    However, there was no changing our minds. In fact, two other Wargods also expressed their willingness to go with us. And thus, a group of five was assembled to retrieve Anxashe''s body regardless of the danger.


    "As for the rest of you, continue retreating. Try to return to the clock. We''ll come up with a different plan after returning," I said to Sarje.


    "Sarje, protect everyone," said Old Du.


    "Don''t talk like you''re leaving your last words. This is too ominous," said Dodo, worry evident in their voice.


    "I''ll be waiting for your return. You still need to show me that peasant Jido," said Temo. He still sounded smug, but he also displayed some respect for us of planet-level civilizations due to our fearlessness in face of death.


    After saying all we had to say, we retraced the path back to the buer. In truth, I could feel how nervous the team was. Even the usually talkative Zhang Bao''er was not saying a word, and his face was grave.


    ''This mission might result in our total defeat and death. But I have no regrets since I get to advance and retreat alongside my brothers,'' I told myself inwardly.


    Soon, we returned to our previous hiding spot. The distant building and the numerous flying beasts in the sky could already be seen from our position. Surprisingly, the buer was nowhere to be seen.


    "Looks like the buer retreated. Everyone, pick up the pace and search around. See if we can find Anxashe," I said, pleasantly surprised to see the beast gone.


    It wasn''t hard to search for something on the flat and empty grounds of the beast planet. As far as our eyes could see, no traces of Anxashe could be found. When Old Du and Zhang Bao''er searched with their laser probes, nothing was found as well.


    "Odd. If the buer had stomped him into mincemeat, the probes should still be able to detect traces. But this is way too clean. Did the furious buer eat his body?" asked Zhang Bao''er. We became increasingly gloomy at his words.


    "Canyue, if we really can''t find him, we should retreat," said Old Du.


    I was about to agree when something unexpected happened. Oppressive hums rang out from the distant base. Then, a shocking scene appeared. Countless spider beasts, giant paw worms, and other beasts rushed out like a tide in our direction. Above the beasts were enough flying beasts to cover the sky; they were also flying toward us.


    "This is bad! The beasts are suddenly attacking! We need to retreat immediately!" said Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "Canyue, these beasts are too fast. We won''t be able to retreat faster. They will catch up with us before long," said Old Du nervously.


    "We don''t have enough time to retreat. Looks like there is no escaping them," I said. At this moment, I surprisingly turned calm.


    Hearing my words, even an utter idiot would understand what was next for us. The two Wargods with us took out their weapons in preparation for a final battle with the beasts. A firm and murderous look covered their faces, the presence they radiated worthy of the name of their race. I had Old Du contact Dodo to update them on our situation. At a moment like this, I no longer wished to listen to Dodo nagging me.


    "Canyue, is this really our final battle?" asked Zhang Bao''er, his voice filled with his reluctance to part with the world.


    "I can''t think of any way we can escape," I replied helplessly.


    "In that case, we''ll give these beasts everything we have and take as many of them down as possible," said Zhang Bao''er, mustering the determination to face death upon learning of our hopeless situation.


    "We''ll throw everything to the wind. Turn your shields to the maximum and focus on lasting as long as possible. Us brothers will kill as many of them as we can!" I roared, my voice filled with fervor.


    Their shields were immediately turned to the maximum while we readied all our weapons. After seeing them turn their shields to the maximum, I stealthily activated my three nuclear warheads. I wished to buy the final chance of escape for the brave warriors by my side. The beasts moved rapidly. In a short while, they were only 30 meters away from us. The battle was about to begin.


    "Fire!" At the roar, our standard-issued laser guns, the tracking rifles attached to our suits, our ray guns, bow and arrows, and many other ranged weapons unleashed a hail of destruction upon the beasts, forming a concentrated barrage.


    The hail of projectiles instantly flipped the dozens of beasts rushing ahead of the others. Alas, there were tens of thousands of them. That number of casualties was merely a drop in the ocean for them.


    Nevertheless, our morph-capable shields and concentrated firepower still slowed their advance. Before long, a mountain of corpses formed in front of us. The beasts weren''t fools. Upon witnessing the prowess of our firepower, they scattered and tried to encircle us. At the same time, the flying beasts circled in the sky above, looking for an opening to attack.


    "Everyone, form a circular formation. Wargods, you two will be in charge of defending against any airborne threats. Try your best to kill or injure them," I ordered.


    Everyone speedily moved in accordance with the new formation. With our defense, even more beasts perished under our firepower. Flying beast corpses were dropping from the sky like rain, and a burning hole left by an energy beam was present in each corpse.


    Relying on the superiority of our firepower, we were able to kill no fewer than 200 beasts. However, I knew that at this point, everyone was like an arrow at the end of its flight. The encirclement was gradually closing in on us even as our energy supply decreased rapidly. The charging beasts continued forward, directly leaping over the corpses of their companions to reach us.


    A four-legged, rodent-like beast charged right at me. My morph-capable shield protected me, stopping the beast''s charge. I raised my gun and pulled the trigger. The corpse had barely dropped onto the ground when two giant paw worms charged my shield.


    The automatic rifle attached to my back and my laser gun worked together to eliminate the two beasts, causing two extra corpses to drop in front of me. I could barely get any respite by killing them. A spider beast dropped down on me from above less than a second later, and its claw pierced through my shield.


    ''It''s over.'' Looking at the descending claw, I knew that I wouldn''t be able to raise my gun in time.


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    A white flash suddenly came from behind me. The dropping claw was suddenly severed by a sharp blade, and the spider beast roared in pain. I hurriedly looked back and saw that a Wargod soldier had saved my life at the critical moment. After giving the soldier a nod, I returned to the battle.


    "Canyue, at this rate, we can only last one more minute," said Old Du. Even during a last stand, Old Du was still as meticulous as ever.


    "This is it, brothers. It has been a great joy fighting alongside you," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Immediately after Old Du made his reminder, I placed my finger on my nuclear warhead''s switch and activated my thrusters. I was about to dive into the beasts in a suicide attack. Right at that moment, I heard a familiar voice.

 CH 246

    "Canyue, we''re here to save you," Sarje''s voice rang out from the communicator.


    I looked back and saw that beyond the encirclement, Sarje was leading a group of Wargods in an attack against the beasts around us. Sounds of battle filled the outer encirclement, attracting the attention of many beasts and alleviating the pressure on us.


    It was rather comical that the laborers, Temo, and Dodo were standing far behind the attacking Wargods and bearing witness to the bloody battle.


    "You! Why did you return? This is suicide!" I roared into the communicator.


    "Nobody wants to retreat like this. They insisted on fighting together until the end. These Wargod soldiers are stubborn. I can''t do anything about that," replied Sarje as he swung his blade while panting heavily.


    "Even if the Wargods insisted on coming, why did you bring Temo and the others here? Didn''t I tell you to protect them?" I said.


    Sarje said unyieldingly, "The Wargods are not afraid of death. Do you think us Gandos are afraid of death?"


    I understood that Sarje was giving it all to save me. I was only regretful that the laborers who were unsuitable for combat had also been dragged into this. It was also vexing to see Dodo, a droid incapable of combat, following them back here as well.


    "Dodo, run! You must let the others know of what we discovered here!" I shouted into the communicator.


    Due to the continuous distractions, I wasn''t able to focus on the battle. Suddenly, a black figure rushed me from the side, sending me flying. Even my communicator malfunctioned due to the impact. While in great pain, I saw a spider beast raise one of its legs to bring it right to my forehead.


    I instinctively raised my right hand to hit back with my laser gun, but I found to my astonishment that I could no longer feel my right hand. Meanwhile, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were both in the middle of a bitter struggle for their lives. They didn''t even notice my situation, so they wouldn''t be able to save me either.


    Suddenly, the Wargod who had saved me once before rushed toward me with his shield raised. With all his strength, he blocked the spider beast''s fatal attack. With his shield raised, an opening was created that revealed the lower half of his body.


    Two giant paw worms immediately attacked from two directions, instantly severing the soldier''s legs. His sturdy body dropped onto the ground. An expression of intense pain covered his face, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent.


    Noticing the helpless soldier, the other beasts swarmed him. Instantly, my savior lost his life right before my eyes. Zhang Bao''er finally noticed me and aimed his gun in my direction to help me.


    Down on the ground, I could no longer see how the battle on Sarje''s side was unfolding. But from the constant stream of beasts I could see heading in their direction, things also seemed to bode ill for them.


    "Canyue, my shield is running out of energy," Old Du roared, and then he was knocked onto the ground. Now, only Zhang Bao''er alone was putting up a last stand with his laser gun.


    "Old Du, Canyue, you need to thank me for allowing you to live for five extra minutes," said Zhang Bao''er, who was panting even as he bantered. Clearly, his stamina was running low.


    "Looks like there really is no escaping this time," I muttered, finally giving up.


    I still hoped to see a miracle. Perhaps Zhang Xingxing and the fleet would suddenly appear in the sky. Alas, apart from the three stars, nothing else could be seen in the sky. As despair started to sink in, a miracle happened. A swoosh rang out from far away as an arrow shot over and pierced through three beasts in front of me. The arrow strung the three corpses together.


    "Tt-th-this¡ª" Zhang Bao''er was so emotional his words turned incoherent.


    "That''s Anxashe''s arrow! He¡¯s still alive!" I cried out in excitement.


    A deafening howl sounded as the massive body of a buer appeared not far away. It was shining in bright red, and it roared loudly at the beasts surrounding us. The beasts seemed to panic at the appearance of the buer. Even their attacks turned sluggish.


    The buer did not let the beasts wait too long. Numerous rolling, black holes constantly appeared all over its hill-sized body. From one of these holes, a massive sphere abruptly shot out, and a long flexible arm trailed behind it. In the blink of an eye, the sphere smashed into the beasts on the ground, instantly killing a few beasts that weren''t paying attention.


    At the same time, another sphere connected to an arm shot out from a different black hole. It smashed into another group of beasts, instantly killing them as well. And thus, the two spheres hammered down in some sort of rhythm, while the beasts stared blankly in fear. They were completely helpless against the powerful buer.


    The same scene persisted for several minutes before the flying beasts made an odd shriek in the sky. The shriek was akin to a signal that instantly caused the beasts to retreat back into their base. Before long, they were all gone, leaving only thousands of corpses strewn across the battlefield. At that moment, Anxashe leaped off the buer''s body and rushed toward me. Sarje also rushed over with the other soldiers while Dodo followed suit with the other spectators.


    "Anxashe, why did you wait so long before appearing?" complained Zhang Bao''er, lying limp on the ground.


    "The buer told me to wait. I think it wanted to see your strength. However, I was observing you in stealth. I knew we would''ve needed the buer''s help to defeat those fellows, so I had held back from doing anything," explained Anxashe.


    "What the hell is there to observe? We would have died if you had kept holding back," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "He is telling the truth. The buer will only help after acknowledging your strength, just like how it had only agreed to hide here after acknowledging the Divine Empire''s strength," said Temo.


    "In that case, the buers aren''t a product of the beast-breeding program here? Instead, they had come from a different planet?" asked Dodo.


    "Yes, this is not their place of birth. The buers originated from an ancient mythological beast. The Divine Empire had placed them here to awe and control the members of the beast army," said Temo.


    I was listening to them when I suddenly noticed that I hadn''t been able to feel my arm for quite a while.


    "Dodo, come take a look. I can''t feel my arm," I shouted.


    Hearing my shout, Dodo rushed over. The others also focused on me with looks of concern.


    "Don''t worry. You dislocated your joint and injured some of your soft tissues. It''s nothing serious," said Dodo, who immediately snapped my joint back.


    The moment my joint popped into position, the pain returned. I had to clench my teeth and force myself to not shout in pain.


    "Sarje, how are the casualties?" I asked after a bit.


    "We lost three Wargod soldiers," said Sarje sorrowfully.


    After making a quick count, Dodo concluded, "We have lost four soldiers in total."


    "One of them had died when saving me. We can''t just leave their corpses lying around," I said firmly.


    "But this is a world of steel. We won''t even be able to dig a grave for them," said Dodo.


    "I suggest we follow the Gando tradition. We''ll cremate them to allow the souls of these brave warriors to ascend to the upper realm," suggested Sarje.


    Everyone agreed with Sarje''s suggestion. We arranged the remains of the four warriors together. The corpse of the one who had perished saving me was badly damaged, and we could only do our best to restore the damaged bodies before setting them aflame.


    We all stood in somber silence, including Temo, who was also appearing respectful. The gap in civilization levels and technological advancement was nothing before the sacred thing known as life. Any form of life was worthy of respect.


    After the cremation, Anxashe suggested that we also burn all the beast corpses. We agreed, and this time, the laborers helped. All the corpses were piled together and set into a raging fire. Thick, dark smoke rose high into the sky, covering even the radiance of the three stars.


    "Anxashe, that fellow changed color again," said Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at the buer, which had turned black.


    This was my first time truly looking at the legendary beast from close range. The buer''s body was the size of a hill. Black holes were constantly appearing and disappearing all over its body, and its body somewhat resembled a dumpling. Some sort of overcast echo also seemed to be constantly resounding within its body.


    "Not only can it change color, but it can also hide itself. When you were fighting earlier, it had been observing in stealth," said Anxashe.


    "I can accept how this big guy can hide, but you can''t turn invisible. Where were you earlier?" asked Zhang Bao''er. Evidently, he was still unhappy with Anxashe''s delayed assistance.


    "Just by standing on the buer''s body, we can share its concealment effect," said Anxashe.


    Old Du asked, "Anxashe, how did you defeat and subdue the buer? You can even communicate with it through thoughts." That was a question everyone was curious about, including Temo. Everyone''s gaze landed on Anxashe, awaiting his answer.


    "A buer can never be defeated unless it is a fight between buers. I fought it with all my strength, but I kept feeling as if it wasn''t using all its strength. Even so, I was ultimately forced to stop struggling. Surprisingly, the buer had spared me at the last moment," said Anxashe. Listening to his story was like listening to a fairy tale.


    "Why had it stopped? Is there anything special about you that had attracted it?" Even Temo was filled with questions.


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    "Yes. It was able to read my thoughts, so it initiated contact with me. Through our communication, I learned that it had seen a genetic makeup that was similar to mine before. In other words, it had encountered a different Wargod warrior in the past," said Anxashe, shocking all of us.


    "Does that mean that your ancestors had once visited the buer''s home planet?" asked Temo.


    "No. The buer told me that it had met the Wargod on this very planet," said Anxashe, once again shocking everyone, especially the other Wargod soldiers.

 CH 249

    "Blueling, do you really think your gun can harm me? I can tell you the truth. You were killed by yourself, not someone else," said the fake Blueling.


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    "I killed myself? Can you be clear?" I asked.


    "The nuclear warheads your team installed at the core area were repelled by the worm barrier. Apart from the pulp worms, all other life forms in the vicinity were ended by the nuclear warheads. However, the damage you wrought did not do much to the empire. Instead, it became the fuse that lit up a full-on interstellar war," replied the fake Blueling, seemingly hiding some other meanings in their words.


    "You''re saying that our warheads had killed us?" I asked anxiously.


    "Yes. You were too rash in your actions. Do you really think your tiny team is enough to let you reach me so easily? Doesn''t the entire thing look fishy? Where are the beasts? I had controlled them and sent them all underground. That was the only reason your team had been able to reach the core area," said the fake Blueling.


    "You mean you intentionally led me here? Why?" I asked, confused.


    "Yes, I did. I stumbled upon a problem, and I need your help with it. As a trade, I will help you go against the Divine Empire''s military strength," said the fake Blueling.


    "You actually believe I can help you with your problem? With the technological advancement of a star-level civilization, not even nuclear weapons can defeat an enemy at that level. What can I help you with? I don''t even know your name, and I can''t think of anything I can help you with," I said in disbelief.


    "External strength doesn''t matter. The scariest thing is being slowly eaten away from the inside. You may call me Bluevoid," said the fake Blueling.


    "Bluevoid? Good name. What problem do you have?" I asked.


    "Us pulp worms are originally an intelligent species from a different star system, a place known as the Andromeda Galaxy by you Bluelings. Our mother planet is known as Wisdom, and we have lived millions of years advocating peace. One day, the Divine Empire''s beast army suddenly appeared in Wisdom''s sky. We, advocates of peace, weren''t a match for those powerful lion-faced beasts. Ultimately, our great sovereign fell under the Divine Empire''s control.


    "The great sovereign of pulp worms is also the mother of all pulp worms. With her under control, all other pulp worms were forced to serve the Divine Empire. The level of civilization here is far inferior to Wisdom''s, but we have only known peace in our history. Our advancement has been focused on various scientific theories, not warfare. Because of this, we were completely helpless when an enemy came knocking," explained Bluevoid.


    "Your great sovereign was controlled by Emperor Fille, forcing your entire race to serve the empire. That is indeed a miserable fate," I said with sympathy.


    "Due to slavery, our entire race tried our very best before finally managing to induce the empire to construct this super weapon," said Bluevoid.


    "In other words, you had induced them to construct the superweapon as a way for you to fight back?" I asked. I even saw hope of using the super weapon against the empire.


    "My main problem is not the superweapon but rather an issue within the worm colony brain. You must have seen the pink core as well. In the worm colony brain formed of countless worms, there are about 10 million pink cores. Since ancient times, the pink cores are the commanders capable of controlling the mind of other pulp worms. But in recent years, we discovered a grave problem," said Bluevoid.


    "What problem? Is this what you need my help with?" I asked.


    "The main concept behind the working of the pink cores was the complete obedience of the grand commander. In other words, the other cores need to obey me unconditionally. But recently, a core started disobeying me. I got rid of it, but that did not solve the issue. Instead, the problem spread to thousands of other cores," said Bluevoid, anxiousness apparent in his voice.


    "That is an issue with the structure of your internal leadership. Why had the cores defected from your community?" I asked, still not understanding the issue.


    "My younger brother picked you, for reasons unknown to me. At present, they have fused into your mind. I''ll need to see what happens next to find out why. I believe they won''t pick a host for no reason. As for those cores, I believe they had mutated after spending a long period of time away from our mother planet. Or perhaps the Divine Empire''s enticement had caused it. Therefore, my only request for you is to help rescue our great sovereign, return her to Wisdom, and use the superweapon to move Wisdom back to its original position," said Bluevoid.


    "My god, the difficulty of your request is too high. But as long as it has something to do with counter-invasion, I am willing to help. However, what should I do to help?" I asked.


    "Return to reality and remove the nuclear warheads. I will help you leave the planet and send you to the main planet here, Planet Black King. Our great sovereign is imprisoned there," said Bluevoid. That was good news as we could now leave and meet Zhang Xingxing and the others.


    "In other words, you''ll be able to help me return to the clock time tunnel and return to my original timeline?" I asked in excitement.


    "That is a trivial matter for me. You may proceed to Black King afterward. I will extend my help to you at a critical moment," promised Bluevoid.


    "I have another question. Among the 27 planets here, how many superweapons are being built?" I asked.


    "I can feel 27 of them, but I believe there are more than that. Perhaps there are more mutated cores or even a worm colony brain that has fully defected from us. The empire might be using these defected cores to nibble away at the regular worm colony brains. If the number of defected cores surpasses the number of normal cores, the superweapon will no longer be under our control. That would bring unimaginable consequences to the universe. We don''t have much time left," said Bluevoid.


    I nodded in agreement. "Fine, it''s a deal. I will form an alliance with you against the Divine Empire. Send me out."


    "I still have an important thing to tell you. After leaving, please head 1,000 kilometers to the southeast. There is a black building there, and within the building is the clock time tunnel. That is the same tunnel leading to Black King.


    "On Black King, you will be able to contact your fleet with your communicator. They are currently still searching for you in the three-star system. You will be able to quickly establish contact with them. Also, on Black King, make sure to meet the planet''s worm brain colony. The grand commander there is called Violetvoid. I have already sent them your information. One last question. Can you let me take a look at that creature in your backpack?" asked Bluevoid.


    I did not hesitate to take out Bulu from my backpack. I noted with astonishment that Bulu''s body was radiating slight traces of red light. Although it wasn''t as bright as his usual light, it still proved that Bulu was no longer in a state of deep sleep.


    Bluevoid reached out with their right hand and slowly touched Bulu''s feeler with their forefinger. The moment the finger came into contact with the feeler, the liquid in Bulu''s body started flowing at a rapid pace.


    One minute later, Bluevoid pulled back and said solemnly, "I see."


    "What do you mean? What did you see?" I asked.


    "I am very surprised to see a Blueling, which is still in the early stages of evolution, resist the brainwave attack of a star-level civilization and maintain free will when facing me. So it turns out that there is someone from an ancient species helping you. Looks like my brother had indeed thought it through before selecting you," said Bluevoid.


    "What? You mean Bulu is from an ancient species?" I asked, excitement rising within me.


    "Yes. The level of its species'' civilization might even be beyond the star level. However, I don''t understand why a creature with such a high level of intelligence would lower themselves and serve a regular life form of a planet-level civilization," said Bluevoid with disbelief.


    "I have always maintained respect for all life regardless of the so-called level of civilization. Perhaps that''s how I have gotten so much help from so many people," I replied firmly.


    At my reply, Bluevoid sank into deep contemplation, as though my casual remark had sparked a great philosophical debate in their mind. A dazzling flash suddenly appeared, causing me to shut my eyes instinctively.


    "Canyue, all the nuclear warheads have been checked. There is no problem. Let''s withdraw. The buer is ready to take us away. The warheads will detonate in 15 minutes."


    I opened my eyes and saw Old Du, who had finished checking all the installed timed nuclear warheads.


    His words caused the image of the two withered corpses to appear in my mind. Bluevoid was nowhere to be seen, and the familiar scene had reappeared around me.


    "Notify everyone to immediately remove the nuclear warheads. Make haste!" I ordered loudly.


    Old Du blanked out slightly and opened his mouth to question me.


    "Don''t ask any questions. Just do what I say immediately. Any disobedience will be punishable in accordance with military law," I said, not giving Old Du the chance to say anything.


    Before Old Du could say anything, Zhang Bao''er complained through the communicator, "Canyue, I had painstakingly supervised the installation. Why did you suddenly decide to take them off?"


    "I''ll do it myself if you''re unwilling," I said before moving forward to get started on removing the warheads.


    At that point, everyone realized that I was serious. They stopped arguing and returned to help me. Old Du ran back to the underground entrance and removed the two warheads there as well. About roughly 10 minutes later, all the warheads were safely removed.


    "A planet-level civilization is a total mess, incapable of sticking to a plan," Temo criticized.


    "Keep running your mouth, and I''ll cripple you immediately. It''s not your place to say anything even if there is a problem with Canyue," said Zhang Bao''er, sounding like he was scolding Temo but was actually indirectly blaming me for suddenly changing my mind.


    I laughed inwardly and ignored Zhang Bao''er. I decisively gave a new order, "Everyone, set off in the southeast direction. Our destination is 1,000 kilometers ahead."

 CH 250

    "What is that place? Why are we going there?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "I communicated with the worm colony brain earlier. The place we''re heading to is where a different clock puzzle can be found. We can leave from there," I replied calmly.


    "What? You communicated with the worm colony brain? How is that possible? You have been in constant communication with us. You must be seeing things," said Temo with disbelief.


    "Maybe a higher level of civilization had paused time itself? That''s not something you can understand with your level of civilization, right?" I said, using Temo''s usual argument against him.


    "Yes, that must be it!" Zhang Bao''er took the chance to step on Temo.


    "Impossible! Impossible! Only those ranked venerable or higher among the Sacred Wing race can communicate with the worm colony brain. A life form of a planet-level civilization like you will not be able to resist brainwaves of that level due to your stage of evolution," said Temo. As a member of a star-level civilization, his analysis was accurate.


    "Everything is possible in the universe," I said. There was no way I would tell him about Bulu''s abilities.


    My order was quickly obeyed. After the warheads were removed, we gathered with the buer waiting outside. We climbed back onto the buer''s back and headed to our new destination while invisible. With the buer''s large body, we wouldn''t take more than 20 minutes to cross 1,000 kilometers.


    When I thought of how we were going to return to the fleet and meet Zhang Xingxing and the others soon, excitement filled my heart. The buer ran quickly, creating thundering noises as its massive body lumbered forth. When we first saw the buer, the thundering signified terror, but now, it was akin to a pleasant symphony. But slowly, the noises became louder even as the tempo changed to something that felt rather imbalanced.


    "This buer is too loud when running. It''s basically sound pollution," Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    "Canyue, something isn''t right," Dodo said.


    "Dodo, what did you notice?" I asked.


    "The tempo of the footsteps isn''t right. This isn''t how it is in the beginning. When I focused, it almost sounded like three sets of movements mixed together," said Dodo.


    "What? Three sets? Don''t tell me there are three buers here?" exclaimed Old Du.


    "Shit! Maybe the other two are chasing us. Anxashe, check with our buer," I ordered.


    A few seconds later, Anxashe returned with a reply. There were two buers chasing us.


    "I can''t see anything. Looks like they are also invisible," said Zhang Bao''er, who was becoming anxious.


    "Anxashe, tell this buer to go faster. Try to reach our destination as fast as possible. Everyone, prepare for combat," I ordered calmly. At this point in my career, I was already used to battles.


    "Just what kind of a life is this? We can''t even catch a break before two buers come out of nowhere. How annoying," complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Alright. We''re reaching our destination soon. After arriving, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, Anxashe and I will remain to cover the group''s retreat. Everyone else will enter the clock password rapidly and leave. We will pull back immediately after all of you are through. Follow my order. No arguments," I said with a firm tone that did not allow any disobedience.


    "A black building appeared ahead of us. Canyue, is that the place you spoke about?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes, that''s it. When we''re there, take charge and have everyone leave this dimension. We will be right behind you," I ordered.


    "Roger," Dodo answered.


    One minute later, our buer reached the black building. We hurriedly leaped off its back. Then, Dodo led everyone inside. Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, Anxashe, and I stayed behind to form a defensive perimeter to protect the entrance to the black building. The buer that had carried us here had left its invisible status after we had gotten off its back. Its bright red body was clear for us to see.


    "Big Hill, we''ll be counting on you later," said Anxashe as he gently rubbed the buer''s body.


    It turned out he had named the buer Big Hill. At that moment, the pursuing buers also left their invisible states. Two buers that were even larger appeared less than 20 meters ahead of us. The sight of the three hill-sized creatures facing off was rather oppressive to behold.


    The two pursuing buers were also bright red in color. Clearly, the two had also entered combat mode. They breathed loudly as they stared at each other. A cruel battle could begin at any moment.


    "Canyue, we found the entrance to the clock time tunnel. The tunnel will open in 3 minutes. I also checked from the clock that the tunnel will remain open for 10 minutes. Make sure you go through the tunnel in that time period. Otherwise, you will have to wait 48 hours before you can reopen the tunnel," said Dodo.


    "Ten minutes? Canyue, let''s start retreating," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I was about to speak when the battle between the three buers began loudly. One of the enemy buers unleashed a sphere connected to an arm from a black hole on its body. Unlike Big Hill who could only unleash two of those arms at the same time, this buer could unleash over a thousand at once. Like a thousand mountains dropping from the sky, they hammered down upon Big Hill''s body, creating deafening sounds as they landed.


    At the same time, the other buer also unleashed the same attack. The battle of countless hammer-like arms began intensely. In the eyes of us Bluelings, it was as terrifying a sight as an apocalypse, a scene that we could normally only see in movies.


    Naturally, Big Hill would not allow itself to be beaten without doing anything. It unleashed its own hammer-arms and struck the two enemy buers, but it clearly did not have the upper hand.


    "Deputy Commander Canyue, Big Hill is putting its life on the line to help us. I must do something to help," said Anxashe, who was becoming increasingly agitated.


    "With the size of their bodies, we can only use nuclear warheads if we want to help," suggested Old Du.


    "Deputy Commander Canyue, the time tunnel has been opened. I will retreat with the others. Be sure to retreat promptly. The tunnel will only remain open for 10 minutes," Dodo''s voice came through the communicator.


    Dodo''s voice indicated that we did not have much time left. After leaving the last message, Dodo left through the tunnel with the others. Our communication with them was severed, the channel becoming flooded with static.


    Under the attack of two buers, Big Hill''s body was filled with wounds. Blood sprayed everywhere as traces of purple appeared on its red body. The purple was slowly spreading all over its body.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, I''ll lock onto one of the holes on one of the buers. Let''s work together to launch a nuclear warhead into the hole," I ordered.


    "The holes on buers are constantly moving around. We won''t be able to lock onto one," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I was able to find a pattern. Below the biggest spike on their back, a hole will appear every 30 seconds. I will set that as our target. The moment the countdown is over, we will launch our warheads regardless of whether there is a hole there or not," I said.


    "Canyue, there are still eight minutes before the tunnel closes," reminded ever-prudent Old Du.


    "Stop hesitating. We still have eight warheads with us. Let''s focus on one of them and see if we can defeat it. Big Hill will have to rely on itself to fight the other buer," I said. We started approaching one of the enemy buers with Anxashe close behind us.


    Due to the distance between us and the buers, we were able to reach our targeted buer quickly. Moving amid three battling hills was very risky. Every step they took could very well be the step to stomp us into mincemeat.


    Even the chunks of flesh falling from the buers were as dangerous as a landslide. We were forced to turn our shields to maximum capacity. Because I also had to protect Anxashe, my energy supply was draining rapidly.


    Amid the world-shaking battle, we finally arrived at the correct position to launch our warheads. Fortunately, our target had yet to discover us. Otherwise, its hammer-arm would only need a single smash to turn us to paste.


    "Six more minutes," announced Old Du, his announcement akin to a countdown before our deaths, giving us great pressure.


    "I''ve locked onto the position. Twenty seconds before launch. After launching, start running toward the tunnel at top speed regardless of the result," I ordered firmly as a precaution in case Anxashe would refuse to leave later.


    The countdown started, and the moment it was over, we launched all eight of our remaining warheads at the buer. Finally, luck seemed to smile at us as all eight of the warheads entered the hole on the buer.


    "Retreat immediately, or we won''t have enough time to leave!" I ordered, taking the lead to run away.


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    Everyone started madly running. Just before we stepped through the black building''s entrance, I heard an oppressive howl that seemed to be filled with pain. I looked back and saw that purple was appearing on our target buer. The color was rapidly spreading through its body.


    "The attack looks successful. It''s now a one-on-one fight. You can worry less now, Anxashe," I consoled.


    We rushed into the black building, entering a long corridor. Suddenly, a deafening sound erupted less than a meter behind us. I looked back and saw that the other buer had discovered us and was furiously smashing its hammer-arms down at us.


    "Shit! Run, everyone!" Old Du shouted nervously.


    The hammer-arms rained down upon us, each attack less than a meter from us. A single strike would be enough to end our lives. We ran madly, and finally, the familiar tunnel entered our vision. A gentle pink radiance covered the entrance, seemingly beckoning us toward it. At that moment, we were a minute away from when the tunnel would close.


    Suddenly, a hammer-arm dropped down right in front of us, ruining the path between us and the tunnel.

 CH 253

    Anxashe''s wish was a beautiful one, but reality was cruel. The buer would not appear here, and our sole option was to get onto the ground and travel toward the Black King Base on foot. Old Du took out a rope from his suit and fastened one end around a pillar in the maze. After testing the firmness of the rope, he prepared to slide down to the ground.


    "Canyue, I''ll go first. You guys can follow after I confirm it''s safe," said Old Du.


    I agreed and reminded him repeatedly to be safe. He quickly slid down the rope, vanishing amid the red fog.


    "Old Du, how is it looking down there?" I asked through the communicator.


    "It''s like hell down here. There is a blood pool here and severed limbs everywhere. The pool is not deep, only knee-length, but it''s too murky to see through," reported Old Du. All of us inhaled in shock.


    "Are you sure we''re going into such a terrifying place?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Instead of flat ground, there''s a blood pool down there. If the beasts attack when we''re down there, we won''t be able to escape in time," said Dodo anxiously.


    "Old Du, do you see any traces of the variance sensor beasts?" I asked.


    "Not at the moment, but the severed limbs in the pool seem to belong to the flying beasts and other beasts. However, I keep having a feeling that many eyes are looking at me," said Old Du nervously.


    "If we''re going, let''s do it. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it will become. If we stay in the maze, we probably won''t find a way out even after 100 years," urged Anxashe unhesitatingly.


    I took everyone''s suggestion into consideration and contemplated for one minute.


    "Zhang Bao''er, Anxashe, Dodo, and I will go down first. After checking our surroundings, we''ll come back for you guys. Dodo, after going down, keep trying to establish contact with the fleet," I ordered calmly.


    "I''ll go with you. There might be something I know on the surface," offered Temo, which was quite surprising.


    Even the quarrelsome Zhang Bao''er looked grateful upon hearing the offer.


    "Canyue, let me pick five Wargod soldiers to come with us. With them, we''ll at least be able to help each other in case we encounter the variance sensor beasts," suggested Anxashe.


    I nodded in agreement. We started moving while the others stayed behind to wait for our update. We slid down one after another in an orderly fashion. Before leaving, I gave Sarje, who was staying behind, a bunch of reminders. I then slid down the rope.


    While sliding down, I could see the expansive maze covering the sky above me. A construct of this scope was something our minds struggled to grasp. Just what kind of prowess would one need to be able to build something so complicated?


    Before long, I pierced through the red fog and landed in the blood pool described by Old Du. The air would most likely reek of blood. Although we were all breathing through our breathing devices, I could almost imagine the unpleasant smell when I looked at our surroundings.


    The scene down here was even more vile than what I had imagined from Old Du''s description. Countless severed limbs, corpses, and bones filled a seemingly boundless pool of blood.


    Zhang Bao''er started complaining, "Damn these variance sensor beasts. Why can''t they finish their meal? How can they stand living in such a terrible environment?"


    "Dodo, start recording our position because it will help us return later," I said to Dodo, who had already started trying to contact the fleet.


    We then started wading through the knee-length blood pool, advancing carefully while avoiding the numerous corpses in it. Suddenly, I saw something moving rapidly on the surface of the pool. It was about 20 meters away, and it moved so rapidly it created numerous waves around it.


    "Old Du," I hurriedly called out softly.


    "I saw it. There''s something there, but I don''t know if it''s a variance sensor beast," said Old Du.


    "Temo, do the variance sensor beasts live in water? Do they need to get to the surface to breathe?" I asked.


    "The variance sensor beast can easily adapt to many complicated environments. From what I can see, what you saw could very well be a variance sensor beast," said Temo.


    "I have two questions," Dodo suddenly said.


    "Just ask it. Don''t drag it out," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "If this is the territory of the variance sensor beasts, why are there the remains of so many different beasts? Why had these beasts appeared in this territory? If that''s really a variance sensor beast, why hasn''t it attacked?" asked Dodo. Their questions were sharp and helpful.


    "These remains belong to their food. In my opinion, there are two reasons these beasts were here. One, the variance sensor beasts had ambushed the patrols in the base''s vicinity. Two, these beasts were intentionally tossed here to maintain the variance sensor beast''s ferocity," said Temo.


    "And why hasn''t it attacked us?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Perhaps it is getting ready to attack," said Temo coldly.


    Those words made us nervous. We gripped our weapons tighter and started looking around in alert. Oddly, the fast-moving life form only appeared for a bit before calm returned to the pool. No attack came.


    "Who cares? If the variance sensor beasts dare to appear, I''ll let them experience the prowess of my laser gun," said Zhang Bao''er, trying to encourage himself.


    "Let''s pick up the pace. Don''t let a single beast trap us here," suggested Old Du.


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    His words made a lot of sense. We started advancing rapidly. The blood pool was extremely big. In fact, the end of the pool wasn''t even visible. We continued striding forth, trying to look for dry land. However, we remained surrounded by boundless red.


    As we advanced, signs of activity appeared occasionally around us. But every time we tried to get a closer look, those creatures would vanish into the water, leaving only some ripples on the surface. Even more depressing was the fact that those ripples were increasing in number. From the initial one, the reappearing ripples had increased to over a dozen.


    "Looks like we''re approaching their lair. There are more and more beasts under the water," said Old Du.


    I was still confused. "We could hear the roars of the variance sensor beasts in the maze. Why aren''t we hearing any roars now that we''re down here?"


    We continued advancing. Even after about an hour, we were still surrounded by boundless red. It wasn''t looking like we were going to leave the blood pool anytime soon.


    "Dodo, are we traveling in the right direction?" I asked.


    "We''re still heading toward the main base. But due to the pool, the journey of 10 hours has been delayed to 20 hours," said Dodo.


    "Canyue, at this speed, we won''t be able to return to get Sarje and the others after finding the base," said Old Du, voicing another of his worries.


    I looked down and thought for a bit before saying calmly, "Dodo, notify Sarje to stay there and wait for us. We will contact Zhang Xingxing after reaching the Black King Base. They will come to pick Sarje and the others up with their ships. The only thing they need to do now is save their energy and wait."


    Dodo quickly transmitted the message. For now, we no longer needed to worry about the others.


    "Everyone, do not worry too much. Believe in yourself and advance. In 18 hours, we will get out of this place. For our hope, we will march non-stop at a consistent speed until we reach our destination," I said.


    We continued slogging forth. After another half an hour, we found to our astonishment that the ripples around us were still increasing in number. Worryingly, the beasts were no longer disappearing after appearing. Instead, they started moving around right before our eyes.


    "Canyue, I want to try attacking them. These weird monsters are too annoying to look at," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Take aim and open fire. I find them annoying too," I agreed without any hesitation.


    With my approval, Zhang Bao''er raised his gun and opened fire at the beasts. In a few seconds, he unleashed dozens of shots. His attacks created a massive ruckus around us. Countless tailed black creatures were struck, and they jumped out of the water. I could clearly see the wounds on their bodies left by the gunshots.


    Zhang Bao''er''s attacks had evidently angered them. They constantly jumped around and gathered in large numbers. More of them were also appearing from farther away, slowly drawing near us. At one glance, there were hundreds of these black and bloodied bodies around us.


    We also finally got a clear look at their appearance. Each of these beasts had an oval head, two rows of sharp fangs, and a black hole at the middle of the head, most likely a breathing organ. They also had a pair of small eyes that couldn''t be clearly seen.


    "Are these the so-called variance sensor beasts?" asked Zhang Bao''er the moment he got a clear look at them.


    Temo was about to answer when terrifying roars rang out from the nearby fog.

 CH 254

    "They''re coming. Be careful," Temo said.


    "Who''s coming? Buers? What are these creatures?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "These little things are nothing compared to what''s coming. That''s the most terrifying fellow here," said Temo coldly.


    After the terrifying roar, our surroundings sank into silence. The numerous smaller beasts around us stayed silent, and even though they were squeezed together, they had not attacked us.


    "Canyue, we have been surrounded by these little beasts," said Anxashe.


    Only then did we discover that we had been fully surrounded by ugly beasts. There were thousands of them around us. Suddenly, a sense of oppression came from afar and slowly approached us. I could vaguely see numerous black figures from behind the red fog.


    "Watch out, everyone. They''re coming," reminded Old Du.


    "Our body temperature is lower than the surroundings. They have locked onto us," said Temo.


    We prepared for combat. Not long after, numerous elephant-like silhouettes started appearing from all directions. We realized that we had been surrounded by two different encirclements.


    "Looks like there is no escaping. We have to face them," said Anxashe. There was no fear in his voice. Instead, excitement could be heard in his voice.


    The silhouettes of the variance sensor beasts silently came nearer and nearer. Finally, I was able to get a clear look at them. These elephant-like beasts did not have any eyes on their heads. Each head had a long nose sticking out of its face. I believed that the long nose was the organ they relied on to detect temperature. Each head had a mouth filled with fangs, and each of their bulky bodies was propped up by four clawed limbs. Some sort of barbed armor covered their bodies, seemingly with powerful defensive capabilities.


    "These fellows are too ugly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    An odd scene appeared. The moment Zhang Bao''er spoke, their long noses were all aimed in his direction. The sight shocked Zhang Bao''er so much he shut his mouth and stopped talking.


    "The moment you speak, the temperature around you will fluctuate. That will provoke a reaction from the variance sensor beasts," explained Temo. Once again, the same thing happened as they all aimed their noses at Temo.


    "What are we supposed to do? Are we going to stop speaking entirely?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "It doesn''t matter. As long as your temperature is either lower or higher than theirs, you will be a target," said Temo.


    The variance sensor beasts were alternating pointing their noses at Zhang Bao''er or Temo as the two conversed, so the scene looked rather comical, which helped lessen everyone''s nervousness.


    "These beasts seem to be observing us. We might as well strike first and grab the upper hand," suggested Anxashe.


    I gave it some thought and decided to agree.


    "There''s no rush. Attacking is the same as suicide. Let''s see what these variance sensor beasts are trying to do first. I''m very curious. They have not been attacking, so they are seemingly worried about something," said Temo.


    His words also made sense so I changed my mind. The standoff lasted for a few more minutes, the variance sensor beasts constantly aiming their noses at anyone who spoke.


    "What are they thinking, exactly?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was becoming impatient.


    Temo started messing with Zhang Bao''er. "Maybe they''re trying to decide on who gets to eat us."


    Zhang Bao''er was about to start bickering with Temo when one of the variance sensor beasts left the group and slowly approached us.


    "Watch out, everyone. One of them is coming. That must be the one picked to eat all of us," said Dodo.


    The smaller beasts on the water''s surface parted for the variance sensor beast, allowing it to strut straight toward us. Anxashe raised his bow and arrow, aiming at the head of the variance sensor beast, preparing to attack.


    Even so, the variance sensor beast showed no fear. When it neared us, we felt incredibly small before its massive body. Silence continued to reign as it raised its nose to scan all of us. None of us dared to make any sound, worried about attracting its attention. Suddenly, the nose stopped moving. When we looked over, we saw that it had stopped when pointing at Dodo.


    "What is this? Is this fellow picking Dodo for a one-on-one fight?" blurted Zhang Bao''er.


    "Picking Dodo for a one-on-one fight? Dodo is an android with zero combat capabilities," said Old Du.


    "Why is it pointing at me? Is it really challenging me to a duel?" asked Dodo anxiously.


    "Yes. Since it has chosen you, answer the call bravely. This is good for us. Solving this through a duel is better than everyone perishing after being swarmed," said Temo.


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    "But how are you sure that it has selected me?" Dodo argued, unwilling to accept the fact that they had been chosen.


    "Look at its nose. Even when we''re speaking, it remains still. I am sure it has selected you. Stop wasting time, or it will be viewed as an insult," said Temo.


    Everyone focused on Dodo. Even Dodo themselves felt the heavy pressure on their shoulders. Thus, they stepped forth unhesitatingly.


    "Canyue, have you gone crazy? You''re really letting Dodo go? They will be reduced to scrap metal! That fellow is still very important to us! We can''t allow them to die for no reason!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "What choice do we have? We''ll have to let Dodo give it a try, and we need to be ready to provide assistance," I said.


    "Don''t interfere in the duel. Otherwise, they will immediately tear us apart," said Temo, discouraging me from what I had in mind.


    At that point, Dodo had stopped in front of the beast.


    "Screw this fellow. Why did it pick the weakest of us? Hey, if you''re really so incredible, why don''t you pick your grandpa Bao''er?" shouted Zhang Bao''er at the variance sensor beast.


    Not one of the beasts paid Zhang Bao''er any attention. They were all focused on the duel that was about to start.


    "Weird. The variance sensor beasts shouldn''t be behaving like this. They are extremely ferocious and barbaric. Why would they be so polite and not swarm us? This is too weird," muttered Temo, still doubtful about the beasts'' change in behavior.


    Abruptly, the beast kicked out, sending Dodo flying several meters away before they could react. Our hearts thumped nervously. Dodo stood up tenaciously, one of their legs bent at an odd angle due to the kick. Surprising all of us, the same Dodo who lacked any combat capabilities limped toward the beast. Once again, the beast kicked them away.


    "Droids can''t feel pain, right?" said Zhang Bao''er, sorrow in his voice.


    Once again, Dodo stood back up tenaciously. A large part of their belly had caved in from the kick.


    "I can''t take this anymore. They''re pushing an android incapable of combat. Canyue, let me blast its nose away with my gun," said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    Old Du hurriedly stopped Zhang Bao''er, stopping him from launching any rash attacks. This time, the variance sensor beast bit Dodo''s head before vigorously flinging Dodo around, trying to shake Dodo''s body off their head.


    Dodo constantly struggled with both arms, but they were no combat droid. Thus, their arms were only able to exert a small amount of strength, completely incapable of harming the beast. We could no longer keep watching while Dodo''s life was in peril.


    "You can''t help. The moment you help, all of us will die," reminded Temo, having seen through our thoughts.


    Looking at Dodo struggling, I suddenly thought of something. I hurriedly drew the laser pistol strapped to my thigh.


    "Dodo, catch this! Shoot into its mouth!" I shouted as I tossed the pistol over.


    Dodo, who had sunk into despair, concentrated and caught the pistol. They unhesitatingly fired several shots into the beast''s mouth. The other variance sensor beasts started roaring upon seeing our movement, breaking the silence that had enveloped the area. But since we hadn''t actually helped, no rules were broken. Thus, they had to keep restraining themselves.


    The variance sensor beast that was bullying Dodo had not expected to be struck by a pistol. The laser beams were sent straight into the inside of its stomach, and the intense pain forced it to release Dodo and made it stumble backward.


    Dodo regained their freedom and immediately realized the benefits of having a gun in hand. They took two steps back before raising the gun and madly firing at the variance sensor beast. However, the shots weren''t able to do much damage when they hit the variance sensor beast''s sturdy armor. The beast was shaking its head, still trying to recover from the pain.


    "Dodo, take this!" said Zhang Bao''er, who tossed his cluster laser gun toward Dodo.


    Dodo caught the gun and returned the pistol to me. Then, the fierce firepower of an automatic weapon was unleashed upon the beast. The improved firepower proved effective;  the variance sensor beast''s armor started breaking apart. However, this also infuriated the beast.


    It braved the gunshots and charged forth, ramming into Dodo with its massive body. The force behind the collision was massive, sending Dodo over a dozen meters away. Dodo slammed into the midst of the spectating small beasts. The startled small beasts hurriedly scattered, allowing Dodo to slowly sink into the blood pool.


    "Dodo, are you good?" Zhang Bao''er shouted loudly and rushed forward, but Old Du promptly stopped him.


    "Androids won''t drown. Don''t act rashly," reminded Temo.


    The situation was much more serious than before. The variance sensor beast did not give Dodo any respite and charged toward Dodo. It raised its front limbs high, preparing to crush Dodo into a piece of metal scrap. At this point, we were no longer able to rush over and help in time. I saw Anxashe raise his bow and arrow high.

 CH 257

    "Do you mean that you have known all along that the main base is a city of machines?" I asked.


    "I''ve never been here before. I''ve only heard and read about it. On Black King, there is a city of machines. After the machines were built, the minds of other life forms would be inserted into these machines, turning them into a weird sort of life," said Temo.


    "Producing a machine before inserting a mind into it? Where did the minds come from?" I asked.


    "From their bodies," said Temo as he pointed at the corpse of a nearby variance sensor beast.


    "You mean the emperor has extracted the minds of different beasts and inserted them into bodies of steel, increasing their offensive weapons by granting them independent thoughts?" asked Dodo.


    "From my understanding, this would extract the minds from the brains of different beasts before overwriting them into a programming language and inserting them into the bots'' control systems. Nevertheless, the minds from organic life forms will grow by themselves, forming different sets of codes. Thus, each of these robots might look the same, but they all think differently," explained Temo.


    "What is the reason for this? Is the empire doing this solely to turn organic bodies into bodies of steel to obtain greater strength?" I asked.


    "After managing the beast army for a long time, the elders of the Sacred Wing race discovered something. Conflicts can easily erupt between different beasts in the army. At the same time, the beasts will exhaust a lot of resources to grow, and the act of growing will exhaust more of the beasts'' energy. Because of that, some beasts will be rebellious and hard to control. Turning them into machines will reduce the expenditure of energy and resources and forge an army with standardized soldiers," said Temo.


    "Mechanical beasts, machines with intelligent minds capable of growth. The technological capabilities of the empire are far beyond our imagination. Their armies are constantly evolving and upgrading," said Dodo, awe on their face.


    "The Sacred Wing race exists for the pursuit of greater technological progress. No difficulty is too difficult for us to solve," said Temo smugly.


    "Shameless. Your technological advancements are not for the sake of the universe. Instead, you use them to help a tyrant take lives and plunder resources. Such technological progress is pointless no matter how much it advances," said Zhang Bao''er with disdain.


    One ought to admit that Zhang Bao''er''s words reeked of justice, and all of us couldn''t help but be convinced by his words.


    "What do you know? You''re from a tiny planet-level civilization. The universe is boundless, and many life forms constantly rise and fall in the universe. If technological progress isn''t used for the advancement and evolution of stronger life forms, what''s the future of the universe?" argued Temo.


    "What do I care about your shitty civilization? If a civilization can only grow through slaughter, I would rather not want the advancement that comes from it," said Zhang Bao''er, not holding back any of his thoughts.


    His line of thought originated from Blue. We held the belief that all life forms deserve equality, and that was why we had been unyieldingly fighting for peace. As far as I was concerned, a civilization like Blue, with its set of values, was more worthy of respect.


    Dodo, who had never stopped working on their task, said, "Reporting, although we have moved out of the area fully covered by the maze, I still can''t establish contact with Zhang Xingxing and the others."


    "How do you expect to contact a fleet from a different temporal dimension?" said Temo, using the report to pull himself out of the argument on morality.


    "Temporal dimension? Are we not in the same dimension as the fleet? Bluevoid told me that I will be able to contact the fleet here," I said in astonishment.


    "Bluevoid? You''re referring to the worm colony brain? Did it really say that?" asked Temo.


    "Yes. They told me themself. As the brain of a superweapon, they shouldn''t be wrong, right?" I said, not daring to expose that Bluevoid had also requested me to rescue their great sovereign.


    "The temporal dimension here is different. You definitely can''t contact your fleet here. But since they told you otherwise, they will probably help open a time tunnel for your fleet. You only need to focus on your task," said Temo, slightly alleviating the worry in my heart.


    "Why is it that you seem to know everything? You know way too much, and you have slowly led us here step by step. Who exactly are you, and what is your goal?" Old Du suddenly asked. He had always been the prudent one among us.


    Old Du''s words actually made a lot of sense after thinking back on all that had happened on the beast planet. Temo seemed to know way too much.


    "Old Du, he is from a star-level civilization. It is normal that he knows more than me," said Dodo, defending their idol.


    "There is no need to explain. The person in charge of Black King''s city of machines is the great elder of the Sacred Wing race. Only Sacred Wing members ranked prophet and above are qualified to serve the great elder. I am not at that level, but through self-study using the information available internally, I have still managed to learn something," said Temo coldly.


    "Why hadn''t you come clean with us in the beginning?" Old Du pressed on.


    "Had you bothered to ask? Also, it wasn''t even my idea to come here. I have always been supporting you. I have been keeping to my word," said Temo.


    His answer seemed perfect, and we couldn''t think of an argument. I was the one who had decided to come, and we had indeed not asked him about the city of machines before. Old Du had probably reached the same conclusion, and he immediately apologized to Temo.


    "Temo, the intelligent robots are everywhere. How should we enter the city?" I asked, pulling everyone back to the main topic.


    "Permission to scout ahead?" asked Anxashe.


    "Don''t let the scouting robots discover you. These robots are extremely powerful offensively. The moment you are discovered, you might court the attack of a swarm," advised Temo.


    After I gave Anxashe permission, he took out a long object that looked like a telescope, pushed it out of the red fog, and looked through it. A few minutes later, Anxashe lowered the telescope.


    "It''s a world of machines out there. These machines seem to raise a lot of beasts in confinement in the area between the city and the blood pool. They''re raising variance sensor beasts, flying beasts, and many other beasts that I don''t know the name of. I can even see some smaller buers among them," said Anxashe.


    "Even buers can be raised like farm animals? The Divine Empire''s ability to control others is too impressive," said Old Du.


    "Isn''t that because there are some people helping the tyrant?" said Zhang Bao''er, sneering at Temo.


    "Apart from the beasts kept in confinement, I also saw some lion-faced beasts. They are not being kept in confinement but are attending to those from Temo''s race," said Anxashe.


    "You mean the people from the Sacred Wing race? Those must be the people serving the great elder mentioned by Temo," said Dodo.


    "Hey, superior civilization guy, you won''t betray us after meeting a brethren, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er suspiciously.


    "One of the values we hold as a superior civilization is the importance of keeping promises. I will fulfill my promise," replied Temo firmly.


    "We now have a general idea about the situation outside. How should we enter the city? Any ideas, everyone?" asked Anxashe.


    "Stay in the fog. We should wait until it''s dark," suggested Temo.


    "There are a lot of patrols. It will be risky to stay for a long period of time," Old Du pointed out.


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    "That won''t be that much of an issue. I calculated. We are one hour away until night," said Dodo.


    "One hour? That will be over before we know it. Let''s wait in the fog, then. We''ll try to sneak into the city and look for the worm colony brain after dark," I decided.


    Following the order, everyone waited in hiding. Since we were still standing in the knee-length bloody liquid, none of us was willing to sit down in the disgusting liquid. Rather, we stood still.


    "Canyue, we need to think of a way to capture one of them and get some information. That will help us in the planning of the next stage of our task," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    I hesitated. "A captive. How can we get one while hiding here? If we expose ourselves, the entire team will perish."


    "We can''t sally out and attack, but we can bait those robotic beasts to come to us. We will then surprise them and capture them. After capturing them, we will be able to extract the information we need from them," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Bait. And where do we find this bait?" I asked doubtfully.


    "We already have the bait with us. In fact, we have quite a lot of ready-made bait," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Where?" I asked.


    Zhang Bao''er did not answer. Rather, he pointed at Anxashe and said, "Anxashe can be the bait."


    Only then did I understand that Zhang Bao''er intended to use Anxashe as bait since Anxashe had a head resembling an ox''s head. One could easily pretend he was a regular beast.


    "But even after capturing a beast using Anxashe as the bait, how should we extract the data from the captive? Won''t any attempt sound the alarm?" I said, still doubtful about the plan.


    "That will be a problem for Temo to solve. As long as we get a captive, I believe Temo will have the solution for it," said Zhang Bao''er confidently.


    I thought about Zhang Bao''er''s suggestion. Getting ourselves a captive would indeed be helpful for the next phase of our plan. After a few seconds in thought, I nodded in agreement. Having obtained my approval, Zhang Bao''er wasted no time in calling Anxashe and Temo over before telling them about the plan.


    After listening to the plan, Anxashe and Temo voiced no objection. Clearly, everyone was similarly curious about the city. It seemed like curiosity was something everyone shared regardless of one''s level of civilization.


    "I suggest we capture one of the air defense beasts. We are experienced in dealing with similar machines, so we have a deeper understanding of the likes of them. Perhaps these air defense beasts work similarly to the air defense drones," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The air defense beasts have extremely impressive red ray attacks. Anxashe, be very careful. Do not let yourself be cut apart by the red rays," I reminded.


    Temo also gave us a reminder, "If you really managed to catch one, remember to immediately remove all four of its limbs. Those limbs are actually the parts they had grown themselves while their minds were growing. I believe those limbs are actually something they rely on to transmit information externally."


    "Anxashe, how are you planning to catch one? Do you have a plan in mind?" I asked.


    "Don''t worry. I already have a plan. Just wait for me. I''ll come back with a captive," said Anxashe before spinning around and vanishing into the red fog.

 CH 258

    "Canyue, are we not helping? Would it be too risky to have Anxashe go alone?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The situation outside is too complicated. Anxashe alone will be enough. With his ability, if he really needs help, he would have asked for it," I said.


    "What should we do now? Do we just wait here and do nothing?" asked Dodo.


    "Yes. We only need to wait until Anxashe returns with the captive. Maintain silence, and unless he is the one contacting us, do not try to contact him," I replied.


    With my order, they stopped talking. After roughly 10 minutes, sounds of collision rang out not far away. After a few more minutes, a black figure darted out of the fog. Anxashe had returned with a captive.


    With a swing of his arm, an air defense beast bound in rope was tossed out. From its physical appearance, it was obvious that Anxashe had snapped all four of its limbs. The robotic beast was madly struggling with the four stumps left on its body.


    "Nicely done. And you were quick with it as well!" said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "When this robotic beast saw me, it tried to catch me to harvest my brain. I struck it down with my bow and arrow. Following Temo''s suggestion, I snapped its four limbs before returning with it," said Anxashe smugly.


    "You shot it down with an arrow? If so, the enemy army might have received a warning," said Dodo.


    "We can''t worry too much. Since we already have a captive, Temo, see if you can get any information from its body," said Old Du.


    Temo bent down to inspect the captured robotic beast. This was basically an enlarged version of the air defense drone. Surprisingly, from the four stumps on its body, some pink liquid was gushing out like blood. It seemed like the injection of minds into these machines had brought forth a rather significant change.


    "We will only be able to obtain the data we want by entering its brain," said Temo after a short observation.


    "Where is its port?" asked Dodo.


    "Remove the stump cleanly from its body. After that, inject your probe into the cleaned part. The vein where the liquid is flowing is probably connected to its brain," said Temo.


    Hearing Temo''s words, Anxashe went to work. With his personal dagger, he cleaned the stumps of the beast. During the process, I heard an odd sound coming from inside the beast.


    "Anxashe is a tad bit too cruel. Yes, this is a robotic beast, but he is too harsh with it," whispered Zhang Bao''er to Old Du.


    After a few minutes, Anxashe said, "Done. Dodo, you can start with your probe."


    With that, Dodo inserted a probe into one of the parts where the stump had been cleaned, trying to gain access to the machine''s database.


    After only a short while, Zhang Bao''er impatiently asked, "Is it connected?"


    "I''m trying to gain access using Eternal''s password protocols," said Dodo.


    "Dodo, try using the protocols of the air defense drones. The empire has altered the drones into pseudo life forms, so it is possible that the original protocols within the drones have been left untouched," I suggested.


    "Understood. I''m already trying to gain access through the protocols of the air defense drones," said Dodo, who seemed to have reached the same conclusion.


    The sky was slowly turning dark, and even deep in the red fog, we could see the darkness approaching above us.


    "Dodo, are you done? It''s already getting dark," said Zhang Bao''er, sinking into his usual bad habit of impatience.


    "I''m currently cracking the password. When the process is done, I''ll know if I can get the information in the beast. I still need five minutes to complete it," said Dodo.


    "Dodo, can you share what you''re looking at?" I requested.


    Dodo looked at the red fog around us before saying, "I''ll try to use the fog as the backdrop for the projection."


    Shortly after, Dodo projected what he was seeing onto the red fog. The image wasn''t projecting properly due to the fog''s uneven surface. Thus, the image appeared distorted, making it impossible for us to see the contents clearly.


    "Why don''t you give this a try? Maybe it will work," said Zhang Bao''er as he took out a black tarp from his backpack. When we looked at it, we saw that it was the same black tarp Temo had used to hide us.


    "Bao''er, why is this tarp with you?" I asked in astonishment.


    "Everyone was too focused on running at the time. I saw that this thing was quite useful and thought it would be a waste to leave it behind, so I took it with me," said Zhang Bao''er with righteous indignation in his words.


    "It doesn''t matter. You can have it as a gift. I still have plenty of curtains like this," said Temo graciously.


    Zhang Bao''er appeared visibly joyful after receiving the gift. He immediately called over two Wargod soldiers to help lift the tarp up. Finally, Dodo''s projection could be clearly seen on the black tarp.


    String upon string of characters joined into the shape of a tree moved rapidly on the screen. The characters weren''t something we knew. They most likely belonged to either the Eternals or the Sacred Wings. Some blank spots were left on the strings, and the cracking process involved slowly filling the blank spots.


    "When this tree is fully grown, the password will be cracked," explained Dodo to everyone who was staring at the screen in stupefaction.


    "I did not expect those of a planet-level civilization to be able to get a glimpse of a database from a superior civilization. I have never imagined something like this happening," said Temo, once again speaking with a thick sense of superiority.


    "Hmph. You''ll see. We can even use your so-called superior technology as the base to create an even more advanced piece of technology," said Zhang Bao''er unyieldingly.


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    The two proceeded to bicker like usual while before us, the password tree continued growing. The final blank spot was filled, and a shiny fully grown tree appeared. Even through a projection, I could almost feel the heat from the beast due to the rapid internal workings within its body.


    "I cracked this password with the protocols of the air defense drones. Now, we''ll see if this password tree can lead us to the information we want," said Dodo.


    The password tree suddenly broke apart, as though it had exploded from the middle. Then, white covered the screen. All of us waited with bated breaths. After about three minutes, the screen was still covered in white. We had not obtained any information.


    "What is the meaning of this? Did we fail in cracking the password?" asked Zhang Bao''er. He finally lost his patience and was the first to speak among us.


    "Be patient. Perhaps the system is analyzing the database. After all, our two civilizations have different written characters and numbers. A process of adaptation is needed," said Dodo.


    A few minutes passed. Finally, the screen flickered as black started appearing on the white screen, as though it was an ink wash painting.


    "This is too beautiful," we couldn''t help but exclaim in awe when we saw the beautiful painting before us. Naturally, Temo was the exception.


    An imposing city of machines appeared on the screen. The city had a conical layout, and at the very center was a towering mountain. Numerous buildings dotted its surface, and the centermost building was a tall skyscraper.


    "What place is this?" I asked as I pointed at the tallest building.


    "From what I know, that is the superweapon''s launch center. The finished parts will be gathered at the mountain peak and assembled into the weapon," answered Temo.


    The scene on the screen zoomed in, revealing the point of view of an air defense beast. From the sky, everything on the ground was visible. Astonishingly, there were all sorts of buildings on the ground. It was truly surprising that these robots would also have their own homes. Robots of all shapes and forms roamed the streets. Apart from the robots, organic life forms such as the lion-faced beasts and Sacred Wings could be seen in the city as well.


    "Look, your brethren, the evil Sacred Wing race that specializes in developing evil technologies," said Zhang Bao''er as he pointed at a Sacred Wing shown on the screen.


    This time, Temo ignored the provocation.


    The point of view continued advancing, and before long, it reached a massive building. There were many entrances on the roof of the building, and our air defense beast flew into one. Inside the building was a manufacturing workshop. Countless air defense beasts roamed the area. On the ground, there were even more technical bots helping with the manufacturing of parts.


    The beast serving as our eyes continued advancing. Before long, it stopped at an empty space. A probe extended out of the wall and connected to the beast. That was where the recording ended.


    "It''s over already? I''m not done yet!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is it. We have learned a lot from this recording. It is enough for us to gain a deeper understanding of the city," said Dodo, not understanding why Zhang Bao''er was still dissatisfied.


    "Dodo, replay the recording. Use your data analysis to draw a proper route to the center. We will use that route later," I ordered.


    "Roger. Give me 20 minutes. I''ll prepare a route for you," said Dodo.


    "Everyone, we will begin our mission in 20 minutes. This is an extremely dangerous mission. We might get ourselves surrounded by robotic beasts. Thus, we need to stick to Dodo''s safe route to avoid the total elimination of our team," I said.


    "I need to remind everyone to save as much energy as possible. We don''t have much left. We need our supply to last until contact is established with the fleet," reminded Old Du.


    Everyone voiced their understanding. After all, nobody wanted to stay a minute longer than necessary in the disgusting blood pool. We were all looking forward to leaving this place after Dodo was done drawing up a safe route.

 CH 259

    We waited anxiously, and finally, Dodo was finally done using the recording to produce a map of a safe route to the center of the city.


    "Temo, are you sure the worm colony brain is at the center?" I asked one more time.


    "I''m not fully certain, but I believe you will be able to at least find some clues of the worm colony brain there. After all, traces of something that big won''t be hard to find," replied Temo.


    With the safe route provided, we immediately prepared to sneak in. Once again, Anxashe checked outside the fog with his telescope. At that point, the sky was already fully dark. The distant city of machines was filled with dots of light, presenting the sight of a bustling city. The area surrounding the city itself was still completely dark, creating an excellent environment for us to sneak through.


    Up in the air above the blood pool, numerous flying machines patrolled around. These were probably the city scouts in charge of surveilling outside the city. During our sneaking mission, we must avoid these surveillance crafts.


    "Deputy Commander Canyue, we''re going to go through the area where the beasts are being fenced in. We need to be careful and not let the beasts detect us if we want to avoid the attention of the robotic patrols," reminded Anxashe.


    "I have a different idea. These beasts are being imprisoned by the robotic beasts. I believe they don''t really support the robotic army. We can probably use them to create chaos," I said.


    "What do you plan to do? Share it with us," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "I plan to release all the fenced beasts after we get into the area. During the chaos, we''ll sneak through the first defensive perimeter," I said.


    Temo agreed. "This is probably the only feasible plan for us right now."


    After checking our surroundings, we set off. Following the dark route, we moved rapidly toward the fenced beast area. To avoid the patrols in the sky, Zhang Bao''er made use of the black tarp. While hiding under the tarp, we advanced along our planned trajectory.


    Sounds of the flying machines could be constantly heard in the sky. The concentration of the sound hinted at a number of patrols that caused all of us to be on edge. If we were discovered, we would basically fail our entire mission.


    The black tarp displayed its usefulness, as we were actually able to smoothly approach the fenced beast area. The beasts were all kept within steel fences, with some of the larger ones among them being bound in thick steel chains.


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    "Looks like bullying and inequality exist even in the world of beasts. How can that emperor''s beast army be powerful with such treatment?" said Zhang Bao''er with derision.


    As we approached, a disturbance spread among the fenced beasts after they smelled the approach of different organic life forms.


    "Canyue, we need to make a move immediately. The disturbance among the beasts can easily attract the attention of those machines," reminded Old Du.


    "Old Du, install some cluster bombs on the fence and blast it apart. Everyone else, move forward with me," I ordered softly.


    "There are multiple fences here. Which should I bomb?" asked Old Du.


    "The one with the buers. Those buers are strong enough. They might be able to destroy the other fences after they''re freed," I said.


    Following my order, Old Du moved away from the team. The rest of us continued moving forward according to our safe route. While moving, I was fully focused on Old Du. When the fenced beasts saw his approach, they became agitated.


    The noise attracted the attention of a machine in the air. The machine stopped above the fenced area and started scanning below it, searching for the source of the disturbance. By then, Old Du had reached a pillar holding his target fence. Using the large steel pillar as cover, he hid his body from the scan. We all nervously stopped moving as well, preparing to assist Old Du if required.


    "If the scanner finds Old Du, it will be troublesome. There is no hiding after that," said Zhang Bao''er worriedly.


    While we prayed for Old Du''s success, he rapidly fished out a cluster bomb from his backpack and installed it on the spot holding several parts of the fence together. The beasts were behaving rather surprisingly. After seeing what Old Du was doing, they might have realized that he was trying to help them. They immediately stopped creating a disturbance. At times, luck was important. After the beasts stopped, the machine in the sky left as well.


    "The machine in the air is actually one of those robotic beasts. That is why it had slacked while scanning the area. If it were a pure machine, it would have completed the scan before leaving. This is a weakness of organic life forms," observed Temo.


    "But a pure machine would have its codes hacked and altered, so the risk of defection is high," said Zhang Bao''er, never missing a chance to step on Temo.


    Seeing that the machine had left, Old Du hurriedly returned to the team after installing his bomb. The team continued forward.


    "How long is the timer on the bomb?" I asked.


    "It will detonate in three minutes," answered Old Du.


    When we passed by other fences, the beasts inside started making a lot of noise, attracting the attention of the patrols in the sky. The patrols started approaching the area one after another. During the critical moment, a deafening explosion erupted. The bomb installed by Old Du had erupted right on time.


    The explosion accurately blasted apart the spot holding multiple parts of the fence together. An entire row of fences collapsed loudly onto the ground. The beasts behind the fence blanked out for a few seconds before realization hit them. Like a swarm of bees, they rushed out and madly ran in all directions.


    Seeing the collapsed fence, even the beasts bound by chains erupted with immense strength and snapped their chains, rushing out of the cage with the other beasts. Sirens rang out in the city of machines. Noticing the escaping beasts, numerous flying and land machines headed toward the fenced area.


    A small flying machine appeared above the escaping beasts and started shooting at them. Before long, several beasts dropped onto the ground. It was obvious this so-called air defense beast had much stronger firepower than a regular air defense drone.


    Upon seeing how easily they could kill the beasts on the ground, the machines in the air started attacking the fleeing beasts in an unrestrained manner. The area turned into a hunting field.


    The chaos had erupted directly ahead of us because the intense battle had happened right on the trajectory we needed to follow. Helpless, we could only move toward a different fence and wait for a better opportunity to sneak through.


    The outskirts of the city had sunk into chaos. Beasts were running everywhere with machines hunting them down.


    "This is not working. The escaped beasts will soon be wiped out," said Zhang Bao''er worriedly.


    "Let me blast apart a few more of these fences," said Old Du, offering to create even more chaos.


    Suddenly, a massive figure leaped up ahead of us and clung to one of the air defense beasts in the air. With a swing, the machine was thrown at another fence and exploded.


    With the explosion, another fence collapsed onto the ground. The beasts within rushed out, joining the chaos outside. When we paid closer attention, we saw that the figure that had destroyed the machine was a young buer.


    Perhaps what the buer did had served as an inspiration for the other beasts. Six more buers copied its actions, blasting apart more fences and freeing more beasts, elevating the chaos to an uncontrollable level. Fearing more attacks, the flying machines soared into the sky.


    The freed beasts took the lesson from the previous beasts, and a few more buers worked together to take down more fences. With their powerful strength, dozens of fences were brought down, releasing all the fenced beasts.


    The scene turned into one of a victorious escape. Over 10,000 beasts were running in multiple directions, and some of them engaged the machines on the ground. A chaotic war erupted. Suddenly, a buer made an odd cry. The surrounding beasts instantly stopped, and they gathered around the buer that had made the sound.


    "My god. That buer is gathering the other beasts. Looks like they''re going to attack the machines. The intelligence of these beasts has reached a level far beyond what we can control," exclaimed Temo in astonishment.


    Temo was proved correct¡ªa few minutes later, the beasts finished gathering together. The buer then made a long howl and leaped forward. It instantly crushed several machines with its massive body. The other beasts swarmed forth like a tide, charging the machines in front of them.


    The machines were utterly stunned by the orderly assault. The ones in the front row were instantly submerged in the tide of beasts. The ones behind appeared fearful as they started pulling back. Under the leadership of the buer, the beasts continued their attack, turning the tide of the battlefield.


    "This is our chance. With me, everyone. Resume our mission," I ordered. This was the best opportunity for us because the machines'' defensive perimeter had collapsed. We ignored the battle between the beasts and the machines and resumed our mission.


    Everyone moved the moment I gave my order. We smoothly stepped onto dry ground. The beautiful sensation of finally stepping out of the filthy pool invigorated my heart. Borrowing the chaos of the battlefield, we slowly advanced under the cover of our black tarp. Before long, we arrived below a steel building. Ahead of us, the beasts had chased the machines deeper into the city and taken over the entire outer perimeter. Suddenly, an odd sound erupted from within the city.

 CH 260

    The sound wasn''t something we had heard before. In fact, it sounded like a gentle melody. We were all surprised to hear such calming music in such an intense situation.


    The moment he heard the sound, Temo nervously said, "Shit, the smart robots are organizing a counterattack.".


    "What? How do you know that this sound represents the robots'' counterattack?" asked Dodo.


    "I am not 100 percent sure, but I heard that the more intense the coming mission, the softer the sound signals before the mission would be," said Temo.


    "Don''t worry. It''s very chaotic outside. We''ll spend a little bit of time observing the situation before making a move," I said calmly.


    The gentle melody continued sounding. A few minutes later, Temo''s words were proven right. A series of neat footsteps sounded as a massive army appeared before our eyes. The army of machines had over 10,000 soldiers in it. They were most likely here to deal with the escaped beasts, and we were shocked by the sheer number of them.


    Within the army, smart robots of different shapes and forms could be seen. Despite their chaotic distribution, they still marched forth confidently and steadily, the very air around them turning murderous as they advanced.


    Naturally, the escaped beasts were no weaklings either. After a momentary shock, they recovered and charged the smart robots. The robots in the front row raised their sharp weapons before stabbing forth at the charging beasts. In the blink of an eye, a row of beasts dropped onto the ground.


    The first wave of the beasts had collapsed, but the second wave came immediately after, charging forth fearlessly. The smart robots appeared fully confident in dealing with the beasts. The second row raised their pike-like weapons and worked together with the first row to easily stop the charging beasts. Before long, the ground was covered in corpses.


    Seeing that the weaker beasts weren''t able to break through the formation, a buer leaped forth and sent a row of smart robots flying. A buer was strong enough to not fear the weapons of the smart robots. It relied on brute strength alone to tear a hole in the robotic army''s formation.


    The other beasts witnessed the buer''s bravery and became excited. Immediately, they turned into an arrow that stabbed into the opening the buer created, aiming to fully pierce through the hole in the formation.


    With the beasts pressing home the advantage and the addition of a few more buers, the robots received attack after attack. Chunks of steel flew everywhere as the formation of the powerful robotic army was torn apart.


    Suddenly, several big guys appeared from the back of the robotic army. The big guys were like Transformers as they suddenly stood up in a row. There were roughly 10 of them in total.


    They raised their arms together, aimed at the madly attacking buers, and unleashed beams of white electrical currents. When the currents struck a buer, the currents flowed in circles and slowly spread all over the buer''s body. Before long, the buer was fully stuck.


    The white currents were used to trap several buers at once, shocking all the other beasts. The retreating smart robots took the chance to reorganize their formation before pushing forth to cover the previously opened hole.


    "From the looks of it, the beast army is going to collapse soon. The robotic army is standing right in our way. We might need to take a detour," said Dodo.


    "Dodo, lead the way. We''ll stick close to these buildings and take a detour around them while they''re still busy fighting," I said.


    Following my order, we stayed near the edge of the city as we went around the ongoing cruel battle, ignoring it entirely. The city''s design was extremely peculiar. Apart from the massive square ahead of us, the edge of the city seemed to be filled with numerous small steel buildings.


    According to Temo, the steel buildings were actually the smart robots'' houses. Oddly, we did not see any doors leading inside these buildings. We did not understand how the robots were supposed to go through the walls to get inside their homes. But at the moment, we did not have the time to explore this topic.


    In between the various small buildings were numerous narrow paths. We borrowed the cover of the buildings to hide from the battling robots and beasts to advance toward the center of the city.


    "Looks like the robotic beasts are throwing everything they have at the escaped beasts. This is the best chance for us to sneak through," said Zhang Bao''er, who started to become excited after a short while of not seeing other robots.


    Lady Luck seemed to finally be smiling at us, a group of people who had been plagued with misfortune. We successfully detoured around the battlefield through the housing area, arriving at the rear of the battlefield.


    "I did not expect us to get past the battlefield so easily. Let the robots and beasts kill each other. We need to continue advancing," said Old Du, who was also becoming.


    We walked for about 10 minutes when Anxashe, who was walking ahead of the team, suddenly raised his hand as a signal, stopping all of us. He hurriedly made a gesture, signaling us to make no sound.


    I hurriedly stepped forward, and when I looked at what Anxashe was pointing at, I inhaled deeply in shock. I saw another group of smart machines, standing in a square formation. This group looked even larger than the previous group, and they were clearly on standby to back up the first group.


    "Shit! They''re right in our way, blocking our path forward," I said anxiously.


    "I checked. There are no alternative paths unless we return to the blood pool," said Anxashe, giving me a piece of bad news.


    "On our way here, I noticed that the walls are roughly 50 meters high. Even if we retreat to the pool and make a big detour, there is no guarantee that we can get back into the city from the other side," I said.


    "In that case, we''re stuck," said Anxashe in a straightforward manner.


    "We must look for a hiding spot. Otherwise, we will be exposed the moment this second army marches forward," I said.


    At that thought, I turned around to look at Temo.


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    "Temo, our way forward is blocked by a second army. If they move, all of us might be exposed. Where are the doors to these steel houses? Can we hide inside one of them?" I asked.


    Hearing my words, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du rushed forward to get a look. They confirmed with their very own eyes that our way had been fully blocked. There was no way we could get around the second army.


    "These houses have no doors. All the robots will meld into the houses to recharge their energy. The bottom of these steel houses are likely connected to this planet''s single energy source," replied Temo.


    "How do you know so much?" pressed Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s a conclusion I drew from the numbers and data I saw before," said Temo, not hiding anything.


    "Temo, according to your explanation, there is actually no empty space within these houses?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes, at least that''s what I understand. We won''t be able to enter these buildings," said Temo.


    "What now, Canyue? It doesn''t look like we''ll be able to find shelter to avoid the second army," said Old Du.


    "If we really can''t find a way forward, we only have two options. Attack or retreat," said Zhang Bao''er, giving an opinion that was rather pointless.


    Suddenly, a burst of noise rang out from the battlefield behind us, sounding like the rout of an army.


    "What''s happening? Which side was defeated?" Zhang Bao''er asked Temo.


    Before Temo could answer, a soft melody rang out from the second army. They were about to begin their march.

 CH 261

    "Canyue, the enemy is coming. What should we do now?" asked Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "It doesn''t look like we''ll even be able to retreat now," I replied. Our good luck seemed to have come to an end.


    We retreated instinctively, but there were too many robots. Before long, they reached the narrow alley we were hiding in. They marched rapidly and were soon standing in front of us. Only then did we notice that we couldn''t keep retreating.


