Chapter 126: Hunter's Beautiful Niece

The developmental history of Molcasar was similar to most Interstellar civilizations. They dutifully progressed through the Stone Age and the Industrial Age. However, just as they finally began to explore space, they encountered a Travel Ship.

The captain of that Travel Ship sold the coordinates of this civilization to a large-scale civilization for an incredibly low price.

The Interstellar Society had no such concept as protecting the independent development of a civilization. The Amethyst civilization that ruled over this Territory simply waved a hand and directly forced a massive amount of foundational Technology upon them.

This action effectively turned Molcasar into their subordinate. Li Yu was quite curious as to why Molcasar did not request reinforcements from the Amethyst civilization.

Mole was hiding something. Everyone could see that, but they chose not to press the issue, including Hunter.

This was merely a war Camp, and the group was only staying temporarily. After all, Mole could not allow them to reside here long-term.

The galaxy shone brilliantly as the night gradually descended. Cold winds howled. The temperature difference between day and night on the Molcasar Star was quite drastic, despite the planet maintaining a normal distance from its sun.

Several satellites reflected the sun's radiance, forming moons at varying distances. The Ring Mountain on the closest ones could even be seen with the naked eye.

Those craters were the result of comet impacts. Hunter had gone off to catch up with Mole. The two had not seen each other for a very long time and had much to discuss.

As night fell, the surrounding Molcasar soldiers immediately grew vigilant. They ran about in their Armor, Radar dishes spinning rapidly, while Scanners pressed tightly against the Ground blinked with warning lights.

The Star Beasts that slumbered deep underground year-round disliked the daytime temperatures; the night was their true domain. Every evening brought a period of high tension for the Molcasar soldiers.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

An ear-piercing alarm shattered the already restless night. Every Molcasar soldier knew exactly what that sound meant: a Star Beast Tide was attacking!

The atmosphere of the entire Camp abruptly shifted, becoming somber and deadly. The soldiers' boots thudded heavily against the ground as they sprinted to their respective posts.

Metal bunkers opened one after another, extending long artillery barrels. Giant tanks deployed stabilizing Mechanical Arms from their four corners and began charging their weapons.

Mole rushed out of the nearby command post with a solemn expression. Hunter trailed closely behind, his clothes disheveled and his face flushed red.

Li Yu witnessed this bizarre scene and immediately wondered just what the two of them had been doing inside the command post.

"Everyone, move! Pull up the Electromagnetic Tripwires and fire the Ground-Shattering Missiles!"

Behind Mole, the Blue Assaulter Armor was already fully equipped. He clamped a thick cigar between his teeth and roared his orders.

Air currents swirled wildly as dilapidated fighter jets took to the skies. Massive six-barreled and even nine-barreled Gun muzzles began to slowly rotate, ready to unleash a terrifying storm of bullets at any moment.

Hunter hurried back, reeking of alcohol. Li Yu quietly took a step back.

Hunter looked somewhat worried, though he was still quite intoxicated. "Mole said this is the fifth consecutive day they've attacked."

"Who knows what drove these Star Beasts crazy..."

He shook his head, muttering, "My alcohol tolerance is getting worse. I can't even outdrink Old Ninth anymore."

Crackle! Along the edge of the Camp, thick metal cables the size of human arms were hoisted into the air. They were lined with razor-sharp barbs and crackled with deep blue Electric Arcs.

The Earth trembled. The entire Camp was constructed from metal, making it as impenetrable as a massive block of iron.

The soldiers wore grave expressions. The distant horizon appeared completely empty; the only sign of approach was the ceaseless shuddering of the Ground.

Rumble!

The whole Camp seemed to shudder, as if something had slammed violently into its foundations.

"They're here!" Mole shouted fiercely, standing atop a Mechanical Tank.

The next moment, small hills seemed to bulge around the perimeter of the Camp. The soil ruptured, and time itself appeared to freeze.

Hideous giant beasts erupted from beneath the surface, crashing straight into the arm-thick electric cables.

Copious amounts of black blood sprayed into the air. The Star Beasts at the very front were instantly shredded by their own immense momentum, letting out ear-piercing shrieks as they were ripped into pieces.

Immediately after, violent explosions engulfed the outskirts of the Camp. Those were Bombs buried underground. The surroundings transformed into a blazing wall of fire, completely encasing the base.

"Fire!" Mole commanded. The Earth seemed to quake as hundreds of Mechanical Tanks fired simultaneously. The artillery shells traced graceful arcs through the air, requiring almost no aiming as they rained down upon the Star Beast swarm, detonating in blinding flashes of fire.

In the next second, Hunter felt as though he had gone deaf. Blazing light surrounded him from all sides, making his heart race—not out of fear, but from a sense of nostalgia.

Li Yu stared into the distance. Through the churning flames, he could faintly make out the appearance of the Star Beasts.

Their bodies were pitch-black and smooth. They crawled along the ground like lizards, sporting thick, powerful tails. Their speed was phenomenal; without such large-scale fire suppression, a significant number of these Star Beasts would have undoubtedly breached the defenses.

"Do many planets have Star Beasts?" Li Yu could not help but ask. Hunter just looked at him with a blank expression, completely unable to hear a word he said over the noise.

Li Yu had no choice but to raise his voice and repeat the question.

"Not necessarily!" Hunter roared back. "It depends on the planet's ecological environment. Some planets had astonishing oxygen levels billions of years ago. After those levels declined, some Star Beasts hid themselves underground."

