Chapter 565: Jianqi Unresolved

Rog, although he serves as the war commander of this expeditionary force and wields great authority, still hopes to gain the brothers' support.

He then looks at Julia and orders, "Once Ark 002 completes construction of the large device 0972, immediately put Ark 002 into combat‑ready status.

Then notify every fleet division that from now on they must accompany Ark 002's voyage and must not leave the Defensive Barrier of Ark 002."

"Yes, sir."

"By the way…" Rog adds, "Don't forget to report our actions to the Red Queen; although she may not be watching us right now, we can't discard the protocol."

"Also, convey to Magnus to provide whatever help he can… even though Expedition-072 is cut off from Spiritual Energy, any help is better than none."

"Understood." Julia replies mechanically.

"Very good!" After the order, Rog waves his hand impatiently and says to the two brothers beside him, "Shengjilesi, junior Sui Meng, go back and tidy up each division."

"Best to move the main forces to Ark 002's surface, leave some assault squads on the fleet as a contingency, just for jump‑assist assaults."

"Alright."

"Mm."

Shengjilesi and Sui Meng have no objections to Rog's command.

After all, the naval battle is handled by the Ark now in combat‑ready mode, so the expedition's more than 3,500 warships can essentially withdraw from the sea fight, serving as Rog described—for jump‑assist assaults, or for escort and transport duties.

Next.

The two OriginalBodies return to their divisions and begin preparations in line with Rog's orders.

As for using the remaining communication window to request aid from the OriginalBodies stationed in the Zero-Three Universe?

Don't even think about it.

Once the expeditionary force is formed, it operates independently of the various legions and Empire troops; the war commander holds the authority to act first and report later.

Moreover, given Rog's character, he would never ask for aid from Leon, who remains in the Zero-Three Galaxy, nor from Chahatai, who is "Beng Teng" on the galaxy's edge.

Leon needs no further explanation; not only Rog, many brothers find it hard to get along with this most taciturn, cold‑tempered OriginalBody.

Moreover, after reaching adulthood, Leon has constantly stayed by his father's side, causing him to unintentionally display an attitude of "I am the father's most trusted son."

Although they grew up together and share extraordinary brotherly bonds, minor frictions and small conflicts are inevitable.

Furthermore, Rog himself has major issues: being talkative is one thing, but his biggest flaw is a lack of flexibility and extreme bluntness, which is why he gets along with brothers like Magnus, who also stays in the Solar System, as well as Shengjilesi and Sui Meng.

Chahatai?

Rog's relationship with him is not deep; essentially it's just a nod‑to‑nod acquaintance, plus the fact they share a "blood" tie—nothing more.

———————

…

Soon after.

The "brand‑new" large device 0972, ten thousand kilometers in diameter, is already hovering more than ten thousand kilometers above Ark 002.

Moreover, the eight "petal" tips of Ark 002 simultaneously emit a beam matrix, creating below a pseudo‑wormhole about one hundred thousand kilometers in diameter.

Then Ark 002, the large device 0972, the Never‑Fall vessel, and the more than 3,500 warships gradually entered the pseudo‑wormhole.

In the end they vanished completely, along with any trace of their presence, erased by the expedition's action as if they had disappeared from the Zero-Three Universe.

———————

…

Shortly before the expeditionary force led by Rog, Shengjilesi, and Sui Meng entered the pseudo‑wormhole.

101 Universe (a universe similar to Star Wars).

Edge of the galaxy.

Six light‑years beyond Codisanger, there is a star system composed of two blue stars, and it also hosts a First Empire military outpost.

Due to the stars' high temperature, radiation, and unstable orbits, the habitable zone lies between the sixth and ninth orbits.

The outpost sits on the seventh orbit, on the only terrestrial planet in the system with an atmosphere; however, its surface is harsh, looking like a desert world.

The planet, named Dimera, has fewer than ten billion colonists and scarce natural resources, yet the First Empire still built the outpost here.

All because Dimera serves as a gateway to this sector of the cosmos.

The First Empire, under the influence of the deity—Jianqi—uses conventional sub‑light travel, and to exceed light speed must employ an alternative jump through "hyperspace."

However, hyperspace jumps differ fundamentally from the jump travel used by main‑universe humanity.

