Valhalla Prototype Weapon Lab

"This is the UNN studio, the largest and best news agency in the entire Terran Confederacy. Your best choice for getting firsthand information and the truth. I'm Doni Mili, bringing you live coverage of the riots on Zanadar Prime (from the comic book Nova Fortress)."

In the officers' bar on the Hyperion, Augustus and Arcturus had just concluded a tense military meeting, once again adjusting their attack route on Tarsonis.

At this moment, they are sitting behind the same table watching a recording of UNN news from a week ago, taking a short break.

In late June, the Revolutionary Army Fleets led by Augustus set sail again on the third day after occupying Onuru Sigma, further penetrating the core world of the Terran Confederacy.

Augustus left behind an army composed of the 11th Arctic Juggernaut Regiment and the 44th and 56th Army Brigades to guard the planet, ensuring that the newly appointed colonial government officials could more effectively manage and implement the new policies.

Subsequently, during the counter-offensive, Onuru Sigma will serve as a transit point for the Revolutionary Army to transport and replenish its warships and troops. Fleets arriving later can stop at Onuru Sigma to replenish their high-energy gas fuel.

"This UNN reporter named Doni is a new face; he must be the son of that old Mili." Arcturus held a glass of expensive Halsen wine in his hand, from his collection of wines accumulated over many years in his wine cabinet.

"You remember him?" Augustus's taste in wine differed from Arcturus's; he was currently sipping a glass of brandy.

On the bar's television screen, a young reporter is briefing viewers on the turmoil on the Zanadar Prime. This young reporter, named Doni Mili, has slicked-back, jet-black hair and a determined look in his eyes. He stands beside several armed Confederacy Omega Squadron Marines.

"I remember everyone, I have a photographic memory," Arcturus told Augustus. "He is a promising talent, one of the few journalists who dare to speak the truth."

"This only means that he will soon be sidelined by the UNN." Augustus turned and nodded to several Revolutionary Army engineers who were greeting him.

Typically, the bar on a battlecruiser is only open to officers, as entertainment facilities on a high-flying warship are obviously too extravagant to accommodate too many soldiers.

There was no such rule in the Revolutionary Army; soldiers and officers were treated equally in many ways. However, Revolutionary Army soldiers usually didn't have time to come to the bar. They mostly spent their free time training and reading revolutionary books to ensure that their thoughts did not stray from the wise leadership of Marshal Augustus Mengsk.

Doni Mili's live report was quickly replaced by an urgent report, and images of different news anchors flashed across the television screen one after another.

"The Korhal rebels, led by Augustus Mengsk, have launched a full-scale offensive against government forces, and an increasing number of fringe planets are losing contact with Tarsonis."

"In response to the rebels' call, the riots on Viridia Prime nearly brought the planet's public order to a standstill." (Veridia Viridia Prime was a prosperous, beautiful, and densely populated resort town before Amon attempted to incite a geological upheaval that would destroy the entire planet.)

"Confederacy Treasury Secretary McGregor was previously arrested on charges of assault, murder, and possession of prohibited books. Recently, investigators found a bright red rebel flag and a welcoming sign in McGregor's home, making it even more difficult for him to clear himself of suspicions of selling Confederacy secrets and treason."

"We have only just captured Onuru Sigma and sent small forces to the nearest dozen or so planets." Augustus speechless.

"The Confederacy is already a frightened bird."

"They probably already know they're doomed," Arcturus said with a smile.

UNN News is still broadcasting:

"Brontes Prime has fallen, and the largest shipyard under the Faok Interstellar Transportation Company has been taken over by the Earth Forces."

"The largest ring-shaped orbital city in the geosynchronous orbit of Artisia crashed into the planet's gravitational field, killing over 600,000 people in this horrific tragedy. General Cullen of Attisia believes that invading Earth agents infiltrated the orbital city and caused the disaster."

"Disturbances in subspacetime pathways have been observed in star systems 16 light-years away from the primary star of the Tarsonis Galaxy. Experts believe that this is simply a natural phenomenon."

