"Th-Third Prince, are you... are you all right?" Ya Erman was completely baffled by his reaction and had no idea why he was responding so strongly. He cautiously spoke up.
Hua Zhen took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. After calming himself, he looked at Ya Erman with markedly different eyes. "Go on!"
Ya Erman could not help but glance at him twice more before nodding. "Although we landed safely on that planet, we did not lower our guard. In this day and age, only certain advanced civilizations had the capability to construct massive wormhole bridges, so my first thought was that we had stumbled into the territory of some advanced civilization. Going deeper rashly was clearly unwise, so I sent out a squad..."
"They were the ones who discovered that Ancient Civilization Ruins?" Hua Zhen interrupted.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Ya Erman swallowed, a clear trace of lingering fear flashing through his eyes. "Not long after that squad left, they triggered the Mecha Guardians of the ruins...
Those mechas were not only individually powerful, but also astonishingly numerous. Our fleet simply could not withstand them. We did not dare flee the planet either, because beyond the wormhole bridge was the Solar Wind.
Left with no choice, we could only resist while fleeing across the planet. There were simply too many Mecha Guardians. Just when we were falling into despair, they suddenly stopped pursuing us and all returned. We later learned that they stopped because we had escaped beyond the defensive perimeter of those ruins!"
Hua Zhen's brows creased almost imperceptibly. "And then? How did you obtain Super Gene research technology there?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, we found it in a ruined ancient city. There were no Mecha Guardians there... After the Solar Storm ended, I returned to Felinton with those advanced technologies. I had originally planned to inform Acting Director Ai Wen, but..."
Something strange flickered across Ya Erman's face. "But Ke Li was harboring wild ambitions. After learning of this, he gathered the leaders of the Five Great State Districts and intended to conceal the matter of the ancient civilization from the Angel King. They decided to research Super Genes themselves, break through the shackles limiting Aerospace Technology, enter the Gene Era in one stroke, and free themselves from the Angel Civilization's oppression of thousands of years...
He sent people to explore those ruins several times and discovered many advanced technologies. I tried my utmost to persuade them..."
"Heh, don't be so quick to shift the blame. You agreed too, didn't you?" Hua Zhen said with a cold sneer.
"N-No, Your Highness..." Ya Erman hurriedly waved his hands. "I opposed it, but my words carried little weight..."
"No need to explain!" Hua Zhen cut him off. "You and I both know what really happened, don't we?"
"I..." Ya Erman looked at Hua Zhen, unable to stop himself from clenching his fists. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Your Highness, I have another matter to report!"
"I'm listening~"
"Do you remember the Micro Wormhole Transportation technology you proposed during the Angel King's Millennial Birthday Celebration eight years ago? Ke Li's experimental team has already succeeded in researching it. His son, Ao Ge, is one of its beneficiaries!"
Hua Zhen's expression grew grave. Micro Wormhole Transportation had always been a lifesaving technique he wanted to master, but Tiangong Technology was unfortunately too backward. Xuan Ji and he had researched it for a long time without making a breakthrough.
He was not surprised that Ke Li's son had mastered it. That ancient civilization had even created Wormhole Concealment. Compared to that, wasn't Micro Wormhole Transportation child's play?
Felinton truly was fortunate. The Angel Civilization had spent enormous amounts of time and resources researching Micro Wormhole Transportation, and many Angel Warriors had died for it. In wormhole research, the angels had already been left far behind by Felinton.
Micro Wormhole Transportation... Compared with those Ancient Civilization Ruins, it doesn't seem nearly as enticing to me anymore...
"From what you said earlier, you've gone back to that planet several times, haven't you?" Hua Zhen asked casually, propping his chin with one hand as though he were asking about something trivial.
Ya Erman lowered his head even further. Though he did not answer, his reaction said everything.
"Your Highness, I know that concealing such a major matter from the angels is a grave crime, so I do not dare ask for anything. I only hope that, for the sake of my telling you all this, you will spare Felinton's ordinary people. They are innocent!" Ya Erman did not dare look at Hua Zhen. Kneeling on the ground, he pleaded loudly.
He sounded so righteous that Hua Zhen had nearly believed him. Though he had not known this man for long, he had already seen through Ya Erman's character. If internal conflict in Felinton had not led to an uneven division of spoils, why would he only think to report the Ancient Civilization Ruins discovered two years ago now?
But what does Felinton harboring ill intentions and wanting to resist the Angel Civilization have to do with me?