    Behind us, the defeated smart robots were pulling back toward the second robotic army. We were sandwiched between the two. The cruel face of war immediately showed itself before us. Countless arrows and beams rained down on us when the enemy army noticed us.


    We turned on our shields in a hurry and barely resisted the attacks. Trapped in the middle of the smart robots, we were surrounded by more and more enemies. We madly fired back at them. In terms of individual firepower, we still held a comparatively large advantage. It did not take us long to kill over a dozen smart robots.


    However, these casualties were nothing for the large army of smart robots. Suddenly, an arrow struck the neck of one of the Wargod soldiers, and he instantly died before my eyes. An actual death made me realize that we might really not be able to escape this time.


    "Dodo, is the fleet still uncontactable?" I asked, holding on to the last bit of hope I had.


    "No reply at all. Temo is right. The commander and the others are probably in a different temporal dimension," said Dodo. He had never stopped trying to contact the fleet.


    The attacking robots came closer and closer. I raised my arm and downed a big guy who had appeared less than three meters ahead of me. Seeing the big guy''s damaged limbs and trembling body, I realized that there was no repairing our relationship with the robots.


    Abruptly, yet another Wargod soldier was struck down. A laser beam had pierced through his body, with his shield being penetrated by concentrated raygun beams. Then, the Wargod soldier defending behind me collapsed onto the ground. The retreating robotic army was going to stampede over us before long.


    "Canyue, from the looks of things, we only have a few minutes left. On average, each of us has less than 15 percent of energy left. The Wargod soldiers also don''t have much of their long-range ammunition remaining," reported Dodo.


    "Temo, any idea how we can escape?" I shouted to Temo.


    "It''s hard to control the mind of these smart robots. There are too many of them. I doubt even your array-level civilization friend can do anything about them. We''re really in trouble this time," replied Temo, causing us to feel even gloomier.


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    I looked at my weapons and noted that I still had a final nuclear warhead left.


    "Everyone, I have a final nuclear warhead on me," I said even as I attacked the approaching robots.


    "Great! You managed to keep one of them? Come, we''ll die together with them. Just aim to take as many of them down with us," said Zhang Bao''er, showing zero fear of his impending death.


    "Yeah! We''ll die together! As long as us brothers can fight together until the end, I''m satisfied!" said Old Du, acting no less heroic than Zhang Bao''er.


    Seeing how my brothers were embracing death as if it were home, the little bit of fear in my heart evaporated. I raised my gun, aimed at the incoming robots, and attacked madly. Before long, yet another Wargod soldier was felled. Now, we only had five combatants left, and we were protecting Temo and Dodo in the middle of us.


    "Sigh. What a pity that you planet-level folks are going to die here. In truth, after observing you during our time together, I found your speed of progress quite respectable," Temo said, not forgetting to speak in his usual arrogant tone.


    "What bullshit are you saying again? Do you think you can live after all of us are killed?" scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    "I can just stand here, and the robots won''t dare to lay a finger on me. Don''t worry, I''ll give you a proper funeral. As for this robot captive, I''ll alter its memories and turn it into my servant. If there is a chance in the future, I''ll deliver the scenes preserved in its memories to the people of your Interstellar League," said Temo, saying something that would probably deeply annoy Zhang Bao''er.


    "You damned dwarf. What are you being all cocky about?" Zhang Bao''er could still bicker with Temo even during such a tense situation, but in a way, he was rather adorable acting like that.


    "Bao''er, enough. If Temo can help preserve all we have learned and pass it to Zhang Xingxing, our trip here still wouldn''t be a waste," I said.


    By now, the robots were an arm''s length away from us. We would all be overwhelmed by a sea of steel in a few minutes. Anxashe unleashed an arrow at an odd-looking robot at the front of the line before reaching back for another arrow. However, his quiver was empty.


    Immediately, an air defense beast flew toward Anxashe''s head from the sky. Without any arrows, Anxashe immediately spun around and drew his blade before slicing the air defense beast into two.


    The alarms of our suits blazed, the red light blinking, indicating that our energy supply had reached a critical level¡ª5 percent. In other words, even if we had the strength to keep fighting, our shields would not last more than one more minute.


    Thinking at how my life would come to an end just like this on Planet Black King, indignance welled in my heart. We, the final five survivors, continued fighting during the final minute until the familiar sound of our suits shutting off came. Our shields turned off, and without them, we were basically naked.


    With my gun, I swept a charging smart robot down. Suddenly, a hammer came crashing into my chest, sending me flying as an intense pain bloomed in my chest. That moment when I was in the air felt like an eternity. I could see countless beautiful twinkling stars in the sky, and the sounds of Zhang Bao''er and Old Du roaring could be heard beside me.


    Then, I felt a heavy impact, and the world darkened around me and my consciousness faded. After an indeterminate amount of time, I was in a daze, and the beautiful Blue appeared before my eyes. It was a beautiful blue planet, floating all by itself in the middle of nothingness. Its surface was filled with nature, different climates, and countless lives. The final wish of any interstellar explorer would be to return home.


    Alas, the beautiful sight ended quickly, bringing me back to the boundless darkness. After what felt like forever, I slowly opened my eyes. The only thing I could see was darkness, and I didn''t even know if I was standing up or sitting down. I tried reaching out with my arm, but it was so dark I couldn''t see anything, not even the parts of my body.


    "What place is this? Can people really still feel after death?" I wondered even as the same pain in my chest continued torturing me.


    A few minutes later, my eyes were finally done adapting to the darkness. During the wait, I had been pinching myself all over, finding that I could clearly feel every single pinch.


    "Am I still alive?" Although I couldn''t move like usual, my senses had fully returned to my body.


    At times, I couldn''t help but admire the adaptability of Bluelings. After a short while, my eyes were starting to gain the ability to see my surroundings. I was in a room with sleek steel walls. The ceiling was about 100 meters above me, and a small entrance could be seen on it. A tiny sliver of light was shining through the entrance.


    Perhaps due to the distance, the ray of light could not brighten the room much. But for me, that tiny bit of light was precious as it allowed me to see and ensured that my eyes wouldn''t be ruined by prolonged absence of light.


    After a while, my body slowly started to recover. At that point, I realized that I had been locked in prison. Through my observations, I was probably locked in some well-like prison cell that was less than 10 meters across. The walls were made of steel and were so glossy that climbing up was impossible. The sole exit was on the ceiling 100 meters up, and I couldn''t even guess how they had placed me in here in the first place.


    My weapons and backpack were not with me, so Bulu was naturally not at my side either. I still had my suit on, but it was completely out of energy. Without energy, the suit had turned into a burden due to its weight. It was fortunate that I had lost my helmet or its weight would cause me even more discomfort. Anything helpful had been removed from me. It was obvious I was truly stuck in the prison cell.


    "Hey, anyone around?" I decided to just shout at the exit. But it was so far away that I doubted that my weak voice could even reach it¡ªat least, not with the injuries I still suffered from. The only replies I received were the echoes of my shout.


    After shouting a few times, I lay down, ending the stupid behavior that was exhausting me for no reason.


    ''What is this place? And why am I still alive? How are my comrades? How can I escape?'' The moment I lay down, numerous thoughts invaded my brain. My injuries and the exhaustion from using my brain caused me to fall asleep without even knowing it.


    I slept for a long time, and when I next woke, it was due to hunger. After a long sleep, my body had clearly recovered somewhat even though my bones still ached badly. The intense hunger assaulted me, and for the very first time, I realized how much of a torture hunger was.


    "Show yourself, freaks! Kill me if you have the guts! What''s the point of starving me here?" I shouted. I knew it was pointless, but I couldn''t help venting my anger.


    Alas, I only managed to further exhaust myself and increase my hunger. In my despair, I lay down in the middle of the room, staring up at the tiny ray of light coming from the exit. I came to realize how important freedom could be. After staring at the exit for an unknown amount of time, the intense hunger sent me back to sleep. Vaguely, I saw a black figure covering the small exit above me.

 CH 262

    Suddenly, I felt some vapor sprinkle onto my face. The puff of vapor came in bursts, and next, something gentle landed on my chest. The touch immediately woke me from my sleep. At that point, the vague figure had vanished from the exit above me.


    My lips felt damp, instantly triggering my mouth as I greedily licked the tiny bit of water on and around my lips. I touched the steel floor and found that it was also covered with droplets of water. I unhesitatingly licked every bit of water I could find.


    After dealing with the thirst, I finally remembered the object on my chest. I bent down and felt around. Sure enough, I found an object the size of a matchbox. I picked up the object and studied it with the help of the light above me. It was a transparent white object. It was almost weightless, and I could barely feel it when I carried it in my palm.


    ''What is this? Since they have given me water, can this be some sort of food?'' I wondered.


    At the moment, I could swallow anything due to my intense hunger. The thought that this could possibly be food made me greedily swallow the object after only a few seconds of hesitation. The object magically disappeared the moment it entered my mouth as if it never existed. At that moment, I suddenly felt a warm current go down my throat. In a few seconds, it reached my stomach. My hunger instantly vanished.


    ''My god. It really was food. Such a high-energy food, it''s representative of the technology of a star-level civilization,'' I couldn''t help but gasp inwardly.


    After dealing with both my hunger and thirst, what awaited me was still endless silence. I still couldn''t understand the reason for my imprisonment. However, the sudden peace had allowed my brain to start thinking all sorts of thoughts. From the day I left Blue, scenes from all I had experienced since then appeared in my mind one after another.


    However, remembering the past would not help much. From the moment I was given food, I was sure that this was a sort of prison. And if this was a prison, Zhang Bao''er and the others might be imprisoned nearby as well.


    Suddenly, I remembered the emergency gamma ray installation mentioned by Chief Maerdo before. That installation was probably active already, but we were in a different temporal dimension. Would our emergency signals be received by Zhang Xingxing and the others?


    The more I thought, the more random thoughts rose in my head. I understood that the workings of a high-level civilization weren''t something I could understand for now, and the only thing I could do was to stop my brain from thinking unnecessary thoughts.


    After waiting in boredom for an indeterminate amount of time, my stomach started feeling uncomfortable. The need to relieve one''s bowel was one of the basic needs of humans, but this proved to be a problem in this room with nothing but glossy walls and floor.


    "Damn these machines! Do they think organic bodies are the same as machines?" I cursed as the discomfort in my stomach intensified.


    Darkness had covered the tiny opening above me, telling me that night had arrived. I knew that I had to think of a solution to my problem. In the darkness, my ears suddenly caught a light sound. The sound gave me a shock. I reached out instinctively and found that there was actually a rope on the ground.


    I pulled at the rope in excitement and found that it was tightly fastened onto something. A pull came from the other end to shake the rope around, seemingly as a response to me. With the rope in my hand, I could feel that although chaotic, the shaking still had some sort of order to it. But due to the distance, the order was rather hard to identify. However, I could vaguely feel that it was Morse code.


    ''If it''s Morse code, the person above must be a Blueling. It might be Zhang Bao''er and the others.''


    At the thought, I turned excited and hurriedly fastened the rope around my body. Grabbing onto the rope with both hands, I stepped on the glossy wall and climbed up one step after another.


    Perhaps the person on the other end had noticed my climbing. A powerful pull came from the rope, dragging me up at a rapid speed. In less than 10 minutes, I was pulled out of the terrifying underground prison cell. The first thing I noticed were the familiar faces of Old Du and Zhang Bao''er. I couldn''t help but throw myself at them. We embraced tightly, disregarding the dangerous situation we were in.


    "Let''s focus on saving Anxashe and the other Wargod before leaving," whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Where are Temo and Dodo?" I asked.


    "Not here. They weren''t imprisoned," replied Zhang Bao''er.


    Only then did I notice my surroundings. The steel ground was completely smooth and flat, with countless holes on the surface. It was obvious there were quite a lot of prisoners here. The air above most of the prison cells contained a rather disgusting stench.


    Old Du was tightly holding a small robot that had been fully restrained with some sort of adhesive tape. Only a single feeler was exposed. Lying on the ground not far away was the corpse of a lion-faced beast.


    Before proceeding with the mission, I relieved my bowels into the well-like prison cell that had housed me earlier. Then, following the guidance of the captive robot''s feeler, we rescued Anxashe and the other Wargod.


    "What happened? How did you escape?" asked Anxashe in confusion.


    "The security here is lax. Our weapons are in the warehouse beside the prison. Everyone, you need to get your weapons back," reminded Old Du.


    "How do you know that?" asked Anxashe.


    "None of us can climb out of these wells without an energy supply," replied Old Du.


    "How did you get out, then?" asked Anxashe curiously.


    "I still had one of the energy amulets with me," replied Zhang Bao''er. Realization hit me. Long ago, Old Du had given each of us an energy amulet. Zhang Bao''er had hidden his away. Once again, Old Du''s energy amulet had saved us.


    Anxashe was still confused, but at that point, we were already rushing to the warehouse. On the way, we did not encounter even a single beast sentinel. It was obvious they were extremely confident in the security of their prison. The five of us advanced while Zhang Bao''er walked ahead of us with the raygun he had snatched from the lion-faced beast in hand.


    Following the captive robot''s guidance, we soon reached the warehouse''s entrance. Old Du immediately pushed the door open. A lion-faced beast suddenly appeared before our eyes. It seemed to be on its way out of the warehouse when we appeared.


    The sudden encounter stunned all of us. At that moment, a figure darted forth from beside me. Anxashe had reacted speedily and was the first to rush forth. He grabbed the beast''s neck before we could even blink.


    His action roused us from our shock. We all charged ahead and worked together to take down the lion-faced beast. After dealing with the beast, we turned to face the massive warehouse. Numerous pieces of equipment were piled within the warehouse. On the counters in the middle of the warehouse, the equipment stripped from us could be seen. We rushed ahead and rearmed ourselves.


    After inspecting the equipment, Old Du said, "Canyue, our gear is out of energy. We won''t be able to protect ourselves. Only our laser guns still have a tiny bit of energy remaining."


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    "Put them on first. I''ll think of a way to deal with the energy problem," I said. We could only solve one problem at a time.


    Anxashe handed me a backpack. It was my original backpack, but Bulu was no longer inside it.


    "We must find Bulu," said Zhang Bao''er.


    The failure of our mission had placed us in a foul mood. Thus, none of us felt very talkative. I nodded at Zhang Bao''er''s words. I knew very well how important Bulu was, so any reminder was unnecessary. Our current priority was to decide on our next course of action. I noted that Anxashe had refilled his arrows and had recovered to his peak combat state.


    "Anxashe, where did you find those arrows?" I asked.


    "You can look for suitable weapons on the surrounding shelves. There are all sorts of items there," said Anxashe while playing with a sharp dagger he had just found. The other Wargod was also equipped with a lot of new gear, looking like someone who had gotten rich overnight.


    Hearing his words, we approached the surrounding shelves and found that Anxashe was telling the truth. There were numerous weapons of different varieties on these shelves.


    "Everyone, be quick and pick the equipment that suits you most," I ordered before I started browsing the shelves as well.


    A few minutes later, a bunch of newly rich individuals decked out in a lot of new equipment reconvened. Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had each picked a ray machine gun with excellent firepower. Zhang Bao''er even had a broadsword hanging on his back.


    Old Du was also fully armed with numerous weapons. As for me, apart from a raygun and a ray pistol, I had also equipped myself with a sword and a dagger. We still lacked energy for our defenses, but we were no longer lacking in terms of offensive prowess.


    "Canyue, what''s our next target?" asked Old Du.


    "Our top priority is to meet the worm colony brain at all costs. I need to meet Violetvoid if I want to have a chance at saving the others," I said firmly.

 CH 265

    "Canyue, wake up. I''m done telling the story," I heard Zhang Bao''er''s voice during my sleep.


    I opened my eyes and saw that apart from Big Forest, Little Forest, and Zhang Bao''er, the others had also fallen asleep listening to the story.


    "It was such an incredible story. Why did you fall asleep? That''s so rude," complained Zhang Bao''er. He had only noticed that we had fallen asleep after excitedly finishing his storytelling session.


    "The Sacred Wing Temo would actually betray his race and work with you? That is too unbelievable," said Little Forest, seemingly unable to accept Temo''s betrayal.


    "Hadn''t you also betrayed the Sacred Wing race?" I asked, not understanding his position.


    "I did what I did after seeing immoral actions. I aim to bring the Sacred Wing race back to the right path. As for Temo, he betrayed the race for the pursuit of knowledge and his aspirations. Do not mix me up with someone like him," denied Little Forest resolutely.


    I wasn''t too surprised by his words. We were already used to how eccentric those from the Sacred Wing race could be.


    "If you want to reach the worm colony brain with proper clearance, you will probably need the help of the little robot you brought," said Little Forest.


    "You''re referring to Dodo. I heard that they and Temo had not been imprisoned in the wells," I said.


    "Yeah. After escaping from his well, Zhang Bao''er had obtained some information from the lion-faced beast. I believe the two might have been brought to the main control center of the city of machines," said Little Forest.


    "Main control center? What place is that?" I asked.


    "It''s the place where the behavior of all the robots is regulated. It is fully run by code, automatically maintaining the operation of all inserted commands. The Divine Empire''s emperor has the highest level of authority in the center and can reset the robots remotely," explained Little Forest.


    "I have a question. Since these robots are smart robots, why can they still be controlled with code?" asked Old Du who had been awakened by the sounds of our conversation.


    "This big guy must be from a different race, right? He is obviously much more intelligent than your people. These smart robots have obtained their minds from the beast army. Back then, constant evolution has resulted in some of the beasts turning disobedient. Thus, the Sacred Wing race''s great elder came up with a new technology, the technology to inject the minds of beasts into machines for ease of control," said Little Forest.


    "I understand. Basically, you''re fusing the mind of a beast with the body of a machine. If these minds become disobedient, the emperor can reset them. With that, no matter how disobedient the minds become, they wouldn''t be able to do anything without willing bodies," I said.


    "You must have evolved. Your understanding is spot on," praised Little Forest.


    "I also have a question. Why doesn''t the emperor make a robot army instead? Wouldn''t such an army be much more obedient?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who had also awakened from his sleep.


    "I remember Temo answered this question before. The programming of robots is much easier to control, so entire armies could defect to a hacker of sufficient skill. That would not be a risk when it comes to these smart robots who possess the minds of organic life forms," said Old Du.


    "I see. So how do we reach the control center?" I asked.


    "Big Forest can answer that question," said Little Forest as he pointed at Big Forest.


    "Every morning, a transport ship will fly out from the control center to stop at the same parking lot we''re on. This ship is in charge of resupplying the control center. It is extremely large, and I can drive my safe house into the ship''s hangar. The ship will carry us into the control center," said Big Forest.


    "Entering their control center on their own transport ship? The difficulty of accomplishing that seems a tad bit high. Won''t their scanners detect us?" asked Old Du.


    "The enemy will find us, and at times, we will need Little Forest to show his face and get the guards off our backs," said Big Forest. We weren''t convinced by his words.


    "Why can''t we fly straight to the control center? We can just sneak in. What''s the point of waiting for this transport ship?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "We won''t be able to enter with our own ship. There won''t be a single path we can use to get inside. The center is fully protected by robotic guards and completely under surveillance, leaving no gap in its security," said Big Forest.


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    "No gap in security? How is that possible? There will be an opening to any building. There is no such thing as absolute defense," said Zhang Bao''er, unconvinced of Big Forest''s words.


    "My plan exploits the center''s sole opening, which is the only way we can enter because the center is a floating building up in the sky," said Big Forest as he pointed at the sky.


    "What? The control center is in the sky?" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in astonishment.


    "Yes. The control center has ingeniously made use of the gravity of the three stars and Black King itself to achieve a certain balance, enabling it to float in the sky while orbiting the planet. It is also an invisible building. Without the transport ship, it will be impossible for us to enter," said Big Forest, finally telling us the full story.


    I made a decision, putting an end to the discussion. "In that case, we''ll follow this plan. Tomorrow morning, Big Forest will drive this ship into the transport ship''s hangar."


    Having decided on that, we started waiting for dawn to arrive. It was weird, but at that moment, we no longer felt sleepy. I was looking forward to the chance of recovering Bulu after entering the control center. I believed that Bulu must have been brought to the same place as Dodo.


    About three hours later, light finally appeared in the sky as the three stars of the system rose from the horizon. Taking in the beautiful sight, I wished to return to my life as an interstellar explorer. I was getting tired of war.


    The parking lot outside the ship was starting to become visible. We could see over a hundred ships of various sizes and shapes parked farther away from us. They had the size of imperial Star-class destroyers, but their design was completely different. The ships parked here looked like flying saucers. Their bodies were seamless and glossy, and I was unable to determine the locations of their weapons.


    The ship we called a safe house was surrounded by thousands of small ships similar in size to ours. Some were rising to the sky, and some were in the process of landing. It was no wonder Big Forest made this his safe house. There were too many ships here for a single ship to be easily discovered.


    "How long before the transport ship arrives?" Zhang Bao''er was already growing impatient.


    "Just wait until the sky darkens. It''ll be here then," replied Big Forest, confusing all of us.


    We had waited patiently for about a dozen minutes when the sky turned dark. When we looked up, we saw a gigantic object hovering above us, completely covering the three stars in the sky.


    "Is this the so-called transport ship?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment, his mouth agape.


    The rest of us weren''t any better off. All of us were deeply shocked by the sight of the ship. Although I had already accepted that the Divine Empire''s superweapon would be of unparalleled scope and size, it was also shocking for something like a transport ship to be of such a size.


    The transport ship we were looking at felt more like a planet than a ship. It wouldn''t even be an exaggeration to call it a planet since it was the size of a slightly smaller moon. It floated in the air, and slowly, it descended.


    From the middle of the parking lot, a massive pillar rose slowly. After about 30 meters, the top spread into a circular platform. The platform kept spreading, eventually forming a roof over us as well.


    "What manner of monster is this?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The circular platform is the transport ship''s personal parking space. Other small ships will rise and head toward the transport ship later. That will be our chance, and I''ll have our ship join them. Please be seated," said Big Forest.


    "Big Forest, why don''t you let them put on our armor? That way, they won''t be so easily exposed in case our ship is checked," Little Forest suddenly asked.


    The question was akin to a thunderclap of inspiration. Big Forest ran to the storage room before returning with several miniature sets of armor. There was a green button on each set. Big Forest took out one of them and pressed the green button. The armor started pulling air inside it, and in a few seconds, a standard set of Eternal guard armor appeared before our eyes.


    "Everyone, please make haste and put on this armor. The helmets can even cover your faces. They are also pretty good defensively. With this armor, you''ll be able to hide yourself better," urged Big Forest.


    We did as told and put on the guard armor. I was surprised to find that the armor was rather flexible. It also felt weightless and was helpful for a soldier''s flexibility and agility during combat.


    After ensuring that we were all wearing the guard armor, Big Forest went to the cockpit and started moving the ship alongside the trickle of small ships heading toward the transport ship. Meanwhile, Little Forest was studying the morph-capable suits we had taken off. He was constantly shaking his head as he looked over the suits.


    "Dwarf, why are you shaking your head?" demanded Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "This armor relies on energy to run. The moment they run out of energy, they are as good as scrap iron with how heavy they are," said Little Forest.


    "But with energy, they are excellent defensive devices," countered Zhang Bao''er.


    "A piece of equipment that relies solely on energy will have its limitations. Is your technology still not at a level where you can produce eternal motion equipment?" asked Little Forest, divulging a fact that shocked all of us.


    "Eternal motion equipment? Do you mean perpetual motion machines? That is still a great puzzle our researchers are trying to solve," answered Old Du.


    "Ah. That''s normal for a planet-level civilization. I''ll charge your equipment for you," said Little Forest, solving a big problem for us.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to flip out at the mention of planet-level civilization, but his face was immediately adorned with a smile when he heard that our equipment was about to be charged. He even asked Little Forest how he was going to charge them. Little Forest had Zhang Bao''er and Ada carry the morph-capable suits and lead them to the ship''s storage room. There, the suits were charged.


    "Get ready, everyone. We''re entering the transport ship''s conveyor belt soon," Big Forest''s announcement suddenly came from the ship''s internal communication system.

 CH 266

    Hearing the announcement, all of us returned to our seats. Even the few who had gone to recharge our suits returned to the command room. Through the window, I could see all the smaller ships land on a massive conveyer belt. Our ship joined the procession, slowly landing on the massive belt strip. After us, more ships were arriving and landing one after another on different belts. Suddenly, a small ship approached us and landed right in front of us.


    "This is bad, Canyue. Looks like we have been discovered already," said Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "Stay calm, everyone. That ship is computer controlled. Its system merely became confused after we took its position. It will automatically leave and return to the base to have its code readjusted in a bit," said Big Forest through the ship''s communication system.


    Sure enough, the small ship took off after a few minutes. Before long, the conveyor belts were parked full of ships. The entire process felt like a massive system, with the ships being a part, each playing their own role. With all the ships in their positions, the belts started moving. Before long, we were placed somewhere on the upper levels of the platform holding the transport ship.


    The saucer-shaped transport ship was right above us, propped up by three massive limbs. A black hole was present on its belly, and there, the conveyor belts were bringing in the numerous small ships carrying the required supply into the transport ship. At the other end of the transport ship was another opening. The ships from the earlier supply batch were being brought out of the transport ship through this opening.


    "This entire thing looks like a machine while we''re its components. It is surprising the heights technology can reach. How is the Interstellar League supposed to defeat these monsters?" muttered Old Du with a sigh as he looked at the disorderly work around us.


    Carried on the conveyor belt, our ship slowly approached the black entrance. At the entrance, we could see guards performing inspections on every supply ship. The inspection of each ship took about five minutes.


    "When it''s our turn, don''t say anything. Let me deal with the inspection," reminded Little Forest.


    Time passed, and before long, it was our turn. I could clearly see that apart from the guards, there were also over a hundred ray guns aimed at the inspected ship from the entrance. Any suspicious movement might result in complete annihilation.


    "Calm down, everyone. The defenses here are mostly gathered around the entrance. It will be better after we get in," comforted Big Forest.


    With a clang, our ship stopped moving. My heart thumped rapidly as I instinctively gripped my gun tighter. After all, we could no longer risk even a single mistake. The indicator in our ship was blinking white. Shortly after, the door opened, allowing five smart robots to step inside. These robots, in particular, were shaped like Eternals. Having noticed us, the leader appeared bewildered.


    "We''re a field squad here on a special assignment to escort some special data," said Little Forest while taking off his helmet.


    The leader blanked out the moment it saw that there was a Sacred Wing on the ship. The other guard, who was about to start going through the ship, also paused.


    "Where are you escorting your data to? We need to verify the information," said the guard.


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    The moment that question was asked, I noticed Zhang Bao''er and the others reaching for their weapons.


    "My apologies, but the data is meant for an individual from the empire''s surveillance organization. He is part of the control center''s security and can''t be easily exposed," replied Little Forest calmly.


    Perhaps it was because of Little Forest''s calm, but the robotic guards started whispering among themselves. I could see that on Black King, the Sacred Wings were the rulers whereas these regular guards were mere commoners. They were definitely unwilling to offend the ruling class for no good reason. After a short discussion, the guards decided to let us through. Their heavy workload had likely played a part in that decision.


    "Success. We''re not entering the transport ship. Please remain in our seats. I''ll take the ship to the temporary parking bay," said Big Forest.


    After leaving the belt, our ship flew freely in the transport ship. Numerous layers formed the insides of the transport ship, and each layer was meticulously designed to carry different sorts of supplies. A few layers were parked full of small ships like the one we were in. We soon arrived at where the small ships were being parked. Big Forest picked an empty spot and landed on the floor.


    "Everyone, you may take a short rest. The transport ship will return shortly. In 30 minutes, we will be at our destination," said Big Forest while walking out of the cockpit.


    "I didn''t expect this plan to work so flawlessly. Looks like the control center''s sole opening isn''t that hard to abuse after all," said Zhang Bao''er, who was feeling smug yet again.


    "The security inside the control center is much tighter. When we''re there, we need to split up as a precaution against being totally defeated when caught," said Little Forest, reminding us of the difficulty waiting for us.


    "Splitting up? What is the control center''s layout? What should we do, and where should we reconvene?" Old Du immediately pushed for details from Little Forest.


    "We''ll work in groups of two, all heading toward the core server room. There are five routes leading to the room. We will be using three of them. After entering the core room, we can search through the code to locate the rooms imprisoning Temo and Dodo," said Little Forest.


    "How are we supposed to locate the rooms through the code? What command should we enter?" asked Old Du.


    "The core server room contains five independent servers. Two of them are involved in the control center''s core operations. The other three are related to the base''s managerial functions. By inserting the command into them, you might be able to find traces of Temo and Dodo," explained Little Forest while taking out three small devices that looked like probes.


    "What are these?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "These are the probes you can use to insert the required command. When you see the servers, just insert the probe into the system, and it will start retrieving the relevant data based on its program. If any relevant data is found, the system will alert you," explained Little Forest patiently.


    "I have a question. I think we are neglecting something important. How do we enter the core server room? Is the room not guarded?" asked Anxashe.


    "We''ll split into three and enter through the ventilation ducts," said Big Forest.


    "Ventilation ducts? Are you saying that the robots still need to breathe, so there are ventilation ducts?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    "The ventilation ducts are not for breathing. They''re there to expel heat from the core room. Before my imprisonment, I frequently went to the core room to insert the relevant commands. I discovered that there is a ventilation grill in each room along the way. I believe that among the many ventilation ducts, there must be some that lead to the core room," said Big Forest.


    "Do you have the blueprint of the place? If not, how do we know which duct to take?" I asked.


    "There is no need for that. I''ll find the correct entrances for you," said Little Forest.


    The two of them seemed to work really well with each other. Seeing how confident they were, our worries lessened. After about half an hour, the indicators in the transport ship lit up alongside a blazing alarm.


    "We have arrived at the control center. In a short while, I''ll drive this ship into the docking bay. There, our mission will start," said Big Forest before going back to the cockpit.


    At that point, our morph-capable suits had been recharged to about 80 percent. Led by Little Forest, Ada and Anxashe returned with our suits. We did not know how he had performed the charging, but 80 percent was enough for us to complete our mission.


    "There are a lot of patrols outside. I suggest you stay dressed as guards. You can carry your suits in bags," suggested Little Forest.


    We followed his suggestion and carried our suits in bags before getting ready for our mission. By now, the ships around us were already leaving the transport ship one after another. They were all heading to the docking bay, and at the same time, the ships from the previous batch were entering the transport ship. It was then that Big Forest drove our ship out. We moved quickly, and the moment we left the transport ship, a building of peculiar design appeared before our eyes.

 CH 281

    "Are you sick? How can you take such a risky bet? Are you trying to kill all of us?" Sure enough, Zhang Bao''er started scolding Temo.


    "Are you dead? Aren''t you here exactly where you wanted to be?" said Temo coldly.


    In a way, Temo was right, so Zhang Bao''er was instantly speechless. Our focus returned to our mission. The door to the worm colony brain was wide open, revealing a bright and shiny interior.


    "Remember this. Canyue will be the one to communicate with the brain. The pulp worms here are much stronger than the ones you met previously. Do not let your thoughts be controlled. Keep a distance from the worms. Let Canyue go alone," reminded Temo.


    We walked through the door and were greeted by a long and narrow corridor. At the end of the corridor, a room could be vaguely seen. The room was extremely bright, and the light we saw before stepping through the door originated from this room.


    "The brain is probably located in the room at the end of the corridor," said Temo.


    We slowly advanced. I noticed to my astonishment that the walls were filled with paintings. The paintings seemed to depict the Eternals'' conquest of the pulp worms'' homeland. The depicted battle was extremely intense. Countless corpses could be seen in the paintings, showcasing how cruel and bloody the war had been.


    "Who left these paintings here? Why are they reminding these pulp worms of their history? Are they not afraid that the worms will be angered?" asked Dodo doubtfully.


    "That''s just how arrogant Emperor Fille is. He believes that with these paintings, he will be able to better control these worms, telling them to give up all thoughts of resistance," explained Temo.


    "That is a mad emperor. If he gets to conquer the universe, even more lives will perish in his cruel hands," said Old Du.


    "Ignore the paintings for now. This is as far as we can go," said Temo as he pointed at a circle on the ground.


    "Why can''t we go with Canyue? It''s too dangerous for him to go alone," said Zhang Bao''er, disagreeing with Temo.


    "The worm colony brain''s mind control is too powerful. If Canyue goes alone, he will still have Bulu''s protection. Are you trying to blow the little fellow''s head apart by making him protect all of you?" said Temo with disdain.


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    "Just wait here for me. I''ll go meet Violetvoid alone." I raised my hand and stopped Zhang Bao''er from arguing further.


    "We don''t have much time. The enemy will discover our fake identities soon. Make haste," reminded Temo.


    To save time, we stopped arguing. I took off my backpack and looked inside. Bulu was still sleeping, but I had no choice but to brace myself and advance. The room ahead of me was still shining with dazzling light. Keeping my nervousness in check, I cautiously strode forth. A few minutes later, I entered a massive space.


    Unlike the worm colony brain I had seen previously, the brain in front of me was triple the size. On a familiar-looking large platform, countless pulp worms could be seen, all moving about busily. I had witnessed a similar scene back on the previous beast planet. What stood before me was much larger than the brain I met previously, but I was less nervous this time around.


    "Violetvoid, I''m here. Where are you?" I shouted loudly, trying to save as much time as possible.


    The worms did not react to my shout. They were still busy minding their own business. I opened my eyes wide and scanned the worms, trying to find a pink core, but there were too many worms for me to see anything.


    Before I knew it, I only had 20 minutes remaining. I started growing nervous. I definitely didn''t want to have my mind harvested and poured into a smart robot. I kept shouting, but I received no response. In my backpack, Bulu was still deep asleep. I started circling the brain to take a closer look at it.


    The installation housing the worms was massive. I walked around the platform, trying to find a suitable spot to climb so that I could get closer to the worms. After spending a few minutes, I finally reached the back of the platform. A Blueling appeared before my eyes. The Blueling, clad in violet, was standing facing the platform, staring at the worms in front of him.


    I couldn''t help but ask myself, "Have I entered the illusion?"


    I did not know if the person in violet had noticed me. He was still fully focused on the platform, completely ignoring me.


    "Bao''er, I found Violetvoid. Can you hear me?" I tried contacting Zhang Bao''er to check if I had indeed entered an illusion.


    "Yes, I hear you. We''re all still here. We have established a crude defensive perimeter. Old Du is beside me," said Zhang Bao''er.


    At the same time, Anxashe and Old Du both spoke up, confirming that I wasn''t in an illusion.


    "Are you done checking, young man?" asked the person in violet as he suddenly turned to face me.


    At that time, I noticed that the right side of the person''s face was covered in scales. Something similar to a dragon was painted on the scales.


    "My apologies. When I had met Bluevoid, I was brought into an illusion. That''s why I was checking to make sure," I replied honestly.


    "Bluevoid told me about you. I am the Violetvoid you''re looking for," said Violetvoid in a straightforward manner.


    "Great! I had spent a lot of effort, and two years had passed before I finally found you. Fortunately, it''s not too late. We can work together to stop this war," I said.


    Violetvoid only stared at me without saying anything, to the point I started feeling nervous again.


    "Why were you chosen? Did you bring the ancient creature with you?" Violetvoid finally spoke.


    I understood that Violetvoid was talking about Bulu. I immediately removed my backpack and took out the sleeping Bulu. Violetvoid accepted Bulu respectfully and started studying it.


    "Inconceivable. Truly inconceivable," muttered Violetvoid.


    "Senior, what did you notice?" I asked.


    "This fellow is sleeping. I need to activate it to know the answer," replied Violetvoid without even looking at me.


    He then searched Bulu''s body before pinching Bulu''s feeler with two fingers. A red electrical current appeared and entered Bulu''s body through the feeler. The red current moved around in Bulu''s transparent body, seemingly trying to activate the numerous organs in Bulu''s body.


    Suddenly, I saw that the familiar red imprint on Bulu''s belly had lit up once again. With the red current''s help, Bulu''s entire body became filled with energy. The numerous parts of its body lit up, and one by one, its various organs were activated. Then, the substance within its body started flowing quickly, and before long, I woke up with a shiver. At the exact moment Bulu woke up, Violetvoid staggered and nearly fell down.


    "Senior, are you fine?" I asked with concern.


    "I did not expect this little fellow''s energy requirement to be so high. I exhausted a large majority of my energy to activate it. What a surprise," said Violetvoid.


    Having awakened, Bulu noticed that it was being held by a stranger. It hurriedly leaped toward me. Violetvoid was too weak to hold on to Bulu, so I hurriedly caught Bulu and gave it a hug. Bulu looked especially lively after the energy infusion from Violetvoid. It jumped onto my shoulder and settled there.


    "I think I know the origin of this little fellow''s power. Congratulations, young man. You have obtained the incredible power that the Sacred Wing priests have spent hundreds of thousands of years to obtain to no avail," said Violetvoid while panting in exhaustion.


    "You mean you know about the origin of Bulu''s power? Can you tell me?" I asked.


    "Tiltvoid, why are you hiding? Show yourself!" said Violetvoid, instead of answering my question.


    "I''m already here. You were the one who failed to notice me," a voice rang out behind me. I hastily spun around and saw that a slim Blueling was standing behind me.


    I turned alert and asked, "Who are you? How did you get here without making a sound?"


    "He is Bluevoid''s brother, Tiltvoid. He has been hiding in your brain, and everything that has happened here is due to you being his choice," answered Violetvoid.


    "Hiding in my brain? Don''t tell me you have damaged my brain," I said.


    "No, of course not. You''re my host. We can live and fight together," said Tiltvoid with a wide smile on his face.


    "Is your choice due to the powerful senses of an array-level civilization''s creature?" asked Violetvoid.


    "Yes. I couldn''t understand why a creature of this level had appeared on our layer. At the time, I thought of two points. Firstly, it might be able to help us break free from slavery. Secondly, it has a secret that apart from the great sovereign, you''re probably the only one with enough energy to unlock it," said Tiltvoid with the same smile on his face.


    "Look at what you did! In order to grasp a creature of a higher civilization, I nearly exhausted myself to death," scolded Violetvoid.


    "Then did you manage to learn about the origin of its power?" asked Tiltvoid.


    "Who do you think you''re speaking to?" said Violetvoid proudly.

 CH 282

    "Tell me, what is this fellow''s origin?" urged Tiltvoid.


    "If I''m not wrong, it is a species from a higher layer of the universe that has been forgotten," said Violetvoid.


    "Are you referring to a higher layer in the Sacred Wing race''s stacked universe theory? I thought that theory was still unproven?" said Tiltvoid.


    "I believe Bulu came from the layer one level higher than ours. Due to some unforeseen event, a chunk of its planet was thrown down into our layer," said Violetvoid.


    "But how did the chunk survive the static space between layers? According to the legend, this static space is completely still and is where space itself exists in a solid state," said Tiltvoid.


    "I remember that one of my team members analyzed previously that the fragment of an evaporated black hole had struck a small planet, bringing Bulu''s species to the planet with it. The evaporation was caused by the collision of two parallel universes," I said.


    "Canyue, time is up. The enemies have yet to appear. Looks like the worm colony brain has things under control. Do not fail," Temo suddenly contacted me through the communicator.


    "I don''t think it''s the case of parallel universes colliding. Rather, it is the collision of two layers, creating such an accident," said Tiltvoid.


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    "Why would the two layers cross over the static space and collide? That is too odd. Then again, we really have an array-level species here. This little fellow''s body contains a far higher level of energy in its body than us. It is merely not very good at controlling the power in its body," said Violetvoid patiently.


    "No wonder the empire tried so hard to capture them and obtain their power," said Tiltvoid furiously.


    "I don''t think so. I believe Emperor Fille doesn''t know the truth either. Otherwise, the Sacred Wing race would have focused entirely on capturing these fellows," said Violetvoid.


    I inhaled deeply in shock. I had not expected a creature of a higher layer to actually live among us. Fortunately, Emperor Fille still wasn''t aware of Bulu''s prowess. That was probably the only reason the little fellow was still free.


    "But why would it pick this Blueling?" asked Tiltvoid.


    "That can''t be explained. This array-level creature seems to be injured, resulting in a mutation. As a result, it grew attached to Li Canyue and has been protecting him until now. A creature like this will probably only select a master once in its life. That is a choice that would remain for a lifetime," said Violetvoid.


    "Sigh. It would be great if I can get a pet like this as well," said Tiltvoid with an envious sigh.


    Tiltvoid did not mean anything special with his words, but that reminded Violetvoid of something. He turned his head to look at me.


    "Young man, a collision of such scope won''t bring only a single creature into our layer, right?" asked Violetvoid, who had noticed the significance of what he had learned.


    "Back then, there were many such creatures on the planet. But ultimately, the planet suffered from a gamma-ray burst. Bulu was the only survivor. All its brethren had perished," I lied. I wasn''t willing to expose Bulu''s brethren. The world was too dangerous, and I had to tell a white lie to protect them.


    "Odd," muttered Violetvoid, but he did not question my answer.


    "Senior, Blue, Mars, and Gliese are the final strongholds of the Interstellar League. Blue, in particular, is the homeland of humanity. How can this super weapon stop the attack on Blue and cease assisting the empire in its slaughter?" I asked, finally going to the point.


    "Bluevoid must have told you. We need to rescue our great sovereign to break free from the Divine Empire''s mind control. All the pulp worms have their minds connected to the great sovereign. Our great sovereign is under coercion to work with the empire, so its order was for us to attack. Us commanders and cores have far lower energy levels than the great sovereign, so the attack can only be stopped after the great sovereign is rescued," said Violetvoid.


    "Then we''ll have no choice but to rescue the great sovereign. But I heard that the great sovereign is on Eternal. We need to head there first," I said.


    "No, the great sovereign is not on Eternal. It has left for the Solar System to avoid losing control over the pulp worms due to distance," said Violetvoid.


    "What? The great sovereign is in the Solar System as well?" I asked, pleasantly surprised.


    "Yes. It''s here. I even have an estimation of its current location," said Violetvoid.


    "Where is it?" I asked impatiently.


    "The great sovereign is located on your Solar System''s dwarf planet, Pluto. But tight security has been placed around that planet. The most powerful of the Divine Empire armies, the Midstar Army, is stationed there," said Violetvoid.


    "Pluto. I did not expect Emperor Fille to use Pluto as a prison for the pulp worms'' great sovereign," I said. I couldn''t help but to admire the empire''s impressive technological capabilities.


    "Young man, this is urgent. I understand what you want. Black King is still seven days away from the Solar System. I will double the length of the remaining journey, making it fourteen days before we reach our designated position. During that period, you must rescue the great sovereign. So long as the great sovereign is saved, all the superweapons will switch sides and stand at your side against the imperial army. Without the great sovereign, we will have no choice but to obey the empire," said Violetvoid.


    "Fourteen days to rescue the great sovereign. Are you going to send us over to Pluto in advance?" I asked.


    "Do you want to go straight to Pluto or return to Blue for help first? I can send you to both locations. You only need to get into your Sacred Wing friend''s ship. I will be in charge of opening the wormhole for you," said Violetvoid, giving me a relatively comprehensive plan.


    Violetvoid had taken a lot of factors into consideration. With only the few of us, it would be impossible for us to get through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter. I needed more help and a stronger military force to complete the mission.


    "If I really manage to free the great sovereign, I don''t need to make the sovereign issue new orders because you guys will be able to fulfill your promise and fight the empire alongside us, right?" I asked prudently.


    "Don''t worry. We''re on the same side. The pulp worms have long dreamed of returning to our homeland instead of wasting away and dying for the empire," said Tiltvoid.


    "Young man, eat this." Violetvoid suddenly handed me a red object that looked like a biscuit.


    I accepted the red biscuit. After some hesitation, I swallowed it.


    "A Blueling''s body is somewhat weak. This food will help fill your body with energy for a short period of time. You will be able to make use of your temporary strength when it matters," said Violetvoid, removing the worry in my mind.


    I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I had eaten something so valuable.


    "Take this gun with you as well. This is an electromagnetic gun fully charged with the power of the worm colony brain. It will be helpful against enemies," said Violetvoid before handing a pistol to me.


    After getting two gifts in a row, I suddenly felt like my strength had increased significantly. I felt even more confident in completing the mission.


    Violetvoid said to Tiltvoid, "Since you''ll be with Li Canyue, if you''re lucky enough to meet the great sovereign, you will be in charge of telling the great sovereign our plan. That way, the great sovereign will not hesitate."


    "Sure. Don''t worry, Grand Commander. I''ll complete the mission," promised Tiltvoid.


    "Good. I''ll open a wormhole beside your ship, bringing you straight to the Interstellar League''s defensive perimeter around Mars. Good luck. I''ll be awaiting the good news from you," said Violetvoid. His body then turned into light and slowly dissipated.


    Tiltvoid, who had been standing beside me, also faded. Only the busy pulp worms and the platform housing them remained in my eyes. This time, a pink core worm could be clearly seen. It slowly crawled by me before diving into the pile of worms.


    An agreement had successfully been reached. I did not waste the limited time I had, and I turned around to leave. At the door, I saw the others in a defensive position. However, I also saw Zhang Bao''er lying on the ground. My heart thumped nervously as I hurried forward to see what was going on.


    "What''s wrong with Zhang Bao''er?" I asked anxiously before I had even stopped running.


    "Canyue, you''re finally back. You have been gone for 24 hours. Zhang Bao''er fell asleep waiting for you," said Old Du in excitement upon seeing my safe return.


    I was relieved to hear that Zhang Bao''er had merely fallen asleep from exhaustion.


    "Everyone, let''s set off immediately. We don''t have much time," I ordered.


    "Canyue, you''re back! Where are we going now?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who woke up from my voice.


    I glanced at Zhang Bao''er calmly and said with a decisive tone, "Home!"


    "Home? Are we returning to Blue immediately?" asked Zhang Bao''er, jumping up in excitement.


    "No, we''ll go to Mars first. The wormhole is ready. It''s right beside Markus. Let''s move," I said confidently while rubbing the electromagnetic gun given to me by Violetvoid.


    Following my order, everyone started moving. Before long, we were back at Markus''s parking space. The smart robot and the drill-robot in charge of guarding the area did not pay much attention to us. It was obvious Violetvoid had protected our disguises well. We were able to board Markus without any difficulties.


    "Dolby, activate the ship''s defenses. Markus, look for the wormhole and enter wormhole-leap mode," ordered Temo the moment we entered the ship.


    After receiving Temo''s verbal command, Markus turned on and carried out the order. The entire process proceeded smoothly, to the point we couldn''t even feel any movement inside the ship. A few minutes later, the ship turned still, as though the engine itself had stopped running.


    "Did we complete the leap already? I couldn''t feel anything. This is too incredible," said Zhang Bao''er with disbelief.


    "No, our ship is still at the same place. We have yet to leave Black King," said Temo.


    At those words, Old Du looked outside and verified Temo''s words. Markus was still in the same spot.


    "What''s going on? Why aren''t we going through the wormhole?" I asked.


    "Dear military official of a planet-level civilization, I have a question for you. Where is the wormhole you mentioned?" asked Temo with a dissatisfied tone.

 CH 283

    "This is not possible. As a star-level existence, Violetvoid would not make such a stupid mistake," I said as I rushed to the window as well.


    There wasn''t a lot of space around Markus, and the wormhole was indeed nowhere to be seen.


    "This is odd. Did Violetvoid encounter a new problem?" I was bewildered.


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    "Canyue, I found a wormhole!" Dodo suddenly exclaimed.


    "Where? Why can''t I see it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Right ahead of our ship. I saw a small flickering dot. I thought that the dot was an effect of the lighting installations, but after closer observation, I can confirm that it is a wormhole," said Dodo as they pointed at a flashing point in front of us.


    Everyone looked over and saw a small flickering dot right in front of our ship.


    "This robot might be right. Everyone, return to your seats. We will perform the leap now," said Temo.


    We all returned to our seats. Only Bulu remained at the window, looking like it was observing something. I initially wanted to take it back to the seat with me, but then I recalled how Bulu was an array-level creature. There must be a reason for everything it did. Thus, I decided to not do it and allowed Bulu the freedom to act as it pleased.


    Shortly after, I sensed Markus ascending into the air. The ship slowly advanced toward the wormhole. It was clear Temo was being very cautious considering the size of the wormhole we were supposed to travel through.


    A few seconds later, we were right before the wormhole. I gripped my seatbelt tightly, awaiting the familiar ripples in space to appear around the ship. But then, I saw Temo stand up from his seat.


    "Dwarf, aren''t we going through the wormhole? What are you doing? Don''t tell me your shitty shit is malfunctioning," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Planet-level fellows, come take a look. We''re here," said Temo with derision.


    Temo''s announcement stunned me. Nothing had happened yet. How had we arrived? At that thought, I removed my seatbelt and rushed to the window. The beautiful and familiar Mars appeared before my eyes. A few years after my departure, I had finally returned to my homeland, the Solar System.


    Even farther away, a bright planet could be seen. I knew that it was none other than my home, Blue. For now, I couldn''t go home yet. We still had to deal with the perimeter around Mars.


    After the Interstellar League had done many years of development, Mars was now filled with cities and numerous other constructs. Using Gliesen technology, Bluelings had restored Mars''s atmosphere and created a new ozone layer to protect the planet from ultraviolet rays. The ecosystem of Mars had been repaired while the water hidden deep underground had been released to the surface to restore the planet''s nature. Although the planet was not a beautiful blue planet like Blue, its surface was still filled with greenery, displaying a scene of thriving life.


    Alas, the beautiful planet was shrouded in the fog of war. Around Mars, a yellow Kax Ring could be seen, serving as the planet''s protector. The ring looked like a Mobius strip, wrapping the planet in the middle. Behind the ring, the planet occasionally faded in and out of view. Around the ring, a fleet was stationed, tasked with defending the planet. We were aware that this fleet was probably one of the league''s final remaining military forces.


    "So this is the Kax Ring. It''s beautiful," said Old Du, who couldn''t help but feel proud about the beautiful piece of technology his people had created.


    "We are currently between the two armies. I intend to start heading toward the league''s army. However, I believe the space ahead is filled with invisible mines. You might need to establish contact with your military and have them send us a guide," said Temo.


    I followed the suggestion and ordered Dodo to contact the army with the emergency frequency we were given two years ago. Markus was located right in the middle of the two armies. Ahead of us was a large Interstellar League army while behind us was an imperial army several times larger. Some of their superweapons were already in position, their majestic silhouettes standing proud with the sun as the backdrop.


    In order to avoid being hit by a random artillery shell, Temo had Markus enter invisible mode. Before long, we received a reply through the emergency channel. I saw a small ship flying out of the league''s fleet. It moved toward us following a long and odd route.


    "There is no doubt that there is a large number of invisible mines here," said Dodo, surprised at the growth of the league after only two years.


    Finally, the guide reached us after going through the minefield. I could clearly see that the ship''s design had changed considerably from the ships we were familiar with two years ago. The saying that war brings innovation was proven right.


    "Unidentified ship, we have received your secret signal. Please stay close to avoid triggering any mines. I''ll be taking you to the fleet," a cold mechanical voice sounded. The voice was emotionless, but it used the familiar Blue language that felt exceptionally warm to my ears.


    Following the suggestion, Markus followed closely behind the guide. It did not take us long to go through the minefield. We were led toward a battleship and were instructed to stop in one of the battleship''s airlocks. After the airlock was ventilated, a fully armed squad of soldiers showed up.


    "Take off your Eternal armors. I''ll walk in front. Follow me, especially Anxashe, and remember to not use force. Zhang Bao''er, put Bulu in my backpack," I ordered. Then, Markus''s door opened.


    ''This is the command center of our very own military. We''re finally back. Zhang Xingxing, where are you? I''m back!'' I thought in excitement as I strode out of Markus.


    The Blueling and Gliesen soldiers were anxiously waiting with their guns pointed at us. When they saw that the first person to step out was a Blueling, they lowered their weapons in astonishment.


    Exhaustion was written all over the faces of these soldiers. Despair could be seen in their eyes. It was obvious that the crushing defeats they had suffered due to the empire''s technological prowess had greatly lowered the army''s morale.


    "Li Canyue, Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, is it really you? It''s really you!" a familiar and excited voice rang out.


    I followed the voice, and Lin Feixue''s familiar face entered my gaze.


    "Lin Feixue!" Before I could do anything, Zhang Bao''er rushed out and gave Lin Feixue a tight hug.


    Meanwhile, we could only stand helplessly and wait as Zhang Bao''er vented his emotions. It was understandable. After many difficult years away from home, the feeling and sense of security at having met the army of one''s homeland once again was something no wealth could replace.


    "I didn''t expect you to still be alive! Commander Zhang Xingxing had said that Li Canyue would return one day to help us! She believed that you wouldn''t die so easily! Nobody had imagined that what she said would come true!" said Lin Feixue, who was trying to pry Zhang Bao''er''s hands off him.


    "Did Zhang Xingxing mention me as well? I''m back to help you guys too!" asked Zhang Bao''er as he released Lin Feixue.


    "O-off course! Your names have spread all over the league," replied Lin Feixue in a rather awkward tone. He hopefully asked, "Did you return with any reinforcements?"


    Hearing the question, Zhang Bao''er sank into silence, not knowing what to say.


    "Where is Zhang Xingxing? Can you take me to her?" I changed the topic.


    "Zhang Xingxing and the others are with Army A, in charge of Blue''s defense. This is Mars''s defensive army, but there are a lot of your old friends here. I''ll take you to them. They would be mad with joy to see you. I''m already having someone deliver the news of your return to Corps Commander Zhang Xingxing. I believe she''ll be here soon," said Lin Feixue. He had not recovered from the excitement of seeing us.


    "Corps Commander Zhang Xingxing? She has been promoted from a division commander to a corps commander in the span of two years? What a fast promotion!" said Zhang Bao''er enviously.


    "Yeah. We lost a lot of outstanding commanders. Zhang Xingxing is now a general, leading a fleet under Army A with a Zeus-class flagship," said Lin Feixue.


    "Who else is here? Take us to them," urged Old Du, who had been able to remain calm.


    We stopped catching up in front of Markus and followed Lin Feixue to the command center of the battleship we were in. Inside the battleship, numerous busy crew members were moving about.


    The soldiers we encountered on our way all looked at the Sacred Wing Temo and Wargod Anxashe with odd looks in their eyes, seemingly having recognized the two races they had seen in the enemy army. Shortly after, we reached the command center. Several familiar faces appeared before me.

 CH 284

    "Canyue! We waited a very long time for you guys!" said Baron Sisse, who was the first to rush toward me.


    Behind the baron was our old friend, Prince Toruse. Someone else pounced on me from behind. I hurriedly looked back and saw that it was another old friend, Domo, the individual Temo feared most.


    Meeting again after a long separation, we were all emotional. We started catching up and talking about the events that had happened during our separation. Even Dodo, an android, had plenty of stories to tell. Only Temo remained silent, standing behind Anxashe.


    After about 10 minutes, I received a series of bad news: Baobao, Jack, Commander Xidor, and Commander Herbert had all sacrificed themselves in the bitter war. We lowered our heads and observed a moment of silence for our fallen comrades.


    However, Prince Toruse also brought several pieces of good news with him: Zhang Xingxing and Kelly were on their way from Blue''s defensive perimeter. Master Crystal, Dondon, and Wind Spirit were with them as well.


    After catching up, we all sat down, and Baron Sisse started updating us on the league''s unfavorable position in the war.


    "All our outer strongholds and positions have been lost. Our remaining forces are concentrated on three planets, but we are completely surrounded by the Divine Empire. Our armies are all trapped while our ability to perform large-scale wormhole-leaps has been removed," said Baron Sisse.


    "It has only been two years. How did we suffer such terrible defeats? I remember that our military had even attacked Lidu early on in the war. We also almost managed to wipe out one of their armies," I said, voicing out what I remembered from two years ago.


    "After the all-out war erupted, the enemy started displaying their true strength. Their armies are endless, surpassing us not only in number but also in technology," answered Prince Toruse.


    "In what aspects are we inferior to them? Can you tell me in more detail?" I asked.


    "It is true that they have a larger army and fiercer soldiers. But at the same time, their armies also do not fight in the same dimension as us," replied Prince Toruse.


    "Not in the same dimension? What do you mean?" asked Old Du.


    "In battle, they fight us with phantoms, and their true army hides in a different dimension. Thus, we have not been able to deal any damage to their actual army," said Prince Toruse.


    Temo, who had been silent after seeing Domo, suddenly said, "However, the imperial ships need to be recharged every half an hour. That is the best opportunity to overcome the dimensional difference."


    "That''s right. We also noticed that, but the enemy will always withdraw before running out of time and have the phantom of a different unit take their place. Thus, we have only been able to deal a limited amount of damage to them. As for our own units, we kept suffering disastrous losses. This is a war we can''t win," said Prince Toruse, disheartened.


    "Why didn''t we discover this dimensional phantom ability before the war?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "The empire had only completed the research on dimensional technology last year. The technology was applied to the war almost immediately. The inventor of this technology is a great researcher of our Sacred Wing race," said Temo smugly.


    I suddenly noticed that Domo, who was usually extremely talkative, had remained silent since the appearance of Temo.


    "This dimensional technology is too powerful. Do we have any ways of dealing with it?" asked Old Du.


    "With this technology, a large amount of energy is used to hide the true army in a different dimension while attacking with a phantom army. All energy-based attacks can be transmitted through dimensions, rendering the user of the technology basically invincible. To overcome this technology, you need an even larger source of energy," explained Temo.


    "What is the enemy''s energy source? And what kind of energy do we need to pierce through the dimensional barrier?" I asked.


    "I''m not sure, but the worm colony brains should know the answer. I believe the energy source is related to them. Before the empire started using dimensional technology in war, I discovered that the Sacred Wing inventor would frequently visit the worm colony brains of the superweapons," said Temo, giving us an uncertain answer.


    I relaxed somewhat upon hearing that the technology was related to the worm colony brains.


    "Baron, from what we know, the enemy is unable to break through our Kax Rings. However, a lot of their superweapons are transporting planets into our Solar System. According to our estimations, they will arrive in 14 days. The empire might try to overcome our Kax Rings by bombarding the rings with those planets," I said. Upon hearing the update, the morale of the people present dropped even further.


    "In other words, we are 14 days away from destruction," said Prince Toruse with despair.


    "Is there a different way to defeat these fellows? I have painstakingly saved some money in the past two years. If we are defeated, I will lose all my savings," said Domo with an exceptionally worried tone. It would seem like he had not changed one bit.


    "Domo, you must have earned a lot from the war. What are you waiting for? Share some of the wealth with your grandpa," said Zhang Bao''er, recreating their famous bickering after two long years.


    "Don''t even dream of it. You''re the last person I''ll share my wealth with," Domo firmly refused.


    "It''s fine if you refuse to share with me, but surely you would be willing to share the wealth with your beloved brethren, right?" said Zhang Bao''er, intentionally provoking a conflict between Temo and Domo.


    Unsurprisingly, Domo raged, "That''s impossible! This trash turned his back on his own people! He should be thankful that I have been holding back from teaching him a lesson."


    "You lowly peasant. We spared you back then, but your people survived like cockroaches. Come, on behalf of my great race, let me teach you a lesson," Temo shot back unyieldingly.


    And just like that, the two little fellows decided to have a duel to the death. In truth, we found the scene rather comical. It was also surprising that the hatred between the two ran so deep. Even more comical was the fact that the duel to the death between the two little fellows looked nowhere as fierce as it sounded. I signaled Old Du with my eyes before we stepped forth to stop the two furious fellows.


    "The enemy is right in front of us. We need to unite against the common enemy. You should temporarily let go of your past grievances. I''ll mediate a settlement between the two of you after the war," I offered.


    "Fine, fine, this great one shall spare you for now out of respect for Li Canyue," said Domo stubbornly even though he didn''t really want to participate in the duel.


    "You''re the one being spared here. I''ll deal with you when I have some free time to spare," declared Temo imposingly.


    Despite their unyielding words, the duel had been canceled, replaced by a staring contest.


    "Canyue, did you bring with you a good way to defeat the empire? This war has lasted two years. The past year, in particular, has been a terrible year for us. Did you discover anything that could help us during your time in the enemy''s territory?" asked Baron Sisse, bringing us back to the topic at hand.


    "Yes. I''m here to get help for an operation that could save our home and defeat the imperial invaders," I replied.


    Baron Sisse, Prince Toruse, Domo, and Lin Feixue turned excited upon hearing that I had a solution.


    "As for those who had taken advantage of the war for personal gains, let our imperial military deal with them," said Temo, provoking Domo once again.


    I could see Old Du covering Domo''s mouth tightly with one hand and pressing Domo down with the other hand.


    "What solution do you have? Tell us. Countless innocent lives are counting on you," said Prince Toruse.


    I told them about my encounter with Bluevoid and my meeting with the worm colony brain on Black King. I also described our plan of freeing the great sovereign from the empire''s control. But instead of the expected excitement, I saw everyone turn taciturn.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you unhappy when there is a chance for us to turn this around?" asked Zhang Bao''er with astonishment.


    "The great sovereign is being held on Pluto. Life forms like us can''t reach the planet," said Prince Toruse helplessly.


    "What do you mean? How can we not reach mere Pluto? The league was already constructing fortifications there two years ago. We had even landed on a white dwarf. How can Pluto stop us? Don''t tell me the league has regressed technologically," said Dodo, who was almost shouting due to shock.


    Prince Toruse shot Dodo a glance and said, "Yes, you will be able to land on the planet, but everyone else can''t. Can you rescue the great sovereign by yourself?"


    "Prince, what do you mean?" I was confused.


    "After taking Pluto from our hands, the empire constructed a large-scale military base on it. During the process, an ancient chunk of ice was broken, and a fatal virus was released. The virus is terrifying; it had instantly decimated all biological lives present. Tens of thousands of people had perished from that incident," said Prince Toruse.


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    "What virus was it? That¡¯s too terrifying," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The empire subsequently sent a team of robots and discovered the truth. Apart from the so-called great sovereign, all biological life forms on the planet had perished. Thus, it doesn''t seem likely that you''ll be able to rescue the great sovereign from the planet. As for a robotic army, we don''t have one powerful enough to carry out such a mission," said Prince Toruse.


    "Even if we have a suitable robotic army, we won''t be able to break through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter," added Domo.


    As despair sunk in, we were suddenly alerted of a battleship¡¯s approach.

 CH 285

    "Good news, Canyue. The messenger reported that Zhang Xingxing, Kelly, Master Crystal, Wind Spirit, and Dondon have arrived," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, stay calm when you see Zhang Xingxing. Don''t say that I, your brother, have not warned you in advance," said Domo into my ears.


    "What do you mean? Speak clearly," I asked in confusion. However, Zhang Xingxing''s imminent arrival caused me to be nervous, so I forgot about Domo before long.


    Sounds of footsteps rang out, and several familiar figures appeared outside the command center. I had pictured my reunion with Zhang Xingxing numerous times with various scenes. There were scenes of passionate hugging, crying tears of joy, the return of a hero, and many other scenes. But when it was really happening, I couldn''t move a muscle.


    "Canyue, I knew you would return to help us!" Zhang Xingxing was the one to run toward me in excitement.


    "Hehe. I, Li Canyue, am a man of my word. I never give up after making a decision," I said with a dumb smile on my face.


    With a few steps, Zhang Xingxing was right in front of me. She grabbed my hands and looked at me with a concerned look in her eyes. Only when looking at her so closely did I notice that her complexion had turned wan and sallow from the two years of war. There was even a scar on her forehead from a shrapnel wound. On her left arm was a delicate bracelet, something I assumed was some sort of charm.


    "Commander, did you injure your forehead?" I asked, my heart aching.


    An odd look flickered in her eyes when I mentioned the wound on her head. She hurriedly covered the scar, telling me that she was fine. At that time, Dondon came up to me as well. The little fellow looked very happy to see me.


    "Dondon, you look to have grown from all the eating you must have done," I joked as I hugged Dondon.


    Zhang Bao''er and Old Du were also conversing with Master Crystal, Wind Spirit, and Kelly in excitement. Suddenly, I noticed that there was still another familiar figure standing at the door of the command room. That person was staring intensely at me. He was none other than Kelly''s brother, Carter. Different from the others, he no longer had his left hand.


    "Brother, what happened to you?" I asked, somewhat embarrassed at having neglected him.


    "At Lidu''s encirclement, Carter had lost his left hand saving me. This wound on my forehead was from an injury I sustained while avoiding the enemy''s laser artillery during that battle as well," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Oh, I see. Brother Carter, thank you very much for saving Zhang Xingxing." I ran over and grabbed Carter''s right hand gratefully.


    Carter responded coldly, but he had never liked us, so I did not think too much about it. But the moment I grabbed Carter''s hand, I froze. I suddenly understood what Domo meant earlier. On Carter''s right hand was a bracelet that was completely identical to the one Zhang Xingxing was wearing.


    Noticing the bracelet, my brain turned empty as I slowly let go of Carter''s hand. A hand rested on my shoulder. I looked back and saw that it was Zhang Bao''er, comforting me in his own way. From my first step into society until now, Zhang Bao''er had always been by my side. He had never failed to give me support when it mattered.


    "Canyue, I heard you brought a way to defeat the empire''s encirclement?" asked Zhang Xingxing calmly, bringing everyone back to the topic. Compared to the lives of so many people, everything else could be forgotten for now.


    "Canyue already told us. We need to work with the worm colony brains controlling the superweapons to resist the empire. However, the great sovereign of the worms is being imprisoned on Pluto," said Baron Sisse.


    "So that giant worm is the key to controlling the superweapons? We weren''t aware of that and have been confused about the reason the empire has been protecting a worm with such a huge military force," said Zhang Xingxing in realization.


    "Division Commander, the great sovereign is the leader of the pulp worms back on their home planet, Wisdom. It was forced to help the empire in this war," I said.


    "Canyue, she''s a corps commander now, not a division commander anymore," said Zhang Bao''er, some discontent evident in his voice.


    "Corps Commander, we only have 14 days. In that time, we need to save the great sovereign and change the order given to the pulp worms before the superweapons start tossing planets at us," I said, gradually calming down.


    "But there is a super virus on Pluto. Any organic life form will be instantly killed. Apart from the great sovereign, nobody seems capable of surviving the virus," said Kelly.


    "Can we assemble a robot army to carry out a rescue operation on Pluto?" I asked.


    Carter suddenly said, "The empire has fully blockaded our planets. We have no way of moving large groups. Only small groups can sneak through the encirclement using micro-wormholes. Our intelligence indicates that there are tens of thousands of robotic soldiers on Pluto. We won''t be able to assemble an assault force of this size in a short period of time. The plan to use an army of robots is impractical."


    "Why are you rejecting the idea so easily? Fine, why don''t you think of a new idea? Or is waiting for our deaths without doing anything the correct thing to do?" said Zhang Bao''er, losing control of his temper once again. Old Du hurriedly pushed him down to keep him calm.


    "Carter, it might be a difficult plan, but it is also the sole plan we have that is still somewhat acceptable. At most, we''ll just let them use the improved Skyhawk for the mission," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "No way! That ship is the final hope of humanity! It is the core of Project Cradle. We can''t waste it on such a hopeless mission," Carter objected vehemently.


    "Project Cradle? What''s that?" I asked.


    "That is top secret. A low-level officer like you is not cleared to know it," said Carter.


    "Carter, don''t focus only on objecting Li Canyue''s suggestion. I believe there is a certain level of feasibility to his plan," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing, with our remaining forces, do we have enough to assemble a robot army?" asked Master Crystal.


    "If we give everything we have, I think we can assemble enough robots to crew a battleship," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "But those robotic soldiers are the sole army the league has that is combat capable in unique environments. If we deploy them all, we might also lose them all. We won''t have any soldiers we can use when it comes to combat in unique environments anymore," said Baron Sisse.


    "Have you ever thought of what would happen when the empire starts throwing planets at us with their superweapons? Just what exactly will we be able to do in that situation?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "But General Edward''s authorization is required to assemble a robotic army," said Kelly.


    "Carter, please trust my intuition. Canyue''s plan might be the final hope for the tens of billions of lives in the league. We can''t let go of it so easily. Please help with the assembly of the robotic army and the selection of a good commander. This can very well be our final hope," said Zhang Xingxing. Her voice was gentle, but something about her tone did not allow any argument.


    "Sigh. Fine, I''ll try my best," said Carter, who agreed with a deep sigh.


    "That''s good to hear! How many days would you need to assemble the crew and get the battleship?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


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    "My father''s command is required to assemble the robotic army. Moving Skyhawk will need the collective agreement of the parliament. It will take some time. I''ll try to return in five days," said Carter, showcasing a little bit of the heroic qualities he possessed.


    "Good. I''ll be counting on you," said Zhang Xingxing as she held Carter''s right hand.


    My mood worsened upon seeing that, but I forced myself to calm down for the sake of the mission.


    "Since we have limited time, I''ll set off immediately. Wait for me," said Carter. After shooting me a glance, he turned and left.


    "Carter will need five days. During this time, we need to obtain more information on Pluto''s defenses and the possible openings in their defensive perimeter. Canyue, you guys have just returned, so you should take a rest. Let''s arrange a meeting after we come up with an initial action plan," said Zhang Xingxing.


    The moment she showed her concern for us, a warm current wrapped around my heart, and my mood improved. We all left for the rest rooms Lin Feixue arranged for us. The rest room was clean and tidy. The thoughtful Lin Feixue had given each of us a room of our own, allowing us to have a better rest. I had just lain down on my bed when I heard my door opening. Zhang Bao''er had entered my room.


    "What are you doing here instead of resting in your room? I''m sleepy," I said while letting the energetic Bulu out of the backpack.


    "Your brother is worried about you, so I''m here to keep you company," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m perfectly fine. I am a man who would do great things and save the universe. How can I let something so insignificant stump me?" I said.


    "Sigh. Stop acting, brother. We''ve known each other for over 10 years. You were stunned when you saw Carter''s bracelet. Despair was written all over your face. Stop lying to me," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I was merely shocked by the unique design of the bracelet. I had thought that only higher officials could get something like that, and I had assumed that it was something similar to the amulets Old Du had given us a long time ago," I insisted.


    "Fine, fine. I wanted to tell you something valuable I had just found out, but since you''re not interested, I''ll go get some sleep," said Zhang Bao''er before standing up to leave.


    My emotions stirred, and I was about to stand up and stop Zhang Bao''er when suddenly, for an unknown reason, a sense of loss overwhelmed me. I slumped down onto my bed weakly.


    Seeing my depressed appearance, Zhang Bao''er sighed deeply and said, "Sigh, I didn''t expect you to also be tortured by love. Fine, I won''t make it difficult for you anymore. I''ll tell you what I know. Remember, stay calm."

 CH 286

    "Stop. I don''t want to hear it," I suddenly said. I didn''t even know why I gave that reply.


    "This¡ª" Zhang Bao''er, who was there to show off what he had learned, was speechless. He had not expected me to display no interest in the information.


    Seeing how depressed I looked, he stopped bothering me. He left the room, leaving me to rest alone. I lay on the bed with a big glass window to my side. The beautiful reddish-green planet hovered outside with the Kax Ring constantly flickering around it. I looked at Mars, appreciating its beauty like an exquisitely made work of art.


    Unknowingly, Bulu had snuck close to me and was looking at the view with me. My mood was gloomy. To complete a mission, not only had I lost two years due to time displacement, but I also felt that I had lost the goddess of my heart. I could roughly guess what Zhang Bao''er wanted to tell me, but I really didn''t want to actually hear those words. At least that way, I could leave a little bit of hope for myself. Suddenly, someone knocked on my door again.


    "Zhang Bao''er, I''m tired. Stop bothering me," I said impatiently.


    "Canyue, I''m Master Crystal," a familiar and amiable voice rang out.


    Hearing that it was Master Crystal, I stood up and went to open the door.


    "I hope I''m not disturbing your rest. I''m here to have a chat with you. The universe has changed greatly in the past two years. Too many things have happened," said Master Crystal with a sigh.


    "Master, please take a seat. I''m fine. Don''t be too pessimistic. The war has also brought about rapid growth in technology," I comforted.


    "Canyue, what did you experience in the past two years? Tell me about it," said Master Crystal.


    I then told Master Crystal about everything that had happened after we went through the clock puzzle. Upon hearing about the beast planets, buers, particle space, worm colony brains, and Temo''s stacked universe theory, Master Crystal''s face became filled with worry.


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    "Knowing all that, I think this is a very difficult war to win. Emperor Fille is undertaking a grand project that far surpasses our imagination," said Master Crystal.


    "To defeat an enemy so powerful, we have to cause a collapse from within. That''s why it''s so important for us to work with the life forms of Planet Wisdom," I said.


    "I agree, and I know how hard it will be for you to enter Pluto. This is also why I''m here," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, have you thought of a way to enter Pluto?" I asked.


    "I can''t do anything about the virus, but I can help you go through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter," said Master Crystal. At the very least, he could solve half our trouble.


    "Is that true? That would be great! We have personally experienced the prowess of the Midstar Army. It is an extremely powerful opponent," I said with joy.


    "This army has grown even stronger than two years ago. However, I have a piece of good news. Master Wind now holds the position of an army supervisor in the Midstar Army. He has the access to go through their defensive perimeter''s genetic checkpoints. We can get his help," said Master Crystal.


    "Master Wind? Since he''s holding such an important position, can he help us? Wouldn''t he be forced to leave the empire after helping us?" I asked.


    "We can only get him to provide a safe route through the perimeter. He won''t be coming with us because the checkpoint records can''t be erased. Doing so will only lead him to a path of no return," said Master Crystal, who approved of my worry.


    "But how are we supposed to fool their genetic scanners? Do you mean¡ª" I suddenly thought of something.


    "Exactly. I think we have the same idea. We will use Wind Spirit''s genes to impersonate Master Wind," said Master Crystal.


    "If that works, then our sole problem will be the virus. Thank you, Master. How should we contact Master Wind?" I asked.


    "I intend to go meet him personally. The entire Interstellar League is facing death. It is time this old man put in some effort for everyone''s survival," said Master Crystal.


    "That''s too dangerous. I can''t let you go alone," I objected even though I couldn''t think of a better idea.


    "It is safest to go alone since I won''t be too obvious a target. Don''t worry about me. Since we don''t have much time, I''ll set off immediately. I''ll personally return with a safe route after I succeed. That way, there won''t be any risks of the route getting intercepted by the enemy," said Master Crystal before standing up and leaving.


    In face of destruction, the only thing I could do was silently pray for Master Crystal''s success. There was something even more important for me to do: deal with Pluto''s virus. I still hoped to personally lead the mission to Pluto. Suddenly, a new idea rose in my head. Since the great sovereign wasn''t affected by the virus, the worm colony brains should know of a way to deal with the virus as well.


    "Bulu, there is a pulp worm in my brain called Tiltvoid. Try to inform him that I need to meet Bluevoid, Violetvoid, or any other voids he can contact. I only need someone that can solve the issue. Otherwise, saving their great sovereign will be impossible," I requested as I lifted Bulu with both my hands.


    After saying that, I felt the pressure on my shoulders lessening. I put down Bulu and drifted into sleep. In a daze, some noise woke me up. I felt well-rested. It had been a good sleep.


    Turning my body on the bed, I looked outside the window and found with astonishment that a massive superweapon was floating right before Mars''s defensive perimeter. The sudden appearance of the superweapon shocked me greatly.


    Zhang Bao''er suddenly rushed into my room, shouting, "Canyue, come out! Temo and Domo are fighting!"


    I hurriedly put Bulu into my backpack and ran out of the room. The corridor outside the rest rooms was filled with people. In the middle of the crowd were two small figures wrestling each other on the floor. The two figures were none other than Temo and Domo. The two might be small, but they looked exceptionally vicious in a fight. Kicks, punches, and even bites were employed.


    "What is going on? What are you doing standing there? Are you watching a movie? Pull them apart!" I said to Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


    "It''s not that we don''t want to help, but they have some electrical currents in their bodies. When we tried, we were zapped," said Old Du helplessly.


    "Get into your morph-capable suit and pull them apart. Come on, don''t let anyone get hurt," I said anxiously when I saw how fierce the fight was.


    My words roused Old Du and Anxashe from their dilemma as the two ran back to their rooms for their suits. Finally, they were able to separate Temo and Domo.


    "Release me! Let me beat this spy to the death!" shouted Domo, who was still furiously kicking even when he was being lifted in the air by Old Du.


    "You''re the spy! Let go of me! Let me kill this peasant!" shouted Temo. The grace of a high-civilization life form was nowhere to be seen.


    "Stop calling him a peasant. Domo is considered half my brother. What are you doing being so snobbish with your make-belief ranks all the time?" said Zhang Bao''er, who had been the regular victim of Temo''s merciless mouth.


    "Shut up, Zhang Bao''er! Stop adding fire to the oil!" I hurriedly stopped them to prevent a larger fight from breaking out.


    Hearing my fierce voice, Zhang Bao''er finally stopped talking.


    "Domo, why did you call Temo a spy?" I asked.


    "Isn''t that obvious? The enemy is right in front of us. If it wasn''t for the spy, why would the enemy appear suddenly?" said Domo.


    I did not know whether to laugh or cry. That was quite a simple explanation. Temo was about to counter Domo''s words when a messenger suddenly arrived with an order from Zhang Xingxing. Everyone stopped arguing and ran to the command center.


    Soon, everyone was gathered in the command center. It looked like Zhang Xingxing had already decided on a general action plan after a discussion with the other commanders, but she looked deeply worried for some reason.


    "Canyue, it''s great that you''re here. We have come up with a general action plan, but a superweapon suddenly appeared in front of our position. It has even sent us a light-transmission message. Through our data analysis, we noted that the message is written in Morse code," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Oh? Has the message been translated? What is the message?" I asked.


