Shock Augustus for a Whole Year

January 2492, Exit of the Time-Space Route.

This was a large but unusually well-organized Fleets, with the human Revolutionary Army's gold and red steel behemoths sailing together with the Protoss Expeditionary Force's gold and blue warships, escorted by a large number of small and medium-sized human and Protoss warships and fighters that moved back and forth along the bows and sides.

At the forefront of the combined Fleets were two flagships, the Hyperion and the Star Shuttle Protoss, sailing side by side.

If there's anything different about the Hyperion's bridge compared to the past, it's that the Revolutionary Army's chief engineer Rory Swann, has undertaken another round of ongoing modifications, referencing the new designs of the newly captured Confederacy Nova Squadron battlecruisers. These modifications include upgrading to more advanced navigation charts, radar scanning systems, and sensor arrays and sophisticated anti-eavesdropping devices distributed throughout the bridge deck.

Of course, the most striking change is the sheer number of colorful cables that are impossible to untangle, which is why Swann, dressed in an orange-gray engineer's uniform, is working overtime with his team here.

However, this "Meinhof dwarf" seems to be enjoying these arduous tasks.

The main control console on the bridge of the Hyperion is also different from the past. A crystal-clear, three-foot-tall green void crystal is inlaid in the keyboard area. It has obviously been well polished and is shaped like a warm pebble.

This is the Xel'Naga Void Crystal that Augustus discovered in the corridors of Mar- Sara Purgatory Corridor. After Zeratul and his Nerazim engineers boarded the Hyperion, they kindly repaired the fragments of the Void Crystal and placed them into human computers, which, according to the Dark Templar, also enhanced Shakuras's spacetime technology.

However, according to Swann, those dark-skinned Protoss simply glued a few pieces together with some kind of glue and then randomly stuck them in somewhere.

Although humanity, including Augustus, doubted whether the crystal could actually speed up the passage of time, the Hyperion's computer was undeniably much faster.

As for the ancient stone tablet unearthed along with the crystal, Zeratul provided his answer by studying the Xel'Naga script on it: those scripts were not chaotic babbling in the Void; all the words came from the Void Forerunners, from our Creator, and they all pointed to the same point: the Xel'Naga Artifact Fragment is the key to opening a door in the universe.

To decipher the Xel'Naga prophecies inscribed on the stone tablet, Zeratul chose to remain aboard the human warship Hyperion, to unravel the beautiful script that resembled Protoss writing but whose meanings were entirely different.

Augustus prepared a clean and quiet cabin for Zeratul and several Dark Templar who followed him, and ordered a Revolutionary Army captain to keep a close eye on the Dark Templar ' requests as a gesture of hospitality.

However, during the time the Hyperion was on its hyperspace journey to Haj, Zeratul and his Dark Templar lived an ascetic life, spending most of their time meditating on silk cushions. Although the Dark Templar did sleep and rest, they did not seem to have the same recreational activities as humans.

The Dark Templar always sit like silent statues. They also drink water, and when they feel "hungry," these Protoss will go outside the cabins, to the bridge or the public observation windows to bask in the cosmic sunlight for a while.

"Haj, a chaotic and disorderly place. Geladi City on the Morisai Subcontinent is the capital city of this planet, with a population of about three million." At this moment, Raynor was sitting in the command chair at the control console, operating the search system of the warship database.

"More than a century ago, early colonists discovered mysterious ruins on Haj. Subsequently, the planet was also affected by the colonial wave during the expansion of the Terran Confederacy. After a series of terraforming modifications, it was incorporated into the Confederacy's vast colonial territory," Raynor said while browsing the information on the planet Haj.

"Regardless, the Confederacy governor of Haj is absolutely incompetent, otherwise this planet wouldn't be in its current state." Finally, Raynor concluded, "The planet has a harsh environment, but the land isn't barren. Considering its location on the Confederacy's interstellar transportation network, even if resources were sold, most of the people here wouldn't be living in such dire straits."

On a fully expanded Holographic Projection projection screen, a gray satellite and the massive rocky planet it orbits are constantly rotating.

"I'm more inclined to believe it's because someone has swallowed up all that output." Augustus, dressed in a dark gray cloak and wearing a gold-emblazoned captain's hat, looked exactly like the wise and mighty figure on the propaganda posters. "The gap between rich and poor here is even more exaggerated than in Tarsonis."

"Who is the highest-ranking military commander in the area?" Augustus asked.

"It's General Thor Rick," Raynor said, swiping a few times on the console screen. "He looks like a decorated general. From the local news reports, he's fought quite a few tough battles against the Korhal rebels on the edge of the Koprulu Sector."

"I swear I've never fought General Rick," Augustus shrugged.

"Maybe that's because he's a nobody on the fringes of the battlefield, and we haven't even noticed him," Raynor joked.

"Give the general some face, Jimmy." Augustus turned to the other side, looking at another command chair next to Raynor, where the young Tyrador IX man Matt Horner Matt Horner was. Although Matt Horner still seemed somewhat inexperienced, he quickly gained Augustus's favor due to his steadfast faith and intelligence.

Matt Horner Matt Horner was of excellent character and serious in his work. Augustus grooming him to be a battlecruiser captain or even a future Fleets commander.

"Matt Horner, any feedback from the radar monitoring system?"

"Yes, sir, the Zerg are invading this planet," Matt Horner said, looking up at Augustus. Matt Horner was currently learning from the first mate of the Hyperion, his job being to report on radar scans and alarms.

"Almost all major settlements have been invaded by the Swarm, affecting over ten million people. All spaceports have been blockaded by Zerg air forces; they clearly don't want anyone to escape Haj."

