Chapter 143: The dark campaign shocked myriad realms; Bo Bi got slapped in the face!

In the heavenly screen,

The tail-mounted fusion radiation engine of the Natural Selection spewed blinding light.

The warship began full-power acceleration.

Due to excessive acceleration, the gravity system on the bridge instantly overloaded.

Dongfang Yanxu and several young officers were pinned to the ground, unable to move.

"Political Commissar Zhang……you're crazy……"

Dongfang Yanxu strained to squeeze these words out from between his teeth.

Zhang Beihai stood before the command console, bearing the same excessive overload.

His spine remained straight.

"I'm not crazy."

"I'm saving you."

The view switched to Earth.

United Nations Planetary Defense Council Headquarters.

The main screen flashed with blinding red light,

The Natural Selection's flight path was highlighted, pointing straight to the outskirts of the solar system.

The conference room was in chaos.

An official slammed the table.

"This is defection! Pure and simple defection!"

"Zhang Beihai has betrayed humanity!"

"He hijacked our most advanced warship!"

The Supreme Commander's face turned grim as he issued the order.

"Dispatch warships to pursue immediately!"

"We can't let him take the Natural Selection!"

In space.

Four star-class battleships broke formation.

The Enterprise, Deep Space, Ultimate Regulation, and Blue Space.

Five huge ships drew long trails in the deep universe, flying toward unknown depths of space.

The bridge of the Natural Selection.

The excessive overload gradually eased, and the ship entered steady cruising.

Zhang Beihai watched the sun continually shrink beyond the porthole.

"I am not a traitor."

He turned his head to look at Dongfang Yanxu, his tone calm.

"I merely saw the truth earlier than all of you."

In his mind arose the image of his father lying on a sickbed two hundred years ago.

"Think more."

Zhang Beihai thought.

He thought for two full centuries.

Assassinate the obstructionists.

Disguise themselves as fervent victory faction.

Using hibernation to cross time. Finally hijack the warship.

Everything was for this moment.

Carrying humanity's fire, they fled.

The heavenly screen's timeline leapt.

The Water Drop finally reached the solar system.

The 3000 warships humanity prided itself on, arrayed in dense formation, prepared to receive this "emissary of negotiation."

Then the slaughter began.

The Water Drop's surface was smoothed to perfection,

with inconceivable speed and maneuverability,

it directly pierced one star-class battleship after another.

Nuclear fusion fireballs flared one after another in space.

The explosive sounds resembled firecrackers, continuously spraying firelight in space.

The supposedly indestructible armor was as fragile as paper before the Water Drop.

Half an hour.

Only half an hour.

All 3000 warships were annihilated.

In space remained only countless burning wrecks and floating corpses.

Except for the five warships that had fled early,

and the two other warships that opportunistically withdrew from the battlefield.

Humanity's space military forces were completely wiped out.

On board the Natural Selection.

Dongfang Yanxu and all the crew members stared at the received doomsday image, all collapsing to the ground.

Zhang Beihai stood before the holographic screen, not surprised.

He opened the ship-wide broadcast.

"We survived."

"But surviving is only the beginning."

Three-Body Universe, top floor of the PIA Building.

Weide leaned against the back of the leather chair, hands clasped.

"Splendid."

After seeing everything Zhang Beihai had done, he did not stint on his praise.

"Two hundred years of endurance, one person alone carried humanity's fire and sent it out."

"Zhang Beihai's intellect and execution can be called perfect."

Luo Ji's Snow Mountain Manor.

Luo Ji held a teacup, his hand suspended in midair.

"Shadow Wallfacer..."

Luo Ji gave a bitter smile.

"I, this nominal Wallfacer, can at least mobilize UN resources and get the world to cooperate with my act."

"What about him?"

"He has nothing. He can't even mention his true thoughts to anyone."

"He even has to bear humanity's infamy, becoming a deserter to preserve the human fire."

Shi Qiang pressed out the cigarette butt in the ashtray, then ruffled his messy hair.

"This kid is a tough one."

"One person poked a hole in the sky and then patched it up. Damn, that's awesome."

Galactic Peoples' Union flagship.

Grand Marshal Sidney stood in the center of the command room.

"That's a true soldier."

She looked at the surrounding officers.

"No position, no resources, no authority."

"But he did what a Wallfacer should do."

"Luo Ji has the whole Earth as his backing; Zhang Beihai has only himself."

"A true warrior needs no medals bestowed by others."

Cybertron.

Megatron burst out laughing on his throne.

"Hahahaha!"

"So interesting!"

Megatron sprang to his feet, his metallic body emitting a crisp clanking sound.

