Chapter 26

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

This night, the lights of the Shen Wu Xian Zhou went out later than usual.

It was neither a festival nor a drill. A silent, freezing tension spread along every ship corridor, every military outpost, every armory.

Apart from the ordinary citizens already in dreamland, the entire Shen Wu military was like a giant beast startled awake, slowly stretching its sinews and baring its fangs.

Inside the General's Mansion conference room, along both sides of the long table, high-ranking commanders of the Shen Wu military at the rank of Commandant and above sat upright, no one speaking.

At the head seat, Xuan Ge had already changed back into his General's Armor; the ghost-faced beast devouring on his shoulders looked especially ferocious under the lamplight.

His spine was straight, the habitual laziness or mockery on his face gone without a trace, leaving only a frost-sealed gravity.

Index and middle fingers of his right hand pressed together, tap, tap, striking the smooth tabletop in a steady rhythm; the sound was not loud, yet it seemed to strike upon everyone's heart.

Ling Sha sat in the chief seat at his right hand, a dark blue light panel deployed before her, standing by at any moment.

Xuan Ge did not look at anyone; his gaze fell upon the figure standing beside him — that was Qiu Ye.

"Qiu Ye."

Xuan Ge spoke, his voice not high, yet clear as a blade scraping across ice.

"Are you certain and absolutely sure the woman in that photo is a foxian?"

Qiu Ye snapped his head up, his voice from beneath the helmet carrying a suppressed rasp, yet utterly decisive:

"Reporting to the General! I and the other four members of my squad are all certain it was a black-haired, black-eyed foxian woman, without a doubt!"

Xuan Ge's gaze then shifted to the middle of the long table.

The Fifth Army Commandant needed no naming; he immediately stood up, saluted with clasped fists, voice resonant:

"Reporting to the General! This subordinate has personally isolated and questioned all four members of Qiu Ye's squad, and cross-referenced the original data imprints of the communications.

The five accounts match in detail to a high degree; the data shows no signs of tampering. Based on all descriptions, the generated composite portrait is as follows."

He operated the control panel before him, and a lifelike three-dimensional eidolon was instantly projected in the center of the conference room.

It was a young foxian woman of bewitching features, wearing a hint of a shy smile, black hair like a waterfall, pupils pitch-black, pointed ears and fluffy fox tail hair rendered in clear detail.

Beside the image scrolled physical data, common demeanors, and clothing preferences generated from the descriptions of Qiu Ye and the others.

Xuan Ge stared at that eidolon for a few seconds, a cold glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

He gave a slight nod, and only then did the Fifth Army Commandant sit back down heavily.

Xuan Ge's fingers striking the table stopped. "Ling Sha, immediately contact the Yao Qing Xian Zhou, General Yue Yu. Request an emergency projection call."

"Yes."

Ling Sha did not hesitate in the slightest; her fingertips flew across the light panel, orders and reports beginning to generate and send almost the moment the words left her mouth.

Xuan Ge already vaguely suspected it was those bastards of the White Wolf Hunt Pack, but he needed to confirm with General Yue Yu.

White Wolf Hunt Pack.

Among the six great hunt packs of the Xianzhou, the most special, and the most notorious.

It is the only hunt pack commanded not by Xianzhou natives, but by foxians.

The foxians within the hunt pack call themselves "White Wolves."

The White Wolf Hunt Pack excels at disguise, sowing discord, backstabbing, and every filthy means you can imagine and cannot imagine.

The White Wolf Hunt Pack can make even true Xianzhou natives feel cruelty; once you fall into their hands, you basically cannot survive.

The Xianzhou Alliance has several warnings for facing the White Wolf Hunt Pack:

One, absolutely never accept any defection or surrender.

Two, absolutely never attempt to capture.

Three, absolutely never allow yourself or any companion to fall into White Wolf hands.

Four, must ensure you carry at all times a reliable weapon capable of instantly ending your own life.

If it really is them..... the chill in Xuan Ge's eyes almost condensed into ice.

Qiu Han and the others, I fear, are currently enduring unimaginable torture.

