The Truth of the Outer Universe Invasion?

The Mysterious Woman's words left Ian's thoughts churning.

Ian's brows drew together.

"Why?"

He asked without giving anything away. The woman opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she only shook her head.

"I can't tell you. At least, not now."

With that, she turned and walked toward the spaceship. After a few steps, she stopped again and looked back at Ian.

"Be careful!"

The woman gave him that warning.

"Not everyone is as easy to talk to as I am." She entered the ship, and the hatch closed. The silver-gray spacecraft started up, turned into a streak of light, and vanished into the darkness.

Ian hovered in the void, watching that fading light in silence for a long time.

The little Xenomorph hissed on his shoulder, as if asking, "Who was she?" Little Dragon mewled too, as if saying, "She's so strange."

Ian stroked their heads and said nothing.

He turned and looked toward Earth. There, a blue planet was quietly turning in the darkness. He did not know what the Chronos Guardians would do to him, nor did he know what the woman meant by "not everyone is as easy to talk to as I am."

But he knew one thing. He would not regret it.

The people of the Jupiter Family deserved to disappear. He had done the right thing. As for the consequences, he could bear them.

He took off.

He flew toward Earth.

Behind him, in the dark void, something was watching him. It was not that woman, nor was it the Chronos Guardians, but some older, stronger, more indescribable existence. It waited quietly in the darkness, like a giant beast lurking in deep water, waiting for its prey to approach, waiting for the moment to ripen, waiting for this—but