The Rift Space entered during a jump is akin to threading a vessel between three‑ and four‑dimensional gaps, forging a new path to achieve faster‑than‑light travel.

But hyperspace jumps…

In plain terms, it's simply travel through an alternate dimension, since Jianqi is in charge of guiding it.

For a First Empire starship to achieve interstellar travel, it must first activate its protective stance to prevent hull corrosion, then open the jump corridor into so‑called hyperspace.

If the route aims to cross the galaxy from north to south, the journey is likewise completed north‑to‑south within hyperspace.

Every object in real space—stars, planets—has a corresponding projection at the same coordinates in hyperspace.

If an extragalactic power also uses hyperspace and chooses to enter the galaxy from this sector, there is a high chance it will pass through Dimera's system.

Even a second‑tier civilization like the Covenant Empire can detect Rift Space, let alone the First Empire; thus the outpost's purpose is to monitor nearby hyperspace fluctuations.

Dimera's sun‑facing side, at the equator.

From a kilometer‑high altitude, one can see the outpost covering sixty thousand square kilometers, its lights glittering like a metallic city amid an endless sea of sand.

Countless Empire‑class star‑destroyers berth in the outpost's dock, receiving logistics and robot maintenance.

Civilians gather in the relatively habitable northern hemisphere; moreover, the area around the outpost is cleared, and only a handful of nobles and clan members are permitted entry.

At this moment, the outer perimeter south of the outpost.

On a sand dune.

A group of dark warriors in black robes, hoods unfastened, eyes half‑closed, sit cross‑legged atop the dune.

Meanwhile, about a thousand shock troops serving as aides and attendants are scattered below the dune in small relaxed patrols, with numerous ground vehicles parked at its base.

"Ugh… really sleepy, sigh."

"Speechless, meditation isn't in the outpost; it insists on coming here—if it's not sick then…"

"Fine, keep it down."

Many assault troops were debating and complaining, wondering why at this moment they still have to wait for a bunch of over‑confident guys to finish the so‑called meditation.

It's true that Dark Temple Warriors enjoy extremely high standing among civilians and the military, but the assault troops who have dealt with Dark Warriors resent and loathe them, because those guys treat "them" like dogs.

Yet "they" dare not, nor can they resist, since they're the direct superiors, and the Dark Warrior's command of Force (Spiritual Energy) often performs remote choking gestures, leaving "them" with a psychological scar.

Suddenly…

"Ah…! My eyes…! My eyes!"

A female warrior sprang to her feet, covering her eyes with both hands, and let out a voiceless wail.

"Everyone, prepare for the enemy!"

"Quick! Quick!"

The other Dark Warriors ignored the female companion, drawing their sword hilts as if facing a great foe, gazing up at the twinkling starlight and the utterly tranquil night sky.

??

Seeing the Dark Warrior's flinching made many assault troops shiver all over.

After easing a bit, they all raised their guns in a show, because the latest intel from the Command Center reported everything normal—where could any enemy be?

Perhaps it's another ailment caused by excessive contact with hyperspace.

Those "they", the non‑sensitive, cannot wield Force, but at least they won't go mad to death like the Dark Warriors, who have a certain chance of insanity.

Mainly because the assault troops have seen them go mad more than once, and many fresh recruits, ignorant of the situation and ignoring veterans' warnings, stepped forward to ask (trying to show off), only to be crushed and choked by Force…

and various painful deaths.

Anyway, whatever the superiors order, "they" just follow—survival is paramount.

Looking again at those Dark Warriors, they're not merely flinching as the assault troops thought.

Just now, while meditating on the Force that permeates all things in the universe, the Dark Sovereign stationed in the capital of the First Empire—who had been deceived by Parf Parpating and once yearned for the light—suddenly manifested in their consciousness, announcing that an unimaginably powerful enemy is about to strike.

At the same time, the Dark Sovereign repeatedly stressed that they must not use Force to perceive or probe the current hyperspace.

After the warning ended and withdrew from their minds, only the female warrior ignored the admonition and tried to glimpse hyperspace.

Then the female warrior saw an extremely cold yet golden‑glowing "Sun", which had completely enveloped the star domain they occupied, even the entire universe.