    "It''s been translated. There is only a name in the message. Li Canyue. Your name," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I suddenly realized that the superweapon was here for me. It seemed that Bulu had perfectly carried out the task I had given it before I had gone to sleep.


    "Understood. Don''t worry. I was the one who had called the superweapon over," I said calmly.


    "Hear that, peasant? What do you have to say now? Li Canyue is a spy? Why don''t you beat him up?" roared Temo, who turned incredibly smug after hearing my words.


    Aware that he was wrong, Domo had nothing to say. Losing the argument angered him so much that his face turned red.


    "What happened to you two?" asked Zhang Xingxing in astonishment.


    "Ignore them. We have an even more important task. I need to meet this superweapon. Temo, send me over with your Markus," I said.


    "No, I''m not doing it. Am I supposed to keep serving you after being beaten? Absolutely not! Tell that peasant to send you over instead," said Temo. It was clear he was truly furious this time.


    Everyone looked at each other in dismay, not expecting a task so important to be delayed by something like this.


    "You don''t need to beg him. Canyue, I''ll personally drive you over on a transport ship," said Domo.


    "Temo, don''t concern yourself with Domo. Come on, send Canyue over with Markus. We need your ship to keep him safe. After the mission, I''ll help you download the information you wanted from the league''s library. History worth billions of years of these two planets are recorded inside," Dodo suddenly said, throwing out bait using what Temo wanted most.

 CH 287

    "Absolutely not! This peasant is intolerable!" said Temo, who was clearly still angry.


    "Temo, I''ll promise to give you a gift after the task. I guarantee you''ll like it," said Old Du.


    "What gift can you give me?" asked Temo.


    "A large amount of information that you will be happy to obtain. Of course, you have to ensure our safe passage," said Old Du, basically revealing his intention of accompanying me on the trip.


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    "Right, I''m going with Canyue as well!" said Zhang Bao''er, who was reminded by Old Du''s words.


    Then, Anxashe and Baron Sisse also offered to come with me. Everyone seemed to have completely neglected the fact that Temo had not agreed to help. Feeling rather helpless, Temo was finally pressured to help.


    After Zhang Xingxing gave us her usual words of concern, we entered Markus. Dodo had joined us on the trip as well. Like our entry, a guide was assigned to lead us through the invisible minefield. Soon, we reached the empty space between the two opposing armies. There, the superweapon awaited.


    When we were still quite far away from the superweapon, Markus''s alarm blazed. The system indicated that the superweapon''s offensive functions had taken aim at us. The mood in the ship turned nervous. After locking onto us, the enemy could easily strike us down at any time. During the critical moment, I ordered Temo to send the same Morse code containing my name to the superweapon.


    The message proved useful. The alarm in the ship immediately stopped, and the warning system dropped to the lowest level, indicating that the superweapon had stopped aiming at us.


    "Temo, you should know the way into the superweapon well, right?" I asked.


    "Don''t you worry about that. Just worry about fulfilling your promises to me," said Temo confidently. Under his control, Markus entered an opening in the superweapon''s lower shoulder.


    "This superweapon is actually not protected by even a single battleship? It is indeed here for you," said Old Du.


    The moment Markus entered the superweapon, two drones came forward to welcome us. We were brought to the lower levels of the superweapon.


    "Weird. Why are they bringing us down? Shouldn''t the worm colony brain be at the upper part of the superweapon?" muttered Temo.


    "Prepare for combat. Something is off. Stay alert," I ordered.


    Following the two drones, our ship descended rapidly. This was Baron Sisse''s first time inside something built with a star-level civilization''s technology, so he was fully focused on the view outside the window, greedily taking in everything he could see.


    Our ship continued descending for a while, and we were hit by the realization of just how massive this superweapon was. It felt like we were descending down a bottomless abyss. After a few hours, during which Zhang Bao''er fell asleep and woke up twice, our ship finally slowed down. We seemed to have reached our destination.


    "This must be the leg portion of the superweapon. It is very far away from the worm colony brain in the head of the weapon," said Temo.


    "This is odd. Why don''t they lead us in at the bottom instead of wasting so much time taking us down inside the super weapon? This doesn''t make sense," said Old Du.


    "It doesn''t matter. We''re already here. Be attentive to your surroundings," I said.


    Our door opened, and we stepped onto a massive platform. The same drones continued leading the way. We seemed to have arrived at a large docking platform. However, there were only a few ships in the area. We followed the drones to a row of control rooms. One of the doors opened, and it was then that the two drones left us.


    "Where is this? Do we enter?" asked Dodo.


    "The drones had spent so much time guiding us here. If they really intend to harm us, there is no need to go through so much trouble. We''ll enter," I decided.


    We stepped through the opened door. After we entered, the door shut behind us. We were in a relatively small room. The room was rather oddly designed. It looked like the bedroom of a life form unknown to us, and the designs of the furniture in the room were completely alien to us. Nevertheless, the room still gave us a comfortable and warm feeling.


    "Why does this room look like a bedroom?" said Zhang Bao''er as he sat down on a round piece of furniture that looked like a bed.


    "Everyone, welcome to a bedroom of Planet Wisdom''s design," a voice suddenly rang out. The image of Bluevoid suddenly appeared inside a mirror-like screen in the room.


    "Bluevoid, it''s really you! Why are you in the mirror?" I asked in excitement.


    "My brother Tiltvoid summoned me mentally, letting me know about the difficulties you need help with. Since I am still at Sirius, I can only communicate with you through image transmission with the help of the worm colony brain here," explained Bluevoid.


    "Why are we here at the bottom of the weapon? Wouldn''t it be easier for us to meet at the worm colony brain?" asked Old Du.


    "The worm colony brain of this weapon is showing signs of mutation. However, it is still the nearest brain to you that is still not fully under the empire''s control. As a precaution, I set the meeting place far from the brain in a virtual room. That way, the brain won''t be able to accurately pinpoint our position," said Bluevoid.


    "Is the brain not aware that we have entered the superweapon?" asked Old Du.


    "The worm colony brain of this weapon is still undergoing mutation. Half the cores are loyal to the great sovereign while the other half are loyal to the imperial clan. Every hour, the control of the superweapon switches hands. We snuck you in during the time when the half loyal to us are in charge. As of now, our hunters are already on the way here," said Bluevoid, causing all of us to grow nervous.


    Old Du wanted to ask more but was stopped by Bluevoid with a gesture.


    "The plan was to lure Li Canyue into the weapon before capturing him. Both halves of the cores agreed on that. Violetvoid had arranged to scheme against their scheme, giving us the chance to meet. We don''t have enough time to give you a detailed explanation," said Bluevoid.


    "How long do we still have before the hunters arrive?" I asked.


    "They''re already here. In fact, they''re only a few minutes behind you. But they are searching for the virtual room, so they will take some time," said Bluevoid.


    "Shit! Our ship is still outside," said Dodo.


    "I have moved your ship to a place close to the exit. After you''re done here, you can leave directly. We''re running out of time. Are we talking about your plan to rescue the great sovereign from Pluto?" asked Bluevoid.


    "Yes. There is a super virus on the planet. It can instantly kill any organic life. Only the great sovereign can survive it. To ensure the success of the rescue mission, we intend to personally go with our robotic army. Thus, we need your help to allow organic life forms to step on Pluto," I said.


    "I understand. Li Canyue, you will be able to step on Pluto just fine. Do you remember the red biscuit Violetvoid made you eat?" asked Bluevoid.


    "Of course. That''s something that can improve my constitution," I replied.


    "In his great wisdom, Violetvoid had foreseen that you would encounter such trouble. Thus, he had given you the red biscuit in advance. The virus won''t be able to harm you. Feel free to participate in the rescue operation," said Bluevoid.


    "How about us? We need to go with Canyue as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This is the room of Violetvoid''s ancestor during his youth. What you need has been prepared by Violetvoid in advance, but to use them, you need to look for them. After finding them, the exit will open. Your ship will be waiting for you. I must leave now, or the hunters will be able to locate me. You don''t have much time left either. Be quick. Good luck, everyone," said Bluevoid before vanishing from the screen.


    "Hey, hey, hey! What is the meaning of this?" shouted Zhang Bao''er.


    "What is wrong with these worms? Why are they playing a guessing game with us at a time like this?" said Anxashe.


    "Alright, let''s focus. Maybe the red biscuits are really very valuable. That''s why they have to keep them hidden as a precaution. Let''s start looking so that we can leave as soon as possible," I ordered calmly.


    Only then did everyone start paying attention to the room we were in. Although the items in the room were completely alien to us, we could still vaguely guess the function of each item.


    "Let''s search the objects that look like cupboards or trunks first," suggested Old Du. We started our search.


    "Why would a worm need a room? And why does a worm need so much furniture?" complained Zhang Bao''er as he searched.


    The virtual room wasn''t big, so it did not take us long to finish searching for all possible hiding spots in the room. However, we found nothing. The thought of the approaching enemies caused the few of us who were more impatient in nature to grow restless.


    "You guys are underestimating this. If we can find what we''re meant to find, would this still be considered a puzzle?" said Temo, criticizing us from the perspective of someone from a higher civilization.


    "If you''re so incredible, why don''t you give us an idea? You hadn''t lifted a finger to help us while we were searching. Do you think I didn''t notice?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I indeed have a good idea that can immediately find the hidden items," said Temo coldly.

 CH 288

    "What good ideas do you have?" I asked with joy.


    "This isn''t a big room, and everything we see is an illusion. If they''re going to hide something here, it won''t be in this room. I suggest you try taking out that array-level fellow you have," said Temo.


    Hearing the suggestion, I took Bulu out of my backpack and placed it atop a table-looking piece of furniture in the room. Bulu had remained in an energetic state ever since it had received the energy infusion from Violetvoid. The moment I placed it down, it started roaming around.


    "Canyue, are you not telling Bulu what we need? Don''t tell me you''re just going to let it roam around randomly like this?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "As an array-level species, it is definitely capable of sensing my desires. I don''t see the need to repeat what it already knows," I said.


    The energetic Bulu seemed to view everything in the room with derision. It ignored the entire room and hopped toward the mirror Bluevoid had appeared in. There, it started looking at itself in the mirror.


    "Even a little fellow like this likes to look at itself in the mirror?" teased Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bao''er, stop badmouthing it. Be careful lest it decides to mind-control you later," said Old Du.


    At that time, Temo sensed something and approached the mirror. As he studied it, he tapped on it and verified that the mirror was solid and completely the same as a regular mirror.


    Temo tilted his head to the side and sank into thought. He faced me and said, "Canyue, give this a try."


    I rushed over and saw that I was facing a reddish mirror. It did not look like anything special, but abruptly, I vaguely saw something moving in the mirror. My heart skipped a beat, and I reached out to the spot where I saw the movement, wondering if I was seeing things. Something beyond my expectations happened. The mirror Temo had confirmed was solid was like water before me, allowing my fingers to easily sink inside.


    The sight of that shocked everyone in the room. There was really another space in the mirror. As the mood turned nervous, I exerted more force and pushed my entire arm into the mirror. The sensation beyond the mirror felt spongy to me, and I tried waving my arm in the mirror.


    Suddenly, the tip of my finger touched something that felt like a case. I unhesitatingly dragged the case out of the mirror. Everyone surrounded me to take a closer look at it. It looked like a completely ordinary case, and when I opened it, I saw that there were about a dozen red biscuits in it.


    "This is it? Is it really so incredible? Why do they need to spare so much effort to hide it? Also, why is Li Canyue the only one capable of finding it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Maybe it''s because I have eaten one of these red biscuits before. They are probably the medicine that can grant us immunity to the virus. We can have the team that will join the Pluto mission take them. With this, our virus issue will be resolved!" I said in excitement.


    "Excellent! Let''s leave with these biscuits!" said Baron Sisse.


    At that time, we discovered another issue. The exit promised by Bluevoid had not appeared.


    "Where''s the exit? Those worms are truly unreliable," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I looked at Bulu. It had returned to the bed and was hiding behind some ornamental object, looking like it had no intention to find the exit for us.


    "Odd. Why did Bulu stop? Canyue, go on, tell Bulu about its next task," urged Dodo.


    Suddenly, a series of sounds came from the wall behind us. He spun around and stared at the wall in excitement. The so-called exit might be making its appearance. A few seconds later, a door appeared on the wall. The door slid up, but the sight of several armed smart robots rushing through the door strained our nerves. Then, a series of laser beams appeared in the room. Our team was exchanging fire with the smart robots.


    As the door was rather small in size, only a limited number of smart robots could go through it at a time. Zhang Bao''er and Anxashe''s concentrated firepower was able to knock down the smart robots charging at the forefront, creating a pile of destroyed robots in front of the door, blocking the attack of the other robots.


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    However, Anxashe and Old Du, who stood in front of us, had also been struck by the enemies, causing their energy to drop by about 30 percent each. Soon, the smart robots pushed the destroyed robots aside and continued to push into the room. Meanwhile, we were using the furniture in the room as cover as we fired at the enemies. During the battle, I caught a glimpse of the sight outside the door. There seemed to be countless robots outside waiting to come in.


    "Canyue, there are a lot of robots outside. If we can''t find an exit, we won''t be able to last long," reminded Old Du.


    "Damn those worms! Where''s the exit? We''ve been discovered! Why are they not opening the exit yet?" scolded Zhang Bao''er even while he was busy fighting the smart robots.


    I was wondering the same myself. What were these worms thinking? Was this supposed to be some sort of test for their allies? The battle in the small room grew more and more intense. Due to the space restriction, the enemy couldn''t break through even after losing a large number of robots.


    However, they had numerical superiority, and our energy supply was dropping rapidly. Perhaps the losses were too much. After dragging another pile of destroyed robots away, the enemy stopped attacking.


    "What weird soldiers are they going to use on us next?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This feels very wrong. Why did they stop their attack?" I said.


    "Bulu, come here, quick," I heard Temo, who was hiding behind us, say to Bulu, who was still on the bed.


    Surprisingly, Bulu actually bounced over to Temo after being called. At the same time, a series of heavy footsteps rang out. From the footsteps, the newcomer was probably a big fellow.


    "Canyue, do you hear that?" asked Old Du, his voice shivering.


    "Yes. Old Du, are you also getting nervous? What danger have we not braved before? Don''t worry," I said, comforting Old Du even though I was also feeling very nervous.


    "Canyue, we need to hold on. The superweapon will switch ownership every hour. We only need to last until the friendly half returns, and we will have a chance to escape," Temo suddenly said. It would seem like he had learned something important from Bulu.


    "Dodo, check how much time we have left," said Baron Sisse.


    "We still need to last 40 minutes," said Dodo.


    At that time, the heavy footsteps finally arrived outside our room. A burly robot that was so tall we couldn''t see its head started pounding on the half-closed door with a large hammer. A massive energy barrier was erected before its body, protecting it from any damage.


    "My god. What is this? Can a door like this be smashed open with a hammer?" said Dodo nervously, clearly shaken by what they saw.


    "Canyue, I think these robots are trying to catch us alive," Baron Sisse said.


    "Why do you think so, Baron?" I asked.


    "If they want to wipe us out, they only need to throw some explosives into the room. In such a small enclosed space, the explosives will work even better. There is no need to suffer so many losses trying to breach the room," said Baron Sisse.


    "That''s reasonable. But why do they want to catch us alive?" I asked doubtfully.


    "They want your minds. After pouring your minds into robots, they can use your minds to conquer your home," said Temo. All my hair stood on end upon hearing those words.


    "Canyue, if I''m captured, you must kill me with your own hands. I don''t want to turn into a tool to invade Blue," said Zhang Bao''er. He had always been a brave one, and this was one of the few times he had actually shown fear.


    "I won''t kill you. Neither will I allow you to be captured," I promised.


    The giant robot was still pounding on the door. The solid door had bought us an additional three minutes, but I could see that the upper part of the door had been smashed through.


    "Everyone, the breach is going to widen soon. The enemy might flood into the room soon. Throw everything you have at them and hold the line. We must last until the hour is over. In case we fail, my nuclear warhead is already on a timer. Even if we die, we won''t let them get us alive," I said.


    "Exactly. Even if we die, we can''t have our minds harvested. Fuck these iron freaks up!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    With a boom, the door was finally pounded open. A giant drill-robot took the lead and rushed into the room.


    "Fire!" With my order, all of us fired at the big guy. However, the drill-robot was still able to unyieldingly approach us one step at a time.


    "Shit! This guy seems rather sturdy. It will be hard to knock him down," said Baron Sisse.


    "Anxashe, try to install a few high-energy cluster bombs on its leg. See if we can knock it down with concentrated attacks," I ordered.


    "Bao''er, cover Anxashe with me," said Old Du.


    Anxashe rolled forth and rushed the drill-robot. Suddenly, the drill-robot stopped moving. Behind it, several smart robots stepped out and jumped toward Anxashe, attempting to stop his advance.


    Zhang Bao''er and Old Du opened fire, knocking down a few of the leading smart robots. However, two of them managed to reach Anxashe. At that time, Anxashe displayed the terrifying combat prowess of the Wargod race. He drew his blade as fast as lightning and instantly sliced the two robots into pieces.


    The sight of that stunned all of us. Then, the drill-robot raised its hands and brought them down on Anxashe''s head. It would seem that our enemies were starting to lose patience with our stiff resistance.


    Anxashe moved aside nimbly, avoiding the attack. In his place, a random piece of furniture was pounded into powder by the smash. Once again, Anxashe showcased the prowess of a Wargod. In the blink of an eye, several bombs had been installed on the hull of the drill-robot.


    We all dove onto the ground. A deafening explosion came after. When the dust settled, I saw that the furniture around the door had been destroyed while the giant robot had also been knocked to the ground.


    "We still need to last for 25 minutes," reported Dodo.

 CH 289

    The giant drill-robot collapsed, forming a barricade at the room''s entrance. With concentrated firepower, we once again pushed the smart robots out of the room. However, it did not take them long to drag the damaged drill-robot out under the cover of an energy shield. Once again, a large opening into our room was available.


    The smart robots had been waiting for the opening, and they flooded into the room immediately. We opened fire, creating a rain of tracking bullets and laser beams at the entrance. However, the smart robots had come prepared. The ones running in front were larger than the others.


    With shields in hands, they blocked our attacks. Fortunately, some of our tracking bullets were able to travel around the shields and strike the robots. But after the first robot was felled, the robot behind it immediately picked up the shield and continued to advance. Before long, they were already right in front of us.


    "This is bad. These robots seem to be trying to engage us in melee combat," said Anxashe.


    With the powerful laser shield, the robots were almost in melee range.


    "Everyone, be careful. Draw your blades and prepare for melee combat," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, don''t forget your nuclear explosion," reminded Old Du. He did not want to have his mind harvested and infused into a robot.


    The first robot reached us with a shield in hand. Anxashe pried the shield from the robot before his other hand swung out, cleaving his sharp blade into the robot''s head. But this time, the robot''s hard skin blocked the strike. It drew a ray gun and fired at Anxashe, blasting Anxashe into the wall.


    "Anxashe!" Old Du shouted anxiously.


    Dodo immediately went over to check on him. "Morph-capable shield. Energy gun. Not fatal."


    We were slightly relieved after hearing those words, but at that time, the enemy started pushing us toward the corner of the room with their shields. They were surrounding us, and it was very clear what they wanted. They were not going to kill us but capture us alive.


    Dodo reported the cruel truth that we still had 15 minutes before the brain switched ownership. We were at a critical moment and had arrived at an impasse. Suddenly, the loud sounds of an explosion rang out. Surprisingly, the explosion came from behind the robots attacking us. The intense explosion worked even better due to the limited space, instantly felling a large number of smart robots.


    "What is this? Did the enemies self-detonate?" asked Zhang Bao''er, pleasantly surprised.


    "Maybe Bluevoid is back to save us, or maybe the brain changed ownership early," said Dodo.


    Whoever the helper was, the sudden attack had sewn chaos among the smart robots. They seemed at a loss as to what to do. Before long, a second explosion occurred, followed by a third. Finally, the robots sank into complete chaos as the surviving robots madly rushed out of the room. Before us, numerous damaged robots were still struggling on the floor. Oddly, one of the undamaged ones had not withdrawn. Rather, it stood in the middle of the room and gazed at us attentively. Zhang Bao''er raised his laser gun, perhaps due to the uncomfortable sensation of being watched.


    "Hold fire for now," a weak voice rang out. I looked back and saw that Anxashe had awakened.


    "Anxashe, you''re finally awake! Did you notice something about this robot?" asked Dodo, who had been keeping watch over Anxashe.


    "This robot has a bow on it. I saw that bow before. It belongs to Ada," said Anxashe softly.


    "What? Are you saying that this robot is Ada?" asked Zhang Bao''er with shock.


    "This is Ada after his mind was infused into a robot," said Temo from behind his cover.


    I found to my astonishment that the robot before us was trembling intensely. Its hands constantly repeated the action of lifting before letting go of its weapon, looking like it was in an intense inner conflict.


    "Temo, is this how one would act after one''s soul is infused into a robot?" I asked.


    "Yes. The mind, or soul, of the person will be under the control of the commands inserted into the robot. But as you know, minds have independent thoughts, and the mind still remembers its previous life. The mind has control over its new body, but when what it wants to do goes against the body''s orders, it will encounter resistance," said Temo.


    "It''s him! This must be him! I have a feeling that Ada helped us!" said Anxashe.


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    "Dodo, how long do we have before the brain switches ownership?" I asked.


    "We still have 10 more minutes," said Dodo. I finally saw hope.


    At that moment, I could see that Ada seemed to have gained even more control over his body as his trembling weakened. He seemed to have gained the advantage in his struggle against the commands in his body. He walked toward us while waving his arm. He was also speaking, but none of us could understand him.


    "Temo, do you understand robot talk? What is Ada saying?" asked Old Du.


    "We got very, very lucky. This fellow really is Ada. He helped us earlier with explosives. He''s asking if he can return to our team," Temo translated.


    "Of course you can. Come, Ada!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Abruptly, the robots outside resumed their assault. Even more terrifyingly, the things leading the attack were what we feared most: air defense drones. Countless red beams shot into the room. Zhang Bao''er and I hurriedly released our shields, blocking the red beams while our energy supply dropped rapidly.


    Dozens of drones spilled into the room, attacking us violently and suppressing us to the corner of the room with their concentrated firepower. Before long, the alarms of our suits blazed, warning us of low energy levels. Baron Sisse and Old Du then joined us, using their shields to defend against the red beams.


    "This is bad. We can''t keep this up for long. In less than three minutes, these red beams will fully exhaust our energy supply," said Baron Sisse.


    "Canyue, seven minutes until the brain switches ownership," reported Dodo, who was under the protection of Anxashe''s morph-capable shield.


    "We won''t be so unlucky, right? Are we going to fall dead when we''re minutes away from success?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Under the drones'' intense assault, our energy supply continued to drop. The various warning alarms on our suits blazed one after another. We only had one minute before our energy was exhausted.


    Suddenly, we saw Ada turn around and run to a position below the drones. Then, he waved his hand and said something to us that we couldn''t understand. After speaking, without even waiting for Temo''s translation, he pried open his own chest.


    A blinding beam shot out of his chest and created an odd effect. Unlike an explosion, some sort of barrier appeared between us and the drones. At the same time, the wall behind us opened, revealing a tunnel. Waiting on the other end of the tunnel was Markus, a sight for our sore eyes.


    "The exit is open! Pull back, everyone!" shouted Baron Sisse in excitement.


    The few of us who once fought alongside Ada were stricken with grief upon seeing him sacrificing himself to save all of us. We remained at the same spot, unwilling to move. Cracks started appearing in the barrier, and they continued growing. The drones seemed to be on the verge of breaking through the barrier.


    "Start retreating. A robot can only release so much energy after sacrificing itself. The barrier won''t hold the drones for long," said Temo.


    For the sake of an even more important mission, we could only let go of our sorrow for now and start moving. With Dodo carrying Bulu, we ran through the tunnel. After entering our ship, the ship took off and exited the superweapon from a small opening in its toe. We were still in deep sorrow, but after escaping danger, we wasted no time in returning to the league fleet under the guidance of the guide that was still waiting for us.


    "Temo, what did Ada tell you at the very end?" asked Anxashe after slowly getting his grief under control.


    "Your comrade is a true warrior. He told you to bring his story back to Rumble if there is a chance and tell his family to move on and not grieve for him too much," said Temo.


    "I understand. I finally understand," I suddenly said in realization.


    "What did you understand? Tell us," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "I understand. All of this was deliberately arranged by the worm colony brain. Perhaps it had intended to have us fulfill Ada''s last wish. After all, the pulp worms have access to the thoughts of all the smart robots. The only reason they had turned our meeting into such a complicated affair was so we could meet Ada," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to ask more questions when the system indicated that we had returned to the league''s base.

 CH 290

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    The door opened, and Lin Feixue was waiting outside.


    "Bao''er, you''re back so quickly? Looks like the mission progressed smoothly," said Lin Feixue.


    "Easy for you to say when you weren''t there to experience the hardship. We nearly lost our lives there," scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    "Kelly has yet to return from the council. Commander Zhang Bao''er is waiting at the command center," said Lin Feixue, ignoring Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, how was the meeting with the superweapon?" Zhang Xingxing went straight to the point the moment we met.


    "Mission completed. We need to select the team members for the Pluto mission and have them eat these red biscuits. They will be immune to the virus on Pluto," I said as Dodo placed the case containing the red biscuits on the table.


    "Are you sure this can help with the virus? Wouldn''t our people die immediately if it fails?" asked Domo doubtfully.


    "Well, good thing you''re not eating it. The mission has nothing to do with you. We have chosen to believe in the people of Wisdom," said Temo.


    "Screw off. If you go, not only are you useless in combat, they still need to put in the effort to protect you. Canyue, take me. I have fully restocked all my materials for concealment. I can put them to good use for this Pluto mission," said Domo.


    We had to start choosing the participants of the mission. After a quick count by Dodo, we noted that we only had 10 red biscuits. Zhang Xingxing signaled me with her eyes. I immediately understood and entered a side room with her.


    "Canyue, who are you planning to take with you?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I, Bao''er, Old Du, Baron, Anxashe, Carter, Temo, and Domo. You can decide the final two participants," I said.


    "That''s almost the same list I came up with. Add me and Kelly to the list as well. Dodo can go without the red biscuit. How about Bulu? Would it require the red biscuit?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Bulu is a high-civilization creature. I doubt the virus can do much to it. But would it be proper to have Carter and Kelly go together? They are siblings. What if¡ª" I hesitated.


    "It has been too long since we went on a mission together. I do not want to miss out on this. Kelly has grown greatly over the years. She will be very helpful. I need her to pilot the battleship. In any case, the failure of the mission will signify the end of humanity. It would only be a matter of time before all of us perished," said Zhang Xingxing firmly, allowing no arguments.


    "In that case, I agree," I said.


    Right at that moment, clamor broke out in the command center. We hurriedly exited the side room and saw that Domo and Temo were once again brawling on the ground.


    "What is it this time?" I asked, noticing that the onlookers also looked rather furious.


    "Canyue, this fellow ate an entire red biscuit without permission. We need to teach him a lesson for increasing the difficulty of our mission," reported Domo, accusing Temo of taking the red biscuit without permission.


    "Stop blabbering, peasant. There is nothing wrong with me eating the biscuit. Without me, the mission won''t succeed. Why did you eat one as well? Canyue, you can''t take a low-civilization individual like this on the mission. He will only be a burden," said Temo while panting heavily.


    I was furious but also found the situation comical. I truly couldn''t understand why the two hated each other so much.


    "Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, why are you also watching on as they fight? Come on, pull them apart," I said.


    "Both of them ate the biscuits without permission. We don''t even know what happened exactly. Might as well let them have some combat practice," said Zhang Bao''er grudgingly. Clearly, he was very unhappy about the theft of the biscuits.


    "Stop. The participants have been picked. Anyone making trouble after this will be excluded from the mission even if they have taken the biscuit," said Zhang Xingxing, finally losing her temper from their antics.


    As a commander, her words carried an unquestionable and imposing tone. The two immediately stopped fighting. Even so, Temo still had an arrogant look on his face. He was, after all, a high-civilization individual.


    "Who''s on the team?" asked Zhang Bao''er. Everyone else was also eager to hear the answer to that question.


    After I listed out the chosen individuals, everyone appeared relieved. It was obvious all of them were looking forward to participating in this mission that would save the league. In fact, this could very well be the operation that would leave their names in the books of history.


    "Commander, why am I excluded?" asked Lin Feixue. He was the only person present not included in the mission. He was understandably upset.


    "You have an even more important mission. We will take you with us, but you are in charge of piloting a second ship, serving as our backup escape ship. You will be waiting in outer space and won''t be landing with us," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Although Lin Feixue could only participate as a backup plan, it was better than nothing. Thus, he felt much better after the explanation.


    "How long until Carter is back?" Zhang Xingxing asked Kelly.


    "I checked with him. Things aren''t progressing very smoothly. The parliament does not support the deployment of all our war robots for the Pluto mission. During difficult times like this, they prefer to use the robots for the defense of our three remaining planets," said Kelly.


    "What''s the point of being on the defensive? They''re acting like sitting ducks. If we are on the defensive, it will only be a matter of time until our total extermination," said Zhang Bao''er, his temper flaring again.


    "Bao''er, we have been at war with the empire for two years. I hope you can show some respect to the parliament. If you''re the one leading the war, we probably won''t last even three months," said Kelly.


    Perhaps Zhang Bao''er had realized that he was in the wrong. He did not say anything after that.


    "Carter suggested that we set off to Pluto first. We will meet outside the enemy''s defensive perimeter," said Kelly.


    "Lin Feixue, take the Achilles-class battleship Aurora. We will be heading to Pluto first," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    "The battleships of your planet-level civilization possess some limitations. I suggest we use Markus as the main transportation to Pluto. Aurora can be used as the backup escape ship," suggested Temo. He wasn''t exactly being polite, but his suggestion was a practical one.


    After a short discussion, we reached a decision. We would take Markus to Pluto, and Aurora would serve as backup. After we finished drawing up the plan, we were given 30 minutes to prepare for takeoff. Looking at how well-practiced Zhang Xingxing was in matters of command after two years, I couldn''t help but admit that war was indeed a cruel stimulant of growth.


    Looking at the beautiful Mars through the window, I was once again reminded that I couldn''t allow an evil force like the empire to destroy such a beautiful creation of nature. For the equal rights of existence across the universe, we had to continue fighting.


    The period of 30 minutes ended in the blink of an eye. The micro-wormhole had been created, and all members of the operation had been fully supplied. Even Domo was carrying two large bags as he stepped into Markus with us. I could clearly see that Temo wasn''t happy with Domo''s presence in his ship, but since a decision had been reached, he was forced to compromise.


    Our ships took off, signaling the start of the operation. The two ships each entered a micro-wormhole. The wormholes we used were rather limited in scope and energy level, so the transportation was easier to hide and harder to intercept. Unfortunately, such wormholes were incapable of large-scale transportation. The leap progressed smoothly. A few minutes later, we arrived near Pluto. The familiar reddish-white figure appeared before our eyes.


    This place was about six billion kilometers from the sun and four billion kilometers from the Kuiper Belt. The faint sunlight could barely illuminate the cold planet. On this planet with a surface as cold as negative 223 degrees, fortifications had been built with the power of technology by the visitors alien to the planet.


    The defensive perimeter of the Midstar Army was visible around the planet. The lights from the numerous battleships were akin to a starry night, presenting an exceptionally beautiful sight before our eyes.


    "Sigh. How good would it be if this is not a scene from war? Why would a sight so beautiful be the prelude of plunder and slaughter? Is this truly the purpose of existence?" lamented Zhang Xingxing.


    "This is something you must experience for peace. Everlasting peace has never existed. That is the case in every layer of the universe. It is indeed the purpose of existence. A rainbow is only beautiful because it appears after the rain," said Temo.


    "Don''t think too much. Dodo, try to contact Master Crystal. Ask him for an update on his action plan to penetrate the defensive perimeter," I said.

 CH 291

    "Reporting to the deputy corps commander, Master Crystal has not replied to any of my messages. I have no idea what he''s doing," said Dodo, unofficially promoting my rank.


    Only then did I remember what Master Crystal had told us about communication. We wouldn''t be able to send any messages to each other.


    "Hey, since Canyue is already the deputy corps commander, Old Du and I should be division commanders, right?" said Zhang Bao''er, seizing the opportunity presented by Dodo.


    "Bao''er, this is not the time to talk about ranks. We need to finish surveying Pluto as soon as possible and prepare for the mission," I said.


    At that time, Markus was slowly orbiting Pluto. Dodo set a timer on the ship, indicating that we still had 13 days before the empire commenced their attack with the superweapons.


    "Dodo, is the analysis of Pluto''s terrain and the optimal attacking route done?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Reporting to the commander, I am combing the league''s database on the records of our battle with the empire to prepare an offense analysis. Of course, if I can get data of the empire''s defenses on Pluto, I would be able to produce an even more detailed report," said Dodo.


    While everyone was busy with their own thoughts, Dondon contacted me in private.


    "Canyue, Wind Spirit is very unhappy that she''s not involved in the mission on Pluto. I know we will bring you trouble if we go with you, but...you know the princess''s temper," said Dondon meekly.


    With one look, I knew that Dondon must have been scolded by Wind Spirit. I comforted him and even promised an even more important mission to them. I emphasized that the mission would be as important as our mission on Pluto.


    My so-called mission was none other than Master Crystal''s idea. We would use Wind Spirit''s genes to go through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter when entering and leaving Pluto. That was indeed an extremely important mission. However, it was still not the time to tell Dondon about it.


    Dondon appeared relieved after receiving my promise. He hurriedly ran off to find Wind Spirit. After sending Dondon away, I stood still and gazed outside the window. At the time, Markus was facing the front side of Pluto. The beautiful white heart-shaped silhouette before me attracted all my attention. Looking at the beautiful scene, numerous beautiful memories rose in my head.


    "Pluto''s heart. It is too beautiful. Nature itself is the greatest artist," a voice rang out beside me. I turned my head and saw that it was Baron Sisse.


    "Yes, it is beautiful, but it might cease to exist in the future. Nothing will stay beautiful forever," said Kelly, who had also come beside me.


    "You mean the frozen nitrogen forming the heart will have its shape changed?" asked Old Du, who had never been to Pluto before. He had also been listening to our conversation.


    "The league''s researchers once believed that the heart of Pluto is located above the Sputnik Planitia, which is a scar left behind by asteroids. After tens of millions of years, the flowing nitrogen ice finally filled the scars, forming the heart of Pluto we all know. But subsequently, the league discovered that the nitrogen ice''s formation was related to the planet''s geothermal activity. In that case, the process will continue. Hundreds of thousands of years later, the terrain will definitely change. This is similar in concept to Blue''s continental drift, a process that will alter the shapes of Blue''s continents," said Kelly.


    "This isn''t a big planet at all. Why did the empire choose to make it their base and imprison the great sovereign of Wisdom here?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "To the south of the heart, there is a massive volcano named Wright Mons. It is a very unusual volcano. It is 4,000 meters in height and is the largest ice volcano in the Solar System," said Kelly. As she continued her explanation, I noticed that everyone in the room was paying attention to our conversation.


    "The first-generation league explorers conquered Pluto''s icy surface and established a research base at the foot of Wright Mons. The base''s purpose is to better understand the situation inside the planet," said Old Du.


    "The Gliesens had established the research base because they coveted the methane inside the planet. They wanted to use it as a supplement alongside their iron energy. That''s the research base''s true purpose," said Zhang Bao''er, who had suddenly recalled the war between us and the Gliesens.


    "We might have been selfish back then, but with a powerful enemy in front of us, we are brothers-in-arms. I believe that after this war, the league will come to view the order of the universe from a new perspective," said Old Du patiently.


    "Hopefully. I really hope so. I also hope that we will live to see that day," said Zhang Bao''er. His words were simple, but there was still a depth to them.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "In that case, the enemy must have taken over the league''s research base. Is the great sovereign imprisoned there as well?" I asked.


    "No," answered Zhang Xingxing on behalf of Kelly. "The empire''s base of operations is not at the Sputnik Planitia. It is located at an even more terrifying place."


    Even Temo, someone from a so-called superior civilization, grew curious. After all, the universe was so large that no civilization could brag to have unveiled all its mysteries.


    "How terrifying can the place be? Tell us," urged the impatient Zhang Bao''er.


    "We were already aware that the planet was filled with viruses. Back then, the league had decided to build their base at the heart because of how white the area was. Back then, the researchers believed that the color white was due to thick nitrogen ice and that the low temperature would be the perfect containment for the dangerous viruses found there," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I also know that. Back then, the league had elected to build their base on the Sputnik Planitia for safety reasons. After the establishment of the base, the early explorers started exploring the area around Pluto," said Old Du.


    "Old Du, you overlooked something important. Even back then, the ice chunks spurting out of Wright Mons carried a virus with them. The virus was named Isi. Because it originated from within Pluto, it was quickly noticed by the researchers," said Kelly.


    "You''re right. I did overlook Isi. But Isi is a rather helpful virus. It can help us eliminate all infectious diseases that spread through the air with a cell temperature-drop process. The virus I mentioned earlier are the viruses that are fatal and dangerous," said Old Du.


    We all knew about Isi. It was one of the greatest contributions Pluto had made to the league. But the league had marked the subsequent findings on Pluto as classified. Officials and soldiers of insufficient rank would not be able to learn about the new findings.


    "Old Du was right. The league was wild with joy after obtaining the Isi virus. Thus, they attached even more importance to Pluto. More military forces and weapons were deployed to Pluto, hoping to further explore the planet. But that act was akin to the opening of Pandora''s box," said Zhang Xingxing with a sigh.


    "There are good and bad viruses, but they are all part of life. You have merely encountered a virus that is too difficult to control for your low-leveled civilization," remarked Temo calmly.


    "Dwarf, if you''re not interested in the topic, screw off. This is a conversation of a superior civilization. It has nothing to do with you," said Domo furiously.


    Zhang Xingxing shot Temo a glance, but she didn''t give him a direct reply. She slowly spoke, "To the west of Wright Mons is the tallest mountain range on Pluto: Tenzing Montes, reaching a height as tall as 6,200 meters. It is a precipitous mountain range standing atop the icy ground, and on the other side of the range is a mysterious area that has perplexed researchers for many years."


    "Are you referring to the Cthulhu Macula? The conspicuous red patch on Pluto," asked Dodo.


    "Yes. Beyond Tenzing Montes, to the west of the heart, the Cthulhu Macula can be found. Back then, it was believed that the patches were caused by methane and nitrogen in the atmosphere interacting with ultraviolet light and cosmic rays, resulting in the creation of complex hydrocarbons called tholins that cover the surface," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What''s tholin?" asked Dondon, who had just returned to the command center with Wind Spirit. From his expression, his issue with her had been resolved.


    "Tholin is what Blue researchers named a substance that can be found on icy celestial objects. It is considered a type of heteropolymer, formed by the solar ultraviolet irradiation of simple organic compounds such as methane and ethane. It is not something of a single element, and there is no confirmed elemental mixture that corresponds to it. Generally, tholins are red or brown. They are found in great abundance on the surfaces of icy bodies in the outer solar system," explained Dodo on Zhang Xingxing''s behalf.


    "Dodo''s right. But after the discovery of Isi, a new theory emerged. They believed that tholins might be the appearance of an even more powerful virus. This red virus is believed to mix well with Isi, the white virus, and by obtaining the two viruses, an unequaled super virus can be created," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This is why low-leveled civilizations are considered short-sighted. They are always greedy for more, but in the end, they end up with nothing," said Temo, attacking the league once again.


    "That has nothing to do with you. Nothing is worse than trash like your people, who would stab one of their own," said Domo.


    "Peasant, this is my ship. Do you want me to eject you into space?" said Temo as he stood up in anger.


    "Give it a try. See if my brothers will agree," replied Domo unyieldingly.


    We all felt rather helpless. The two seemed like they were capable of fighting each other in any situation. Fortunately, Old Du moved in a timely manner and pushed Domo back into his seat, preventing the conflict from further escalating.


    "In fact, Temo isn''t completely wrong. That was the parliament''s choice back then. They had decided to study the tholins for the possibility of obtaining more viruses. At the same time, they could also harvest the planet for a secondary energy source. The parliament ordered the explorers to punch through the Tenzing Montes from the Sputnik Planitia to directly reach the Cthulhu Macula," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "No wonder they didn''t land directly with spaceships back then," said Kelly in realization.


    Everything that Zhang Xingxing and Kelly had said was something not available in my downloaded knowledge. Once again, the different treatment between those in different hierarchies of the league was clearly displayed.


    "So, what was found after they punched through the mountain range?" asked Zhang Bao''er who, like me, knew nothing about it.


    "Following the order, the team of 20 explorers dug into the Tenzing Montes. They quickly found that the mountain range consisted mainly of nitrogen ice, especially the surface. There are very few rocks in the mountain range. Initially, progress was smooth. But halfway through, they made a new discovery," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What new discovery?" asked Zhang Bao''er impatiently while everyone else waited in anticipation.

 CH 292

    "High on the Tenzing Montes, the explorers found that apart from nitrogen ice, there was also water ice as solid as rock. It has long been argued that to form a mountain range of Tenzing Montes''s size, nitrogen ice alone wouldn''t be enough, as nitrogen ice wasn''t hard enough. Sure enough, water ice was discovered the moment explorers reached a high position," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That discovery merely proved that the hypothesis made at that time was right. It''s not really a major discovery," said Dodo, questioning the finding''s importance.


    "The major discovery came from the massive chunk of water ice. The temperature at the Tenzing Montes was as low as negative 238 degrees. From within the ice, the explorers found something that did not exist in the nitrogen ice," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What did they find?" I asked, sensing that we had reached a critical point in the story.


    "Germs¡ªcountless different germs completely frozen in ice. Some reached the size of hundreds of meters in width. The size made the explorers doubt if what they found could be classified as germs since the league had never discovered germs of such size. At that time, all the germs were still frozen in the ice," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Germs hundreds of meters in width? That''s too crazy. How can germs so big exist? Those must be some sort of creature instead, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "After careful study, the explorer found that the frozen creatures were all single-celled organisms. Regardless of their size, all of them met the definition of a germ, such as having a cell wall, cell membrane, and cytoplasm. Some of them also possess bacterial capsules, flagella, and endospores. There was no doubt that they were all germs," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Germs hundreds of meters wide. That is too unreal," said Zhang Bao''er, still doubtful.


    "There is nothing unreal about it. What happened next proved that those were indeed germs," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What do you mean? Did the giant germs come back to life?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "The super virus of Pluto, your main opponent during this mission, is a giant virus over five meters wide. This is top secret intelligence the league had obtained from the empire," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What? Xingxing, the super virus is only a single virus, not a group of viruses?" I asked.


    "Exactly. There is only one virus. Apart from the great sovereign, not a single organic life had survived an encounter with the virus. All we know was learned from robotic scouts," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "My god. Just what sort of a monster is that? It can instantly kill an organic life? Just how did it achieve that?" said Old Du.


    "There''s nothing surprising about it. A virus like that must have grabbed onto the common characteristic of all organic lives in our layer of the universe, achieving the effect of killing with one move. If we can find out the common ground of all organic lives in our layer, we will be able to discover its secret," said Temo, giving us a new direction to consider.


    "I think the monster''s special ability is not the only thing we need to worry about. We need to take Pluto''s environment into consideration as well. There must be some requirements in the environment for the virus to do what it does," said Baron Sisse.


    "Whatever the truth is, we can only find out on Pluto. There is no doubt that the planet is filled with frozen viruses. How should we deal with them and rescue the great sovereign? That is something we need to study and finalize," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What is there to study? We already have the red biscuits. Those are treasures we had risked our lives to get," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, you now have the red biscuits from Wisdom. However, we only know that the biscuits worked for their ancestors. How useful would the biscuits be for us? We still don''t know. Also, can the biscuits only resist a single type of virus or numerous types of viruses? Is there a time limit to its effectiveness? We need to verify all that," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Corps Commander, you have changed. In the past, we would set out upon agreeing on the mission. You were never so hesitant," said Zhang Bao''er, saying the same words I had in my heart.


    "I have witnessed too many massacres in the past two years. There are fewer and fewer people willing to fight on our side. We can no longer afford to waste what little strength we have. That is not a loss we can recover from," said Zhang Xingxing, sending everyone into silence.


    "Should we send one person to go ahead and test the effectiveness of the biscuit on the virus?" I broke the silence.


    "It''s too dangerous for one person to go. It will be safer to have at least two people go," said Zhang Bao''er, making it clear that he wanted to be part of the advance party.


    "That won''t be easy to achieve. The empire''s defensive perimeter is extremely hard to penetrate. We won''t be able to move freely through it," said Baron Sisse, rejecting the idea.


    "This mission might be our final hope. If we fail, the coming 10 days could very well be our final days. We can only stake everything in a single attempt," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "In that case, we can only wait patiently for Carter and Master Crystal. Only a day has passed. Try to loosen up and don''t be too nervous. We''re already at the final step," said Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing ordered us to rest for eight hours. Afterward, we would reconvene for a military meeting. She also ordered Dodo to keep paying close attention to any new updates. Markus did not have a large rest area, so Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and I had to share a single room.


    "Canyue, should we take the red biscuits in advance just in case? What if something unexpected happens later?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why should we take it in advance? We should take it right before the operation if we want to prevent any mishaps," said Old Du in astonishment.


    "I''m worried. Did you not notice that we have two additional individuals on the ship? What if the two little cats decide to take the biscuits themselves for some reason? Wouldn''t that be annoying?" said Zhang Bao''er. It would seem he had turned paranoid after Domo had taken a biscuit without permission.


    Old Du was convinced and asked me the same question as well.


    "Do it if you want, but this is unrelated to me. I know nothing," I said as I lied down and turned my back to them.


    With my tacit agreement, the two rushed out of the room. After less than 10 minutes, they returned.


    "Are you done?" I sat up and asked Zhang Bao''er, who was still busy chewing.


    "Um. I feel much better now," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    "I wonder if the red biscuits will really work. If they fail, perhaps it will instantly be game over for us," said Old Du. He had always been a prudent one.


    "Don''t worry over nothing. Like Zhang Bao''er said, even if we fail, it is only a matter of dying 10 days earlier than everyone else. Where else can we go without Blue? Are we really going to turn into interstellar vagrants?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I actually think Old Du''s worry is reasonable. If the mission fails and we''re able to somehow survive, we will need a backup plan to ensure the continuation of our people," I said, interrupting Zhang Bao''er.


    "But the three of us won''t be able to come up with an effective backup plan. At present, the Interstellar League is limited within the Milky Way Galaxy due to its level of technology. On the other hand, the Divine Empire has the technological prowess to expand in both the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy. We won''t be able to go any further. With our limited technology, we won''t be able to escape the empire''s pursuit," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "There will always be more difficulties, but all difficulties can be solved. I believe there is one person who can help us with the life continuation plan," I said.


    "Who? Who''s capable enough to help us with that?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Temo. I believe he is the only one with enough understanding of the universe to give us the help we need," I said.


    "Is that dwarf even reliable? He''s too snobbish and spends all his time talking about his superior civilization. Can we even trust him?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, I think we need to observe more to decide if that Sacred Wing fellow is really sincere in helping us. This is too important a task. Can we really count on him?" said Old Du.


    "No matter what, Temo is from a star-level civilization. I am willing to put my trust in him. At worst, we still have Bulu as a helper. I want to have a chat with Temo," I insisted.


    "I still can''t trust Temo. So what if he''s from a so-called star-level civilization? From what I see, they are merely more knowledgeable than us. Also, even if we can come up with a plan, we''re too low-ranked for the league to accept our plan," said Zhang Bao''er, who seemed completely distrustful of Temo.


    I was about to continue arguing when someone knocked on the door.

 CH 293

    The moment the door opened, the three of us jumped off our beds. Standing outside the room was none other than Master Crystal, who had visited the Midstar Army.


    "Master, you''re back so soon?" I asked, pleasantly surprised to see him. It was rather unbelievable that Master Crystal had relied only on a single ship to complete his mission so speedily.


    "The situation is urgent, so I returned right after I obtained the genetic password to pass through the perimeter. The genetic lock is much more complicated than we had imagined. The genes of two authorized individuals must be used together to pass through. Also, each authorization will only last 24 hours," said Master Crystal tiredly.


    "A limit of 24 hours and the genes of two individuals must be used at the same time?" repeated Old Du in astonishment.


    "Yes. I already told Master Wind to authorize me and Wind Spirit into their defensive system. According to our plan, our genes will be authorized starting at 0:00 AM tonight. We will have 24 hours after that to enter and leave Pluto," said Master Crystal.


    "0:00 AM tonight? We have less than two hours to prepare. We need to tell Zhang Xingxing immediately and start the mission in advance," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "But Carter''s robotic army is still nowhere to be seen. Without that army, we won''t be able to defeat the robotic army on Pluto even if we''re able to land," reminded Old Du.


    "We definitely don''t have enough time to prepare. Master Crystal, can you contact Master Wind and delay the activation for 24 hours?" I asked.


    "That won''t be possible. Master Wind only has a single opportunity to enter the control room. He has already wasted that opportunity. Our fake identities will be exposed after 24 hours. To prevent suspicion, Master Wind has already removed his access from the system," said Master Crystal helplessly.


    "In other words, this is our sole chance. Master Crystal, that was badly done. You had not taken Carter into consideration," criticized Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t say so, Bao''er. Master Crystal volunteered to go deep into the enemy camp to gain safe passage for us. How much courage would one need to complete a mission like that? We can''t ask too much of him," I said.


    The situation was urgent, so we rushed to the command center with Master Crystal to convene an emergency meeting. About 10 minutes later, everyone was gathered. I personally reported our time limit to Zhang Xingxing.


    "We need to start in two hours? But Carter is still not back. With our current strength, landing on Pluto is the same as suicide," said Zhang Xingxing with a frown.


    "We can''t afford to wait. Either we go first or we give up our safe passage and try to think of a new plan after Carter arrives with his robotic army," said Baron Sisse.


    "Since the baron has given us two options, let''s make it simple. We''ll vote," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We unanimously agreed to vote, and Dodo immediately prepared the vote. About 15 minutes later, the result was out. Apart from Dodo and Temo, everyone else had voted to enter Pluto with Markus and save the great sovereign with our current strength.


    "You fools have no idea how powerful the robotic army on Pluto is. With so few of us, we''re only throwing our lives away," said Temo.


    However, everyone ignored his objection, especially Domo, who seemed exceptionally excited for an unknown reason. He was acting like we were going on a tour instead of going to battle. Zhang Xingxing had everyone arm themselves and get ready. The mission would begin at midnight.


    From our laser scans, we could see that there were three layers of defense around Pluto. Pluto itself was about two-thirds the size of Blue''s moon. It was small enough for the powerful Midstar Army to create a complete blockade around it and leave only a small opening through the three layers. The opening was also the route we were going to take for our mission.


    "The route we take is covered by the lightnet defensive system. Any unauthorized ship that enters will be immediately discovered by the net. The Midstar Army''s ships will require less than three minutes to reach the opening. Thus, we need to make use of our authorized genes to enter," said Master Crystal.


    "Dodo, contact Lin Feixue and verify the arrival time of the backup ship. Also, try to obtain an update on Carter''s status," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Soon, all information was gathered. Lin Feixue''s backup ship would arrive at the designated position shortly. As for Carter, he was still delayed by the endless argument in the parliament. It did not seem like we would be able to rely on Carter''s reinforcement anytime soon. By now, it was already 23:00 PM, one hour before our genetic authorization came into effect.


    "We''ll wait for an hour, and then we will set off. Temo, will your ship be able to land on Pluto?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Markus can even land on your sun, to say nothing of tiny Pluto," said Temo proudly.


    Everything was ready. We only needed to wait for the moment to arrive.


    "Commander, there is no need for you to come with us. It will probably be better if we have someone commanding us from the outside," I said as I walked up to Zhang Xingxing, who was gazing at Pluto through the window.


    She turned her head to look at me. Her eyes anxious, she said, "I can''t let you go on missions alone anymore. This might very well be your final mission. In that case, I wish to stay with you until the very end."


    I grew incomparably excited. It was apparent that I was still very important in her heart.


    "Fine. In any case, this might be humanity''s last hope. Let''s work together. I''ll do my best to protect you," I promised.


    "I hope to see all of us return alive," said Zhang Xingxing, making an even more difficult request.


    "Roger!" I replied.


    Before long, midnight arrived. Markus had been given the command to move in advance, so we did not need to do anything else. The ship started moving the moment the time arrived. Everyone was feeling extremely nervous. Not only did we need to face the powerful Midstar Army, but we also needed to land on scary Pluto. The mood in the ship was an odd mixture of fear and excitement. Suddenly, Domo took out a massive cloak and gave it to Anxashe and Old Du.


    "When going through the defensive perimeter, we can cover ourselves with this cloak. Our enemies won''t be able to detect us through their scans," said Domo, showing off the first treasure he had prepared for the mission.


    Zhang Bao''er hurriedly snatched the cloak and covered himself with it. He immediately vanished from our view. But apart from Zhang Bao''er, the other objects around him were still visible.


    "This is a treasure. It only hides organic life forms and will not hide anything else," said Anxashe.


    "Hmph. What''s so special about that? It is merely a product of what they had stolen from the Sacred Wing race," said Temo with disdain.


    "Who''s the actual thief? Be clear!" said Domo furiously.


    "Shut up. We''re approaching the enemy''s perimeter. Everyone, hide under the cloak. Leave only Dodo, Master Crystal, and Wind Spirit visible in the ship," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Seeing that Zhang Xingxing was angry, everyone turned obedient and hid under the cloak. At that time, I saw that as Markus approached the enemy, ships of all shapes were already visible ahead of us, hovering silently like numerous silent beasts.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "The empire''s military strength is truly far higher than ours," said Old Du when he saw the enemy army.


    "What''s there to fear? So what if they have a lot of ships? It is all meaningless if they only use their ships to commit evil," said Zhang Bao''er, trying to encourage all of us.


    Suddenly, Markus came into contact with a wall of light. A red light flickered in front of the ship as an emergency request was transmitted to the ship''s system.


    "The defensive system has contacted the ship. Let''s see if the genetic password works," said Temo.


    I saw that under Dodo''s help, Master Crystal and Wind Spirit placed their palms on the scanner. A few seconds later, the red light turned green, proving that the genetic password was effective. A frame formed of green lines appeared ahead of us before expanding forward into the distance.


    "Not bad at all. We even have a safe passage highlighted for us. This is good. We won''t accidentally wander off and accidentally break some traffic laws," joked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Temo, have the ship follow the green path. We don''t want to trigger any alarms," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Temo did as told and gave Markus the command. We found to our astonishment that instead of leading to Pluto, the highlighted path led toward an area filled with battleships.


    "Temo, you don''t seem to be flying in the right direction. Instead of heading toward Pluto, we''re heading toward the battleships," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That has nothing to do with my ship. It is flying in accordance with the order issued by your superior," said Temo.


    "Stay silent, everyone. We''re entering the enemy''s inner perimeter soon," said Baron Sisse.


    Only then did I notice that Markus had reached the group of battleships. From such a close distance, the massive battleships were shocking to behold. It was as though we were looking at a gathering of gigantic asteroids. The fleet was at such a scale that they almost seemed impossible to defeat. Numerous smaller ships could also be seen constantly moving amid the large battleships, probably carrying out transportation work.


    "With the genetic password, it feels really easy to go through the enemy''s perimeter," remarked Zhang Bao''er, acting like he was a tourist on a tour.


    Immediately, a red light lit up as Markus came into contact with the enemy''s lightnet defensive system again.

 CH 294

    All conversation in the ship stopped. Once again, an identification verification request appeared on the ship''s screen. Master Crystal and Wind Spirit went through the same gene inspection and passed the check without much trouble. I breathed out in relief. Master Wind must have given the genetic password the highest level of authority.


    After the inspection, Markus continued traveling along the green passage. We went on a long journey through the massive fleet and went through three more inspections. Finally, we flew out of the fleet, and the green path was finally leading us toward Pluto.


    "Looks like the journey has been scary yet safe. We''re finally out," said Zhang Bao''er.


    But right that moment, the alarm in the ship blazed yet again. It wasn''t the lightnet defensive system this time. Rather, a massive battleship had stopped in front of us. Right before we were out of the enemy''s army, a new crisis appeared. The ship in front of us was a Star-class cruiser. It had suddenly exited its invisible state right in front of us.


    "Shit! What''s going on? I thought all the inspections are supposed to be automated?" said Temo. The sight of the enemy ship had caused him to become nervous.


    "This is an enemy cruiser. What will happen now?" asked Old Du when he saw that Temo had become nervous.


    "Looks like they''re going to enter our ship for the inspection. Everyone, into the storeroom," ordered Temo.


    Soon, the cruiser delivered its docking demand. We followed Temo''s request and rushed toward the storeroom at the back of the ship and hid inside. Through our communicator, we learned that five imperial army officials had entered our ship for inspection.


    "Huh? Someone from the Storm race? Why would there be a Storm here?" asked one of them.


    "There''s a robot too. This design resembles the Interstellar League''s style," remarked a different individual.


    "What is the meaning of this? Can you shoulder the risk of delaying this young lady''s work?" said Wind Spirit. Her temper was not something that would change regardless of who she faced.


    "My apologies, superior. I know you Storms are His Majesty''s close advisors. In fact, this is the second time I met someone from your race. But according to our latest order, all ships trying to approach Pluto must be subjected to inspection. The purpose of the visit must be made clear as well. We''re in an active war, so the correct password is required to enter Pluto," said an official.


    "Are you blind? We only got here after having our password verified. You''re asking me for another password? What password do you need?" said Wind Spirit. The more she spoke, the fiercer she became.


    "A-about that. We don''t need the password anymore. Please state the purpose of your visit," asked the official politely.


    "Who told you I''m going to Pluto? I heard that this is a unique planet. I only wanted to observe it from a closer distance and see if there is a suitable space here where us Storms can gain some spiritual power," said Wind Spirit. She was quite an excellent liar.


    "I see. In that case, please accept our apologies. According to our orders, we also need to search the ship before we can let you through," said the official who appeared relieved after hearing that we were not going to land on Pluto.


    I broke out in cold sweat upon hearing that a search was required. Who would have guessed that this tiny ship of ours carried the league''s final hope? If we were discovered, it would be the end of us.


    "You dare to search my ship? Do you want to die?" Sure enough, Wind Spirit objected to the search.


    "My apologies, superior. The order to search every passing ship came from the emperor himself," said the official. This time, not even Wind Spirit dared to object.


    "There are a lot of my personal belongings on this ship. If you damage any of them, you''ll pay with your heads!" said Wind Spirit fiercely, putting even more pressure on their shoulders.


    Before long, we heard some sounds coming from outside the storeroom. The only fortunate thing about this whole incident was that we had maintained a state of constant readiness, with all our weapons carried on us at all times. Thus, no trace of our presence was left anywhere in the ship.


    "Remember to carefully search every room. If there is any problem, heads will roll," said one of the officials. Wind Spirit''s threats seemed to have failed in keeping them from doing their job properly.


    Hearing that they were going to search every room carefully, we all grew nervous. Markus was not a big ship to begin with, so it did not take much time for the sounds of the search to come closer and closer to us.


    "This is bad! Canyue, what should we do now? We will be exposed the moment they enter this room," asked Zhang Bao''er.


    I saw Anxashe draw the dagger strapped to his knee, preparing himself for a brawl.


    "Perhaps this is the fate of the league. Ready your weapons, everyone. Prepare for combat," ordered Zhang Xingxing before I could say anything.


    The sound of a door being opened rang out. The search had reached the room next door, and it would be our room''s turn soon. Following Zhang Xingxing''s order, we prepared ourselves for combat.


    Shortly after, the door in front of us opened. A young Eternal soldier appeared before us. Thanks to Domo''s cloak, he couldn''t see us. The storeroom wasn''t big, so he could see the entire room with one glance. But for some reason, he still decided to enter the room to perform a more detailed search.


    Step by step, he advanced, oblivious to the fact that he was walking toward his death. I could see that both Anxashe and Baron Sisse had already drawn their blades in preparation to deal the enemy a fatal blow. The rest of us were also ready for combat.


    Perhaps the heavens were standing on our side once again. Fate itself did not seem to intend for humanity to end here. Something odd happened¡ªone step away from us, a military alarm sounded outside the room. The Eternal soldier immediately turned around and rushed out of the room.


    All of us heaved a breath of relief. Zhang Bao''er slumped down on the floor while I discovered that my entire body was wet with sweat. We had once again escaped disaster in a miraculous manner.


    "Apologies, superior. We have completed the search. There is no problem. You may proceed toward Pluto''s low orbit,"  said an official respectfully. Next, we heard people leave the ship.


    Even though we were hiding in the storeroom, we could feel Markus moving swiftly. A few minutes later, Wind Spirit shouted that it was safe. We immediately returned to the command center.


    "What were you doing, Master Crystal? You weren''t even aware of the inspection. We nearly failed then and there," Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    "My apologies. I did not know that they would board the ship for inspection. Good thing Wind Spirit was quick-witted enough to help us avert disaster," said Master Crystal.


    "Good thing we were lucky enough. The soldier nearly found us earlier," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "For some reason, their leader''s eyes suddenly turned empty and he sounded his alarm, calling back all his soldiers. He seemed to have regained clarity after that, but since all his soldiers were already back, he decided to just leave," said Wind Spirit doubtfully.


    Hearing Wind Spirit''s words, I hurriedly took Bulu out of my backpack. The fellow''s body was shining brightly, indicating how energetic it was. If I was right, what happened earlier was Bulu''s handiwork. So it turned out that it wasn''t the heavens that had helped us. Instead, it was Bulu who had once again saved us, the people of a low-leveled civilization.


    When the others saw Bulu, they came to the same realization. Everyone came over to offer Bulu a friendly greeting and show their respect. I placed Bulu down, allowing it to move about freely.


    "Everyone, stop celebrating. Our target, Pluto, is right ahead of us. Where are we landing? There are tens of thousands of robots waiting to reap our lives," said Temo, dragging us out of our celebratory feeling.


    We were all reminded that we had only survived the first obstacle. An even more difficult task was still waiting for us.


    "Temo is right. We''re already near Pluto. The dots of light on the heart and the Cthulhu Macula are probably where the robotic army is assembled. No trace of activity can be seen on the other parts of the planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We have two questions to answer. How should we land and who should land?" said Baron Sisse.


    "Haven''t we decided on the ones who will be landing? Are we going to make a last-minute change?" asked Zhang Bao''er. He had instantly turned nervous at the prospect of changing the members of the team.


    "You misunderstood, Bao''er. I was trying to ask about Wind Spirit and Dondon. What should they do if we land with Markus? Are we keeping them in space on a shuttle?" asked Baron Sisse.


    Zhang Bao''er was relieved to hear that he still got to participate, and he sat back down on his seat.


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    "Pluto''s surface is filled with danger. Don''t worry about us. I already have a solution," said Dondon.

 CH 295

    "What bad idea do you have this time, little fellow?" said Domo, walking over to bully Dondon, who was even smaller than him.


    "I calculated. We have 10 red biscuits, just enough for all of us. Carter is not here, and Canyue, Temo, and Domo have already taken their red biscuits. With Canyue having taken his red biscuit long ago minus the two taken by Temo and Domo, we have 8 remaining biscuits and 8 of us here. All of us can land together," said Dondon proudly.


    We were all touched to hear his offer to join us. He was right, and he had to have noticed this a long time ago. If everyone landed together, that solved the issue of us having nowhere to settle the two of them while we went on the mission. With a decision made, Zhang Xingxing gave everyone permission to take a red biscuit each.


    "Where are we landing?" asked Temo.


    "From what we saw above the planet, I suggest we land at the edge of the Cthulhu Macula. We should also try sending out scouting drones," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Why the Cthulhu Macula and not the heart of Pluto?" asked Dodo.


    "I believe the super virus has a greater probability of appearing at the Cthulhu Macula. After all, that was where the first group of explorers had lost their lives. It could also be the place where the great sovereign was kept previously," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I can''t find any information on the great sovereign''s position. Since we don''t have the relevant information, I agree that we should go to the Cthulhu Macula. At the very least, we will be able to gather more information there," said Baron Sisse.


    "Dodo, open the Cthulhu Macula''s map. Let everyone get a closer look at the place," I said.


    Dodo projected a hologram of the map of the Cthulhu Macula. The Cthulhu Macula consisted of a series of plains, slopes, mountain ranges, and craters that created a complicated terrain. It was roughly 2,990 kilometers across, and it was the largest special geographic feature on Pluto.


    "It is said that this place is filled with numerous terrifying viruses. The Interstellar League''s base was built there, but I''m not sure if it still stands," said Dodo while pointing at a flat area on the map.


    "Apart from the base, are there other places where we can hide?" I asked.


    "There used to be two outposts in the deep crater outside the base. However, that place is filled with viruses. In the past, only robots were stationed there," said Dodo.


    "Outposts? How big are they? Are they big enough to hide all of us?" asked Old Du prudently.


    "I believe they have enough space to hide us," replied Dodo.


    After referring to the relevant information, we unanimously decided to land Markus in the crater. We would head to an outpost first and use that as our main base of operations before setting out on foot to gather more information from the Interstellar League''s base.


    "Temo, set the coordinates. Let''s set off," Zhang Xingxing ordered. Finally, the long-awaited mission was starting. Everyone looked eager to get started.


    When we set off, the Cthulhu Macula was on the side of the planet facing the sun. After a journey of five and a half hours from 5.9 billion kilometers away, the feeble sunlight illuminated the front side of the planet. The daytime on Pluto was as dark as a dusky day on Blue.


    However, we were able to see the numerous dots of light emitted by the imperial robots stationed on the planet''s surface. As Markus approached the planet, friction appeared between our ship and the planet''s thin atmosphere. At that moment, Temo had Markus enter invisible mode.


    "A day here is equivalent to six days on Blue. We need to complete our mission within three days before the Cthulhu Macula sinks into deep darkness," reminded Dodo.


    Soon, our ship passed through the thin atmosphere. The ship lowered its speed as it descended to the ground. From the ship''s window, we could see that the air was filled with some white objects. They were probably the objects formed after nitrogen cooled off at high altitudes and turned solid.


    From the movement of the solidified nitrogen, we could see that there was a chilly storm outside. The ship indicated that the temperature outside was as low as negative 231 degrees Celsius.


    Under the protection of technology, we braced the coldest wind in the Solar System and slowly headed toward our destination. After a short while, we went out of the solid nitrogen zone in the sky. A terrifying world appeared before our eyes.


    Under the dusky sunlight, a majority of what we saw was enveloped in darkness. Far away, the Cthulhu Macula looked like a black zone filled with craters and over a hundred small ice volcanoes spraying nitrogen ice chunks into the air.


    Tall, precipitous mountains stood on the landscape, sculpted over a long period of time by the frosty wind of the planet. At that point, the temperature outside the ship had reached a terrifying negative 235 degrees.


    "What terrible place is this? I can''t even see a proper landing spot," complained Zhang Bao''er at the sight of the terrain.


    "Make a final inspection of your gear. Make sure there won''t be any malfunctions after we land. At such temperatures, any malfunction will result in instant death," reminded Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry. We have survived even the lowest possible temperature. This temperature is quite warm, I think," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.


    "Yes, yes, sure. You''re still the same even though two years have passed," said Zhang Xingxing.


    I felt somewhat awkward hearing those words, since for me, only a little over a month had passed.


    "I checked. The robotic army is not stationed at the league''s base. No traces of activity can be found there. All clear traces of activity were found on a relatively flat field of ice about 50 kilometers to the east. That''s good news for us because it will be much easier for us to enter the league''s base," said Temo.


    Markus was still slowly moving toward one of the craters. Our destination was a crater the size of a football field. At the center of the crater, the league''s outpost stood tall atop a strip of flat land. To the side of the strip of land was a small ice volcano that was constantly spraying a small amount of nitrogen ice into the air.


    "That must be the outpost. It looks abandoned. Can your ship establish a direct connection with the outpost?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I doubt so. We have to land beside the outpost and enter on foot," said Temo, explaining that the designs of the two civilizations were different, resulting in incompatible docking bridges.


    "Walking on foot in such an environment will probably feel terrible," said Zhang Bao''er and Domo at the same time.


    "If you''re scared, feel free to stay on the ship. It''s warm and safe here. But if you''re not scared, then you''ll have to go," said Temo with a sneer.


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    "Who are you talking to, you scum?" Domo was infuriated.


    "Stop. I think Zhang Bao''er''s worry is reasonable. We can send the android over to perform some scouting. We can move after ensuring that it''s safe to go," said Baron Sisse.


    "I''m a robotic advisor. This environment is too extreme for me. Why don''t you send a proper scouting drone over?" objected Dodo.


    "We''re only 10 meters away from the outpost. We can see the surroundings clearly. There is no need to send out any scouting drones. We only need a robot to check if the door of the outpost can be opened," explained Baron Sisse.


    "I had upgraded your skin with a high-density alloy that can ensure your inner circuits keep running at a constant temperature. The low temperature won''t affect you. We''re only 10 meters away. Go and open the door. We''ll be right behind you," said Temo with a big smile on his face.


    "What? You had upgraded me with star-level tech?" said Dodo in excitement.


    "Of course. Therefore, don''t fear the cold. Go, just go," said Temo.


    With Temo''s assurance, Dodo stood up and prepared to scout the outpost alone.


    "Dodo, pull back at the sight of trouble," said Dondon, Dodo''s best friend.


    Dodo nodded at everyone and turned on their headlight before stepping into the airlock. A bodycam on their body faithfully recorded everything they faced.


    The door opened, and Dodo stepped into the darkness. As we watched the recording, the loud hiss of wind instantly sounded in the ship, accompanied by loud thuds that sounded like fireworks. The thuds were from the numerous small pieces of debris in the air knocking against Dodo''s body. Fortunately, Dodo''s skin had been reinforced by high-density alloy or they wouldn''t have been able to withstand the storm.


    "It''s too dark outside. Visibility is still low even with the headlight. The temperature is also extremely low. I can only see an endless white. I feel like the machine oil in my legs is going to freeze soon," said Dodo.


    "Don''t worry, Dodo. The storm might be rather small in scope. Just walk out bravely. The ship''s spotlight is constantly aimed at the outpost. The storm is probably a small storm localized around you. Your machine oil won''t freeze either. The high-density alloy will protect you," encouraged Temo.


    Hearing those words, Dodo continued forward. Braving the extreme environment, they took several steps forward. However, the only thing we could see on our screen was still the same boundless white.


    "Odd. Why can''t I see Dodo''s silhouette through the window?" Dondon suddenly said.


    I rushed toward the window and looked out as well. Looking outside from the window, our surroundings looked much calmer than what we saw in the recording. And it was true that Dodo was nowhere to be seen.


    "This isn''t right. We''re only 10 meters away from the outpost. Dodo has taken quite a lot of steps. They should have reached the outpost already. Why are they still not visible? Even if they had walked in the wrong direction, we should still be able to see them," said Old Du.


    To be sure, we tried checking our surroundings from several different angles. Neither Dodo nor the violent storm could be seen.


    "What is this? Dodo, pull back first," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Shit! I can''t see the ship anymore! My self-navigation function has also failed! I can''t pinpoint the ship''s direction," replied Dodo helplessly.


    At that point, everyone started panicking. The terrifying part was that Dodo had only taken a few steps away from the ship yet something so eerie had happened. It would seem like Pluto had taught us a lesson at our very first encounter.

 CH 296

    "This is too odd. I reckon we need to go out and save Dodo. We need to go and see for ourselves what''s going on outside," I said.


    "We don''t even know what we''re facing yet. Leaving will only cause unnecessary casualties. I do not suggest that we go out now," said Baron Sisse.


    "I think Dodo might have fallen under the control of something unknown. They could very well be right in front of us. We just can''t see them," said Temo.


    "What do you mean? Can you be clearer?" asked Old Du.


    "I believe Dodo is under the control of something. That something is most likely right in front of us, but we can''t see it," said Temo.


    "That makes sense. Germ! It might be the work of a unique germ! After all, there are terrifying viruses that have existed for billions of years on this planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "You mean Dodo is under the control of a germ or a group of germs?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "That is very likely. Does Dodo have any weapons on them?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Dodo is a robotic advisor. They''re not equipped with any weapons," replied Old Du.


    "I''ll go!" said Anxashe before rushing into the airlock.


    Zhang Bao''er was about to shout when Old Du pressed him down. Just like that, we watched as Anxashe rushed outside the ship. As with Dodo, his bodycam also displayed a scene of boundless white on the screen.


    "Anxashe, fire your cluster laser gun. Aim at the sky to avoid hitting Dodo," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    We all gathered around the side window and looked outside. Green laser beams appeared out of nowhere. Then, an odd wail resounded. Several massive white figures appeared amid the darkness. Wailing, the figures fled into the nearby ice volcano.


    Finally, Dodo and Anxashe became visible.


    "My god. What monsters are those?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Looks like I was right. Those monsters might be one of those giant ancient germs," said Temo smugly.


    "Superiors, our surroundings can be clearly seen now. We''re very close to the outpost, and no germs could be seen around us. Should we retreat into Markus or continue onward?" asked Anxashe.


    "Forward. Since the germs have fled, take this chance to reach the outpost''s door," said Zhang Xingxing.


    We watched nervously as Anxashe and Dodo walked forward. Our surroundings seemed to have sunk into silence. The only noise in the air came from the storm above the crater, but it was relatively calm inside the crater. Shortly after, Anxashe and Dodo reached the door.


    "This is an electronic door. It needs either identity verification or the correct password to open," said Anxashe. We could see from his bodycam that a red door stood before him.


    "Anxashe, try to open the panel and smash the circuit," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t mess around. Let me try." Dodo hurriedly stopped the stupidity and plugged a probe into the door.


    The outpost wasn''t an important military fortification. Thus, Dodo only took several minutes to easily open it.


    "Success. You can come," said Dodo in excitement. "Everyone, it is our turn to leave. Get ready and leave quickly. We need to get this done before the germs return," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    "Will we leave Markus here?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t worry. The ship has been equipped with an automatic flight function. It can stay in the air and remain on standby," said Temo.


    When everyone was ready, we went to the airlock. I placed Bulu into my backpack and covered it with my morph-capable shield. Then, I instinctively stood at the very front of the team. The moment the indicator lit up, I walked into the airlock.


    A few seconds later, the door leading outside opened. I took a wide step onto Pluto''s soil. Just a year ago, I wouldn''t have even imagined that I would be standing on Pluto one day, but here I was, standing on the soil of the mysterious planet that I had liked since I was a child.


    Standing within the crater, I could see the violent gale high in the sky and the numerous chunks of nitrogen ice carried by the wind. The sensation I felt when standing on the ground was similar to what one would feel when standing on a mixture of soil and snow. The temperature around me was extremely low. Without my suit, I would be instantly frozen solid.


    One by one, we walked out of Markus. We were roughly 10 meters from the outpost. After doing a quick headcount, I started walking forth. Instantly, a white flicker streaked out of the nearby ice volcano. Several massive white clouds appeared in front of us, blocking our path. I could see that there were some creatures resembling moving ice chunks leaving the volcano and heading toward us.


    "Shit! Those monsters are back! Watch out, Canyue!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    The monsters were standing between us and the outpost. I knew very well how powerful these germs were. Upon recalling how the laser gun had hurt them earlier, I fired my gun at them unhesitatingly.


    The laser beams shot forth and struck the monsters. The beams punched through the monsters, but the remaining cloud-like monsters continued to gather. To make things worse, the moving ice chunks were also quickly gathering in front of us and combining with the damaged cloud monsters, repairing the damage I did with my laser gun.


    "Shit, these germs came prepared. They seem capable of self-restoration," I said.


    After resisting the first round of attacks, the germs continued to slowly advance, seemingly trying to encircle all of us.


    "Watch out, everyone. Don''t allow them to surround us or we will all lose our sense of direction," I warned.


    At that time, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had arrived beside me. Us brothers faced the slowly approaching germs and madly fired at them, trying to slow their approach. Zhang Bao''er led the others to fire at the approaching moving ice chunks. Under our cooperation, the cloud monsters became smaller and smaller. Even their self-restoration was slowed down considerably by us.


    "Fire at will, everyone. Don''t bother saving energy," I shouted. Seeing how the cloud monsters kept shrinking, we increased the intensity of our attacks.


    Through the openings between these shrinking cloud monsters, I could see Anxashe also firing at the monsters.


    "Three more minutes and we''ll be able to clear the way," said Zhang Xingxing after making a rough calculation.


    We attacked without holding back, eventually fully eliminating all the ice chunk monsters. The opening before us grew larger and larger. Before long, there would be enough space for us to run through.


    Suddenly, the ice volcano erupted fiercely, sending a large number of ice chunk monsters into the air. The newcomers rushed toward us rapidly. If they were allowed to come in contact with the cloud monsters, all our previous efforts would be wasted.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, cover us with flamethrowers. We''ll start running through," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    My heart skipped a beat. Judging by the size of the opening thus far, there was still not enough space for us to run through.


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    But since the crisis was approaching, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du did not hesitate to use their flamethrowers on the approaching reinforcements, slowing them down. Then, I saw Dondon take the lead to rush forward.


