Chapter 335
But soon, he frowned.
This is a serious matter; should we inform other departments beforehand?
Recalling the power displayed by that mech, Oswald couldn't help but worry whether the Market Development Department could grasp the civilization hidden behind it.
However, recalling Vita's consistent performance and tempted by the prospect of taking all the credit, Oswald couldn't help but suppress the idea.
It's probably just some local native who witnessed the technology of an ancient civilization. Since it can't leave the Imaginary Energy tidal zone, there's nothing to worry about.
Besides, they could also find out the situation first before making any further plans.
Would they really resort to weapons when faced with a smiling intruder?
After a sleepless night of waiting in Oswald, good news finally arrived.
The Stellar Train truly lives up to its reputation as the embodiment of opening up new paths. Even though Acheron has perished, it still possesses the power to forge new routes.
At the same time, another piece of good news followed – hidden within that Imaginary Energy tidal zone was only a small single-star system, and among the several planets orbiting the star, only one planet showed signs of civilization.
This is just an indigenous civilization that hasn't even fully left its home planet!
Oswald nearly burst out laughing, but he forced himself to remain calm and announced that they would proceed toward that planet.
In order to gain this credit as soon as possible, he decided to abandon the appeasement policy and directly use the simplest and most direct means to complete this market expansion.
However, no one noticed that after the entire fleet had completely entered the Solar System, the path they had come from vanished without a trace.
"Miss Vita, you're home. Are you happy?" In the interrogation room, Oswald deliberately showed her the outside environment, focusing the camera on the blue planet. "Look, that planet, isn't it beautiful?"
"It's quite beautiful." Vita nodded, gazing at the blue planet in the picture, but then suddenly looked troubled. "But I remember she told me that her hometown didn't look like this."
"Her?" Oswald paused, then suddenly realized something. "Wait, you're not Vita?!"
"Oh, you finally figured it out, you old bastard?" Upon hearing this, "Vita" couldn't help but reveal a strange smile. "But now is not the time to worry about me, you know?"
"According to Vita's plan, the welcoming ceremony will follow next!"
Oswald ignored the man disguised as Vita, as an urgent notification was displayed before him.
There was only one message on it—that this seemingly ordinary planet was suddenly emitting a terrifying energy reaction.
Moreover, there was more than one.
Chapter Two: The Laughable Cosmic Country Bumpkin
What came into view was a glaring scarlet alarm.
The intense, blood-red color represents the highest alert level for the entire fleet, as this alarm is only triggered when encountering an energy reaction at the "Commander" level.
Oswald had triggered this alarm before; not to mention the distant past, when Vita piloted that enormous mech to block the entire fleet, the same alarm had sounded.
At this very moment, countless alarms of the same level echoed in his ears, one after another, like a continuous echo falling into towering mountains—but these were not echoes, but real, a dozen alarms sounding at the same time!
Yes, from this blue planet before us, there are not just one Envoy-level energy reaction, but no fewer than ten!
Oswald was no ordinary person either; those who could sit in the position of department head, even if they were not true envoys, all possessed extraordinary power.
But if he were to face ten messengers, that would be a different story—and even if not all ten messengers were real, even if only half, no, one-fifth, were real, Oswald would still be doomed.
Don't forget, since the Vita he captured was fake, it means that the real Vita is piloting that mech and hiding in the shadows. That's a real Commander-level combatant!
"Turn around!" Oswald roared, his voice trembling with rage, the instant he realized he had fallen into a trap. "Retreat to safety and prepare for the jump!"
The company's technological level, while not unparalleled globally, is second only to the Genius Club. With their skill, as long as they create enough distance, even gaining just ten seconds would be enough for them to use the Silver Rail left by the Stellar Train to complete their jump.
"Report!" But his subordinate's report extinguished his last glimmer of hope, "The jump tunnel... the jump tunnel has disappeared!"
"What did you say?!" Oswald couldn't believe his ears. He rushed to the control panel, ready to do it himself, but the moment he saw the warp system, he was dumbfounded. "This is impossible!"
The warp system clearly indicated that there were currently no warp portals available, but if there really were no Silver Rail, how did they get in?
If everything happening right now isn't an illusion, then there's only one possibility left.
Oswald slumped into his chair, a relieved smile on his face—did the enemy they were about to face actually possess the power to obscure the opening of the Silver Rail?
Although "concealment" may not sound like a big deal, it is a trace left by the power to open up one's destiny, and it is by no means something that can be interfered with at will by beings at the level of Envoys.
What kind of monsters and demons are lurking in this tiny star system?
"Pass down the order: activate all weapon systems."
Oswald, Former Nameless, remained calm despite the dire situation. He didn't cling to any false hope of a "talking it over," but instead opted for a desperate gamble. "Lock onto that blue planet, prepare to fire!"
He knew very well that things had developed to this point, and there was probably no room for maneuver. Rather than hoping that the other party would take pity on him, it was better to strike first...
The next second, another piercing alarm shattered his thoughts.
The spaceship I'm on has been locked on, and the signal source... is behind me?
