Chapter 340: Remnant of the Brothers Alliance

Origin Star, Highest Science Academy.

Qin Hao's gaze moved away from the holographic screen.

On the screen, it was the preliminary theoretical model of the 【Anti-biological Weapon】 and 【Dimensional Shockwave Torpedo】 submitted by Qian Yin's team.

Progress is fast, but still not enough.

He was about to contact Qian Yin, asking if they could further accelerate, when an encrypted communication request popped up; the sender was Zhang Xianzhong.

Qin Hao connected the communication.

Zhang Xianzhong's face appeared on the screen, expression solemn.

"Xiao Qin, something happened."

He didn't waste any words, went straight to the point.

"Speak."

Qin Hao's voice showed no emotion.

"The Intelligence Department just intercepted multiple encrypted communications; in Sector Seven and Sector Nine, an unknown force is spreading rumors on a large scale."

Zhang Xianzhong's speech was rapid, obviously the situation urgent: "The rumor content is vicious, claiming we concealed the truth of the Andromeda expedition,"

"claiming that the 'Devourer' is merely something we fabricated, used as an excuse to threaten and control the entire Milky Way Galaxy."

Qin Hao's eyes narrowed slightly.

This method is low-level, but effective.

For those civilizations just incorporated into the system, whose hearts are already anxious, this conspiracy theory has market.

"Has the source been traced?"

"Traced."

Zhang Xianzhong's face turned grim: "All communications point to one source—the remnant of the Brothers Alliance."

Leading them is their former third-in-command, codename 'Shadow Blade'. When we purged the Brothers Alliance back then, he managed to escape.

"Shadow Blade..."

Qin Hao searched this name in his mind.

A guy adept at incitement and guerrilla warfare, known for cunning within the Brothers Alliance.

"He's not just spreading rumors that simply."

Zhang Xianzhong continued, "According to our monitoring, there are already three small civilizations in Sector Seven that have openly refused to hand over military resources."

Their fleets are secretly gathering; it looks like they want to stab us in the back while we are fully preparing for the Devourer.

The meeting room was silent.

Qin Hao didn't speak, just silently watching the star map where several disturbed star regions were marked.

Zhang Xianzhong couldn't hold back:

"These bastards are just playing with fire! They think we've moved our main forces to the front, leaving the rear empty, wanting to take advantage of the fire to loot! Should I..."

"No need."

Qin Hao interrupted him.

Looking at the screen, his voice terrifyingly flat:

"Just clowns jumping on beams. Since they want to play with fire, let them see what real fire is."

His finger swiped on the command console, pulling up another document.

"What's happening with Zhou Shaoqing's side?"

Zhang Xianzhong stared for a moment, then replied:

"The Ministry of National Defense is coordinating the entire Milky Way Galaxy's military production per your order, busy beyond belief."

"Have him stop."

Qin Hao's order without hesitation: "Order Zhou Shaoqing to secretly mobilize the Shadow Legion, target Sector Seven. Tell him I don't want prisoners, I just want results."

"Shadow Legion?!"

Zhang Xianzhong sucked in a breath of cold air.

That is the Yanhuang Civilization's most elite special forces fleet, a ghost unit never seen in public.

Each warship is equipped with miniaturized Dimensional Shield and the most advanced Stealth System, specialized for decapitation and precision elimination tasks.

Using this force to deal with a few small civilizations is like using a Star-Erasing Cannon to swat mosquitoes.

"Is it too..."

"No."

Qin Hao's gaze deepened, "Things aren't that simple."

He pushed a piece of intelligence just received, with higher clearance level, onto Zhang Xianzhong's screen.

"Look at this."

Zhang Xianzhong looked down, his pupils constricted sharply.

It was a supplementary report from the Intelligence Department, with only a short line on it.

【Target "Shadow Blade" recently had an extremely brief hyperspace information contact with an unknown "external force".】

"External force?"

Zhang Xianzhong's heart tightened, "Could it be..."

"It's too early to draw conclusions now." Qin Hao's voice showed no emotion,

"But we must prepare for the worst. Zhou Shaoqing's action is not just to suppress rebellion, but also to lure out that fish hiding underwater."

He paused, added a sentence.

"Let the Shadow Legion bring the Mobile Star Gate. Quick battle, quick decision."

Yes!

Zhang Xianzhong immediately obeyed.

He understood that Qin Hao had already laid a net, just waiting for those smart-alecks to crash headfirst into it.

Communication closed.

Qin Hao stood alone in the spacious Command Center, gazing at the huge star map.

His gaze did not linger on those insignificant red dots in Sector Seven,

but instead pierced through the endless void, gazing beyond the Milky Way Galaxy, into that deep and dark expanse.

"Mental Spore...... has it begun to spread?" he muttered.

Faster than he expected.

It seems that the so-called Devourer Sub-body, in the previous brief mental clash, was not merely angrily retaliating.

It also, at that moment, sowed seeds of chaos throughout the Milky Way Galaxy.

"Shadow Blade," merely the first poisonous herb forced to mature.

Qin Hao's face showed no expression. He raised his hand and opened another channel.

"Qian Yin, your progress needs to be a bit faster."

"I need weapons."

"A weapon capable of purifying everything."

……

Meanwhile, on a desolate planet in the distant Sector Seven.

A gaunt man with a ferocious scar on his face,

Standing atop a temporary command tower, he looked down at the assembled fleet. He was 'Shadow Blade'.

Hundreds of millions of various warships, densely packed in the starport, represented the total military strength of three civilizations.

"Lord Shadow Blade, are we really going to do this?"

A leader of a civilization followed behind him, his tone uneasy: "The power of Yanhuang Civilization...... we have already witnessed it."

"Last time? Last time was last time!"

Shadow Blade turned, his eyes blazing with fervent light: "This time is different! Now all their attention is on that illusory 'Devourer'!"

The entire Milky Way Galaxy's fleet is gathering at the border; their hinterland is now the most fragile empty shell!

He spread his arms, breathing in intoxication.

"This is our only chance! As long as we cut off their supply line, we can ignite a great fire behind them!

By then, the entire Milky Way Galaxy will respond to us, overthrowing Yanhuang's tyranny!

Looking at his mad appearance, several civilization leaders exchanged glances, their unease deepening.

"But what if......"

"No what if!"

Shadow Blade shouted sternly, cutting him off: "I have received definite news; our actions have been supported by a great existence! The doom of Yanhuang Civilization is coming!"

He raised his head, gazing into the deep universe, his mouth curling into a strange smile.

"Get ready to depart! Let the Milky Way Galaxy see who is the true master!"

"Target, Yanhuang Civilization's logistics supply line — K-37 Star Domain!"

"All forces, assault!"

With his order, the engines of hundreds of millions of warships ignited simultaneously, gathering into a steel torrent, mighty and mighty, sailing toward the dark depths of space.

No one noticed, just behind their fleet,

In a seemingly empty void, spatial ripples were silently spreading.