The Swarm Arrives

After listening to Anlakir's "optimized" plan, which treated humans as nothing more than expendable resources, Chen Xi showed no surprise. There was only a trace of cold mockery on his face.

He stepped forward again, his gaze as sharp as a blade as it pierced Anlakir's ghostly green optical sensors.

"Enough, Traveler." Chen Xi's voice was not loud, yet it carried an unyielding force, ringing clearly through the communications channel. "If this is the extent of your 'sincerity,' then this conversation can end here.

"You are still viewing the galaxy through the outdated mindset of ten thousand years ago, treating humanity as ants and stepping stones to be sacrificed at will."

He mercilessly cut off any possible defense, his tone growing harsher. "But the reality is that we do not need to beg for your 'gift.' It is your Mephrit Dynasty—your metal undead, who have only just struggled awake from a long slumber—who are begging humanity for a chance to survive."

Chen Xi spread his hand and pointed toward the invisible stars. "The Imperium of Man spans a million worlds. It is a colossal entity beyond your imagination. Yes, we cannot gather the Empire's full strength here within a short time, but even the forces we can currently assemble are enough to deal with this tentacle of Leviathan!

"At worst, we will pay a more terrible price and turn the Baal System and its surrounding regions into scorched earth. We can afford that price. The Imperium has endured losses far worse than this, yet humanity still stands!"

His voice carried an almost cruel calm as his gaze swept over Anlakir and the Immortals behind him. "Even more so, if we wished, we could turn the Stygian System into a massive graveyard to bury the swarm and... anyone else in our