"Manager, look behind us..." the subordinate's voice was already trembling with tears, "Those planets, they've cracked open!"
The description "cracked open" is not accurate. Strictly speaking, it's more like the removal of a disguise—several planets located on the edge of the Solar System, under Oswald's watchful eye, have opened their outer rock layers, revealing their true internal structure.
This wasn't the first time Oswald had seen a weapon system derived from a planet, but he knew very well that such a system was extremely expensive to manufacture, so each one had to be made to maximize its value.
But now, these expensive weapons, each capable of protecting an entire star system, are enough to surround them. Even the headquarters of the Interastral Peace Corporation Belobog, does not have such a luxurious defense system.
No, strictly speaking, when they gather together, they can hardly be considered a "defense system" anymore, right?
Are these things also the masterpieces of that civilization? Are you guys crazy? Who crams so many armed planets into their own home?!
Even though he was well aware of how critical the situation was, Oswald couldn't help but glance at the distant planets—they hadn't changed and seemed completely untouched by any alteration. But Oswald seriously suspected that those planets had already been terraformed and were only remaining silent because they weren't needed right now.
Oswald was completely baffled as to how to deal with this situation, but fortunately, he soon no longer needed to dwell on it.
Because the next second, a terrifying energy reaction erupted from those planets, turning into pure white streams of light that completely engulfed their fleet.
In the blink of an eye, apart from the main ship where Oswald was located, which escaped the disaster thanks to its powerful energy shield, all the other ships had vanished without a trace, leaving not even the slightest mark, as if they had never existed in the first place.
But at the same time, Oswald's ultimate weapon finally completed its charging.
Looking at the prompts on the control panel, Oswald pressed the launch button without hesitation.
The next second, a terrifying torrent of energy shot out from the device deployed on the bow of the ship, sweeping towards the blue planet!
That was a weapon created by the technology research department based on the research results of a member of a Genius Club. It is said that its prototype destroyed more than twenty planets in just one test launch. Judging from the results alone, its existence could even rival that of the Star God of Destruction.
Although what Oswald is using now is only a severely degraded version, it is still more than enough to destroy a planet.
Of course, this is just Oswald's fantasy.
At the very instant the torrent of energy erupted, several dazzling white lights also lit up on the distant blue planet. They rose from various corners of the planet and then flew towards the torrent of energy together.
The next second, a terrifying energy reaction erupted across the universe. Even the aftershocks instantly shook the gravity of the entire star system, causing countless planets to deviate from their original orbits. The resulting chain reaction caused even more problems.
But this is just Oswald's fantasy.
An energy burst did occur, and the star system's gravity was indeed affected, but only for a brief moment.
Oswald clearly saw that the planet on the left side of the spaceship was almost completely torn apart by the aftershocks of the energy reaction, even exposing the appearance of its core. But the next second, they reassembled and returned to normal.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg—planetary deviates from its orbit, planetary rotation stops, everything is torn apart, destroyed, or even directly annihilated in the energy reaction, all of which are restored to their original state in the next instant.
If Oswald's ship had the most advanced reconnaissance system, he would have discovered that not only the planets he could see had been repaired, but even the meteoroids and dust particles that were insignificant in the universe had been carefully restored to their original state.
The entire process was as unbelievable as if time had reversed, as if some indescribable power existed within this star system, capable of easily repairing all damage.
Thus, the strongest attack, on which Oswald had placed all his hopes, failed to destroy even a single passing meteorite.
At this moment, he had already lost his last chance to struggle.
Because those beams of light had already passed through the spaceship's defense system and appeared in front of him.
Only at this moment did Oswald get a clear look at them.
For a moment, he thought there was something wrong with his eyes, because the figures that appeared in front of him looked no different from ordinary humans. Even though the high-risk energy alarm was still ringing frantically, Oswald found it hard to connect the figures in front of him with those terrifying envoy energy reactions.
Before Oswald could even speak, the leader flicked his finger at him, sealing him entirely within a giant ice crystal.
"Huh, it's sealed off already?"
Seeing Kevin take action, Vill-V couldn't help but show a regretful expression, "What a pity, I wanted to chat with the alien."
"Ai Yue said not to waste words with this guy. He has no integrity whatsoever, just spare his life," Kevin replied simply. "Besides, didn't you just arrest so many people? Isn't that enough for you to talk about?"
"Well, this guy seems to be the highest-ranking among them," Vill-V glanced at Oswald one last time before walking back to the control panel. "Is this an alien spaceship? It seems pretty mediocre."
"Don't just focus on having fun. Check all the systems on the spaceship and see if there are any hidden dangers." Kevin wasn't taking it lightly. "Daisy, are there any other people on the spaceship?"
"They're all under control." Desdrobia opened her eyes. "Strange, they're all rather weak. They're completely different from the invaders I imagined."
"Indeed." Cosmo nodded, a regretful expression on his face. "I thought there would be an earth-shattering final battle, but it turned out to be just this?"