    Dondon was a small fellow, so he was able to easily run through the opening. Seeing that, the rest of us focus-fired on the remaining two germs in front of us. Our cluster laser guns and mounted rifles attacked madly, flooding the germs with laser beams, tracking bullets, and even cluster bombs. Instantly, we tore the opening larger. At that point, numerous ice chunk monsters had approached after braving the flame attacks. We grabbed the opening and rushed through.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, run!" After we ran through the germs, the outpost was right ahead of us. We turned around and continued attacking the rapidly closing opening to provide cover fire for both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du.


    Under the cover of our concentrated firepower, the two successfully ran through before the gap closed. I heaved a breath of relief after the two were through.


    "What are you doing? Can''t you see me running through the enemy? Why did you fire at me?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "Stop wasting time. Enter the outpost. Dodo, shut the door behind us," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    We turned and ran toward the outpost with the germs hot on our tails. After all of us entered the outpost, Dodo hurriedly shut the door. I could see the tentacle of one of the cloud monsters. It was reaching into the outpost, but it was severed when the door was closed.


    I hurriedly took the severed part as a sample and kept it in a glass vessel I carried in my backpack. When I looked up, I noticed that everyone had been too focused on escaping and had not noticed the tentacle. Tired, everyone sat down on the floor. We were exhausted, but at least we were safe. If the cloud monsters had succeeded in surrounding us, escape would have been difficult.


    "For a planet so small, this is quite a dangerous place. Even some germs can be so harmful," said Temo, still feeling the lingering fears from our intense escape.


    "How can those monsters be called germs? They are basically beasts. How can germs be so big?" complained Domo.


    "They are ancient germs. From the evolutionary history of organic life, ancient life forms would be much larger than their modern-day counterparts regardless of whether they were normal animals or germs," explained Dodo.


    "Dodo, I managed to collect a part of the germ''s body. Can you perform an analysis on it?" I requested.

 CH 297

    "Roger," answered Dodo as they took the glass case with the wriggling tentacle from me.


    "These fellows are too terrifying. The moment you''re trapped, you will lose all sense of direction," said Old Du.


    "There is a control desk here. I don''t know if we can find any useful information from it," said Zhang Xingxing. From the design, the control desk was obviously a product of Blue.


    Hearing Zhang Xingxing''s words, Dodo placed the glass case on the control desk and then leaned over to take a closer look at the desk. They reached out and pressed a switch, turning on the desk that had been inactive for a very long time.


    "The arrival of Gliesens has brought Blue''s technology to a new height. Although this is an abandoned outpost, it still has an abundant energy reserve," I said.


    The control desk''s Blue-made operating system was easy to deal with. Dodo was able to quickly override the password, granting us access to the data in the system. The data was stored in binary. Dodo wasted no time to start translating.


    While Dodo was busy working, I started observing the outpost. The outpost wasn''t big. It consisted of a large control room in the middle and a series of dorms surrounding the central control room.


    I opened a random side door and saw that it was actually an armory. Countless different weapons could be seen in the room. Apart from the standard issue league cluster laser guns, I also saw heavy ray guns. These guns had immense power and could continuously release high-energy beams. beams.


    "Old Du, Bao''er, search all the rooms. See if we can find anything useful," I ordered.


    Shortly after, the entire outpost was searched. Nothing special was found in most of the rooms, but inside an airtight room, Zhang Bao''er discovered a large number of germ samples. The samples were all frozen in some sort of solid, transparent substance. This was a shocking discovery for all of us. None of us had imagined that the league had already been studying these germs long ago.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing, do you still remember what General Angela told Duke Yidon during the hearing?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Of course. A year ago, the empire launched a surprise attack on Pluto. At the time, General Angela was the commander of the army stationed at Pluto''s research base. The league suffered a disastrous defeat, but Angela insisted that she had brought all germ samples with her during her retreat," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Exactly. It is obvious now that she had been lying to avoid taking responsibility for the defeat," said Baron Sisse furiously.


    "That witch! I have long known she wasn''t a good person!" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "This tiny thing here must be the Isi virus," said Kelly with a red virus sample in her hand.


    "So this is the so-called beneficial virus?" said Temo as he grabbed a different Isi sample from the shelf to take a closer look at it.


    There were hundreds of different virus samples in the room. Some were as small as tiny dots while some were even bigger than Anxashe. Regardless of their size, the viruses had all become samples.


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    "Shit, I think we forgot one thing. Where''s the super virus? None of us are dead, I think. Looks like the red biscuits are working," remarked Domo.


    "You''re dead. The rest of us are fine. But yeah, that big fellow is nowhere to be seen. Or perhaps the white clouds earlier are the super virus? Have we defeated the super virus?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Impossible. According to the records, the super virus had instantly killed tens of thousands of imperial soldiers. The virus from earlier is nowhere big enough to accomplish that," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "In that case, we have yet to encounter the super virus. Do not be careless, everyone," I said.


    While we spoke, Dodo updated us that the data had been analyzed. Most of the deleted data had been recovered. We rushed back to the control room. After obtaining Zhang Xingxing''s permission, Dodo projected the recovered data. On a screen in the room, a Blueling second lieutenant called Daisy appeared.


    "Good day, everyone. I am Second Lieutenant Daisy, the person in charge of Pluto''s Outpost Koala, here to provide a routine daily update. The five members staffing the outpost are in excellent condition. The robot assistant, Baobo, has helped extract the genetic sequence of an R13-type virus. After meticulous tests, we proved that this is a destructive virus capable of permeating and destroying the cells of other life forms. It is not a second Isi virus," reported Daisy. From the screen, we could see the other staff members working busily in the background.


    "Looks like the virus research on Pluto had grown to a rather respectable scope. The soldiers were stationed here to search for beneficial germs," praised Old Du.


    Next, Dodo played a few other records. All of them were the reports on their studies on all sorts of viruses. Through the records, we learned that there were two large mechanical arms and several drones equipped with mechanical arms in the outpost. These machines were what the researchers used to gather all the samples we saw without the risk of exposing themselves to the viruses.


    "I think I understand why the cloud germs attacked us so furiously when we arrived," Temo suddenly said.


    "Genius Temo, can you share your wisdom with us?" requested Dodo respectfully.


    "Revenge. These germs possess independent thought. Your low-level civilization constantly catches those from their species for research, and that must have angered them greatly. Therefore, it is not surprising that they would be so hostile to us," reasoned Temo. We all stayed silent. Nobody offered a counter-argument.


    At that moment, a new recording attracted our attention.


    "Good day, everyone. I am the person in charge of Pluto''s Outpost Koala, Second Lieutenant Daisy. Today, we received surprising news from Base Brown Bear. Their excavator had caused a landslide while digging at an area near Wright Mons. The landslide was so massive that it even caused an intense earthquake that could be felt even here at Outpost Koala. According to our latest information, after the landslide, a large layer of ice had appeared. Within the ice, the robot had discovered a new life form.


    "This new life form is dark red in color. Oddly, the red creature can move freely in the ice, looking like it was actually phasing through it. Also, the creature is massive. This was the first time we had ever discovered a life form moving so freely within solid ice. Considering how unique the discovery was, Lieutenant General Angela had sealed the area, and nobody can enter without permission. Outpost Koala is carrying out her order faithfully," said Daisy, shocking all of us with the contents of her report.


    "What is this? Baron, based on your understanding from watching this recording, could it be that the super virus was not discovered by the empire? The league was actually the party responsible for the discovery of the super virus? The league never revealed the contents of this report," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "According to this recording, that is very likely. Looks like the super virus has been living in the ice layer. Perhaps the earthquake and the damage it did to the ground was the reason the super virus was freed from the ice layer," said Baron Sisse.


    "I think so too. There must be an extraordinary ice layer near Wright Mons. The ice must be the key to keeping the super virus contained, but the ice layer had been broken," said Kelly.


    Full of questions, we continued going through the recordings. Before long, an even more exciting recording came up. In the recording, all the staff members could be seen urgently trying to establish contact with someone outside the outpost.


    "Good day, everyone. I am the person in charge of Pluto''s Koala Outpost, Second Lieutenant Daisy. An emergency erupted today. After the withdrawal order yesterday, we lost all contact with Base Brown Bear. We couldn''t contact Outpost Penguin either. All of us are extremely anxious, not knowing what to do next.


    "As a precaution, I sent Officer David out on a shuttle to get an update on Base Brown Bear. However, we lost contact with Officer David. Even now, contact has not been re-established.


    "There are still many germ samples in Outpost Koala. The moment they come in contact with Pluto''s air, they all turn active. Only special transportation machines can move these samples. We don''t dare to leave the outpost unguarded, so we can only wait for reinforcement patiently. All emergency signals have been sent. To anyone receiving this message, please contact me as soon as possible," finished Daisy, her face full of worry.


    "This recording must have been made a few days before the empire''s invasion of Pluto. But why did Outpost Koala lose contact with Base Brown Bear?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "If she had used all available channels for her emergency message, the message utilizing the gamma-ray channel would definitely reach Blue. Temo, is your ship capable of using the light recall method to retrieve the emergency message?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Hearing the question, Temo tried to connect Outpost Koala''s communication device with Markus''s operating system. In less than five minutes, a connection was established. Surprisingly, not only was there no emergency message to be found, there wasn''t even a trace of any outward communication sent by Outpost Koala.


    "What is this? It is impossible that not a single trace of communication can be found. Where are all the emergency messages?" asked Old Du in confusion.


    "Is it possible that the entire outpost was surrounded by cloud germs and that all outward signals were caught within the germs that could trap both living beings and signals?" Kelly suggested.


    "Let''s stop the discussion for now. Dodo, continue going through the data," said Zhang Xingxing.

 CH 298

    With Zhang Xingxing''s order, Dodo played the next recording. However, we only saw a blank screen, indicating that the record had been deleted. Dodo started searching the database quickly, trying to restore the deleted recording. A few minutes later, parts of the recording were restored.


    "Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt. Bob, where are you? Bzzt. Bzzt. Bob, we''re leaving on foot. Bzzt. Bzzt. Daisy, we can''t keep waiting for Bob, or we will run out of time," amid the static noise, we obtained an important piece of information.


    "Sounds like the team posted here retreated?" said Kelly.


    "Yeah, but it looks like the robot called Bob had not gone with them. Daisy and the others had left on foot," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "You mean Bob the robot is still here in this outpost? If that''s the case, we will be able to learn more from them," said Old Du in excitement.


    According to the information in the recording, the robot called Bob had not left with the others. However, we had inspected the entire outpost. Where did that robot Bob hide? We doubtfully searched all the rooms in the outpost again, paying close attention to possible basements or hidden rooms. Unfortunately, we did not find anything even after a long, detailed search.


    "Temo, have the drones on Markus search the outpost''s surroundings," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Temo did as told and deployed the drones from Markus. The sight they recorded appeared before our eyes, shocking all of us into a collective daze. The crater was in complete chaos, and the outpost was surrounded by cloud germs. At the same time, numerous ice chunk germs had already climbed onto the outer wall of the outpost.


    "Shit! Would they enter through the ventilation ducts?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t worry. Pluto''s air is filled with nitrogen, so there is no need to build any ventilation ducts. Carbon dioxide will be converted into oxygen by bacteria. The entire process is conducted in a closed-circuit system," replied Dodo.


    As the drones continued scouting around, we saw an oddly-shaped block of ice. The conspicuous chunk of ice was extremely eye-catching, looking like a pupa standing straight on the ground.


    "Is anyone else seeing that ice chunk? It looks odd," said Temo.


    "The selected site for this outpost must be a relatively flat piece of land. That chunk of ice must have formed after the outpost was built. Is it possible that the ice chunk is Bob?" asked Old Du.


    "That''s very possible. Scan the ice," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    The outpost was equipped with external scanners. Dodo immediately controlled the scanners and performed a scan on the ice chunk. We were proved right¡ªthe result indicated that there was a metallic robot in the chunk of ice. There was no doubt that the robot was none other than Bob.


    "The robot must have been frozen after running out by itself," said Domo.


    "Robots deployed to Pluto should be capable of resisting the bitter cold here. I believe Bob must have lost their sense of direction and was trapped for a long time by the germs. Eventually, they ended up frozen for an unknown reason," suggested Zhang Xingxing.


    "We''re surrounded by germs. Do we have a way to get Bob back to the outpost?" I asked.


    "The outpost is equipped with mechanical claws for germ-capturing purposes. We can try to use them to lift the robot over," said Dodo.


    Without any hesitation, Dodo activated the mechanical claws and tried using them. Four massive mechanical claws immediately rose from the two sides of the outpost. The claws were much more nimble than we had imagined. All four of the arms moved steadily toward the chunk of ice. But when the cloud germs noticed the claws, they swarmed them. Before long, the arms vanished from our screen.


    "This is bad. We lost visual contact with the mechanical claws," exclaimed Dondon anxiously.


    "Don''t worry. This is probably a common occurrence. I can still see the positions of the mechanical claws through the system. Looks like Outpost Koala had long prepared ways of dealing with these germs with their equipment, with the premise that the equipment remains connected to the outpost," said Dodo calmly while looking at the map on the screen.


    With the power of technology, the giant mechanical arms ignored the germs and reached Bob speedily. The four claws worked together to snap the ice chunk off the ground before lifting it into the sky.


    Numerous ice chunk germs fell off the rising claws. At that time, we noticed a red electrical current emerging from within one of the claws. The current wrapped around the captured object. Next, more electrical currents surged out from the other claws, but they were blue. The moment the blue high-voltage currents appeared, the cloud germs retreated. Once again, the mechanical claws became visible to our eyes.


    With the protection of the high-voltage currents, the mechanical claws brought the frozen chunk to the top of the outpost and through an opening. After the arms withdrew, the opening closed.


    "There''s a room upstairs. Let''s go," I urged impatiently.


    "Wait. Some germs still managed to enter with the claws. We need to strictly disinfect our target and cover it tightly before doing anything with it. Otherwise, a single fatal germ will be enough to kill all of us. Here in this room, we can personally monitor the disinfection," said Dodo.


    The disinfection took 30 minutes. Apart from the object wrapped in the red electric current, all the germs around the claws were killed by electrical discharges. After killing all the surrounding germs, Dodo melted the ice chunk and then killed all the germs that were in the water that had melted from the ice.


    Next, some gel-like substance started permeating into the red electric current before solidifying. Before long, something that looked like a preserved specimen appeared before our eyes.


    "Dodo you fool! You turned it into a specimen! How are we supposed to talk to the robot now?" questioned Zhang Bao''er loudly.


    "Please respect a robot at work. I''m only halfway through the process. Why are you shouting at me?" Dodo scolded back.


    We could see that within the solidified chunk, countless germs of all sizes could be seen. Even though they had all been frozen in the gel-like substance, the sheer number of them was enough to shock all of us.


    A laser beam appeared and started its work. The beam cut the solidified gel around Bob. The beam worked carefully to ensure that all the frozen germs were cleanly separated from the robot without exposing a germ to the air.


    It was slow and delicate work. We could only wait patiently. After more than an hour, all the frozen germs were cut off and gathered by the micro-robots in the room. After a final scan, the system finally confirmed that Bob was free of germs.


    "Disinfection complete. We can now send that fellow to the command center. Permission to start," said Dodo.


    "Are you sure this robot has been cleared of all germs?" asked Old Du cautiously.


    "Bob is a robot specially designed to work on Pluto with airtight skin. I already confirmed that there is no exposure on the robot. A full scan has been performed inside the robot as well, ensuring that there are no germs inside," said Dodo confidently.


    "If you''re sure, send it over. Shields on, everyone. Anxashe and Zhang Bao''er, get your weapons ready," ordered Zhang Bao''er.


    Dodo carried out the order and had the outpost''s internal system deliver Bob to us. Before long, the metallic fellow was standing before us. Bob looked much sturdier than Dodo. After all, Bob was a robot working on Pluto. Their entire body was completely airtight, and thrusters and simple weapons were installed on them.


    This was completely different from Dodo''s design, and it was considered an unlawful design according to the league''s laws. After all, robots were prohibited from carrying weapons in the league. It was now clear that not all rules were absolute. For unique circumstances, change was necessary. Bob remained unconscious, their eyes still shut tight as they stood still.


    "Dodo, this is your people. How do we wake them up?" asked Wind Spirit. It was quite rare to see her speak because she had been busy eating the entire time.


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    "I think the independent energy circulation system in their body has been shut off for too long. There is not enough energy reserve in the body for activation. I wonder if their energy has been exhausted during the fight with the germs or if the energy has simply been absorbed by the germs. According to the data, they have no energy in the body. The energy circulation system will only resume operation after the system is recharged," replied Dodo politely.


    "The recharge should be doable inside this outpost, right? Let''s do it. Don''t waste more time. I feel very uncomfortable staying here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    After receiving the order, Dodo went to work. A probe was inserted into Bob''s recharge port, and a rapid recharge started. A minute later, the number zero on the screen indicating Bob''s energy level increased to one. That confirmed that the recharge was working. We were all relieved.


    At that speed, it would take about an hour to completely recharge Bob. Zhang Xingxing requested us to not activate Bob''s built-in reactor and energy crystals until after Bob was fully recharged. That way, we could ensure that the energy circulation system within Bob would work without any issues. While waiting, everyone took the chance to rest and recover some energy.

 CH 299

    An hour passed quickly. Everyone was waiting for Bob to wake up, and nobody was in much of a mood to talk. During the wait, Old Du solemnly kept watch over the outpost''s surroundings for the arrival of even more powerful viruses.


    At that time, a fierce ice storm had appeared outside. The wind was strong enough to reach level 12 on the Beaufort scale. Due to the storm, the temperature outside the outpost had reached negative 239 degrees. We found to our astonishment that the intense storm had caused the cloud germs to be even more excited.


    "These monsters look extremely well-adapted to Pluto''s environment. The fierce storm only serves to make them happy," said Kelly.


    Suddenly, we all heard an odd sound, as though a different sound was mixed among the noise caused by the storm.


    "Canyue, Bao''er, can you hear that?" asked Old Du nervously.


    "Don''t talk. Let me listen," said Temo as he waved his hand.


    We listened seriously, and I found that mixed among the sounds of the wind was a roar akin to a demon''s roar. And amid the roar was an extremely eerie sound similar to someone laughing.


    "Ghost! That''s a ghost!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed.


    "Don''t be stupid. There are no ghosts. That must be the noise made by an unknown life form," I said, stopping Zhang Bao''er''s imagination from running wild.


    "Just what kind of a planet is this? We have just arrived, but we have already encountered so many weird things. Are we really still in the Solar System?" Zhang Bao''er started complaining again.


    "It sounds like the noise made by a super powerful creature. The creature is probably approaching the star level," said Temo.


    "How can you determine a creature''s level from its noise? Also, how can a beast be assigned a level of civilization? What can a beast even do with it?" asked Domo. His attitude seemed to have improved significantly when talking to Temo.


    "How can a beast be useless? Just look at that little fellow you guys have. How many times has it saved you? The higher the level of a creature, the more capable the creature is of thought and evolution," said Temo.


    With Bulu as an example, Domo had nothing to say. While listening to the terrifying roars, Dodo suddenly exclaimed, "Reporting, Bob has finished recharging."


    That pulled all our attention back. We saw that the system was indicating that the recharging had been completed and that Bob''s energy reserve had reached 100 percent, enough to activate the self-circulation system within Bob''s body.


    "Superior, permission to activate Bob?" asked Dodo.


    As a precaution, Zhang Xingxing repeated her orders, making everyone turn on their shields, and arranged for cover fire. She then gave the order to activate Bob. With the order given, Dodo pressed the activation button.


    The light on the screen lit up as a surge of energy flooded into Bob''s inactive energy circulation system. More and more energy flooded into the system before finally, signs of activity were detected in Bob''s body.


    "Activation successful!" exclaimed Dodo upon seeing the system indication.


    But the moment Dodo uttered those words, with a snap, the power in the outpost was cut off. Darkness descended as everything in the outpost stopped running. Greatly shocked, we hurriedly turned on our personal lighting.


    "Dodo, what''s going on?" asked Zhang Xingxing, her voice anxious.


    "I''m not sure yet. For some reason, the energy system in the outpost has been shut down," said Dodo.


    "What are you waiting for? Turn it back on," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "Why are you so loud? The system has been locked by an unknown command. I''m trying very hard to override the command," said Dodo without even looking at Zhang Bao''er, their gaze fully focused on the control desk.


    "This is bad! Bob is missing!" Dondon''s nervous voice suddenly rang out.


    We hurriedly aimed our flashlights at Bob''s previous position. We found with dread that a robot so big had vanished right beside us without making any noise.


    "Be on the alert, everyone! Enter the circular formation! Protect Dodo!" ordered Zhang Xingxing. She was already a veteran in combat and was able to stay calm.


    We formed a circular formation around Dodo, giving them protection while they worked on the system.


    "Canyue, did you see that fellow when they escaped?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s a dumb question. If I saw it, why would I let them escape?" I said.


    "Isn''t it about time you let your brother, Bulu, out to give us some help?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    At that reminder, I opened my backpack. Surprisingly, Bulu, who was supposed to be filled with energy, only had a single red glow on its body. The brightness of its body had dimmed considerably.


    ''Bulu is probably not interested in participating in this,'' I thought as I put on my backpack again.


    With the power cut, the outpost''s system stopped running. The entire outpost became exceptionally silent. Amid the darkness, the only thing I could hear was the sound of the others breathing nervously.


    Suddenly, we heard eerie laughter and a roar. The sounds were approaching rapidly. They became louder and louder, giving us the feeling as though a demon king was descending upon us. As fear slowly seeped in, an overcast voice rang out from the corner of the room.


    "Turn off your lights if you still want to live!"


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    "Who are you? Stop playing games with me! Show yourself, or I''ll open fire!" shouted Zhang Bao''er as he shone his flashlight toward where the voice had come from. However, nothing could be seen there.


    "Don''t act blindly. It might be Bob. Don''t open fire rashly," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Meanwhile, the eerie laughter was coming closer and closer.


    "Turn off your lights! Otherwise, all of us will die!" the overcast voice rang out again.


    For some reason, the voice sounded exceptionally imposing the second time. It affected Zhang Xingxing enough that she gave the order to shut off our lights. "Do it!"


    With the order, we all turned off the lights on our suits. Less than a minute later, the eerie laughter was right above us. The sound of something large landing rang out above us, accompanied by heavy thuds. The evil laughter became louder and louder, circling above us.


    We felt as though we were prey being gazed upon by a pair of terrifying eyes from the darkness. All my hair stood on end. I didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. I was confident the people around me felt the same. We were all atheists, and this was the very first time we had encountered a situation like this. It was impossible for us to not panic.


    The loud thuds continued sounding above us. The monster seemed to be searching for something on the roof. I was worried that it would come down for us. The silence in the outpost was deafening, and even the noise from the storm outside seemed to have faded away, leaving only the eerie laughter resounding in the air.


    The eerie laughter tormented us for over 10 minutes and did not show any signs of leaving. At that time, I sensed some movement from Zhang Bao''er in the darkness. That fellow seemed to be running out of patience.


    I slowly reached out and placed my hand on Zhang Bao''er''s shoulder, signaling to him to not be rash. My hand proved comforting; I felt the agitated fellow calming down. The laughter continued torturing us for about 10 more minutes, during which we didn''t dare to make any sound. Suddenly, we heard the footsteps of something running and taking off. The laughter started moving away from us.


    A minute after the laughter left, I heard the sound of Zhang Bao''er slumping onto the floor. Immediately after, everyone in the room slumped down as well. The intense nervousness had exhausted all of us.


    "Don''t turn on the light. Don''t move either. I''ll turn on the lighting system when it''s safe," the overcast voice rang out again.


    Hearing that voice, we all remained on the floor, not daring to move. After more than 10 minutes, the laughter couldn''t be heard anymore. Abruptly, the outpost regained its power. My suit displayed its effectiveness, and I did not need to make any adjustments due to the sudden return of light. With one glance, I saw Bob standing in front of the control desk. I hadn''t even heard their approach.


    "You! Why did you act all mysterious to scare all of us? Couldn''t you have warned us in advance?" Zhang Bao''er complained.


    "Yeah. There are no monsters we can''t defeat. If it comes, we''ll just defeat it," Domo joined in.


    "All of us nearly died earlier. I don''t have the time to explain. I could only cut the power source temporarily. That monster relies on light to lock onto its target," said Bob.


    "You must be Bob, Daisy''s assistant," said Old Du.


    "Yes, that''s me. Who are you? Why are you here at this time?" asked the robot.


    "Put that aside for now. What monster was that? What happened here? This is Commander Zhang Xingxing from the league. She has the authority to know everything that has happened here. Update us," said Kelly, giving a military order.


    "It is a terrifying monster. It had destroyed Base Brown Bear and Outpost Penguin. We''re the final target. Back then, Daisy was unwilling to sit around waiting for death, so she decided that we should save ourselves," said Bob.


    "Terrifying monster? Can you be clearer? Is it also a type of giant germ?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Bob gave us a rather terrifying reply, "No, it is a different kind of life form. We know it as the fiend of Pluto."

 CH 300

    "What the hell is that? Why isn''t that mentioned in any of the league''s records?" asked Kelly in astonishment.


    "The monster is something that had appeared after the super virus''s appearance. The league had found the super virus within the broken ice layer, and the freak had appeared together with the super virus. It is said that it has no ears but that its eyes can detect any source of light," said Bob.


    "How are you sure that it isn''t a type of germ?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Prior to its destruction, Outpost Penguin had transmitted a video back to us. In the video, the back of the monster could be seen. It is a life form whose shape is constantly changing."


    "Constantly changing? What do you mean? From its footsteps earlier, we can be sure that it is quite a heavy and sturdy monster," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Don''t you have any more information?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. That monster is extremely sensitive to light. Those from Outpost Penguin had all been killed precisely because they hadn''t been able to turn off their lights in time. On the same day, we felt the monster coming for us as well. However, Outpost Koala happened to be under maintenance, so our lights were all off. That saved us, but subsequently, the monster went to Outpost Penguin and killed everyone there. After that, Base Brown Bear ordered a withdrawal," replied Bob guiltily.


    "Even if it''s constantly changing shapes, it can still be a germ. What attacking methods does it have?" asked Temo.


    "After losing contact with the base, Second Lieutenant Daisy attempted to re-establish contact with them. In doing so, she turned on the power, attracting the monster again. During the attack, we were able to cut off our power in time and escape destruction," said Bob.


    "In other words, that monster had attacked you multiple times?" asked Old Du.


    "Yes. It attacked us three times in total. After the destruction of Outpost Penguin, we concluded that the fiend relied on light to determine the target to attack. Subsequently, we managed to establish some patterns of its movement. After every attack, there will be eight safe hours. After eight hours, darkness must be maintained at all costs. Eventually, Daisy ran out of patience. She decided to head to the base for help. At that time, we were no longer in contact with the base," said Bob.


    "Why didn''t you contact the league headquarters to have them pick you up with a spaceship?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We can''t abandon the samples kept in the outpost, and we have been maintaining contact with Mars. For some reason, the spaceship they promised never arrived, and they couldn''t contact Base Brown Bear either. Eventually, we also lost contact with Mars. When that happened, Second Lieutenant Daisy recalled that there were spaceships in Base Brown Bear. Thus, she wanted all of us to head to Base Brown Bear for the ship before returning to collect all the samples here. We would then be able to leave with all the samples," said Bob.


    "Are those samples really so important? Just abandon them and leave with the ship," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That won''t do. If we did, we would be subjected to exile for acting against military orders," replied Bob, reminding us of our own painful experience.


    At that point, the few of us who were once fugitives for acting against orders did not know what to say. An awkward silence descended.


    "In that case, you need a specially designed ship if you want to leave with all these samples," said Baron Sisse, breaking the silence.


    "Yes. Our utility ship can simulate Pluto''s environment. With the special simulated environment, we can make use of solid hydrocarbons to contain the germs. Otherwise, we might bring a great loss of life to our destination," said Bob.


    "I remember hearing from the records that Daisy and the others had left on foot. Is that right?" asked Kelly.


    "There are two shuttles in Outpost Koala. One of them was taken by soldier David to seek help from the base. He never returned. David is most likely dead. Daisy decided to take the second shuttle to Base Brown Bear. To be safe, she sent me ahead to start the ship, but right before I could enter the ship, the cloud germs attacked me. I lost my sense of direction before eventually losing all perception," replied Bob.


    "I understand. Second Lieutenant Daisy must have decided to set off on foot after seeing the sole remaining shuttle being surrounded by cloud germs," said Kelly.


    "That might not be the case. Perhaps something else happened after that. Daisy should have been aware of what the cloud germs were capable of. She can still save Bob. This is still a puzzle that we can only solve after seeing Daisy," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Kelly asked Bob an important question: "Where is Daisy? Can you contact her?"


    "Second Lieutenant Daisy had probably set off to Base Brown Bear. I''ll try contacting her," said Bob as they started working at the control desk.


    "Wait. It has been a year. It is very unlikely that you''ll be able to contact them. Also, this planet is now under the Divine Empire''s control. If you send a message out, you''ll only attract the empire''s attention," said Baron Sisse.


    "What? Pluto has been conquered by the Divine Empire?" exclaimed Bob in shock.


    "Yes, conquered by the Divine Empire. I have one question. Earlier, we were able to clearly see the dots of light coming from the imperial military base. Why isn''t the fiend attacking the imperial base?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "The imperial army must have found a way to deal with the fiend. After losing tens of thousands of people here, the empire would not stay silent. They must have made some specific arrangements for this planet," said Temo. It was obvious he was very confident in the capabilities of the Sacred Wing race.


    "There is no point in staying here any longer. That fiend will return after a few hours. I suggest we head to Base Brown Bear to obtain more information. Don''t forget our main mission here," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "How should we handle these virus samples?" asked Bob, still worried about the consequences of acting against orders.


    "Just leave them here. I''ll use my wartime prerogative to cancel your initial order," said Zhang Xingxing.


    With Zhang Xingxing''s words, Bob stopped worrying. We started making preparations to head for Base Brown Bear. At that time, we were faced with a new problem. How should we return to Markus? The outpost was already surrounded by germs.


    "Don''t worry, everyone. I have an idea," said Bob, offering us a piece of good news.


    "What is it? Say it," urged Zhang Bao''er.


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    "Isi virus. We can use Isi to chase the cloud germs away. That was how we protected ourselves during our outdoor operations," said Bob.


    "If you have Isi with you, how did you end up frozen out there?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "The situation on that day was very urgent. I left with the regular amount of Isi, but there were too many cloud germs. I did not take enough Isi with me. Therefore, I suggest we take enough Isi with us to protect us," said Bob.


    "Where''s the Isi virus? We didn''t find much even after searching the outpost several times," asked Old Du.


    "We have an Isi-breeding center in the basement. I''ll take you there," said Bob while working on the control desk. Surprisingly, the control desk split apart, revealing an entrance leading to the basement.


    ''What a surprise. A basement is hidden right below the control desk. No wonder we weren''t able to find it,'' I thought.


    We followed Bob into the basement. A germ-breeding base appeared before our eyes. Within the glass room, numerous germs were kept in different glass cabins.


    "My god. So not only are they gathering germ samples on Pluto, but they have also reached the breeding stage," exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "At present, the league has only started breeding beneficial germs. These germs are still controllable and useful to us. The league is capable of breeding these germs, but some of the fiercer ones are still under observation and can''t be bred. Through tests, we discovered that the Isi virus could resist the cloud germs," said Bob.


    "Where are the Isi viruses kept?" asked Zhang Xingxing while looking at the numerous breeding cabins in the basement.


    "Here. I''ll take the properly packaged ones," said Bob as they stopped in front of a relatively large cabin.


    We walked up to the cabin and saw numerous red Petri dishes. Bob controlled the robots in the cabin and had them withdraw the red Petri dishes. After receiving the command, the robots moved all the Petri dishes into a relatively large test tube. Over 20 sets were prepared based on our numbers and were then sent out on a conveyor belt.


    "We''ll take two each. A single set is not enough to resist the cloud germs. I doubled the dose for everyone. These containers will automatically release the Isi virus when we encounter the cloud germs. We won''t need to do anything with them," said Bob while carefully taking two of the tubes and putting them away.


    "Bob, if the germ samples are to be moved, how does the league intend to handle the ones here?" asked Kelly.


    "In the event of withdrawal, we will use the heat control facility to kill everything down here. After that, the outpost will self-detonate to erase everything here," said Bob.

 CH 301

    After everyone received their share of the Isi virus, Zhang Xingxing gave the order to withdraw. Markus was only 10 meters away from us. Before we withdrew, Bob released a bait, attracting the cloud germs to the back of Outpost Koala. Then, we turned off all the lights and rushed out of the door.


    We ran toward Markus, but the cloud germs noticed us immediately. They instantly swarmed us from everywhere. Unlike our previous encounter with the cloud germs, they stayed a meter away from us this time. That was far enough that they couldn''t affect our senses.


    "Looks like the Isi virus is working," said Domo as he clicked his tongue.


    With the effect of the Isi virus, we were able to return to Markus without much issue. Triggered by our escape, the cloud germs raged. More and more of them crawled out of the ice volcano, looking like they were going to completely surround Markus. We gathered in Markus''s command center. There, Zhang Xingxing ordered Temo to take off immediately. But then, the eerie laughter returned.


    "Impossible! How can the fiend return so quickly?" exclaimed Bob in shock.


    The laughter started approaching us. All our hair stood on end because we could hear the approach clearly.


    "Do we take off immediately or temporarily shut down all power?" asked Temo calmly, showcasing the mental strength of a star-level individual.


    "Turn off all light sources temporarily. We''ll wait," said Zhang Xingxing, maintaining calm despite the incoming danger.


    Following Zhang Xingxing''s order, Temo shut off all light sources. We all waited silently, not daring to make any sound. The eerie laughter approached rapidly. Before long, it was right outside the ship. I could still hear Bob complaining in whispers that the monster was not following its usual pattern.


    A series of thuds resounded. Unsurprisingly, the monster had landed on the outpost''s roof again. Due to the intense storm and the large number of cloud germs outside, visibility was low. Without our light sources, I couldn''t get a clear look at the monster through the window despite trying very hard.


    Even with all our powerful weapons, we had all been contained by a monster we couldn''t see. The eerie laughter released by the monster was akin to a blade hanging right atop my heart. Prolonged exposure to this laughter would cause one to suffer from a nervous breakdown, giving one the urge to rush out and fight it to the death. Suddenly, I vaguely saw two bright dots of light amid the darkness.


    ''Are those the monster''s eyes?'' I wondered inwardly.


    The moment I saw the eyes, the fiend hissed loudly and jumped off the outpost''s roof, landing atop Markus. Its landing was shockingly accurate.


    "Don''t look out the window. Lower your heads. Your eyes will reflect light," Bob hurriedly said.


    Only then did I notice that apart from Bob and Dondon, everyone else was looking out the window. With Bob''s reminder, we hurriedly lowered our heads. Alas, it was too late. Fierce knocking sounds rang out above us. The impact was strong, giving us a feeling that the roof was going to collapse on us soon.


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    "We can''t just sit here doing nothing. Temo, is your ship not equipped with an automatic defense system?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was starting to lose his cool.


    "Calm down. It won''t be so easy for it to break through Markus''s alloy hull," said Temo calmly.


    "We were definitely discovered. We might really need to hit back," said Bob nervously.


    "Calm down, everyone. Keep waiting. Don''t move. We don''t want to let it sense any movements," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Since Bob had mentioned that the fiend of Pluto was deaf, we started discussing fearlessly. Suddenly, the knocking sounds stopped. It sounded like the fiend had left the roof. I was about to look up instinctively when Zhang Xingxing stopped me.


    "Everyone, keep your heads down. Do not look out the window," ordered Zhang Xingxing calmly.


    Everyone had no idea where the fiend was, so everyone was still extremely restless. This sensation of waiting helplessly in the dark was something I hated most. The fiend caused me extreme discomfort, and I secretly swore to have a proper fight with the fiend when I had the chance.


    Just as my thoughts were running wild, a fierce thud sounded by the side of the ship. The sound was loud, and the impact was powerful enough to cause all of us who were crouched on the floor to lose balance and fall down.


    "Shut your eyes! Do not open them! I''ll be in charge of observation. Hang on!" Bob quickly said.


    "This fellow is changing its attacking direction. Just what monster is this? Why is it so strong?" complained Domo as he panted nervously.


    The fiend kept pounding on the ship, each hit stronger than the previous. It felt as though the sturdy Markus was about to be knocked over.


    "Temo, can Markus resist such force? You should know your ship well," asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I think so?" answered Temo. His signature calm was nowhere to be seen.


    "Bang!" The ship was lifted about 40 degrees to one side before dropping heavily onto the ground again. Fortunately, Markus''s automatic shock absorber system worked and allowed the ship to drop safely.


    "Looks like the ship will be fine. We''ll let the monster continue its attacks. I want to see how long it can persevere. I refuse to believe it can last forever," said Zhang Bao''er. He seemed rather confident in Markus.


    Those words slightly relieved our nerves. As the fierce pounding continued, we slowly adapted ourselves to the tense situation. After over 10 minutes of intense pounding, the fiend suddenly stopped.


    "Looks like that fellow is really tired. Did it give up due to exhaustion?" asked Domo, thinking that Zhang Bao''er''s prediction had been proven right.


    We waited patiently for the third wave of attacks to begin, but oddly, the laughter and the pounding had all stopped. It was so silent that it felt eerie.


    "Did the fiend leave?" asked Zhang Xingxing doubtfully.


    "I don''t think so. This monster will make a lot of noise when coming and going. It rarely moves so silently," replied Bob.


    "Maybe the fiend has changed its habit to leaving silently to save itself from the embarrassment of failure? After all, the eight-hour attacking interval you mentioned had changed," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I don''t think it''s so simple. This feels too wrong," said Baron Sisse.


    "Bob, have you discovered anything?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I''m using the sound scanner on the monster. It has not left. It''s right beside our ship," answered Bob.


    "What? It''s right beside the ship? What is it doing there?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "It''s staring at us without moving. I don''t know why," said Bob. We felt even more doubtful.


    After looking down for so long, Zhang Bao''er decided to just lie down and rest on the floor. When the others saw, they all lay down as well. Since we couldn''t escape, we might as well rest. An odd atmosphere descended. The fiend of Pluto was not attacking, merely standing silently, gazing at its prey while all of us went to sleep on the floor.


    It did not take long for the exhaustion and silence to send me into a deep sleep. After an unknown amount of time, I opened my eyes. Sunlight was shining through Markus''s windows, and the storm outside seemed to have receded. There was finally some light in the ship. I looked around and saw that the others were still asleep. I was actually the first to wake up. To the side, Dodo was bringing Bob up to date on the events that had transpired over the past year.


    "Bob, has the fiend left?" I asked.


    "Still there. I don''t know why. This is the first time I see it acting like this," said Bob helplessly.


    "Maybe Markus''s hull is too sturdy. Since it can''t break this star-level shell, it decided to compete in endurance instead," said Dodo.


    While talking, I accidentally looked outside. Finally, I got a clear look at the fiend. Thanks to the sunshine, the light sources from our bodies were no longer so glaringly obvious. I could see that the monster was akin to a blooming flower standing beside Markus. Its body looked transparent, and its organs could be clearly seen in the center of its body.


    Surprisingly, the organs looked like numerous separate life forms that were freely swimming within its body. They were even devouring each other, and the entire process appeared completely random with no pattern to it.


    The fiend was most likely unable to see us anymore since its senses had been overwhelmed by the sunlight. Its unique composition was something I had never seen before. I was even more surprised to find that the fiend had no legs. In that case, how did it make the knocking sound when it landed on the roof?


    "Is that fellow also asleep?" came a voice beside me. I looked back and saw that Zhang Bao''er had also awakened and was looking at the fiend after seeing that I was looking at it.


    After a while, everyone else woke up from the noise we made. Everyone decided to start observing the terrifying monster.

 CH 302

    "What kind of monster is this? I have never seen something like this," said Anxashe. Even an experienced soldier like him couldn''t contain his astonishment.


    "Baron, Canyue, Bob, we need to come up with a solution to deal with this monster. We can''t afford to waste our time here. We haven''t even found any information related to the great sovereign yet. We need to leave this place as quickly as possible," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This fiend has an extremely weird body composition. It''s like the organs in it are constantly duplicating and separating. Each separated organ will fight the initial organ and devour each other. What is this?" said Baron Sisse doubtfully.


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    "I believe this is a state of constant and forceful evolution. It is able to forcefully devour itself and evolve internally, resulting in its incredible prowess," said Bob.


    "Why would a freak like this exist? It''s eating itself to evolve?" I said with a frown.


    "This is actually not too surprising. Evolution is an extremely slow process. In order to hasten the process, higher civilizations will take extreme steps. We''re looking at one such example," said Temo.


    "Perhaps Pluto''s environment is too vile, forcing the life forms here to constantly evolve and adapt to it," said Old Du.


    "I don''t think it''s that simple. If it''s only for the sake of adapting to the environment, there is no need for such a savage and extreme rate of evolution. I believe there must be a different reason," said Temo.


    "I have a guess. Bob said that the fiend of Pluto had appeared after the discovery of the super virus. Perhaps the league had also accidentally released this monster when the super virus was discovered. As for the reason for the monster''s extreme evolution, it was probably so that the fiend could resist the even more powerful super virus," said Zhang Xingxing.


    One ought to admit that her analysis made sense. All of us nodded in agreement.


    "If its constant evolution was caused by the super virus, the two of them are definitely the bane of each other. I have been confused by the absence of the super virus, but now I understand. This is the fiend''s territory. The super virus can''t enter this place even if it wants to," said Baron Sisse.


    Baron Sisse''s analysis also made a lot of sense, and we all agreed with this new line of thought.


    "If we can make use of this monster, won''t it be helpful against the super virus?" Old Du had an abrupt idea.


    "You think too much, low-civilization fellow. This is a star-level being. How can you control it?" said Temo.


    "Even if it is a high-civilization being, we have Bulu of an even higher level. Even if we can''t control a group of these freaks, it should be fine controlling just one," said Old Du.


    Using Bulu to control the fiend and use it against the super virus. Only Old Du could come up with an idea so crazy. I hurriedly took Bulu out of my backpack, and I saw that Bulu''s dim body was starting to glow brighter. The little fellow seemed to be reacting to our conversation.


    "Canyue, what is that fellow planning?" asked Wind Spirit. "It''s standing completely still. Is it sleeping? Maybe we can just run while it''s sleeping."


    "We can''t act rashly. Perhaps the fiend is waiting for us to run," Temo disagreed.


    "How are you so sure?" asked Wind Spirit.


    "Yeah, how are you so sure?" Domo jumped out and voiced his support.


    "Do you remember this freak''s arrival? It came during the storm. As for the super virus, it lives in ice. One lives in the sky while one lives under the ground. I believe the sky is the fiend''s domain. Thus, it must have set up a trap, waiting for us to take off into the sky," said Temo.


    "You mean to say that we won''t be able to escape through the sky?" asked Zhang Bao''er with a sneer.


    "I think that big fellow''s idea is worth trying," said Temo as he pointed at Old Du, showing his support for the plan of using Bulu to control the fiend.


    Seeing that even Temo was in favor of using Bulu, Zhang Xingxing started to agree to the idea. At that point, the pressure landed on my shoulders.


    "Canyue, why don''t we let Bulu give it a try?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I want to try as well, but this fellow might not necessarily listen to me. I feel that it is currently still in its slumbering state. I am not confident I can fully wake it up," I said helplessly.


    Looking at the dim glow coming from Bulu''s body, who looked like it was in a half-asleep state, everyone accepted my words.


    "Is there a way for us to communicate better with Bulu? We don''t have a lot of time. We urgently need to communicate with Bulu," asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Communication with Bulu generally happens when your mind is under control. We need to lose our consciousness if we want to talk to Bulu," I said.


    "And how can you achieve that?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We can let Canyue sleep. He won''t be able to control his mind when sleeping," said Dodo.


    "And how can we make Li Canyue fall asleep quickly?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I can''t sleep. I just woke up. How am I supposed to fall asleep again?" I said.


    After I said that, everyone looked at me with an odd expression, seemingly at a loss by the sudden stubbornness I was displaying.


    "I can help," a voice rang out loudly. When I looked back, it was Domo.


    "For us Jidos, sleeping is nothing hard," said Domo confidently.


    "Pfft. Just a cheap trick," said Temo with a sneer.


    "Say that again. I''ll tear you apart," Domo raged.


    Naturally, Zhang Xingxing wouldn''t let a fight break out during such a crucial moment. She signaled Old Du with her eyes, and he stepped forth to stop Domo.


    "Let''s return to the topic. Domo, how can you make me sleep? Do it," I said, urging Domo for the sake of completing the mission as quickly as possible.


    "We''ll settle our score later," said Domo before taking out a blue pill.


    "What is that? Is it poisonous? Why is a sleeping pill so brightly colored?" questioned Temo.


    "Use it if you want. I don''t care. I''m in a bad mood," said Domo.


    An awkward silence descended. The grudge between Domo and Temo was much deeper than we thought. But to hasten the progress of our mission, I did not hesitate to take the blue pill from Domo. The moment the pill entered my mouth, I lost consciousness.


    "Canyue, wake up," a voice rang out softly.


    I opened my eyes and saw Zhang Xingxing calling to me. I hurriedly sat up and saw that I was inside a white room.


    "Commander, why are you also in the dreamland? Did you take the blue pill too?" I asked.


    "Yes. This mission is too important. I was worried that it would be difficult for you to do this alone, so I took a blue pill to help you," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That''s too risky. Where are we? Where''s Bulu?" I asked. I did not agree that she should take the risk and join me in the dreamland.


    "You had awakened me and forcefully entered the mind-communication mode with me," Bulu''s voice rang out.


    "Bulu, where are you? Come on out. Why are you hiding?" I complained.


    "I still can''t show myself, but I can communicate with both of you at the same time," replied Bulu.


    "Fine. Since you''re so amazing, you should already be aware of the difficult situation we''re in. Can you control that fiend?" I asked.


    "I already did it. As for whether it is willing to work with you, that will rely on your talk with it," said Bulu.


    "I need to talk with it? How and where?" I asked.


    "Behind the sole door in this room. Beyond that door is a separate space. Your so-called fiend is waiting there," said Bulu. Hearing Bulu''s words, I became nervous.


    "Canyue, don''t worry. I''ll go with you," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "No, you can''t. Li Canyue must go alone. That fellow''s mental current is too powerful. I can only keep it contained for a short period of time. Canyue, you need to finish talking to it as quickly as possible. This is the only help I can give you," said Bulu firmly.


    Since Bulu had already made it so clear, I decided to meet the star-level creature myself.


    "Canyue, prioritize your safety. I''ll be on standby here. Release a signal the moment you encounter danger," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry. We''re all communicating with our minds. In this form, we don''t yet know who''s stronger. Let me meet that monster and see what''s so special about it," I said, feigning indifference to alleviate Zhang Xingxing''s worry.


    "Are you ready yet? You''re wasting time," Bulu urged me again. This was my first time seeing Bulu so nervous. It was clear this fiend was not a simple opponent. At that thought, I arranged my thoughts and prepared to meet with the powerful monster.

 CH 303

    I wasted no time and walked to the sole door in the white room. Beyond the door, a beautiful and peculiar planet awaited me. The planet had a multi-colored surface and was brimming with life. In the sky, numerous single-celled organisms that I never saw floated about, and every single body of water on the surface was a different color.


    A bright globe hung in the sky, and clumps formed from a shiny substance constantly ascended from the ground and gathered around the sun-like globe. The globe illuminated the surface, bringing warmth to the world below. Above the sun-like globe, half the sky was covered in thick clouds. The other half was cloudless, and the silhouette of a massive blue planet could be seen.


    "This is a beautiful planet, right?" a voice rang out behind me. I hurriedly looked back and saw a Blueling clad in green standing behind me.


    ''Is this the fiend of Pluto? Did Bulu give it the appearance of a Blueling? That way, I won''t feel as nervous facing it,'' I thought with gratitude.


    "This was Pluto''s surface from 4.5 billion years ago. Are you surprised?" asked the person in green.


    "What? This was Pluto from 4.5 billion years ago? Then that means the blue planet in the sky is..." I was stunned by the revelation.


    "Yes. That is Raingod, the planet you know as Neptune," said the person in green.


    "Neptune. Looks like the hypothesis that Pluto was once Neptune''s moon is right." I was thoroughly shocked by that knowledge.


    "This place is where all germs in the Solar System originate from. Prior to this, no germs existed in the Solar System. Alas, the beauty of this planet is coming to an end," said the person in green with a sigh.


    "Are you referring to the collision 4.5 billion years ago that knocked it out of Neptune''s orbit, pushing it into the Kuiper belt?" I asked, utilizing what I knew from my downloaded knowledge.


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    "The collision spread the germs on Pluto to space, sending them all over the Solar System. Of course, a collision alone would not turn Pluto into its current shape. However, the collision brought with it a powerful monster. The monster destroyed all the light germs on the planet; the shining globe you see in the sky. Because of that, the planet lost its source of heat and light, turning into the frozen planet you know today," said the person in green with regret.


    "Is the monster you mentioned what we call the super virus?" I asked.


    "Precisely. That monster is a terrifying butcher. Many calm and gentle germs were hunted to extinction by it. To protect my surviving brethren, I fought it for hundreds of millions of years, but that monster is too strong. I could only force myself to constantly evolve to catch up with its strength," said the person in green.


    "Can''t you defeat it after hundreds of millions of years of evolution?" I asked.


    "That monster is also constantly evolving. Thus, there is always a gap between us. I was forced to turn into a freak that devours myself for the sake of evolution, but even so, I¡¯m still not the super virus''s match," said the person in green.


    "Nevertheless, you have managed to survive," I comforted the fiend, pointing out that its evolution was not completely pointless.


    "After the death of the final light germ that had been hiding underground, this planet lost its hope for warmth. The planet''s temperature dropped rapidly, and the repercussions caught us all by surprise, including the super virus. The planet descended into a state of deathly stillness. That lasted until new alien life forms came to this planet," said the person in green.


    "We don''t know where the super virus came from, but us Bluelings could very well be the descendants of the microorganisms that had come from Pluto. If we offer to join hands against the monster, would you be willing to help us free a different creature on this planet?" I grabbed the opportunity to make my offer.


    "Are you referring to the robotic army? Their defenses are very powerful. Even the super virus seems helpless against their defenses. What are our odds of defeating those fellows?" asked the person in green.


    "Nothing is impossible. We also have a powerful team. Think about your frozen brethren. Do you want them to stay frozen until the very end?" I asked.


    The person in green sank into thought, and I started feeling optimistic about my chances.


    "Where is the super virus? How do you normally fight it?" I took the chance to ask more questions.


    "The super virus has a fatal flaw. In low-temperature environments, it will lose the ability to fight in the air. Thus, I usually try to stay in the air. Also, it prefers darkness, so it is more active on the side of Pluto that doesn''t face the sun," said the person in green.


    "The side that doesn''t face the sun. Do you mean that in two days when the sun sets, the super virus will appear here?" I asked nervously.


    "Yes. That was why I tried to keep you trapped here until dark. If you try flying away, I''ll strike you down immediately," said the person in green. I broke out in cold sweat upon hearing the plan.


    "Apart from light and motion, you can''t hear, right?" I asked nervously.


    The person in green remained silent.


    "If we can work together to defeat the super virus and the robotic army, I''ll try to send some energy sources to you and help you bring warmth back to this planet and restore the ecosystem here," I offered.


    My offer seemed to work. The person in green looked up and asked firmly, "Are you telling the truth?"


    "We are the descendants of Pluto microorganisms. How can we abandon the homeland of our ancestors?" I promised earnestly.


    "Fine. In that case, I agree. Take your ship and come with me," said the person in green.


    After reaching an agreement, the person in green faded into nothingness. I ran to the white room, intending to share the good news with Zhang Xingxing and Bulu. But no matter how I ran, I couldn''t approach the white, shining door. I did not know what happened, and I started getting nervous.


    "Bulu, where are you? Show yourselves!" I roared and suddenly found myself waking up.


    My surroundings were completely silent. Zhang Bao''er, Zhang Xingxing, and the others were still asleep on the floor. Beside me, Dodo asked, "Canyue, did you have a nightmare?"


    With a shiver, I sat up.


    "Don''t look up. The fiend is still outside," Dodo hurriedly stopped me with their hands.


    I pushed their hands away and looked at Bulu. The fellow''s body had dimmed considerably, indicating that it had entered deep sleep. I finally understood what had happened. The array-level creature, Bulu, had utilized all its energy to bring me into a dreamland of three layers. Using the triple-layered dream, I managed to reach an agreement with the fiend of Pluto.


    The storm stopped, and a ray of sunshine entered the ship, seemingly hinting to me that what I saw in my dream was real. I bit my tongue and confirmed that I was no longer dreaming. After that verification, I decided to do something shocking.


    I looked at Zhang Xingxing and the others who were still sleeping soundly, thinking about the difficulty of finding a beautiful living space in the vast universe. At that thought, I stood up decisively and walked toward the ship''s door.


    "Canyue, what are you doing?" Zhang Xingxing suddenly exclaimed.


    "Wait here for me. Don''t move. I need to do something. I''ll be back soon," I said.


    "Canyue, have you gone mad?" both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du exclaimed at the same time. Both of them had woken up.


    Worried that Zhang Bao''er would insist on following me, I looked at Old Du and said, "Old Du, have everyone wait in the ship. I know what I''m doing."


    Looking at my firm eyes, Old Du understood what I was thinking. He gave me a firm nod and grabbed Zhang Bao''er. I stopped hesitating and stepped into the airlock. Soon, the door opened. After taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the ship.


    Feeble sunlight was illuminating the crater we were in after a long journey from the sun. The massive fiend stood motionless ahead of me, as though it was looking straight at me.


    "Canyue, what are you doing?" Zhang Xingxing''s anxious voice came from the communicator.


    "I believe I''ve reached an agreement with the fiend. I need to verify the authenticity of the agreement," I said calmly before taking wide strides toward the fiend.

 CH 304

    The massive fiend of Pluto stood before me. The organs in its body were still continuously devouring each other. Standing out there, things seemed to be progressing positively, and the cloud germs no longer tried to attack me. The sight of that strengthened the determination in my heart.


    My communicator was completely silent. The others were probably so nervous they didn''t dare to make a single sound. They might all be praying silently for me. Suddenly, an ear-piercing laughter rang out. My heart skipped a beat, wondering if what I experienced earlier was really just a dream.


    The terrifying laughter tortured me for about 10 minutes while I stood before the fiend, trying very hard to maintain calm and project a look of peace, not daring to move an inch. After the laughter ended, I could feel that the storm was returning. Under the violent wind, the fiend of Pluto abruptly rose into the sky. Instantly, I heard a collective gasp from my communicator.


    The storm had arrived, and the sky had darkened. The cloud germs had all returned to the ice volcano. I could confirm that the alliance with the fiend of Pluto had been formed. I quickly returned to Markus. Everyone was staring at me with a gaze of worship.


    "Well done. How did you do that? Why did that monster leave you alone?" asked Zhang Bao''er impatiently.


    "The fiend of Pluto is actually not harming you. Looks like your internal power is stronger than the monster," praised Bob.


    "Commander, I don''t have much time to explain, but I have reached an agreement to cooperate with the fiend of Pluto. We will work together against the robotic army and rescue the great sovereign. We are only 12 days away before the attack on Blue begins. Also, we need to avoid Pluto''s nights. The super virus lives on the dark side of Pluto," I reported to Zhang Xingxing.


    "What should we do now?" Zhang Xingxing asked.


    "Turn on Markus immediately and follow the fiend into the sky. The super virus can''t attack objects in the air. We can decide on what to do after observing from the air," I suggested.


    Since I was the one who had handled the fiend, my suggestion was accepted by everyone. Temo turned Markus on, and the ship returned to the sky. We floated above the Cthulhu Macula, and Temo had the ship enter invisible mode before flying toward Tenzing Montes.


    Moving at a low altitude while invisible, Markus advanced slowly. Time passed as the storm on the surface of Pluto became more and more intense. Our surroundings had basically descended into darkness. On the distant horizon, the tiny sun was on the verge of completely setting. I knew clearly that night was about to arrive. If we wanted to avoid night, we had to keep chasing the sun.


    "Look at those buildings!" Dondon suddenly pointed at a square building on the ground.


    "That''s Base Brown Bear that we lost contact with. I wonder if Second Lieutenant Daisy had safely arrived there," I wondered. Looking at the directional lights flickering outside the base, it was very hard to imagine that it was a destroyed base.


    "We''ll focus on scouting the surroundings of the robotic army before we consider whether we come back for Second Lieutenant Daisy or not. After all, we''re in a race against time," said Baron Sisse.


    Thus, Markus continued ahead. After flying for about a dozen minutes, the storm grew even more intense, to the point we could no longer see anything outside with our naked eyes. The ship started scanning our surroundings with its laser scanner. To avoid prolonged exposure to the storm, Markus ascended to remain above the storm. The moment we flew out, a group of odd buildings appeared before our eyes.


    A bunch of mushroom-shaped buildings could be seen above the storm. Perfectly straight pillars were holding mushroom-like platforms in the sky. Above the platforms were countless buildings. Numerous small aircraft could be seen constantly taking off and landing.


    "This is the base of the imperial robotic army. I did not expect it to be built so high in the sky," said Dodo, who was incomparably shocked by the sight of the base in the sky.


    "I finally understand. To avoid the super virus, the robotic army had built their base so high in the sky. Here, not only can they avoid the super virus, but they can also avoid the intense storms," I said.


    "Pluto really is quite small. It didn''t even take us long to encounter the imperial forces. The great sovereign is probably imprisoned here. I really don''t understand why the emperor had chosen Pluto as the prison. What was he thinking?" said Baron Sisse doubtfully.


    "Perhaps the empire intended to use the great sovereign''s mind control ability to also gain control of the super virus?" Old Du guessed.


    As we approached the base, Temo cautiously stopped Markus before deploying some surveillance drones. Above the violent storm, the drones flew straight toward the base in the sky. Before long, we started receiving clear recordings of the base. The base was incredibly large. It resembled a smaller version of the Black King Base.


    The sole difference was that this base was propped up by over a hundred perfectly straight pillars. On the platforms atop the pillars, there were not only buildings. Lighting and heating systems were also installed, turning the base into something akin to a hidden paradise.


    In a short time, the drones transmitted the results of their data analysis back to us. The entire city was covered by an invisible wall of light. Cosmic rays, extreme temperatures, and the storm were unable to affect those living in the base.


    Our scans indicated that the base was actually at a pleasant temperature of roughly 30 degrees Celsius. We had never imagined that the empire would be able to build such a large high-tech city in the sky in only one year. Even Temo was endlessly astonished by the masterpiece before our eyes.


    "We need to think of a way to sneak inside the base and verify the location of the great sovereign," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "The entire city is covered by a barrier. We need to get through the barrier if we want to enter," said Baron Sisse.


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    "If the great sovereign is the sole organic life in the city, won''t we be detected the moment we enter?" I asked.


    "With so many aircraft moving in and out, it won''t be hard to get through the barrier. But how do we proceed after entering? We need to be fully prepared," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Canyue, where''s your ally? Hasn''t the fiend agreed to work with us? How do we contact it?" asked Baron Sisse.


    That question stumped me. Bulu had entered deep slumber, and the fiend had left without communicating with me when I went to meet it. I had not taken the matter of communication into consideration.


    "We''ll do the usual, then. Let''s capture a random drone to get more information," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "We''ll have to let a robot deal with robots. I''ve already upgraded Dodo''s body to the standards of the robots on Black King. I suggest we send Dodo and Bob for the reconnaissance mission. I believe Dodo can safely scan more of the city," Temo suggested a different plan.


    "What? I was transformed into an imperial robot?" asked Dodo in astonishment.


    "This fellow had changed our friend into a monster," said Domo.


    "I had only strengthened Dodo''s alloy skin and added some imperial tech to Dodo''s body. I did not touch Dodo''s core. Don''t talk if you know nothing, you peasant," said Temo.


    "Stop arguing. If Temo is telling the truth, we can consider sending Dodo into the city to verify the position of the great sovereign. We can think of a way to contact the fiend and get its help for the rescue mission after locating the great sovereign," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Even if Dodo can go, Bob has not been modified. How can they go through the light wall''s inspection?" asked Old Du.


    "That''s not an issue. We have the facility to immediately upgrade Bob''s alloy skin in Markus itself. We only need 60 minutes to complete the process," said Temo.


    "I agree. Perform the upgrade on Bob. They will join Dodo on this mission," Zhang Xingxing decided.


    "But this is not my mission. My commands do not include such a task," Bob objected. Zhang Xingxing''s order was too different from the orders programmed into them.


    "That might have been the case in the past, but it''s no longer the case. Do it already. Don''t waste time. The first priority of a robot is to unconditionally obey the orders of a superior," said Zhang Bao''er, shoving Bob into the upgrade room with Anxashe.


    Soon, Bob was forcefully brought to the upgrading station and was connected to the corresponding device. Temo started upgrading Bob. Bob never stopped protesting, but we ignored all the protests.


    It would take one hour to upgrade Bob, so we could only wait patiently. After a while, the sun on the horizon finally fully set. Darkness was descending, and Pluto''s terrifying night was coming. According to the fiend, night was when the ground would turn into the super virus''s territory. Any organic life that came into contact with the super virus would instantly perish.


    The massive storm separated our ship from the ground. According to our laser scans, the ground had changed significantly upon the arrival of night. The entire surface was akin to some sort of paste that could constantly change. Instantly, the system beeped, indicating the completion of Bob''s upgrade.

 CH 305

    "Bob''s upgrade has been completed. We can start the infiltration mission," said Temo.


    "Commander, are we not going to try to contact Carter to see if we can get his help?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Even if we managed to contact Carter, their battleships won''t be able to go through the defensive perimeter around Pluto. We don''t have the time to keep waiting. We need to look for the great sovereign of Planet Wisdom as soon as possible. Dodo will send our action plan to Carter with secret codes. That will have to do," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t even bother sending the secret message. This is the headquarters of the robotic army. It will be troublesome if our message is intercepted. I suggest we move out immediately. Don''t put any hope on external reinforcements. If help is really coming, we can make use of it during our retreat instead," I said.


    Perhaps she was also worried about any mishaps. Zhang Xingxing ultimately agreed with my suggestion. However, she still had Dodo prepare the message in our emergency channel. In case we failed the mission, the system would automatically send the message out.


    At that point, Bob had left the upgrade room while complaining non-stop. Zhang Xingxing hurriedly gave both Dodo and Bob a detailed action plan for the infiltration mission. Since we had no idea where the great sovereign was, the two robots would have to act according to their own judgment after entering the city.


    During the upgrading process, Temo had installed the robotic language of Black King on both Dodo and Bob. Dodo had lived on Black King for about a year as well, so they were rather familiar with the empire''s numerous systems. After all the preparations were completed, Temo gave the two brave robots a small shuttle and had them join the other shuttles entering the city.


    This was an extremely risky mission. Nobody could guarantee that this city would work the same as the Black King Base. However, Temo analyzed that the city on Pluto was built in a rush, so the empire was unlikely to have the time to design a completely new defensive system. Thus, he decided to gamble on Pluto''s base being similar to Black King Base.


    "Dodo, prioritize your safety. If anything goes wrong, retreat," reminded Dondon.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll try my best to complete the mission," said Dodo with the tone of a determined warrior facing death.


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    Perhaps it was because Zhang Xingxing was very convincing, but Bob stopped complaining after hearing the plan from her and silently followed Dodo into the shuttle. With a final nod to us, they took off in the shuttle and flew toward the city in the sky.


    A large group of transport ships happened to also be heading toward the city. The shuttle manned by Dodo and Bob joined the convoy and followed them toward the line waiting to enter the city.


    Gazing at the departing ship, I suddenly said, "Should we do something to help them? This just feels like sending a lamb into a tiger''s den."


    "Canyue, what do you have in mind?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Should we create some chaos to make it easier for them to sneak through?" I said.


    "Can you elaborate?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Do you see the changes on the ground? According to our laser scans, the super virus is altering Pluto''s surface terrain. The empire had definitely built their base so high up to avoid the threat of the super virus. Look at those pillars. They are the sole connection between the city and the ground. If the super virus attacked the pillars, they would be distracted," I said.


    "Good idea. What are we waiting for? Let''s do it. Those two are going to face inspection soon," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "That''s not a good idea. To attract the super virus, the light wall protecting the pillars must be pierced. That means we need to go down into the darkness. We can''t accurately judge the safe altitude where we can still attract the super virus," said Baron Sisse. He was experienced enough that he saw through the issue of the plan immediately.


    "The fiend once told me that the super virus can''t attack in the sky. Since our robotic friends are willing to take the risk for us, it is now our turn to take a risk for them," I said.


    "But doing so does not fit the league''s doctrine of optimal selection," replied Baron Sisse unyieldingly.


    "Ignore the so-called doctrine. We have never been the ones to strictly follow the league''s doctrine," I replied. The baron''s words had reminded us of some unhappy memories.


    I looked at Zhang Xingxing and received an encouraging look in return.


    The moment Zhang Xingxing hinted her approval with her eyes, I ordered Temo, "We''re running out of options. I believe that using Markus to create a disturbance and provide cover for Bob and Dodo is our best choice. Temo, bring the ship lower and pick a suitable position to start attacking."


    Surprisingly, Temo did not argue and immediately brought the ship down into the storm. We were no longer that far away from the light wall. According to our scans, we were descending three kilometers away from the light wall. Temo had the ship enter invisible mode and turned off all light sources in the ship. We relied only on laser scans to navigate.


    We were surrounded by darkness, and the only sound we could hear was the hiss of the wind outside. Our system indicated that the temperature outside was as low as negative 235 degrees. That was an extremely harsh environment, but it was optimal for the super virus.


    Soon, Markus was less than one kilometer from the ground. We were probably low enough that we could attract the super virus''s attention if we created an opening in the light wall.


    "Commander, our shuttle is reaching the checkpoint soon," Dodo reported.


    "Dodo, try to delay your approach. A few minutes later, we will attack the pillars below the city and create a disturbance. Use the chaos to get through the defensive perimeter. As a precaution, stay clear of the communication channel unless absolutely necessary," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Suddenly, our system indicated that on the ground right below Markus, intense movements had been detected. According to our laser scans, the entire ground was turning like waves, and the terrain was changing rapidly.


    "Weird. If Pluto has such violent tectonic movements, why does the planet look so stable and unchanging from the satellite images? Look at that, even a mountain is being turned over. The satellite images have never captured something like this," said Kelly.


    Through the system, we could clearly see the intense changes below us. The ground was even rising to a height of hundreds of meters in the air. The sight of the intense ground movement combined with the violent storm around us gave us the feeling that we had arrived at hell.


    "This doesn''t look like tectonic movement. If a planet has such violent tectonic movements, the planet is probably near destruction," Temo remarked.


    "If this is not tectonic movement, then something must be wrong with your ship''s scanners. I thought this was an advanced ship." Domo sneered.


    "If you''re unhappy with my ship, feel free to leave. The airlock is over there. Nobody is stopping you," replied Temo coldly.


    Taking the terrifying storm outside into consideration, Domo shut his mouth.


    "Temo, if these are not tectonic movements, why are the scans displaying such intense changes on the ground?" I asked curiously.


    "I believe these movements are real, but they are simply not tectonic movements. Rather, they are movements of the super virus. You have been looking at the super virus''s body," said Temo, offering an extremely shocking theory.


    "What? Something so big is a single life form? How can a life form grow to such a size?" asked Zhang Bao''er in shock. He found Temo''s explanation hard to believe.


    "It is not impossible for unknown life forms to grow to excessive sizes. We have all seen Jupiter II. Is that a small life form? But if this super virus is a single-celled organism, then this cell is really excessively big," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Exactly. If this is really the super virus, then it could very well be the biggest cell in the universe," said Kelly.


    "While we can''t be sure that this is the absolute biggest cell in the universe, we can be sure that it is definitely the biggest known cell in the universe," said Old Du.


    "From my observations, this monster can move around 100 meters into the air. I suggest damaging the light wall at an altitude of 100 meters from the ground. Temo, start the attack. Dodo and Bob are going to be inspected soon. We don''t have much time," I said, bringing everyone''s attention back to the mission.


    "Temo, get started. Are there any weapons on Markus that can hide the source of the attack?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Temo did not answer. Rather, he rapidly worked on the control desk. A small drone could be seen separating from the ship. It flew toward the light wall.

 CH 306

    On our screen, we could see the drone swiftly approaching the light wall. It stopped 100 meters away from the wall and 200 meters above the ground. There, the drone unleashed a green beam at one of the pillars. The part of the light wall the beam touched changed into the same color as the beam, and the two blended together.


    "Are you attacking already? Are you not scared of being discovered by attacking so slowly? Just release a missile and run," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Do you think the wall of light protecting the city in the sky is so easy to penetrate? I have my ways of doing things. Just watch," replied Temo.


    Hearing how confident Temo was, nobody dared to question him. But even after waiting about 10 minutes, the light wall had yet to be penetrated. Instead, the green started spreading across the wall, the color becoming brighter and brighter.


    "Star-level guy, what is this? Dodo is running out of time," questioned Old Du.


    "The empire''s light wall technology can''t be easily penetrated. We only have a single shot at it. These walls are made of a certain organic compound. They will automatically spread energy toward the weakened part in the event of an attack, ensuring that the wall would not break. But if a part of the wall is overloaded with energy, the energy will start overflowing," said Temo.


    "You mean the drone is creating the overload? When the overloaded state is intense enough, will it launch a sudden attack before the organic compounds can revert to their previous condition?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "It is truly surprising that a planet-level individual can come to this understanding. Yes, and the greatest weakness of the wall is penetration. The moment it is pierced through, the organic compounds will take some time to repair the tear. Our opportunity is coming," said Temo confidently.


    After waiting a few more minutes, the beam released by the drone suddenly turned bright red. The change was too sudden for the wall to react, and a chain reaction happened as the red spread rapidly along the wall into the sky.


    After the red spread, a blinding yellow erupted. After a few seconds, the light faded away. Our scans indicated that the light wall protecting one of the pillars had vanished completely. Darkness descended, and an ear-piercing hiss rang out around us. Our scans showed that the constantly changing "ground" was rising rapidly along the exposed pillar.


    "Temo, what is this? I thought you were going to make a small hole. Why did you destroy the entire section of the wall?" asked Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    "Is your tech even reliable? You mess it up the moment we let you do something." Domo did not let go of the chance to step on Temo.


    Even amid the darkness, I could sense Temo panting heavily beside me.


    "Shit! I did not expect the kg ray to be so powerful. It overloaded all the organic compounds in that section of the wall. I think I overshot the amount of chaos I intended to create," said Temo helplessly.


    "Commander, commander, the super virus is suddenly attacking a part of the city. All the combat robots are rushing over to help. We took the chance to sneak in, and we''re now in the city. Beautifully done," Dodo''s excited voice came from the communicator.


    "Dodo, complete your mission as soon as possible. Watch out for the super virus," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry. The attacked area is already covered in a new wall of light. The super virus won''t affect us. Bob and I are searching the area. We''ll update you when there is a new finding. We''ll maintain radio silence for now," said Dodo.


    "Since the super virus is creating so much chaos, I suggest we also take this chance to enter the city," I made a brave suggestion.


    "But we can''t be sure if the red biscuits can really work against the super virus. Wouldn''t it be dangerous if the biscuits fail? We''re better off waiting for Carter''s reinforcements. We should just focus on information gathering," suggested Wind Spirit.


    "We have less than 11 days. We will waste too much time waiting for Carter. I suggest we grab this chance," I insisted.


    "I agree with Canyue. This is a rare chance. Let''s just do it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Before Zhang Xingxing could give a reply, a violent explosion erupted from the drone''s direction. I could see on the screen that our drone had been destroyed in one hit from the super virus on the pillar.


    "Damn that virus! It destroyed my drone!" Temo appeared rather agitated to see his drone destroyed.


    Immediately, the eerie laughter we heard previously returned.


    "Canyue, your ally is here. The fiend of Pluto has actually appeared," exclaimed Master Crystal in excitement.


    The laughter approached from afar. Our system detected a large silhouette madly attacking the super virus on the pillar. Without a doubt, the large silhouette was the fiend of Pluto. A fierce column of flame shot out of the fiend''s mouth, illuminating the super virus''s body. With the light from the flame, we could see a disgusting tentacle resembling a caterpillar wrapped around the pillar. The intense fire lit the tentacle wrapped around the pillar aflame.


    "Good thing we formed an alliance with this fellow. Otherwise, one hit of the red beam when we were taking off would have been enough to kill all of us," I said, feeling some lingering fear in my heart.


    "I really can''t believe this super virus is a single-celled organism," said Master Crystal in disbelief.


    "That super virus doesn''t look so special, after all. Should we attack with the fiend? We should just destroy the monster," suggested the warlike Anxashe.


    "Do not act rashly. The fiend merely gained the upper hand by sneak attacking. If even the robotic army is avoiding the super virus by building a base in the sky, the super virus is definitely not so simple," said Temo. His concern was understandable.


    Temo was proven right a few seconds later. The burning tentacle dropped off the pillar, and an even larger tentacle rose from the ground. The new tentacle was triple the size of the previous tentacle. It soared into the sky, splitting midway to attack the hovering fiend.


    Even the powerful fiend was forced to avoid the attack. Amid the darkness, we could clearly see a blue flame light up within the fiend''s body. Through our probes, we were able to witness the battle between the two monsters clearly. Temo continued insisting on not joining the fight rashly.


    "Canyue, you promised the fiend an alliance. It is now fighting the super virus, yet we''re only watching. That''s something an oathbreaker will do," urged Zhang Bao''er anxiously.


    Just as I was about to request for Temo to attack again, our system indicated that a fleet of ships was coming from the city in the sky. Shortly after, the fleet entered into a formation around the pillar and attacked the super virus wrapped around the pillar. The intense firebombs lit the super virus aflame yet again. However, the flame was not even comparable to the fiend''s attack and failed to stop the super virus''s advance.


    The fiend took the opportunity to release another beam upon the super virus. But no matter how it attacked, we noticed that the fiend was keeping a distance from the super virus and avoiding direct contact.


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    The situation wasn''t looking very good for the fiend as the blue flame seemed to be spreading around its body. Not even the constantly devouring organs within its body could stop the spread of the flame.


    The situation continued to worsen as a different fleet appeared and attacked the fiend. The fiend turned around and unleashed a beam of flame at the fleet, sending a drone to the ground. The other drones evaded nimbly. The fiend managed to hit more of them, but through our system, we could see that more and more robotic reinforcements were coming.


    The badly injured fiend understood that this was a rare chance to destroy the super virus. It decided to ignore the robotic army and resumed its attack on the super virus while taking the damage from the blue flame and the robotic army.


    "Temo, time for us to make a move. If you keep hesitating, we will really miss this chance," urged Zhang Bao''er.


    "Commander, this is an opportunity. We should create an even bigger ruckus. Perhaps Dodo and Bob can even save the great sovereign directly," I said.


    "Temo, this is a rare chance. We can prioritize attacking the super virus. It would be great if we can somehow destroy it," said Zhang Xingxing, who was finally convinced by my persuasion.


    "This is not the time for charity. Eliminating a super virus trapped on Pluto will not help much when it comes to saving the league. The moment we make a move, we will expose ourselves. If you''re willing to risk the numerous lives of your people to fulfill your promise to a monster, I''ll play along," said Temo. His words were too rational. We found ourselves speechless.


    Immediately, another surprise appeared. I suddenly heard a loud thud. Through my laser probe, I saw that Master Crystal had collapsed onto the floor.

 CH 307

    "Master Crystal, what''s wrong?" exclaimed both Dondon and Wind Spirit. They had noticed him fall immediately, proving that the eyes of the Storm race could adapt very well to darkness.


    "This is bad! Master Crystal fainted!" shouted Kelly after stepping forward to take a closer look.


    "What happened?" I rushed forth and felt Master Crystal''s pulse with my fingers.


    I was alarmed to find that Master Crystal''s pulse was extremely weak, as though he was on the brink of death.


    "What happened? Did he suddenly catch a serious illness?" Zhang Xingxing also grew nervous, to the point she ignored the intense battle outside.


    "This is bad! We flew too low. According to the system, one of the super virus''s tentacles had come close enough to nearly touch Markus earlier," said Temo after checking the system.


    "That can''t be the case. Canyue, I thought you said that the super virus won''t attack those in the air? We''re 200 meters above the ground," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Did the super virus undergo some changes? But that doesn''t make sense either. All of us are fine. Why is Master Crystal the only one to fall sick?" I asked in confusion.


    "Stop talking. Carry him to the medical room," said Temo. Old Du hurriedly carried Master Crystal to the medical room beside the command center and placed Master Crystal into the first aid equipment.


    The equipment''s glass cover closed speedily. The system indicated that Master Crystal was on the brink of death. The emergency treatment system started working, trying to rescue Master Crystal from death. We stood silently around the equipment and prayed silently, hoping that this star-level medical equipment could heal Master Crystal.


    The medical equipment displayed its prowess. Slowly, the numbers indicating Master Crystal''s status stopped dropping. However, the numbers were still excessively low, indicating that Master Crystal was still close to death.


    Suddenly, I felt someone pull at my arm. I looked down and saw that it was Dondon. The little fellow walked out of the room, intending to tell me something in private. I followed him out and asked what he wanted.


    "Canyue, I have bad news. Master Crystal did not take the red biscuit," Dondon spoke honestly.


