Chapter 317: Treacherous Situation

The overt mission for the three of them was to assist the Barot Civilization in defense, because the recent turbulence in the Amethyst Civilization had led to a trend where Barot might also be implicated.

They acted as the contestants Returning Star sent over to hold up the facade for their little brother.

The covert mission was actually to provide help for the Returning Star personnel infiltrating Amethyst, including a series of tasks such as receiving, assisting, rescuing, and so on.

And apart from these, Soli and Das also had an even more deeply hidden mission, which was to acquire the Heart of the Titan.

"A small squad has acquired a portion of Amethyst's cutting-edge technology, but now they've run into trouble. We need to go support them as soon as possible," Das told Li Yu. This was the reason they gave.

However, this matter wasn't fabricated, but a fact. Li Yu had also received this secret directive.

As for the mission to receive the Heart of the Titan, it was fundamentally impossible to reveal it to Li Yu.

Coming out of the reception hotel, the three directly went to find Massimo, frankly stating they were going to move the fleet to the Barot border.

Massimo acted as if he didn't see Li Yu, his gaze shifting back and forth between the other two, and asked in confusion: "Are you in such a hurry?"

If they didn't handle Li Yu's matter properly, it would inevitably arouse the Barot Civilization's suspicions. Exactly what kind of matter made them not even have the time to care about a fleet commander?

But setting out under the guise of a mission right now was the most appropriate and wouldn't arouse the slightest suspicion.

Massimo also just asked casually. Right now he didn't want to see this jinx Li Yu even more, so he spoke up:

"If there are any areas where you need our help, please feel free to speak up. We will definitely do our utmost to assist."

As an ally of Returning Star, this was what the Barot Civilization ought to do, and it didn't stir up any waves in the hearts of the three.

Das chatted a few more words and subsequently left from here. Because of Li Yu's presence, the atmosphere among them was slightly awkward.

It originally should have been a situation where the hosts and guests enjoyed themselves to the fullest, and then leisurely headed off to execute the mission, but it ended up turning into this kind of situation.

Das obscurely glanced at Li Yu, the dissatisfaction in his eyes clearly visible.

Li Yu, on the other hand, didn't care at all. There was nothing much to talk about among the three. They each returned to their own fleets, coordinated the coordinates, and jointly entered the Jump State.

"You are really awesome. Leaving in such a hurry just to kill an A-Tier Lifeform?" Hunter came closer and inquired.

He had also roughly understood the course of this matter in the fleet, and having quite an understanding of Li Yu, he also couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.

After all, this was causing trouble on someone else's turf, not on his own turf.

"That guy was somewhat special. He was a Mental Power Cultivator. If he had enough people cooperating with him, it was possible to make me suffer a setback."

Li Yu briefly explained a few words, yet it made Hunter even more surprised.

He understood very well just how important of a status Mental Power Cultivators held in the Star Glory Empire.

"You slaughtered an A-grade Mental Power Cultivator..." He clicked his tongue: "The Star Glory Empire highly values Mental Power Cultivators. Settling new grudges and old scores together, be careful you get on their kill list."

Li Yu shrugged, not minding Hunter's words. When you have too many lice, you stop worrying. Right now, the Star Glory Empire's attitude towards him wasn't much better anyway.

A faint vibration transmitted from the main ship. The portholes had already turned into a tunnel of flowing light; they had already entered the Jump State, heading towards their destination.

Right as their three fleets left the Mukhtar Star System, the mice hiding in the dark corners also began to make their moves.

Various encrypted messages were sent through network channels to various coordinates that didn't exist on the star map.

………

"Baron Li Yu... the Iron Fist Squad should currently be in the Bassa Star System, intercepted by the Amethyst Civilization's pursuing troops. We hope you can infiltrate the Amethyst Star System and receive them so they can leave."

Das communicated with Li Yu. Fearing that Li Yu would refuse, he immediately added: "This is an order from the higher-ups."

This should be to send him away to facilitate the operations of the two of them.

Li Yu pondered secretly, but what he was curious about now was, since Titus knew he was an eyesore of a trouble, why bother sending him here.

Directly forbidding him from participating in this matter would allow his subordinates to openly carry out various covert activities, wouldn't it?

Even if it was to let Vimala have a sense of participation, so she wouldn't secretly trip him up, he could have just swapped in someone easier to control to come over.

Seeing Li Yu delayed his response for a long time, Das's expression also began to turn nervous, fearing that this young Baron would once again speak with his fists.