"The inspection is complete, nothing seems out of the ordinary." Vill-V returned at that moment. "That 'Simulated Imaginary Pulse Cannon' from earlier was their most powerful weapon."
"That's it?" Even Kevin was speechless upon hearing this. "With this level of capability, they dare to invade us?"
When Ai Yue told Kevin that someone was going to invade the Solar System, Kevin had already made ample preparations. But even though Ai Yue had given him a heads-up, he never expected that these people would be so incompetent.
Where did this country bumpkin come from? Doesn't he know that the Solar System is protected by the Thirteen Flame-Chasers?
"No wonder Ai Yue didn't even show his face," Cosmo shook his head slightly. "It feels like you're unnecessary, Kevin. Daisy and I could handle these people."
"Who knew they were so weak?" Kevin glanced at Oswald again. "It just goes to show that the method of deciding the spots by lottery before leaving was the right one. Otherwise, if everyone had come, it's hard to say whether his life could have been saved."
Of the four people present, only Kevin and Cosmo were truly responsible for the battle. Desdrobia was only there to ensure that no one escaped, and Vill-V was simply there for the fun. But even with this level of lineup, they could still easily crush Oswald's entire fleet, not to mention that he was already all alone before this.
In fact, not only are Sakura and Kalpas on standby on Earth, but Kiana and Durandal from Schicksal have also been temporarily brought over as backup plans, just in case.
As a result, not only were there no backup plans, but the first plan hadn't even been fully implemented before Oswald was already finished.
"So, is that really it?" Cosmo checked again, and after confirming there were no enemies, he scratched his head. "How should I put it, why does it give off a... uh, an anticlimactic feeling?"
"I also find this a bit strange." Kevin's expression turned subtle. "But since Ai Yue has made these arrangements, he must have his reasons. Let's leave the rest to them."
"Speaking of which, what is Mr. Ai Yue doing now?" Desdrobia asked with a curious expression. "I remember hearing him say before we came that he was entertaining some guests?"
"It seems like that's true." Kevin recalled something as well. "And weren't we supposed to have our own people on board? Why haven't we heard anything?"
At this very moment, inside the lunar base, Ai Yue also turned his gaze away from the window.
He looked at the group of people sitting on the other side of the table and smiled, "Now can you trust us, everyone?"
Sitting opposite him was an elegant woman with long, gorgeous red hair. She put down her coffee cup, a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. "I'm sorry, the impact of this matter is a bit... too great. We may need some time to process it."
Beside her, a lively-looking pink-haired girl sat stiffly in a chair, not daring to move. After hearing the red-haired woman's words, she turned her head slightly and said in what she thought was a very low voice, "Hey, Dan Heng, what do you think?"
"I have no opinion," Dan Heng said calmly, so calmly that it gave off a numb feeling. "If I had to say something, I think I'm probably still half asleep."
"Who says otherwise?" The pink-haired girl glanced at the man sitting across the table, then lowered her voice again. "What on earth happened here? Why do the people here seem so... inexplicably strong!"
Chapter Three: The Company? How Many Commanders Does He Have?
In fact, even now, Himeko group are still in a state of confusion.
Initially, they all thought it was just an ordinary commission, after all, Stellar Train maintained good relations with many forces in the universe, and therefore had received commissions from Interastral Peace Corporation more than once.
It wasn't until the smiling man appeared silently on the train that they realized this place seemed a bit eerie.
Because he was able to bypass Himeko and Pom-Pom's authority and directly guide the Stellar Train to his designated location.
It's important to understand that although the Stellar Train was indeed severely damaged after losing the Pathfinder Star God Acheron, it still represents the existence of pioneering destiny. Perhaps it has become a public place that many people can freely enter and exit, but the direction of the train is always in the hands of the nameless passenger.
Now, a man who seems unremarkable can freely change the train's course—how could this not shock Himeko and the others?
But what's even more shocking is yet to come.
After the Stellar Train docked on the moon, Himeko and the others discovered the fleet that had entered the Solar System with the Silver Rail that had followed them, and recognized their identities.
And then... and then they watched as Oswald's fleet was suddenly wiped out.
Are you kidding me? Are you really a civilization that hasn't even left its star system?
Neither those drastically altered planets nor those few envoy-level beings are what a civilization of this level should possess, right?
Not to mention the existence of the person in front of us... Someone who can control the Stellar Train is definitely not an ordinary person!
Himeko looked at the smiling man in front of her and felt that her brain was about to overload if she continued to think.
"It's alright, please feel free to do as you please." Ai Yue wasn't surprised by Himeko's answer at all. After all, he knew very well that what was happening before his eyes was far too shocking for ordinary people. "Until now, you are free to move around as you please. Whether you stay on the moon, go to Earth, or simply leave, it's all up to you."
Ai Yue paused for a moment before continuing, "I have only one request."
"Rest assured, we will keep our mouths shut." Himeko immediately understood and said seriously, "Nothing happened here today."
"No, you've got it backwards." Ai Yue paused for a moment, then shook his head helplessly. "I hope that after you leave, you'll spread the word about what happened today."
The room fell silent immediately after these words were spoken.