    "What? He didn''t take the red biscuit? Why?" I asked anxiously.


    "It''s not that he didn''t want to take it, but I miscalculated the number of biscuits. In order to give me the chance to come, he decided to not take one. He also stopped me from telling you," said Dondon guiltily.


    I did not know what to say. Just as I was about to lose my temper, a loud explosion erupted outside the ship. The explosion was deafening. I rushed to the window and saw a terrifying scene. One of the pillars supporting the city in the sky had been blasted by a massive explosion. The entire pillar started swaying.


    The fiend unleashed a shockwave at the super virus. The super virus formed a protective barrier around its body, concentrating all the energy beams sent its way together. When sufficient energy had been gathered, another explosion erupted. The pillar looked to be on the verge of being blown apart by the constant explosions.


    "The fiend won''t be able to hold on for long. It''s wasting a lot of energy by attacking in this manner. It won''t last long. It is much smaller than the super virus, so its energy supply will be much smaller. Coupled with its injuries, it is only a matter of time before the fiend is defeated," said Temo, who had come behind me without me realizing it.


    "In that case, we shouldn''t provide any help for now," said Baron Sisse.


    "The robotic army is attacking both monsters. At the same time, the two monsters are fiercely fighting each other. With the inclusion of the robotic army, this fight will end with both monsters suffering," said Temo.


    "Wouldn''t we be the biggest winner, then? We''ll come in at the end and reap all the profit," said Baron Sisse.


    I disagreed. "I don''t think it''s that simple. The two monsters have been fighting each other for billions of years. They aren''t this weak. No matter how the two counter each other, there will be a limit."


    We saw more and more drones join the fight. The empire seemed to believe this to be the best opportunity to eliminate the two monsters. At that moment, Zhang Xingxing and the others returned to the command center.


    "How''s Master Crystal?" asked Baron Sisse with concern.


    "His numbers aren''t looking good. We''re forcefully keeping him alive with our equipment, but I don''t know if we can heal him. If we can return to the base immediately, we might have a chance at saving him," said Old Du.


    When I saw Dondon and Wind Spirit leave to return to the medical room to accompany Master Crystal, I told the others about the fact that Master Crystal had not taken any red biscuits.


    "What? How did he miscalculate that? Th-this..." Zhang Bao''er was in disbelief.


    "You also have a brain. Why hadn''t you mentioned the wrong calculation back then? You were quite fast when it came to taking one of the biscuits," said Temo.


    "We''re facing a powerful enemy. We need to consider whether we should make a move and help the fiend," said Zhang Xingxing.


    That was a question that had plagued us for quite a while. Should we risk the future of our people for the sake of a monster? Outside, the fiend looked to be on the verge of defeat. By taking on the attacks from two parties alone, the blue flame on its body was growing brighter and brighter.


    "Screw it. Let''s take a gamble. The fiend can help us in the war. If we lose our trustworthiness, what is the point for our civilization to continue existing?" I voiced my honest thoughts.


    "I agree!" Zhang Bao''er, Old Du, and Kelly voiced their support as well.


    "Sigh. You low-civilization people are too short-sighted," said Temo helplessly.


    Seeing that everyone had reached a decision, Zhang Xingxing had Temo open fire at the robotic army and relieved some pressure off the fiend. None of us had imagined that we would take such a bet on the future of our civilization for the sake of a monster we barely knew.


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    With Zhang Xingxing''s order, Temo did not say anything else. He had the ship take aim at the swarm of drones and unleashed dozens of guided missiles shaped like chicken eggs upon them. The missiles glowed bright yellow, looking exceptionally conspicuous in the darkness.


    Because Markus had been hiding behind the robotic army, our guided missiles had basically attacked from their rear. Instantly, over 20 clumps of explosions erupted in the air. Evidently, we had managed to strike over 20 drones.


    Our sudden attack threw the robotic army into chaos. The drones at the back turned and flew toward us. With that, the pressure on the fiend was instantly reduced. Nearly 100 drones flew toward us, but a concentrated rain of laser beams was what reached us first.


    "Since we''re already exposed, let me teach you a lesson, robots," said Temo as he brought Markus out of invisible mode.


    The portion of energy allocated to maintaining invisibility was redirected to the ship''s shield. All the laser beams were absorbed by the shield before being gathered into a thick beam that was sent back toward the drones. About a dozen drones in the middle of the formation were instantly destroyed.


    The enemy reacted speedily and spread around Markus before resuming their attack. Markus was forced to spread its shield into a sphere around its entirety. The extension of the shield robbed the shield of its ability to collect and redirect the beams at our enemies.


    "Is this all your little ship can do? You become useless the moment the enemies spread apart?" said Domo, taking any chance he got to step on Temo.


    Temo''s face turned ugly. He remained silent and continued to furiously tap on the control desk. Immediately, a transparent ripple spread outward from Markus. Even in the dark, I could see space itself twist under the effect of the ripple.


    Our system showed the ripple moving rapidly through the enemy drones. Next, an astonishing scene appeared. The drones surrounding us started dropping one after another. The moment they reached the ground, the super virus pounced on them, dragging them into its massive body.


    The transparent ripple did not stop. It continued spreading outward. Before long, it reached the drones attacking the fiend. The drones touched by the ripple instantly lost their ability to remain in the air and dropped one after another. The sudden change alarmed the other drones. The survivors hurriedly fled into the sky. Fear spread, and before long, all the drones were gone.


    "The might of a star-level civilization does not disappoint," praised Zhang Bao''er.


    With the withdrawal of the robotic army, the fiend and the super virus could fully focus on each other.


    "Temo, take this opportunity to focus on attacking the super virus. Are there any high-energy weapons similar to nuclear missiles on Markus? Maybe we can try burning the super virus to death," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "If we use nuclear weapons, we might also harm the fiend," reminded Old Du.


    However, Temo turned a deaf ear to our words. He brought Markus toward the super virus and released a massive missile at it. The white missile shot toward the super virus.


    "Close your eyes! Do not look at it!" Temo warned loudly.

 CH 308

    Hearing Temo''s shout, I shut my eyes instinctively. Even with my eyes shut, I could see the blinding radiance blooming in the darkness. The radiance did not only seep through my eyelids but also gave my eyes a piercing pain.


    "My god. What is this? My eyes hurt," shouted Zhang Bao''er.


    "Everyone, activate your eye protection," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    I immediately did as told, strengthening the defense of my helmet, which brought some relief from the pain caused by the blinding light. After about five minutes, the intensity of the radiance finally started dropping. The attack was about to end.


    "Only open your eyes after three more minutes, or the vigor bomb''s radiance will hurt you," said Temo.


    I resisted the pain and continued waiting for three minutes before slowly opening my eyes. An unbelievable sight was presented before me. I had thought that an explosion so powerful would create a world-altering effect, but what I saw was a sphere floating in the air. It shone brightly, illuminating the battlefield like a miniature sun. The super virus was nowhere to be seen, but the fiend of Pluto was still floating in the air. It would seem like Temo''s bomb had successfully removed the super virus.


    "What manner of a weapon is that? It looks so powerful. A single missile is enough to clear the super virus? You should have taken it out earlier. That would have saved us a lot of trouble," said Kelly.


    However, Temo ignored Kelly. Rather, he immediately turned on the lighting system in Markus. With the light turned on, I could see that his face was full of worry.


    "Temo, what''s going on? The system is no longer showing the super virus. Even the ground movements have stopped. Where is the monster?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "This is too weird. I don''t know if the super virus has been vaporized or if it has fully absorbed the energy of the vigor bomb. If it was vaporized, it is not possible that there would be no traces of it left. It is way too large for that to happen. If it had absorbed the energy of the bomb, we would now be in trouble," said Temo.


    "You mean the super virus would grow even stronger and come back for us?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "Not only us. Nothing in existence should be able to absorb the energy contained within a vigor bomb. An existence capable of doing so would gain enough strength to destroy everything on the surface of this planet, including the city in the sky," said Temo.


    Suddenly, the floating fiend made an odd noise. We were used to the eerie laughter it made, so this different sound felt rather out of place. It was a sound that was a combination of a sorrowful cry and a furious roar, resembling a chaotic mess of sound effects.


    "What''s up with the fiend? Did it grow too excited after seeing the defeat of the super virus?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously.


    "Doesn''t look like it. This is definitely not a sound someone would make when happy. It is probably the sound of fear. The super virus must have survived. An even stronger counterattack is probably imminent," said Temo after long thought.


    "What should we do now? Should we run? If the super virus grows strong enough to destroy the city in the sky, we won''t be able to free the great sovereign anymore," said Domo.


    "Run? Where can we run to? If we can''t free the great sovereign, destruction will still come for us," I said.


    "Commander, can you hear me?" Dodo''s urgent voice suddenly came from the communicator.


    "We hear you. Any updates over there?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "We''re still trying to search for the great sovereign. We already have some clues, but we also learned something new. The city has deployed a Nebula-class cruiser to search for you. Be careful." This was information Dodo had taken great risks to transmit back to us.


    "Copy that. Be careful over there," replied Baron Sisse before ending the communication.


    "A cruiser is coming soon. Do we enter invisible mode again?" asked Kelly.


    "It hasn''t been easy for us to make the decision to show ourselves and fight alongside the fiend. Now, the fiend is clearly afraid of the super virus. I think we should show our resolution and stand beside it," said Zhang Xingxing, showcasing the temperament of a good military commander.


    "Temo, is your ship good enough to resist a Nebula-class ship?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "You''re being too wishful. The empire''s Nebula-class ship is far more powerful than our ship. If Markus does not hide, all of us will die. I have already made the ship invisible," said Temo. He had directly disobeyed Zhang Xingxing.


    We were all aware of the consequences of going against the direct orders of a superior. Upon hearing his words, my heart skipped a beat. Markus''s internal warning system blazed, indicating that an imperial fleet led by a cruiser was speeding toward us. Under the illumination of the bright sphere, the fiend of Pluto was still staying in the same spot, making the same odd noise.


    "Why is that fellow shouting over there? There are only two choices. Either retreat or stay and fight," said Anxashe. He couldn''t understand why a creature as powerful as the fiend was behaving in such a manner.


    Suddenly, an imperial repair ship appeared and rapidly repaired the light wall surrounding the pillar. Shortly after, the massive imperial cruiser appeared in the distance. Its approach was akin to the approach of a monstrous beast.


    A swarm of surveillance drones flew out of the cruiser and spread out, seemingly in search of us. At the same time, the other ships surrounded the fiend under the lead of three Star-class destroyers.


    "This is bad. Things are looking bad for our ally. Why is it not running even in such a situation? It was a wrong choice to bet on it after all," said Old Du with despair.


    The ships surrounding the fiend started shouting orders at it, looking like they were demanding a surrender. As for the cannons on the destroyers, they were all aimed at the fiend. Suddenly, the world shook. The pillars propping the city up started swaying, while Markus''s system started indicating that there was a massive earthquake happening.


    The calm surface below us suddenly turned into a furious sea. Through the illumination provided by the shining sphere, we saw numerous protrusions rising from the ground and altering the landscape into a mountainous one.


    "This is bad. The super virus has really evolved. After hiding to digest the absorbed energy, it is now ready to slaughter everything on this planet," said Temo anxiously.


    Domo took the chance to belittle him. "I told you we shouldn''t attack rashly. What''s the result? We overreached. Even the stupid weapon was absorbed by the enemy. If you can''t do it, you should have stayed behind instead of embarrassing yourself like this."


    However, Domo had crossed a line. We were facing a massive battle, yet he kept insisting on creating conflict due to his grudge against Temo. Not even Zhang Xingxing could tolerate his antics anymore.


    "Domo, this is a war meeting. You won''t be able to help much in air warfare. You can go back to your room and rest. If you keep spouting nonsense during the meeting, you will be put into detention," said Zhang Xingxing solemnly.


    Temo, who was about to start another round of bickering with Domo, felt extremely comfortable hearing Zhang Xingxing''s words. Meanwhile, Domo looked incredibly gloomy.


    The moment the super virus reappeared, the fiend opened its mouth wide and spat five blue balls of light toward the virus. At the same time, a massive tentacle shot 200 meters into the air. With one wave, several drones were destroyed. The sudden attack caused the ships around the fiend to switch their target and attack the super virus instead.


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    The Star-class ships also switched their target and focused on the super virus. The heavy cannons fired rapidly, creating a sea of flames on the ground. The blue balls of light reached the super virus. The violent explosion we anticipated did not happen. The balls seemed to have melted right into the super virus''s body.


    Meanwhile, the super virus was busy fighting the robotic army. We could see that it was now capable of easily reaching a height of 500 meters in the air. It was obvious that the super virus had indeed evolved.


    To avoid being hit by a stray attack, Temo had Markus rise higher into the sky. Before long, the robotic army suffered disastrous losses. They were also forced to rise higher into the sky, leaving only the fiend, the nemesis of the super virus, behind. It seemed to have regained its strength as the laughter we were so familiar with returned. Facing the super virus, it charged while spouting flames from its mouth.

 CH 309

    A bitter fight unfolded before our eyes. The fiend utilized its flames to form a ball of fire around its body, burning any part of the super virus that approached it. The red flame it released seemed extremely destructive; the super virus would immediately pull its tentacle back upon touching the flame. With the ball of flame around its body, the super virus was unable to land any attack on the fiend. For a moment, the fiend seemed to occupy the upper hand.


    "I don''t know what the ball of flames from before do, but I don''t think they''re anything simple," said Baron Sisse.


    "Maybe those balls are a planted signal from the fiend. The moment the signal appears, we need to join it in attacking the super virus," Zhang Xingxing guessed.


    Amid the raging storm, the super virus fought both the robotic army and the fiend at the same time. Even so, it still did not look like it was at that much of a disadvantage. It was truly a powerful being. Before long, Markus''s system indicated that another Nebula-class cruiser had left the city in the sky. The ship was heading in the battlefield''s direction to reinforce the robotic army.


    On the ground, the fiend attacked with its unique red flame, burning a large part of the super virus''s body. However, the blue flame burning within its body seemed to be getting stronger as well. It was unknown if the fiend could last until the very end.


    Suddenly, an odd scene appeared. On the ground, several blue dots of light appeared in the super virus''s body. The dots rapidly expanded, madly devouring their surroundings to grow in size. The devoured parts of the super virus were turned into blue, shining holes.


    "Blue balls of light. The fiend''s signal has appeared," said Baron Sisse.


    What we saw was the work of the fiend of Pluto. The six blue balls of light that had sunken into the super virus''s body displayed an extreme corrosive effect, damaging the super virus from within while the fiend attacked from the outside.


    The blue balls spread faster and faster, and before long, the entire ground below us looked like a festering piece of skin. Due to the corrosion, the massive super virus twisted its body and released an odd scream.


    The fiend would not miss such a good opportunity to attack. While the super virus was tortured by intense pain, it started spouting fire at the undamaged parts of the super virus. The two different attacks coupled with the firepower of the robotic army, the super virus started turning sluggish.


    "This really looks like a chance. We need to join the fight as well. Maybe we can fully defeat the super virus after all. Temo, take out your ship''s trump card and blast this monster to death," suggested Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Brother Bao''er is right. This is the perfect opportunity to attack," Baron Sisse agreed.


    "Temo, bring Markus into combat mode and attack the super virus with everything you have," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    This time, Temo did not say anything and brought Markus out of invisibility. All the ship''s energy was focused on the offensive system. Hundreds of miniature missiles flew out of the ship, heading toward the different parts of the super virus. Before long, hundreds of red explosions erupted on the super virus''s body as Temo attacked alongside the fiend.


    "Looks like the super virus''s body is weakening and can''t mount an effective defense. This is our chance!" said Kelly in excitement.


    Hearing Kelly''s words, Temo unleashed even more missiles at the super virus. At the same time, numerous beams also shot out toward the super virus.


    "Remember to not use the vigor bomb anymore. We don''t want the super virus absorbing the energy again," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    Temo ignored Zhang Bao''er and continued attacking with every weapon at his disposal apart from the vigor bomb.


    "This is bad. A group of fighter drones is flying toward us," said Old Du.


    "Looks like this three-way fight is unavoidable in spite of everything," I said.


    "I''ll try to establish contact with these robots and see if we can reach a temporary agreement to join hands against the super virus," Temo said.


    The approaching fighter drones surrounded Markus and entered a battle formation. But a few minutes later, they actually left.


    "Why did the drones leave? I didn''t see you send any messages to them," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "The message has been sent. I can send a message with my brain waves. Do you think we need to perform manual message transmission like planet-level civilizations?" said Temo smugly.


    "Temo, how did you convince the robotic army to agree?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I told them that we should prioritize defeating the super virus since that is our common enemy. They agreed," replied Temo.


    "That''s way too simple and completely unlike the empire," said Old Du. He had always been a cautious one.


    "Of course, there is an additional term. After destroying the super virus, we need to surrender unconditionally to the robotic army," said Temo, instantly triggering all of us.


    "What? We need to surrender? Have you gone mad?" said Domo. He had stayed silent for a bit but had finally found another chance to criticize Temo without straying from the topic.


    "If we don''t agree, we won''t be able to win this battle. The robotic army hasn''t even used their full strength," said Temo.


    "Don''t worry. It''s a fake surrender. When the time comes, we can just ignore them," said Zhang Bao''er uncaringly.


    "That absolutely won''t do. The promise of the Sacred Wing race is sacred and must not be broken," said Temo.


    "The Sacred Wing race never breaks promises? Why don''t you think back on your history and recall your broken promises," said Domo, who was instantly triggered.


    "This¡ª" Temo was rendered speechless, which rarely happened.


    "Let''s put that aside for now. Focus on attacking the super virus. We''ll decide on what to do after defeating the monster," said Zhang Xingxing, moving our focus back to the battle.


    "Attack with everything you have. Don''t give that monster any respite," I said.


    Under Temo''s control, Markus''s attack intensified. Apart from the vigor bomb, every weapon available was already put to use. Under the attack of Markus, the robotic army, and the fiend, even something as powerful as the super virus looked to be on the brink of collapse.


    The burning blue holes were spreading deeper and deeper into the virus''s body, creating deep, dark holes in its body with a rim of blue flame. The rim constantly burned and devoured the body of the super virus.


    "Looks like this fellow won''t hold on for long. A freak billions of years old will finally be defeated," said Old Du.


    "We''ll kill it and avenge Master Crystal. This fellow has taken a lot of lives," said Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "I don''t think things will end so easily. My intuition is telling me that this fellow wouldn''t be so weak," said Temo.


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    The intense attack continued while the holes  the super virus''s body continued growing. Gradually, the holes created by the six blue balls spread enough to link up and form a massive hole.


    Abruptly, a blast of icy fog erupted from the hole. The fog reached high into the sky, creating a circular opening in the middle of the intense storm.


    "That''s too intense. It doesn''t look like something an organic life form can do. This is something only the core of the planet can create," said Old Du.


    "So the fiend''s corrosive flame was able to devour even the ground? Just how long had it taken to accumulate enough energy to unleash such an attack?" asked Baron Sisse.


    Right at that moment, an odd scene appeared. As a burst of icy fog rose into the sky, the super virus''s rotting body abruptly rose and gathered around the icy fog, as though that was its final hope.


    The super virus seemed completely unaffected by the icy fog. Instead, the flames all over its body were rapidly being extinguished. After obtaining the energy contained in the icy fog, the super virus''s badly damaged body regained its vitality.


    "This is bad! The super virus is using the energy of Pluto''s core to heal. We need to stop it or everything we have done up to now will be wasted," said Zhang Xingxing anxiously.


    "How can our single ship control such a violent eruption? I doubt even the fiend can do anything about it," said Temo.


    He was right. The distant fiend also saw what was happening. It slowed down its attacks before stopping completely.

 CH 310

    The super virus reacted speedily. Its healed tentacles started defending against our attacks. At the same time, its bulk increased, making it look even stronger. It was able to easily deal with the numerous attacks that were being thrown its way. The other damaged parts of its body also fully healed in the blink of an eye.


    "This is bad. We''re going to lose. This fellow is too scary. We''re not its match. A monster like this is not something we can stop," said Temo, sounding defeated.


    The surface below us had been thoroughly ravaged while the super virus''s tentacles had grown to an unbelievable size. It almost looked like the planet itself could no longer withstand the destruction caused by the super virus.


    "Looks like this is a freak that will grow stronger every time it recovers from an injury. Unless we can deal enough damage to kill it in one blow, defeating it will be impossible," said Baron Sisse.


    "But how can we deliver the fatal blow? It seems very good when it comes to healing, especially when it is harnessing the power of the planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I reckon it''s already too late to do so now," said Temo coldly.


    After saying that, he controlled Markus and rose rapidly, reaching a higher altitude in the sky. Meanwhile, the ground below us was akin to a raging sea. I could hear an odd booming sound coming from Pluto itself due to all the damage being done to it. The ground activities combined with the super virus''s movements created numerous erupting ice volcanoes on the ground. These holes were not the result of the fiend''s attacks. Rather, they were all forcefully created by the super virus.


    "This planet is at its limits. It can''t withstand more damage from this monster," said Temo, who sounded rather alarmed.


    "With the massive ice storm, the super virus no longer lacks the energy to heal itself. It is no longer possible to defeat it," said Old Du, acknowledging our defeat.


    "If the super virus is able to defeat the robotic army, will we be able to take advantage of the chaos and rescue the great sovereign? Even though we will lose Pluto, the great sovereign is much more important than this dwarf planet," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Hearing Zhang Bao''er''s suggestion, Zhang Xingxing signaled Old Du with her eyes.


    "Dodo, this is Markus. How is your search for the great sovereign?" asked Old Du. With Zhang Xingxing''s order, he no longer had any reservations about contacting Dodo.


    "Markus, this is Bob. There seem to be intense explosions occurring on the ground. The city is shaking violently. Many of the ships are already withdrawing with the robots. We have found the great sovereign''s position. Dodo is attempting to rescue it amid the chaos. I''m standing guard outside," said Bob.


    Hearing Bob''s words, we finally noticed that due to the intense ground activities, the pillars behind the walls of light were starting to sway. It was as though their very foundations were being damaged.


    "This planet is near its end. It is quite a surprise that Dodo is already attempting to rescue the great sovereign. Well done. I wonder how they did it. We need to reinforce them as soon as possible," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "But if we leave, what about the fiend? Are we leaving it to face the super virus alone?" I asked.


    At that moment, the fiend was protecting itself with a layer of red flames around its body. It was still resisting the super virus with great difficulty, but numerous massive tentacles were approaching it, seemingly intending to surround it before finishing it in one blow.


    "We need to warn the fiend. We can''t leave it to die. Let''s tell it to head higher into the sky first," I said to Temo.


    Suddenly, a loud sound of something snapping rang out. One of the pillars had snapped. The platform supported by the pillar dropped into the ground where the super virus was waiting. Several massive tentacles shot up and smashed the platform and the part of the city on it into pieces. We were all dumbstruck by the sight.


    "We need to reinforce Dodo and Bob immediately. Before long, the entire city will be destroyed by the super virus," said Zhang Bao''er, who was getting anxious.


    The situation was critical. The city in the sky was collapsing part by part. The robotic army also started withdrawing rapidly. Things were looking extremely bad for the fiend as well. It was already surrounded by the super virus''s tentacles. However, it was still fighting unyieldingly. The two had been fighting each other for hundreds of millions of years, and it seemed like one of them was finally going to fall.


    "Commander, I managed to contact Dodo again. The part of the city they''re in has not collapsed. Dodo seems to have found the great sovereign. They have transmitted the coordinates to me," Kelly reported.


    "Markus, ascend. Head to Dodo''s coordinates and cover their withdrawal. I did not expect this chaos to create a chance for us to save the great sovereign!" ordered Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "Temo, get Markus to give the fiend one final helping hand before leaving. Try to at least help it escape," I resisted Zhang Xingxing''s order and gave another suggestion. I really didn''t want to do nothing and watch as the fiend was killed.


    Hearing my words, Temo did not say anything. He brought the ship down toward the fiend and released several beams from the ship. The beams started cutting the tentacles around the fiend, attempting to create an opening for the fiend to escape.


    "Canyue, we''re running out of time. If we stay any longer, we''ll also be surrounded. If the part of the city Dodo and Bob are on collapses as well, everything will be over for us," reminded Old Du.


    A nervous silence enveloped Markus as the laser beams rapidly cut through the super virus''s tentacles. After cutting open a large hole through the tentacles, Markus unleashed dozens of guided missiles toward the hole.


    The white missiles whistled through the air toward the cut tentacles. At the moment of contact, a furious explosion erupted. The tentacles in front of us were instantly lit aflame, the raging flames illuminating the night sky.


    "More! More! Burn this freak to death!" cheered Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    Pressing onto the advantage, Markus unleashed another barrage of guided missiles at the burning tentacles, intending to deal even more damage to the super virus. Abruptly, a massive chunk of ice appeared in front of us. It took on all our guided missiles, tanking the explosions for the super virus.


    As the broken chunks of ice dropped down from the air, we finally noticed that an even larger tentacle had plucked the chunk of ice from the ground and placed it between Markus and the fiend. The burning tentacles were being rapidly replaced by new tentacles, and instead of being freed, the fiend was surrounded by even more tentacles. Even more terrifying was the fact that while focusing on helping the fiend, we did not notice that we had already been surrounded by thick tentacles as well.


    "We''re surrounded. These tentacles can now reach as high as a kilometer in the sky. Canyue, your previous information is no longer reliable," said Temo. Even in such a plight, he still displayed the grace and calm of someone from a star-level civilization.


    "Looks like the monster grew stronger after its evolution. Canyue, it''s all your fault! We should have retreated. Why did you insist on helping the fiend? Are you happy now? We''re all going to die with the fiend," complained Domo, which wasn''t surprising at all.


    "If you''re scared of death, you shouldn''t have come. If your people weren''t such cowards back then, you wouldn''t have been kicked out of the race," said Temo.


    "What did you just say? If you''re unhappy with me, we can have a fight! I''ll be sure to crush you before I die," said Domo, who was getting increasingly agitated.


    "Can''t you see the situation we''re in? Why are you still fighting? Is this how those from a so-called high-leveled civilization behave?" scolded Zhang Xingxing.


    Seeing that Zhang Xingxing was really angry, Temo stopped bickering. He increased the intensity of Markus''s attacks, attempting to break free of the encirclement. Alas, reality proved that we had underestimated the super virus. For the sake of helping the fiend, our ship had been surrounded. The terrifying tentacles seemed to be everywhere, sealing all possible escape routes. Markus was pushed into an impasse.


    "This is getting real troublesome. This monster is much stronger than I had imagined," said Temo, still calm.


    "What should we do now? Can your ship escape?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was visibly getting nervous.


    "Death will come for everyone. That is the universe''s most fundamental rule. Nobody can escape death," Temo gave a reply that sank Zhang Bao''er into even greater despair.


    "This is a total loss. After getting onto this stupid fake high-civilization ship, all my hard work for the past two years has been for nothing," muttered Domo, still worried about his wealth even when facing death.


    "Kelly, Old Du, we managed to free the great sovereign! Notify the commander to come pick us up! This place is going to collapse soon! We did it! We really did it! Who dares to look down on robots after this?" Dodo''s voice rang out in the system while everyone was wallowing in despair.


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    One side of the communication was full of hope while the other side was full of despair.


    "Temo, think of something. Is there any way for us to escape the tentacles?" I asked, once again placing my hope on Temo.


    We could all see that Temo was sinking into deep thought. By now, almost all of Markus''s weapons were being used. Unfortunately, the weapons could only slow the tentacles instead of beating them back.


    I saw Anxashe make his final prayer. None of us had expected the situation to change so rapidly. In such a short period of time, we had been pulled down from the altar of victory down into the abyss of death. Dodo was unceasingly calling out to us through the communicator, but nobody dared to give them a reply. As our last bit of hope turned into despair, Markus suddenly shook violently.


    "Temo, what''s going on? Are you going to perform a wormhole leap?" asked Zhang Bao''er in excitement when he saw that there was still hope.


    However, Temo firmly shook his head.


    "All possible wormhole nodes have been blocked by the super virus. The intense shaking comes from the air of Pluto itself," said Temo, throwing Zhang Bao''er back into despair.


    Instantly, a miracle appeared.

 CH 311

    Red flames were slowly seeping out of the base of the numerous tentacles around us.


    "What''s that? It looks like a volcano is erupting," asked Old Du.


    "I thought there were only ice volcanoes on Pluto," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "The super virus absorbed too much of the planet''s energy, weakening the planet. Coupled with the intense activities performed by the massive super virus, the planet can no longer hold on. The core is pressured so much that the lava within is pushed out to the surface," said Temo.


    "You sound so sure, but how do you know that this isn''t another of the monster''s attacks?" asked Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "The system indicates that a burst of power is coming from the core. The super virus dealt too much damage to the environment when attacking us and the fiend. This part of the planet is on the verge of collapse. A massive volcanic eruption is imminent. Get to your seats!" warned Temo.


    As Temo said, a massive burst of lava erupted from the ground. The eruption carried a might capable of slaying gods and demons, declaring to everything here that it was the planet''s true overlord. The super virus was completely helpless before the eruption. A massive lava beam rose into the sky like a towering pillar and tore the tentacles around it apart.


    "This is our chance to escape!" Baron Sisse, who was an experienced soldier, instantly noticed the opening and shouted to remind Temo.


    In the blink of an eye, Markus borrowed the force from the volcanic eruption and shot through the opening high into the sky. While shooting into the sky, I noticed a massive figure in the distance also soaring into the sky. The fiend had also taken the chance to escape the encirclement.


    For an unknown reason, I was greatly relieved to see the fiend safe. At the very least, I had kept my promise to it. Markus continued soaring into the storm, reaching an altitude beyond the super virus''s reach. We had temporarily escaped the super virus.


    After we soared beyond the storm, a chaotic scene was presented before us. Right in front of our eyes, another part of the city collapsed from the sky. Countless transport ships, battleships, and drones were hastily taking flight from the parts of the city that had yet to collapse. They rushed toward outer space to escape the planet that was on the verge of destruction.


    "Dodo, we''ll reach you in roughly one minute. Please get ready," said Kelly.


    "Faster! Almost all our surroundings have collapsed! It''s going to be our turn to fall soon!" urged Dodo anxiously.


    "Hide well. The ship will reach you soon," said Kelly.


    "We don''t even need to hide anymore. Only the two of us are left here. All the other robots have withdrawn," said Dodo.


    "Only the two of you? Where''s the great sovereign?" I asked.


    "It''s hiding inside Bob. Don''t worry. Come quickly. I can feel the city collapsing," said Dodo, impatience clear in their voice.


    Finally, two separate parts of the city appeared before us. One of them abruptly collapsed, causing my heart to skip a beat.


    "It''s not this one. They''re on the part that is still standing," said Temo, calming all of us.


    Markus rapidly and accurately arrived above the final part of the city still standing. The surface of the city was in a complete mess, fully displaying the aftermath of a sudden retreat. Pieces of military equipment were left everywhere, and two robots were waiting for us at the public square in the middle of the city. Without a doubt, the two were Dodo and Bob.


    Our ship landed nimbly, and the moment the door opened, Dodo and Bob rushed into the ship with unimaginable speed. Suddenly, we felt the city lean to one side. Markus, displaying its balancing system''s effectiveness, quickly regained balance and then took off into the sky.


    "If you were a few seconds late, both of us would have been dead," complained Dodo the moment they entered the ship.


    Right before our eyes, the final part of the city collapsed into the fierce storm below. The sight was extremely impactful, causing me to feel as though I was the one falling into the endless hell below. This was not the end of the planet''s fury. Before long, several red pillars of flame shot out from the storm below us.


    "Looks like the core is already extremely unstable. The planet is going to collapse soon. We need to leave as soon as possible if we don''t want to be caught in the explosion," said Temo.


    "Retreat immediately and return to outer space," ordered Zhang Xingxing decisively.


    With the order given, Temo activated Markus''s invisible mode and had the ship soar toward outer space. From space, we could clearly see that the volcanic eruptions on the planet''s surface were intensifying. Apart from the pillars of lava, countless ice eruptions could also be seen. The surface of the planet was overturning like a pot of boiling water, presenting us with an extremely terrifying sight.


    "This planet has gone mad. A planet that has been enveloped in ice for billions of years has actually been set off by one single-celled organism. Looks like there will no longer be a Pluto in the Solar System," said Old Du.


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    The intense volcanic eruptions indicated that the planet was becoming extremely unstable. The intense damage dealt by the super virus had finally pushed the dwarf planet that had been asleep for 4.5 billion years to the brink of destruction.


    A blinding white erupted from the surface of the planet, and a massive air mass formed and surged high enough to reach outer space. One could only imagine the force behind such an eruption.


    Then, violent explosions occurred all over the planet''s surface. Countless chunks of rock and ice were thrown into outer space. The explosions were so intense and bright that the planet itself was no longer visible.


    "Looks like this is the end of Pluto. Just like this, we no longer have Pluto," said Zhang Xingxing, traces of sorrow in her voice.


    We all stood still, silently sending off the planet that had occupied an important position in the history of Blue''s astronomy. Once upon a time, Pluto was considered one of the nine planets of the Solar System. At one point, it came to be known as the planet of viruses. It was also precisely a super virus that had destroyed this mythical planet.


    A light more intense than the light of the sun shot out of the planet. This was the final eruption from Pluto''s core. The brightness lingered for a very long time before gradually fading away.


    After 10 minutes of sorrowful silence, Temo gave a surprising remark, "What a tenacious planet. It still exists even after all that."


    "What? The planet still exists even after all that?" questioned Old Du in astonishment.


    "According to Markus''s system, half of Pluto was blown away. The planet is now a hemisphere, but the bulk of its body still exists," said Temo as he pointed at the screen.


    The aftermath of the explosions had yet to fully clear, but the system clearly indicated that only the upper half of the planet had vanished. The lower half of its body was still tenaciously existing.


    "What an amazing planet," praised Zhang Xingxing.


    All of us were in a good mood after realizing that the planet had not been destroyed. After all, this was a planet that had accompanied our civilization for a very long period of time.


    "How about the great sovereign? Where is it?" Temo suddenly asked.


    Only then were we reminded of our mission. We all looked at Dodo and Bob.


    "The great sovereign is safe. It is hiding inside Bob''s body," replied Dodo.


    "Inside Bob? Is that great sovereign so small?" asked Zhang Bao''er in disbelief.


    "Yes, the great sovereign is only a small bug," answered Bob.


    "We went through so many hardships to save it. Can you take it out and show us its real appearance? We need to at least get a look at it, right?" I said.


    "This..." Bob hesitated.


    "Bob, is there a problem?" asked Zhang Xingxing after sensing that Bob''s behavior was rather unusual.


    "The great sovereign was actually the one who had led us to it. The moment we met, it entered my body. I don''t even know where it''s hiding. My right arm is under its control. If you need to communicate with it, we can proceed immediately," said Bob helplessly.


    "What? The worm got into your body by itself? Let Temo scan your body. We need to get it out, or it will eat you from inside," said Zhang Bao''er, clearly trying to scare Bob.


    "Don''t talk nonsense, Bao''er. Since we can communicate with the great sovereign, let''s connect the ship''s system to Bob''s right arm. We''ll proceed with the dialog," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone''s focus shifted to the conversation with the great sovereign. As we waited in anticipation, Temo unhesitatingly connected Bob''s arm to the ship''s system. We then waited for the great sovereign to show itself. However, only static could be seen on the projection. Even after waiting for five minutes, the great sovereign was nowhere to be seen.


    "Are you actually lying to us?" asked Zhang Bao''er impatiently.


    "I also think they''re lying. How can the two of them complete this mission so easily? Are those robotic guards really so useless?" said Domo. After escaping danger and the prospect of losing his wealth, Domo had returned to his previous self.


    "We''re telling the truth! The great sovereign did lead us to it, and it had guided us to safety as well!" said Bob in agitation.


    "Are you sure you weren''t brought into an illusion?" asked Zhang Xingxing. The mere thought of that caused all of us to break out in cold sweat.

 CH 312

    "That''s impossible! We really did receive the great sovereign''s guidance. Robots can''t enter illusions!" argued Bob.


    "Who said that robots can''t enter illusions? A slight amendment to your programs is all it takes to make it so that you aren''t even aware of what you''re doing," said Domo.


    While everyone was arguing, the silhouette of an animal appeared on the projection. Surprising all of us, the silhouette was in the shape of a bee from Blue.


    "Don''t tell me this is the great sovereign. It''s a little bee? This is too hilarious," Zhang Bao''er burst out in laughter.


    "The leader of the pulp worms is actually a little bee? Bob, is this the great sovereign you saw previously?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I didn''t see anything. At that time, Dodo left the room with a case. Before I could open the case, the great sovereign had entered my body," said Bob helplessly.


    "Hello! May I ask if you''re the pulp worms'' great sovereign?" asked Kelly curiously.


    But no matter what we said, the great sovereign remained silent. Despite the silence, I was sure that it was observing us. Regardless of the interaction, the appearance of the little bee had alleviated some of our worries.


    "I reckon this fellow is mute. It can only converse through mental communication. It probably has no idea what we''re saying. The language of our civilization is too high-leveled for it to understand," said Zhang Bao''er, who was losing his patience after only a short wait.


    "You''re the mute one. How is it possible that I can''t understand your language?" Surprisingly, Zhang Bao''er''s provocation managed to trigger a response from the great sovereign.


    "Hello, Great Sovereign. We''re here on Violetvoid''s request. We''re allies," I said.


    "I''m already aware of that. Violetvoid told me a long time ago. Why are you only here now? I have been waiting a very long time. Looks like I need to teach that little bastard, Violetvoid, a harsh lesson after this," said the great sovereign. We were surprised to see that the great sovereign had quite a bad temper.


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    "Little bee, we went through a lot of danger to save you. You''re belittling our efforts," said Zhang Bao''er grumpily.


    "My apologies, Great Sovereign. My brother has a terrible temper. We need to help you leave and stop the operation involving the super weapons," I said.


    "Since you have saved me from Pluto, I am naturally inclined to help you. But for now, you need to think of a way to go through the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter. You have been discovered by the empire," said the great sovereign. It was rather impressive that the great sovereign could immediately identify our current problem.


    "What can a single army do to us? Our reinforcements are already on the way. We have even defeated the super virus. What is there to fear about some ordinary imperial soldiers?" Zhang Bao''er started bragging.


    "Stop bragging. If the super virus hadn''t caused Pluto to explode, you wouldn''t have been able to escape. Also, the super virus is still alive. That monster is too powerful. I had personally experienced its prowess. After the explosion, it had grown even stronger. The entire planet is now basically a part of its body," said the great sovereign with derision.


    "What? The super virus is still alive even after such a fierce explosion?" Even Temo was shocked by that revelation.


    Our gazes landed on the planet that had just undergone a violent explosion. The light was slowly fading away, revealing Pluto''s remaining half and the planet''s intense surface activities. The planet''s surface was moving rapidly like a storm in the sky. Without a doubt, the moving "surface" was in truth a part of the super virus''s body. We all broke out in cold sweat upon witnessing such a terrifying sight.


    "Looks like humanity will never be able to step on this planet again. This will turn into a virus planet we can only behold from afar," I said with a sigh.


    "There''s nothing bad about looking at it from afar. I just hope this planet doesn''t turn into a true creature like Jupiter II and travel everywhere to harm more planets," said Old Du.


    "That might really happen. Should we complete the destruction of Pluto then?" suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    "Do not ever attempt that. If you can''t fully destroy the planet, you will only provide more energy for the super virus to further evolve. At that time, destroying the monster will be even harder. It might even evolve into a monster capable of freely traveling through the universe," cautioned the great sovereign.


    "In that case, we should let it be for now. We have an even more important mission to carry out. Great Sovereign, can you really help us?" asked Zhang Xingxing, pulling our focus back to the task at hand.


    "Like I said, your current priority is to get through the empire''s perimeter. The perimeter is not as simple as you think. I don''t know how strong your reinforcements are, but according to what I know, the league has suffered a complete defeat. They no longer have a functional fleet to stand against the empire or reinforce your team," said the great sovereign, who was clearly doubtful of our strength.


    "Great Sovereign, you are obviously extremely capable. Can you summon the superweapons to reinforce us?" asked Kelly.


    "The superweapons are too far away, and the imperial battleships are going to carpet search this area soon. The super weapons won''t be able to arrive in time. We need to get help elsewhere," replied the great sovereign.


    "But we''re the only ones here. Where can we get help?" asked Zhang Bao''er, somewhat unhappy with the answer.


    At the mention of help, the image of our ally appeared in my mind. The fiend of Pluto had also escaped during the volcanic eruption. I had no idea where that fellow was. Perhaps it could work with us and help us escape.


    "We have an ally. The fiend of Pluto. It is a powerful creature, but we don''t know its current location," I said.


    "That''s not an issue. Your star-level friend will give you the answer," said the great sovereign while pointing at Temo.


    I moved my gaze to Temo.


    "That''s really not an issue. The fiend of Pluto is lying on top of Markus," answered Temo calmly.


    "What? That monster is right above us?" exclaimed Bob, who was clearly still fearful of the fiend.


    "Don''t be scared, Bob. We have allied with it," Dodo hurriedly comforted their friend.


    "Looks like that fellow followed us to outer space. Since it hasn''t attacked us, we must have earned its approval with our previous actions. It is now assured that we''re really allies," said Baron Sisse.


    "Exactly. You got really lucky. During your suicide mission, you actually encountered the explosion of Pluto, allowing you to accidentally save the fiend of Pluto. It is most likely willing to stay allies with you. If you can obtain its assistance, you might really be able to get through the defensive perimeter," said the great sovereign, finally giving us a positive answer.


    "This is great! As long as we reach an agreement with the fiend, we can start the operation immediately," said Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    Immediately, we received another piece of good news from the system. Carter had obtained the parliament''s approval. He was heading our way on Skyhawk with a robotic army. They would arrive near the defensive perimeter in about an hour.


    Kelly updated Carter on the success of our rescue mission and our current status. Both of us agreed to attack from within and outside and escape the perimeter together. We were nine days away from the final attack on Blue. There should still be enough time for us to do something.


    However, I felt rather uncomfortable when Carter constantly enquired about Zhang Xingxing at the end of the call. I was furious inwardly and had a strong urge to have a great fight with him.


    However, I was able to force myself to calm down. We were facing a great enemy, and our current priority was the survival of our people. Nothing should affect the important mission we were about to undertake.


    "Is Carter sure he will reach his position in an hour?" I asked.


    "Yes, according to the information I received. After his arrival, he will be able to help us withdraw," said Kelly.


    "Tell Carter to reach the position in time. We will make our plan in accordance with his estimated arrival time," I ordered Kelly.


    "Canyue, have you decided on a way to communicate with the fiend?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    I gave a clear answer. "Yes. I have to wake Bulu up again. Regardless of how tired the fellow is, we can only count on it during such a critical moment."

 CH 313

    After saying all I had to say, I took out Bulu, who was still sleeping soundly, from my backpack.


    "My god. What is this? This doesn''t look like a creature of this universe," exclaimed the great sovereign.


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    "Little bee, you''re right. This is a creature from a higher universe layer. You get to learn something new today," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    Hearing Zhang Bao''er''s words, the great sovereign gasped in admiration.


    "Canyue, looks like Bulu is dormant. How do you wake it up?" asked Old Du.


    "I don''t think we can wake this little fellow up. Why don''t we try pricking it with a needle," Domo gave us a rotten idea.


    "Yes, yes, I agree. Go give it a try," Zhang Bao''er urged, clearly trying to make some trouble for Domo.


    "Absolutely not. If you anger Bulu, it might destroy Domo''s mind upon waking up," warned Old Du.


    "Temo, can Markus establish a connection with the fiend? I doubt we can wake Bulu up," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What do you plan to do? Do you want to communicate with that fellow? Why didn''t you ask for my help?" The great sovereign was unhappy that we had not asked for its help.


    "You can contact the fiend? That''s great! Can you contact it immediately?" asked Zhang Xingxing in excitement.


    "That''s no big deal. I''ll form a connection immediately. Get the ship ready for mental projection," agreed the great sovereign.


    The little bee in the projection started spinning, seemingly deliberately creating a sense of solemness for our sake. Temo had cleared some space in his mind projection system for the fiend to make an appearance. All of us focused on the projection, waiting nervously for the fiend.


    After a few minutes, the fiend really did appear. But its appearance was rather comedic. Instead of the Blueling in green that I had seen previously, it had appeared in the form of a chubby bee.


    "Well done. Two little bees, flying amid flowers," teased Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fatty, you''ll be my first target to kill," said the fiend, who, unlike the polite great sovereign, immediately threatened Zhang Bao''er with death.


    The threat caught Zhang Bao''er by surprise and successfully scared him. He no longer dared to joke, and the atmosphere in the ship turned solemn.


    I stood up and asked politely, "Senior, are you really the fiend of Pluto that I met previously?"


    "Fiend of Pluto? What stupid name is that? My name is Ant," replied the fiend fiercely.


    I could clearly hear some laughter coming from a few of the Bluelings among us. The fiend of Pluto was such a terrifying creature. We truly couldn''t picture it as an ant. I couldn''t understand why it named itself so.


    "Great Ant, that was my mistake. We need you to continue working with us as per our agreement. Together, we will escape this place," I voiced my request.


    "I can easily leave. Why should I take burdens like you along?" said the fiend, seemingly having forgotten about the great danger we had faced to help it.


    "You''re being ungrateful! We risked our lives to enter the encirclement and help you! How can you forget that?" Unsurprisingly, impatient Zhang Bao''er was the first to reply.


    "I suppose I can help. If you kill this fatty, I''ll take you with me," said the fiend.


    Silence descended after the fiend made its request.


    I was the first to object to its ridiculous suggestion. "We have pledged to each other before. You helping us has nothing to do with Zhang Bao''er. He is my brother. I will not allow any harm to come to him."


    "Fine. Yes, there is an agreement between us, but there is no agreement between me and that fatty. We can leave the fatty behind. Otherwise, I''ll leave by myself, and all of you can stay here. Make your decision. I don''t have a lot of time," said the fiend.


    "I''ll kill myself. There is no need to throw threats here. Everyone, just go. Don''t worry about me," scolded Zhang Bao''er as he drew his pistol.


    "Stop adding more trouble," said Old Du as he kicked Zhang Bao''er away.


    "Old Du, why did you kick me?" questioned Zhang Bao''er unyieldingly.


    Unable to take more of Zhang Bao''er''s antics, Zhang Xingxing signaled Anxashe with her eyes. Anxashe understood her meaning immediately and went over to cover Zhang Bao''er''s mouth.


    "Great Ant, this fatty doesn''t have a good temper, but he did not hesitate when we had gone to aid you. Don''t lower yourself by bickering with him. We need to prioritize protecting the great sovereign and escaping the perimeter. We need your help," requested Zhang Xingxing politely.


    "Fine, fine, but if he speaks one more word, I''ll eat him. I already sense that the enemy ships are searching nearby. I need to search for a suitable escape route. Get your ship to follow me. We''ll first get through the first blockade line," said the fiend, finally forgetting about Zhang Bao''er.


    Temo immediately controlled Markus and utilized the mental connection with the fiend to follow the fiend as it moved. As Markus flew rapidly while invisible, we could clearly see a tight net that the imperial battleships had formed. Many ships were constantly pushing nearer and nearer to Pluto, clearly in search of us. The fiend took a lot of turns while moving, but each direction seemed to be guarded by enemy ships. Even after a long time, the fiend was still unable to find an exit point.


    "I didn''t expect the empire''s defensive perimeter to be so tight. Can the ship find a safe route amid the minefield?" asked Old Du, feeling somewhat helpless.


    "Ant, can you do it or not?" The great sovereign started challenging the fiend.


    "I''m the one searching for a safe route. Why are you inferior creatures being so mouthy? If you''re capable, why don''t you come out here and look for the route yourself?" replied the fiend impatiently.


    Hearing the fierce tone, nobody said anything else.


    "If we want to leave, we need to create an opening with force. According to my estimation, you need to destroy a small fleet led by a cruiser. Will your ship be able to do it?" asked the fiend.


    "It will be very difficult. Markus has limited firepower. It can''t destroy a cruiser. If we only need to destroy regular battleships and drones, we can probably do it," said Temo.


    "That will do. I''ll deal with the cruiser. You''ll handle the remaining ships," said the fiend.


    "Are you sure? Can you really handle a cruiser?" asked Temo doubtfully.


    "Don''t worry about me. Let''s get started. Our target is the fleet ahead of us," said the fiend before charging toward the cruiser in the distance.


    "That fellow has gone mad. Why didn''t it make proper preparations? What if we lose? Wouldn''t this be the end of us?" complained Domo.


    "That fellow has always been a lunatic. Let''s help," said Temo.


    Ahead of us was a small fleet searching in the area. We noticed that the fiend was about to attack the Nebula-class cruiser in the middle of the fleet while maintaining an invisible state. Before long, the fiend came in contact with the cruiser''s shield. A blinding light erupted, and the cruiser''s shield perfectly protected the ship. The fiend''s advance was stopped outside the shield.


    A blue light erupted from the fiend''s body. Surprisingly, the blue light seemed to have become one with the injured parts of its body. When the cruiser''s green shield encountered the blue light, the two colors merged perfectly. The fiend''s entire body turned cyan.


    That color seemed to indicate the fiend''s great recovery from its injuries. An even brighter light erupted as the fiend punched through the shield and the ship, leaving a massive hole in the ship''s hull. The domineering attack stunned all of us.


    "Just what kind of a monster is this? It can even punch through a cruiser," exclaimed Temo, who knew very well how powerful the imperial battleships were.


    Naturally, the imperial army was not to be trifled with. All the surrounding battleships instantly focus-fired on the fiend, flooding it with so many attacks that the fiend turned into a ball of fire.


    "Temo, do you see that opening?" asked Baron Sisse upon noticing that an opening had been created when all the enemy ships focused on attacking the fiend.


    "Of course," said Temo. Markus released four vigor bombs. With the bombs orbiting the ship as if they were guardians, Markus charged toward the opening.


    The other battleships noticed what Markus was trying to do. Immediately, a few battleships turned around and fired madly at us. About a dozen drones also instantly rushed toward us. One of the drones flew into a vigor bomb with a shield around it. The powerful bomb instantly decimated the drone, but the other drones continued charging fearlessly.


    Unsurprisingly, all the drones were instantly destroyed. The missiles sent by the battleships were all blocked by Markus''s shield as well. Before long, we were right in front of the opening. We were about to enter the central region of the Midstar Army''s defensive perimeter, an area where their defenses were the weakest. But out of nowhere, the damaged Nebula-class cruiser appeared in front of us, blocking our path forward.

 CH 314

    The cruiser damaged by the fiend hovered in front of us even as it was smoking from the damage it suffered. It had probably performed a small space leap to move so quickly. A fireball could be seen on the body of the ship. Without a doubt, the fireball was the fiend, who was the subject of concentrated firepower just moments ago.


    The fiend spewed a red beam of fire at the cruiser, intending to pierce through the ship. However, the ship managed to withstand the attack with its powerful hull, and it used its powerful rail cannons against us.


    A massive blue bullet shot toward us and collided with the four vigor bombs acting as our guardians. Instantly, two different forces clashed. The vigor bombs managed to protect us from the first attack, but the second bullet came immediately after.


    "Temo, take note of the enemy''s second rail bullet. We need to avoid it," said Old Du, who knew very well how powerful the empire''s rail cannons were.


    However, the bullet was too fast. Even though Temo immediately had Markus evade, the back of the ship was still struck.


    A burst of electromagnetic waves erupted from the bullet. I was instantly assaulted by a piercing pain in my head. Fortunately, my morph-capable shield activated promptly to protect me. Instantly, I noticed that everyone else was suffering from extreme pain. Baron Sisse reacted quickly and extended his morph-capable shield to also protect Temo.


    "It''s too painful. What''s wrong with this ship? Not only is it incapable of evading a bullet, but it also doesn''t even have a shield!" shouted Zhang Bao''er painfully.


    "The empire has improved their weapons. The rail cannons are much faster than before. Of course, without Markus, all of us would already be dead. Your shields won''t be enough to defend against their rail cannons," said Temo with a painful expression on his face.


    While everyone was complaining, Kelly sounded the alarm. The third bullet was coming. Despair covered all our faces. The attacks were too powerful and concentrated for us to evade.


    Temo, who was still light-headed, forcefully had Markus perform an evasive movement. However, the ship had slowed considerably after being hit once. Right as we were about to be hit yet again, a massive force struck our ship, helping us barely avoid the incoming bullet.


    "Like I said, you are all useless burdens," sneered the fiend before it continued to fight the cruiser.


    Right after the fiend shot toward the cruiser, the fourth bullet came at us. During that critical moment, the fiend unfurled its wings. Its wings shone brightly, with the light spreading into a massive net that stood in the bullet''s path.


    "That fellow must have gone mad! Is it thinking of taking the bullet by itself?" Zhang Bao''er was dumbstruck.


    "You''re right. It is definitely intending to do so," said Baron Sisse.


    In the blink of an eye, the bullet struck the fiend''s massive body. However, the net of light around the fiend captured the bullet and threw it right into the opening the fiend had created earlier. The counterattack had happened too quickly. It was very likely that not even our enemies had seen that coming. They didn''t even react as they were struck by their own bullet.


    Even through the distance between us, we could seemingly feel the massive pain the soldiers in the cruiser were suffering. The ship started leaning to one side, as though it was in an unstable state. Even its shield was twisting. At that time, a clear path opened within the enemy''s formation.


    "What are you waiting for? Flee!" scolded the fiend.


    Our attention had been fully captured by the previous exchange. The fiend''s words pulled us back to reality. Temo hurriedly controlled Markus to rush through the opening beside the cruiser. The ship entered the rear of the defensive line and then quickly turned invisible.


    "Little Ant, are you not retreating?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Go ahead. I''m still itching to fight more. I''ll buy more time for you. I''ll rejoin you later," said the fiend.


    "So have we completed the mission? We did escape the Midstar Army''s encirclement, right?" asked Domo.


    "We have only gone through the first defensive line. The other defensive line is the main line preventing entry into Pluto. That is also where the empire''s forces are more concentrated," said Zhang Xingxing, instantly increasing the pressure we were feeling.


    By then, Old Du and Kelly had started working with Temo to devise a new action plan. From our scans, we learned that the empire had concentrated their forces the most at the front and the back of the defensive perimeter. Since they had deployed a large portion of their forces to search for us, the middle of the perimeter was relatively empty.


    "The lightnet defensive system is right ahead of us. We will get in contact with the empire''s defensive system soon," reported Temo.


    "What should we do now? Master Crystal is lying sick in the medical room and Wind Spirit''s genetic password must have been discovered by now. How should we go through the lightnet this time?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    The lightnet was the reason the empire had dared to send the majority of their forces away from their posts.


    "Master Crystal once mentioned that Master Wind is here as well. If we can contact Master Wind, we might be able to find a way to get through the lightnet," I suggested.


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    "Master Crystal is still unconscious. He is the only one with the method to contact Master Wind. If we go searching for Master Wind ourselves, it will be the same as throwing ourselves into our enemy''s hands," cautioned Old Du.


    Nobody could think of anything. Our advance was stopped by the empire''s lightnet while the fiend was still fighting the enemy ships behind us, as though it could gain more strength from battling.


    "Little Ant, time for you to withdraw. A large number of imperial ships are heading your way. If you don''t leave now, you won''t have the chance to leave anymore," warned the great sovereign.


    "Hmph. These inferior beings can only rely on numbers to win. I''ll take care of them later," said the fiend. It probably realized that it wouldn''t be a match for the sheer numbers the empire could throw at it, so it rapidly released several clones to confuse its enemies before withdrawing and becoming invisible.


    However, something surprising happened abruptly. We found to our astonishment that over a hundred ships of different classes were suddenly flying quickly toward the first defensive line. Due to the size of the fleet, even the lightnet defensive system was temporarily turned off to allow them passage.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing, this is Skyhawk. We''re in position and will be commencing the attack shortly. Take this chance to escape," Carter''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Looks like Carter is here. We need to grab this chance and rush out of the perimeter. Success is right ahead of us. Let us work together and take this final step forward," said Zhang Xingxing encouragingly. She was visibly excited by Carter''s arrival.


    "We can''t do much. Temo is the one controlling the ship," I said, somewhat unhappy to hear Zhang Xingxing talking about Carter with such excitement.


    Despite my gloominess, Markus still took the chance to follow closely behind the imperial ships to the first defensive line.


    "Little Ant, where are you?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I''m behind your ship. We need to move upward later. It will be easier to break out of the perimeter there. Deadweights, remember to follow closely behind me later," the fiend derided.


    "Fine, Little Ant. Remember to not enter the central zone of the first defensive line. I suspect there are a lot of powerful secret weapons there. We need to do our best to avoid that place," said the great sovereign.


    "What secret weapons does the empire have? Why is that emperor always able to come up with new weapons?" said Zhang Bao''er, envious of the emperor for having so many different weapons.


    "He has the assistance of the Sacred Wing race. There is no weapon that we can''t manufacture," said Temo smugly.


    I noticed that Anxashe had grown smarter this time; he had covered Domo''s mouth before Domo could say anything. Without the lightnet in the way, we managed to reach the first defensive line in a short period of time. Even from far away, we could clearly see the bright explosions and beams flying everywhere ahead of us. Clearly, they were in the middle of an intense battle.


    "Odd. This doesn''t look like the attack launched by a single ship," muttered Baron Sisse.


    "You''re right. There is not only Skyhawk and the robotic crew of the ship ahead of us. To help us, Carter had even brought B Army''s reserve with him. This army has been hiding in a neighboring system to serve as our trump card for a final attack or escape. I did not expect Carter to be able to convince the parliament to also deploy this army," said Zhang Xingxing, making it clear that she had been talking with Carter through a private channel.


    "We don''t know if the league still has more hidden forces. Nobody knows how this war will end," said Baron Sisse. He was clearly rather dissatisfied with the fact that the existence of this army had been hidden from him.


    "It doesn''t matter," Kelly said. "In nine days, Blue will be subjected to the superweapons'' planetary bombardment. There is no avoiding destruction if that happens."


    "Little Ant, the battle ahead is very intense. It won''t be hard for us to escape. Have you finalized your escape plan?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I have long come up with a plan. We only need to break through. Just stab through the middle of their formation. Let me have some fun with their so-called secret weapons," said the fiend. Its words shocked all of us, but in a way, it was very in character for the fiend to act like that.

 CH 315

    "This fellow has gone completely mad. We can''t listen to that stupid idea," Domo immediately protested.


    "What do you know, little guy? This is the only way to throw their formation into chaos. They would never have expected us to have the guts to charge through the middle of their army," said the fiend.


    "Of course they wouldn''t expect us. There is no need for them to even pay much attention to the center. It is strong enough as it is," countered Domo fearlessly, which was quite a surprise.


    At that point, the battle ahead of us was growing in intensity. Numerous ships were flying everywhere as they engaged each other in combat. This was our window of opportunity. If we kept hesitating, we would miss the chance to escape.


    "Zhang Xingxing, I''m Prince Toruse." Prince Toruse''s voice came through the communicator. "The reinforcements have engaged the enemy in battle. You can make use of the chaos to escape."


    "Prince, you''re finally here for us!" said Dodo, who was excited to hear Prince Toruse''s voice.


    "Yes. I volunteered for this mission. Carter is leading the army in an attack to distract the enemy and create an opening. Be ready to charge out the moment the opening is created. Also, can I verify if you have really saved the great sovereign?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "Yes, we did. It''s a little bee. It''s currently hiding within the body of a robot. You can talk to it after our escape," replied Dodo.


    "Who are you calling a little bee? Who are you talking to?" asked the great sovereign unhappily.


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    "Big bug, why are you wasting time talking to them? Get ready. I''m going ahead to beat them up," said the fiend before lowering its head in preparation to charge forward.


    "Little Ant, wait. Let me analyze the secret weapons," said the great sovereign.


    At that moment, before we could do anything, a secret weapon made its appearance. An oddly-shaped ship appeared from among the enemy ships. The ship was akin to the combination of a cube and a cuboid. A long tube was slowly extending from the top of the ship.


    "What weapon is this? Have you seen it before?" Zhang Xingxing asked Temo, her voice anxious.


    "Weird. I''ve never seen this weapon either. I don''t know how it works, but I suspect it is capable of dealing massive damage to the league''s army," said Temo.


    The long tube started emitting a bizarre purple light. Protected in the middle of a group of ships, the tube continued gathering force. Shortly after, two little black balls flew out of the tube. The two black balls looked extremely peculiar as well. It felt like they weren''t black. Instead, light was being devoured at the edge of the two balls.


    "What weapon is this? Don''t tell me that the empire has produced two miniature black holes," said Old Du.


    After the two black balls left the tube, they accelerated toward the league''s army. At that time, we noticed that a layer of purple light had appeared around every single imperial ship in the area.


    Before long, a black ball reached an Achilles-class battleship from the league. A surprising scene appeared. When the black ball approached the ship, it instantly lost control and started flying toward the black ball. Before long, one end of the ship turned into a long, slender silhouette, as though it was being rapidly devoured.


    It took only a short time for the entire ship to vanish into the small black ball. No trace of the ship remained outside, and the black ball that had absorbed the ship had grown slightly in size.


    "My god. What terrifying weapon is that? How did it swallow an entire battleship?" exclaimed Domo in fear.


    "Has the empire really created a weapon that produces black holes? This is too scary," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This looks too weird. If the black balls are really black holes, the entire ship would have been torn apart before it was swallowed. However, the ship seemed to have evaporated instead. That doesn''t look like the work of a black hole," said Temo doubtfully.


    "But the edges of the black balls resemble a black hole''s event horizon. Also, the black balls also seem to only work against the league''s ships. The imperial ships are completely safe inside their purple light," said Baron Sisse.


    At that time, a league cruiser was devoured as well. The battle became one-sided as the imperial army started stomping the league army. Perhaps the black balls were too scary. The league army started fleeing in a disorderly manner, their formation fully descending into chaos.


    "Carter, the enemy is using an extremely terrifying weapon capable of swallowing an entire battleship. We still have no idea how that weapon works. Retreat for now. Do not get swallowed by the black ball," Kelly reminded her elder brother with concern.


    While we were still at a loss over what to do, our two great allies started conversing.


    "Little Ant, did you see that secret weapon? Do you still intend to charge right through them?"


    "Hehe, I was wondering just how far technology has advanced all these years while I was asleep. This is just a simple magic trick. They''re borrowing the might of black holes to scare a technologically weaker civilization," said the fiend.


    "Little Ant, you are surprisingly smart. In that case, we''ll need to trouble you to lend the losing party a hand," said the great sovereign confidently.


    The great sovereign had barely finished speaking when the fiend dashed toward the secret weapon.


    "Follow closely behind me. The moment you see an opening, charge through it," said the fiend.


    We were completely confused, not knowing what to do.


    "Do it! Follow that fellow! This is our chance to escape," reminded the great sovereign.


    "Temo, follow the fiend," Zhang Xingxing recovered from her shock and hurriedly gave the order.


    With that order, Markus set off and followed the fiend toward the oddly-shaped secret weapon.


    "Use everything you have and stop the guards around the secret weapon. I''ll deal with the secret weapon," said the fiend. In the blink of an eye, it arrived in front of the weapon. A yellow curtain of light flickered into existence, indicating that the fiend was not holding back at all.


    "Temo, do as told. Use all you have against the guards," ordered Zhang Xingxing. She was determined to fight alongside the fiend.


    With the order, Markus released over 20 massive vigor bombs toward the guards around the secret weapon.


    ''How surprising. Markus is actually capable of releasing so many vigor bombs at once? For its size, this is a truly remarkable ship,'' I thought.


    Before long, the vigor bombs came in contact with the enemy ships. Numerous light waves rippled out of the bombs and spread toward the enemy ships. Both the shield and the body of the enemy ships would be devoured on contact. The guards were forced to retreat, but the light waves continued spreading before forming a circle around the fiend, giving it the space to do its task.


    Things were progressing smoothly. Perhaps our enemy had not expected a sudden attack to hit the middle of their army when they were on the verge of victory. Thus, we were able to catch them by surprise. They were able to quickly reform their lines and prepare to assault the vigor bombs.


    "Little Ant, if you''re going to do something, do it now! I can''t last much longer!" shouted Temo.


    It was the fiend''s showtime. It quickly reached the tube atop the secret weapon and wrapped its yellow curtain of light around the tube. With a pull, the tube was snapped apart.


    "This fellow is too terrifyingly strong. It can always rely on brute strength in fights," said Anxashe with admiration.


    The removal of the tube revealed a hole atop the secret weapon. From the hole, a bigger black ball flew out.


    "What a joke. Watch as I burn you to death," said the fiend as it spewed a tongue of flame at the secret weapon.


    However, the flame was instantly devoured by the black ball. In fact, it couldn''t even get through the event horizon around the ball.


    "Little Ant, this black ball is different. Be careful," reminded the wise great sovereign.


    "This is a mere insignificant trick. They have cleverly utilized a wormhole to produce a fake black hole. Watch how I smash it apart," said the obstinate fiend. It ignored the great sovereign''s warning and charged toward the black hole as the curtain of light around its body turned from yellow to purple.


    "Shit! You dumb brute! You can''t attack so directly!" said the great sovereign, who looked nervous for the very first time.


    Alas, the fiend remained stubborn. It charged right toward the black ball, and unsurprisingly, a mishap occurred.

 CH 316

    The fiend raised a massive limb of light and smashed down at the black ball. The so-called black hole immediately absorbed the light and the fiend''s limb.


    "Shit! This black hole is actually a life form!" Even the mighty fiend sounded nervous.


    The black hole devoured the fiend''s limb at a rapid pace. The entire body of the fiend was also being pulled into the black hole. The fiend erupted with a golden light and resisted the pull with its powerful physical strength. However, it did not look like it could last much longer.


    Immediately, Markus arrived beside the fiend and used its final bit of remaining energy to release a green beam at the fiend''s limb. The green beam sliced into the limb.


    "Ahh!" We heard the little bee projected in the ship wail in pain. When we looked over, we saw that the bee had also lost a limb.


    The loss of a limb allowed the fiend to hurriedly withdraw. After flying farther away from the black hole, it spewed a violent beam of fire at the black hole. However, the entire fire beam was devoured.


    "Looks like this is getting troublesome. Not even the fiend can deal with this secret weapon. I reckon we won''t be able to escape, after all," said Zhang Bao''er pessimistically.


    "That might not be the case. I feel that the fiend will grow even stronger after losing a limb," said the great sovereign.


    Sure enough, the longer the fight went on, the stronger the fiend became. Although its flames were constantly being devoured, the intensity of its attacks did not weaken. Gradually, we started seeing some changes to the black hole.


    The edges of the black hole started losing the event-horizon-like effect, clearly revealing the black border behind the event horizon. The fire attacks were clearly working on the black hole.


    "Little Ant, attack with all you have. We will do our best to protect you from the other enemies," said the great sovereign encouragingly. The battle had reached a critical moment.


    The surrounding ships were madly attacking the defensive circle formed by the vigor bombs. The circle of light around us started fading away. It did not look like our defense would last much longer.


    "Temo, you need to strengthen our defenses. The enemies are going to get through soon," said Kelly.


    "Markus has exhausted all its energy. The only thing we can do now is enjoy a live-action space movie," said Temo helplessly.


    "You! Who allowed you guys to cut my arm?" Even while in the middle of an intense fight, the fiend was still able to complain to us.


    "If it wasn''t for us, you would have been eaten by the black hole," replied Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m going to destroy this little toy soon. Be ready to charge out with me," reminded the fiend. It seemed ready to launch the final attack.


    "Xingxing, Skyhawk has escaped the two black balls. We''re coming back to help you," Carter''s voice came from the communicator.


    "Carter, you need to be quick! We''re about to charge out soon, but we''re running out of energy. We need your help," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I am a god. I don''t need any help!" declared the fiend as an even thicker beam of fire shot out of its mouth. The beam struck the black hole, causing the black hole to start shrinking. Before long, the black hole reached the size of a chicken egg. Behind the egg, we saw a location beyond the empire''s defensive perimeter.


    "Go, charge through that hole!" Zhang Xingxing reminded Temo.


    No time was wasted as Markus instantly charged forth toward the hole. However, the empire once again displayed the might of their technology. Right as Markus was about to go through the hole, it exploded.


    The explosion was massively powerful, as though it was the Big Bang itself. Nothing could stop the explosion as a blinding white light spread out and swallowed our ship. The impact threw all of us into the ship''s walls. At the same time, an electromagnetic attack was assaulting all of us. In the span of a few seconds, I lost consciousness.


    After an unknown amount of time, I slowly woke up. I lifted my arms and bit my tongue. The pain told me that I was still alive. After painstakingly pushing myself up from the ground, I noted that the others were still unconscious. Due to the impact caused by the attack, the projections of the great sovereign and the fiend could no longer be seen. Even Dodo and Bob were off because of the intense impact they had been subjected to.


    Our surroundings were calm, as though the battle had ended long ago. Blue light was shining through the window. I struggled back onto my feet and checked the others, paying close attention to Zhang Xingxing in particular. Fortunately, all of them had merely fainted. Nobody seemed to have sustained great injuries. At that moment, the appearance of an odd star outside attracted my attention.


    Resisting the pain I felt all over my body, I painstakingly moved toward the window. A beautiful blue star was hovering in the distance. The star looked massive and was different from the stars we were familiar with such as Sirius, Alnitak, or Betelgeuse. I started searching through my database for a star with such an appearance. Eventually, I discovered that this blue star did not exist in my database because I couldn''t match a single star in my database with the one I was looking at.


    "Good lord. My head...the pain is killing me. What was that explosion? The impact alone nearly killed me," grumbled Zhang Bao''er as he slowly sat up.


    I looked back and saw that the others were starting to wake up. Kelly was busy helping restore Dodo''s and Bob''s energy systems. At that time, I noticed Dondon crawling out of the medical room.


    "Dondon, how''s Master Crystal?" I hurriedly asked.


    "The impact knocked all of us unconscious. Master Crystal''s condition is stable, but his vitals are still extremely weak. He urgently needs proper treatment," said Dondon while gasping for breath.


    "Just what battle did you fight earlier? I was sleeping nicely when I was suddenly sent flying," complained Wind Spirit, crawling out from behind Dondon.


    "Where is this? Why does this star feel rather unusual?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    Hearing Zhang Xingxing''s question, Dodo immediately got to work and performed a scan to verify Markus''s current location.


    "Great sovereign, little bee, are you alive?" asked Temo, who had awakened as well. The great sovereign was still missing from the projection.


    "Carter, this is Kelly. Can you hear me?" Kelly called out anxiously.


    "Looks like the explosion had transported us somewhere. Perhaps the fiend was right. The black balls are merely a trick utilizing a wormhole-transportation system to transport all their targets to unknown locations," analyzed Baron Sisse while looking at the alien star through the window.


    "If this is instant transportation, it shouldn''t send us too far away. Dodo, try to verify our current location," ordered Z.


    "I already checked. We are currently 10 million lightyears away from Blue. Use that as the parameter for the search. Don''t bother searching within the Milky Way Galaxy," said Temo, throwing us a shocking piece of news.


    "What? Ten million lightyears?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er as he slumped onto the floor in shock.


    Zhang Bao''er was not the only person shocked. Both Old Du and I were similarly hit with a great sense of despair. Even with the best technology the league had to offer, we could only travel a maximum distance of 2.5 million lightyears away by performing wormhole-leaps. The furthest the league had reached was the Andromeda Galaxy.


    That was only 10 million lightyears away. Our current location was too far for our technology to reach. Now that we had been transported so far away, it was likely that we wouldn''t be able to return and save the Milky Way Galaxy.


    "That''s right. We''re really 10 million lightyears away from Blue. You have all heard of this place. We''re at the Sculptor Galaxy," replied Dodo.


    "Sculptor Galaxy? That silver galaxy 10 million lightyears away from Blue?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes. We''re here. There is no doubt about it," said Dodo.


    "Everyone, are you sure we aren''t in an illusion?" asked Zhang Bao''er, not daring to believe that we had been sent so far away.


    "I have performed relevant time-space checks. Also, my internal programs have further verified the result of my checks. I can confidently inform you that we''re not in an illusion. We''re really at the Sculptor Galaxy," said Dodo, speaking with an emotionless calm commonly seen in robots.


    Hearing Dodo''s words, some of us slumped weakly onto the floor. Even Zhang Xingxing and Baron Sisse appeared to be in deep despair. A distance of 10 million lightyears was not something we could cross in 9 days.


    Even the signals we sent would probably take 10 million years to reach Blue. It would seem as if there was no avoiding destruction for the league. Everyone started sighing sorrowfully while Temo appeared confused at our responses.


    "The league will be destroyed, but Eternal will remain. In the universe, both continuation and destruction are nothing special," consoled Temo, who was still viewing the matter from the perspective of a star-level civilization.


    "Looks like low civilizations are very vulnerable to emotions. This is not over yet. Why are all of you so depressed?" a familiar voice rang out. The great sovereign had reappeared in the projection.


    Those words might have sounded casual, but Zhang Xingxing immediately grabbed onto what the great sovereign said. She stood up and said, "Respected senior, do you have a method for us to return quickly?"


    "Hey, little fellow, isn''t your ship a star-civilization ship? Can your ship still perform wormhole-leaps?" asked the great sovereign.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".

 CH 317

    "Markus doesn''t have much energy left. If we want to return to the Milky Way Galaxy, we need to think of a way to recharge the ship," said Temo.


    "So we only need energy to travel through wormholes in order to return? That''s great! You can actually produce a wormhole leading to somewhere 10 million lightyears away?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "As long as there is enough energy, Markus will be able to produce such a wormhole. But I don''t know where we can find the required energy source," said Temo.


    "What kind of energy installation do you have in the ship? Can your ship harness energy directly from stars?" asked the great sovereign.


    "That''s too dangerous. I can''t directly harness a star. I need a planet with flowing water. That is the most optimal choice for Markus to recharge its energy," said Temo.


    "A planet with water. There might be many planets in the universe, but planets with flowing water are actually very rare. Most of them only exist in habitable zones. This is our first time here. We won''t even have the time to look for a habitable zone. Even if we automate the search, it will take several years," said Dodo.


    "There is no need to search. I have a rough idea as to where we can find such planets," said Temo. Once again, he displayed the superiority of a higher civilization with his words.


    "What? Do you know Sculptor Galaxy very well?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Little bee, is the fiend heading toward a planet within this blue star''s system?" asked Temo, directly ignoring Zhang Bao''er.


    Only then did we realize that the fiend had also been transported with us.


    "Your mental navigation system should be capable of detecting its position. That rash fellow landed on one of the planets here. A planet picked by that fellow must be somewhat livable and might be where we can find the water we need," said the great sovereign.


    "You mean the fiend has also been transported over with us and that it has even landed on one of the planets here alone? Were any other battleships also transported here?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Apart from us, there is nobody else here. Markus''s vigor bombs had formed a defensive domain that had restricted the scope of the explosion. The explosion was only able to envelop us and the fiend," replied Temo confidently.


    "Since we already know the fiend''s location and we need to recharge Markus to return, let''s go look for that brash fellow. If we''re fast enough, we might make it back in time to save Blue," said Baron Sisse.


    Baron Sisse''s suggestion was accepted by everyone. Temo proceeded to use the mental navigation system to determine the fiend''s location before piloting Markus toward our final hope.


    The blue star in the distance was massive. We were about 100 million kilometers away from it, and our target was one of the planets in its outer orbit.  After passing through a small zone of asteroids, a planet the size of Blue appeared before our eyes.


    The planet looked incredibly peculiar. It was a planet of three colors, and from our observations, it was a planet that moved in a way where one side would always face the blue star. The side facing the star was very hot and red, whereas the other side was a black world of ice. In between the two halves was a long habitable strip. We could clearly see the beautiful green marking that strip of livable land. We could even see some white clouds fluttering about above the green land.


    "Here it is. Where there are clouds, there will be water. This planet is truly beautiful," said Old Du. He appeared rather excited to find our target so easily.


    At that time, our system indicated that the fiend was on the planet''s habitable strip. However, when Temo tried to connect the fiend to the ship''s projector, he failed. In order to get the energy source we needed and find the fiend, we all decided to land on the planet. Further exploration of the planet was required.


    At that point in time, we were eight days away from the final attack against the league. Due to our lack of energy, Markus could only slowly approach the planet. As we approached, the beautiful appearance of the planet became clearer and clearer to our eyes.


    "If we look in Blue''s direction from here, we''re probably looking at Blue from 10 million years ago," said Old Du to Kelly.


    "Yeah. At that time, humanity hasn''t even come into existence,"


    "Not only have we been transported across space, but we have also been transported through time."


    "I wonder if the passage of time will be affected by our interstellar travel. The explosion had sent us 10 million lightyears away. Are we still at the same point in time as before? If we had also been thrown into a different point in time, Blue might very well not exist anymore."


    "Don''t make such negative speculations that we can''t answer. We need to remain hopeful. So long as there is hope, we will keep working hard," said Old Du.


    "Commander, can I name this planet?" Domo suddenly asked.


    "What name do you have in mind?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I want to name it Dayu," said Domo.


    "Why Dayu? Why not Bao''er or Old Du?" asked Zhang Bao''er, who was relapsing into his usual habit of bickering with Domo.


    "It''s the name of a very good friend of mine. She loves wearing clothes that have the same three colors as this planet. I remembered her the moment I saw this planet, so I wish to name the planet after her," said Domo earnestly.


    "Is that friend very important to you? Where is she?" asked Dondon.