"Shen Wei? Calling me at this hour, with such a big show?" A female voice carrying a hint of puzzlement and efficiency rang out.

On one side of the conference room, the projection of General Yue Yu of the Yao Qing Xian Zhou clearly emerged.

She likewise wore light armor, clearly also summoned urgently from work; her gaze swept over the heavy atmosphere of the conference room and the full assembly of generals, brows furrowing slightly.

Xuan Ge did not exchange pleasantries, cutting straight to the core: "Yue Yu, long story short. Has your Yao Qing recently reported any foxian residents missing under abnormal circumstances?"

Yue Yu's expression turned grave at once upon hearing this.

She pondered briefly, raised a hand to pull up the data panel at her side, and a moment later transmitted an encrypted data stream.

"There are records. But most are members of foxian merchant caravans engaged in cross-galaxy trade, temporary loss of contact due to uncertainties of star sea navigation, most subsequently safely recovered or itineraries confirmed."

Xuan Ge shared the projection of the foxian woman portrait generated by Qiu Ye and the others:

"Cross-reference immediately. I need to know whether this appearance matches any foxian in your Yao Qing's recent records who is missing or whose whereabouts are suspicious. The faster the better."

Yue Yu's gaze fell upon the eidolon of that shyly smiling foxian woman, her eyes suddenly sharpening.

She knew all too well Xuan Ge would not shoot arrows without a target, and knew even better what kind of storm was suppressed beneath his calm surface at this moment.

She asked no further questions, immediately turning and giving a few rapid orders outside the projection.

The wait was not long, but for certain people in the conference room, every second was incomparably agonizing.

Qiu Ye's fists at his sides clenched until his knuckles cracked.

Soon, Yue Yu turned back, shook her head, tone affirmative:

"There are several people with similar appearances, but after verification, their recent itineraries are clear, and all have reliable alibis; they are currently all on the Yao Qing Xian Zhou."

"Many thanks." Xuan Ge only said two words, then his gaze moved away from Yue Yu's projection and swept across the assembled generals once more.

Yue Yu's projection did not disappear immediately; she looked at the cold electric glints in Xuan Ge's eyes that could barely be suppressed, like the prelude to a thunderstorm, and alarm bells rang in her heart.

Xuan Ge stood up. His armor let out a low, majestic friction sound with his movement.

He braced both hands on the table edge, leaning his body slightly forward; his gaze was like substantive blade edges, sweeping across every general's face.

"The situation, you are all already clear on."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried a heavy, mounting pressure like a storm about to break.

"My Divine Warrior Army sons, fallen victim to vile scheming, their life or death unknown, their whereabouts unknown. The opponent is most likely Bai Lang."

The moment the two words "Bai Lang" were spoken, even these battle-hardened generals could not help but have their pupils contract slightly.

That signified the worst-case scenario.

"Pass my General's Order—" Xuan Ge's voice suddenly rose, decisive and brooking no dissent.

"Shen Wu Xian Zhou, activate Level One Combat Readiness Alert immediately, all defense systems operate at full power!"

"Fourth Army, all personnel remain on garrison duty, responsible for Xian Zhou homeland defense and follow-up support coordination! The remaining armies—"

He took a deep breath, his voice like beating war drums.

"All personnel board ships, target the Nina Bai Star System, advance at full speed! Even if you have to turn that star domain over inch by inch, find them! Bring back the living, the dead—"

He paused for a moment, the last word falling like ice shards, "bring back corpses! Depart!"

"Obey the order!!!" All generals rose, the sound of armor colliding neat and uniform.

Not a single superfluous question or hesitation; the order was everything.

The crowd left the conference room quickly and in order, rushing to their respective posts.

The massive war machine began to rumble into operation at maximum efficiency.

Yue Yu's projection still remained in place; she looked at Xuan Ge, wanting to speak but stopping short, her projection slowly dissipating.

She needed to immediately report the situation here, as well as Xuan Ge's state which was clearly on the verge of losing control, to the Marshal in detail.

First Army Flagship, Core Control Room.

Outside the huge curved observation window were the colorful, shifting streams of light in distorted Jump.