"Your Excellency Baron..." Das spoke up again: "Our identities are too special after all; it's not good to overtly enter the Amethyst Territory."

"It's not that we are unwilling to go, but the more people there are, the easier it is to be exposed, and among the three of us, your strength is the highest, so..."

In order to make Li Yu agree, his tone even carried quite a bit of flattery.

"No problem..." Exceeding Das's expectations, the imagined trouble didn't occur; Li Yu agreed swiftly and cleanly.

"I am a part of Returning Star after all. Paying out for Returning Star, there is no distinction between you and me." Li Yu revealed a brilliant smile, speaking with deep sincerity.

Listening to Li Yu's words, Das had a baffling feeling in his heart; things went a bit too smoothly.

Whether it was making Li Yu leave the hotel or sending him to the Bassa Star System. They didn't encounter any obstacles.

It was as if Li Yu was deliberately cooperating with them. This thought flashed across Das's mind.

However, this was impossible again. Li Yu didn't know about the matter of the Heart of the Titan.

Smilingly hanging up the communication, Li Yu pulled open the star map and found the location of the Bassa Star System. This was a star system located in the central part of the Amethyst Civilization, leaning towards the Barot Civilization's side.

Its presence wasn't high; whether it was commerce, tourism, or industry, none were well-developed.

However, the location of the Bassa Star System wasn't far from the Tabli Galaxy. The estimated jump time was six to eight days.

This was exactly an opportunity to quietly go and fetch the Gene Optimization Device, so that's why Li Yu agreed so decisively.

On the other side... Das was conversing with Soli. Regarding Li Yu's decisiveness, Soli was also somewhat surprised.

"He agreed so readily, there couldn't be some conspiracy, right?" Because last time Li Yu didn't let him intervene in the battle with Donovan, Soli always believed that Li Yu looked down on him.

So he was unwilling to speak much with Li Yu, letting Das handle all the negotiations.

"Probably not..." Das said somewhat uncertainly: "What conspiracy could there be?"

"Maybe it's really because his heart is tied to Returning Star..."

Soli's eyes were deadly silent, staring at Das. If Li Yu could even be considered to have his heart tied to Returning Star, then everyone in this universe was a populace of Returning Star.

"I'm joking... why are you taking it so seriously." Das smiled awkwardly, and then changed the subject: "The squad responsible for the Heart of the Titan encountered trouble. Many people are keeping an eye on them."

"After Li Yu leaves, we will start our operation. The Hermit Squad is already prepared."

Hearing this, Soli nodded, and subsequently became somewhat impatient again: "That guy is a huge trouble. I really don't know what His Highness Titus let him come to do."

"Even if Queen Vimala is behind Klein, is His Highness Titus really afraid of her?"

Das glanced at Soli, seeming somewhat hesitant to speak.

"Do you know something?" Soli looked suspiciously at Das.

Das hesitated for a moment, but still shook his head: "It's nothing."

"It's one thing for Li Yu to look down on me, do you look down on me too?" Soli feigned anger: "We've been brothers for so many years."

"Stop, stop, stop..." Das felt helpless, and subsequently said in a low voice: "According to Commander Koya..."

"Koya?" Soli's reaction instantly grew even larger, looking at Das in shock and uncertainty: "Well, well, you hid it quite deeply. When did you climb into that slut's bed?"

"Scram to the side..." Das rebuked: "Are you going to listen or not?"

"Listen... you speak." Soli's rough large face showed even more gnashing of teeth, yet he had to suppress the jealousy in his heart.

"It is said that it's not merely because of Vimala, there's also the facilitation of His Highness Alex..." Das's words made Soli somewhat surprised.

"Alexei? That transparent prince?"

"No matter how transparent he is, he is still the son of Majesty Digor." Das said somewhat speechlessly: "Moreover, his mother's family clan has considerable influence in the Barot Civilization."

"Many small squads relied on the channels of the Barot Civilization to be able to retreat entirely from the Amethyst Civilization."

Their three fleets were only overt forces. There were also many covert arrangements that had long ago stirred up monstrous waves within the Amethyst Civilization.

Soli nodded in sudden realization, but subsequently became somewhat confused again: "But Li Yu isn't his man, he's Klein's man."

"Why is he eagerly seeking merit for Li Yu?"

Das shook his head: "Who knows, maybe it's to curry favor with Queen Vimala."