In an instant, because she "directly stared" at that icy Sun, her eyeballs evaporated away.

Immediately…

Swish~! Swish~!

Pale blue trails flickered across the night sky.

!!

Seeing that, the assault troops finally confirmed an enemy attack, but why does the Command Center's real‑time feed to "them" still show everything normal?

Without time to think, a burst of golden glare flashed atop the dune, forcing the Dark Warriors to half‑close their eyes or raise their hands to shield, and the assault troops likewise—helm visors proved useless.

Only the female warrior was barely affected.

When the light faded, she opened her eyes and lowered her hands, and saw with her own eyes a three‑meter‑tall Sui Bian, his left hand clad in the Emperor's Claw, and Bai Hou standing behind the Emperor, her hands crossed over her abdomen.

Sui Bian, perched high above, scrutinized the bunch before him, finally fixing his gaze on the female warrior whose eyeballs were gone and who, out of extreme terror, had knelt on both knees before him.

His eyes revealed an unmistakable disgust.

In fact, ever since he led Bai Hou, Artemis, and two hundred offspring into Universe‑101, he has continuously concealed his projection in the alternate dimension.

But not long ago, Sui Bian could not sense Rog, Shengjilesi, Sui Meng, or even the entire elite expeditionary force.

This made him unable to restrain his sudden rage, causing the alternate dimension of Universe‑101 to "roil" and "boil".

Although this action revealed his location in the material universe to Jianqi, it also let many Force‑sensitive of the First Empire, such as that Dark Sovereign, notice his "visit".

But Sui Bian was too lazy to keep "playing with mortals"; he prepared to expend some energy and stamina to unleash a universe‑scale Spiritual Shock, directly erasing Universe‑101, then head to Universe‑003 to investigate.

Because he cannot sense them, it means his sons have vanished, or…

died.

It's highly possible the traders hiding in the alternate dimension are responsible; if so, Sui Bian is too lazy to maintain the so‑called balance, or whatever order of the material universe, and revenge will become the core policy of the Human Empire.

It seemed that sensing Sui Bian's fury, Jianqi, who had been reluctant to leave Universe‑101 and was preparing meticulous deployments, vanished instantly without a trace.

Honestly, Jianqi doesn't even understand what it did, yet it caused the human Emperor, who was normally playing the "game", to suddenly flip the table.

Can't handle the game or what?

Jianqi is puzzled.

"Fortunately," even the release of a universe‑scale Spiritual Shock required Sui Bian some time, and Bai Hou, who could contact "Sister" across universes, promptly reported the suspected Tai Luo Insect Race birthplace of Expedition‑072 and the expeditionary force's change of policy.

Learning that it wasn't the evil gods but his son who voluntarily ventured into the unknown, his anger remained, yet at least he won't blow up Universe‑101.

Next.

The Auxiliary Fleet (formerly the 332nd Fleet) happened to finish its hyperspace jump, carrying Sui Bian's party to the equator on the sun‑facing side of Dimera.

Thus, Sui Bian briefly ordered Artemis, along with 160 Grey Knights and the Imperial Guard, to "seize this star system," then teleported with Bai Hou to the outskirts of the outpost.

"So easily you change your belief?" Sui Bian asked coolly.

The female warrior, despised and watched by Sui Bian, after witnessing the icy Sun in hyperspace (alternate dimension) and hearing Sui Bian's teleportation here, forcibly eliminated the effect caused by Jianqi out of extreme terror.

Fine.

This time Sui Bian didn't, as when he first arrived in Universe‑101, wave the Emperor's Claw or swing his arms; he simply released Spiritual Energy to physically and spiritually erase all the Dark Warriors before him, including the female warrior.

As for the thousand assault troops beneath the dune, they had already been assimilated into the Human Empire's "infantry", and they boarded ground vehicles, advancing toward the outpost town.

Sui Bian remains angry, but he won't take it out on those infantry; he simply lost interest.

Finally, after there were no outsiders left around the dunes, Sui Bian couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, raised his head to behold the night sky already ablaze with war, and remarked:

"I always said to rely on them themselves, but every time a crisis arises, I can't help but intervene… this time… that kid Rog actually really charged in"

(End of chapter)