    "Very important, but she probably moved to the world beyond a very long time ago," said Domo. For the very first time, a sorrowful appearance could be seen on his face.


    At that point, nobody would refuse his request. And thus, the planet was named Dayu.


    Currently, Markus was starting to enter the planet''s atmosphere. Due to our lack of energy, the ship was not protected by its energy shield. Because of that, the friction between the ship and the atmosphere was rather intense. It also didn''t help that the atmosphere''s outer layers seemed to be much thicker than Blue''s. We were rather worried that the ship would not survive entering the planet''s lower atmosphere.


    Fortunately, a star-civilization ship was worthy of its reputation. After about a dozen minutes, Markus was through the outer layers. We were all relieved. A bizarre yet beautiful view unfolded before our eyes. Before long, our ship reached the clouds, and we encountered heavy rain. The concentrated raindrops informed us that we had successfully found a planet with water.


    "Temo, this planet meets your requirements. What do you need to recharge the ship?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I need to land Markus on the ground and perform an elemental analysis on the surface. Upon determining a correct combination of available elements, the ship will automatically start recharging," replied Temo.


    "Ok. How long will you need to complete the process? We still need to look for the fiend after that," said the great sovereign.


    "It might take around 10 hours. We''re right above the fiend''s signal, so if the environment allows it, I suggest that you search on foot while the ship is recharging. That will be far more efficient," suggested Temo.


    Markus was about a kilometer from the surface. Below us was a mountainous region. Numerous unknown plants could be seen growing all over the mountains, and in between the towering trees were empty clearings where green shrubs were growing. After selecting one such clearing, Markus slowly descended and landed on the ground.


    "The landing is quite smooth," said Zhang Bao''er with relief after the whole process was completed without any issues.


    Right after we landed, Markus began the elemental analysis part of the recharging process. At the same time, the result of our laser scans returned. According to our scans, the planet''s habitable zone was actually very suitable for Bluelings, with the correct air composition for Bluelings to breathe freely.


    "The environment outside is suitable for us. According to the last signal we received from the fiend, it was atop a mountain 30 kilometers away. You can set off to look for it," said Temo.


    "Did your ship fail to establish another mental connection with it again?" asked the great sovereign.


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    "Yes. The fiend had refused the connection. Therefore, we need someone to personally see it. Maybe there are some hidden dangers on this planet," said Temo.


    "It will take the ship 10 hours to recharge. I agree with Temo''s suggestion. This is a brand new planet for us, and this is our first time going so far away from our home. We should also use the time we have to explore this planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I don''t mind exploring this planet, but for some reason, something feels a bit off about this planet for me," I raised my concern.


    "Canyue, what is off about this planet? It feels like a calm and beautiful planet to me," asked Zhang Bao''er curiously.


    "Don''t you feel it weird that apart from plants, we have yet to see a single living being?" I said.


    "That''s true. We have not seen any living beings. It is too calm here," agreed Old Du, who had always been the cautious one.


    "Perhaps this place is the same as Blue from 400 million years ago when pteridophytes were just starting to exist. At that point in time, there were also only plants on Blue. This is nothing weird," Zhang Bao''er answered my question.


    "It doesn''t matter. It''s never wrong to be careful. Although the surface of this planet is livable, we still need to leave with our shields. To ensure we have a sufficient level of strength, Li Canyue, Baron Sisse, Old Du, Zhang Bao''er, Dodo, Anxashe, and I will leave the ship. Kelly and the others will stay behind on Markus," Zhang Xingxing decided.


    "Why am I never included? I want to take a walk outside too," complained Domo.


    "You''re too short. If you go, we''ll need to put more effort into protecting you. It''s safer for you to stay on the ship," said Zhang Bao''er, giving an answer that caused Domo to feel even more unhappy.


    "You might need the ability to hide in new environments. I might be helpful if you take me with you," argued Domo.


    "I''ll go. I can take on the task of protecting this little fellow," the great sovereign suddenly offered.


    "Do you mean you want Bob to carry you out with us on the mission? Of course, we would be glad to have you with us," said Zhang Xingxing, who was pleasantly surprised to hear that the great sovereign wanted to come with us.


    "Yes. Turn off this robot''s artificial intelligence. Let me control its body. I can join you that way," said the great sovereign.


    With the inclusion of the great sovereign, both the great sovereign and Domo were added to the team. After a simple preparation, we began our work. This was the very first time a human had ever reached a planet 10 million lightyears away from Blue, and this was undoubtedly a historic accomplishment for humanity.

 CH 318

    After completing our preparations, we started exploring Dayu. Some were initially hesitant when we named the planet, but nobody hesitated to let Domo be the first person to step on Dayu. With that, Domo became the first person from the Milky Way Galaxy to leave his footprint on Dayu. This historic moment was recorded by Dodo.


    After Domo, the rest of us stepped out as well. The ground was soft, feeling like extremely fertile soil, and a red substance that seemed to spread everywhere was mixed with it.


    "I wonder if there are terrifying monsters on this planet. Anxashe, Old Du, be on the lookout," said Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    Although it wasn''t Zhang Bao''er''s place to give orders, Anxashe and Old Du still kept watch over the entire team for our safety. According to our system, the fiend was on a mountain 30 kilometers away from us. Our laser scans had highlighted a suitable route to reach the fiend. We had to go through a forest, and in order to save energy, Zhang Xingxing had everyone travel on foot. Thus, we had also made preparation to trek through a forest.


    From the empty field Markus had landed on, we only needed less than five minutes to reach the forest. I could see a type of massive tree with a crown resembling a lotus growing at the edge of the forest. The leaves atop these trees were in charge of absorbing the sunlight coming from the blue star in the sky. The sunlight could barely reach all the way to the ground, where numerous plants resembling mosses were growing. Due to the lack of sunlight, it looked rather eerie and sinister inside the forest.


    "The plants here are completely different from the ones found in the Milky Way Galaxy. Be very careful and stick together," ordered Baron Sisse, who had taken the task of field commander. Together, the group stepped into the dark forest.


    The moment we entered the forest, we realized how difficult it was to trek through it. The soil below us was so soft it felt like we were stepping on mud. Before long, our legs had already sunk deep enough for the ground to reach our thighs. To prevent us from further sinking into the ground, Old Du took out a rope and tied everyone together. Domo, with his smaller build, was seated atop Dodo''s shoulder.


    "What shitty place is this? Why are these big trees growing in mud?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "We''re lucky no bloodsucking bugs or other terrifying creatures have appeared so far. Don''t complain. If there are other creatures here, it would be worse," said Domo, who was rather relaxed on Dodo''s shoulder.


    "Look at you! I knew you would be a burden. If Dodo hadn''t been kind enough to carry you, I would have buried you in the mud," said Zhang Bao''er.


    After 30 minutes of difficult trek, the ground beneath us suddenly hardened. We had left the muddy zone.


    "Looks like we have reached solid ground. Get moving, everyone. Let''s get out of the marsh," said Zhang Xingxing. Everyone appeared pleased to get out of the marsh.


    We were able to move much faster on solid ground. After about a dozen minutes, an odd type of plant appeared before us. The plants before us were akin to a bush of needles, growing as far as our eyes could see. Their tips were extremely sharp. Each plant consisted of a thick trunk and countless thorns, looking rather similar to Blue''s ball cactus. The needle plants grew closely together, blocking the path ahead of us.


    "Looks like our path forward is blocked. We have to either fly over them or take a long detour. This direction is fully blocked," said Anxashe after he went ahead to look around.


    "Can you break the needles?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Each plant is as durable as a wooden stick. They can be broken apart, but there are too many of them. If we really want to keep going in this direction, we will have to open a path using our weapons," replied Anxashe.


    "What is there to fear? Can some plants stop us? Have the robot calculate the energy required to fly over them versus the energy required to open a path with weapons. Just pick the most optimal choice," suggested the great sovereign.


    Dodo wasted no time and hurriedly performed the calculation. The result was that forcefully opening a path with the two robots in the team was the most optimal choice. After the result was out, everyone looked at the great sovereign. After all, this was its own idea.


    "Why are you looking at me? Dodo will take the lead, and I''ll follow behind them. We''ll clear a path," said the great sovereign.


    With that, Dodo stepped forward to carry out the plan. Although the needles of these plants were rather large, Dodo''s body had been upgraded by Temo using star-civilization technology. As Dodo rammed through the plants, the needles snapped one after another. Behind Dodo, Bob, with a larger body, further cleared the path. In that manner, we continued ahead toward our destination.


    However, the field of needles was really too big. Even after an hour, we were still within the field of needles. Dodo''s body of super alloy was still fine, but Bob''s body was mainly produced with planet-civilization technology. Numerous scars could be seen on their body, and some short maintenance was required. Because of that, Zhang Xingxing ordered us to take a break.


    Domo, who was seated on Old Du''s shoulder, suddenly exclaimed, "Shit! Look behind us! The paths we opened up are closing up rapidly."


    Zhang Xingxing hurriedly scanned the path behind us. The result indicated that the plants were regrowing and blocking the path we had opened up.


    "What weird plants are these? How can they grow so quickly? We need to move faster, or they''ll outgrow us," said Baron Sisse.


    "Good thing there are no monsters here to attack us. There isn''t even enough space for us to fight here," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Zhang Bao''er, can you stop saying things like that? Each time you said something like that, a monster would appear," said Domo. In fact, all of us shared the thought. We were simply too polite to tell him.


    Unsurprisingly, Zhang Bao''er was angered and wanted to pounce on Domo, but he was stopped by Anxashe. Seeing how fast the needle plants were growing, Zhang Xingxing ordered everyone to continue forward and move faster. Dodo and the great sovereign stood up and went back to their previous work. We spent another hour in this manner, but we were still within the field of needles.


    "From our scans, we should have reached the peak of the mountain. The fiend is at the peak of the opposite mountain. Should we take flight here and avoid the rest of the needle plants?" suggested Baron Sisse.


    Dodo performed a calculation and concluded that if we took flight, the distance we would need to travel to reach the opposite peak would be shorter.


    "Dodo, how about the energy expenditure if we decide to fly?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "We are only five kilometers away from the opposite peak. If we fly, we will spend less than ten percent of our energy. It should be fine," said Dodo.


    "I''m not too worried about the energy expenditure, but my intuition is telling me that things won''t progress so smoothly. There will definitely be bigger trouble waiting for us. We need to save as much energy for our shields as possible. We also need to set aside the energy we need for the return trip," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry about the return trip. That little fellow from the star-level civilization is quite capable. He will be able to complete Markus''s recharge. We can just have him pick us up. Don''t hesitate. We need to proceed quickly," urged the great sovereign.


    The great sovereign was not the only one becoming impatient. Our entire team was tired of these needle plants. Although we had two robots opening up a path for us, we were still forced to keep our shields on at all times to protect ourselves against these plants. After traveling for two hours, we had exhausted quite a large amount of energy. Seeing that everyone had agreed to fly over, Zhang Xingxing accepted the suggestion.


    "I''ll go first. After I confirm that it''s safe, you guys can come over. I plan to get on top of this lotus-like tree to get a better look before taking off," I said.


    "Why do you get to be the one to go every time? It should be my turn this time," Zhang Bao''er protested.


    "Stop arguing, and don''t suggest yourself. The commander will make the decision," said Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing shot me a gaze. I responded with a determined look.


    "We don''t know the situation in the opposite forest. We''re also not sure if the plants there are the same as the plants here. To be safe, I suggest we have two people fly over first. That way, the two can help each other. Thus, Canyue and Bao''er can go together," said Zhang Xingxing, selecting a plan that pleased both volunteers.


    With the order given, Zhang Bao''er and I stopped arguing. We activated our gecko gloves and started climbing a massive tree each.


    "Be careful, Canyue. Take care of yourself," said Zhang Xingxing with concern before the climb. I felt a warm current in my heart. It had been a while since I last heard her express her concern for me. After giving her a nod, I began the operation.


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    The base of the plant was rather sleek, but after climbing about 10 meters, the body of the plant started emitting some red liquid. The higher I reached, the denser the red liquid was. However, my attention wasn''t on the unknown plant I was climbing. My mission was to get to the top of the tree as quickly as possible and take off into the sky. The tree was nearly 100 meters in height. At around 50 meters, I found to my astonishment that the tree was starting to turn transparent.


    "Canyue, these trees seem to have veins in them. They also have numerous organs inside their bodies," said Zhang Bao''er, who had been climbing faster than me.


    At that point, I also reached high enough to see what Zhang Bao''er was talking about. At the upper half of the tree, I could clearly see the tree''s insides. There were numerous organs and veins constantly circulating the blood-like liquid within its body.


    "This is not our concern. This might be the appearance of a plant after a high level of evolution. A plant is still a plant. If we don''t harm it, it won''t affect our mission," reminded the great sovereign.


    "Canyue, the baron and I had analyzed that this planet is probably a planet of plants. However, these plants had evolved for over 100 million years. They might have evolved to a higher form. Do not provoke the plants that are large or have unique shapes," reminded Zhang Xingxing.


    With the reminder of the two, Zhang Bao''er and I no longer cared about the tree and focused on reaching the top.

 CH 319

    Zhang Bao''er reached the crown of his tree first. The top of the tree resembled a lotus leaf, with the difference being the distinct veins visible on the leaf. Red blood could be seen flowing through the veins.


    The leaf left almost no opening on the crown, and the only way to get to the tip of the tree was by going through the leaf. Since Zhang Xingxing had ordered us to avoid damaging these plants, both of us tried to use our suits'' flight mode to move around the leaf.


    With our suits, we were able to quickly go around the leaf and reach the top of our respective trees. The very top of the tree resembled a washbowl filled with liquid. A peculiar feeler could be seen at the center of the treetop, constantly swaying about in the air. From its movement, I could see that the liquid on the treetop was extremely viscous, making it look like some sort of syrup.


    "This liquid might be the nutrient fluid of the tree. The shape of the leaf is for the purpose of storing this viscous liquid. But I don''t understand why the leaf also faces the light from the blue star. Won''t that cause evaporation?" I muttered doubtfully.


    "How is that confusing? All plants need sunlight to survive. Perhaps these trees have too much water and need the sun''s help to evaporate some of the excess water," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, can you see the opposite mountain peak?" asked Dodo.


    "Yes, we can. The weather is excellent. The opposite peak is clearly visible. It seems to also be covered by these trees, but I don''t know if these needle plants are also growing below them," I replied.


    "Good. The distance between the two peaks is roughly five kilometers. You can easily reach it with your flight mode," said Dodo.


    Following Dodo''s suggestion, Zhang Bao''er and I turned on our navigation systems and took off with our thrusters. Before long, we were hovering above the opposite peak. The plants looked basically the same as the ones on the previous peak. Surprisingly, we found an empty piece of flat land in the middle of the trees.


    After more observation, I found that the flat land looked rather peculiar. A bunch of fallen trees could be seen in the clearing. From the broken parts of the trees, we could see that these trees were freshly snapped, most likely from intense collisions.


    "Reporting to the commander, we found an opening formed by a bunch of snapped trees. I suspect that the fiend had snapped them during its landing. The fiend is nowhere to be seen," I reported. "Permission to land and scout?"


    "Granted. Be careful," came Zhang Xingxing''s reply.


    With her approval, both of us started descending.  Zhang Bao''er remained 10 meters above the ground to provide cover while I landed on the ground. The scene before my eyes was clearly caused by a massive shockwave. About a dozen thick and tall trees had been snapped and sent flying. From the damage they had suffered, one could see how powerful the shockwave was.


    The moss-like plants and needle plants on the ground were all burnt. When I approached the still-standing trees, I saw a familiar back. The fiend was actually lying on the ground between two snapped trees.


    "Reporting to the commander, the fiend has been discovered. It is lying still on the ground. Permission to make contact?" I said.


    "Young man, call Little Ant and report your name. See if it reacts," said the great sovereign.


    "Little Ant, I''m your ally, here to help you. If you''re having difficulties moving, I can help you leave," I called out, but the fiend remained still.


    "The fiend is still completely still. I intend to go ahead and make contact," I said.


    "If you have no choice, just open fire at it. Be careful of its mutations," said the great sovereign.


    "Canyue, be very careful. The monster might go crazy," reminded Zhang Xingxing nervously.


    I signaled Zhang Bao''er, who was still in the air, with my eyes to continue covering me, and then I carefully stepped forward. I did not stop calling out to the fiend, but it remained motionless on the ground. I didn''t even know if it was still alive.


    Slowly, I reached the fiend. No life signals could be found coming from the fiend''s body with my laser scan. It was unknown if the fiend was hibernating. I tried poking it with my cluster laser gun, but it did not react.


    "It''s probably dead. Canyue, try to flip it around," said Zhang Bao''er from the sky.


    I followed the suggestion and tried to turn the fiend over. I found that the fiend''s body was surprisingly light as if weightless. Suddenly, one of the needle plants near the fiend that had yet to be fully destroyed stabbed into the fiend''s back. Immediately, I heard the sound of leaking gas, and a burst of air erupted from within the fiend''s body. The fiend was reduced to a layer of skin.


    "Commander, the fiend is dead. There is only a layer of skin left," reported Zhang Bao''er.


    "No. That fellow is not dead. I believe it molted and evolved. Look at the shredded skin. The arm broken by the black ball had regrown," I corrected.


    "Wait there, Canyue. We''ll be there shortly," said Baron Sisse.


    A few minutes later, the team gathered around me.


    "This fellow had cast off its skin. Looks like it had fully healed itself when it molted. This skin was what had misled us here," observed the great sovereign.


    "I wouldn''t say we have been misled. Since the fiend had cast its skin here, it must also be on this planet. Coming here was not a mistake. But I don''t understand why the ship''s mental connection can''t discover the fiend''s true body," said Baron Sisse.


    Dodo hurriedly notified Temo about our discovery. We were also told that Markus was still in the middle of performing an elemental analysis. The ship was still unable to come for us. Temo also promised to use the mental connection between Markus and the fiend to locate the fiend again.


    We waited in the clearing. All around us, numerous needle plants could still be found. None of us were willing to walk into the field of needles again. Soon, we received an update from Temo, but the update was quite demoralizing.


    According to the latest information, the fiend was still on the planet. However, it was at the border between the planet''s dark side and livable zone. It was closer to the dark side than the livable zone, the place where the blue star''s light had never reached.


    "That fellow has gone mad. Why did it go to such a cold place? We should give up on it. Just wait until Markus is done charging, and then we''ll leave," suggested Zhang Bao''er.


    Even Domo agreed with Zhang Bao''er this time.


    "Temo, how long do you need to finish recharging the ship?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "I need at least eight more hours," said Temo.


    "How much time will it take for us to reach the fiend''s latest location?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "If you go on foot, you need around 68 hours," answered Temo. The answer helped finalize our decision to leave the fiend here.


    "Forget it. We don''t have the time to waste looking for that monster," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "There is a shortcut. With this shortcut, you can reach the fiend''s location in three hours," said Temo.


    "How can there be a shortcut? Don''t even dream of tricking us all to go on a suicide mission. All my wealth is left on your ship," Domo protested.


    "What shortcut? Be clear," I urged.


    "From the mountain peak you''re on, go 10 kilometers into the forest. Then, climb 30 kilometers upward. You will reach the highest peak in this region. At one side of the peak is a waterway formed by a collection of waterfalls and rivers. If you go through the waterway, you will be able to reach the border of the dark side," said Temo.


    "What kind of a shortcut is that? Are you trying to make us jump down a mountain or a waterfall?" Zhang Bao''er wasn''t happy with the answer.


    "The impact from falling from a peak so high would be quite great, but if you go with the waterfall, your morph-capable shield will be able to protect you well. Of course, it is still up to the commander whether we should take this shortcut," said Baron Sisse.


    Everyone looked at Zhang Xingxing, awaiting her decision.

 CH 320

    "All of you are mad! You''re really going to go down the waterfall? It''s too high!" said Domo fearfully.


    "That seems to be our only choice for now. I wonder if we''re lucky or unlucky to meet that fiend. Since we still have some time, we might as well try to get to it. If we can''t find that fellow at the border, we''ll give up," decided Zhang Xingxing after some hesitation.


    Having received our order from the commander, we started moving. Since we still needed to trek 40 kilometers through the jungle and mountain, we couldn''t afford to waste more time.


    Once again, we entered the field of needles. But with a new target and our previous experience, we were able to advance much faster. The field of needles was about 10 kilometers wide. After spending about two hours, we finally left the annoying area and entered an area with mosses. There, our speed increased further. After going up the slope for about 30 kilometers, we started hearing a deafening sound in the air.


    The sound clearly came from the nearby mountain peak. Our target was near. Although the sound of the waterfall was rather scary, with the protection of our suits, we were actually excited and started jogging forward. Soon, we reached the peak. However, we gasped at what we saw.


    What we saw below the towering peak did not look like a waterfall. Rather, it was so massive it looked more like a hanging ocean. The curtain of water dropped down directly into a deep, blue body of water. The force from the drop filled the valley with vapor, but we still could see the distant endless river. The river flowed onward until it reached a drop of elevation, turning into another waterfall. In that manner, the waterway continued all the way to the dark border.


    Through detailed observation, we noted that amid the curtain of water and the flowing river were massive boulders. The water constantly smashed into the boulders with a massive force. If a regular life form was to hit one of these boulders while in the water, the life form would probably die immediately.


    "This so-called collection of waterfalls is too scary. Are we really going to jump down?" asked Zhang Bao''er fearfully.


    "Our morph-capable shields should be strong enough to withstand the force of the water, right?" Zhang Xingxing asked Dodo.


    "Our shields are definitely capable of defending us against the force of the water. It wouldn''t even use as much energy as flight," said Dodo.


    I reached out and felt the vapor in the air. The vapor was rather low in temperature, and the water was probably also low in temperature.


    "Let''s get going. We don''t have much time left," said Baron Sisse. I suddenly felt as if I had constantly been in endless races against time since joining the fleet.


    "You''re all planet-level individuals. I''ll go first. Follow me," volunteered the great sovereign.


    Dodo contacted Markus once again, informing the ship of our decision and requesting Temo''s assistance the moment the ship was done recharging. With all preparations done, the great sovereign leaped off the cliff without warning.


    "We''ll meet at the end of the waterfall," the great sovereign''s voice rang out from below.


    Seeing that the great sovereign had leaped, we couldn''t stay behind. One after another, we leaped off the cliff. I leaped behind Zhang Xingxing, and I could see her falling quickly into the hanging sea. Less than three seconds later, I entered the waterfall as well. A massive force immediately came at me. According to my system, the water was around 10 degrees in temperature. With my shield on, I allowed the current to push me forward.


    After a short while, my vision cleared up, and I felt a massive weightless sensation. At the same time, I also felt as though I was carrying an incredibly heavy burden on my back, a burden that was pushing me down to the abyss below at an even faster speed.


    Before long, I fell into the deep blue abyss I saw from the peak. The depth of the body of water was far beyond my imagination. The fall into the water lasted over 10 minutes before the current started pushing me forward. All in all, the drop had brought me roughly 100 meters into the water.


    The current forward was not calm either. It roared and pushed me forward at a rapid speed. I encountered several boulders in the water, but fortunately, my morph-capable shield was protecting me. Otherwise, a single collision would be enough to take my life.


    "Is everyone alright?" I heard Zhang Xingxing''s concerned voice coming from the communicator.


    I was relieved to hear her voice. Since she could ask that question, it showed that she was fine herself. At the very least, she had survived the first fall. The team answered one after another. From what I could hear, everyone had safely survived the first waterfall.


    Before long, I reached the second waterfall. Different from the first waterfall, the second waterfall was a 45-degree drop. Countless sharp rocks could be seen sticking out of the water. That was far scarier than our previous waterfall even though it was a 90-degree drop. This descent would be even more energy intensive for our suits.


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    The current continued pushing us forward, occasionally throwing us out of the water from the sheer force of the current. Our morph-capable shields performed incredibly well in protecting our weak bodies.


    If our operation was a rafting expedition, then it would be the most difficult rafting expedition ever. After we spent half an hour constantly colliding with things and being thrown around in the water, the water suddenly inclined downward. We were falling down yet another waterfall.


    "Is there an end to this shit?" cursed Zhang Bao''er.


    "According to Temo''s report, we''re only one-third through. Be patient," reminded Dodo.


    Upon hearing Dodo''s voice, I suddenly recalled that the two robots did not really have any defensive mechanisms on them. The harsh collisions must have damaged their bodies considerably.


    "Great sovereign, are you fine?" I asked, knowing that Bob''s body was weaker than Dodo''s enhanced alloy body.


    "I''m fine. Are you facing an issue?" asked the great sovereign. Surprisingly, the great sovereign sounded rather relaxed.


    "I''m fine. I was just worried about your body''s status with all these collisions," I said.


    "How will any of those rocks hit me? I can just evade them," said the great sovereign.


    All of us had clearly survived the previous two trials. Relieved, I sank into silence as the current continued bringing me down the waterfall. Suddenly, an intense impact hit me and threw me into the air. When I started falling again, I noticed that instead of water, I was now falling onto a sheet of ice.


    The temperature down there was clearly much lower, to the point some of the water had turned into ice while falling. The constant accumulation of ice down in the valley had formed a thick bed of ice below us. When we came in contact with the bed of ice, we started rolling forward like snowballs. The sheet of ice was inclined slightly downward, so we continued rolling forward at a rapid speed.


    ''We don''t even know the number of waterfalls still ahead of us. I feel like we have been falling long enough to reach the planet''s core,'' I thought. As the speed of our movement increased, I started growing anxious.


    Sure enough, after we moved about 300 kilometers forward, we encountered yet another drop.


    "Was Temo''s information even right? Are we really heading toward the dark side?" asked Domo, who was clearly starting to feel disoriented from the intense movement.


    However, this drop was unlike all our previous drops. While falling, I could see the dropping ice melt rapidly. At the same time, the temperature around me was increasing. It almost felt like we were dropping into a boiling body of water.


    "This is bad. We''re getting near the core. The temperature down there is nearly 100 degrees. Can anyone get to me and give me some protection?" shouted the great sovereign.


    I saw Old Du and Anxashe use their thrusters to move toward the great sovereign before extending their shields to it. A minute later, all of us fell into the boiling river. The river was about 100 degrees in temperature. If it wasn''t for our shields, we would have been cooked alive.


    "Just what kind of a place is this? Did Temo lead us all the way here to be cooked alive?" scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    Domo, who never liked Temo, joined in as well. I could imagine Temo''s ears turning red from anger at all the curses being thrown his way. The boiling river brought us to an even lower altitude, and we were still completely clueless as to where we were being brought to.


    "Canyue, Baron, if we continue, would we fall into lava? That would be troublesome. I don''t know if Dodo, Domo, and the great sovereign can survive that kind of temperature. Also, falling into lava will quickly exhaust our energy supply. We won''t be able to last long in lava," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I am confident in the scan results of a star-level individual like Temo. We should continue trusting him," said Baron Sisse. He clearly approved of Temo''s technological prowess.


    "We''re already here. Returning is impossible. We can only improvise," I replied helplessly, leaving everything to fate.

 CH 321

    The current of the boiling river continued to carry us forward. I could notice that the steaming river was leading to an even lower altitude.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    "If we''re really brought into the core, it will be really troublesome," said Zhang Xingxing anxiously.


    "I don''t think we''ll be that unlucky," I said.


    "It''s just one fall after another here. Even Temo has never been here before. How can we be sure that his scans are accurate?" Zhang Bao''er was still complaining.


    As time passed, the conversation died off. The boiling river had brought us so deep into the planet that our surroundings were enveloped in darkness. We could only rely on our probes to observe our surroundings.


    We had been brought deep into a subterranean mountain. The walls of the mountain looked extremely smooth and sleek after all the years of contact with the boiling water. The tunnel we were in did not look like it had an exit.


    "I have two questions. Firstly, we saw a big river far in the distance from atop the mountain, but why are we now underground? Secondly, will this underground river flow directly beneath the dark side of the planet? If that''s the case, finding our way back to the surface will be very difficult," said the cautious Old Du, breaking the long silence.


    Before I could come up with a reply, I felt my body drop again. Zhang Xingxing''s greatest fear had materialized. We were dropping even deeper into the planet. However, the fall was much shorter, ending after less than a minute. The waterfall was only hundreds of meters tall this time.


    We fell into a rapidly flowing body of water, but unlike the previous rivers, this area seemed to be a hub of several boiling rivers. The currents of the different rivers collide against each other before flowing even deeper underground. Abruptly, my laser probe indicated that not far away was a spiraling pillar of water. My heart skipped a beat. That might be our best opportunity to return to the surface.


    "Xingxing, to the left is an upward spiraling stream. We should use our suits to try to reach that stream and leave this place," I said.


    "I also see it. Everyone, move toward the spiraling stream at 10 o''clock," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    Everyone was already tired of the repeated falls. We all activated our motion assistants and overcame the currents with the power of technology. Before long, we were all gathered around the pillar of water. Our laser probes indicated that the pillar of water was moving upward at a rapid pace, and it could very well be our best chance at leaving the underground.


    "Everyone, let''s enter the pillar and leave this place. Remember to keep your shields on," ordered Zhang Xingxing, excitement in her voice.


    Nobody wasted any time. All of us dove into the pillar of hope. A powerful upward force instantly hit me. My morph-capable suit immediately went to work, preventing my body from spinning along the spiraling water. I could clearly feel my body being brought rapidly upward.


    Wherever we were going, it was definitely better than going downward. The higher we went, the colder the water became. Even so, the water remained at around 70 degrees in temperature. It was clear that we were slowly moving away from the core. As the flow of the water increased in speed, I became even more confident that this pillar was our exit. After nearly two hours, traces of light finally appeared above us.


    "There seems to be some light coming from above us. It might be an exit. We''re going to be out of here soon!" reported Anxashe in excitement.


    The light grew clearer and clearer. Our laser scans also indicated that we were heading toward a massive opening. Near the exit, the water moved even faster. Instantly, we burst out of the opening and into the air.


    My thrusters activated immediately, keeping me hovering. One after another, my companions stabilized themselves in the air. Both Old Du and Anxashe were helping Dodo and Bob remain in the sky, preventing them from falling. Only then did I notice that our exit was actually an erupting volcano. Instead of lava, boiling water was erupting from it.


    There was so much water bursting out of the volcano that the surroundings of the volcano turned into a sea, making the volcano a lonesome island. This seemed to be our sole exit from the underground, and I was glad that we had managed to grab this opportunity.


    "Look over there. The sea is freezing," said Old Du as he pointed at a distant white piece of land.


    "The sky here is darker than the area where we landed. The temperature is much lower as well. Since the seawater is frozen, it can only mean that we''re nearing the dark side," said Baron Sisse.


    "Damn that Temo. He claimed that we would only need three hours, but it took us nearly seven hours to get here," scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    "Fortunately, we have not exhausted much of our energy supply. We need to get on that frozen land as soon as possible," suggested Dodo.


    "Robot, try to contact the ship. See if a connection can be established," said the great sovereign after recovering from the intense travel.


    Following our plan, we wasted no time on landing on the boundless field of ice. According to our system, the temperature was lower than negative 30 degrees. The sky above us was also darker than where we were before.


    "Why did the fiend come to such a shitty place?" asked Domo. None of us could answer that question.


    We were pleased to learn that Dodo was able to establish contact with Markus, and we transmitted our location to Temo. Temo replied that there were some issues with the elemental analysis, so he needed a little more time to fully recharge Markus. He promised to come for us afterward.


    That calmed our nerves, and we approached the location where the fiend was last detected. As we walked, we discovered another piece of good news. Even after the intense ride through the river, we were still heading in the right direction. The volcano was actually bordering the dark side. According to our latest information, the fiend was less than 80 kilometers away from us.


    That boosted our morale considerably, to the point where we forgot all our previous troubles and started moving swiftly to our destination. As we were already quite far from the livable zone, the temperature and visibility levels were quite low, making our journey rather difficult.


    However, even in such a harsh environment, we could still see life around us. Objects that we initially thought were ice chunks were actually plants. The plants covered a large area, and we couldn''t help but be impressed by the prowess of light. The boiling sea around the volcano was probably the sole source of heat for these plants.


    Eventually, the sky turned completely dark as the blue star disappeared into the horizon. We had arrived at a place that had been enveloped in darkness for billions of years. The wind hissed violently while the temperature dropped to negative 100 degrees. At that point, we could no longer see any life around us.


    "Just why did that fiend decide to come here? Is there some sort of energy source here in this terrible place that attracts it here?" wondered Baron Sisse.


    "You have forgotten that the Little Ant has been living under Pluto''s ice for billions of years. I believe this environment is better for its recovery or growth," said the great sovereign. It seemed to understand the fiend better than us.


    "We''re going to leave the ice sheet soon. There is dry land ahead of us," said Old Du.


    "According to Temo''s latest update, the fiend seems to be quickly approaching us. It is less than 40 kilometers away from us. It is currently in the valley right ahead of us," said Dodo.


    We had been spending so much time searching for the fiend. Now that the fiend was really going to show itself, I started growing nervous. After all, none of us knew what would happen to the fiend after sustaining all those injuries and evolving. Nevertheless, we still needed to face it. Thus, we did not hesitate to approach the dark valley.


    After leaving the field of ice, the temperature around us dropped even lower, reaching a level of negative 200 degrees. The frozen rocks around us were probably as hard as steel. The harsh environment combined with the violent gale created an environment far harsher than Pluto''s surface. When we discovered that the fiend was only 15 kilometers from us and was still moving rapidly, we started growing nervous.


    "Everyone, do not act rashly if you see any surprises. Markus is fully recharged and will arrive at your location in roughly 20 minutes. You can just hide and wait for my arrival," said Temo.


    As a precaution, Zhang Xingxing ordered us to scatter and hide amid the rocks. We were going to avoid direct contact with the fiend for now.


    "What is there to fear? The Little Ant is not scary at all," said the great sovereign even though it also joined us and hid.


    Both Domo and Anxashe picked the same hiding spot as me. It was very rare to see Domo so nervous that he didn''t dare to make a sound. The fiend was truly a terrifying being. In the distance, the valley entrance was covered in thick mist. The fiend seemed to know our location; it was still moving quickly toward us. At that point, it was less than five kilometers away from us. Before it arrived, the familiar laughter started ringing in the air.


    "Looks like that fellow has grown stronger than how it was before it had received all those injuries. It must have found an energy source suited to its body on this planet," said the great sovereign.


    I couldn''t see the others, but I could guess that everyone was fully focused on the mist ahead of us, awaiting the fiend''s appearance.

 CH 322

    As the laughter came nearer and nearer, a massive white silhouette finally appeared from the mist. Unsurprisingly, it was the fiend of Pluto. I believed that the fiend had been aware of our movements long ago. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to find us so easily. After coming out of the mist, the fiend suddenly stopped. It stood still, seemingly waiting for something.


    None of us dared to make any noise, afraid that we would accidentally provoke this monster. With my laser probe, I could see that the self-devour cycle in the fiend''s body was now moving at a faster pace than before. It seemed to have really found something on this planet that had healed its injuries and increased its strength. For some reason, the fiend remained still. Even after 10 minutes, nothing changed. We were unaware of what it was thinking.


    "Canyue, Markus is reaching your location soon. The fiend is not moving. I''m trying to establish a mental connection with it," said Temo. He had been observing everything from his ship.


    The great sovereign suddenly stepped out and asked, "Little Ant, why are you standing there? Is your mind still under your control?"


    "I didn''t expect you to be able to follow me here. It is truly surprising that even low-civilization people like you can have the willpower to come this far," the fiend''s voice came through the communicator.


    "We only came because we wanted to help you. Did you come here to heal your injuries?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I lost a limb helping you. Fortunately, I found this planet. With its geothermal energy, I was able to regrow my body. I then entered the cold part of the planet to increase the speed of my recovery. Afterward, I felt stronger than before," said the fiend in excitement.


    "That''s great to hear! Since you''ve grown stronger, we can return and face the empire together," said the great sovereign, who was growing excited as well.


    "I''m already this strong. Why do I still need to work with weaklings like you? I''m strong enough to defeat the super virus. Just watch. I''ll go back and teach that fellow a good lesson," said the fiend, unable to forget its nemesis.


    "Forget about that monster. If you help us, I''ll teach you my mind control technique," offered the great sovereign.


    "Are you serious?" the fiend was moved.


    "We, the people of Planet Wisdom, never lie," said the great sovereign.


    "Deal. I''ll help you defeat those fellows. Be sure to teach me your mind control technique," said the fiend, agreeing to work with us once again.


    I was relieved to hear that someone this powerful had agreed to become our ally. With the fiend, breaking through the empire''s defensive perimeter was no longer just a dream. At that time, Markus appeared above us. Due to the low temperature, a layer of frost could be seen on the ship''s surface. The ship descended onto the ground, and all of us walked out of our hiding spots. Meanwhile, the fiend stood in front of the ship, looking at us with its vicious eyes.


    "Get into the ship. We don''t have much time left. We still need to perform several leaps to go back," said Temo as the door slid open, revealing Temo behind it.


    Domo started running toward the ship, but when he passed by the fiend, his legs turned weak. The fiend simply looked way too ferocious. The others did not perform much better than Domo. It was under such pressure and fear that the team returned to Markus.


    "We''re finally back. What a terrible experience," complained Domo after lying down on the floor.


    "Like I said, you''ll only be a burden. Apart from complaining, what have you done during the journey?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Bao''er was right, so Domo did not talk back.


    Zhang Xingxing wasted no time in asking Temo about the ship. Upon learning that the ship had fully recharged, we cheered in joy.


    "The distance of 10 million lightyears is too far. Markus won''t be able to produce a wormhole that can cover that length. We can only perform our leaps in intervals of 1 million lightyears. We will need to perform 10 leaps in total," said Temo.


    "Is there any difference between 10 leaps and a single leap?" asked Old Du.


    "After each leap, the ship will need to recharge and prepare for the production of a new wormhole. We''re seven days away from the attack, and we will take six days to complete all our leaps," said Temo.


    "In that case, we''ll only have one day to reach the superweapon. That''s too little time," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "That''s the fastest method I can think of. If you have a better idea, I don''t mind following it," said Temo.


    "What are we waiting for? Let''s start. We''ll save as much time as we can," urged Baron Sisse.


    "Wait. There is still an important issue to solve," Dondon suddenly said.


    "Little cat, just say what''s on your mind. Don''t beat around the bush," said Zhang Bao''er impatiently.


    "That big fellow outside wants to go with us, right? But how are we supposed to take it with its size?" asked Dondon, asking a crucial question.


    That one question stunned all of us. We had been too focused on returning and had neglected the issue of the fiend''s size.


    "What should we do? Maybe we can get the fellow to hug the ship as it moves," Zhang Bao''er gave a rotten idea.


    "Why don''t you come out here and try doing that yourself?" scolded the fiend''s projection in the ship.


    Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.


    "That won''t work. The ship is going to travel through a wormhole. The powerful spacetime tunnel is something a body of flesh can''t withstand," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What should we do, then? That fellow is so big. It simply can''t enter the ship," said Kelly anxiously.


    "That''s not an issue at all. I can enter the ship anytime I want," said the fiend, shocking all of us with its declaration.


    Next, we watched in astonishment as the fiend''s body started shrinking. Before long, it was only as big as Dondon. All of us were completely dumbstruck.


    "I did not expect this Little Ant to be able to change its size at will," gasped the great sovereign in admiration.


    ''This fellow can change its size so easily. If it decides to grow large in the ship, it will be very troublesome,'' I thought.


    The miniature fiend walked through the airlock and entered the ship. The once ferocious giant looked rather comical after shrinking to Dondon''s size. I tried my best to not laugh, but Zhang Bao''er lost control and burst out laughing.


    "Hahaha, this fellow looks way too funny! It looks just like a pet!" said Zhang Bao''er. He was laughing so much his tears were coming out.


    Abruptly, a crisp sound rang out as Zhang Bao''er received a heavy slap on his face. The entire slap had happened so incredibly fast that none of us saw where the slap had come from.


    I believed all of us knew that the slap came from the fiend, but it was really too fast. After the slap, we only saw the miniature fiend standing and staring at its projection indifferently, as though nothing had happened.


    "Which bastard slapped your grandpa? Do you have the guts to step out?" scolded Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    "Enough, Bao''er. You don''t want to suffer more," Old Du hurriedly advised.


    Meanwhile, I found the entire incident amusing. The rest seemed to share the same opinion. Next, Temo told us to each take a seat as he started preparing for the leap. It had been a while since I had experienced interstellar travel. This six-day journey might allow us to witness more celestial bodies and beautiful sights. At the thought of that, a sense of excitement arose within my heart.


    There was no doubt that Markus was an excellent ship. We didn''t even feel any movement when the ship brought us to a location a million lightyears away. A beautiful river of stars entered our gaze. This river of stars was different from the Milky Way we could see from Blue.


    Unlike the Milky Way that looked still, the river of stars we were looking at was actually in the form of a spiral, looking like the various stars were quickly rotating. In the middle of the spiraling river of stars was not a black hole we were all familiar with. Rather, several incredibly bright stars could be seen in its place.


    The biggest star in the river of stars was also the river''s core. This was the very first time we had witnessed a sight like this. Amid the river of stars, nine stars stood out among the rest. Zhang Xingxing gave them a rather beautiful name: the Nine Celestial Fairy System.

 CH 323

    "Too beautiful. Nine Celestial Fairy System. It looks like a large star system formed by nine beautiful celestial bodies," said Kelly.


    "Markus will take some time to recharge. Everyone, you may take a rest and recover your stamina while waiting. There is no need to keep waiting here," said Temo.


    Hearing Temo''s words, everyone started heading to their rooms. I discovered to my surprise that the fiend and Dondon were conversing in a friendly manner. It looked like the two had become good friends.


    Suddenly, Dondon brought the fiend to Master Crystal''s medical room. Curious, I followed them. Dondon brought the fiend to the medical bed. Master Crystal was still lying on it, and his vitals were still at dangerous levels. The fiend made a detailed observation of Master Crystal before reaching for the cover around the bed.


    "What are you doing?" I asked nervously.


    The fiend looked back at me but did not say anything. It easily went through the cover and grew a feeler out of its finger. The feeler entered Master Crystal''s mouth. Then, some red substance flowed out of Master Crystal''s body into the fiend''s body. Within the fiend''s body, its organs started devouring the red substance. A few minutes later, the red substance stopped flowing. It seemed like all the available red substance had been destroyed by the fiend.


    I was pleasantly surprised to see that Master Crystal''s vitals were recovering rapidly. Even his pale face was turning rosy again. His conditions improved, and he was no longer in the danger zone. A few minutes later, Master Crystal opened his eyes.


    "Am I still alive, or am I dead?" muttered Master Crystal in confusion.


    "Alive. You''re still alive," I rushed forth and said in excitement.


    The others heard my excited voice and came into the medical room. All of them were happy to see that Master Crystal had awakened from his coma.


    "It''s Lord Ant. It helped destroy the unknown germs in Master Crystal''s body," said Dondon.


    Everyone looked at the fiend with gratitude. However, the fiend merely snorted and strutted out of the room, ignoring everyone else.


    "That''s how that fellow is. It will not claim credits after doing good deeds," said Old Du.


    Everyone''s attention returned to Master Crystal. Zhang Bao''er started bragging non-stop about all the dangers he had experienced, not forgetting to make himself look good in all the stories. However, nobody was bothered by it. After spending an hour with Master Crystal, we returned to our respective rooms. The intense activities before had greatly exhausted me. I was able to fall asleep quickly.


    After an unknown amount of time, I opened my eyes. I noticed that we were no longer at our previous location. Here, a supernova was happening around a lightyear away from us. The massive explosion almost looked like it was actually happening right in front of us. Everything was happening swiftly, and we could get a much clearer view from this distance than from a telescope.


    The supernova even affected multiple systems near it. I couldn''t help but rejoice at the fact that none of the stars near the Solar System was showing any signs of exploding. Otherwise, not even technology could save Blue from destruction.


    Just like that, Markus spent six days performing nine wormhole-leaps. During the journey, we saw numerous sights, such as black holes, nebulae, supernovae, white dwarfs, and even two planets that looked like they could host lives. Due to our limited time, we were unable to explore what we saw.


    After the long journey, we finally reached the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. One final leap was all we needed to return to either Mars or Blue. Zhang Xingxing started making combat arrangements with the team.


    "The fate of our people relies on this. From our current position, the great sovereign can already sense some of the other people from Wisdom. They are currently gathered near Blue. Thus, the great sovereign suggested that we make Blue our destination," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Baron Sisse added, "We intend to leap behind the empire''s encirclement. According to what we know, the empire will be attacking with their superweapons from a lightyear away. However, we don''t know their exact attacking position. During the attack, the pulp worm cores will produce a super wormhole and toss the planets through the wormhole to bombard our Kax Ring."


    "In that case, we will need to leap behind the encirclement. There, the great sovereign will need to quickly contact the pulp worm cores and order them to stop the attack," said Old Du.


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    "We''ll not only order them to stop. We also intend to send the planets they gathered to attack Blue through multiple wormholes to Eternal instead," said Baron Sisse.


    "But that will only harm the innocent people living on Eternal," said Old Du.


    "You can''t avoid death in war. When the empire planned this attack against our home, had they ever thought about our innocents?" said Baron Sisse. Those were heartless words, but there was some truth in his words.


    "But even the deaths in all the past wars can''t be compared with the actual destruction of a planet. It is too cruel. We don''t necessarily have to learn the cruelty of others. I disagree with bombarding Eternal," Old Du insisted, which was quite surprising.


    "How about this? We don''t need to think about Eternal''s destruction for now. We''ll focus on saving your planets first," said Temo. He was actually supportive of Old Du. After all, his loved ones were also living on Eternal.


    "I agree with Old Du. It is too cruel. We shouldn''t do it," said Master Crystal, who had just recovered from his sickness.


    Zhang Bao''er and I also expressed our support for Old Du. In the end, everyone agreed that Markus would perform a leap to the back of the empire''s encirclement. The great sovereign would quickly contact Violetvoid or Bluevoid. Through them, the attack on the Interstellar League would be stopped. The gathered planets would be left in interstellar space while further plans were made.


    By the time we finished the discussion, Markus was one hour away from being fully recharged. Our ship was hovering at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. Standing before a window, I gazed at the beautiful spiraling galaxy and tried to look for Blue''s position.


    "Brother, the final battle is near. Are you nervous?" asked Zhang Bao''er. Without me realizing it, Zhang Bao''er and Old Du had come beside me.


    "I believe our families on Blue are more nervous than us. They must also know about the empire''s final attack. Even now, the league probably still has no idea how to defend against the terrifying attack. At this moment, they must all be feeling great despair. No matter what, we must stop this disaster from happening," I said.


    "Yeah. I will not allow Emperor Fille to harm our families," said Zhang Bao''er with a slap to his chest.


    "Well said. As long as us brothers can work together, we will definitely be able to defeat the empire. With my brothers by my side, I''m not afraid of anything," said Old Du. He extended his hand out, and we placed our hands atop his hand.


    One hour passed quickly. Markus started producing the wormhole, and before long, we were near Blue, a planet I had missed badly. The distant planet was still as beautiful as ever. It did not matter how long we had left. This would forever be our home.


    This beautiful home was currently shrouded in the fog of war. Surrounded by the Kax Ring, the planet did not even look free anymore. Around the planet was an extremely tight encirclement formed by the empire.


    Perhaps those on Blue had also sensed the arrival of the final battle. The Kax Ring was active while the planet''s army was also being assembled for battle. However, the empire had far higher numbers than them. This looked like a hopeless war for the league.


    "The army around Blue is the Southstar Army. This army is known for having the strongest firepower in the empire. They are most likely also equipped with the black ball weapon we had seen before," said Temo.


    "These battleships are nothing to worry about. But those big fellows look rather powerful," said the fiend while pointing at the distant superweapons.


    Meanwhile, the great sovereign was busy trying to contact the brains of the superweapons. We were one day away from the attack. Thus, we couldn''t afford to waste even a single second. This was the war''s turning point. All our hope was placed on the great sovereign.

 CH 324

    Bob''s body was sitting completely still on the floor. We all knew that the great sovereign was probably establishing a connection with the other pulp worms. None of us dared to disturb the great sovereign. After about a dozen minutes, Bob''s body slowly stood up.


    "How is it? Have you contacted Violetvoid? Can they help us?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, I was able to contact Violetvoid. He is willing to help," said the great sovereign.


    "Great!" Zhang Bao''er exclaimed in excitement. The others also cheered.


    "Wait, I''m not finished. Why are you getting so excited?" said the great sovereign, extinguishing our excitement.


    "What do you mean? You said Violetvoid is willing to help, right?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Were you the one who had talked to Violetvoid back then? You were the only one who had made contact with it?" the great sovereign ignored Zhang Bao''er and asked me.


    "Yes. I was the one who had negotiated with both Violetvoid and Bluevoid. I was alone on both occasions," I answered.


    "Did they tell you about the mutation in the brains back then?" asked the great sovereign.


    The great sovereign''s question reminded me of what Bluevoid told me before. Some of the cores had mutated and escaped their control. I proceeded to tell the great sovereign what I knew.


    "The mutated cores have reached a far higher number than before. Half the superweapons have completely fallen under their control. These weapons will fully obey Emperor Fille," said the great sovereign. That was terrible news for us.


    "What? Half of the superweapons are no longer under your control? How is that possible? Aren''t those worms all your offspring?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Emperor Fille''s seduction must have worked on the pulp worms. The mind control had probably progressed considerably during the great sovereign''s imprisonment on Pluto, the world of germs. Most of the germs on Pluto rely on brainwaves to communicate. The concentrated brainwaves had shaken the great sovereign''s grasp over the pulp worms, accelerating the mutation," said Temo.


    "What should we do now? Half of the superweapons are no longer under our control. Just half of the superweapons will be enough to destroy Blue," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "That''s why I came up with an idea to solve this issue. However, the plan involves bitter battles," said the great sovereign.


    We all focused on the great sovereign, awaiting the solution.


    "Commander, contact has been established with Carter. He is coming from Gliese''s defensive line on Skyhawk. Since he needs to escape the enemy''s encirclement, he will need one hour to reach us," said Kelly.


    "That fellow survived the black ball''s attack? What a lucky person," I muttered.


    "It is good for us to have reinforcements. Your ship can help me with my plan. I intend to have the superweapons destroy each other," said the great sovereign.


    "Destroy each other? Are we going to have the superweapons under our control attack the other superweapons?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, but there is a fleet near the superweapons. If our superweapons attack, they will be jointly attacked by the other superweapons and the fleet," said the great sovereign.


    "So you want us to lure the fleet away?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "No. That''s pointless. They can return quickly. I need to trigger the battle between the league and the Southstar Army in advance. That will attract their attention. Then, we can send Violetvoid and Bluevoid out on assassination missions. Afterward, we can proceed with our attack on the superweapons not under our control," said the great sovereign.


    "Assassination missions? What''s the plan?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Violetvoid will call a meeting between all the worm colony brains. With the mental connection, all the mutated cores will be killed. Without the cores, the brains will lose their mental power. Without mental power, they won''t be able to control the superweapons. The automatic turrets on them will still work, but they will no longer be able to toss planets. That will make our job easier when it comes to destroying them," said the great sovereign.


    "There is no need to make the plan so complicated. The fleet is nothing scary. I alone am enough to destroy all of them," said the fiend.


    "Sure, they can''t kill you, but have you forgotten how you were sent so far away previously? Would we have the time to make another journey back before the final attack?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Exactly. It will be safer to create chaos and buy time for Violetvoid to carry out his task," said Baron Sisse.


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    "But how do we trigger the battle? They won''t listen to us," said Old Du.


    "Carter will be here soon. Only he can persuade the league to attack in advance," said Baron Sisse.


    "Death is already coming for them. What is the fleet waiting for? This is the final battle. Instead of attacking, are they all waiting for death to come?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    "The league has suffered so many defeats that they are now scared of the empire. Those commanders will only focus on defending. Very few of them still have the courage to attack," said Kelly, who had also fought in the war.


    "This is the final battle. I''ll persuade Carter," said Zhang Xingxing.


    A decision was thus reached. The great sovereign continued contacting Violetvoid to work on the details of their plan while we waited anxiously for Carter''s arrival. Zhang Xingxing had already concluded our action plan and sent it to Carter.


    The hour was over in the blink of an eye. The massive Skyhawk appeared before us. It hurriedly became invisible while a small shuttle flew out of it and headed toward our ship. Before long, Carter was standing in our command center. Different from our previous meeting, Carter had gained a long scar on his face. The pain a war could deal was obvious from the scar on his face and his severed arm.


    "What happened to your face?" Zhang Xingxing asked with concern.


    I was naturally uncomfortable hearing the concern in her voice.


    However, Carter did not answer the question. This was the final battle to save our civilization. It was understandable that he wasn''t bothered about his personal safety and was instead focused on the mission.


    "I know your plan. General Edward is in charge of the fleet around Blue. I have already requested him to attack. I believe his reply will come soon," said Carter. After the long war, Carter had clearly grown more efficient in carrying out his tasks.


    "Good. So long as General Edward is willing to attack, we can work with the fiend to attack from the rear as well. That will create enough of a diversion for the great sovereign to work with," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Why should I attack from the rear? Can''t I attack from the front?" said the fiend, unwilling to follow the plan.


    "If you can actually destroy a hundred of their battleships, you are free to attack from whichever direction you desire," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Surprisingly, the fiend did not argue upon seeing how determined Zhang Xingxing was. And with that, a unique allied army of higher and lower civilizations took form. Shortly after, General Edward''s reply came. The league would send half their defensive fleet out to attack the empire.


    "Why are they separating their elite army? That is never a good idea. What is your father thinking?" asked Domo.


    "I believe General Edward is already trying his best. It is said that Emperor Fille''s envoys had offered to spare the league from planetary destruction as long as they surrender. The parliament is starting to waver. The pro-surrender faction is slowly gaining ground. Therefore, they won''t send the entire fleet out, because the fleet is basically their last bargaining chip against the empire," said Carter.


    "What? So we''re going to surrender again? Fine, we''ll surrender each time we meet a stronger opponent. Previously, we surrendered to the Gliesens. Now, we''re surrendering to the Eternals. I am ashamed to be a Blueling," said Zhang Bao''er gloomily. I felt the same as well.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do about it. Survival of the fittest was the most basic rule of the universe. But since half the fleet was helping us, there was still hope for victory. After all, we had a powerful ally like the fiend with us. Nobody would know the result of the battle before actually fighting it. Carter quickly replied to General Edward, agreeing to attack after 30 minutes. We were only 22 hours away from the empire''s offensive. We were basically racing against time.


    "I also brought the league''s newest fighters with me. Is anyone interested in piloting them?" Carter suddenly asked.


    "Fighters? So we can pilot our own fighters in the battle? That would be perfect! That has always been my dream!" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Fighter piloting is not included among the knowledge we had downloaded during training," said Old Du.


    "That won''t be an issue. I have the knowledge to pilot the newest fighters with me. You only need 10 minutes to download the entire knowledge package," said Carter.


    Even the weaker combatants like Dondon, Wind Spirit, and Master Crystal grew excited at the mention of fighters. All of them requested to participate in the battle as fighter pilots. At that moment, I could clearly feel how near the final battle was.


    The knowledge download facility was only available on Skyhawk, so those wishing to participate in the battle followed Carter back to Skyhawk. Only Temo and the fiend were left on Markus. Even the great sovereign followed us to Skyhawk because the final battle was going to start very soon.

 CH 325

    The shuttle only took a little time to take us to Skyhawk. After spending 10 minutes to receive the knowledge download, we all obtained the necessary skill to pilot a quantum fighter. At that point, we were 10 minutes away from the battle. Carter used the remaining time to take us to the fighter launcher area.


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    Looking at the row upon row of the newest quantum fighters, our eyes widened in shock. These enhanced fighters looked even more sleek than the previous versions. They were also equipped with the function of invisibility. It would seem like the league had fully utilized their findings from Jupiter II on the military.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing will remain on Skyhawk to command the battle. Everyone else, you will be working with me in your respective quantum fighters. Remember, the enemy''s firepower is extremely powerful. Try to avoid total destruction. As long as your ship isn''t entirely destroyed in one hit, you will be able to escape by ejecting. The ejection seat will keep you alive in space for five hours. During that time, rescue will come for you by following the signals emitted by your seat. Remember, do your best to stay alive. We really don''t have that many warriors left," said Carter.


    I was relieved to hear that Zhang Xingxing would be staying on the ship while Carter would be the one to join us in the fight. After all, piloting a fighter was an extremely dangerous job. It would be far safer for Zhang Xingxing to remain on the ship.


    We climbed into our respective quantum fighters. The fighters were all equipped with functioning artificial intelligence, granting them the ability of independent thought. Thus, these fighters could be considered smart machines as well.


    "Officer Li Canyue, welcome. I am your advisor, Daisy. The battle will begin in three minutes. The fighter is at peak condition and can enter combat at any time," the artificial intelligence spoke to me the moment I entered the cockpit.


    "Canyue, these fighters are too cool. They are equipped with all sorts of top-notch functions," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Hopefully they will be good enough to ensure our safety," said Old Du. Even his calm voice was tinged with excitement. That was understandable, as piloting a fighter was completely different than piloting a battleship.


    Right at that moment, loud explosions rang out. We all knew that the league had launched their final attack.


    "Soldiers, stay in formation and follow me. Try to avoid single combat if you can. At the very least, try to stay in groups of two so that you can cover each other," said Carter. His fighter was the first to take off.


    We started taking off as well. All around us were more launchers and nearly 300 fighters. After all the fighters left the battleship, they quickly entered formation. I could see that Carter had intentionally kept us, the newbie pilots, at the back of the formation.


    Ahead of us was the rear of the empire''s encirclement. Bright explosions could be seen even farther away. The league had launched an attack, with their fleet shooting forward in an arrow formation. As the attack commenced, the empire deployed more and more reinforcements to support the area under attack.


    "Everyone, follow me. We''ll attack from the other side of the league''s fleet and try to open a path through the encirclement," said Carter.


    The battle ahead of us was extremely intense. I could clearly see numerous ships exploding, littering space with chunks of damaged ships. Although the empire had numerical superiority, in this small combat zone, the two parties seemed evenly matched.


    "Aim for the battleship at the edge of the enemy formation. Focus fire on its back." With the order, the weapon control system of all the fighters locked onto the Milky Way-class battleship nearest to us.


    Suddenly, a massive body flew past us and attacked the battleship before we could open fire. At a closer look, I found that the newcomer was actually the fiend. Even more terrifying was the fact that the fiend had grown to the size of a small battleship. The moment it reached the enemy ship, it attacked.


    The fiend collided violently with the enemy ship and tore a massive hole in the ship''s shield before rushing through the hole. The people in the ship must not have expected to be attacked from the back. Thus, they suffered greatly from the sudden attack.


    Carter grabbed the chance and ordered, "All fighters, target the hole in the shield. Attack!"


    Hundreds of quantum fighters left invisibility at the same time and unleashed countless missiles and green tracer bullets toward the hole. The concentrated firepower struck the ship, creating fierce explosions.


    At the same time, the fiend opened its terrifying mouth and unleashed a thick beam of fire toward the back of the ship, creating an even larger explosion. Our combined attacks finally destroyed the back of the ship. The remaining part of the ship started shaking, seemingly on the verge of exploding as well.


    However, the imperial soldiers in the ship were veteran combatants, after all. Even in such a difficult situation, they were still able to rapidly launch a counterattack, sending numerous artillery shells toward the fiend. The fiend was too big to avoid all the shells, so not a single shell missed its target.


    The attack infuriated the fiend. In its rage, it stopped using flame attacks and rushed toward the ship''s turrets and tore the turrets off with physical strength alone. The attack was so brutish all of us were dumbstruck.


    The fiend was able to tear the turrets as easily as tearing vegetables apart. A majority of the turrets were destroyed, and it even caused an internal chain explosion behind the turrets. Finally, the battleship lost control of itself and started spinning in a random direction.


    Seeing that its target had lost its combat effectiveness, the fiend flew away and threw itself at a different battleship. I rejoiced that this fellow was still our ally. I really couldn''t imagine facing a monster so fierce in battle.


    The fiend started a slaughter amid the enemy army. Before long, two additional battleships were destroyed. We also took the chance to push forward. It was rather surprising but eventually, we were even able to get near the front line with our tiny fighters. We seemed incredibly close to successfully opening a path through the encirclement, but this was war, and our wish would not be fulfilled so easily.


    "Canyue, we seem to be surrounded by imperial ships," Daisy reported.


    Only then did I notice that behind us, the imperial ships had recollected themselves and were returning to their positions and slowly surrounding us.


    Simultaneously, the fighters flying ahead of us were starting to be struck down by the enemy battleships as well. I could see an enemy battleship release some sort of electromagnetic halo. The halo spread, turning into a monster that could swallow everything in its path. That one attack destroyed around six of our fighters.


    "Everyone, remain in groups of two and scatter. Stick closer to the enemy ships to avoid their main attacks," ordered Carter.


    I followed the order and brought my fighter near the shield of a nearby battleship with Zhang Bao''er close behind me. Our movements made it possible for the enemy ships to harm their own ships. Sure enough, they momentarily stopped attacking.


    "Open fire at will!" a new order came.


    At the same time, the battleships behind us released thousands of fighter drones. Like a swarm of locusts, the drones flew toward us.


    "This is bad. The enemy drones are coming," I reminded Zhang Bao''er.


    "Bring it on. I''m getting bored of shooting at shields anyway," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Three of the drones came after us. We were all equipped with shields, so this would be a test of our single combat capabilities. A laser beam came from one of the enemy drones and struck my shield. Daisy immediately warned me that the fighter was moving too slowly.


    "Daisy, move at top speed, or we''ll be struck down," I said.


    "But we are in the midst of a fleet of ships. There is not enough space for us to move. If we''re too fast, we will collide into the other ships. That is not something the automatic piloting system can solve yet," said Daisy.


    "There is no need for automatic piloting. Switch to the manual mode. I''ll personally take on these drones," I said.


    Daisy immediately adjusted the fighter to manual mode. At that time, the three drones were less than 10 meters away from me. They were firing madly at me, and my fighter''s shield was starting to weaken. It wouldn''t take them long to shoot through my shield.


    I immediately increased the speed of my fighter and flew around a nearby battleship. Using the battleship''s shield, I protected myself from the drones'' attacks. They continued chasing me relentlessly, and by the time I reached the other side of the battleship, I saw that Zhang Bao''er was being chased by five drones. He seemed to be in an even bigger crisis than me.


    I ordered Daisy to adjust the turrets and then fired backward, aiming to slow the pursuers. However, the drones managed to deftly avoid all the attacks. They did not seem like they were going to give up on me.


    "This won''t do. If this continues, my shield will be destroyed. I need to shake them off as soon as possible," I muttered to myself.


    "Shit! Dondon''s fighter was hit!" Zhang Bao''er suddenly exclaimed.


    "What? Dondon was hit?" I asked.


    "Yes. His fighter''s left wing was hit. But he seemed to have ejected from the fighter. He''s currently awaiting rescue," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "I need to do something," I told myself.


    Suddenly, I noticed the familiar massive body of the fiend fighting not far to my left.

 CH 326

    The sight of the fiend gave me a new idea.


    "Bao''er, do you see the fiend? Let''s fly to it," I said.


    "Yes, I can see it, but these drones are sticking very close to me. I need to think of a good idea if I really want to help the fiend," said Zhang Bao''er. I didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at that reply.


    "You''re saying you can help the fiend? Stop bragging. Just head toward the fiend. We need its help to get rid of these drones," I gave a clear order to make sure that Zhang Bao''er would get the message.


    Following my order, our fighters flew rapidly toward the fiend with a swarm of drones following closely behind us. Meanwhile, the fiend was busy killing anything it laid its eyes on. However, the empire was starting to react to our attack. Two battleships were attacking the fiend from two different directions.


    Each of the two battleships was escorted by no fewer than 10 other ships. The escort ships were in charge of protecting the two main battleships with their shields. The combined shields were much stronger, making it difficult for the fiend to break free from their encirclement.


    At the same time, the two main battleships were constantly firing at the fiend. Of their many attacks, their halo attacks seemed to be rather effective against the fiend. Although it looked like the fiend was tanking all the attacks without much trouble, I could clearly see the red prints left on its transparent wings each time it was hit by the halo attack.


    Before long, we arrived behind the fiend in our fighters. I immediately had my quantum fighter shake its wings. The fiend suddenly turned its head around. I was confident it could see me and the drones pursuing us.


    With a casual swing of its limb, two drones exploded instantly. The third drone hurriedly rose upward, barely avoiding the attack. Seeing that the drone had changed its trajectory, I hurriedly turned my fighter around to attack it. Our roles were reversed, with me becoming the hunter and the drone becoming the prey.


    My fighter released countless anti-armor bullets at the drone. The prowess of a quantum fighter was fully displayed as no matter how the fighter moved, it was still able to accurately hit its target. Before long, the hail of bullets managed to pierce through the drone''s shield. Without the shield, the drone was struck, and it exploded into chunks of metal.


    After destroying the final drone, I noted that Zhang Bao''er was still busy avoiding the five drones behind him. The fiend was busy attacking one of the main battleships, so it couldn''t even help him.


    Thus, I hurriedly piloted my fighter toward Zhang Bao''er. The five drones were too focused on Zhang Bao''er and did not notice my approach. I took the chance to lock onto the drone at the back and prepared to attack. With a bright flash, the drone lost balance and spun away. I was able to hit my target.


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    "Well done, Canyue! Get rid of the others as well!" cheered Zhang Bao''er.


    Suddenly, several beams of light streaked over and destroyed the remaining four drones behind Zhang Bao''er. When I looked at the attacker, I saw that it was Carter, Old Du, and Baron Sisse who had come to help.


    "Canyue, Markus is surrounded by enemies. We need to help them," said Carter.


    With Carter''s order, Zhang Bao''er and I joined the group. After dodging numerous beams and shells, we moved around two groups of ships before we reached Markus. At that time, Markus was under so many attacks that it had basically turned into a ball of flame.


    "Temo, how is it over there?" I asked.


    "I''m surrounded by two enemy battleships and their escorts. All my escape routes have been blocked. Under such concentrated firepower, my shield won''t be able to last long," came Temo''s urgent reply.


    "Temo, try to contact the fiend and have it handle one of the battleships. We''ll deal with the other," said Baron Sisse.


    "With me, everyone. Try to get inside one of the battleships," Carter ordered.


    "Piloting our fighters into the battleship? Has this fellow gone mad?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    However, we couldn''t disobey a direct order. We formed a single line behind Carter. His fighter proceeded to release a yellow beam at the enemy battleship.


    "What weapon is that? Why don''t we have it on our fighters?" asked Zhang Bao''er. I was curious about the same thing as well.


    The yellow beam looked exceptionally impressive. The moment it touched the enemy''s green shield, the point of contact turned red, with the red spreading rapidly to form an opening.


    However, a rain of bullets and beams came at us immediately after. We followed Carter and started moving around to evade the attacks. No matter how Carter''s fighter moved, the yellow beam remained on the same target.


    "The targeting system of the latest laser weapons is truly impressive," I couldn''t help but be impressed.


    Before long, the enemies started attacking us with even more powerful weapons. Even one of the halo attacks was released toward us.


    "Rush through the hole in the shield. Don''t fall behind," ordered Carter upon seeing that the halo was about to get in between us and the opening.


    "This hole is not big enough. It will be troublesome if we get stuck outside," said Old Du.


    He was right. The opening ahead of us was still not big enough for a fighter to go through. However, we had no choice but to brace ourselves and follow Carter as he shot forward. The front of Carter''s fighter went through the opening first. Then, the fighter turned its body twice, completely wriggling through the opening.


    We repeated the same set of movements and safely went through the opening as well. Right after we went through, the halo attack arrived and closed the opening, blocking our path of retreat.


    ''What a close call,'' I thought with some lingering fear in my heart.


    However, an even bigger danger was waiting for us behind the shield. A group of escort drones started flying toward us.


    "Everyone, we need to work together and defeat these drones. The main battleship will be forced to release the second batch of drones. When the exit for the drones opens, we''ll rush into the ship," said Carter.


    We also noted that the fiend had received Temo''s message and was attacking the other main battleship.


    "Fire at will. Focus fire on the marked targets," said Carter.


    We opened fire at the same time, instantly destroying a few of the drones before us. With our close cooperation, we did not take long to destroy eight drones. However, the drones had also hit our shields enough that our energy level was less than 40 percent.


    ''Looks like our piloting skills are even better than the AI,'' I thought smugly after destroying yet another drone.


    Gradually, the battle became more and more bitter. It did not seem like we were facing a lot of drones, but they also seemed endless. Before long, we had destroyed about a dozen drones. However, no new drones were being sent out of the battleship.


    "If this doesn''t work, then we''ll have to try using our nuclear warheads," said Carter.


    "Are you crazy, Carter? If you use nuclear weapons within their shield¡¯s cover, we''ll be the first to die," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I grew nervous as well, worried that Carter would really go crazy. Everyone within the bubble of a shield would suffer if a nuclear warhead was detonated within it. During that critical moment, I saw one of the battleship''s doors opening. A group of drones flew out of the exit.


    "Open fire! Stay with me!" Carter''s command came as he started firing madly.


    A wall of bullets was formed ahead of us. Our enemies had probably not expected us to have the guts to actually attack them. The drones were all stuck in the ship, and our concentrated attacks caused numerous explosions right at the exit. As the drones were still in the middle of leaving the battleship, their shields were fully activated. Thus, the initial explosions created a chain reaction as more and more drones exploded.


    Shortly after, an opening finally showed itself. Carter took the lead and charged right through the opening. The rest of us hurriedly followed Carter into the enemy battleship. After entering the ship, I found myself in a long takeoff corridor. The chain explosions had damaged the place, and the drones farther away from the exit had fully turned on their shields.


    "With me, everyone. Charge to the deepest part of the ship together," ordered Carter while attacking.


    The corridor was large enough for two fighters to advance at the same time. Thus, Baron Sisse had his fighter stay above Carter, assisting him in the push. The rest of us followed closely behind them.


    "After we get out of this corridor, split up. Look for their armory and attack without holding anything back," ordered Carter.

 CH 327

    Within the narrow takeoff corridor, the firepower of two quantum fighters gained the upper hand. The enemy drones were forced to retreat again and again. Suddenly, our surroundings brightened. We had pushed out of the corridor, arriving in a large hangar.


    The hangar was akin to a complicated machine, each component carrying out its duty diligently. The conveyor belts were constantly transporting all sorts of battle drones over, while the maintenance system was performing last-minute inspections on them.


    "Split up! Look for their armory and attack! Try to destroy them with their own ammunition supply," ordered Carter.


    With the order, I flew away from the group. However, it did not take the enemy drones long to start pursuing us again. The Milky Way¨Cclass battleship we had entered was massive. I started maneuvering around the machines in the ship to avoid the drones while looking for their ammunition stockpile.


    There were also a lot of Eternal soldiers in the hangar. Flying at a low altitude, I could clearly see the soldiers looking at my fighter in astonishment. They were probably confused about my presence on their ship. Suddenly, I found a pile of white objects. I rushed over and saw that it was a bunch of unequipped guided missiles.


    "Carter, Carter, I found their missile stockpile. Permission to open fire?" I asked.


    "Granted. Destroy the missiles," replied Carter.


    I immediately took aim. To prevent any mishap from happening, I adjusted my weapon to the highest level before pushing the launch button. But right before my finger touched the button, I felt the world turn upside down. My fighter had lost balance and was spinning in the air.


    "Canyue, your fighter is hit! Eject!" Zhang Bao''er shouted.


    "You can''t! There is no space for you to eject here! You need to crawl out of your fighter manually!" said Baron Sisse.


    "Reporting! Reporting! Your fighter has been struck. You need to escape the danger as soon as possible," reminded the fighter assistant Daisy.


    ''How could I be so careless?'' I blamed myself inwardly.


    However, it was not the time to complain. I started thinking of escape. When my fighter was spinning around rapidly, my morph-capable defensive system had activated automatically to protect my body. The seatbelt was keeping me strapped to my seat, and I couldn''t remove it. In a moment of desperation, I cut it off with a laser beam.


    By the time I removed the seatbelt, the fighter was spinning even faster than before. I stood on my seat and tried my best to push the door open. The fighter was on the verge of crashing into the wall nearby.


    A nearby drone noticed that I was trying to escape, so a laser beam was immediately sent my way. During that critical moment, I exerted more force with my legs and pushed myself out of the cockpit. My morph-capable suit''s flight function activated, reducing the speed of my fall. I grabbed a nearby railing with both my hands while a loud explosion erupted not far behind me. My fighter had been destroyed.


    An Eternal soldier on patrol noticed me and immediately charged over. However, I was already a veteran, so I was able to quickly calm my mind. I drew my pistol and shot the soldier before he could do anything to me. The struck soldier collapsed right in front of me. I pulled myself up and jumped over the railing before picking up the fallen soldier''s raygun. I then darted into a nearby room.


    "Canyue, Canyue, are you fine?" Zhang Bao''er called out to me.


    "I''m fine for now. I''m hiding inside a small room on the bridge," I replied.


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    "Stay there. I''ll come for you," said Zhang Bao''er, happy to hear that I was fine.


    "Don''t worry about me. The enemy''s ammunition stockpile can be found near where I was struck. Complete the mission before coming for me. I''m fine for now," I said to Zhang Bao''er.


    "Ok. Take care. I''ll pick you up shortly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I started observing my surroundings. I was inside a small observation room. In the middle of the room was an elevator that could move one up and down the room. At the front of the elevator, some Eternal characters were printed. The different floors the elevator led to were branded with different colors.


    When I looked out the window, I saw that the drones were still flying around quickly in the hangar, looking for my companions. As they were moving incredibly fast, I could only see the occasional flash passing by in front of the window every now and then.


    Suddenly, I heard the sound of the elevator activating behind me. I rushed toward the elevator''s door nervously and looked at the screen indicating the elevator''s movement through a different floor toward the floor I was on. The observation room was too small to provide me with a hiding spot. I could only aim my gun at the elevator. The moment an enemy showed itself, I would open fire.


    The sceen continued showcasing the elevator''s movement through the floors. Suddenly, the elevator stopped at the floor one level below me. At that point, I was already so nervous I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my mouth. Fortunately, the enemy was not heading toward my room.


    "Carter, ammunition stockpile found. Permission to open fire."


    "Permission granted."


    "Tracking missile launched. Canyue, get down and find cover."


    Immediately after, the room shook as a deafening explosion erupted outside. I knew that Zhang Bao''er and the others had succeeded. The loud initial explosion created a chain reaction. More and more explosions erupted, and the flame started spreading everywhere, including the observation room I was hiding in. The sturdy room was shaking violently from the shockwaves created by the chain explosions.


    At that moment, I noticed the elevator moving again. Before long, it stopped at my floor. The door slid open, and I immediately fired at the opened door. A burly Eternal soldier appeared in front of me. A hole was opened up in his chest from my shot.


    With a thud, the corpse was tossed my way. At that moment, I noticed that a different individual had blocked my shot with the Eternal corpse. That person was actually someone I was familiar with. He was staring at me with excitement in his eyes.


    "Sarje, is that really you?" I exclaimed.


    "Hehe, I knew it was you, Canyue! This time, I can finally carry out the duty you paid me for," said Sarje.


    "Temo told me that you were taken by Dirk as a guard and were safe for now. That was why we delayed looking for you. After all, our homeland is on the brink of destruction," I said.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''m happy to know that you''re all alive," said Sarje, showing no dissatisfaction whatsoever.


    "Why are you on this ship? Are you here with Dirk?" I asked.


    "Dirk''s not here. He went on a different ship," said Sarje. I was relieved to hear that.


    Just as we were about to continue talking, the explosions outside became even more intense. The violent shockwaves gave me a sensation that the entire battleship was about to be torn apart.


    "Shit! We need to leave immediately!" said Sarje.


    "Bao''er, Bao''er, can you hear me?" I found that I had lost contact with Zhang Bao''er and the others.


    "There is an emergency tunnel here. Come with me. We''ll leave this place first," said Sarje as he opened a small hidden door on the wall.


    A tunnel leading downward appeared before my eyes. Sarje took the lead and slid down the tunnel. I followed behind him. We slid to the bottom of the tunnel and found a door in front of us. The moment Sarje opened the doors, a wave of fire rushed through it. The bottom level of the ship had already turned into a sea of fire.


    "This is bad! The emergency exit is blocked by fire! We need to take a different route," said Sarje nervously.


    Under Sarje''s guidance, we found another exit. However, the second exit did not seem like a better alternative. The path ahead was blocked by a burning collapsed cannon. The temperature at the bottom level continued rising, forcing us to escape to a higher level.


    "Damn it, Zhang Bao''er! Why is the communicator failing at such a critical moment?" I scolded.


    "Don''t worry. I know a corridor leading to an emergency hangar. There are fighters and other ships there. If we can reach it, we''ll be able to leave this battleship," said Sarje.


    Hearing Sarje''s words, I suddenly felt some regret. In such a moment, I should be even calmer than before, not complaining and panicking. At that thought, I calmed myself and followed Sarje to the corridor he mentioned.

 CH 328

    The corridor was located on the sixth level. As Sarje and I ran toward the corridor, we noted that the floor of the corridor had already been destroyed by the explosions, leaving the railings at the sides of the corridor. The flame had already reached the railings, pushing the temperature of the railings to a rather high level. I took the chance to look around. Zhang Bao''er and the others were nowhere to be found while my communicator still wasn''t working.


