The Star Sea Trembled!

Topaz's small aircraft, like a startled bird, with a piercing whistle, finally broke through the pervasive smoke and landed on a ravaged snowfield battlefield.

She didn't even wait for the aircraft to come to a complete stop before she impatiently pushed open the hatch and jumped out, staggering.

The sight before her made her heart almost stop beating.

The snow was stained red, the armor wreckage was broken, and there was a figure kneeling on the ground with a bright red stain on his chest.

"Aventurine!"

Topaz gasped in surprise.

Suppressing his shock, he rushed forward.

She examined the Aventurine's injuries.

As a company executive, Topaz received basic field medical training.

Although the wound was not wide, it was extremely deep, precisely cutting into the chest cavity, causing severe damage and shrinkage of one lung, making breathing extremely difficult and painful.

Aventurine's face was ashen, his forehead covered in cold sweat. When he saw Topaz, a complex look flashed in his eyes. He seemed to want to say something, but could only utter a hoarse sound.

Topaz didn't dare to delay and immediately called on the medical robots on the aircraft to work together to lift the Aventurine into the aircraft's emergency medical cabin.

The automated medical equipment was activated, initiating initial hemostasis and life support.

After doing all this, Topaz took a deep breath and turned around.

Her gloves and the front of her coat were inevitably stained with Aventurine and blood, but she had no time to care.

She walked toward the Lin Hai, which stood still like the master of the snowfield, each step feeling exceptionally heavy.

Topaz stood before Lin Hai, looking up at the man who had created his nightmare.

She tried to keep her voice steady, even though her fingertips were still trembling slightly.

"Mr. Lin... the company... really needs to seriously consider its future strategy."

She paused, then stated clearly, "Personally, I prefer... to coexist peacefully with you and with Belobog."

Lin Hai's gaze fell on her, a gaze that seemed to weigh a ton.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud:

"Very well! Then, remember my requirements... From this moment on, the spherical airspace with a radius of one light-year centered on Jarilo-VI will be within Belobog's sphere of influence..."

"... No armed forces or large vessels may enter this area without prior notification and permission."

One light year!

Topaz's heart clenched.

This range far exceeds the defense needs of a typical planet; it practically declares that a vast star field belongs to it!

These conditions are extremely demanding, and they will inevitably cause a huge uproar within the company.

Topaz swallowed hard, feeling immense pressure, but still responded cautiously.

"I... understand your request. I will relay your message back to the company in its entirety and do my utmost to... make this happen."

Upon hearing this, Lin Hai merely glanced at her indifferently, his gaze seemingly saying that it was unimportant.

"It's okay if you can't get it... In the end, it's all about ability."

These words struck Topaz like a heavy hammer blow.

She realized once again that the man before her had transcended conventional negotiation logic.

Lin Hai's conditions were not a plea for agreement, but rather a declaration of the rules.

Comply, or face the consequences.

The oppressive feeling almost suffocated her.

She noticed that Lin Hai did not completely eliminate the powerless Aventurine, nor did he completely eliminate her, who later became the company representative.

This may be a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, or it may be a deeper manifestation of absolute confidence in one's own strength.

Topaz understood.

Time is no longer on the company's side.

With each passing second, Lin Hai's strength is likely increasing at an unimaginable rate.

This light-year-old protected area is just the beginning!

Lin Hai's claim to establish the Starsea Empire is no exaggeration!

This designated starry sky will become the breeding ground and foundation for his unbridled development.

Topaz practically fled back into the sealed cabin of the small aircraft.

The moment the hatch closed, the suffocating sense of oppression seemed to be alleviated somewhat.

But her racing heartbeat remained uncontrolled.

She hurried toward the medical pod, where Aventurine was lying in life support equipment, his face as pale as paper, his chest wrapped in thick bandages to stop the bleeding, and his breathing, though weak, was steady.

The emergency treatment has taken effect, and he is out of danger.

With difficulty, Aventurine opened his eyes, saw Topaz, and asked in a hoarse, weak voice:

"He... Lin Hai... let us go?"

A lingering sense of relief, as if he had just survived a calamity, remained in his eyes.

Topaz didn't answer immediately. She quickly sat back in the pilot's seat, her hands trembling slightly, but she started the aircraft engine with unusual speed.

The aircraft emitted a low hum, lifted off the ground, and accelerated to the horizon at maximum speed, trying to escape this nightmarish snowfield as quickly as possible.

Until the spacecraft completely broke free from the gravitational pull of the Jarilo-VI and entered the dark and silent space.

Only distant starlight remained outside the porthole.

Topaz's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Perhaps... this counts as letting us off the hook."

Only then did she answer the question about Aventurine.

There was a hint of exhaustion and lingering fear in his voice.

Aventurine closed his eyes, seemingly processing this fact.

He then asked, "What conditions did he... propose?"

"He demarcated a spherical airspace with a radius of one light-year centered on Belobog, claiming it as Belobog's sphere of influence. He demanded that any external armed forces entering must notify and obtain permission in advance."

"A light year?!"

Even though Aventurine was weak, the astonishing conditions spurred it to raise its voice.

This triggered a violent coughing fit, and he said intermittently:

"The company... the company could never agree to this... it would be tantamount to ceding sovereignty... the company's interests..."

"I know," Topaz interrupted him, "But right now, perhaps our best course of action is to get back safely and report everything that happened here truthfully."

When the mission was mentioned, Aventurine's eyes dimmed.

"I... failed to complete the order."

Not only did the mission fail, but the warship was also destroyed.

He himself was seriously injured.

This was an unprecedented defeat in his career.

Immediately, Aventurine recalled his secret communication with the Xianzhou Luofu Fu Xuan before the battle.

Throughout the entire battle, until the final withdrawal.

Fu Xuan and his Xianzhou warships never showed themselves.

Aventurine wasn't a fool; he understood immediately.

Fu Xuan must have observed the entire process from the shadows and assessed the strength Lin Hai displayed, ultimately choosing to remain on the sidelines.

This is a betrayal based on a cold-blooded calculation of interests.

Aventurine felt a chill run down his spine and felt a surge of anger, but he knew all too well that anger was meaningless in the face of such an absolute disparity in strength.

Just then, the encrypted communication channel inside the aircraft emitted an urgent warning tone.

Topaz answered immediately, and the screen showed the blurry but serious figures of senior executives from the Interastral Peace Corporation headquarters.

[Topaz, Aventurine, how are things going with you?]

Topaz took a deep breath and answered as calmly as possible:

"Report: Most personnel were killed or wounded. The Aventurine... is not in immediate danger and is en route back."

[Return to headquarters immediately.]

[Especially for Aventurine, you need to compile the most detailed assessment report possible, documenting your entire experience of contact with the target and the entire operation, particularly all details regarding the target's combat capabilities.]

We need to know what kind of being we are facing.

Despite the excruciating pain in his chest, Aventurine responded into the communicator.

"Yes! The report will be completed!"

Communication was cut off, and silence returned to the aircraft.

Only the hum of the engine and the heavy breathing of the Aventurine could be heard.

The two exchanged a glance and both saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.