An agricultural planet under the Garden's jurisdiction
Fifty percent of the planet's surface was fertile land, while the other fifty percent was ocean. It also had exceptionally abundant freshwater resources, which was why it was considered an important breadbasket for the Garden of Existence.
The agricultural output of this one planet alone could support half the planets in the Ayinai System.
That also made it one of the most heavily defended planets in the Ayinai System. But because of the information reported by an inside agent, the agricultural planet was now off guard.
"Activate the starships' stealth mode and move closer. Wait for the signal from the people who infiltrated the planet, then launch an all-out attack and take it before the enemy can react."
Xiahou Chan gazed down at the green planet, his eyes full of greed. An agricultural planet, one capable of feeding half a star system all by itself-who wouldn't covet it?
"Notify Wanmeng to wait for the signal and prepare to strike together. Her forces must take the steel planet! If the Garden loses both its food and weapons planets at once, its defeat will be irreversible."
Xiahou Chan sneered. He was unwilling to use his brain, not lacking one. Before an army moved, its provisions went ahead of it. The importance of logistics to an army went without saying. No matter how powerful an army was, without logistics, that power was a sham.
"Understood!"
The communications officer answered and quickly sent a message to Wanmeng. Outside the steel planet, Wanmeng began making preparations as soon as she received it. Their operation had progressed a little faster than the one at the agricultural planet: their people had already replaced nearly everyone in the outer planetary orbit of the steel planet.
All that remained was to wait for Xiahou Chan's order to launch the surprise attack.
After receiving Wanmeng's reply, Xiahou Chan gave another order. "Contact Amo and ask how his mission is progressing."
The signalman set about contacting him. The call was answered as soon as it began ringing, so quickly that even Xiahou Chan was momentarily stunned.
"Captain Amo, the general sent me to ask about the progress of your mission."
"Ah, oh, the mission. Hang on, I ****. Phew, all right. Please tell the general that Amo has fulfilled his mission. The main walkway has been cleared."
"Amo! No swearing!"
"Yes, yes, I was wrong. I won't do it again."
"Uh... General, Captain Amo has completed his mission."
The communications officer reported to Xiahou Chan, who pressed his lips tightly together, trying not to laugh aloud. So Amo was henpecked.
"Pass on my order: all starships are to enter planetary orbit. Every army is to take its assigned planet as quickly as possible! If you fail, bring me your heads!"
Hearing Xiahou Chan's merciless words, everyone aboard the starship answered in unison, "Yes, sir! If we fail, we'll bring you our heads!"
With that, they left and returned to the legions under their respective commands. Watching starship after starship filled with soldiers fly toward the planet's orbit, Xiahou Chan looked in the direction of the Garden.
For some reason, a terrifying aura had been coming from that direction for the past few days. Its power was frightening; if he weren't an Emanator, he probably wouldn't have been able to sense it at all.
Of course, there was one other person who felt the same way.
Outer orbit of the steel planet
Qi Tianque, too, was looking toward the Garden, his brows tightly furrowed and his expression grave.
"Tianque, what's wrong?"
Noticing Qi Tianque's state, Wanmeng asked with concern.
Qi Tianque said coldly, "There's a terrifying aura in that direction. That aura... it's very evil, and very powerful."
"How powerful?"
"More powerful than Brother Xiahou."
In the most matter-of-fact tone, Qi Tianque said something that made everyone present tremble with fear.
"Stronger than Xiahou? There aren't many people stronger than Xiahou now. Could it be... the Garden has an Emanator!"
As Wanmeng spoke, she began another divination. She had to do it, even if she suffered backlash. She would never allow any unexpected developments!
But just as Wanmeng began the divination, Qi Tianque grabbed her and stopped her. Wanmeng looked at him in confusion, and Qi Tianque shook his head.
"Don't do it, Sister Wanmeng. Since that person is stronger than Brother Xiahou, you'll suffer backlash if you force the divination. Save your strength, Sister Wanmeng. That way, if we run into them, we can still help Brother Xiahou."
Wanmeng had no choice but to disperse the divination in her hands. Qi Tianque had a point. Since she already knew the other party was stronger than Xiahou, she had all the more reason to conserve her strength so she could deal with them better.
Agricultural planet
"Hold them back! Fucking hold them back, all of you! We can't let these rebels break through!"
"Who the fuck are you calling rebels? You traitor to the goddess! You'll die a horrible death! Brothers, charge in and cut that old bastard down!"
The two commanders furiously cursed each other across the battlefield, separated by more than half its length and growing more worked up with every insult. But the Garden's commander couldn't see that the Alliance Army commander's lips were curling upward despite himself.
The next moment, an icy whisper sounded beside the Garden commander's ear.
"You talk too much."
A long blade gleaming coldly rested against his neck, and cold sweat immediately poured down his face.
The sound of gunfire and artillery masked what was happening, so no one nearby noticed.
"Be more careful in your next life."
The blade swept across, flinging a spray of blood onto the face of a soldier five meters away. The soldier froze for a moment, then looked toward the source of the blood.
His eyes went wide, and he couldn't conceal the panic in them.
The commander clutched his neck and staggered backward, then collapsed with a thud. The sound of his fall drew the attention of the others in the command room.
They saw a person in a black cloak flick the blood from his blade, then look at everyone in the command room with cold eyes beneath the cloak.
"The officer is dead. You... have no reason to go on existing either."
Screams rose one after another inside the command room, and blood splattered across the glass. Someone crawled out of the room and tried to call for help, but the roar of artillery outside drowned out his cries.
"Bad children don't disobey."
The voice behind him sounded like an evil spirit crawling out of the abyss, and the fear on his face grew even more pronounced. Then an irresistible force seized his ankle, and his intense desire to live made him cling tightly to the doorframe.
Amo noticed what he was doing and chose not to keep pulling. Instead, he walked around in front of him and, under his terrified gaze, raised his blade and brought it down.
A piercing scream rang out, and the intense pain caused him to pass out. Expressionless, Amo picked up his ankle again and dragged him into the command room, leaving a trail of blood and two arms behind.
Under the Alliance Army's fierce assault, the battle soon ended. When its troops stormed the command room, they found a pile of corpses and, on the other side, Amo and Xiaohe calmly drinking fruit wine beside a command table that had been cleaned off.