    "What¡¯s happening? Where are they?" I became doubtful.


    "Canyue, this corridor no longer has its floor. Looks like we won''t be able to get through," said Sarje.


    "If this is the only path remaining, we need to get through. We''ll take the railing. I''ll help you with my morph-capable shield," I said.


    I extended my shield and included Sarje within its protection. Then, I grabbed the railing with both hands and started moving forward while hanging onto the railing. Even with the protection of my shield, I could still feel a burning sensation from both my hands. However, the only thought I could entertain in my brain at that moment was to escape.


    As a Gando warrior, Sarje had a burly build. The moment he climbed onto the railing, the badly damaged railing started shaking. However, we had no choice but to grit our teeth and continue onward.


    The hangar was a raging sea of fire, and the soldiers and drones previously in here had already escaped. The environment was harsh, but both Sarje and I continued moving farther and farther from danger. Suddenly, a buzzing rang out behind me. An enemy drone had appeared behind us.


    "Damn this drone! Why is it still here?" I cursed.


    The drone was apparently ignoring the raging flames and collapsing structures in the area, flying slowly at a low altitude in search of something. It was about to reach us soon, so I could only stay still and pray that it wouldn''t notice us.


    The drone flew above the railing, and soon, it flew past the position we were hanging from. It did not seem to have noticed us. Further ahead, it accelerated and entered a room ahead of us.


    "Looks like there must be something valuable in that room," I said to Sarje.


    "Let''s go there. We''ll see what''s so valuable," suggested Sarje.


    "Ok. Let''s see if we can find anything useful inside. We can''t come this far and return empty-handed," I said as I moved even faster. Finally, the two of us were through the collapsing corridor.


    Right after we stepped onto solid ground, the corridor behind us collapsed loudly into the sea of fire below.


    "My god. If we were even a second slower, we would have died. That was way too close," said Sarje. He couldn''t believe how lucky we had been.


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    The drone had entered a room ahead of us. We did not have the time to hesitate, so we hurriedly rushed toward the room. With the cracking sound of the raging flames in the background, we slowly approached the drone. I could already hear the noise made by the drone.


    Sarje and I slowly moved ahead and hid behind a metal wall. There, I saw the drone stopping behind two individuals. The two were clad in protective suits and were busy downloading some information from the system. They were rather short and small, and although their suits had covered their true appearance, their bodies resembled those from the Sacred Wing race.


    Since we could not afford to waste any time, I signaled Sarje with my eyes, and then the two of us dashed forth at the same time. The two individuals were quickly taken down. When Sarje took off the mask of one of them, a familiar Sacred Wing face was revealed before our eyes.


    "Who are you? Why are you here?" asked the nervous Sacred Wing.


    "Are you stupid? A battle is raging outside, and I''m not a member of the Divine Empire. Who else could I be?" I asked.


    "Someone from the league? Those fighters had escaped. There are still some left behind? Lamo, you were too careless! See, we''re in trouble now!" the Sacred Wing complained to his companion.


    "You were very sure that there was nobody here. I told you to not be too greedy. What''s the point of stealing this battleship''s core system? You''ll get something similar after you''re promoted to priest. Are you happy now? We''re now prisoners!" complained the person called Lamo.


    "Sigh," the other Sacred Wing let out a heavy sigh, looking incredibly gloomy.


    "Shut your mouths! I''m in charge here! Are you putting on a show for us?" said Sarje fiercely.


    "Friends, did you enter the battleship by riding the drone? I thought the drone couldn''t carry passengers," I asked.


    "Who says a drone can''t carry passengers? Anything I modified can perform any task I wish," said Lamo.


    "You talk too much. That will be the death of you," complained the other Sacred Wing.


    "He''s Lamo. What about you?" I asked.


    "I''m Somo. What''s your name?"


    I didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. I was actually being interrogated by someone I was interrogating.


    "Are you courting death? How can the name of Superior Li Canyue be known by someone as insignificant as you?" said Sarje, though his counter was rather stupid.


    "Oh, so you''re Li Canyue. I didn''t expect you to look like this," said the two little fellows, who, for some reason, were turning excited.


    "What''s wrong with my looks? Tell me. Looks like you''re very familiar with my reputation," I said, feeling rather smug at the attention I was getting.


    "You don''t have that much of a reputation, but the high priest and Master Wind both mentioned you before. Among those from a planet-level civilization, you can be considered a lucky one," said Somo.


    "Master Wind? You know Master Wind?" I asked.


    "Of course. He had visited us many times to compare notes and exchange knowledge," said Lamo.


    "Then do you know Temo?" I asked.


    "Temo? Are you referring to the person who was sent to watch over a warehouse because he was the least educated among us?" asked Lamo. I found myself speechless. So Temo was actually the least educated among the Sacred Wing race?


    "I think so. He made a ship called Markus. It is fighting bitterly outside. I need you to take me to him," I said.


    "Markus? Hahahaha!" the two burst out in laughter.


    "What are you laughing about? Shut up, or I''ll teach you a nice lesson!" threatened Sarje.


    "Markus is a stupid transport ship. I heard that Temo had modified a transport ship, but how powerful can a transport ship be?" said Somo.


    The reply caused me to take a deep breath in shock. I had not expected that the ship we regarded as an extremely high-end product was actually a low-end product for the Sacred Wing race. I realized that the height of technology was not something my brain could even begin to comprehend.


    "Stop wasting my time. Can your drone take us out of here? If there''s not enough space in your drone, both of you can stay here," threatened Sarje.


    "No, no, of course there''s enough space. It will be a tight squeeze, but there is enough space," said the two, who were finally feeling nervous.


    "Then let''s get going. This place is going to explode soon. Open the drone''s door. We''ll get in first," demanded Sarje.


    The two Sacred Wings ran toward the drone and opened the door. The modified drone had its weaponry system removed to make way for a rather large empty space inside. It would be able to carry all four of us fine. With the door opened, Sarje entered first before calling me over.


    "You two, wait a moment," I suddenly stopped the two little fellows.


    "What are you thinking of doing?" asked Somo and Lamo. They seemed rather nervous, perhaps due to Sarje''s threats.


    "Don''t worry. You''re here for the battleship''s core system, right? You forgot to retrieve the data you downloaded. You can take what you downloaded with you," I said.


    That reminded the two of them of their initial purpose. They must not have expected that I would remember what they had been doing. They shot me a look of gratitude before Lamo rushed back to retrieve the drive he had used to download the database.


    I waited for them to finish everything and enter the drone before boarding after them. The two little fellows piloted the drone toward the exit. Along the way, we witnessed a scene of carnage. The terrain was extremely difficult to navigate, but the two little fellows were able to skillfully move through numerous gaps as if this was their home. Before long, we were out of the burning hangar.


    After going through a door, we reached a different hangar. The place was bustling with activity, but the flames had not spread this far yet. The soldiers and drones that had escaped the previous hangar had all gathered here.


    "Everyone, retreat immediately. The battleship''s core is becoming unstable. A massive explosion might happen at any time. All soldiers, get into your respective ships and leave," a robotic voice was being broadcast in the hangar.


    At that time, I saw several drones flying toward us.


    "Don''t play any tricks and get us out. Otherwise, I''ll find your heads a new home," threatened Sarje.

 CH 329

    "Sarje, there is no need for threats," I stopped Sarje from inflicting too much panic on the two.


    The drones flew by us without giving us a second look. The situation in the hangar was way too chaotic for anyone to pay a single drone any attention.


    "Lamo''s skills are trustworthy. You need to trust his skills," said Somo.


    "I know the two of you are very skilled. Our priority is leaving this place. If you can take us out, I''ll guarantee your safety," I promised.


    Under the two''s control, the drone slowly flew toward the exit. The hangar was filled with numerous ships ready to escape, and the robotic warning was being constantly broadcast in the room. We still couldn''t contact Zhang Bao''er and the others.


    The path out of the battleship was congested, with the escaping ships crowding the few available exits. The Milky Way¨Cclass battleship had carried too many passengers, making escape a rather difficult task.


    "The exits are too congested. We won''t be able to get out before the battleship explodes," said Sarje anxiously.


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    "Don''t worry. I know an exit with no traffic," said Somo.


    "Where is it? Take us there already," urged Sarje.


    Under Lamo''s control, the drone moved away from the crowd and moved upward in the ship.


    "There''s an exit higher in the ship?" I asked in astonishment. Generally, the imperial battleships would only install their exits at the bottom.


    "That''s a special escape route for the captain during emergencies," said Lamo.


    "Bullshit! The captain will always be the last to leave the ship. How can that be called an escape?" said Somo.


    "Wait. If the captain is the last to leave, won''t we encounter the captain''s guards if we go now?" asked Sarje.


    "Don''t you worry about that. Just watch," said Lamo. The drone accelerated, and before long, we arrived at the highest level in the ship.


    "You have arrived at the command area. Please show your access level," a robotic voice demanded.


    With a nod by Somo, Lamo pressed a red button on the dashboard.


    The automatic scanner activated. Shortly after, the robotic voice rang out again, "Captain Adoka''s ship detected. Access granted."


    "Look at this. You''re full of surprises," praised Sarje.


    "That''s nothing special. After researching the battleship''s core system, I will be able to freely enter even Emperor Fille''s palace," said Lamo smugly.


    Somo gave Lamo''s head a heavy knock.


    "Why did you hit me?" complained Lamo with a furious glare.


    "You talk too much. Even as a prisoner, you still can''t stop blabbering your mouth," said Somo.


    "Li Canyue never tortures prisoners. We know that," said Lamo.


    "You fool. I have nothing else to say," said Somo with a helpless sigh.


    I found the conversation rather comical. The two totally didn''t see themselves as prisoners. While the two were bickering, we arrived in front of a small airlock.


    "That must be the exit," said Sarje in excitement.


    "Yes. Get ready. We''re leaving," said Somo.


    At that moment, an armed ship suddenly appeared from the right and stopped in front of us. The sudden appearance instantly intensified our nervousness. The ship turned around to face us, but it did not send us any signal or message. We faced each other in silence for about a minute. All of us were feeling extremely nervous because our drones were not equipped with any weapons while the other ship could easily destroy us. During that critical moment, something odd happened. The ship suddenly turned around and left through the airlock. It didn''t even bother closing the door after leaving.


    "What''s going on?" asked Sarje in confusion.


    "You claimed that the captain wouldn''t leave first, right? What do you have to say now?" said Lamo.


    "Shameless. Too shameless. The captain actually escaped before the rest of the crew left the ship," scolded Somo.


    "That must be why the ship hadn''t attacked us. They must be too ashamed of their behavior," I said.


    "The imperial army is useless. Ignore them. We also need to leave. If even the captain has escaped, then this battleship really won''t last much longer," said Sarje.


    That reminded all of us of the situation we were in. Under Lamo''s control, our drone rushed out of the battleship. The situation outside the battleship had changed considerably. Markus was nowhere to be seen. I had no idea if it had been destroyed or if it had broken through the line. Before us were countless imperial ships and drones.


    Only a small number of league fighters could still be seen flying around the battlefield. Farther away from us, General Edward''s fleet was under heavy fire. Only a short while had passed, but the league had suffered such a great defeat. I had a feeling that this was basically a hopeless war for us.


    Suddenly, a laser beam came from the side, nearly hitting our drone. Fortunately, Lamo was able to react in time to avoid the attack. At the same time, I noticed a quantum fighter flying past in the sky above us. I could see the code S81 on that fighter.


    "Fighter S81, we''re friendly! Do not attack our drone!" I shouted to the communicator.


    The fighter turned around, and a voice replied with pleasant surprise, "This is fighter S81. Who are you? Why are you inside an enemy drone?"


    After losing contact with all my allies for a period of time, I grew excited when I was once again able to hear the voice of an ally.


    "This is Officer Li Canyue. I lost my fighter to enemy fire, but I was able to take over this drone. Where are Carter and the other fighters?" I asked.


    "The empire activated their light wave weapons to block our signals. We can no longer contact any ally farther than 30 meters away from us. Commander Carter had led the fleet to assist the superweapons. We''re staying behind to provide cover for our rescue ships who are here to pick out our ejected pilots," replied the pilot of fighter S81.


    "Carter and the others went to reinforce the superweapons? What happened? Where are they?" I asked.


    Suddenly, a guided missile shot toward us. Fighter S81, who had slowed down to maintain communication with us, was struck,  and it exploded into chunks of metal. The sudden change stunned me. Only static could be heard through the communicator. Just like that, the pilot who was talking to me just moments ago was killed.


    I lowered my head silently, offering my prayers to the unknown pilot who had sacrificed himself for the war. Suddenly, I heard a beep. On my communicator''s screen, a set of coordinates appeared. The destination was roughly 600 million kilometers away from us, an area near Jupiter.


    Without a doubt, the brave pilot of S81 must have sent the coordinates over before he was killed. These must be the coordinates indicating the superweapons'' location. Apart from showing my respect to the heroic pilot, there was nothing I could do for him.


    "Somo, can you take me to this place?" I asked.


    "Jupiter? Why do you want to go there? Are you running from the war?" asked Somo. The moment he opened his mouth, he was unable to stop talking. That seemed to be a shared trait of the Sacred Wing race and the Jido race.


    "According to the information I received, the superweapons are there. The great sovereign and Temo need our help. Therefore, I must get there and assist them," I said.


    "So are you ignoring your other allies who are surrounded here?" Lamo asked.


    I took a look at General Edward''s surrounded fleet and sank into thought.


    "What are you waiting for? What else can this stupid drone do? Just follow my superior''s order or don''t blame me for being impolite," threatened Sarje.


    His words reminded me that my top priority was the superweapons. Blue was still under the Kax Ring''s protection, but if the superweapons on our side were defeated, we would have no hope of turning this war around.


    "How long will it take for us to reach Jupiter?" I calmed my mind and asked.


    "I can take you away from this battlefield and produce a wormhole leading to your location. Can you free us after that?" Somo asked. After all, he was worried that he would be imprisoned by us without the protection of the imperial army.


    "Don''t worry. You will regain your freedom after you take us to Jupiter. I, Li Canyue, am a man of my word," I promised.


    The two little fellows whispered to each other for a bit before piloting the drone away from the battlefield. As the drone was a product of the empire, we were able to move around without any obstacles. Before long, we were out of the battlefield.


    "Stay seated, everyone. Since the drone is too small, the wormhole-leap might be a tad bit rough," warned Somo.


    Both Sarje and I went back to our seats. The drone continued moving until it was hundreds of kilometers away from the battlefield. There, Lomo activated the wormhole system. Space twisted as a wormhole was produced. Everything seemed fine. When the wormhole appeared, the drone flew inside.


    Thus began the worst wormhole-leap I had ever experienced. The shaking was so intense that it felt like the drone was about to fall apart. It was difficult to believe that I was seated within a product of the Sacred Wing race. The terrible experience lasted about 10 minutes before we ended the leap.


    "What bullshit leap was that? A tad bit rough? That''s an absolutely terrible leap," said Sarje, whose face had paled and looked like he was about to vomit.


    I couldn''t be bothered to comfort Sarje. I hurriedly removed my seatbelt and looked out. A chaotic and terrifying scene unfolded before my eyes.

 CH 330

    It felt as though I was looking at a fantasy world. Planet-size superweapons, small fighters, and countless battleships were mixed together in a chaotic battlefield where Jupiter II used to be. I could clearly see the superweapons fighting each other. It was as though I was watching a movie where two giant metallic beings were fighting each other in boundless outer space. Numerous beams of different colors flew everywhere, filling my entire vision with beams, missiles, and bullets.


    "Lords, you''re here. Can we leave now?" asked Somo.


    "What are you talking about? It''s raining bullets ahead of us. Are we supposed to fly ahead ourselves? Why don''t you leave your drone behind?" asked Sarje.


    "Are you breaking your promise?" said Somo anxiously.


    "Stop bickering. Our agreement was to deliver us to Temo or other friendly ships. You can''t just let us out in space, right?" I said.


    Somo probably realized that we were right, so he stopped arguing.


    "There is a heavy fight ahead of us. Our drone is too weak to enter the battlefield. A stray bullet can easily end us," said Lamo.


    "The two of you will be in charge of contacting Temo. I''ll contact the others. We''ll try to establish communication with someone," I ordered.


    Now that we were no longer in the area around Blue where signals were blocked, I started trying to contact Zhang Bao''er and the others.


    "Canyue, Canyue, is that you?" surprisingly, Zhang Bao''er replied immediately.


    "Yes. It''s me. I''m near Jupiter. Where are you? Come pick me up," I said in excitement.


    "Haha, I knew you wouldn''t die so easily. Send me your coordinates. I''ll be there immediately," said Zhang Bao''er. I could hear the joy in his voice upon learning that I was alive.


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    Shortly after, a familiar battleship approached us. When I took a closer look, I noted that it was Markus. Our drone went to the bottom of the ship and docked there. The moment the door was opened, Zhang Bao''er rushed in with Old Du behind him.


    "Canyue, it''s great to see that you''re fine. I knew nothing would happen to you. My god, Sarje, why are you here as well?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "I''m fine. Sarje saved me when we were under attack on that ship. How are the others? Are there any casualties?" I asked.


    "Dondon was already rescued. Since we were at the rear of the formation, the others are fine. Among our friends, only you and Dondon were struck," replied Old Du.


    It was rather hard to believe that all our friends had returned safely from such a fierce battle.


    "Everyone is on Skyhawk. We''re here to pick you up. Let me tell you something. We found a super technology," said Zhang Bao''er smugly.


    I noticed the two Sacred Wings turning curious at that remark.


    "Thank you, my friends. We have both fulfilled our promises. You may leave now. This is a warzone. It isn''t safe here. There is no need for you to get involved in this," I said.


    "Who are they? Your captives? Are you releasing them so easily? You didn''t do the same to Temo back then," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yes, yes, we don''t intend to go. We wish to join you in the fight," offered the two little fellows.


    "What? Weren''t you shouting to be released earlier?" asked Sarje in astonishment.


    "Somo, the weak student is here," Lamo suddenly said. When I looked over, I saw Temo.


    "My god. Why are the two of you here?" asked Temo in astonishment.


    "We heard that you have a decent ship, so we came to study it," said Somo, avoiding the fact that he was a captive.


    "Don''t say that. There is nothing about my shitty ship that is worth studying. We''re joining the battle soon. Top students like you should leave this place," said Temo, looking nervous.


    "We can''t," said Lamo.


    "You can''t? Why?" asked Temo.


    "We stole the core system of a battleship. We''ll probably be arrested the moment we return," said Lamo. That was actually an acceptable reason.


    "Cough, cough. Yeah, that seems right," said Temo hesitantly.


    "Canyue, we need to return to Skyhawk as soon as possible. Commander Zhang Xingxing is still waiting to talk with you about our next military operation," urged Old Du.


    "Temo, return to Skyhawk. If your friends don''t want to leave, let them be. We''ll be happy to host them if they wish to stay," I said.


    Temo was unwilling, but he couldn''t disobey my order. He turned around and returned to Markus with us. The ship then turned invisible and returned to the battlefield.


    "This ship looks odd. Can you understand what that weak student did with it?" Somo started discussing with Lamo.


    "Yes, I can. It looks like this fellow had stolen even more priest-level technologies from the empire than us. Without a doubt, this ship is running the core system of an imperial battleship," said Lamo unhappily.


    So it turned out that the high-level technologies Temo had showcased had all been stolen from the Sacred Wing race. These technologies were supposed to be exclusive to those ranked priest or higher in the race. It was no wonder that Temo had been acting independently from his people.


    Markus moved quickly and soon reached an area above the battlefield. We could see that the superweapons were split into two camps, each with its own accompanying ships. Both parties were currently fiercely fighting each other.


    "Odd. Why would the imperial fleet split into two as well?" I asked.


    "You can ask the great sovereign when you meet it later," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Flying at a higher altitude, Markus was able to avoid the cruel fighting below. At that moment, Skyhawk was also hiding above the battlefield while maintaining invisibility. Before long, the two ships joined. We walked through the docking bridge and entered Skyhawk. A familiar face was waiting outside for us. That person was Lin Feixue. Surprisingly, he had also been returned to Skyhawk after serving elsewhere during the war.


    "Lin Feixue, how have you been?" I asked.


    "Hello, superior. Everyone is waiting for you. Prince Toruse is also here," said Lin Feixue.


    We followed Lin Feixue into Skyhawk''s command center. There, I saw many familiar faces. Each of those faces looked solemn. No sense of joy could be seen in them. Bob was standing in the center of the room, but I could feel that the robot was still under the great sovereign''s control.


    "Canyue, you''re finally here. I''m happy to see you," said Prince Toruse.


    "It has been a while, prince. What happened here?" I asked. Everyone looked way too solemn.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing summoned me from the Gliese defense line. The most crucial campaign of the war was unfolding here. The great sovereign had taken control of the cores and was carrying out a carefully-planned assassination," said Prince Toruse.


    "I''m aware of all that. Were there any issues with the assassination operation?" I asked.


    "The assassins were the ones who were assassinated. News of our operation wasn''t leaked; the great sovereign was the one who had planned everything and had called everyone for a conference through mental links. However, the gathered targets seemed prepared and killed the conference organizers. Even Violetvoid and Bluevoid were captured," said Prince Toruse.


    "How did that happen? I thought the great sovereign could control their minds," I asked in disbelief.


    "Our assassination targets brought the minds of a bunch of warriors into the mental link. The warriors seem to be Dirk''s soldiers," said Prince Toruse.


    "Dirk? Yes, that fellow is also capable of mind control. Emperor Fille is using Dirk to counter the great sovereign? What a troublesome fellow." I finally understood the predicament they were in.


    "The great sovereign is trying to move around Dirk''s mental prison, hoping to reform a mental connection with Violetvoid," said Prince Toruse.


    "How will reforming a mental connection with Violetvoid help us?" I asked.


    "The cores under our control no longer have the upper hand. Before long, they will be defeated by the enemy cores. However, Violetvoid had left a backdoor in the worm colony brain before leaving. If the great sovereign can find the backdoor, it would be able to regain control over the worm colony brains from our side," said Prince Toruse.


    "Dirk''s mind control is too powerful, so the great sovereign still can''t break through its mental prison. The superweapons down there won''t be able to last much longer. Their defeat will lose us the war," said Baron Sisse.


    I could see that under the great sovereign''s control, Bob''s body was constantly flickering with light. The great sovereign was clearly using all its strength to fight against Dirk''s mental prison. All of us were anxious, but this wasn''t a situation life forms like us could help with.


    "Attacking Dirk''s mental prison with one''s mind? I have experienced Dirk''s mental prowess before. We can only rely on the great sovereign now. There is nothing we can do here," I muttered.


    Suddenly, a new idea appeared in my mind.

 CH 331

    I reached behind me and found that I still had my backpack with me. I had been too nervous earlier and hadn''t noticed its presence. I hurriedly removed the backpack and opened it. Bulu was still sleeping blissfully inside it.


    "Great Sovereign, Violetvoid once awakened Bulu from its slumber. It is a higher life form. If Violetvoid has the strength to awaken Bulu, you must be able to as well. Perhaps Bulu can help you fight against Dirk''s mental prison. It has been in an exceptionally long slumber," I said.


    After hearing my words, the great sovereign finally moved. It looked up and slowly walked toward me before taking Bulu out of the backpack. Bulu was still deep asleep. Its body was emitting a dim light, looking extremely exhausted.


    "Violetvoid nearly killed your little friend," said the great sovereign after a short while.


    "What? Nearly killed Bulu? I remember that Violetvoid had only activated the energy inside Bulu," I said.


    "Every living being in the universe has a limited amount of energy in their body. The energy will be distributed accordingly with the passage of time. Take you humans as an example. Your energy will be evenly distributed over your lifespan of roughly 100 years. If all your energy is activated at once, your lifespan will be greatly reduced," said the great sovereign.


    "What? Is that why Bulu is in such a long slumber this time? Because Violetvoid activated the portion of energy that should not have appeared so early?" I asked.


    "Exactly. The energy in this superior life form can only be used to guide it toward the formation of mental resonance with others, not awaken it from its slumber. Violetvoid knows too little. Let me guide this fellow," said the great sovereign before carrying Bulu to the table.


    The others looked slightly relieved to see Bulu''s participation.


    "Bao''er, what is the new super technology you mentioned earlier?" I asked, recalling what Zhang Bao''er said earlier.


    While I was speaking with Zhang Bao''er, I noticed that Old Du and the others were talking to Sarje. Lamo and Somo were paying close attention to my conversation with Zhang Bao''er.


    "After losing contact with you, Carter ordered us to retreat with our fighters. After leaving, we found that the imperial battleships were starting to use their dimensional attacks. All the battleships we saw outside were phantoms. We couldn''t harm them at all," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "How did you escape?" I asked.


    "The offensive force from Blue started retreating. At that time, the great sovereign notified the fiend to head toward Jupiter. The fiend then brought the latest update to Baron Sisse, who was waiting near Jupiter," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Weren''t you surrounded by the empire''s dimensional army? How did you escape? When I left the battleship, I saw General Edward''s fleet surrounded by enemies. They weren''t able to escape," I said.


    "I''m not sure about their situation, but I was surprised to find that Skyhawk was also equipped with dimensional technology. Under Zhang Xingxing''s control, Skyhawk brought all our quantum fighters into a different dimension, leaving phantoms outside to face the empire''s phantoms. Meanwhile, we escaped from a different dimension. That''s the super technology I told you about," said Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "What? We also have access to dimensional technology? If that''s the case, our army still stands a chance against them," I said, similarly excited.


    "It''s still too early for that. The dimensional technology requires an element called jin. Jin can only be found on a planet called Breel, which orbits a star called Antares. The planet is rich in the jin element, but it is fully under imperial control. We have no way of getting enough of the element to arm our army," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We have lost all our mines and transport routes. At present, we are only relying on what we snatched during battles to support our operation of dimensional technology," said Carter.


    "So long as the superweapons are under our control, with the Kax Rings, not even the empire''s dimensional technology can do anything to our planets. Only by breaking their encirclement will we have the chance to reverse the course of this war," said Zhang Xingxing.


    At that time, I noticed that with the great sovereign''s help, Bulu''s body started reacting. This time, the reaction wasn''t as intense as when Violetvoid activated Bulu. Rather, it was akin to a new sprout after winter. Slowly, the red within Bulu''s body spread all over its body.


    "Where is the fiend?" I suddenly remembered the existence of that big fellow.


    "The enemy''s halo attacks did a lot of damage to that fellow. Although that fellow is very powerful, it still needs some time to heal its wounds. It is currently sleeping in the hangar. Your old friend is also down there. It has been staying in Skyhawk all this while," said Carter.


    "Are you referring to Nyx? Has it been living in Skyhawk for the past few years?" I asked in excitement.


    "Yes. You can meet it anytime you want," said Carter.


    In my excitement, I decided to visit my old friend immediately.


    I abruptly heard a voice. "Canyue, I''m your friend, Bulu."


    Bulu''s projection appeared as a hologram, but unlike the usual Bulu, the hologram was capable of speech.


    "Bulu, you''re finally awake!" I said, happy to see Bulu''s body slowly growing brighter.


    "Yes, this worm asked for my help to get around a mental prison. Is the worm your friend?" asked Bulu.


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    "Yes. It''s the great sovereign of Planet Wisdom. It is a friend here to help us," I said.


    "Wisdom? It doesn''t look very smart," said Bulu, clearly holding nothing back.


    "You''re the smartest. We need your help to end this war. Regardless of our intelligence and technological capabilities, we all dislike war," I said.


    Hearing my determined voice, Bulu did not say anything else. That was its way of agreeing to my request.


    "We''re going to start working on the mental prison soon. No matter what happens, Skyhawk must not enter combat mode. Maintain silence at all costs and avoid Dirk''s detection," said the great sovereign.


    "Can you project the entire process as a hologram?" Lamo suddenly asked.


    The great sovereign shot Lamo a glance and said, "Sure, but I can''t promise you''ll understand what you''re looking at."


    Seeing that the great sovereign had agreed, I signaled Zhang Xingxing with my eyes. She caught my meaning and hurriedly ordered Lin Feixue to work on the projector. Having received the order, Lin Feixue got to work. Before long, two silhouettes appeared in the room. The two were projected as dwarfs, causing them to look rather comical.


    "Can''t Lin Feixue give them a fiercer appearance or something?" said Domo, who couldn''t resist laughing.


    "He must have read too many fairy tales during his childhood," Kelly teased.


    Zhang Xingxing waved her hand, stopping the conversation. A constantly rippling space appeared in the projection.


    "This is the first obstacle. I wasn''t even able to get through this," said the great sovereign.


    "This isn''t real. It''s here to confuse your mind. There''s nothing special about it," said Bulu.


    "Looks like they''re getting started. It feels like they''re playing an escape room," whispered Zhang Bao''er to Old Du.


    Zhang Xingxing turned her head and glared at the two. Finally, they stopped talking.


    "I know this isn''t real, but how do I get through it?" asked the great sovereign.


    "To see the truth of something you must find its core. What you see is merely the external appearance of your target''s nature. Nature is split into two appearances, false and true. The false appearance is the warped version of nature, while the true appearance is formed through a connection with the true nature of what you seek," said Bulu, giving a rather complicated answer.


    "You have a lot of theories, but this is a false space of ripples. We are both aware of that. In that case, where is the true nature of this place?" asked the great sovereign.


    "This is definitely a three-dimensional space. Why are there ripples here? Why can you sense the ripples? Because your eyes are affecting your mind, confusing you with this extremely simple space," said Bulu.


    "No, that isn''t right. I already tried closing my eyes and using my other senses, but I can still feel the ripples," said the great sovereign.


    "Like I said, your vision has affected your brain. Even after shutting your eyes, nothing will change. Your brain remains tricked by the false appearance," said Bulu confidently.


    "What should I do, then?" asked the great sovereign.


    Suddenly, darkness enveloped the projection. The two dwarfs vanished from our vision.


    "I''ve long found the exit, but I need you to gain this ability as well."


    "What ability?"


    "Total mind restart."

 CH 332

    After that conversation, silence descended while the projection was still covered by darkness. We couldn''t see anything at all.


    "Were they swallowed by darkness?" asked Domo, breaking the silence.


    A few minutes later, light slowly returned to the projection. Slowly, we saw a perfectly straight path. At the end of the path was a small door. The rippling space had vanished.


    "You have successfully restarted your mind to remove all disturbances. A new obstacle is probably waiting beyond that door," said Bulu, sounding as confident as someone who knew what was behind that door.


    The two slowly approached the door. Our perspective followed the two as they advanced. Before long, they opened the door and walked through it. A wall of spinning gears appeared before our eyes. The gears were all connected to each other, perfectly covering every single angle in the room, leaving no way out.


    "Is this a false appearance as well? Do I need to restart my mind again?" asked the great sovereign.


    "The enemy won''t use the same trick twice. This is not a false appearance. It is real. But since they can build something like this, there is definitely a way to break through this place as well," replied Bulu confidently.


    "You claim this is real? Since this is also a part of the mental prison, how are you sure that it isn''t fake?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Like I told you, there are true and false appearances to everything. In this mental space, the enemy had constructed a maze. We need to look for the core, the true nature of this maze, if we want to leave," said Bulu, giving another complicated answer.


    "Where''s the source? Do you have any way to get out of this maze?" asked the great sovereign.


    "This is a contest between you and Dirk. You are the only one who can find the core of this obstacle," said Bulu, seemingly not willing to help.


    "What''s so difficult about this? Just bomb your way through," I heard Zhang Bao''er mutter.


    "Every part of this maze is closely linked to another. Every single gear moves in accordance with a set of patterns. One of them should be the answer to solve this puzzle, but I don''t know which is the right one," said the great sovereign.


    "If I remember correctly, Dirk used to be a soldier of the empire''s Midstar Army. He was in charge of maintenance work at the space fort in the Horsehead Nebula," Bulu hinted.


    "I''m aware of the space fort. It''s the tool the empire uses to blockade the Horsehead Nebula. Are you telling me this maze is related to the fort?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I''m still not sure. If you really can''t solve this puzzle, we can just blast our way through," said Bulu. Zhang Bao''er looked exceptionally smug upon hearing those words.


    "I have an idea," said the great sovereign.


    All of us focused on the great sovereign.


    "Since Dirk was a maintenance worker, these gears must be something he is very familiar with. I have a way to scan them and look for their convergence point," said the great sovereign.


    "All the gears are tightly connected. There is no space for us to squeeze through. Every single gear is moving in a select set of patterns. What idea do you have?" asked Bulu. Seeing that even a superior life form needed its answer, the great sovereign grunted smugly.


    "You must have forgotten about it. I am capable of producing experts at getting through narrow spaces, the pulp worms," said the great sovereign.


    The great sovereign extended its right hand out, revealing about a dozen pulp worms in its palm. The pulp worms looked exceptionally nimble, and they were small enough to get through the gap between the gears. They set off and vanished from view.


    "These worms will return with information regarding the convergence point. We only need to wait," said the great sovereign as it brought Bulu to a large bearing to rest.


    "Single-gender reproduction. These worms probably have terrible genes," said Zhang Bao''er, still as prone to belittling others as ever.


    "Without these so-called worms with bad genes, we won''t be able to defeat the Divine Empire," said Master Crystal.


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    Shortly after, the great sovereign stood up.


    "I found the convergence point," said the great sovereign in excitement.


    "Where is it?" asked Bulu.


    "It''s somewhere we can''t see. It''s below us. We need to think of a way to get down," said the great sovereign.


    "How do we go down? Have your worms found a way?" asked Bulu.


    "The pulp worms only found a path they could use. But you don''t have to worry. We can have the worms carry over some explosive liquid and blast that convergence point apart," said the great sovereign.


    "How do we find explosive liquid here?" asked Bulu.


    "There is no need for that. This is a mental space. You can have it just by thinking about it," said the great sovereign as it pulled out several glass tubes containing explosive liquid from its back.


    "These tubes are too big. How are the worms supposed to take them through the gaps?" asked Bulu.


    At that moment, the great sovereign did something all of us considered cruel. It had the worms wait in a line before making each of them drink some of the liquid.


    "See, problem solved. The liquid is in the worms. These little fellows only need to gather around the convergence point. Once there, they will explode and blow up the convergence point," said the great sovereign.


    "Wouldn''t that kill all the worms?" said Bulu, who was visibly unhappy.


    "These are all my children. They''re not as smart as the cores. On Wisdom, commoners only exist to serve higher-tier cores," said the great sovereign. It was clear that even on Wisdom, there was a clear hierarchical structure separating the people into different classes.


    The great sovereign did not stop working while talking. Before long, each worm had been fed the liquid. They hurriedly wriggled away.


    "So you''re really going to blow this maze apart with your worms. I''m quite curious about the prowess of your worms," said Bulu.


    Utilizing an unknown method, the great sovereign managed to show the perspective of the worms on the projector. Behind the gears was a narrow space. Several worms could be seen wriggling ahead. Before long, they were through the narrow space and were in front of a golden, massive gear. The numerous connections it had with the other gears proved that this was most likely the convergence point for all the gears.


    "This is it. Do it, worms," ordered the great sovereign. It raised both its palms above its head, looking like it was praying for the worms that were about to sacrifice themselves.


    After receiving the command of their progenitor, the worms charged unhesitatingly toward the golden gear. The scene of an intense explosion did not appear. Rather, about a dozen bright flashes erupted like lightning. Next, an odd scene appeared. The parts connecting the golden gear with the other gears started opening like falling dominoes. All the affected gears stopped spinning and then withdrew and vanished into empty air.


    "This doesn''t look difficult at all. You only need to release a couple of worms to get the job done. Anyone can do it," said Domo, downplaying what was in fact an impressive feat.


    With the gears vanishing, a round opening leading downward appeared. Whistling wind could be heard coming from the dark hole. Right outside the hole, a ladder could be seen leading into the darkness below.


    "Just how many levels are there to this mental prison? Why does it feel endless?" said Zhang Bao''er, who was getting impatient.


    "That''s hard to say. Maybe there are 10 levels. Maybe there are endless levels. It''s too easy to set up these rooms mentally," said Old Du.


    Bulu and the great sovereign exchanged glances, and then Bulu took the lead to step into the dark hole. It was a tight squeeze. Even in their small forms, Bulu and the great sovereign could only walk in a single line. Constant odd screams were coming from the darkness that felt eerie even to us spectators. The two little fellows started going down the stairs, but the staircase seemed endless.


    "Bulu, are you sure there is an end to this staircase? It doesn''t sound like we''re getting any closer to the screams," said the great sovereign.


    "I agree that we need to change our trajectory. Use your mind to create a torchlight. We need to take a look at our surroundings," suggested Bulu.


    The great sovereign did as told and produced a torchlight. Instantly, the eerie screams grew louder. With the torchlight, we discovered that the walls around the tunnel seemed to be made of some sort of ceramic tile. Numerous delicate drawings could be seen on them, and the vividness of the drawings instantly captured all our attention.

 CH 333

    All of us started observing the exquisite drawings. The drawings seemed to be depicting the destruction of a beautiful planet. Living beings of different forms lived on the planet, and among them was a life form that greatly resembled Bulu. The passing of something resembling a black hole ruined the beautiful life on that planet. Even more inconceivable was the fact that the passing black hole had transformed into a massive palm.


    "It looks like a black hole was controlled to destroy this planet," said the great sovereign.


    Bulu, who was beside the great sovereign, did not make any sound. It was unnaturally silent. When the great sovereign looked at Bulu, it noticed that Bulu was deeply attracted to the drawings.


    "Continue walking. Don''t let the illusion pull you in," said the great sovereign.


    "This is not an illusion. The drawings depict things that have truly happened. I know of the events in the drawings," said Bulu.


    "You saw these before? Where? Are these events related to you?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Yes. This planet is my homeland, Planet Xica. Looks like the Stargod was the one who had taken control of the planet. Perhaps the Stargod thought that our planet was no longer suited for that level of universe. Therefore, we were ripped apart from our original location and thrown into the dark space that was connected to the lower universe. For an unknown reason, the broken chunk of the planet we hid on had arrived in this universe," said Bulu.


    "I''ve heard of your story long ago. I''m curious. Why didn''t the appearance of life forms like you bring chaos to the order of this universe?" asked the great sovereign.


    "I don''t know. But I have a guess. Everything was arranged by the Stargod. Someone like the Stargod can easily alter the lower universes without any issues," said Bulu.


    "What level of life form is that Stargod?" asked the great sovereign.


    "It is akin to the God worshiped on Blue and the Godpriest worshiped by the Sacred Wing race. It represents the incarnation of the highest power, the highest-leveled controller of the universe I come from," said Bulu, admitting that the Stargod was basically the god they worshiped in its previous universe.


    "Since you come from a higher universe, why are the events of your planet being depicted here? Has your mind fallen under the mental prison''s control, exposing all your secrets on this wall?" asked the great sovereign.


    "That''s not the case. The drawings here do not come from my memories. These are the memories of someone else. This life form comes from the same planet, and it is far stronger than me," explained Bulu.


    Hearing those words, I recalled that during the incident with the silver ring, Bulu once told me that Dirk came from the same grayroid it came from. It also said that Dirk was stronger. Dirk was the monster that Emperor Fille had captured and taken away from the grayroid. I did not expect to encounter the monster again after two years.


    It would seem like the encounter was probably inevitable. A clash between us had been fated to happen. At that moment, a louder scream came from the depths of the tunnel. We all shivered upon hearing the scream.


    "Is the person you''re talking about the one making all those sounds?" asked the great sovereign nervously.


    "No. This is just a regular monster. That fellow won''t scream madly like this. It is very calm and tends to hide in the dark to observe its enemies before landing the fatal attack," said Bulu, causing the great sovereign to feel even more uneasy.


    "Are you done looking at these drawings? We need to keep going. My descendants are still waiting for my rescue. You aren''t afraid, are you?" urged the great sovereign after calming itself.


    "So long as you''re not afraid, I''m more than willing to go. I''m really looking forward to meeting that fellow," said Bulu with derision. The two continued walking downward.


    Meanwhile, we didn''t dare to make any sound on the ship. We felt even more nervous than the two who were actually experiencing the trials. The two little fellows continued walking. After a while, the drawings on the walls started changing. Everything seemed to converge around a massive black hole before vanishing.


    "This looks like the depiction of that black hole. It has swallowed everything on the planet," said the great sovereign.


    "This isn''t right. Dark matter does not devour. This does not look like something formed from dark matter," said Bulu doubtfully.


    The drawing was too vivid, to the point it felt like an actual black hole even for us who were watching a projection. Suddenly, the great sovereign reached out to the black hole. Surprisingly, the black hole was actually an actual hole it could enter.


    "I was wondering where the exit was. So there is actually a different exit here? This might be the true exit. Let''s go," said the great sovereign.


    "Not necessarily. This hole might lead us into another maze. If we enter blindly, we might not be able to leave anymore. I suggest we keep going downward," said Bulu.


    With Bulu''s suggestion, the two continued going downward. Sure enough, they found yet another black hole after a while.


    "Indeed. This is a maze. We were lucky we didn''t enter rashly. But since there are multiple black holes, which should we enter?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Can you detect any difference between this hole and the previous one?" asked Bulu.


    "The two black holes feel exactly the same to me," said the great sovereign.


    "This is a mental maze. The holes we see are probably duplicates. That''s why we can''t detect any differences. However, one of them must be the true exit, and the true exit must be different from the other holes," said Bulu.


    "But how are we supposed to find the different hole?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Do you remember what I said before? The monster from the same place as me enjoys hiding in the dark to observe its prey. I believe that one of these holes is the window it uses to observe its prey. So long as we can find that hole, we will be able to find it," said Bulu.


    "Since it''s hidden in the darkness, how are we supposed to see it? I tried the torchlight. The light can''t penetrate the hole," said the great sovereign.


    "I told you. This is a mental space. To find something, we have to use our mental senses. If I can feel someone looking at me from within the hole, then the monster must be in there," said Bulu confidently.


    "But that might not be dependable enough. It isn''t rare for one''s senses to go wrong," said the great sovereign.


    Bulu raised its head to look at the great sovereign and said, "You''re right. Mental sense might go wrong, but if both of us sense the same thing, then the probability of us going wrong together will be lower. Therefore, I need you to help me. If both of us sense the same thing, then we might be looking at the correct hole."


    The two continued going downward. After a long while and going past several black holes, the two little fellows suddenly stopped before a black hole.


    "Is this it?"


    "I can feel something looking at me deep inside the hole."


    "I feel the same. The feeling is very intense. That gaze is incredibly sharp. This must be the place."


    "Let''s go in, then."


    After a short conversation, the two stepped toward the hole.


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    "The wind is so strong here," complained the great sovereign. Watching the projection, we could all hear the whistling wind.


    "Everything here is constructed mentally. Just ignore it," said Bulu as it continued walking forward while carefully looking around with a torchlight in hand.


    After a short while, something finally changed. Deep inside the hole, numerous delicate drawings appeared. The drawings were vivid and lifelike, looking like the depicted scenes were actually happening in real time. The drawings showed scenes of daily life on Xica. The many different life forms of Xica could be seen on them, and it almost felt like we were looking at an encyclopedia of Xica.


    "Looks like the life on Xica was rather interesting and fulfilling. You were much happier than us on Wisdom. On Wisdom, every life form focuses on thinking and self-reflection, to the point we neglected all martial developments. That was why we were so helpless when the empire came," said the great sovereign.


    "We weren''t any better off. The people of Xica were also mainly focused on the mind. Although we were rather advanced technologically, our level of technology was still near the bottom of our universe. Also, when the Stargod tossed our planet out of the universe, we were stripped of all our equipment. You can see that even in a higher-layered universe, the superior civilizations can be just as cruel to the inferior civilizations," said Bulu. It seemed unhappy with how its home universe was run.


    The two continued walking. Before long, they encountered drawings of even more life forms. Without a doubt, those life forms all came from Xica. The drawings were too lifelike, as though the life forms were all alive. Even Bulu couldn''t help reaching out to touch the drawings and see if they were truly mere drawings.


    ''These drawings are too lifelike. It almost feels like I''m looking at three-dimensional pictures,'' I thought in amazement. Suddenly, I saw one of the depicted life forms blink its eyes.

 CH 334

    I was about to say something to Zhang Xingxing when Master Crystal reached out and stopped me. He seemed to have also noticed something odd. From Master Crystal''s hand signals, I understood that he did not want to trigger the enemy to attack in advance.


    "I can feel the hunter. It''s very close," said Bulu. As a superior life form, its senses were much stronger.


    "I can also feel it. Its presence is very intense," said the great sovereign. The two did not seem to have noticed that the monster was actually hiding in a drawing beside them.


    "Can you create weapons?" Bulu suddenly asked.


    "I''m ready," said the great sovereign as it handed Bulu a machete.


    "What is this? Can''t you create something more advanced?" said Bulu helplessly as it accepted the machete that was as large as its body.


    "This place is too narrow. I can''t create anything better. Just make do with this," said the great sovereign. The two continued walking, each with a machete in hand.


    Suddenly, Bulu swung its machete toward a drawing beside it.


    "What are you doing? Why are you cutting the wall?" asked the great sovereign.


    Bulu stared at the wall without saying anything. Before long, some dark-colored liquid started flowing out of the wall. Numerous noises erupted in the tunnel as the life forms in all the drawings started moving.


    "My god, are these things all alive? Were they all sealed in the drawings?" exclaimed the great sovereign.


    "No, they aren''t. They''re illusions, with only one of them being real. That one real monster has been observing us all this while," said Bulu. It seemed to have noticed the pair of eyes following them after all.


    The life forms on the walls were all baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, looking like they were about to pounce on the two. But after knowing that they were all illusions, the two stopped worrying and continued forward.


    "Ahhh!" the great sovereign suddenly yelled. A deep scratch had appeared on its back.


    "Great sovereign, you''re injured. Someone left a wound on your back," said Bulu while carefully looking around.


    "That monster is nearby. We need to find it," said the great sovereign as it stood behind Bulu. Together, the two watched each other''s backs.


    "The wound on your back is quite deep. Are you fine?" asked Bulu.


    "It''s fine. I can heal quickly. Let''s find that fellow first," said the great sovereign who was fully on the defensive.


    I was fully focused on the projection as well, trying to look for the terrifying hidden killer. The creatures on the walls were still screaming madly. It was very difficult to figure out which among them was real.


    "Canyue, Canyue," whispered Zhang Bao''er as he pulled me.


    "Yes? We''re supposed to stay silent, have you forgotten?" I replied with hand signals.


    "I saw a creature that moved differently from the others," replied Zhang Bao''er with hand signals.


    "How different?" I asked.


    "Most of the creatures are moving in a set pattern, but one of them is moving randomly. That might be the hidden monster," replied Zhang Bao''er.


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    "Which one?" I asked.


    Zhang Bao''er pointed at the projection. I looked over and saw a slender birdlike creature with two thick antlers. I immediately focused on the odd creature. Sure enough, its movements were completely random, and its eyes looked much more lifelike than the others.


    Its eyes couldn''t lie. This birdlike creature could very well be the monster that had been monitoring Bulu and the great sovereign. I opened my mouth to issue a warning, but I suddenly stopped myself. If I could notice the monster, Bulu, with its powerful senses, would definitely not miss it.


    Sure enough, Bulu and the great sovereign seemed to have noticed something as they focused on the birdlike creature. Their eyes met the pair of eyes filled with hatred. After a short silence, Bulu swung its machete at the birdlike creature.


    With a bang, the creature reached out with its talons and blocked the swing. We were proven right as the birdlike creature was the culprit of the illusion. The great sovereign also swung its machete, but the attack was also stopped by the birdlike creature. After grabbing the two machetes, the monster came out of the wall. The lower half of its body greatly resembled a bird, with powerful and sharp claws.


    "Bulu, is this someone also from your homeland, Xica? It looks much stronger than you," said the great sovereign. The great sovereign seemed to be having some difficulties speaking. It was obvious that the antlered bird was much more powerful than them.


    "What a surprise. A species that has always been our food back on Xica is actually able to live so well in a lower universe," said the antlered bird. Even more surprising was the fact that it was speaking the Eternal language that we could directly translate.


    "At least I still have my own spirit body. You have long attached your spirit body to a lower life form. You are not qualified to mock me," said Bulu.


    "Hmph. You should rejoice. I have been greatly weakened after attaching my spirit body to a lower life form. That was why you were able to escape me previously. This time, you won''t be so lucky anymore," replied the antlered bird with derision.


    "Looks like they really know each other," whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    "Of course. That fellow is obviously Dirk. The antlered bird is merely its mental incarnation," I said.


    Zhang Xingxing suddenly turned her head and glared at us for making so much noise. At that time, the antlered bird suddenly applied some force with its claws, snapping both the machetes, displaying an astonishing level of strength.


    That gave the two a chance to pull back their machetes and swing at the antlered bird again. However, the antlered bird was clearly much faster than them. With a swing of its claws, it blocked the new attacks. Both Bulu and the great sovereign appeared at a loss as to what to do with the broken machetes in their hands.


    "Hmph. Is this all you can do? You dare challenge me with only this? You overestimate yourselves," sneered the antlered bird.


    "Great Sovereign, do you have any other weapons? Take them out already, or we''re finished," said Bulu.


    The antlered bird naturally wouldn''t give the two a chance to do anything. It clawed at Bulu, forcing Bulu to raise its machete to protect itself. However, the claw easily punched through the machete. Just as Bulu''s tiny body was about to be hit, the great sovereign jumped over and pushed Bulu aside. The two fell onto the ground, barely avoiding the antlered bird''s attack.


    "Commander, if we don''t help, they''ll die," said Zhang Bao''er, who was finally losing his patience.


    "We can''t enter the mental space. They are much higher leveled existences. We do not have the password to enter the mental space," said Temo, sinking us all into despair.


    "Not bad at all. Too bad none of you will be able to escape today. Die!" said the antlered bird before stomping down at the two with its massive claw.


    At that point, Bulu and the great sovereign could no longer move due to their previous fall. The massive claw continued descending upon their heads while we could only watch helplessly. In my despair, I shut my eyes, not willing to witness the cruel scene.


    But after several seconds, my surroundings were still completely silent. Curious, I opened my eyes. I saw that in the projection, the antlered bird''s claw had been stopped midair. Something tiny seemed to have picked up the broken machete on the ground and stopped the stomp.


    The creature that had picked up the broken machete was extremely small, to the point we couldn''t even get a clear look at its appearance. However, there was no doubt that the great sovereign and Bulu had been saved from death.


    We were overjoyed to see that they had survived. The perspective of the projection zoomed in, allowing us to get a clear look at the hero that had saved the two. It was actually a tiny bee.


    "Fiend of Pluto? Why is it in the mental prison?" exclaimed Domo in excitement.


    "Who are you? Why are you here? What is your relationship with them?" asked the antlered bird, who looked shocked as well.


    "You''re not qualified to know who I am. You have 10 seconds to get lost, or you''ll be destroyed in body and soul," replied the fiend with contempt.


    "Hahaha, a little thing like you is going to destroy me? You must be tired of living. I can see that you''re quite strong, but too bad for you, I haven''t even used much of my strength," said the antlered bird. With a roar, it swung both its claws at the fiend.

 CH 335

    A bright flash erupted as the fiend stopped the antlered bird''s attack. We could clearly see that the fiend had easily stopped the attack with only one hand.


    "You''ve been holding back, but I haven''t been using all my strength either," said the fiend, who seemed completely comparable with the antlered bird in strength.


    "A lowly life form like you dare to be so arrogant? You''re courting death!" roared the antlered bird before rising into the air. Then, it dove down and swung its claws at the fiend.


    The fiend''s body enlarged and grew to a size similar to the antlered bird. It avoided the attack with a leap to the side. An intense battle erupted between the two. This was a fight between individuals of two different layers of the universe. The fiend was basically among the strongest living beings in existence in our universe layer. However, it was still very surprising, especially for the antlered bird, that the fiend could actually match it evenly in a fight.


    "What are you doing here? Piss off already!" said the fiend to the two little fellows watching the fight in a daze.


    That woke the two up from their shock. They hurriedly scrambled deeper into the tunnel.


    "That fellow is surprisingly strong. It can even stop a native of your Planet Xica," said the great sovereign while panting heavily.


    "I know its previous strength. The fiend must have absorbed the energy from the core of a planet. Therefore, it is actually fighting the monster with the power of an entire planet. It should be able to handle this opponent," said Bulu.


    "Forget about them. We need to leave this place. My descendants are still trapped inside," said the great sovereign, who was losing patience at the thought of its imprisoned descendants.


    Before long, they encountered light in the dark tunnel. It was obvious that the biggest obstacle in the tunnel was the antlered bird. The endless tunnel was also a product of the bird.


    The two little fellows ran madly toward the light. Finally, they arrived at the exit. Ahead of them was a dark abyss, and in the middle of the abyss was a floating island. On the island was a stone platform. A green laser barrier surrounding the glossy platform trapped all the surviving core pulp worms on the platform.


    "Look, they''re all there. We need to save them," said the great sovereign anxiously.


    "These are all mental manifestations. How can you save their actual bodies?" asked Bulu.


    "Their actual bodies are in the super bodies. Only their minds are trapped here. So long as we can remove the shackles binding them here, they will be able to regain their freedom," said the great sovereign.


    "This is an endless abyss. We need to think of a way to cross it. Can you create a mental bridge?" asked Bulu.


    "Why don''t you tell me to make a mental plane instead?" said the great sovereign with a roll of its eyes.


    They needed to reach the floating island, but they were stumped because they couldn''t fly. Right at that moment, heavy footsteps rang out behind them. The battle between the fiend and the antlered bird must have ended, and the winner was heading toward them.


    The footsteps sounded louder and louder. Both Bulu and the great sovereign blanked out. If the victor was the antlered bird, it would be able to easily throw them both into the endless abyss.


    As the footsteps continued coming closer, our hearts beat faster and faster even though we were only spectators. From the perspective of the two, a massive silhouette slowly appeared from the dark tunnel. Disappointingly, it was the antlered bird.


    "This is getting troublesome. Let''s wake them up," suggested Lamo.


    "That seems to be our only choice if we want to keep them safe. Looks like that fiend only looks impressive but is actually weak," said Somo.


    "Stop talking," said Baron Sisse as he gestured at them to stay silent.


    When the antlered bird walked out of darkness, we found with astonishment that only half its body was left. A massive hand was holding its slender neck, and the owner of the hand was also slowly emerging from the darkness. It was the fiend of Pluto.


    "What a surprise. You''re actually quite capable. You defeated that fellow so quickly?" said Bulu, relieved to see that the newcomer was the fiend.


    "Amazing! A native of a lower universe has actually defeated a native of a higher universe. You have my heartfelt admiration." The great sovereign was not stingy with its praises.


    "I didn''t defeat it. It had decided to run suddenly," said the fiend, alarming all of us.


    "What? It fled? What do you mean?" asked the great sovereign.


    "Its soul suddenly left its mental body, leaving only an empty shell. I was worried that it would return suddenly, so I ripped this body apart," said the fiend.


    "It left by itself? Why would it behave like that?" asked the great sovereign doubtfully.


    "Maybe there is an even bigger trap waiting for us. Let''s end this quickly and leave this place," said Bulu.


    "My descendants are all on that island. So long as you can fly over and remove the green barrier, they will be free," said the great sovereign.


    The endless abyss was nothing for the fiend. After tossing the antlered bird into the endless abyss, it spread its wings and flew toward the island. A green laser barrier was keeping all the cores locked up. All the cores looked extremely weak, as though they were all dying. After a short observation, the fiend noticed that the barrier was a top-down cover that fully surrounded the stone platform. It was constantly supplied with an energy source coming from above.


    "Can you break the barrier and free them?" asked the great sovereign.


    "This energy barrier is very well-supplied with energy. I can''t break it too easily," said the fiend.


    "What? There''s a difficulty you can''t overcome? I thought you were the number one warrior in the universe? Can''t you solve a problem this small?" said the great sovereign.


    The fiend snorted coldly, but it did not turn around or say anything. Instead, it bent over and hugged the lower part of the stone platform.


    "What is this fellow doing? Is it going to snap the stone platform with brute force?" asked the great sovereign.


    "That seems to be the case. It looks like the fiend is trying to take the place apart," said Bulu with a nod.


    With an abrupt roar, the fiend exerted strength with both its arms and forcefully moved the stone platform. Upon realizing that the stone platform was much harder than it had imagined, the fiend gathered even more of its strength before pulling with its entire body. With a loud crack, the stone platform was snapped off the ground.


    The moment the platform was parted from the ground, the fiend opened its mouth and released a red shockwave, slowing the green laser barrier that was extending downward to cover the platform that had shifted from its previous position. Then, it took the chance to spin the platform around before placing it on the ground. In the blink of an eye, the green barrier spread downward to cover the created gap. However, its prisoners were no longer present.


    "This fellow sure is strong. It was able to free your descendants with such a simple method," said Bulu.


    Next, a surprising scene unfolded before our eyes. The core pulp worms started vanishing into thin air.


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    "What''s going on? Where are they going?" asked the fiend.


    "Their souls are no longer locked, so they can leave this place. They have all returned to their bodies," said the great sovereign in a gratified manner.


    "In that case, have we completed our mission here?" asked Bulu.


    "Yes. We can finally leave this place," said the great sovereign.


    Suddenly, a series of urgent footsteps rang out from the other side of the cavern.


    "Shit! What''s that? It sounds like a horde of creatures is running in our direction," said the great sovereign.


    "This is bad. I think all the creatures in the drawings have been brought to life. The footsteps do not sound like they come from the same type of life form," said Bulu.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll beat them all up," said the fiend, who had returned to the two. Only excitement could be seen on its face.


    "There is no need for that. There are too many of them. You''re not their match alone. It''s pointless to fight them here," said Bulu.


    "What should we do, then? They''re going to arrive here soon," said the fiend.


    "We have completed our mission. Why are we still staying here? We can just leave," said Bulu. His answer was simple: retreat.

 CH 336

    "Since you have no other troubles, I''ll be taking my leave," said the fiend before vanishing from the mental space.


    "Why did that fellow leave so fast?" complained the great sovereign.


    The footsteps continued approaching them. It sounded like the creatures from the drawings were about to reach them. Suddenly, I noticed that Bulu looked straight at me from within the projection. All my hair stood on end. I did not understand what it meant by that look. Suddenly, I came to an understanding and darted toward Bulu''s sleeping body. I lifted the body and started shaking it. Bulu''s body felt like a flexible ball. As I shook it, the light in the body grew brighter. Abruptly, the projection vanished.


    "We were nearly stuck there. What a close call," said the great sovereign, who had awakened.


    "It might only be the two of you in there, but we felt just as anxious watching you from out here," said Domo.


    "Luckily, we completed our mission. Can you contact your descendants now?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Temo, you need to work with me as I contact those cores. We''re running out of time," said the great sovereign.


    At that point, the battle near Jupiter had grown even more intense. Many of the superweapons were already on the brink of defeat under the joint attack of other superweapons and imperial ships. Without their cores, the superweapons loyal to the great sovereign could only rely on their mechanical memories to deal with incoming attacks.


    "Canyue, what are you blanking out for?" Zhang Xingxing asked when she noticed that I was staring at the battlefield.


    "I feel extremely terrible. These outsiders are fighting within our home system while we can only watch on helplessly. When will our technology reach the level where we can stop these external invaders? Only then will we be able to taste real peace," I said.


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    "Be patient. I believe that day will arrive," said Prince Toruse.


    "Everyone, the great sovereign has managed to contact the cores. The superweapons on our side are already losing. The great sovereign suggested for us to retreat to preserve our strength," said Temo.


    "What? If we retreat now, what should we do when the superweapons start attacking Blue?" said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yeah. Is that old worm even reliable? It promised to take control over all the superweapons, but it was defeated by Emperor Fille with its descendants turning on it," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Bob, under the great sovereign''s control, looked up at us and shouted, "Why are you shouting? The main superweapons assigned to attack Blue and Gliese are now under my control. Only the ones in charge of Mars remain loyal to the empire. Do you want to protect the other two planets, or do you want all three planets to be destroyed together?"


    This was our first time seeing the great sovereign so angry, so we all stopped complaining.


    "Temo, ask the great sovereign about retreating. How should we work with them while they''re retreating?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "The great sovereign will have the superweapons create a wormhole. The superweapons under the great sovereign''s control will enter the wormhole to flee the battlefield. We should follow them into the wormhole as well. Dodo, you will need to pilot Markus. The ship''s system has been adjusted accordingly. You only need to follow us," said Temo.


    "What should we do with these planets they dragged here to bombard our planets?" asked Zhang Xingxing. She still felt uncomfortable leaving these superweapons behind.


    "Each weaponized planet was chosen after intensive calculations. Otherwise, the attacker might suffer as well. Also, throwing planets is different from carrying planets. More than 80 percent of the superweapons need to work together to throw them. Apart from the division in charge of attacking Mars, the other two divisions no longer have the numbers to toss planets," said Temo.


    "Will it be possible that the empire changes their order for the Mars division to attack Blue instead?" asked Baron Sisse.


    "The cores in charge of altering action plans are still under the great sovereign''s control. The cores are living beings, not pure technological products," said Temo.


    "Look, one of the superweapons has produced a wormhole," said Lamo.


    The moment the wormhole appeared, the superweapons started moving toward it. The imperial army had clearly noticed the wormhole as well. They focused their firepower on the wormhole and chased the escaping superweapons. However, no amount of focus fire could affect the wormhole''s stability. Before long, a large number of the super weapons loyal to the great sovereign had escaped into the wormhole.


    "Skyhawk, go! Enter the wormhole. It will only stay active for a limited period of time," said Carter. With his order, Skyhawk started moving toward the wormhole.


    Something suddenly streaked past us like an arrow. When I looked over, I saw that it was Markus, with Dodo piloting. We managed to enter the wormhole and escape without much difficulty. Our entire army entered the wormhole, but not long after, sounds of battle started coming behind us.


    "This is bad. Several enemy superweapons followed us through the wormhole," exclaimed Kelly.


    At the same moment, I noticed the great sovereign exert itself mentally. Slowly, the wormhole behind us shrunk and vanished. The battle continued to rage behind us, but our side was able to gain the advantage quickly. Only three of the enemy superweapons had managed to enter the wormhole while the others were stuck outside. On our side, there were nearly 20 superweapons.


    "We finally escaped," said the great sovereign as it tiredly looked up with Bob''s metallic head.


    "Where is this?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "According to the system, we''re between the Solar System and the Oort cloud. We''re roughly one lightyear away from our previous battlefield," said Lin Feixue.


    "Shit, this is too close. Since some of the enemy vessels have followed us here, they will receive the signals here soon. The empire will be here before long," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry. I had my descendants construct a light barrier. All signals will be blocked. We can now catch the turtle trapped in a jar," said the great sovereign, somehow able to use a saying originating from Blue.


    "Turtle in a jar? Are you thinking of capturing these superweapons intact? Did you intentionally let them through the wormhole?" asked Old Du. He was quick-witted enough to instantly figure out the great sovereign''s plan.


    "Yeah. I wanted to take a closer look at how these cores have mutated to turn against me. They are all my descendants. I need to think of a way to bring them back," said the great sovereign.


    "Would the empire stick to their plan and attack Mars?" asked Zhang Xingxing anxiously.


    "Based on what I know about the emperor, there is no doubt that the empire will proceed with the attack," said Somo.


    We all felt terrible upon hearing that confirmation. Silence descended as everyone stopped talking.


    "Hey, which school were you from? Why hadn''t I seen you before?" Lamo suddenly asked, seemingly completely uninterested about the fate of the league.


    When I looked, I saw that the question was directed at Domo.


    ''This fellow is probably going to suffer now. Domo isn''t one with a good temper,'' I thought.


    But surprisingly, Domo remained completely silent. He showed no reaction toward the rude question.


    "What a realistic fellow. He knows to keep a low profile when his enemies have the numerical advantage," whispered Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Bao''er''s words helped me realize the reason for Domo''s silence.


    "Why are you not speaking? Which school did you graduate from? I''m from the Blue Banner Academy of the Sacred Wing race. How about you?" asked Lamo.


    "He''s a little cousin from my clan. He''s not very good with words," said Temo. It was quite surprising that Domo''s nemesis, Temo, would be the one to help Domo in that situation. However, Domo had an odd expression on his face as he was forced to silently accept the claim that he was Temo''s younger cousin.


    "Oh, so he was from the Black Banner Academy like you. No wonder I never saw him before," said Lamo. Sure enough, Lamo had only initiated the conversation with Domo to get a chance to sneer at his education level.


    "I graduated from your patriarch''s school. Keep talking, and I''ll break all your teeth," said Domo, who finally lost his temper. Perhaps he had gained some courage after seeing that Temo was standing on his side. He wasn''t speaking in the Eternal language. Rather, he used a language that was most likely the Jido language. Lamo instantly turned pale with fright.


    "Both of you are actually barbarians? Temo, how did you infiltrate the Sacred Wing race?" Lamo asked.


    "Your high priest is the barbarian! I am a true Sacred Wing! How dare you categorize me as a barbarian?" scolded Temo.


    "But didn''t you say that this barbarian is your younger cousin?" asked Lamo doubtfully.


    Their conversation was truly pointless, so Zhang Xingxing stopped them from continuing their bickering. A meeting was called to discuss the coming imperial attack on Mars. We believed that we shouldn''t exhaust too much of our remaining military strength on the defense of Mars. Instead, we should try to evacuate as many people from Mars as possible.


    The guests on the ship were given their own rooms so that they could get some rest. As a precaution, Lin Feixue had the two Sacred Wings be watched by guards at all times. The rest of us started the meeting immediately.


    "The army surrounding Mars is the Midstar Army. Coupled with the superweapons, there is no way the league can stop their attack. It''s only a matter of how long your Kax Ring can last," said Temo.


    "Victory or defeat, there is no way to preserve Mars. I only want to evacuate as many people as possible before the Kax Ring fails," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Everyone, I have gained control over the four superweapons that chased after us. I have new information," said the great sovereign.

 CH 337

    "What information do you have? Out with it. We''re running out of time," said Zhang Bao''er. He appeared much more anxious than the others. That was probably because he did not wish to see Mars destroyed.


    "According to what I learned from the mutated cores, the attack on Mars has been delayed by 24 hours," said the great sovereign.


    "The mutated cores are under the empire''s control. How are we sure that they are telling the truth?" I asked.


    "The empire can only control their minds, but their genes remain unaltered. I need a large amount of energy to regain control over them, so I can only work on them one at a time. For now, only one of them has been returned to my side. That was how I received the information. I will need quite some time before the others are also restored. Also, I need to be inside the superweapons to perform my task better," said the great sovereign.


    "Let''s not delay. Have Markus take you to the superweapons," said Temo.


    To be safe, Zhang Xingxing insisted on assigning the great sovereign a squad of guards. Markus would be piloted automatically while Dodo would return to Skyhawk.


    "Oh, right, I almost forgot about this. There is something important I need to tell you," said the great sovereign just as it was about to leave.


    "Just say what''s on your mind. Why are you being so hesitant with your words?" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    The great sovereign shot Zhang Bao''er a glare with Bob''s eyes and said, "I have assigned the recovered core to be under Violetvoid. I also told Violetvoid to have the superweapon under its control work with you. I believe the core will be helpful to you. As for the other superweapons, we will move out together after I''m done converting all the mutated cores back to my side. Therefore, you need to buy as much time as possible."


    For Skyhawk, the help of the superweapon under Violetvoid''s control was akin to a tiger growing a pair of wings.


    "But how can we contact Violetvoid?" asked Old Du.


    "I left a mental password in your ship''s system. Have Temo, the little bee, handle the password," said the great sovereign before leaving.


    "It insists on calling everyone little bees just because it is a little bee itself," complained Temo.


    After the great sovereign left, our focus returned to the evacuation of Mars.


    "The great sovereign said that the attack on Mars has been delayed by 24 hours. I believe the enemy will be even more cautious after our previous attack. We need a really good plan for the evacuation," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "The defenses are tight. I reckon the entire Midstar Army will be there to protect their superweapons. With our current strength, it will be very hard to break through their defenses," said Baron Sisse.


    "Carter, can you get more help from the parliament?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Impossible. Those politicians will only be thinking of protecting themselves with the remaining army. They won''t deploy any help to Mars," said Carter helplessly.


    "Damn those fools. Don''t they know that without Mars, it is only a matter of time before Blue is gone as well?" scolded Zhang Bao''er.


    "The people in power are Gliesens. Why should they care about Blue?" said Carter. Old Du''s face fell upon hearing that.


    "If we can''t get reinforcements, we''ll have to think of something ourselves. No matter what we do, we also need to contact the defenders on Mars and inform them about evacuating," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "The evacuation will be difficult. Where can they evacuate to? The final three planets have been ordered to defend until the very end. The league has no other options," said Carter gloomily.


    "Who says that we have no other options? We have the superweapons. We also have a powerful ally like the fiend of Pluto. These friends from the Sacred Wing race are also helping us. Why should we give up so easily? So long as we can preserve our strength, we will have the chance to turn defeat into victory," said Zhang Xingxing, clearly disagreeing with Carter''s view.


    "You''re the commander, so you''re always right. All of us will obey your orders. But you also need the defenders on Mars to listen as well. If they listen to you, then they will have to disobey their direct order. Do you think they will really listen to you and evacuate?" said Carter.


    "The army stationed on Mars is B Army, right? Who''s their commander?" asked Baron Sisse, stopping the argument.


    "That''s a good question. The person in charge of the army on Mars is your old friend, Brigadier General Angela," said Carter.


    I could hear Zhang Bao''er swallowing at the mention of that name.


    "Why is it her all the time? Wasn''t she on Pluto previously? Why is she on Mars now?" asked Old Du helplessly.


    ''That''s why they say that enemies always meet on a narrow road,'' I sighed inwardly.


    "It''s really unlucky. During your time on Pluto, she was appointed the commander of the Mars defensive line," said Carter.


    "That old witch is too annoying. With her around, there is no hope for this mission. She definitely won''t listen to us," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Canyue, are all your team members so disrespectful toward their superiors?" questioned Carter.


    "Who are you to criticize my people?" I replied coldly.


    "Stop. What is our priority? Our people are on the brink of destruction. Why are you bickering here?" said Zhang Xingxing.


    "If you have a bad relationship with Brigadier General Angela, I''m willing to take the mission to convince her," volunteered Prince Toruse.


    "You want to see Angela? She''s very stubborn. Are you sure you can convince her?" said Zhang Bao''er, smartly changing the way he addressed her.


    "We can''t afford to be hesitating. As long as there is hope, we need to keep trying," said Prince Toruse.


    "Prince Toruse is right. We should not hesitate. I''ll go with him," said Baron Sisse.


    "Prince, Brigadier General Angela has a fickle temperament. Try to avoid mentioning us when you meet. That way, you can avoid more unnecessary troubles," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Don''t worry, commander. I''ll try my best to complete the task," promised Prince Toruse before turning to leave with Baron Sisse.


    "How are they going to reach Mars?" I asked.


    "Prince Toruse came on his own ship. It''s a pretty decent ship. Don''t worry about his transportation," said Lin Feixue.


    "What should the rest of us do? Are we going to just wait while doing nothing?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I think we should head near Mars. After Prince Toruse deals with Angela, we can start the operation immediately," said Carter.


    "I agree that we should get ready in advance, but Violetvoid''s superweapon is too big. How should we move around with it? Its size can easily expose our whereabouts to the empire," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "I don''t agree. I think taking the superweapon with us will make it easier for us to hide from the empire," said Temo.


    Temo''s words astonished most of us. Clearly, nobody shared the same opinion.


    "Temo, can you explain your thoughts?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


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    "The great sovereign converted a mutated core back to its side. We can use that core to hide and help us sneak into the enemy army. That way, we can sabotage them during their attack," said Temo.


    "Yeah. If we use our nuclear warheads on the superweapons when they''re attacking Mars, wouldn''t we be able to destroy them at once?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "But with the size of the superweapons, can our nuclear weapons really harm them?" asked Old Du cautiously.


    "We can use super nuclear warheads to increase the potency of our attack. We might really be able to sabotage and stop their offensive," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "But the mutated cores are also the descendants of the great sovereign. Will it be angry if we kill its descendants?" asked Kelly.


    "Our own people are on the brink of extinction. Why do we still care about the mutated worms?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Easy for you to say that. We still need the great sovereign''s help with the other superweapons. Offending it will only create unnecessary trouble," said Old Du.


    "We don''t need to worry too much for now. Let''s focus on getting near Mars first. We can decide what to do after observing the situation there," I said.


    Everyone agreed to my suggestion. And thus, Skyhawk produced a wormhole leading to a location near Mars. We were going to participate in the Mars campaign.

 CH 338

    Following Zhang Xingxing''s order, Skyhawk initiated the wormhole-leap. A few minutes later, we arrived near Mars. The surroundings of Mars had turned into a gathering of planets. The small planets brought by the superweapons had been arranged into a long line, awaiting the moment of the final attack against Mars.


    The Midstar Army had pulled farther away from Mars to avoid the collateral damage that might spread when the planets collided. Only the gigantic superweapons were left near the Kax Ring.


    Mars might still be under the protection of its Kax Ring, but its end was fast approaching. The league fleet was lined in a row, looking like sheep waiting to be slaughtered.


    "Is this Brigadier General Angela''s arrangement? Using this formation in this situation is the same as suicide," criticized Zhang Bao''er.


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    "This has been a hopeless battle since the beginning. Formations no longer mean anything," said Kelly with a sigh.


    "We can''t give up so easily. We need to help this army retreat. This is one of the league''s few surviving military forces. Without them, we won''t have what it takes to reverse the war," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "What about Mars? They''re going to start attacking soon. How about the other people on Mars?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    Zhang Xingxing looked at Zhang Bao''er with a complicated expression and said, "Their fate will be up to the heavens."


    We all understood that we simply did not have the ability to evacuate the civilians on Mars. The only thing we could do was wait anxiously for the update from Prince Toruse and Baron Sisse. Time passed as we waited, but even when we were near the time of attack, there was still no update from Prince Toruse.


    "Can we try contacting the prince instead?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Reporting to the commander, I already tried contacting Prince Toruse''s ship, but I have yet to receive any reply," said Lin Feixue.


    "Looks like that old witch isn''t so easy to deal with after all. I think convincing her will be very difficult," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Only her superior can order around someone as stubborn as her," said Old Du with a sigh.


    "There are plenty of people who outrank her around. Carter, can you have your father, General Edward, order Brigadier General Angela to withdraw from Mars?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "My father lost half his army during the battle near Blue. At present, he can no longer effectively command Brigadier General Angela," said Carter.


    "Then we can only rely on Prince Toruse''s persuasiveness," said Zhang Xingxing. We did not have the time to try anything else. The hope of preserving more of the league''s strength lay in the negotiation between Prince Toruse and Brigadier General Angela.


    "Commander, take a look at this. The superweapons are getting ready to attack," a piece of bad news came from Lin Feixue.


    We all rushed over as Lin Feixue projected the current situation onto the display screen. The superweapons could be seen heading toward the planets arranged in a single line. The arms of each superweapon were holding onto an incomparably large and long object.


    "These monsters. Are they going to launch the planets with those tools?" asked Domo.


    "Yes. That is a special planet launcher made by the empire," said Lamo. Both Lamo and Somo had entered the room without any of us realizing it.


    One ought to admit that the Divine Empire''s design had pushed the limits of human imagination. These planets were akin to the boulders used on catapults by the ancient humans during sieges. This same method was now going to be used as a terrifying, planet-destroying weapon.


    "Shit. Looks like Prince Toruse won''t be able to complete the negotiation in time. We won''t be able to evacuate these soldiers before the attack," said Old Du worriedly.


    "Yeah. After the Midstar Army distances itself from Mars, we have a great chance to escape. We have enough space for a large-scale leap. Unfortunately, Brigadier Angela missed the perfect opportunity to escape," said Master Crystal regretfully.


    Four superweapons moved forth and placed the end of their tools behind the first planet. The first planet, which wasn''t a very large planet, was ready to be launched.


    "The final battle is finally starting," said Old Du in a downcast manner.


    The league army around Mars seemed to have noticed. Pressured by the incoming attack, they decided to attack the superweapons first. A green shield appeared around the four superweapons, protecting them from all attacks. We could clearly see that the shield was being powered by the other superweapons behind the four. The fierce attacks of the league army were all stopped by the thick shield. They weren''t able to leave even a scratch on the superweapons.


    "Canyue, I''m Violetvoid. Can you hear me?" a voice suddenly rang out beside my ears.


    The sudden call gave me a fright. Before this, I needed to enter the dreamland or a special illusion to talk with Violetvoid. Thus, having a mental conversation with me while I was fully awake represented a terrifying level of strength.


    "How did you enter my brain? Where are you?" I asked.


    When Zhang Bao''er saw me muttering to myself, he walked over curiously.


    "Bulu connected me to your communicator. Listen to me. The mutated core converted by the great sovereign can help me sneak into the enemy superweapons. I have a rich supply of weapons with me, and I have even gotten a super nuclear warhead from Markus. The converted core is already among the enemy superweapons. In a while, I''ll find the chance to sabotage them," said Violetvoid.


    Right at that moment, a massive explosion erupted on the barrier. Three super nuclear warheads had been launched toward the four superweapons, and the attacks were so powerful they left numerous ripples on the barrier. Even the dark universe was illuminated by the bright explosions. It was clear the league army was already using everything they had at their disposal.


    "Attacking from the front like this won''t work. The superweapons'' barrier is far more powerful than the league''s weapons. Your attacks will only work if you can bypass the barrier," said Violetvoid.