"If I were DuGalle, I would definitely conquer Tarsonis Prime within two weeks, because once that deadline is exceeded, most of the Terran Confederacy Fleets in the Koprulu Sector will have already arrived on the Prime World," Augustus said to Arcturus.

"By then, the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet will only be able to look on with envy and despair."

"What if this is exactly what Gerard DuGalle expects?" Arcturus asked, sipping his drink.

"I can't believe that the once invincible Terran Confederacy was driven to flee in terror by Earthlings. If I were the one ruling the Confederacy, the outcome would have been completely different."

"..." Augustus coughed and said.

"The Terran Confederacy doesn't know exactly how many warships the Earthlings have, but in the eyes of the members of the Confederate Congress, it's impossible for the Earthlings to dare to intrude into the Koprulu Sector with just a few warships."

"The Confederate Congress has always been on the defensive, and this unfavorable situation will only continue to worsen because we have also taken action."

"The Hyperion is about to exit hyperspace jump mode. All crew members, prepare yourselves." At this moment, the captain's voice came over the Hyperion's broadcast channel.

"We're here already?" Arcturus stood up and walked out of the bar with Augustus, waving to the newly recruited bartender Cooper.

"Sigmaris Prime is located on the outer edge of the Terran Confederacy's core world. In comparison, it is far less famous than the other prosperous and populous core planets." Sarah Kerrigan appeared beside Augustus at some point, wearing a bright white, form-fitting Ghost combat suit.

Sako Angelini appeared on Augustus's other side, dressed in a gray, fitted Revolutionary Army uniform with a gleaming golden lion on his belt. Clearly, Augustus had placed this level-ten Psionics in the Revolutionary Army's intelligence organization, the Ogrub, as an agent.

"It was the agents of Umojan who first discovered the Confederacy's secret military base on Valhalla, the Sigmaris Prime. They sacrificed many agents trained over many years to find this place." Kerrigan flicked her long red ponytail tied behind her waist.

"But according to intelligence, Valhalla is just an ordinary military base. Scientists from the Terran Confederacy must be conducting some kind of unknown experiment again, hoping to turn the tide of the war with some earth-shattering new weapon."

As Augustus stood on the internal ladder of the Hyperion, Kerrigan straightened his collar while giving her report, drawing a scrutinizing glance from Arcturus beside him.

As Augustus's adjutant, Kerrigan not only had access to the most crucial Revolutionary Army military secrets and frequented relevant locations, but she also took care of his daily needs. Kerrigan tirelessly did the work of many people, thanks to her superhuman physical abilities and her desire to keep others away from Augustus.

"Nothing special," Arcturus said. "If it weren't for Augustus's insistence, I don't think we would have needed to linger on this moon. Time is of the essence; we must conquer the most important and valuable planets first."

"Trusting me is never wrong," Augustus, shrugging.

"Do you want me to use your childhood embarrassing moments to prove you're a complete idiot?" Arcturus chuckled.

"Damn it, Arcturus, I'm not a child anymore. We should look forward." Augustus glanced at the expressionless Angelini beside him, his sharp gaze sending a chill down the spine of the powerful Psionics: "I don't remember anything from my childhood, and I don't want to hear it again."

"Many times, when you look back at yourself from more than ten years ago, you'll find that you were actually a completely different person."

"I agree," Arcturus said as the elevator came to a complete stop.

"You've changed so much that I can hardly see any trace of the little girl I used to be in you, which always reminds me that I've grown old."

"You're only thirty-three," Augustus.

"Alexander the Great died around this time." Arcturus recalled the feeling he had when he was a child with Augustus. Compared to now, when they met in the Confederacy military camp, he had always seriously taught Augustus how to face his life.

Things are different now; Augustus no longer needs Arcturus's instruction.

"Don't say that, you'll live to be forty-eight," Augustus.

"I will live for many more years, until I am a hundred years old," Arcturus smiled.

"Marshal, the ship is sailing smoothly. The Hyperion has exited subspace travel and is preparing to enter synchronous orbit with the Sigmaris Prime," said Mosley, the Hyperion's navigator, saluting Augustus.

Augustus did not find Matt Horner Matt Horner on the Hyperion. Due to the UED invasion disrupting Matt Horner's plans to study at Umojan University, he had been temporarily transferred to another Revolutionary Army flagship Artemis, as second officer.