"Or perhaps a sudden comet strike destroyed their atmospheric structure, encasing the entire world in ice."

Li Yu nodded thoughtfully. The sight of the surging Star Beasts reminded him of a species from the games and movies of his past life—the Zerg.

However, it was clear that these were not a plague meant to Engulf the Cosmos. They were simply a historical remnant left behind by the planet's unique evolutionary path.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The seemingly terrifying Star Beast Tide was completely blocked outside the Camp's perimeter. Shreds of flesh flew through the air, roasting into cooked meat before they even hit the ground, giving off an oddly tantalizing aroma.

By the time the pieces landed, they had been reduced to charred husks, emitting wisps of smoke.

Yet, a few incredibly agile ones slipped through the net. They sent scores of soldiers flying as they charged toward the center of the base. Measuring roughly five to six meters in length, they roared, exposing mouths packed with dense, jagged fangs.

To deal with these stragglers, Molcasar had dedicated decapitation squads.

These were Molcasar's elite warriors, divided into seven squads. Each Captain was a C-Tier Lifeform. The squads consisted of three Mechanical Cyborgs, three Gene Evolvers, and even an Esper.

Her pale blonde hair stood out, noticeably different from the rest of the Molcasar people. She wore a high-slit white robe that revealed long, flawless legs.

'That outfit is completely unsuited for combat,' Li Yu noted silently after a quick glance.

However, it was excellent for boosting morale. Li Yu could see that the soldiers nearby, who had been retreating in fear just moments ago, were now howling as they charged forward once more.

Her eyes gleamed like brilliant gold. From time to time, she fired twin Light Beams that accurately pierced through the skulls of any advancing Star Beast.

She was flanked by a group of Mechanical Cyborgs. These D-rank Mechanical Cyborgs had already completed their initial limb modifications. Wielding crimson mantis blades and an earthen-yellow Giant Shield, they kept her firmly protected.

As for the other Captains, their combat styles were much more conventional. The three Gene Evolvers lacked any Elemental Power, meaning they had likely only integrated ordinary Gene Chains.

One of them even sprouted a tail from his back. With his arm muscles bulging, he met a Star Beast head-on and violently threw it into the air.

Hunter stared fixedly at the blonde girl, muttering under his breath, "Why does she look so familiar?"

"Damn... could that be Mole's daughter? I remember he had a girl back when we served together."

Hunter was still a bit tipsy, his speech slightly slurred. "Dammit all. How could Mole have such a beautiful daughter? I'm so jealous."

"Heh heh... Come here, my pretty niece. Let Uncle get a good look at you..."

Li Yu's mouth twitched. He stealthily activated his Smart Terminal and began Recording.

Mo Duo was also awakened by the commotion outside. She stepped out warily, looking entirely bewildered by the chaos unfolding around her.

"Don't worry!" Li Yu shouted. "It's just a Star Beast attack!"

"Watch out, sir!" A figure suddenly darted out from the side, throwing himself in front of Li Yu.

"Roar!"

A Star Beast, despite being cornered by the decapitation squad, had somehow broken through and was hurtling straight toward them. Its terrifying fangs and cold, malicious beastly eyes rapidly closed the distance.

Li Ping stood resolutely in front of Li Yu with an expression of heroic sacrifice. Li Yu was rendered Speechless. Where the hell did Li Ping even come from?

'This guy seems to have unlocked some incredible hidden attribute. How does he have zero presence?' Li Yu thought.

"Roar!" The Star Beast lunged forward, snapping its bloody maw wide open. Li Yu's pupils contracted, and he prepared to strike.

In the very next instant, two brilliant golden Light Beams pierced clean through the Star Beast's skull. The light faded from its eyes, and its lifeless body crashed limply to the ground.

Thud!

An earthen-yellow shield caught the beast's corpse firmly, preventing it from colliding with the group.

"Who are you people? Why aren't you wearing Armor? This is a battlefield," a melodious voice rang out from the side. The blonde girl approached, flanked by her squad of Mechanical Cyborgs.

"You must be Kelly. I'm your Uncle Zeth," Hunter offered warmly. He genuinely meant no offense; he was simply thrilled to meet his best buddy's daughter and extended his affection to her.

"Zeth?" Kelly frowned. Her blonde hair cascaded down to her shoulders. Her eyes were also golden, faintly shimmering with some sort of symbol, and the white robe she wore appeared to be woven from silk.

"Never heard of you." She shook her head, her brow furrowing deeper. "Regardless of who you are, since you aren't soldiers, don't run around out here."

"Mole never mentioned me to you?" Hunter looked visibly taken aback. His shirt was buttoned unevenly, revealing a patch of chest hair. With his face as red as a monkey's rear, he swayed as he took a few steps forward.

"Halt!" Several Mechanical Cyborgs immediately blocked Hunter's path.

Kelly was clearly disgusted but didn't press the issue. "I have to get back to the fight," she said coldly. "Watch yourselves. I might not be able to save you a second time."

Great. Thanks to Hunter, Kelly now had a poor impression of Li Yu and the rest of the group.

"That damned Mole. He never even brought me up to my beautiful niece," Hunter grumbled, gnashing his teeth in frustration.

Li Yu was left Speechless. 'Just what kind of cheap alcohol was this guy drinking?'

He glanced over at Mole, who was High-Spirited and completely sober as he commanded the troops. No wonder Hunter ended up scavenging in a junkyard. The gap between these two men was truly massive.

"More of my father's shady friends... This is a battlefield, how can they just fool around here?" Kelly complained as she rushed off to support the next sector.