This Planet Was Like a Baseball

The alert came from the swarm organisms Lu Shang had scattered across other solid planets. They had come under attack from five Galactic Alliance fleets.

Following Lu Shang's instructions, after completing the incubation of the Behemoth beasts' brains, these swarm organisms were supposed to collectively enter a state of suspended animation.

Unexpectedly, the Galactic Alliance fleets had still discovered the swarms on those planets.

"The Galactic Alliance's detectors are actually this sensitive?" Lu Shang frowned as he watched.

Having inherited the swarm's memories, Lu Shang naturally knew that Galactic Alliance fleets possessed detectors specifically designed to locate swarm organisms.

But he did not know exactly how sensitive those detectors were. He had never expected that even suspended animation could not evade their scans. None of the hive minds that had led the swarms in battle before had ever thought to investigate those detectors.

The final images left by the swarms on the five solid planets showed Galactic Alliance fleets dropping massive quantities of powdered material onto the planets. This gray powder rapidly corroded other substances, transforming them all into the same gray powder.

To conceal the traces on the planets, the swarms swiftly carried out self-destruction before their collective annihilation, striving to leave behind only pools of swarm acid before the powder reached their locations.

Lu Shang pondered for a moment. Hesitation flashed through his eyes before he finally made up his mind.

Connecting to the swarm network, he issued an order. "All planets whose swarms have entered suspended animation, awaken immediately. The plan has deviated from expectations. Abandon the original infiltration strategy. All planets are to enter faster-than-light escape mode. Increase the number of Behemoth beast brains on every planet to more than one hundred thousand."

"Speed up incubation. We're about to pull off something big."

One of the Galactic Alliance's member powers, the Dias Empire, had an agricultural planet under its jurisdiction: Miro.

Two months after the nest planet's faster-than-light escape, an uninvited guest arrived near this planet—a Behemoth beast from the Babel Swarm.

Its eleven-kilometer-long body and its elegant swaying form in space drew the attention of countless Dias people on Miro.

Yet no one was afraid.

Although this star system had no mobile star city or garrison fleet, the planet possessed powerful defensive firepower.

If it had been an entire massive herd of Behemoth beasts, the Dias people on Miro might have been afraid. But a single Behemoth beast was simply too powerless.

Many among the crowd speculated that it was a Behemoth beast abandoned by the Babel Swarm, excitedly discussing how they would tame it, neuter it, and lock it in their imperial zoo.

However, the Dias citizens on Miro did not know that, at this moment, the planet's governor and other planetary officials held views entirely opposite to theirs.

The Behemoth beast in orbit transmitted radio signals, which Miro's parliament received. Lu Shang's projected figure appeared in the enormous assembly hall. Besides Miro's governor seated in the chairperson's seat, many prominent figures from Miro occupied the conference seats.

Of course, these prominent figures were only important compared to ordinary Dias people on the planet. Lu Shang could not even be bothered to spare them a second glance. The person he had been speaking to was always the planet's governor.

"What do you think, Governor of the Dias Empire?" Wearing what he considered a friendly smile, Lu Shang looked at Miro's governor in the chairperson's seat.

Lu Shang continued, "I know you're trying to stall for time so your empire's fleet can arrive. So this is the last time I'll ask: will you accept infection by swarm spores, or will you accept the destruction the swarm offers you?"

The noisy assembly hall fell silent at once. The scene that had resembled a bustling marketplace moments earlier seemed as if it had never existed. Everyone's eyes converged on Miro's governor in the chairperson's seat.

Knowing he could not delay any longer, Miro's governor slowly rose from his seat. His four eyes looked fearlessly at Lu Shang in the projection.

"Lowly swarm organisms, the glory of the Empire cannot be trampled upon. You cannot threaten any of us. The call for aid was sent out long ago. All Miro needs to do is complete one more rotation, and the Empire's fleet will arrive."

At the mention of the Empire's glory, every Dias person in the assembly hall became solemn. They glared at Lu Shang's projection with shared indignation, and no one objected to the governor's decision.

Beyond their pride, the imminent arrival of the imperial fleet was also a factor. These Dias people did not believe that the swarm organisms, already a defeated and battered force, could still gather a herd of Behemoth beasts capable of destroying Miro in an instant.

Once the battle reached a stalemate, the imperial fleet arriving afterward would become the swarm organisms' nightmare. That was where these Dias people found their confidence.

Yes, there was nothing to fear. This was their home ground!

Forget stalling for one or two months—they could at least hold out for a day!

"I see..."

Lu Shang sighed regretfully and nodded in understanding. He said nothing further and decisively severed the connection.

When the Dias people in the assembly hall saw the Behemoth beast in Miro's orbit leave via psionic warp, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

They did not think Miro would be conquered by the swarm organisms in one stroke, but war meant people would die. Who knew whether, if the swarm organisms attacked Miro, the families of these important people would be harmed?

So it was best if they did not have to fight.

But before their relief could last long, something else appearing near Miro cast the governor and the planetary officials from heaven into hell.

It was a solid planet twice the size of Miro!

This planet suddenly appeared near Miro, and the two planets rapidly drew closer under each other's gravity.

Miro shook violently. Vast amounts of gas were pulled away by the solid planet's gravity and dissipated, while countless Dias people frantically grabbed whatever was nearby to anchor themselves.

The invisible force made it seem as though heaven and earth had been overturned. Miro's surface became the "sky," while the mass continually pressing down toward them became the "ground."

Desperate cries could not travel far. Violent air currents swiftly drowned out every shout.

The Dias people could only watch in utter despair as that expanse of land pressed closer and closer, closer and closer...

All kinds of aircraft flew erratically near Miro's atmosphere. They belonged to Dias people attempting to pilot their craft away from the planet.

Yet they had barely flown any distance from the planet before invisible psionic force dragged them into the chaotic vortices churned up by the gravitational pull of the two planets, tearing them to pieces in their despair.

Abruptly, Miro's crustal plates suffered an invisible, crushing blow.

A crater as large as Asia was punched directly into the planet's surface. The round celestial body was smashed out of shape, then, like a baseball struck away, flew straight out of its orbit and toward the edge of the star system.

Afterward, the suddenly appearing solid planet entered faster-than-light travel.

One rotation of Miro later, the belated imperial fleet arrived at its destination. They saw no sign of the enemy, only Miro flying straight out of the star system, now transformed into a hell of lava.

Planetary debris continuously scattered along the celestial body's straight trajectory, forming a straight asteroid belt.