A Bolt from the Blue!

"Eh, all right—huh? Huh?" Bruis had yet to react. He stared motionlessly at Yuan, his eyes full of astonishment.

"Damn it, look at me. Why am I wasting so much breath on you? System, immediately activate maximum power and head for the Great Wormhole at full speed." Yuan slapped his forehead as if he had only just realized it.

But the warship did not continue onward. Instead, it came to a complete stop, because Cole, who had remained silent at the side, spoke up.

"No! Stop!"

"Cole? What are you trying to do?" Yuan looked at the energized Cole, a bad feeling rising within him.

"Your Excellency, we need to go to Dobilun Star."

"Don't you know it's a trap?"

"Your Excellency, you are being overly suspicious. The Super Seminary was an academy built jointly by countless gods. It is true that they are very tolerant toward those with potential."

"What a fucking load of bullshit. What the hell would a Taotie commander know?"

"It's true, Your Excellency. I once heard about it during a battle. It was from wandering warriors from the Boke Nebula.

They said that our god Carl had once been an instructor at the Super Seminary. Moreover, the Super Seminary had always traveled through every corner of the universe, spreading knowledge and imparting technology. They were benevolent gods."

"Are you done?" Cole's words did not sway Yuan. He simply stared blankly at Cole, waiting for his answer.

"N-No, Your Excellency. I want to live."

"Once we reach the Tiannü Galaxy, I'll listen to you explain slowly. System, follow the command and depart at full speed."

"No, stop!"

Hearing this, Yuan flew into a rage.

"I've really given you too much face. Commander Cole, you've been completely blinded by your emotions. Central system, temporarily revoke Commander Cole's command authority."

"My apologies, Your Excellency. On this warship, I am the highest-ranking commander. Your authority is not sufficient to order the central system to remove me." Cole held his head high, showing no intention of yielding.

Yuan naturally knew that, since Cole had granted him his authority in the first place. What Cole did not know, however, was that the central system had long since become Yuan's likeness.

"Yes, but unfortunately, accidents do happen. System, begin revoking Cole's commander authority."

"Authorization holder Yuan—authority confirmed. Revoking Commander Cole's highest command authority. Revocation complete!"

"No! You can't do this! What did you do to the central system? You implanted a virus into it. Damn it, you secretly tampered with the warship! You're a hypocritical god."

The moment Cole saw his authority revoked, he leaped to his feet. But before he could make a move, Bruis and several soldiers seized him firmly.

"You've been putting on an act all along. The God-making Technology left behind by the Super Seminary is there. As long as we get there, we can save countless amounts of time."

"Idiot!" Yuan shot him a sidelong glance and ignored him after that. Instead, he took the seat of honor in the command hall and kept a constant watch on the relentlessly operating central system.

Qiming within his armor was also running at high speed. Every type of detector on the warship had been pushed to full power, as though afraid something might suddenly emerge.

"False god, you never intended to save us. If that's the case, then don't blame me..." Cole's words made Bruis's pupils constrict.

Before Cole could finish speaking, Bruis swiftly raised his right hand and struck the back of Cole's neck with all his strength.

Boom! Cole's entire body slammed heavily into the floor under the tremendous force of the punch, then bounced high into the air.

Caught off guard by Bruis, Cole immediately lost consciousness. Yuan subconsciously scratched the back of his head and said to Bruis:

"Aren't you afraid you'll kill him outright?"

"It's fine. Cole has been through countless battles, so his body isn't that fragile. Besides, the warship's medical pod has been repaired. At worst, he can stay in there for a few days." Bruis's tone was completely calm.

After saying that, he looked at the Taotie who had long been stunned silent in the hall and said, "What are you standing around for? Didn't you see that Your Excellency has stripped Cole of his command? Take him to Black Prison and let him calm down properly."

"Yes, yes. We'll go right away."

With that, several Taotie carried Cole out of the command hall. The remaining soldiers had received no orders and could only lower their heads, looking around in silence.

Afterward, Bruis took several Taotie soldiers to the operating stations beneath the central system. Looking at the torrent of data beneath Yuan's tactical visor and the detection devices operating at full power, he felt somewhat worried.

"Your Excellency, is there really something wrong with Dobilun Star?"

At that, Yuan shook his head.

"I don't know."

"Then... then is it possible that everything Wu Daozi said was true?"

"I don't know that either."

"..."

Yuan's answer left Bruis speechless. He looked at Yuan awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

The central system and Qiming continued scanning the warship. Yuan sensed that Wu Daozi seemed to have truly left. His expression turned grave as he opened his tactical visor and looked at Bruis.

"It could be said that I know nothing. I don't understand the Super Seminary, nor do I understand God-making civilizations. But one must know one's own limits."

"Know one's own limits?" Bruis was somewhat confused.

"That's right, know one's own limits! What does it mean to have potential? Just as Cole said, the Super Seminary was founded by a group of gods. Thirty thousand years—over thirty thousand years of changes in the world, and Wu Daozi couldn't find a single person with potential? Me? The universe is so vast. Who the hell am I?"

"Perhaps they truly have never seen anyone with gifts and talent like yours?"

"Heh, foolish!" Yuan rebuked him without mercy.

"It just so happened to be along our route, it just so happened to have the knowledge and technology we needed most, and it just so happened that my talent met their standards, is that it? His name is Wu Daozi, not the Wealth-Bringing Boy. Why? Because he's kind?"

Satisfied at the thoughtful look on Bruis's face, Yuan continued:

"What matters most now is finding a place where we can settle down and survive. God-making Technology, Dobilun Star—we'll have plenty of time and plenty of opportunities in the future. There's no need to risk so many lives on this.

Bruis, life itself is a miracle, and life is incomparably precious. Don't let temporary benefits cloud your judgment. You may think fate has favored you, never realizing that the price has already been marked."

"Yes, Your Excellency. We... we were simply too anxious." Bruis's face was full of bitterness. He understood Cole's impatience better than anyone.

Over these years, he had dealt with Cole more than anyone else, and he clearly understood the difficult years this squad had endured over the past several centuries.

Now, they could clearly see the exit before them. The light of hope was within reach, only to be mercilessly pressed down again.

"Ah, it's utterly despairing!" Bruis let out a deep sigh.

"It isn't despair. Someone merely stirred up your desires."

"Hm?" Hearing Yuan's words, Bruis immediately lifted his head and stared at him in disbelief.

"You mean someone tampered with Cole?"

"What else could it be? Would the consistently shrewd and wise Commander Cole repeatedly try to activate the God-Slaying Spear?" Yuan looked at Bruis with a half-smile, his face full of mockery.

Boom!

A bolt from the blue!