At the same time, the main screen of the Hyperion displayed the main image of the Haj surface, a desolate world composed of gray dust and huge craters.

A deep purple Creep is spreading across the surface of Haj at an alarming rate, and rampant Swarm are engulfing city after city. The once gray Haji is now showing slowly growing gray-brown scars on satellite images.

"Our life detectors show that there are only about 800,000 Zerg invading Haj, which is nothing compared to planets like Mar- Sara, Antiga, and Char," Matt Horner continued to report.

"Compared to tens or hundreds of millions of insects baring their teeth at you, these are nothing special," said the panel in front of the Raynor control unit.

"These Zerg swarms in Haj are different from the ones we've seen on the previous planets. They're few in number, but they must have some other extraordinary abilities. We all know the characteristics of the Zerg; they don't need the genes of the weak."

"You know, even a scumbag like Tychus has his merits."

"Find out where they started their attack," Augustus.

After a while Matt Horner Matt Horner said, "The scan results are in, sir."

"There are at least four Leviathan Swarm in high orbit around Haj, and conservatively estimated, they contain tens of thousands of Zerg. We've never seen this creature join the battle before, but it's clearly more aggressive and threatening Behemoth," he said.

"They are formidable enemies, each far larger than Protoss or human warship. This is a Level 10 Psionics creature; we must proceed with extreme caution."

"This shows that the Overmind values this operation very much and will not allow failure." Augustus nodded. "When dispatching reconnaissance forces, the Swarm only sent out Behemoth."

The scans of Leviathan appeared on the main screen in front of Augustus; they were so enormous that the asteroids and rocks passing by dwarfed them.

These Swarm of Leviathan can reach lengths of 4 to 5 miles, and some are even larger. Even the Hyperion, the largest ship in the Revolutionary Army, appears tiny in the face of these colossal creatures. Unlike Behemoth Swarm, which primarily serves as transport ships and is completely defenseless, the Leviathan is far more aggressive; it is a fearsome space Predator rather than a sluggish herbivore.

Behemoth is more like a filter-feeding giant whale shark, while Leviathan is a ferocious toothed whale.

"Send out our fighter jets and Scout. I need to find out the Zerg's landing points and routes," Augustus said, staring at the massive Swarm Leviathan on the main screen.

"If they are looking for a new Swarm agent, then it should be a high-level Psionics with exceptional Psionics talent. Keep a close eye on any potential Psionics fluctuations. Send out all our science ships and ghost squads; we must find that Psionics before the Zerg."

"Augustus, our equipment can't monitor the entire planet," Raynor said. "It's all about luck; we can only hope that it happens to be when our equipment is scanning that area."

"What worries me more is that we've arrived too late," Augustus. "The Zerg jumped directly to Haj through a wormhole opened by the Overmind; they arrived at least two or three days earlier than us."

"Sir, we've received a communication request. The address indicates it's from Governor-General Haj's residence," Matt Horner reported from his command chair. "It's a highly encrypted signal. If it's a distress signal, there's absolutely no need to worry about it being leaked or eavesdropped on."

"Bring him in," Augustus commanded. "Let's hear what the governor has to say to us; after all, he's a local."

"It really is you, Augustus Mengsk." The image shows a middle-aged man with a chubby face wearing a top hat, and several gemstone necklaces can be vaguely seen under his gentlemanly suit and blue patterned handkerchief.

Judging from his hunched posture while sitting, these magnificent jewels must have been an extremely heavy burden for him.

"Rebel Fleets, and Protoss aliens. I knew it was you. You're the ones who brought these alien creatures here, aren't you? Only you would get involved with aliens." He convulsed like a madman or epileptic, babbling incessantly.

"I knew it all along. Who else could it be but you? How could such a remote and impoverished place Haj be invaded by Zerg? The fall of this colony is all because of you!"

"Damn it, I remember that Confederacy governor saying something similar," Raynor muttered. "Those stupid Confederacy bureaucrats and fat idiots, they never think about their own problems."

"Is this what you wanted to say?" Augustus glanced at Governor Haj, his contempt unmistakable. "Your people are being slaughtered. Think about what you've done for them instead of standing here in a rage."

"You look just like a fat, lame duck."

"Take the governor away, he looks like he's completely gone mad." At that moment, a large hand wearing Power Armor alloy glove reached out from the side of the camera and pushed away Governor Haj, who looked like he was drooling with rage.

A man with a golden beard appeared before Augustus. As he sat down on the red velvet chair of Governor Haj, he took off his hat with the army eagle insignia, revealing his head, which gleamed as if it had been oiled.

"I am General Thor Rick of Haj, the highest-ranking military commander on this planet." He slammed his fist on the expensive Cha- Sara sunwood table in front of him. "I've spent my whole life fighting against people like you, outlaws, criminals, madmen, and regime changers."

"I'm telling you, Augustus Mengsk, the Zerg in Haj are under effective control, and the defenses of the major cities are impregnable. Fleets support will arrive soon. The Confederacy territory doesn't need scoundrels like you interfering; mind your own business."

"If you dare to implicate me in collaborating with the rebels, I'll tear you to pieces." General Rick said this before disconnecting the communication link, seemingly disgusted with Augustus to the extreme.

"These people think they can hold the major cities," Raynor said in surprise. "But what about the people in the other places?"

"Are they crazy?"

"I'm afraid so," Augustus said after a few seconds of hesitation.

"Order General Duke and Colonel Haller to prepare to deploy landing troops and a hospital ship. We will be landing at Haj soon."

"Judging from what this Confederacy general is saying, he wants us to mind our own business," Raynor said mockingly.

"Who does he think he is?" Augustus said, unusually angrily. "He'll be furious!"

"Make him furious!"