Chapter 546: The Ultimate Weapon

A vast swarm of flying dragons descended from the horizon, dense and countless, blackening the sky like a storm cloud.

"The Xenomorphs." Kardel turned ashen, staring at the skyward horde—he finally understood why the people of Paradise had vanished. As a high civilization, they had few rivals across the galaxy, but the Xenomorphs were one of them.

As enemies of all native galactic civilizations, the Xenomorphs' ferocity was enough to silence crying children. For a high civilization, encountering the Xenomorphs meant facing annihilation.

"What should we do now?" Aland was utterly paralyzed. Faced with this most dire reality, he could only stare, helpless.

"Let's fight them to the death?" Kardel gritted his teeth, pulling an egg from somewhere unknown and hurling it down, watching it tensely, hoping for rapid hatching.

"We should run," Aland shrank back, staring at the advancing swarm. "This is just a small Xenomorph unit. Haven't you seen enough of the endless hordes on the battlefield before?"

"Precisely because I've seen enough, I want to fight." Kardel snarled, teeth clenched. "The Xenomorphs are the enemy of every native galactic civilization. If we can't defeat them, no matter where we flee, death awaits. Better to die fighting than cower in fear."

"But there are others," Aland said firmly. "The galaxy holds other high civilizations—far stronger than us. Their ultimate weapons aren't just for show. Let them hold the line; we have no reason to fear the Xenomorphs conquering the entire galaxy. Maybe by the time we find a primitive planet and become gods for a few years, the Xenomorphs will be gone."

"Shut up. Paradise must not fall—not even if every last one of us dies." Kardel roared at Aland. To heresy, even from his own kin, he showed no mercy.

"If we all die, won't someone else take over Paradise?" Aland muttered under his breath, his voice so low he feared Kardel would scream at him again.

But no matter how quiet his voice, nothing escaped Ye Nan's notice. From their conversation, Ye Nan grew more certain: Paradise held a great secret. Otherwise, why would the Prometheus race cling to it so fiercely, refusing to abandon it even under Xenomorph assault?

"You—" Kardel nearly fainted from rage. He had tolerated his brother before, but now he could no longer bear it. At the brink of racial catastrophe, Aland chose flight over shared sacrifice.

"Allow me to remind you both: against the Xenomorphs, the best strategy is a weapon of mass destruction. Surely your base possesses such a weapon." Ye Nan whispered.

"That's true," Kardel mused, deciding to follow Ye Nan's advice. "You've reminded me—if we survive this day, I will repay you."

"No repayment needed. Just tell me your secret." Ye Nan did not speak these words aloud—he kept them in his mind.

He knew a single suggestion wouldn't make them reveal their secret. Better to appear friendly than alarm them and make them wary.

"But the secret of Paradise grows ever more intriguing. I have a feeling—if I uncover it, I will surpass my current power."

"Come, let's go inside," Kardel grabbed Aland's hand and hurried forward. "Brother, remember: you are born a Prometheus, you will die a Prometheus ghost. You can never abandon Paradise for your so-called pleasures."

"But…" Aland hesitated, gazing at Kardel's solemn expression, and said nothing further. "Still, I'm your older brother."

"You'll always be my younger brother," Kardel rapped him on the head, then turned. "Ye Nan, follow us. We Prometheus won't let our guest—the Supreme Leader of the Space-Time Empire—be devoured by Xenomorphs outside."

Ye Nan paused, then quickly followed.

"Go, Alien Queen—block this entrance. Let no Xenomorph pass." Kardel spoke to the egg. It cracked open with sharp snaps, and a massive Alien Queen, her genitalia grotesquely enlarged, burst forth. She immediately began devouring the shell, gulping down fragments in three or four bites, growing into a colossal beast in moments.

"Though Aliens aren't a match for Xenomorphs, the Alien Queen's reproductive ability can delay them for a long time. Without reinforcements, we might wipe out this swarm." As the flying dragons drew nearer, Kardel felt a flicker of hope—then it vanished.

Xenomorphs never attacked a civilization with just a swarm of flying dragons. Even if this group seemed large, for a low civilization, it might mean only low-tier Xenomorphs. But the Prometheus were high civilization—they faced high-tier Xenomorphs. Perhaps even the Xenomorph Overlord Harris himself would arrive to command. Unlikely, but possible.

In that case, the Alien Queen stood no chance. Her parasitism required time; Xenomorph reproduction did not. Against a vast horde, the Aliens were powerless.

But Kardel needed only delay. Ye Nan's warning had given him hope: use the weapon of mass destruction to cleanse the battlefield. Even if Paradise's environment suffered catastrophic damage, it was better than letting the Xenomorphs seize it.

This passage differed from the Xenomorph tunnels. Xenomorph tunnels contained ferns and uneven soil; this one was perfectly smooth, etched with intricate patterns—clearly machine-carved.

"Once we deploy the ultimate weapon, we'll give these Xenomorphs a lesson they won't forget," Kardel said, lifting his head with resolve.

"Are you really going to use that weapon?" Aland stared at Kardel in dismay. "The ultimate weapon is a relic of ancient civilizations. Once activated, we can't control it. And didn't Ye Nan just say 'weapon of mass destruction'? Why are you now calling it the ultimate weapon?"

"Because weapons of mass destruction devastate Paradise's environment. The ultimate weapon won't." Kardel spoke slowly, yet quickened his pace.

"But if we can't control the ultimate weapon, we'll die with it!" Aland cried. "Ancient civilizations—we haven't mastered their technology. We'll be wiped out along with the Xenomorphs."

Ye Nan frowned, listening. From their words, he was certain: the ultimate weapon wasn't their own creation. It was an ancient relic—something they could not control.

"If we can't control it, this becomes complicated," Ye Nan thought.

He wanted Paradise's secret, but the Xenomorphs outside were his enemies. He still didn't know how many types of Xenomorphs existed, how many high-tier ones had arrived. Now, the Prometheus were about to unleash a weapon they couldn't control. One misstep, and Ye Nan would be caught between two fires.

And from their talk, he understood: this weapon was terrifyingly powerful. Kardel believed it could destroy the invaders. The more confident he was, the more dangerous the situation became.

"The best solution is to let them destroy each other—then I can pick up the scraps."

"But how do I make them destroy each other?"

"If the Prometheus could control the ultimate weapon, fine. But if they can't… the outcome is beyond my grasp."

One idea after another surfaced in Ye Nan's mind, darkening his gaze.

Unaware of Ye Nan's thoughts, the two continued arguing. "No! I won't allow you to use the ultimate weapon! That's murder—do you understand murder? You'll face trial!"

"If using it saves Paradise, I'll gladly face trial," Kardel replied coldly. "Brother, I've tolerated you—but tolerance doesn't mean obedience."

"In your heart, your life matters most. In mine, Paradise matters more than life. I'll risk everything to protect it."

"But if we all die, what's the point of Paradise?" Aland was furious. If Kardel used a weapon of mass destruction, he could accept it—Paradise's environment was ruined, but that didn't affect him directly. He'd just have a harder life later.

But now? If the ultimate weapon went rogue, those who activated it would be obliterated instantly. No survivors. He knew its power too well.

He simply couldn't understand why Kardel would risk it. Was it really just about the environment?

"The Prometheus race will never perish. Even if every current Prometheus dies, new ones will rise—as long as Paradise remains." Kardel stared coldly at Aland. "So, whether the ultimate weapon succeeds or fails, the Prometheus will ultimately prevail."

"Its success or failure affects only our lives and deaths—and our lives and deaths are irrelevant." (To be continued.)