"Look! This is what carbon-based life should be like!"

"That woman named Cheng Xin became the Swordholder, her fame terrifyingly high."

"All humanity revered her as a holy mother. The result? She accomplished nothing, only crying."

"What about Zhang Beihai?"

"No power, no fame, even being regarded as a traitor."

"He has nothing."

"But he left behind humanity's fire!"

Red Spider nodded repeatedly beside him.

"Lord Megatron is absolutely right!"

"That Cheng Xin is just a waste; Zhang Beihai is the true leader material!"

Marvel Universe.

Tony Stark rubbed his brow.

"JARVIS."

"At your service, sir."

"If it were me, could I do it?"

Tony picked up the whiskey on the table and took a sip.

"Two hundred years without saying a word to anyone, personally killing comrades, then abandoning the whole Earth to wander."

"I can't do that."

JARVIS's voice echoed in the lab.

"Sir, your personality leans toward solving problems head-on."

"Mr. Zhang Beihai's psychological defenses have surpassed normal human limits."

Wandering Earth World.

Navigator Space Station.

Liu Peiqiang stared at the screen, his palms sweating.

"Moss."

I am here, Colonel Liu Peiqiang.

Do you think Zhang Beihai's actions are right?

The red camera flickered once.

According to the calculation, Zhang Beihai's behavioral logic is completely consistent with the core purpose of the Wandering Earth Plan.

Continuing human civilization is the highest priority.

In the face of an absolute power disparity, fleeing is the only option with a survival probability greater than zero.

Liu Peiqiang remained silent for a long time.

This is too cruel.

Abandoning three billion people, taking only a few thousand.

Moreover, one must bear the stigma of being a traitor.

Moss's voice had no inflection.

Human morality has no practical value before the cosmic survival law.

Colonel Zhang Beihai displayed extremely high rationality. He is a qualified navigator.

Fairy-tale world.

Bobby sat on the sofa gnawing an apple, with Superman Strong beside him.

He looked at the sky curtain and curled his lips.

Everyone in the myriad worlds is praising Zhang Beihai, but I think he's not that great.

He stole a warship and fled; maybe he's just scared to die.

Beside.

GG rushed over.

Bobby, Zhang Beihai bears infamy to preserve the human seed; what do you think is wrong?

What 'preserving the human civilization seed'?

Rookie Piggy Hero, you're really ridiculous.

I think he knew he couldn't win, so he slipped away first.

Bobby tossed the apple core to one side,

Preserving the civilization seed is just an excuse, right?

He abandoned so many people just to save himself; that's selfish!

Bobby's words were transmitted via the myriad worlds public screen to everyone's eyes.

A minor commotion arose among the myriad worlds.

Many people began to murmur.

Yeah, is Zhang Beihai truly selfless?

Is everything he did truly just for humanity, rather than for himself to survive the apocalypse?

After all, who doesn't want to live on?

The sky curtain seemed to hear this doubt.

The scene changed again.

The truth is often crueler than imagined.

Subtitles appeared on the sky curtain.

【Five escape warships formed the 'Star Vessel Earth', flying into deep space.】

【But they soon discovered a fatal problem.】

【Insufficient fuel and parts.】

【The supplies of the five warships combined are only enough for one warship to reach the nearest star system.】

【If nobody takes action, everyone will die midway.】

【Whoever strikes first can seize resources and survive.】

【Prisoner's dilemma.】

Fairy-tale world,

Bobby laughed: 'I guess Zhang Beihai will definitely destroy the other few warships to survive.'

……

Bridge of the 'Natural Selection'.

The atmosphere was oppressive enough to make one breathless.

Zhang Beihai sat in the captain's seat; the weapon system's safety on the control panel ahead had been released.

His finger hovered above the launch button.

As long as he presses it, the subsonic nuclear bomb will launch.

Everyone aboard the 'Ultimate Regulation' will die, and the warship's resources will belong to the 'Natural Selection'.

Dongfang Yanxu stood beside him, trembling all over.

Zhang Beihai... are we going to kill our own people?

Zhang Beihai did not look at her.

His finger pressed down slightly.

But he hesitated.

For two full centuries, he had been decisive and ruthless in killing.

But at this moment, facing fellow humans who are also the human seed, he hesitated for a second.

It was this very second that changed everything.

A piercing alarm suddenly blared inside the bridge.

Warning! High-energy weapon incoming!

Source: Ultimate Regularity!

The defense system can't intercept!

The Ultimate Regularity struck first, launching an attack.

A sonic-wave nuclear warhead pierced the hull of the Natural Selection, and deadly radiation burst inside the cabin.

Natural Selection, Enterprise, and Deep Space.