"The Fleets will launch a surprise attack immediately, Duke's Alpha Squadron will carry out the landing mission," Augustus ordered.

"Duke's only strength is in giving clear instructions on what to break and what not to break. I can tell he's always wanted to make a name for himself—whether in the Confederacy Army or the Revolutionary Army," Arcturus said.

"So I've assigned these quick-fire battles to Alpha Squadron," Augustus. "That old guy's been ecstatic lately."

Outside the bridge of the Hyperion, a huge, deep blue planet almost filled the entire porthole, with a satellite of the same color orbiting around it.

With Augustus's command, multiple battlecruisers accelerated toward the satellite named Valhalla, and flashes of propeller acceleration and fleeting, brilliant contrails erupted around the Hyperion.

Multiple orange-red flashes appeared on the Valhalla satellite in an instant, like grains of sand drifting with the current—these were laser cannons emanating from the Confederacy military base.

Within minutes, the firepower of these Confederacy military bases that had been engaged in combat was swiftly wiped out by the Revolutionary Army Fleets's artillery fire, and the Confederacy warplanes parked on the starport runway and launch pad were blasted into scrap metal before they even had a chance to take off.

After several rounds of overwhelming firepower, the Alpha Squadron forcibly landed on Valhalla. Augustus could even finish a drink, the entire Valhalla garrison had surrendered.

"The military research facilities on this satellite can be reused." Arcturus stared at the Koprulu star map for a long time, seemingly finally understanding Augustus's intention in ordering the attack on the satellite Valhalla.

"Its location is quite secluded, and the Sigmaris System is relatively closer to Korhal IV, so this planet can serve as a barrier, preventing anyone from freely moving in and out of the Korhal system."

Arcturus still longs for his former homeland, Korhal IV. Whenever he sees the scene after Korhal was destroyed by nuclear bombs, his heart is once again filled with hatred for the Terran Confederacy.

The Hyperion's main screen flashed images of Korhal IV. Just like Arcturus, Augustus had never given up on Korhal. Every year, he would send a research team to investigate Korhal's environment after the nuclear explosion.

The fierce defense of Korhal did have its purpose; the actual number of Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile that landed on the planet was less than four hundred, not one thousand. This allowed areas outside the Confederacy's main strike range to recover again four years later.

"This is one of the reasons I came here." Augustus looked at the images sent back by the research team over the past year on the screen.

Sterling, once the most prosperous city in Korhal, has become a scorched ruin, with vast swathes of land reduced to ashes, turning into a dangerous desert and radiation wasteland. Rebuilding cities in this region is virtually impossible.

In comparison, the other side of Korhal suffered much less damage, and it has now been revitalized.

"Here," Augustus pointed to a spot on Korhal, "I will build a great city here that rivals the former Sterling, and name it after our grandfather. Korhal will once again become the center of the Terrans world."

"That's your name too," Arcturus sighed. "It's a pity that the beautiful Korhal of the past will never return."

"Perhaps the Protoss will have a way," Augustus.

"The Protoss? I've heard you mention them. How much money would they ask for to help us rebuild Korhal?" Arcturus disliked the Protoss.

"The Protoss don't want any reward—I helped Protoss out in the past, and this is one of their ways of giving back," Augustus.

"The most alarming thing is that they don't want any reward," Arcturus thought to himself, reminding himself that he had to help his foolish brother be wary of the Protoss.

After returning to the Revolutionary Army, Arcturus not only took over a newly formed legion, but also gained ownership of the Cerberus Hybrid-Zerg Augmentation Program.

"Marshal, General Duke reports that his technical officers have found numerous unheard-of weapons at the Confederacy weapons laboratory in Valhalla, which incorporate a large number of still-developing next-generation technological theories." Kerrigan said, pointing to a screen that had just been uploaded to the Hyperion's main display.

"This appears to be a prototype weapons lab where many weapons currently in use on the battlefield, such as the CMC Power Armor, undergo final testing."

Augustus glanced at the weapon on the screen, his eyelids twitching. It was a blue design for a monomolecular lightsaber.