The interior lighting was dim; only countless control panels and the holographic star map flickered with cold data light.

Xuan Ge stood at the very front with his back to everyone, his figure like a silent reef under the reflection of the Jump light streams.

On the main screen before him, the scanning progress of the entire Divine Warrior Fleet combing through every planet and every asteroid belt in the Nina Bai Star System like a comb was displayed in split screens.

Spectral analysis, gravity detection, spirit wave search... all means activated simultaneously; the light-film scans spread like a giant net, enveloping the starry sky.

Ling Sha stood a few steps to his side and rear, hands elegantly folded before her, posture still composed.

But those calm brown eyes remained fixed on Xuan Ge's back.

She could see that on the surface of the General's ink-black armor, faint, extremely fine strands of dark purple electric snakes were now intermittently, uncontrollably coursing, like thunder suppressed to the extreme prowling beneath the armor.

His left hand placed at his side, five fingers slightly curled, fingertips white from exertion.

She wanted to say something, to comfort, or remind him to stay calm.

But the words reached her mouth and she swallowed them back.

Some emotions, some responsibilities, can only be borne and digested by the person involved alone.

What she could do at this moment was just ensure rear communications remained smooth and coordination was without error.

"Report!" A communications officer's voice broke the silence.

"All forty-five planets in the Nina Bai Star System, seven major stardust belts, and one hundred thirty-eight larger asteroid clusters have completed the first round of high-precision light-film scanning!

No energy residuals or metal signals matching the characteristics of our Divine Warrior Army small service vessels were discovered!

No signs of recent large-scale life activity were detected!"

"Report! Three slight spatial signal disturbance records were monitored within the star system, matching the characteristics of activation of small-range, short-duration, high-intensity signal shielding or distortion devices!

The time points highly match the disappearance time of our missing squad's last signal!"

Bad news. Bad news again.

Xuan Ge's body tightened imperceptibly for an instant; the electric snakes on his armor coursed slightly more noticeably.

"Connect to Yuque Xianzhou, Tai Bu Si, Jing Tian Tai Bu." He spoke, his voice calm to an abnormal degree.

"Now, immediately, wake him up, have him divine for me."

"Xuan Ge." The Marshal's projection suddenly appeared and spoke, with Yue Yu General at her side.

"Lost a few Divine Warrior Army soldiers, I have to get them back."

The Marshal nodded upon hearing this, then spoke no more.

She now also did not dare to provoke Xuan Ge on the verge of eruption.

She then stood at Xuan Ge's side with Yue Yu, watching him handle it.

A few minutes later, a young man's projection, seemingly still carrying the warm air from under the blankets, hair somewhat disheveled, appeared somewhat hurriedly at one side of the control room.

It was precisely Yu Que Tai Bu Si's Jing Tian.

"Greetings to the Marshal, greetings to Divine Might..."

Jing Tian had just made out the surroundings and the people, especially Xuan Ge with that terrifying aura he was suppressing, and hurriedly tried to salute.

"Result." Xuan Ge cut him off, two words, cold as iron.

Jing Tian shivered, all sleepiness gone.

He did not dare delay, hurriedly closed his eyes and concentrated; a profound divination halo rose around him.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his face somewhat pale, looked at Xuan Ge, and said with difficulty:

"Divine Might General, Qiu Han's divination shows Great Misfortune. Dark and deep, fear there is a blood-light calamity, life prospects are faint..."

"You motherf—"

Xuan Ge violently spun around, his right hand lashing out like lightning, a single palm strike scattering Jing Tian's projection with a "whoosh" into a sky full of light points!

Inside the control room, all operators instantly held their breath, even the hum of the instruments seeming to stagnate for an instant.

Jing Tian's projection recondensed, his face full of grievance, yet he dared not flare up.

Xuan Ge strode a step to the recondensed projection, nearly pressing against it, every word ground out from between his teeth, carrying a terrifying pressure:

"I want the route! Which direction were they taken?!"

"Which star domain?! Which damn shipping lane?! Understand?!"

"Great misfortune? Don't I fucking know great misfortune's no different from death?! Calculate it for me! Which way did they run?!"