Chapter 281: Biteen is doomed to take the blame

Dark Star Xuan.

This chaotic star region located in the frontier of the Kelu Empire, as its name suggests, is perpetually shrouded in deep darkness.

Here there are no stars, only endless dark matter clouds and violent streams of high-energy radiation.

The space structure is extremely unstable; natural spatial rifts and gravity anomaly zones are everywhere, making it a natural cosmic danger zone and a perfect hiding place.

At the deepest part of Star Xuan lies a massive ring-shaped space station base.

It is one of the Kelu Empire's most secret facilities—the Seventh Truth Research Institute.

At this moment, in the innermost region of the institute, inside Duke Ke Lai's private chambers, is a scene of revelry and peace.

Duke Ke Lai, a member of a side branch of the Kelu imperial family, is reclining obliquely on a huge soft couch made from the fur of some rare beast.

Around him, dozens of beautiful maidens, plucked from various vassal civilizations and of diverse forms, surround him.

The air is filled with lascivious music and the rich aroma of wine.

"Your Grace, you are truly magnificent!"

A maiden with fox ears holds a crystal-clear fruit to Duke Ke Lai's lips,

"I hear that the 'Genetic Decay' weapon you are overseeing will soon succeed.

Then those arrogant Biteen people will tremble at your feet!"

"Hahaha!"

Duke Ke Lai let out a pleased laugh, he pulled that maiden into his embrace, his fat hands roaming wantonly over her body.

"Of course! Once my weapon research succeeds, His Majesty will surely reward me handsomely! By then, not to mention a mere research institute, even the lordship of the entire star region will be within easy grasp!"

……

Yet, he remained utterly oblivious to the impending danger.

In his view, this research institute is impregnable.

Not only does he have his most elite Royal Guard Fleet protecting him, but the entire periphery of Star Xuan is also equipped with the Kelu Empire's most advanced hyperspace detection network.

Any unauthorized ship that enters Star Xuan's range will be immediately detected.

Moreover, who would dare come here to cause trouble?

This is a confidential facility personally ordered to be built by the Kelu Emperor himself!

Just as Duke Ke Lai was indulging in sensual pleasures and fantasies of the future,

anomaly, it occurred.

At the outermost edge of Dark Star Xuan, the seemingly tranquil dark void suddenly rippled violently.

The next second.

One ship, ten ships, a hundred ships…… a full ten thousand warships, their bodies a warm golden hue, tore through space, bearing the Biteen Empire fleet's signature jump signal, and suddenly appeared within the Kelu Empire's detection net!

Beep—beep—beep—!!!

Inside the Central Command Center of the Seventh Truth Research Institute, the alarm system was instantly triggered!

The piercing alarm shattered the tranquility of the entire Star Xuan.

The red warning lights flashed wildly, casting each staff member's astonished expression in a vivid crimson.

"Alarm! Alarm! Detected a large-scale unknown fleet jump signal!"

"Identifying signal…… identification complete! Target confirmed as…… Biteen Empire standard main warship!"

"Quantity…… ten thousand ships! They…… they have already broken through the outer defenses!"

The licentious music in Duke Ke Lai's chambers came to an abrupt halt.

He shoved the maiden in his arms away, his obese body moving with unprecedented agility as he sprang from the couch.

He didn't even have time to put on his ducal robes before stumbling to the command console inside his chambers.

When he saw on the holographic screen that fleet emitting a golden glow, familiar yet loathsome,

his face instantly turned pallid, then flushed crimson with anger.

"The Biteen Empire! It is the Biteen Empire's fleet!"

"How dare they?! How dare they invade my territory directly?!"

Duke Ke Lai let out a roar mingled with shock and fury.

One hand flustered, he issued attack orders to the institute's guard fleet via the console, while with the other he pressed the emergency distress button.

Next, an encrypted distress signal was fired, at faster-than-light speed, toward the core territories of the Kelu Empire.

But, it was already too late.

Qin Hao's tactic for this operation had a single core.

That is: fast! accurate! ruthless!

The Ghost Fleet, from the moment it appeared, gave the enemy no chance to react or catch a breath.

Ten thousand golden warships, under the absolutely rational command of AI Bilon, formed an extremely sharp conical assault formation, ignoring the guard fleet that had hastily come to intercept,

and, at a speed surpassing conventional tactical understanding, dove straight toward the main body of the institute's core base.

"Activate the Singularity Gravity Tether."

On the flagship's bridge, AI Bilon issued a cold order.

The next second, the leading hundreds of Ghost warships simultaneously employed the simplified version of the "Concept Creation" weapon Qin Hao devised for them.

Hundreds of invisible gravity tendrils crossed the void, precisely locking onto that massive ring-shaped space station.

Hum—!

Around the institute's base, the ultra‑strong shield capable of resisting spatial slicing, upon contacting this terrifying gravity field, could not even hold for a second.

The shield's spatial structure was mercilessly torn and twisted by the immense gravity, then collapsed with a bang!

At the exact same moment the shield collapsed.

A voice full of arrogance and contempt, through the public channel, clearly echoed in every corner of the Seventh Truth Research Institute, and inside the Command Center of Duke Ke Lai, which had become a complete mess.

"Ke Luo's reptiles."

The voice of AI "Bi Long" perfectly imitates the unique, condescending tone of the real Bi Long.

"This is the fate of opposing our Empire."

"Under the glory of our Empire, turn to dust."

This provocative declaration became the final straw that broke Duke Ke Lai's psychological defenses.

"Bi Long! It's you! You damned bastard!"

He shouted a curse into the communicator.

However, his shouting was destined not to be conveyed.

Because, at the moment the voice of AI "Bi Long" fell.

The main guns of ten thousand ghost warships fired simultaneously.

Countless torrents formed from high-density energy and spatial fluctuations converged into a storm of death, instantly engulfing the massive ring-shaped space station that had lost its shield protection.

Boom——!!!

In the face of terrifying energy capable of vaporizing everything, the sturdy structure of the Seventh Truth Research Institute, made of special alloy, appeared so fragile.

From the moment it was struck, a chain reaction of disintegration and explosion began.

Duke Ke Lai, together with all his research findings, and the hundreds of thousands of Ke Luo Empire's bio-scientists,

They didn't have time to let out a scream, and together they turned into the most basic particles of the universe in that destructive energy.

The Ghost Fleet strictly carried out Qin Hao's order to leave no survivors.

After confirming that not even a single screw remained of the entire research institute base,

AI "Bi Long" issued the retreat order.

While the Ke Luo Empire's support fleet was still frantically racing through the distant star sea,

Ten thousand ghost warships had already leisurely completed their devastating strike.

They showed no hesitation to engage again, tearing through space once more and disappearing into the depths of the Dim Jade Star.

And after jumping to a pre-set, relatively safe uninhabited star region,

AI "Bi Long" executed its final command.

"Activate the self-destruct procedure."

Ten thousand golden warships had their internal space bombs simultaneously detonated.

In the distortion of space, they turned into nothingness.

They left not a trace.

It was as if they had never appeared in this universe.

And this huge black pot.

It naturally fell onto the head of the Bi Te En Empire.