With that thought, Hua Zhen leaned forward, stared directly into the other's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Ya Erman, don't you think there's a loophole in what you've said?"
"Uh... wh-what?" Uncomfortable under his gaze, Ya Erman leaned back.
"There was Wormhole Concealment around the planet containing the Ancient Ruins... the super-large wormhole bridge you mentioned. It could block the Dark Energy Detection Device aboard your flagship. So the question is, how did you find it again?"
Hua Zhen paused, baring his teeth in a grin. "Don't tell me that Felinton's Cosmic Class technology allowed you to bypass Wormhole Concealment and mark that planet!"
"I..."
At the same time, in the top-floor conference room of Pattheid.
"Are you really going to stand by and watch the foundation our ancestors worked so hard to build be destroyed just like that?"
Ke Li's stern shout jolted the four leaders.
"But... if we do this, Felinton will have no room to turn back. A lot of people will die!" Dai Wei's lips trembled as he stared into Ke Li's eyes, his voice carrying a trace of pleading.
"Yes, innocent people will be dragged into this because of the greed of us few... But since things have already come to this, the only thing I can do is minimize the casualties..." Ke Li paused. "Gentlemen, we don't have much time left!"
The conference room fell deathly silent. Greed came with risks; they had considered that long ago. But considering it and having it truly happen were entirely different matters. No one dared make a hasty decision now, because it would inevitably bring a bloody storm to Felinton.
"I represent the Northern Federal District in agreement. For Felinton!" Ya Erman declared gravely.
?!!
Everyone turned to look at him in unison, their expressions filled with both disbelief and expectation. They could not believe that he had agreed to Ke Li's mad proposal, yet they had expected it as well. In their eyes, Ya Erman was exactly that kind of decisive man.
Huo Er let out a helpless sigh, but his expression quickly turned firm. "I represent the Southern Federal District in agreement... for Felinton's billions of citizens!"
"You..." Dai Wei stared wide-eyed, cursed inwardly, then gritted his teeth. "The Western Federal District fully supports Governor Ke Li. For my consortium!"
"As the leader of the Central Federation, I, Ke Li, agree to this proposal. So Felinton will no longer have to remain humble!"
?!
"Ke Li, you brat, what kind of trick are you playing?" Old Huo Er asked with a frown.
It was not just him. The others were equally baffled by Ke Li's actions. This was a resolution you proposed yourself, so what was the point of stating your position?
"It is true that I am Felinton's ruler, but I am only an ordinary man..." Ke Li said, pointing at his son. "Ao Ge is different. His leadership ability is no worse than any of yours, and his strength exceeds our imagination. Therefore, the only one who can lead us out of our current predicament is him, now that he has become a Super Warrior. Felinton is a whole. It needs a true leader!"
Ao Ge said nothing. After all, he had already agreed to his father's request earlier.
"..."
"..."
Though they did not want to admit it, that was indeed the truth. Things were different now, and everyone tacitly accepted Ke Li's words before turning their eyes toward Bang Ni.
Aside from Ao Ge, who had not made a statement, she was the only one left in the entire conference room. Bang Ni was normally no less decisive than Ya Erman when it came to major matters, but now her delicate brows were tightly furrowed as though she were deep in thought.
"Bang Ni!" Dai Wei growled in a deep voice, his eyes flashing coldly. "You're hesitating? Don't tell me you're the rat, you bitch?"
"Watch your mouth. Calling this person a rat and that person a rat—since the beginning, you've been the loudest one here. Leader Dai Wei... could it be that you're deliberately creating chaos, trying to divert attention while playing thief and crying thief?"
Before Bang Ni could say anything, Ao Ge spoke first. He looked at Dai Wei, his voice so cold it seemed capable of freezing into ice.
Under his gaze, Dai Wei felt his breathing grow labored. He opened his mouth to retort, but lacked the courage.
"I represent the Eastern Federal District in agreement. For Felinton!" Just as he was about to buckle under Ao Ge's oppressive aura, Bang Ni, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke.
Ao Ge withdrew his gaze from Dai Wei and quickly assumed the role of leader. He tapped the table to draw everyone's attention and said in a deep voice, "Very good! Setting aside the hidden traitor for now, I am pleased that all of you leaders can stand united. There are only twenty-eight angels stationed there, but their combat strength must not be underestimated!"
"War is fought by exploiting the time difference. Before the Angel Civilization's reserve forces can react, we must take them down. While you deal with Hua Zhen, gather the troops as quickly as possible. We launch a surprise attack in three days!"
Before you continue