Three warships were completely destroyed within three seconds.

Inside the bridge, the control console exploded.

Zhang Beihai drifted among the weightless wreckage.

Blood welled from his forehead, blurring his vision.

Around him lay the corpses of the crew.

Dongfang Yanxu floated nearby, devoid of any vital signs.

Zhang Beihai's breathing grew ever weaker.

He felt no anger, no resentment.

He gazed at the surviving warship beyond the porthole.

Summoning the last vestige of his strength, he whispered.

"It's fine, it's all the same."

The skyline image froze at that moment.

Golden subtitles slowly rose, striking heavily upon each person's heart.

【He doesn't care who survives.】

【He only cares whether the fire seed is passed on.】

【It's fine, it's all the same.】

【He is a great warrior, his soul devoid of any selfish desire.】

【Whether in character or spirit, he achieved absolute selflessness.】

【He is the father of star-faring humanity, the true practitioner who preserves the fire of human civilization.】

The myriad-worlds public screen fell silent.

Immediately afterward, the barrage exploded like a volcanic eruption.

One Piece world.

Akainu punched through the desk in front of him.

"That brat named Bobi! Shut up!"

"You know nothing about what a warrior is!"

"He doesn't care about his own life; he only cares whether the mission can be completed!"

"Someone like that—how dare you call him selfish!"

Naruto world.

Madara Uchiha let out a cold snort.

"You foolish simpletons of the fairy‑tale world, narrow‑minded enough to make one sick."

"How can sparrows know the ambition of a swan?"

"How could you, who only know to eat apples, comprehend Zhang Beihai's realm?"

"That one‑second hesitation of his was the last vestige of his humanity."

"But his saying 'It's all the same' is his awakening as a god."

These barrage comments left the fairy‑tale world's Bobi speechless.

Bobi watched the skyline showing Zhang Beihai's gruesome death; his apple slipped from his hand, fell to the ground, and rolled into the grass.

He lowered his head, his face flushing crimson.

DC Universe.

Batman sat before the Batcave's supercomputer, his hands crossed and resting on his chin.

"An unbelievable mind."

"He had long prepared himself for sacrifice."

"He pre‑armed the weapon system to ensure someone could survive, but in the end he didn't press the trigger, because he entrusted the right to live to his compatriots."

"As long as someone can survive, who it is doesn't matter."

"Such purity of spirit is terrifying."

Bleach world.

Aizen Sousuke pushed up his glasses.

"Impressive."

"In the dark universe, he turned himself into a beam of light."

"He needs no one's understanding, no one's gratitude. He even treats his own life as a disposable chip."

"That is what a true strong one is."

StarCraft world.

Artanis clenched his psionic blade.

The Star Spirit Clan pays respect to this human warrior.

He, by his own strength, preserved hope for humanity among the stars.

His name deserves to be carved on the shrine's stone tablet.

Sai Bo Tan Star.

Wei Zhen Tian was utterly furious.

He paced back and forth in the hall, his metallic feet pounding the floor with thuds.

Did you see that?

Did you all see that?

Zhang Beihai, Luo Ji, Cheng Xin.

Putting these three together, the gap between them is so huge it's laughable!

Wei Zhen Tian pointed at the sky.

Luo Ji stood in the open, gun pointed at his own head, forcing the Trisolarans to retreat, defending Earth for over fifty years!

Zhang Beihai operated in the shadows, bearing everyone's condemnation, sending humanity's fire into the depths of space!

The two of them, one in the light, one in the dark, literally dragged this feeble human species back from the clutches of death!

But what about Cheng Xin?!

Wei Zhen Tian's voice grew louder and louder, the electronic tone thick with mockery.

What did she do?

She became the Sword Bearer, utterly destroying Luo Ji's efforts!

She turned the starfleet humanity that Zhang Beihai had fought to preserve into cosmic orphans!

Every choice she made was pushing humanity toward the cliff's edge!

Trisolaran Universe, top floor of the PIA building.

Wei De stood before the floor-to-ceiling window.

His cigar had gone out, but he didn't relight it.

He looked at the blood-stained face of Zhang Beihai on the screen.

Wei De slowly took off his hat and placed it over his chest.

This man, forever cold, forever calculating, forever only valuing profit, showed genuine respect for the first time.

Zhang Beihai.

Wei De whispered that name.

As long as humanity can still produce someone like you, this civilization still has hope.

You are stronger than I.

If I were in your position, I would definitely press that button.

Wei De put his hat back on, turned, and walked toward his desk.

But you didn't press it.

You used your death to fulfill the lives of the starfleet humanity.

……

(Next War Hammer)