    "They can at least slow the enemy down. I''ll have to rely on you to deal enough damage to them," I said. I truly had no other option except accepting Violetvoid''s help.


    "The great sovereign told me to help. I will do my best," said Violetvoid before ending the call.


    "Canyue, who are you speaking to?" shouted Zhang Bao''er into my ears, nearly turning me deaf.


    "Have you gone mad? Why are you shouting?" I scolded.


    "You were talking to yourself. I thought you had gone mad," said Zhang Bao''er with a naughty grin on his face.


    "Bao''er, come over here," I said. I brought him to an empty corner before signaling him to shut off his communicator.


    "What are you planning to do? Why are you being so secretive?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Violetvoid has successfully sneaked into the enemy superweapons. They are waiting for an opportunity to sabotage the enemy. However, I do not want to tell Zhang Xingxing this information yet," I whispered.


    "That''s good news! Why don''t you want Zhang Xingxing and the others to know about it?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    If I told her and Carter, they might not be as determined to evacuate the army. I intend for this special operation to be our final trump card," I told Zhang Bao''er.


    "Wow!" someone suddenly shouted.


    I hurriedly looked over and saw a planet being launched by four superweapons. It was flying toward Mars, and it was an absolutely shocking scene that stunned all of us. That was an artificial movement of a planet, something completely unnatural to the universe. The planet moved rapidly toward Mars, with the league ships all moving out of its way. This was not a collision regular battleships could survive. And thus, the Kax Ring became the final line of defense protecting Mars.


    "In five minutes, the planet will collide with Mars''s Kax Ring," said Lin Feixue.


    "Do we not have a stronger firepower that can destroy this planet?" asked Zhang Xingxing anxiously.


    "This planet is too big. It is unrealistic to hope to destroy it with weapons. We can only rely on the Kax Ring and hope that it can protect the beautiful Mars," replied Carter calmly.


    There was nothing we could do. We could only force ourselves to calm down and watch as the planet continued heading toward Mars.

 CH 339

    "The apocalypse is coming," muttered Zhang Bao''er softly.


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    The launched planet gradually approached the Kax Ring around Mars. The atmosphere of the launched planet came in contact with the atmosphere around the Kax Ring, lighting the atmosphere up.


    Before long, the planet itself collided with the Kax Ring. The collision looked so powerful it seemed as if the Kax Ring was going to be smashed apart. At that moment, the Kax Ring displayed its incredible defensive prowess. The point of collision shone brightly, and the part of the planet that had touched the Kax Ring vanished.


    "Artificial event horizon. Let''s see if it is deep enough to devour the planet," said Carter, explaining how the Kax Ring works.


    The intense collision made it look like a huge gap had opened on the Kax Ring. I believed that everyone on Mars was shivering in fear, hoping that the Kax Ring could actually protect them.


    "Looks like this league shield utilizes black hole theories, granting it the ability to devour its attackers," remarked Lamo as he gasped in astonishment.


    The collision continued as the launched planet kept advancing. However, a third of its body had vanished. It looked like the Kax Ring could very well devour the entire planet before it could damage Mars.


    Unfortunately, the Divine Empire was well-prepared for this attack. We all noticed with despair that the second planet was being prepared for launch. The second planet was about twice the size of the first planet.


    "It''s over. How can they withstand repeated attacks like this?" said Master Crystal.


    The second planet also moved much faster than the first planet. It rushed toward the first planet at a rapid pace. Before long, the second planet struck the first planet, creating intense explosions and pushing the first planet deeper into the Kax Ring. Not even the powerful Kax Ring could withstand such an impact. We could clearly see an opening on the surface of the Kax Ring, an opening the size of Antarctica.


    "It''s over. They only need two planets to break the Kax Ring," said Zhang Bao''er with despair.


    "Looks like this is Mars''s fate," said Zhang Xingxing with a helpless sigh.


    Abruptly, a massive battleship soared from the surface of Mars and collided with the first launched planet, triggering a nuclear explosion. A massive explosion erupted between the first planet and Mars.


    "Didn''t they try this before? It doesn''t work. Why are they still trying it?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, this nuclear explosion seems different than before," said Carter, who seemed to have noticed something.


    Sure enough, the area of the explosion started changing. Apart from the initial mushroom cloud, a second mushroom cloud was spreading backward. That second mushroom cloud had altered the trajectory of the first planet, pushing it backward instead.


    The first planet collided with the second planet. We found with astonishment that at the point of collision, another mushroom cloud was coming out from within the first planet. The impact was actually stopping the second planet''s advance as well.


    "How are they doing this? They''re altering the planet''s trajectory with nuclear explosions," said Old Du.


    "From how it looks, this will only buy them a little bit more time before the inevitable," said Somo.


    The first planet continued to collide with the second planet before actually pushing the second planet away from the Kax Ring. A swarm of fighters instantly soared up and released numerous red beams at the Kax Ring. Surprisingly, the red beams were actually rapidly repairing the opening on the Kax Ring.


    "Could this Kax Ring be..." muttered Lamo to himself.


    "Yes. The Kax Ring is actually made of light instead of something physical," said Carter.


    The counterattack had bought Mars more time, prolonging its survival. The two launched planets continued colliding with each other uncontrollably, slowly moving away from Mars.


    "They really did it. They were able to halt the attack. But how much more terrifying will the following attacks be?" said Kelly. She was still worried about Mars.


    "Commander Zhang Xingxing, this is Prince Toruse. Can you hear me?" the voice we had been waiting for suddenly came from the communicator.


    "Yes. We can hear you clearly. How is it over there?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Brigadier General Angela has agreed to the plan. They are starting to withdraw. All the transport ships on Mars will follow them. We''re trying to save as many people as we can. For now, we can only give up on Mars. We will be initiating a wormhole leap to Rumble," said Prince Toruse.


    "Rumble? Anxashe''s home," said Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    "Yes. Blue and Gliese are completely surrounded. According to Baron Sisse, Rumble would be our best shelter for now," said Prince Toruse.


    "Try to save as many people as you can," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "We''ll try our best. Brigadier General Angela is greatly shocked after witnessing the strength of the superweapons. That was why she had agreed to withdraw. You don''t need to enter the encirclement. We have enough space to initiate a wormhole-leap. We''ll all retreat separately. As for what happens next, we''ll have to leave that to fate," said Prince Toruse.


    "How many people would you have to leave on Mars?" asked Carter. That was a very sensitive question.


    "About 80 percent of the people here will have to be left behind," said Prince Toruse.


    Suddenly, an odd sound erupted behind us. When we looked back, we noticed that the superweapons were moving yet another planet. Unlike the previous small planets, this planet was about the size of Blue''s moon. A total of 10 superweapons had to work together to move it.


    Even Domo exclaimed in fear, "My god. This planet is way too big."


    "Canyue, you need to delay their attack from outside the encirclement and buy more time for us to withdraw completely," said Prince Toruse.


    ''Damn it! Why hasn''t Violetvoid started the sabotage yet?'' I thought anxiously.


    Suddenly, a loud hiss rang out. I noticed a massive figure rushing toward the superweapons working on the moon-sized planet.


    "My god. It''s the fiend! When did it leave the ship? It has grown much bigger than before," said Old Du in joy.


    The fiend rushed toward the side of a superweapon before ramming into its shield. Then, it swung its limb at the long tool held by the superweapon. With a bright flash, the tool was cut into two.


    "My god. That freak is too scary. Just what kind of strength is that?" both Lamo and Somo exclaimed in shock.


    "If you ask it that question, it would tell you that it hasn''t even used much of its strength," said Temo with derision.


    After the long tool was cut in half, the superweapon wielding it seemed to have lost its balance. It slanted forward and collided with a neighboring superweapon. That created a chain reaction that threw the attackers into chaos. The fiend had actually ruined their plan all by itself.


    The other ships finally reacted to the fiend''s reaction. Countless attacks were sent toward the fiend. The concentrated firepower instantly turned the fiend into a bright ball of fire. The fiend was intentionally taking on all the attacks for some reason. It even spread its limbs so that it could take on more attacks.


    The ball of fire around the fiend grew bigger and brighter. At that moment, a small ball suddenly leaped onto my shoulder. When I turned my head, I saw that Bulu was also shining brightly. It had fully awakened from its slumber.


    While everyone was focused on the fight, an abrupt reversal happened. The fiend turned around and returned all the attacks it had absorbed toward the attackers. The massive ball of flame turned into a shockwave that rippled out toward one of the superweapons.


    The shockwave went straight through the superweapon''s shield and struck the superweapon''s body. At that moment, the prowess of the imperial weapons was fully displayed. The ferocious attack blasted the super-weapon about a dozen kilometers away. We could see that the hull of the superweapon had been damaged considerably.


    "Not only is that fellow strong physically, but it can also absorb and return attacks? What a terrifying life form," said Old Du, amazed.


    "It doesn''t matter. The strength of a single heroic individual won''t play a decisive factor in a conflict between civilizations. It will only be able to buy some time for Mars," said Temo as he shook his head.


    Temo had barely finished his words when a terrifying scene unfolded before us. According to our laser scans, a massive planet was being transported to the battlefield through a wormhole. Our scans indicated that the planet was the size of Jupiter. If it was also a weapon to be used against Mars, no defensive measures would be able to stop it.

 CH 340

    "The system must have malfunctioned. How can a wormhole transport a planet of that size?" Even Temo started doubting the scan.


    "Yeah. It isn''t even a regular big planet, but it''s a gaseous planet," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Before long, the gravitational force of the planet revealed itself. The small asteroids around Mars started being dragged out of their original orbit.


    "The empire has gone mad. How did they transport a gaseous planet of this size? This is no longer mere invasion but elimination," said Somo. Even a Sacred Wing like him couldn''t accept a slaughter of such level.


    I noticed that all the superweapons and the imperial battleships were starting to move as well. All of them were trying to escape the gravitational pull of the incoming planet. The remaining small planets were being pulled toward the gaseous planet, leaving Mars alone with the Kax Ring around it.


    "The gaseous planet has shown itself. It does not look much smaller than Jupiter. It is moving very quickly and will reach Mars in roughly 15 minutes," reported Lin Feixue.


    At that point, the initial collision was already happening. The small planets meant to be launched at Mars were being pulled toward the gaseous planet. The collisions created continuous eruptions as the massive gaseous planet swallowed the small planets one after another without much trouble.


    "Mars is finished. Blue will be next. If a planet of this size is thrown into Mars orbit, its powerful gravitational pull will also ruin Blue''s ecosystem," said Carter.


    Even the fiend was starting to withdraw from the battlefield. All the attacks on the battlefield stopped as both the league and the empire armies started escaping. The imperial ships had not attacked the league ships while they were escaping.


    That was understandable as they were witnessing the destruction of an entire planet. Nobody had the attention to spare for the escaping ships and the lives they carried that looked so tiny in comparison. There were still hundreds of millions of innocent lives on Mars awaiting destruction. Not a single one of the escaped ships had escaped through wormhole-leaps. All of them had stayed behind to accompany Mars in its final moments.


    "Carter, all the ships we can pull out has left the planet," reported Prince Toruse''s gloomy voice. At that point, the collision was 10 minutes away.


    All the ships around Mars had stopped at a safe distance. Ships from both sides of the war had all turned into spectators of what was to unfold. We could hardly get a clear look at the gaseous planet''s surface with our naked eyes. The storm on the surface of the planet seemed even more intense than what could be found on Jupiter. The planet seemed to be in an extremely unstable state.


    "That emperor has gone mad. He has clearly hidden some of his technologies from everyone," said Lamo.


    "Yeah. The superweapons are not capable of moving gaseous planets. Apart from other planets, nothing can affect the movement of a gaseous planet," said Somo.


    "Mars is finished," I said to Old Du as I shook my head helplessly.


    "It''s really over for Mars," said Zhang Bao''er. I could hear that he was on the verge of tears.


    All of us understood that there would be no miracles this time. The gaseous planet was only five minutes away from Mars. The planet was at least a thousand times bigger than Mars, looking like a gigantic serpent that was about to swallow a tiny pearl.


    The powerful Kax Ring once again tried to protect the beautiful and old red planet. Alas, the gaseous planet was too big. Mars and its Kax Ring were already being pulled out of their original orbit, heading toward the gaseous planet.


    We didn''t even dare to imagine what the many lives on Mars were thinking at the moment. All of us could clearly see that the surface of Mars was being torn apart by the gravitational force. Numerous debris was being pulled into the sky. Before long, Mars''s outer atmosphere started entering the gaseous planet. At that point, Mars''s surface had transformed into a living hell.


    Some more time passed before the Kax Ring finally failed. It could not withstand the gaseous planet''s gravity. The part of the Kax Ring facing the planet broke apart, and in less than a minute, the entire Kax Ring crumbled.


    Without the Kax Ring''s protection, Mars''s surface became directly exposed to the planet''s powerful gravity. Powerful explosions erupted from within Mars. Its core exploded, and in moments, the entire planet was decimated.


    "Farewell, Mars," said Zhang Xingxing as she lowered her head.


    All of us lowered our heads, paying homage to a planet that was so symbolic to our civilization. After the final explosion, Mars started falling apart before being pulled in a straight line into the gaseous planet. Massive ripples were left on the surface of the gaseous planet while the light from the explosion illuminated the area for a very long time.


    Just like that, a grand and glorious planet had stopped existing. It had not vanished due to a natural disaster. Rather, it had been destroyed in a war. The mood was somber inside the silent ship. All of us were fully immersed in the grief of losing Mars.


    "Damn that Fille! I''ll kill him myself!" roared Zhang Bao''er furiously.


    With his furious declaration, more roars rang out in the ship. "Revenge!" "Revenge!"


    "Revenge!"


    The cruelty of Emperor Fille had fully provoked the anger of the league army. After swallowing Mars, the gaseous planet stopped moving. Its mission was clear: to fully destroy Mars.


    "This planet is truly a bringer of death," said Kelly with a deep sigh.


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    With that, the planet replaced Mars''s position in the Solar System. Of course, we had yet to see the full effect of its appearance.


    "Commander, look, the imperial ships are retreating," said Lin Feixue.


    We looked out of the window and saw that the imperial ships and superweapons were all initiating leaps to leave the area.


    "What is happening? Why aren''t they attacking us?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Honor. Their sense of honor does not allow them to perform something as cruel as destroying an entire planet. I believe even the Eternal soldiers couldn''t accept what they had just witnessed," said Temo.


    "Temo might be right. Mars has been destroyed. They probably don''t want to cause more deaths here," said Somo.


    "Commander, the imperial forces are retreating. Do we retreat as well?" asked Prince Toruse.


    "Canyue, I''m Violetvoid. My apologies. I had not expected something like that to happen. I need to meet the great sovereign. If you need to contact me, notify Bulu. My greatest apologies," said Violetvoid.


    I understood that the Mars campaign had ended. Once again, the league had suffered a total defeat. It was indeed the time for us to leave.


    "With the empire''s technological advantage, it is only a matter of time before Blue is also destroyed," said Zhang Xingxing. I didn''t even dare to imagine that happening.


    Following our previous agreement with Prince Toruse, we retreated toward Rumble. Anxashe appeared slightly excited to be back home. Perhaps it was because he had been away for way too long.


    Planet Rumble was located within the Alnitak System of the Orion Constellation. All the ships on our side started initiating a leap toward the planet. Prior to our leap, Temo made sure that the fiend had returned to Skyhawk as well.


    "There are too many of us. Will the Kingdom of Kenante feel uneasy at our appearance?" I asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "King Carter of Kenante had promised Emperor Fille to stay neutral as a price for peace. This time, we might need to have a good talk with King Carter and try to get his support," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "Even the Wargod race is afraid of Emperor Fille, to the point they can disregard how the empire once supported their rebels," I said helplessly.


    "A wise man submits to circumstances. King Carter still needs to protect his people," said Zhang Xingxing.


    While we were speaking, Skyhawk had arrived near Rumble, the beautiful planet 0.3 lightyears away from Alnitak. However, the Rumble before us was greatly different from the Rumble we saw during our first visit here.


    Rumble''s immediate vicinity used to be completely empty, but it was now filled with countless ships of numerous different designs. Civilian transport ships, battleships fleeing in disorder, and many other ships that had escaped from all over the universe were outside Rumble.


    Thousands of mechanical birds formed a defensive line in the air, and a massive air fortress had also been built outside Rumble. There, the Wargod soldiers were performing inspections on all the people who were trying to enter the planet.


    The mechanical birds we saw were unlike those we had seen before. They were much larger and were equipped with a large amount of ranged weapons. Together with the regular mechanical birds, they maintained the order at the defensive line. The line waiting to enter Rumble was thousands of kilometers long, forming several circles around the planet itself.


    "This line is too long. How long will we take to enter? We need to enter Gero City and meet King Carter as soon as possible. Since we''re old friends, can''t we get a fast lane or something?" said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Prince Toruse, I''m Zhang Xingxing. Can you contact King Carter and request for our ships to be allowed to enter the planet first?" said Zhang Xingxing.

 CH 341

    "I''m trying to contact Official Dulite for help," said Prince Toruse.


    "Looks like connections are useful wherever you go. Power is always useful," said Zhang Bao''er as he clicked his tongue.


    About 10 minutes later, a group of mechanical birds flew toward Skyhawk.


    "Looks like Prince Toruse has successfully pulled his strings," I said to Old Du.


    Sure enough, the birds split into two. One of them stopped in front of Skyhawk and sent a message to our ship.


    "Official Dulite is requesting that we follow the mechanical birds into Gero City," said Lin Feixue.


    We did not waste any time. Under the astonished gazes of the many people waiting in line, Skyhawk was brought straight to Rumble''s surface. Not far away from us, a ship also split from the line to head toward the surface. That was Prince Toruse''s ship. After passing through the checkpoint on the defensive line, we landed on a green prairie.


    "Why aren''t we flying straight to Gero City?" asked Old Du doubtfully.


    A convoy of black carriages pulled by mechanical beasts approached us from afar. Before long, they arrived before Skyhawk. An individual bearing a familiar face stepped off the first carriage. It was Official Dulite.


    Upon seeing that it was Official Dulite, Lin Feixue opened Skyhawk''s door. With Zhang Xingxing at the front, we all followed her out of the ship. I did not forget to put Bulu in my backpack before leaving.


    The fresh air, the gentle breeze, and the lush grass around us gave us a comfortable sensation that helped us momentarily forget the cruel war that was being waged. A loud rumble pulled us all back to reality. At that time, I noticed that Prince Toruse''s ship had stopped beside our ship.


    "Prince, His Majesty is waiting for you at the palace," said Dulite with a respectful bow.


    "Why did we stop so far away instead of flying straight to Gero City?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "Yeah. We had just gone through a cruel battle. We''re all exhausted," I said.


    "My apologies, everyone. Ships with such firepower are not allowed to approach Gero City. We also have an agreement with the Divine Empire that we won''t allow any non-allied battleships to enter Gero City. Even taking you here is very risky for us. As for your exhaustion, don''t worry about it. His Majesty has prepared a banquet to welcome you," said Official Dulite.


    Beside me, Domo made the sound of someone vomiting at the mention of a banquet.


    "You should keep your feast for those Sacred Wing fellows," suggested Domo, clearly intending to cause some suffering to the three Sacred Wings among us.


    After the short conversation, we entered the carriages and started heading toward Gero City. The green grassland spread as far as our eyes could see. It was a beautiful scene that I was so deeply infatuated with that I had a sudden urge to ride a horse through the endless prairie.


    After a while, we finally saw the Wargod race''s spiritual totem, the mechanical divine bird far in the sky ahead of us. The divine bird would always be flying in the sky above Gero City. Thus, the sight of the divine bird signified that we were going to reach Gero City soon.


    Before long, our convoy reached the edge of the basin where the elevators used to be. I found to my astonishment that a wide inclined path had been built, connecting the edge of the basin straight to Gero City''s main gate. Instead of taking the elevator, we could continue ahead through the path.


    "Looks like the Wargods have greatly improved their construction capabilities," said Zhang Bao''er.


    I noticed that Anxashe looked extremely emotional. Anyone would grow emotional upon returning to one''s homeland after several close brushes with death. We could also see that tall walls had also been erected around the city which had no walls previously. Stationed on the walls were fully armed Wargod soldiers. However, very few pedestrians could be seen moving around in the city. Gero City was no longer the bustling city it once was.


    A sturdy Wargod guard approached us and said, "Esteemed guests, King Carter is waiting for you. Please come with me."


    A massive mechanical beast came out from behind the gate, pulling a beautiful carriage behind it.


    "Wow, this carriage looks really luxurious. Look, it even has many precious stones embedded in its doors," said Domo as his eyes lit up with greed.


    Under the guard''s guidance, we entered the luxurious carriage. The massive mechanical beast dragged the carriage and moved rapidly toward the palace. A Wargod soldier was seated at the front of the carriage, serving as the coachman.


    Inside, we saw that the city had changed considerably from before. The civilians we encountered looked unhappy, and all sorts of war fortifications were being constructed all over the city. On the streets, there were more mechanical birds than actual living individuals, all busy patrolling the city.


    "After the surprise attack by the Sacred Wings, King Carter had decreed that sufficient war fortifications must be built in Gero City as a precaution," explained Official Dulite upon noticing our doubtful looks.


    As the carriage continued moving forward, I abruptly felt someone poke me. I looked over and saw that it was Old Du.


    "Canyue, did you notice something odd about this carriage?" whispered Old Du.


    I was alarmed and started observing the carriage in greater detail. Sure enough, I noticed something unusual.


    "Domo is stealing the embedded precious stones," I informed Old Du.


    Old Du snorted and told me to keep observing. However, I did not find anything else even after looking over the carriage several times. I could only helplessly request the answer from Old Du.


    "Did you notice that all the windows are locked? The sole exit is also guarded by a Wargod soldier. This looks more like a prisoner carriage," said Old Du. My heart skipped a beat at his words.


    He was right. Just as I was about to sink into thought, the carriage stopped. The familiar statue of King Carter appeared before us. We had arrived at the Kenante palace. The Wargod soldier seated at the exit opened the door and gestured at us to leave.


    "Old Du, you are being too paranoid. See, they''re inviting us to leave the carriage. I think the windows are precautions against thieves like Domo," I said.


    "I don''t think this is so simple. I have a bad feeling," said Old Du.


    Before long, all of us were out of the carriage. Standing neatly beside the path leading to the palace entrance were armed Wargod soldiers who fully displayed the martial prowess of their race. This was also a unique sight that would be more common during times of war.


    Official Dulite led us toward the king''s audience hall. We were told that a banquet was waiting for us there. Our friends from the Sacred Wing race had never experienced a Wargod feast before, so they looked exceptionally excited. They were probably feeling rather hungry, but the rest of us were restless.


    "We''re supposed to be allies. Why are they welcoming us with fully armed soldiers? Be careful, everyone," Zhang Xingxing''s reminder suddenly came from the communicator.


    "Looks like the commander has the same thought. She also feels that something isn''t right," said Old Du to me.


    With the reminder, I turned on my suit''s weaponry system. We reached the audience hall shortly after. The hall looked completely different from what we remembered. King Carter was seated on a tall throne, surrounded by burly Wargod guards.


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    "My friends, how have you been?" greeted the king as he stood up with a smile on his face. Unlike our previous visit, he did not step forth to personally welcome us.


    "Esteemed King Carter, it has been a while. You look well. That is worth celebrating in this age of war," said Prince Toruse.


    The hall''s outer ring was filled with numerous dining tables. Further outside were numerous standing attendants. The terrifying Wargod feast was awaiting us.


    "Are you seeing this? We need to eat our fill this time!" said Lamo to Somo in excitement.


    "The universe is in chaos. As a king, the only thing I can do is protect my people and stay away from conflicts," said King Carter.


    "But your people are the Wargods, the strongest people in the universe. You should face all evil bravely. Those who are weak are most certainly awaiting your assistance," said Zhang Xingxing emotionally.


    "Evil? How do you decide if a faction is evil? The Divine Empire has not attacked our homeland. For us, they are not evil. At the very least, they have granted my people a peaceful environment to live in," said King Carter.


    "Esteemed king, you need to see further ahead. The empire is not attacking this place because they are fearful of the Wargods and do not wish to fight multiple opponents at the same time. After defeating the league, the emperor will definitely turn against Kenante. The emperor is not the type of person who would tolerate the existence of a powerful race within his sphere of influence," said Baron Sisse.


    "Exactly, esteemed king. You need to understand that facing the empire, we are ultimately dependent upon each other," said Zhang Xingxing.


    Despite our persuasions, King Carter remained unconvinced. Instead, he looked at us expressionlessly and coldly said, "Start the banquet."

 CH 342

    "Where''s Wind Spirit?" Zhang Bao''er suddenly noticed that Wind Spirit was not among the people present.


    "She''s taking care of Dondon on Skyhawk. Dondon is still recovering," replied Dodo.


    Shortly after, all of us were seated. At that moment, I noticed a group of Wargod soldiers silently enter the hall and form an encirclement around us. I saw Zhang Xingxing signaling me with her eyes and immediately understood her meaning. I turned on my morph-capable shield, preparing for combat.


    "Esteemed king, I still hope that you can consider my proposal and let the warriors of the Wargod race fight alongside us," persuaded Zhang Xingxing.


    "The Kingdom of Kenante does not have the excess military strength to assist you. Maley betrayed us again. We''re using a large amount of military strength to fight him," said King Carter.


    For some reason, I was glad to hear that Maley had once again turned against Kenante.


    Before long, the attendants served the first dish. The moment the lid over the dish was opened, we nearly fainted. This time, we weren''t served big, green worms. Rather, we were served yellow worms with white hair growing on them. These worms even have bright red mouths.


    The three Sacred Wing friends on the team were greatly disappointed. Apart from the Wargods, nobody would find such a meal appealing. I saw Official Dulite stuffing a worm into his mouth in excitement. With one bite, some yellow liquid sprayed out, and the lower half of the worm''s body started wiggling outside the official''s mouth.


    Retching sounds rang out in the room as the Sacred Wings, Domo, and Zhang Bao''er started vomiting. Of the people in our group, Anxashe was the only person enjoying the meal.


    "Anxashe, how can you eat something like this?" said Old Du helplessly.


    "You must not be aware of this. This is an extremely rare delicacy. A big green worm needs no less than five years to evolve into a big yellow worm," said Anxashe, still immersed in the aftertaste.


    "These ox-heads are too disgusting. I can''t take this anymore. Give Anxashe the worm in front of me as well," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Those were evidently a bad choice of words. The Wargods placed high importance on the feast they served their guests. Zhang Bao''er''s words were very disrespectful to the king. All of the Wargods in the hall started hissing furiously.


    "This is a trap," said Dodo through the communicator. They had come beside me without me realizing it.


    "How do you know?" I asked, moving my lips but not making any sound.


    "That King Carter has no food in front of him. Something is wrong. When I scanned with my laser probe, King Carter felt like an empty shell instead of an actual body," said Dodo. I was greatly shocked by that revelation.


    "Is it possible that King Carter is sick? That''s why he''s meeting us with a shell?" I asked. Virtual projection was no longer a rare technology, so it wouldn''t be surprising if the king had also adopted the same technology.


    "All the guards are armed with heavy weapons. If we''re doing something, we should do it fast. If we keep waiting, we might end up suppressed and trapped," said Dodo.


    That was a critical moment. I had not expected King Carter to fall under Emperor Fille''s control. This so-called neutral country only existed in name. We had all thrown ourselves into a trap, allowing the empire to capture all of us in one go.


    "Contact Wind Spirit and Lin Feixue. Tell them to protect Skyhawk and prepare to reinforce us," I ordered.


    At that time, something finally happened. The attendants rapidly removed the worms and served the seafood that we loved most. The savory smell filled the air, and the people who were complaining previously had their appetite triggered. Everyone was ready to start eating. However, Anxashe suddenly trembled and dropped onto the ground. He started rolling around in pain, to the point the table before him was flipped over during his struggle.


    "This is bad! The food might be poisoned!" shouted Baron Sisse.


    With that shout, the mood turned intense.


    Official Dulite stood up and ordered, "On His Majesty''s orders, arrest all of them! Not one of them can go!"


    And thus, it was proven that this was indeed a trap.


    "Bao''er, Old Du, prepare for combat. Release the smoke bombs. Kelly, protect Zhang Xingxing." I was already prepared, so after giving out orders, I jumped onto the table and released several smoke bombs inside the enclosed room.


    Visibility dropped to an extremely low level as the rolling smoke filled the hall. I turned on my laser probe and relied on it to start firing at the Wargod soldiers with my laser gun.


    Two Wargod soldiers were instantly knocked down. Zhang Xingxing had also maintained her calm in the chaos and was taking the lead to organize everyone to escape with the disturbance created by the smoke bombs.


    However, the Wargods weren''t known as Wargods for no reason. A burly military official made an odd sound, and when the other confused Wargod soldiers heard the sound, they all replied with odd sounds as well. Relying on their sounds, they repositioned themselves into a formation, then advanced in one direction.


    "Shit! These soldiers blocked the exit. They''re advancing toward us," said Old Du.


    "Focus fire on the left side. Protect the prince and the commander at all costs," ordered Baron Sisse.


    Relying on our superior morph-capable shields, we gathered on the left side of the hall. Both Zhang Bao''er and Old Du activated the tracking rifles attached to the back of their suits and their handheld guns to open a path forward. Working together, we advanced toward the left of the Wargod soldiers. They had not expected such a concentrated attack, so a few of them were immediately knocked down.


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    Taking the opportunity, we rushed toward the small opening in the enemy formation. But at that moment, a despairing scene appeared. More Wargod soldiers rushed into the hall through the entrance. It was obvious that King Carter had carefully planned our capture. First, he lured us away from our dangerous battleship and invited us to a feast surrounded by a large number of hidden soldiers.


    Our concentrated attack created a small opening, but it also revealed our position in the smoke. The Wargods roared as they charged forth, blocking all of our possible escape routes.


    "Everyone, enter defensive formation. Watch each other''s backs," ordered Zhang Xingxing. We entered a circular defensive formation, surrounding the weaker Sacred Wings and Dodo in the middle.


    At that point, the smoke was slowly dissipating. The Wargods must have turned on the ventilation system. We were fully exposed before their eyes.


    "His Majesty orders that we prioritize capturing them alive," Dulite''s voice rang out.


    The roaring Wargods continued advancing while we calmly fired at them while maintaining our defensive formation. Before long, yet another group of Wargod soldiers was knocked down. However, there was a reason they were known as Wargods.


    Several massive shieldbearers appeared from their formation and stood in front of the other soldiers. With their thick shields, they blocked our beams. Behind them, the other soldiers also raised smaller shields to defend against our tracking bullets.


    "Everyone, get ready for close-range combat. I already issued the order to Lin Feixue. Skyhawk will be here soon. Persevere, everyone!" ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    It was very unfortunate that our long-range weapons had basically been rendered ineffective. With their thick shields, the Wargod soldiers were marching toward us. I knew very clearly that with our combat prowess, facing these Wargods in close combat was basically suicide.


    "Why is the fiend not here yet? That fellow is more than enough to deal with these fellows," said Zhang Bao''er.


    That reminded me. I hurriedly spoke to Bulu, hoping that Bulu could contact the fiend mentally and ask for its assistance. However, we did not have much time left. The Wargod soldiers were going to reach us soon.


    "Canyue, we''re going to come into contact with these ox-heads soon. What should we do?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "What else can we do? Just fight with everything we have," I said as I fired madly, trying to slow their advance.


    "Persevere, everyone. Lin Feixue is on the way with Skyhawk," roared Zhang Xingxing encouragingly.


    "But Skyhawk needs to get through their divine bird before reaching us," said Old Du. He did not seem capable of lying.


    Suddenly, a large club wrapped in electrical currents swept toward us. The force behind the club deformed our shield, instantly sending Zhang Bao''er out of our formation into the enemy''s formation.


    "Bao''er!" I roared anxiously and drew my laser pistol. With a roll, I also entered the enemy formation. With one blast from my pistol, I downed a Wargod soldier hiding behind his shield. There, I saw Zhang Bao''er lying on the ground.


    "Bao''er, are you fine? I''m here for you!" I shouted.


    Just as I was about to rush forward, I felt a heavy strike hit the back of my head. The force behind the hit was so strong that not even my morph-capable shield could fully neutralize it. My vision turned dark, and I lost my consciousness.

 CH 343

    After an unknown amount of time, I slowly woke up. However, my eyes were still seeing nothing but darkness. The back of my head was aching. A few minutes later, my eyes slowly adjusted to my environment. I realized that I had been locked in a prison cell.


    "Canyue, Canyue, are you fine?" I heard Zhang Bao''er''s voice.


    I finally saw that I had been locked alone in a small cell. Inside the opposite cell was Zhang Bao''er, who was busy calling out to me. The jail we were in was circular, with all the cells forming a circle. Our equipment had been removed and piled at the center of the circle. Two ox-headed warriors were standing guard. They did not seem to care that we were talking to each other.


    "Bao''er, I''m fine. Is everyone here? Was anyone hurt?" I asked. I could see that Old Du was locked in the cell beside Zhang Bao''er''s.


    "Canyue, everyone is fine. The Wargods are too strong. We weren''t their match and were all captured," came Zhang Xingxing''s voice from a cell to my side.


    "Fortunately, Canyue had ordered us to fight with non-fatal rounds, so not much enmity had arisen from the fight. Thus, we were all locked here after being captured," said Baron Sisse.


    "Where''s Lin Feixue and Skyhawk?" I asked.


    "Superior, I''m here." Surprisingly, Lin Feixue was the one who replied to me. He had been captured as well.


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    "Aren''t you on Skyhawk? Why are you here?" I asked in disbelief.


    "The Wargods surrounded Skyhawk with their mechanical birds. Even their divine bird was part of the encirclement. They informed me that everyone else has been captured. To ensure your safety, Dondon, Wind Spirit, and I decided to surrender after a short discussion," replied Lin Feixue helplessly.


    "Why did you even bother consulting the two little pets?" said Zhang Bao''er. Domo vehemently agreed with that point of view.


    "What are you saying? This princess had surrendered to ensure your safety. You dare run your mouth against me?" scolded Wind Spirit, who was never one with a good temper.


    The situation was rather odd. No matter how much noise we made, the Wargod guards were fully ignoring us. I could not understand what King Carter was thinking. My head was still aching as well. I thus decided to shut my eyes and grab more rest. Slowly, I drifted into sleep. After an indeterminate amount of time, I felt an itch on my face. Still in a daze, I reached out to my face with my hand, and I felt a worm.


    I was shocked awake as I grabbed the worm and tossed it to the ground. Only then did I notice that it was a big green worm. A plate could be seen on the floor, and the green worms served on the plate were crawling everywhere. That was probably meant to be my dinner.


    I could hear snores all around me. Clearly, everyone else was also sleeping. I could see that even the two Wargod guards were snoring loudly in their seats. Exhaustion had successfully sent everyone to sleep.


    I gathered all the green worms onto the plate before covering the plate with a lid. This was not the kind of food I could stomach. After dealing with the worms, I sat on the floor and started blanking out.


    I might be without my freedom, but it was also a rare moment where I could truly enjoy some peace and silence. As I sat on the floor, scenes of everything that had happened since I joined the army appeared in my mind like a movie. My emotions turned complicated as I recalled my past.


    Suddenly, I noticed some new movement in the jail, as though an object was wiggling around. Before long, a round object crawled out of the pile of weapons before strutting toward me.


    "Bulu. This fellow will always appear during critical moments." I was overjoyed to see Bulu.


    It did not take Bulu long to reach my cell. With its soft body, it squeezed through the bars and entered. Just as I was about to lift Bulu from the ground, I saw a hand reaching over from the cell beside me.


    The sight of that hand greatly frightened me. It wasn''t the hand of my companions. Rather, it was the hand of a Wargod. However, it was also an aged hand, unlike Anxashe''s firm hand. Thus, I concluded that I wasn''t looking at Anxashe''s hand.


    I hurriedly lifted Bulu and walked to the hand before whispering, "Who are you?"


    The hand did not move, and nobody replied to my question. The atmosphere felt rather eerie. Suddenly, Bulu''s body shone, and I felt an intense urge to reach out to that hand. When I extended my hand, the Wargod hand grabbed my palm. Then, the vision before me turned white. By the time I regained consciousness again, I was on a large prairie. The air was fresh, and with the gentle breeze in the air, I felt incredibly comfortable.


    "Our guest is finally here. I wonder if this environment is to your liking," a familiar voice rang out behind me.


    When I turned around, I saw that the speaker was actually King Carter. However, the aggressive look previously on his face was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he looked rather genial.


    Standing beside King Carter was someone who looked exactly the same as me. Without a doubt, that was Bulu''s handiwork. Standing beside Bulu was a little bee.


    "Don''t tell me you''re..." I pointed at the little bee, speechless.


    "Yes, I''m your grandpa, Ant," said the fiend of Pluto.


    I was aware that the fiend had named itself Ant, and that manner of speaking was indeed consistent with its character.


    "Esteemed King Carter, why did you capture all of us?" I asked. I knew that we were all within an illusory land crafted by Bulu.


    "I have nothing to do with it. The projection you saw wasn''t me. That''s a fake king created by the Divine Empire," replied King Carter.


    "I don''t understand. If that''s a fake person, why didn''t you show up personally?" I asked.


    "Why are you so stupid? This old man is clearly under the emperor''s control. What you see is merely a projection," said the fiend.


    I was hit by a realization. When King Carter nodded in affirmation, I finally confirmed that what the fiend said was the truth.


    "Emperor Fille had actually imprisoned you? So was that hand yours?" I asked.


    "Young man, I need to thank the high-level individuals around you. They have created this chance for us to meet. My days are numbered, but fate seems to have led you to Kenante at this moment. The fate of all Wargods is now in your hands," said King Carter earnestly.


    "Don''t say that, Your Majesty. A single Wargod soldier is enough to take me down. I am definitely not capable of shouldering such a burden," I hurriedly said.


    "A truly capable warrior does not rely on personal strength. He relies on wisdom to unite his people and protect his homeland. Unifying a group of warriors is far more difficult than fighting on a battlefield," said the king.


    "But Your Majesty, I''m only a soldier. What can I possibly do to help?" I said helplessly.


    "Kenante has stopped progressing technologically for too long. In recent years, I had made the shortsighted decision of isolating the kingdom to deal with the rebels. That was how Kenante had slowly fallen to such a state. My spirit is going to join the totem soon. Thus, I hope to have a suitable successor that will rescue Kenante and its people," said King Carter.


    "What? You can¡¯t be thinking of¡ª" I was astonished, and I didn''t even dare to finish my guess.


    "The old ox-head is basically telling you to be the new king. Why are you being so hesitant? That''s not how a hero should act," said the fiend with contempt.


    "No, absolutely not. Kenante is a kingdom of Wargods. I am an outsider. How can I take that position? Your Majesty, you can let your child inherit your position. I will do my best to help them," I refused firmly.


    "Princess Gehadina has been reduced to Emperor Fille''s hostage. I don''t even know if she''s still alive. I can''t hand the fate of my people over to someone who''s not even around," said King Carter.


    "Canyue, the Interstellar League is in an extremely bad position. Assistance from the Wargod race would be extremely valuable for them. Also, you can take this chance to free Kenante from imperial control," persuaded Bulu.


    Bulu''s persuasion caused me to hesitate. I did not care much for the throne, but I cared deeply about the people of Blue.


    "But we''re all locked in prison. Emperor Fille has the Wargods under control through the fake King Carter. How should I even lead them?" I said.


    "Don''t worry about that. As long as you agree to inherit my position, I will pass on the highest rank of authority to you. With this authority, you only need to get in touch with the divine bird. It is an ancient god in charge of protecting Rumble. It can help you build a reputation and regain control over the kingdom," said King Carter.


    "Highest authority? Both of us are locked in here. How are you supposed to pass it on to me?" I asked doubtfully.


    King Carter merely smiled. Instead of answering my question, he said, "Young man, the future belongs to you, the responsibility of upholding the future belongs to you, and the task of ensuring the continuation of life is also on your shoulders."


    Then, King Carter''s body dissipated into green smoke and slowly soared into the sky.


    "The old king is dead," remarked the fiend indifferently.


    Bulu and I both knelt down on one knee before offering our respects to the green smoke in the air. I understood that the green smoke was the king''s spirit. He was a great king who loved his people, someone deserving of all our respect.


    "Esteemed King Carter, do not worry. The moment peace is restored, I will pass on the throne to Princess Gehadina. I will also do my best to rescue her from the empire," I promised to the deceased king''s spirit.

 CH 344

    Abruptly, I woke up from my sleep. I saw that I was still alone in the cell. My hand was holding onto a cold and stiff hand. I hurriedly pulled my hand back. At that moment, I noticed to my astonishment that on my forefinger, a blue fingerprint had appeared. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t rub it off.


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    I suddenly understood that the fingerprint might be the highest authority promised by King Carter. However, I still had a difficult obstacle to overcome: the prison. Only after escaping would I be able to meet the divine bird. I recalled that the old king had just passed away moments ago, and Bulu would be able to help me escape.


    "Hey, you two, I think the old man in the cell beside me is dead. Come take a look!" I started shouting at the two sleeping guards.


    The two guards were awakened by my shout. They hurriedly rushed over to check the cell beside me. Shortly after, they called five more guards over. Together, they covered the old king''s corpse with a cloth before carrying it out of the cell.


    I gazed at the old king''s corpse silently, sending him off with my eyes. This was a king who had worked hard to serve his people his entire life only to meet such an end. I couldn''t understand what these Wargod guards were thinking. They were perhaps fully under the empire''s control. The resulting noise woke everyone else in the prison.


    "Canyue, who was that person?" asked Zhang Bao''er after the Wargod guards left.


    I was about to answer when I noticed a round silhouette bouncing forward before leaping onto the control desk of the guards. After staying there for a bit, Bulu jumped toward me.


    "Well done, Bulu!" I praised.


    A clear palm print could be seen on Bulu''s body. It stopped before my cell, but as it was too short, it couldn''t reach the door. Seeing that, I lifted Bulu and stopped before the door. There, Bulu allowed the security lock of the cell door to scan the palm print on its body. And surprisingly, it worked. The door swung open.


    "Beautifully done!" I praised and gave Bulu a pat.


    I intended to open the rest of the doors using the same method, but I suddenly heard footsteps coming from outside the building. The guards were returning.


    "Watch out, Canyue. They''re back," said Old Du.


    To be safe, I returned to my cell and shut the door without locking it. After returning, the two guards did not say anything else. Instead, they sat down and continued to sleep. They did not seem to care about the old king''s passing.


    Before long, the two guards were snoring. I waited in silence for an hour. During the wait, all my companions were also staying silent with their eyes wide, waiting for me to start my operation.


    I had a feeling that it was already very late at night. I stood up and slowly pushed the door open. Then, I crawled toward the piled equipment. All our equipment was left there. Perhaps the Wargods were very confident in their combat prowess. Thus, they couldn''t be bothered with properly organizing what they seized from us.


    With one look, I found my laser pistol. I slowly reached out and grabbed it. And with a gun in hand, my confidence immediately soared. I was about to switch the pistol to non-fatal mode before I recalled how the two had treated the old king and stopped.


    I crawled toward the back of the two guards. On my way there, I saw Zhang Bao''er open his eyes and mouth wide in shock. When I was behind the two guards, I stood up and fired into the back of their heads, ending the lives of the two criminals.


    "Well done!" I heard Zhang Bao''er''s praise.


    The situation was urgent, so I did not waste any time. With Bulu''s help, I started opening the other doors to release the others. Suddenly, the alarm blazed.


    "What is this?" asked Zhang Bao''er nervously.


    "There is a monitoring system here. Our actions have been discovered," said Old Du after looking around.


    "Old Du, you''re faster. Carry Bulu and release everyone. Zhang Bao''er, grab your weapon and guard the door with me," I said.


    Zhang Bao''er and I hurriedly put on our equipment. We could already hear footsteps coming from the outside.


    "Fire!" Both of us started firing at the entrance. A few Wargod soldiers could be seen collapsing onto the ground.


    Before long, the other released prisoners joined us. Since the entrance was narrow, we were able to temporarily suppress the enemy. After releasing everyone else, Old Du placed Bulu in my backpack.


    "We won''t be able to last long like this. We need to look for a new exit and leave," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This is a prison. I don''t know if there is a back door here. Have Lin Feixue, Master Crystal, and Dondon look around," I suggested.


    Following my suggestion, Lin Feixue, Master Crystal, and Dondon started searching for a second exit. At that point, the Wargod soldiers were starting to use their shields. Slowly, they marched into the prison. However, the entrance was too narrow, making it hard for the Wargods to mount an effective defense. Our tracking bullets were able to knock down even more Wargods, turning their heavy shields into an obstacle for the Wargods.


    "Hahaha, you call yourself Wargods? Bring it on! Let''s see how you''re going to enter now!" shouted Zhang Bao''er in excitement.


    "Canyue, who''s that old man from before?" asked Anxashe, who had come beside me without me realizing it.


    "It''s the old king, King Carter. He has just passed on to the afterlife," I replied calmly, not stopping my attacks even when speaking.


    "What? That''s King Carter? Didn''t he lock us all in here?" asked Anxashe in astonishment.


    "That was a fake King Carter. The one who had just died was the real one," I replied.


    "What? Ahhh!" Infuriated, Anxashe roared and fired an arrow at the entrance.


    In his fury, Anxashe was able to unleash a tremendous amount of strength. His arrow shot through a shield and hit the soldier behind it. That display of strength seemed to have scared the attackers. Sounds of rushed movements came from the entrance before their advance stopped completely.


    "That was amazing, Anxashe! Looks like they have all been scared off by you!" said Old Du.


    "No. They have merely gone looking for stronger weapons to break through our defenses. The Wargods have a habit of changing their offensive method once they lose more than 50 people in a single battle," said Anxashe. He was furious, but he was still able to stay clear-headed.


    "Stronger weapons? Are they going to use siege weapons? This is a prison. They won''t be able to break into here so easily, right?" said Domo while looking at the prison''s thick walls.


    Suddenly, a loud sound of collision rang out. The entire prison shook, and we all hurriedly turned on our shields.


    "Anxashe, what a jinx! They''re really here with a stronger weapon!" complained Zhang Bao''er.


    The sounds of collisions continued ringing, and I noticed that cracks were starting to appear on the walls.


    "This is bad. They''re going to break through the walls. Without the walls, they can put their mechanical beasts to use as well. We won''t be able to stop them," said Carter.


    "Commander, we found an exit!" Lin Feixue suddenly reported.


    "Where is it?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Dondon found an entrance to the sewer with his nose. We can leave through the sewer. We already found the entrance," said Lin Feixue.


    "Everyone, let''s leave," ordered Zhang Xingxing.


    All of us were excited to hear that we could finally escape. We started rushing toward our escape route under Lin Feixue''s lead. Sure enough, there was a narrow tunnel at the corner of the prison. At the bottom of the tunnel was an exit leading into a dark sewer.


    An unpleasant smell was wafting out of the tunnel, and I could see the look of disgust on Zhang Xingxing''s face. However, our safety was more important, so Zhang Xingxing still ordered everyone to enter the tunnel. Eventually, only Zhang Xingxing and I were left above the tunnel.


    "Xingxing, you go first. I''ll install a timed bomb here to bury the entrance to the tunnel," I suggested.


    "Ok. Withdraw right after you''re done installing the bomb. Be careful," said Zhang Xingxing with a nod before leaping into the tunnel.


    At that time, loud sounds were coming from the outer prison. The Wargods had finally broken through the wall they were attacking. Before long, the Wargod soldiers'' orderly footsteps could be heard. From the footsteps, there were probably around 300 of them. Sounds of random mechanical beasts could also be heard amid the orderly footsteps.


    After setting a high-energy bomb to detonate after 15 seconds, I jumped into the tunnel. And moments after I slid down the tunnel, the ferocious face of a mechanical beast appeared atop it.

 CH 345

    I could not afford to waste my time dealing with the mechanical beast. Thus, I turned around and leaped off the tunnel into the sewer. Behind me, a loud explosion erupted. The collapsed debris covered the entrance. Zhang Xingxing was waiting for me down inside. She was only relieved after seeing me in the sewer. We started running through the sewer.


    "I can''t even remember how many turns we have made so far," Zhang Bao''er suddenly said.


    "We have no choice. This is the only thing we can do to stay alive," said Old Du with a sigh.


    The sewer was dark and damp, and it seemed to be part of a massive drainage system. We continued moving through the sewer, and after a while, loud sounds of water finally appeared ahead of us.


    Not long after, we stood before a large exit. There, we found that the prison sewer was actually connected to Gero City''s drainage system. Ahead of us were the exits of tunnels connected to different parts of the city. The water flowing out of the exits was forming massive waterfalls. Below the waterfalls was a massive pond. The loud sounds we heard came from the waterfalls. Regretfully, the tunnel we were in was the only tunnel blocked with a metallic gate.


    "If we open this gate and enter a random tunnel, they will probably not be able to find us anymore," said Baron Sisse.


    Our issue was opening the gate in front of us. The gate had a genetic lock system, and it looked too sturdy to be blasted open. Lin Feixue crouched down and started studying the gate.


    "We need to be faster. The debris won''t be able to stop the Wargods for long," said Zhang Xingxing.


    "This gate is very sturdy. We can only blast it open if we use a nuclear warhead," said Lin Feixue.


    "What? Nuclear warhead? For a single gate in this narrow tunnel?" exclaimed Zhang Bao''er.


    "You can get a feel of this gate yourself," said Lin Feixue.


    Zhang Bao''er and I stepped forth and touched the gate. Sure enough, it felt completely different from anything we had touched before. The thick and heavy sensation it gave off seemed to be telling us that it could stand its ground against anything.


    "This gate''s material composition does not seem to be anything we have seen before. The material choice is very odd," said Zhang Bao''er.


    Temo, Lamo, and Somo also stepped forth to study the gate. After a while, Temo turned around.


    "How is it? What material is it that makes it so sturdy?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "I think they mixed some substance from a neutron star when making this gate. Therefore, it is very sturdy," said Temo.


    "Neutron star? How is that possible? A neutron star is extremely heavy. If this gate is made of the same stuff, it would basically pierce through the planet," said Kelly.


    "I''m not saying the door is made of pure neutron star. It merely has some substance from a neutron star mixed into it," said Temo.


    "Temo is right. I don''t know how the Wargods got this magical substance, but this gate is likely to have such a substance within it. After all, the neutron star is the hardest object in the universe. It is much, much harder than even steel. When used as a material for a door, the door will definitely be a sturdy one," said Somo.


    "This doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why didn''t they use the neutron star substance for the doors in the actual prison instead of a random gate in a sewer? That doesn''t make sense," said Domo.


    "There is a reason for everything. This gate might not be here to stop escaped prisoners," said Master Crystal.


    "Master, we''re all trapped here. If it''s not for escaped prisoners, what''s the purpose of this door?" asked Domo.


    "I believe this gate can help us stop the pursuers behind us," said Master Crystal. At that point, sounds of footsteps were starting to come from behind us. It was clear that the Wargods had cleared the collapsed entrance.


    We could no longer keep waiting around. However, our path forward was blocked by a gate made of the sturdiest material in the universe.


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    "Use explosives. This gate might be sturdy, but I doubt the walls around it are also as sturdy. Just blast the frame around it apart," suggested Old Du.


    With the enemies approaching, we had no other options. Zhang Xingxing accepted the suggestion. The group pulled back temporarily while Zhang Bao''er and I stepped forth to install some cluster bombs around the door, trying to see if we could blast through the walls.


    The frame of the gate was embedded into the walls, with the exposed parts holding the heavy door in place. The gate was akin to a delicate work of art, to the point I blanked out momentarily while looking at it from a close distance.


    "Canyue, install the bombs. We''re running out of time," Zhang Xingxing''s voice rang out.


    With that reminder, I got to work. Suddenly, I noticed a genetic scanner in the center of the gate. Master Crystal''s words resounded in my mind once again. There must be a reason for everything. The situation had been so tense that I had completely forgotten about the highest authority King Carter had given me. At that thought, I reached out with my forefinger and pressed down on the scanner. The sound of grinding gears rang out as the gate actually opened.


    "My god. Canyue, how did you do that?" asked Zhang Bao''er in astonishment.


    Zhang Bao''er wasn''t the only person who was shocked. The others were similarly shocked.


    "Canyue, did you really open this gate?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "Yes, but it''s a long story. Let''s focus on escaping first," I said.


    The footsteps behind us were already getting louder and louder. The enemy was quickly approaching us. We weren''t given any time to hesitate. We hurriedly ran through the door.


    Anxashe and I were the last ones to get through the gate. After we were through, Anxashe hurriedly turned around to shut the gate just as several mechanical hounds leaped out from the darkness behind us. Anxashe was fast enough to shut the gate right before the mechanical hounds could reach it.


    "Well done! This is the sturdiest gate there is! Come on, try getting over here, you fools!" shouted Zhang Bao''er smugly. He even ran to the gate to make the provocation, completely forgetting the danger he was in.


    "Open the gate!"


    "I can''t. We don''t have enough authority!"


    "Notify the superior to give us the authority."


    The Wargod soldiers started trying to open the gate.


    When Zhang Bao''er saw that, he became even more insufferable. Together with Domo, they started dancing in front of the Wargod soldiers to provoke them.


    Their actions weren''t harmful but definitely insulting. Suddenly, a loud hiss rang out. I saw an arrow fly through the gate straight toward Zhang Bao''er''s head. The sudden attack stunned all of us. During the critical moment, Anxashe raised his shield and blocked the arrow.


    The arrow pierced through the arrow, with the arrowhead only stopping right in front of Anxashe''s eyes. An arrow released with such a force would probably be enough to give even our morph-capable shields a hard time. Looking at the end of the arrow that was still shaking, Zhang Bao''er blanked out. Anyone who dared to disrespect a Wargod would be subjected to violent retribution.


    "Retreat. Stop blanking out," reminded Carter.


    With the reminder, Zhang Xingxing and I released our morph-capable shields to cover the rear while the team moved away. Only then did I notice that after going through the gate, we entered a tunnel system leading upward in several different directions. These alternative paths would be the greatest cover for our escape. With Anxashe at the front, we started climbing upward, trying to escape as quickly as possible.


    "We need to find Skyhawk. With Skyhawk, we will be able to leave Rumble," said Zhang Xingxing to Lin Feixue.


    "Commander, I have another task to accomplish," I said.


    "You have a different task? What is it?" asked Zhang Xingxing in astonishment.


    "I don''t have the time to give you a detailed explanation. I suggest that you guys continue looking for Skyhawk while I go meet the guardian of Gero City, the divine bird."


    "What? You want to meet the divine bird? That''s too dangerous. If you''re going, I need to go and watch your back!" Zhang Bao''er hurriedly said.


    "A task so difficult will require the protection of an entire squad," Old Du offered as well.


    "Why do you want to meet the divine bird at this time? Can it help us?" asked Zhang Xingxing.


    "There might be a different method to help Blue. I must give it a try," I said.


    "Sigh," Zhang Xingxing sighed heavily.


    Living in chaotic times plagued by war, separation was nothing unusual. We should be happy that we were still able to see each other after our separation. However, that was not the case for those left behind on Mars. I could understand the reason behind Zhang Xingxing''s heavy sigh.


    "You three brothers are always together, Anxashe knows this planet well, and Dodo can assist you with data analysis. The five of you can work together on this task. Everyone else, leave with me. We will try to reclaim Skyhawk. Three hours later, be sure to return to the ship regardless of whether you''ve met the divine bird or not," ordered Zhang Xingxing.

 CH 346

    Following Zhang Xingxing''s order, we split into two groups and moved on to our respective targets. We entered two different tunnels, and to prevent having our communication intercepted by the enemy, we utilized shortwave frequencies instead of our regular frequencies for our communication channel. The tunnel I entered led to several different exits. There was no doubt that the Wargods were searching the entire city for us. We could not rashly leave the tunnel.


    "Canyue, do you know the way to get to the divine bird? Why do you want to see it?" asked Zhang Bao''er curiously.


    "I don''t know how. I have no way of contacting it either. I will have to improvise after seeing it. Perhaps I only need to touch its body," I replied.


    "There''s a tunnel leading further upward here," said Dodo, who was walking ahead of the group.


    I ran over and saw a tube leading straight upward. On the sleek walls of the tunnel, a row of handles could be seen, leading straight to the top. With the handles, one would be able to climb up the tunnel. Oddly, the tunnel was incredibly tall, reaching a height of at least 300 meters.


    "This isn''t right. Our prison isn''t so deep underground," said Zhang Bao''er doubtfully.


    "This tunnel isn''t leading to the surface. It is some sort of tall chimney," said Anxashe.


    "A chimney? But why was it so oddly designed?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "I don''t know the function of this thing, but I''m sure that this tunnel does not lead to the surface. It is leading high into the air. I believe this is Gero City''s Dual Star Tower," said Anxashe.


    "Dual Star Tower? It reaches very high into the sky. This will be perfect for me. It can help us avoid the soldiers on the ground and take us to a high altitude. Let''s climb up this tunnel," I said in excitement.


    With the decision made, we started our climb. The tunnel was much taller than we had imagined, and the handles were rather small. A single moment of carelessness would be enough to cause a fall. After an unknown amount of time, my intuition was telling me that we were getting closer and closer to the divine bird. Something was telling me that it was in fact right above us.


    "This is way too coincidental. Is it really right above us? It feels like fate itself has arranged everything that has happened here, as though an invisible hand had been guiding me toward this tunnel," I muttered to myself.


    After about an hour of climbing, we finally reached the exit at the very top. The darkness we saw at the exit wasn''t because there was a black cover there. Rather, I was looking at the dark sky above the exit. Occasionally, some stars could be seen through the clouds floating above.


    "Wait here. I''ll take a look," I said.


    I climbed up and slowly looked out. I saw the upper part of a massive construct. The ground was very far away, and ahead of me was another chimney. I was still confused as to the purpose of this building. Suddenly, I noticed over 100 mechanical birds scouting around at a lower altitude. Abruptly, a massive silhouette flew by beside me. I looked up and saw that the massive divine bird was hovering higher in the air.


    "The exit is safe. The divine bird is right above me. I need to think of a way to get in contact with it," I said to the others.


    "There is more space at the exit. We''ll come help you," said Old Du.


    "Our safety ropes here can probably hold four people at the exit," I said after looking around.


    "We''ll go. Dodo can stay behind," said Zhang Bao''er before climbing up. The others joined him. We then used our safety ropes to fasten ourselves onto the walls near the exit.


    "That fellow is right above us. How do we contact it?" said Zhang Bao''er as he whistled at the divine bird.


    "Stop that! What are you doing? Do you want to expose yourself?" scolded Old Du.


    "What are you scared of? We''re so far from the ground. They won''t hear us," said Zhang Bao''er with disdain.


    "Superior, are you going up alone or do you want all of us to go with you?" asked Anxashe.


    "I alone will be enough," I replied.


    "Canyue, you can use your thrusters to reach the bird. It''s not that far away from us. The thrusters have enough energy for you to take back-to-back trips to the bird," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "No, we can''t use our thrusters rashly. The fire will only attract the other mechanical birds," said Old Du.


    "What else can we do, then? The divine bird is up in the sky. It''s not like we can fly," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Can I help you communicate with the divine bird instead?" asked Anxashe.


    "You?" I asked doubtfully.


    "Yes. I plan to tie a rope to an arrow and use the arrow to attach the rope to the divine bird. However, strong arms will be needed to climb the rope and reach the divine bird," said Anxashe.


    I did not say anything. Instead, I reached out with my left forefinger and showed him the purple fingerprint.


    "Highest authority! You actually have the highest authority? This is proof of King Carter''s throne inheritance!" exclaimed Anxashe in shock.


    "What? Throne inheritance? What throne?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "This purple print is the fingerprint of the ancient King Nichnawa. It utilizes a genetic transference method to be passed on from generation to generation. Only the successor of the throne will possess this fingerprint. This print will only leave the holder upon death or voluntary transfer. Because of that, it is also an embodiment of loyalty for the Wargod race," explained Anxashe.


    "I don''t know about loyalty and all that. Are you telling me that King Carter passed the throne to Canyue?" asked Zhang Bao''er in disbelief.


    "Yes. The old man who was carried out of the prison was King Carter. Prior to his death, he passed me the highest authority," I replied.


    "Why is it always you, Canyue? Why didn''t King Carter pick me? If he picked me, I would definitely find myself a Wargod wife and stay here to manage his people for him. That isn''t something you can do, Canyue," said Zhang Bao''er, who was unhappy for some reason.


    "Since the king has given you the highest authority, you definitely have the ability to communicate with the divine bird. Let me help get you up there," said Anxashe.


    He took out a thick rope and bound it around my body. He had me hold onto the rope with one hand, and then he tied the other end of the rope to an arrow. I understood his plan. He intended to launch an arrow into the sky and bound the rope around the divine bird. Then, I would be able to reach the divine bird with the rope.


    "Anxashe, are you sure the divine bird won''t cut the rope?" asked Zhang Bao''er.


    "This rope is made of unique materials. It can''t be cut so easily. However, try to appear as harmless as possible when facing the divine bird. Otherwise, nobody knows what the divine bird will do," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "In that case, you can''t guarantee success with this plan either," said Zhang Bao''er. He was still worried about me.


    At that point, we were less than 100 minutes from Zhang Xingxing''s appointed time. I did not have the time to continue hesitating.


    "Find a chance and do it. Be accurate," I said to Anxashe.


    With the order, Anxashe took aim and drew his bow, creating the shape of a full moon with the strength of his arms. Silently, he waited for the divine bird to approach. A few minutes later, the massive silhouette of the divine bird started approaching us, its body reflecting the starlight coming from the sky. When it finally arrived at the most optimal position for our plan, Anxashe released his arrow.


    The arrow shot up like a bolt of lightning and rapidly reached the claw of the divine bird. At that moment, Anxashe''s incredible archery was displayed as the arrow shot through the gap between the bird''s talons. As the arrow continued upward, the rope struck the gap between the talons, altering the trajectory of the arrow, causing it to spin around the claw. The divine bird seemed to have sensed the disturbance. It flapped its wings twice and soared even higher into the sky.


    "This is your chance. Good luck." Anxashe had barely finished his words when a powerful force yanked me out of the chimney into the air.


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    "Canyue, that fellow is very fast. Be careful," shouted Zhang Bao''er from below me.


    The wind hissed loudly beside my ears as I was dragged into the sky. I had to use all my strength to climb up the rope before I could touch the divine bird with the fingerprint. Only then would I be able to form a connection with the divine bird. At that thought, I braced the wind and utilized all four of my limbs to start slowly climbing up.

 CH 347

    The divine bird must have sensed my approach; with a loud shriek, it flew even faster into the sky. The wind continued hissing loudly beside my ears as I grabbed onto the rope tightly to avoid being thrown off by the wind. Inwardly, I was feeling doubtful. I had personally witnessed the divine bird''s prowess. For some reason, it wasn''t attacking me. It was probably aware of my purpose.


    I was brought farther and farther away from Gero City. That was probably the very first time the divine bird had left the city under its protection in hundreds of years. The other mechanical birds must have discovered its departure as well, but the divine bird was at a height too high for the ordinary mechanical birds to reach.


    Shortly after, the divine bird reached an altitude high enough that outer space was closer to us than the planet''s surface. This was a height the ordinary mechanical birds couldn''t reach, and it was also far enough that my shortwave communication channel had lost connection with Zhang Bao''er and the others. At that point, the divine bird stopped rising. Instead, it flapped its wings and remained at the same altitude while gazing at me with its sharp eyes.


    ''This is my chance,'' I told myself.


    At that thought, I continued my climb, trying my best to reach the divine bird. The divine bird continued gazing at me silently. A few minutes later, I finally reached its claw. I reached out and touched its claw with my finger without any hesitation. The moment my finger made contact, I felt the fingerprint going to work.


    The divine bird abruptly opened its eyes wide, releasing a yellow beam from its eyes. The beam pierced through the darkness and struck a cloud, and on the cloud, a scene started playing. In the scene, a massive bird''s nest could be seen. Within the nest, a small mechanical bird could be seen jumping around, looking extremely adorable.


    "What is this? Don''t tell me this mechanical bird was not manufactured and had rather grown up from a small chick?" I muttered in astonishment.


    In the scene, the bird grew rapidly. Before long, it grew big enough to spread its wings and leave its nest. I had not expected a metallic body to grow up like an organic life form. This was truly shocking to see. After a while, the bird reached half the divine bird''s current size. It was flying above a towering mountain, seemingly looking for its prey.


    I could only see a tall and steep mountain peak. I couldn''t understand what the divine bird was trying to show me. After circling the mountain peak, the divine bird suddenly dove down. The perspective in the scene followed the divine bird, showing a mechanical bird of moderate size leisurely strolling on the ground. The divine bird dove down like a bolt of lightning before quickly grabbing and breaking the neck of the mechanical beast.


    Having caught its prey, the divine bird looked extremely excited. After shrieking in joy, it prepared to fly away with its prey. Alas, the mechanical beast was too heavy to be lifted into the air. The divine bird kept trying, but it failed to lift the mechanical beast. After a while, it gave up and lowered its head to eat its prey then and there.


    That greatly exceeded my expectations. I had not expected that a mechanical bird would need to also eat. I had also not expected that it would feed on a different mechanical animal. I saw the divine bird tear the body of the mechanical beast and swallow the torn chunks down its throat.


    The divine bird ate hastily, as though it was worried that something would come out to snatch its food. I was rather astonished. What would a beast so powerful be afraid of? And surprisingly, a massive black silhouette abruptly appeared behind the divine bird and attacked.


    The divine bird was busy eating, so it was caught by complete surprise. It was thrown onto the ground, allowing me to see that the attacker was no smaller than the divine bird. It opened its mechanical mouth wide and bit down on the divine bird''s body.


    The attacker was yet another mechanical beast that was actually larger than the divine bird. If my guess was right, the bigger beast was probably the parent of the dead mechanical beast.


    Angered by the death of its child, the mechanical beast attacked madly, biting the divine bird''s wing before swinging it around. The divine bird tried pecking the beast with its beak, but the beast was able to deftly stay behind the divine bird, rendering the bird helpless.


    Then, the mechanical beast applied more force with its bite and tore the divine bird''s right wing off. After losing one wing, the divine bird could no longer maintain its balance. It collapsed onto the ground.


    The mechanical beast was eager for revenge. Although the divine bird was already on the ground, it continued attacking mercilessly, tearing a big hole in the divine bird''s belly. Even as a spectator, I could feel how painful the attack had been.


    The divine bird appeared badly injured. Careless feeding had brought it into such a dangerous situation. Although it was still trying to fight back with its claws, its injuries had weakened it considerably. Thus, the mechanical beast was able to easily bite the divine bird more.


    ''What a vicious fight. How did the divine bird survive something like this?'' I wondered inwardly.


    The beast''s attacks grew fiercer and fiercer while the divine bird''s struggle grew weaker and weaker. Slowly, it stopped moving, allowing the beast to freely attack. The light in its eyes was gradually dimming.


    Suddenly, a long spear shot out of the ground and stabbed into the beast''s body. Then, a sharp arrow shot into the beast''s eye. That was a fatal attack. In its pain, the beast released the divine bird and turned around to look at its attacker. A tall and sturdy Wargod could be seen walking out of the bush, holding a massive axe. The warrior was clad in a gorgeous outfit, and for some reason, it looked familiar.


    "King Nichnawa! This is the first king of Kenante!" I recalled the statue I saw before.


    King Nichnawa swung his axe, attacking the mechanical beast. The mechanical beast might be injured, but it was still able to fight ferociously with its fury. After a slight adjustment of its posture, it pounced on King Nichnawa.


    King Nichnawa had clearly come prepared. He calmly raised his axe with both hands and swung the axe after seeing the trajectory of the beast''s attack. In the blink of an eye, the axe struck the middle of the beast''s head.


    That was an attacking method that completely gave up on defense, an action that required great courage. It was also exceptionally effective. The mechanical beast instantly lost its balance and was sent flying to the side. After several rolls on the ground, the mechanical beast slowly stood up. A deep wound could be seen on its head. The axe attack was evidently very effective.


    While the beast was rolling on the ground, the spear and arrow in its body had been pushed deeper into it. Such injuries were too heavy for the beast, so it could only shoot King Nichnawa and the divine bird a hateful glance before escaping into the forest.


    The entire battle had shaken me to my core. That was not a combat prowess that mere mortals should possess. After the mechanical beast left, King Nichnawa ran over to check on the divine bird.


    The divine bird only had one wing left. Countless wounds were left on its belly by the mechanical beast, and some black liquid was flowing out of its wounds. Its eyes were dim, looking like it was on the verge of death.


    King Nichnawa approached the divine bird''s head and started studying it. Shortly after, he took out a large bottle and poured some green liquid onto the divine bird''s wounds. The moment the green liquid came in contact with the wounds, they solidified and immediately stopped bleeding.


    "Looks like the green liquid is capable of stopping the divine bird''s bleeding," I guessed.


    King Nichnawa continued inspecting the divine bird''s injuries. The bleeding had stopped, but parts of its body had been torn apart, and it was dying. It did not seem capable of naturally healing from such injuries.


    Seeing the state of the divine bird, King Nichnawa started working on an object in his hands. Before long, dozens of small mechanical birds appeared in front of the divine bird. With an order from King Nichnawa, the mechanical birds leaped forward. Some used their beaks, and some used their claws. Together, they lifted the divine bird.


    They carried the divine bird into the sky while a mechanical beast rushed over and stopped beside King Nichnawa. Mounted on the beast, King Nichnawa followed the small mechanical beasts carrying the divine bird.


    At that point, the scene changed. The divine bird was lying on flat ground. It seemed to have arrived at Gero City. At that time, Gero City was still a small village. Farther in the distance, two familiar chimneys could be seen. However, the two chimneys were not as tall as the one I had crawled out of earlier.


    King Nichnawa was standing in the square, supervising the restoration of the divine bird. A new wing could be seen on the divine bird. A Wargod dressed like a priest was leading a group of Wargods as they filled the wing with some sort of energy source.


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    The divine bird looked like it was gleaming because it was filled with energy. At the same time, a different group of Wargods was patiently repairing the many bite wounds on the divine bird''s body.


    Time passed and before long, a fully restored divine bird appeared in the scene. All the wounds on its body had healed. It was still unconscious, but apart from that, it looked brand new. In fact, it actually looked stronger than before.


    It was finally time to awaken the divine bird. King Nichnawa personally stepped forth and placed his left forefinger on the divine bird''s forehead. Then, he cut a wound on his palm and sprinkled his blood on the divine bird''s head. At that moment, the divine bird opened its eyes.

 CH 348

    The divine bird looked incredibly murderous with its eyes open. It was clearly stronger than before, and gold light was coming from both its eyes. King Nichnawa stepped forth while chanting. Before long, the chant helped the divine bird stand up. It spread its wings, flapped a few times, and took off into the sky. It started flying above Gero City.


    "The divine bird was saved by King Nichnawa from death and was even upgraded. To thank the king, the divine bird became Gero City''s guardian," I concluded.


    Right at that moment, the scene stopped. The divine bird shrieked loudly and dove down with me in tow. It only took the divine bird a short while to reach an altitude of one kilometer above the surface. There, it started flying straight ahead.


    "Canyue, can you hear me? We can see you from down here," Zhang Bao''er was calling out to me.


    "Yes, I can hear you. Are you still at the chimney? I don''t know where the divine bird is taking me," I said. I felt very happy to hear Zhang Bao''er''s voice once again.


    "We''re safe here. When we lost contact with you, I almost turned on the regular frequencies," said Zhang Bao''er.


    "Be patient. Don''t disobey the commander''s order. If I encounter any trouble, I will send you an emergency signal. It won''t be too late to turn on the regular frequencies then," I said.


    The divine bird continued flying, and gradually, my call with Zhang Bao''er became unclear before fully cutting off. I tightly held onto the divine bird''s claw, afraid that I would fall down if I was careless.


    The terrain below kept changing rapidly. Although I was a kilometer in the sky, I could still hear the planet''s loud rumbles. After I spent about an hour flying and crossing numerous different landscapes, a familiar mountain peak appeared ahead of me.


    I did not stay shocked for long. The mountain peak ahead of me was none other than the mountain peak I saw in the scene shown by the divine bird, the place where it was nearly killed.


    "Why did the divine bird bring me here?" I asked doubtfully.


    The mountain peak was still as steep as ever. The divine bird dove down from the sky. Before long, we landed on a relatively flat meadow in a valley. All around the meadow were towering trees, and sounds of numerous different animals could be heard in the background. Suddenly, I felt a massive strength lift me up. When I turned around, I saw that it was the divine bird lifting me with its beak. It placed me on the ground.


    "I have King Carter''s highest authority. Why are you leaving me here?" I questioned.


    However, the divine bird ignored me and soared into the sky, vanishing into the darkness. That left me completely confused, not understanding why the divine bird had left me there. The numerous sounds coming from the darkness around me made me uneasy. At that point, I only had an hour left until Zhang Xingxing''s appointed withdrawal time.


    I gripped my gun instinctively and placed my back on a boulder. With my laser probe, I started scanning my surroundings. Oddly, this valley seemed to have a natural concealment effect. My laser scans could not reach more than three meters away. Any electromagnetic wave I released would be absorbed by the valley itself, and even my naked eyes were more reliable than my laser probe. Thus, I unhesitatingly stopped scanning.


    Numerous movements could be heard from the bush around me. At that time, I recalled the massive mechanical beast I saw in the scene shown by the divine bird. This valley was probably the beast''s home. I couldn''t understand the reason for the divine bird to leave a new king here. At that time, a meteor could be seen streaking across the sky. The meteor looked rather large, leaving a long tail behind it as it moved.


    Suddenly, I understood why the divine bird had brought me here. King Carter had handed me the highest authority and the throne. If I was to take the throne, I had to prove my strength in the valley. At that thought, I calmed down. Since ancient times, those who wanted to become a king would have to undergo difficult trials. This was perfectly normal.


    Since there was a reason for me to be here, I stopped worrying. Rather, I placed all my focus on my surroundings. All around me, the movements of other creatures could be heard. I knew that I had been discovered.


    "I wonder if the mechanical beast is still alive. If the divine bird can live this long, that mechanical beast might be able to live this long as well," I mused.


    Suddenly, a bright flash appeared in the darkness before vanishing. An odd sound came from the bush ahead of me. I understood that the mechanical creatures were going to make their move soon. Immediately, a loud howl sounded. A dark silhouette leaped out of the bush and jumped straight at me.


    ''This fellow sure doesn''t hesitate when attacking,'' I thought as I turned on my morph-capable shield and rolled on the ground, avoiding the attack.


    Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.


    Having missed its attack, the mechanical beast slowly turned around before roaring at me. The mechanical beast in front of me was fully black. It looked like a delicate machine, and from its size, it was probably still a young beast. In that case, the mother was probably hiding in the darkness, observing me. I reminded myself to be extremely careful.


    The young mechanical beast continued roaring while staring at me with its yellow eyes. It moved its limbs in preparation for another attack. I was worried about Zhang Xingxing and Blue, and I knew I couldn''t afford to waste too much time here. Thus, I turned on my gun''s taser mode and attacked the young beast before it could leap at me again.


    The powerful blast shot toward the young beast. Displaying an impressive reaction speed, the beast jumped to the right and avoided the shot. However, the powerful electric blast struck the bush behind the young beast, shocking the numerous small creatures inside and causing them to jump. This created huge chaos in the area.


    The young beast was much faster than I had expected. During the momentary pause after I fired my shot, it pounced on me again. I instinctively moved to the side, but a rock was on the ground, and it tripped me.


    ''Now it''s getting troublesome,'' I thought.


    Although my suit had prevented me from completely falling, I was still forced to raise my hand to protect myself before fully recovering balance. The dark silhouette landed on me like a collapsing mountain. Fortunately, my morph-capable shield had diverted most of the impact. However, the beast managed to slap my gun away, sending it flying from my hand.


    I borrowed the impact to roll on the ground, moving away from the beast. A smile actually formed on the mechanical beast''s face upon seeing how sorry I looked, and that I had even lost my weapon.


    I was doubting my eyes. The impact must have caused me to see things. How could a mechanical beast smile? That was something I couldn''t believe was happening. The young beast grew more confident and started roaring while strutting toward me aggressively. It clearly believed that I was no longer a threat.


    One would always pay for underestimating one''s enemy. I stealthily reached for the laser pistol, strapped to my thigh and waited for the young beast to approach me. Slowly, the young beast walked up to me. Oddly, it was not attacking anymore. Rather, its eyes turned curious as it walked past me. Something else had attracted its attention.


    I turned around and saw that during my evasive movement earlier, my backpack had opened and Bulu had rolled out of it. The little fellow was glowing in red, attracting the young mechanical beast''s attention.


    That was the perfect opportunity for me to attack. I was about to draw my pistol and shoot the young beast, but at that moment, a different thought appeared in my mind. I released my grip on my pistol and snapped my fingers at Bulu before whistling at it.


    That was an extremely important gesture with my life on the line. I hoped that Bulu could work with me and behave in a manner that showcased how close we were. The young beast immediately growled after hearing my snap.


    It changed its stance into an attacking stance, preparing to pounce on me again. Instantly, a miracle appeared. While still shining brightly, Bulu bounced toward me. When the young beast saw that, it hurriedly retreated in alarm.


    ''Well done, Bulu. A creature as smart as the mechanical beast is definitely capable of sensing that you''re a superior life form. That was what I gambled on,'' I started praising Bulu inwardly.