The two of them couldn't figure out a reason either, so they simply began to discuss the concrete plans.

On the other side, Li Yu actually fell into deep thought. Alexei?

Towards this rather transparent prince, his memories only paused at that one clinking of glasses at Titus's banquet.

On the surface, he was just a bright and sunny big boy.

But Li Yu didn't expect that the reason he was dispatched here actually had his facilitation mixed within.

"Why do I feel like this matter is becoming more and more interesting..." Currently there were too few clues, and he couldn't guess the reason. Whatever schemes and plots there were behind his back, as long as he himself could fish up enough benefits, it would be fine.

Strength was the ultimate truth!

The jump time wasn't short. It took about twenty days of time before they arrived at the Barot Civilization's frontier.

This was exactly the troublesome aspect of not having a stargate. Even if they could travel rapidly through jump lanes, it also took a long time.

Previously in Returning Star, he always went through a stargate to rapidly arrive at the stargate closest to the destination, and then navigated, so the time spent wasn't long.

"The subsequent matters will trouble Your Excellency. If there are any emergencies, we will definitely support you with all our might."

Das said solemnly. He didn't plan to give Li Yu any rest time, directly telling him to prepare to infiltrate the Amethyst Star System.

The spaceship and identity proofs had all been prepared and handed over to his hands.

"No problem!" Li Yu was similarly solemn. He quickly packed up, activated the spaceship's Jump State, and headed towards the destination.

Sending Li Yu off, Das and Soli exchanged a glance, both feeling an indescribable smugness.

Soli even more so couldn't help but speak up: "So what if his strength is strong, wasn't he still played in the palm of our hands by us."

He had always brooded over the matter of Li Yu stopping him from joining the battle back then, and the more he thought about it the angrier he got. Now he felt quite a sense of exaltation.

"Alright, this is only the first step of the plan..." Das's resentment towards Li Yu wasn't that deep: "We should now contact the Hermit Squad..."

Soli snorted coldly, looking towards the direction Li Yu left. Right now, there was only a patch of silent starry sky over there.

………

In a small meteorite belt near the Bassa Star System, a spaceship that looked somewhat dilapidated was docked on a certain rock.

Inside an artificially created air bubble, a dozen or so biological creatures wearing combat armors watched their surroundings vigilantly. A large amount of precision instruments were placed in the center, and various life-support equipment was operating.

All the metal testing instruments and conduits were plugged into the same person. There was almost no good spot on his entire body; it was a charred black color, seemingly burned by blazing flames.

"Captain, you must hold on!" Someone beside him said with a crying tone. The faceplate opened; it was a rather valiant girl, but right now both eyes were brimming with teardrops.

"No... don't waste time on me anymore, you guys hurry up and leave here." The heavily injured captain panted heavily, his charred skin splitting open from time to time, revealing blood streaks.

"...They dispatched A-Tier Lifeforms, it's fundamentally not something we can resist. If we drag this on any longer, it'll be too late."

"You must definitely... bring the blueprints back!"

"Captain... the spaceship's warp drive has already been destroyed... we can no longer enter the Jump State..." someone nearby spoke up with sorrow.

The captain's body trembled violently, but he didn't utter a word, only sighing.

"...It seems this mission is destined to be unable to be completed."

"Where is the support!" Someone else spoke up with towering anger, pacing back and forth carrying a huge black sniper rifle: "A month ago we applied for support, but in the end until now there hasn't been any movement."

"Have we been abandoned!?"

"Shut up!" The captain yelled coldly, ripping open his wound again, leaving him temporarily unable to speak.

"...Alive we are people of Returning Star, dead we are ghosts of Returning Star!"

"The civilization will never... abandon us!"

The person carrying the sniper rifle was still unreconciled and attempted to say something, but was interrupted by a voice that suddenly transmitted from the communication channel.

"How moving, what a truly good soldier!" That voice started off slightly frivolous, but later became even more sinister: "But you guys are exactly the invaders, yet you act like great martyrs here."

The expressions of everyone changed simultaneously. Unknown to them since when, their communication channel had actually been completely taken over, which also meant that their tracks had always been under the opponent's surveillance.

The light of warships gradually lit up all around. Warships slowly approached here. The number wasn't many; it was merely a small formation.

They were surrounded in the center, and energy cannons began to charge up.

This scene was despair-inducing. They raised the firearms in their hands, yet appeared exceptionally miniscule.

(End of this chapter)