Western Realm Great Emperor

Yata did not know how to answer Hu Baili's question, nor why he had suddenly asked it.

"Teacher, are you leaving?"

"No, not for now. The fighting isn't over yet, after all. Hahaha. The older I get, the more my mind wanders. Let's do as you suggested and attack Flowing Flame Star first."

One hundred kilometers outside the Nasteel Command Center on Flowing Flame Star, the Sentry Bastion had been completely occupied by the Insect Race army.

Hundreds of millions of Insect Race troops gathered before the Sentry Bastion. Fifty kilometers away, the Nagang People's Heavy Mecha formed a steel defensive wall roughly fifty kilometers long.

Behind those Heavy Mecha, the Flowing Flame Defense Force continued to assemble in an unbroken stream stretching for another fifty kilometers.

A dragon's roar suddenly rang out overhead. A million {Dragon-Type Rebeccas} blotted out the entire sky like a solar eclipse.

The Nagang People's Blazebird Fighters rose to meet them, likewise darkening the skies. Brilliant fireworks blossomed everywhere overhead, the explosions sounding like a tragic, heroic battle hymn.

Countless warriors vanished amid the flames, while an endless stream surged forward to take their places. Whether they were Nasteel forged from steel or Liruwara People of flesh and blood, there was no difference between them at that moment. They were all fearless warriors.

With a tiger's head, a human body, twin pincers, and a scorpion's tail, White Forehead tore through the Nagang formation like a king of the desert. Anyone he touched died; anyone he struck perished.

A single sweep of his enormous pincers cleared an entire swath, and even Heavy Mecha could be snapped in half at the waist. Behind him, countless {Qi Mantises} brandished their blades, using their flesh-and-blood bodies to force their way through the Heavy Mecha's defenses.

The dog-shaped {Fierce Tigers}, with their sharp fangs, poured madly into the breach, unstoppable as a flood bursting through a dam.

Chi Yan hurried over, aimed at White Forehead, and unleashed his full firepower. After a furious bombardment, however, he saw White Forehead merely shake his head, having suffered little damage.

"What are you?"

"Hahaha! Chi Yan, those Cluster Bombs you're so proud of are useless against me." Without wasting another word, White Forehead charged at him.

White Forehead's eight insect legs moved in rapid alternation. Before Chi Yan could finish reloading for his second volley, White Forehead was already in front of him.

Both pincers struck at once, closing in on Chi Yan's waist from either side. Chi Yan immediately pulled back and fired six shots from his shoulders, slamming them into White Forehead's Sacred Barrier.

Black smoke billowed everywhere. As Chi Yan scanned for White Forehead, a scorpion's stinger pierced the smoke of the explosions and drove straight into his left shoulder.

Chi Yan immediately swung his Energy Sword, trying to sever the scorpion's tail, but he was a moment too late. By the time the blade came down, White Forehead had already withdrawn his tail.

"I know your combat techniques inside out, but you know nothing about me."

Chi Yan asked again, "Who exactly are you?"

"I'll tell you when you're about to be terminated... Hahaha!"

After running a series of calculations, Chi Yan knew he was no match for the monster before him. His only chance to turn the battle around was to board his personal warship.

But as soon as Chi Yan looked up, he saw Han Bing's personal warship slaughtering Nagang People warriors overhead.

"You actually managed to tamper with Han Bing's programming?"

"Hahaha! They didn't tamper with my programming. I'd long since grown sick of a body that couldn't feel anything. I'm very satisfied with this body!"

"Han Bing? You're Han Bing?"

White Forehead did not answer. He lunged at Chi Yan again, and Chi Yan immediately activated his energy defenses, fighting as he retreated toward his Personal Warship.

Suddenly, a tremendous explosion rang out overhead. Chi Yan's Personal Warship burst into raging flames and began to fall slowly from the sky.

"You..."

"Did you think I'd give you a chance?"

"Han Bing, have you gone mad? You willingly degraded yourself, abandoning the body the Great Emperor bestowed on you to become an inferior life-form!"

"An inferior life-form? An inferior life-form of flesh and blood is still better than a toy that can neither feel nor think."

"What are you talking about?"

"Forget it. Even if I explained it to a programmed puppet like you, you wouldn't understand."

White Forehead launched a frenzied assault on Chi Yan, every strike aimed at a weak point. Chi Yan could only defend himself, with no chance to strike back.

Suddenly, a red light began flashing on Chi Yan's chest, and a cold, solemn mechanical voice sounded in his mind: "Self-Destruct Program activated."

Chi Yan roared at the sky in terror, "Great Emperor! Great Emperor, I can still fight! Please give me a chance! I can still fight!"

"You useless fools. How long have I been gone? And you've already cost me so many star systems. Even ten thousand deaths would not atone for your crimes. Leave your final radiance to the Liruwara People."

Seeing Chi Yan's terrified expression, White Forehead took a closer look and noticed the flashing red light on his chest. He shouted, "Retreat! Everyone, retreat!"

Boom... Wherever the enormous wave of energy swept, Nasteel, Liruwara People, and Insect Race troops alike turned to white powder. Fortunately, White Forehead reacted in time and narrowly escaped.

A huge, terrifying face suddenly appeared before the {Rebecca} fleet heading to reinforce Flowing Flame Star.

"Ignorant, inferior life-forms..."

That deep, flat voice carried a noise that made everyone's heads feel as though they would split apart. Fighting stopped across several star systems. The Nagang People began a full retreat, while the Liruwara People and the Insect Race could not move at all.

The deep, flat voice said, "Consider this your victory. I am very merciful toward inferior life-forms. You may keep the star systems you have occupied. But if you dare attack the Purple Moon System, I will annihilate you."

Zhang Fan suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

"Lord of the Nasteel, the Western Realm Great Emperor."

"Does your appearance here mean you want to negotiate peace?"

"Negotiate? Inferior life-form, I am merely rewarding your courage-the courage to resist me."

"What if I refuse?"

Zhang Fan's words made everyone break into a nervous sweat for him. Even the Western Realm Great Emperor froze for a moment. "What did you just say?"

"I intend to refuse your kindness and destroy the Purple Moon System. Why don't you show yourself right now and annihilate us?"

"You... you ignorant creature."

Another burst of piercing noise followed. Almost everyone's face twisted in agony, but Zhang Fan remained completely unaffected.

Zhang Fan laughed. "That trick of yours isn't working. Can we have a proper talk?"

The huge, terrifying face looked in puzzlement at Zhang Fan, who stood on Mumu Star with his head tilted toward the sky. "You're an interesting little creature. How do you intend to negotiate?"

"We surrender. This territory will remain under your rule!"

The Western Realm Great Emperor's expression visibly shifted from puzzlement to... astonishment!

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's simple. You're powerful, so this territory will be under your rule. We'll worship you as a god and obey your commands. But you must provide us with protection and leave the administration to me. I'll handle all affairs here on your behalf, with full authority!"

"Hahaha! You really are an interesting little creature. You rebelled against me just to join me? This is the first time I've encountered anything like it in hundreds of millions of years! Interesting."

"We resisted to prove to you that we're capable, and more useful than those hunks of metal of yours. What do you think, Great Emperor?"

After a moment's silence, the Western Realm Great Emperor laughed. "You interesting little thing. Very well, I'll leave the Western Universe in your hands. From today onward, you are my supreme commander in the Western Universe."