Chapter 1214: Opening the Project Early

At the same time, Feng Qi Xing Alliance Capital Star, Highest Military Command Center.

At this moment, the main hall of the Command Center is in chaos.

Emergency reports from various departments, military intelligence bulletins from various planets, and news summaries from various media.

Operators are frantically pounding on keyboards, attempting to filter valuable content from the massive amount of information.

The central large screen is displaying the trajectory of that ship currently in warp.

"Three-Eyed Glory," a private ship of the Saladin Family, is currently sailing toward the border star sector at maximum speed.

Its declared destination is the "Grey Rock" star system, but its actual heading deviates severely.

"Confirmed?"

A low voice comes from behind.

The operator turns their head and sees the Acting Director of the Information General Bureau standing behind them, three eyes staring intently at the screen.

"Confirmed, Director."

The operator's voice is somewhat nervous.

"'Three-Eyed Glory' took off from the Capital Star starport without authorization thirty-seven minutes ago. Before takeoff, a serious violent incident occurred in the Seventh Berth area of the starport. At least twenty-seven soldiers and security personnel are dead, and there are traces of large-scale energy weapon usage at the scene."

The Director's third eye narrows slightly.

"What about the Saladin Family? Has anyone contacted them?"

"Contacted, but no one answers. The reconnaissance squad we sent just arrived at the Saladin residence... Director, you had better see this yourself."

They pull up a video record that was just transmitted back.

The east hall of the main residence of the Saladin Family. The exterior walls of the building are intact, but through the shattered windows, one can see the interior is in a shambles. Dozens of corpses lie helter-skelter on the floor, and blood has stained the entire mourning hall red.

"Zoom in. Focus on the center of the mourning hall."

The image zooms in. A crystal coffin, an eternal lamp, and that bouquet of white Star Orchids on the coffin lid.

"That is... Lina Saladin's funeral. Held this morning. All core family members should have been present..."

"They are all there."

The Acting Director looks at those corpses.

"All dead."

A brief, deathly silence falls over the Command Center.

Then, the Director stands up abruptly.

"Contact Shenyuan Star immediately! Highest Priority, transmit directly to Commander-in-Chief Valken!"

"Yes!"

The operator's fingers dance on the keyboard, and the encrypted communication request is sent out via a dedicated channel.

Shenyuan Star, five hundred meters underground, seventh level of the research facility.

The Rift Generation Chamber is a spherical space with a diameter of fifty meters; the walls are constructed of special psionic shielding material, and a massive ring-shaped device is suspended inside.

At the center of the ring-shaped device, there is a rift visible to the naked eye.

The rift is about three meters long and about half a meter wide, its edges flickering with an eerie blue-purple light.

That is a patch of Chaos.

Light and darkness intertwine, matter and energy mix; an existence that cannot be defined, cannot be described, and cannot be understood is writhing within it.

In front of the control console of the Rift Generation Chamber stands a man wearing a black uniform.

Valken's three eyes are staring intently at that rift.

His face is more aged and more exhausted than in the public images.

"Veriks. How much longer?"

Behind him, an old man wearing a white research coat is being held by two soldiers.

Veriks, the former head of rift research, is under house arrest for refusing to continue the experiment.

"I have said it many times. This is not something that can be 'accelerated.' Every opening is accompanied by unpredictable risks. That existence on the other side, it can feel us! It is waiting!"

Valken turns around and looks at him.

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for us to open a channel large enough. Waiting for us to be able to let it through."

"Then let it through. Let it deal with the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

Veriks shakes his head.

"You have no idea what that is. That is not a weapon, not an ally, not anything you can control. That is... that is a gaze from the Shenyuan. Every time you look at it one more time, it moves one step closer to you."

Valken stares at him, and just as he is about to say something else, the communication device rings.

"Commander-in-Chief, emergency communication from Capital Star. Highest Priority."

Valken frowns and takes the communication device.

Three seconds later, his expression changes.

"Saladin Family... wiped out? 'Three-Eyed Glory'... sailing toward the border?"

"How long ago did this happen?"

"Forty-three minutes have passed since takeoff."

Valken's fingers tighten on the communication device.

"They know the coordinates of Shenyuan Star. The Saladin Family knows... that Adjutant... that so-called 'Alan'..."

Valken looks toward the control console.

"Prepare to activate the rift. Maximum power."

Veriks's face turns deathly pale.

"You are insane! Doing that will lead to..."

"Lead to what?"

Valken interrupted him.

"Lead to the Human fleet having no fleet left to use when they arrive? Lead to the Emperor personally facing the gaze from the Shenyuan? That is exactly what I want!"

He pressed a red button on the Control Console.

The ring-shaped device began to vibrate violently.

The light at the edge of the Rift became even more blinding; that Rift was slowly expanding.

Veriks struggled, trying to rush toward the Control Console, but was held down firmly by soldiers.

"You will destroy everything! Not just the Feng Qi Xing Alliance, not just the Shenyuan Star! It is the entire Bode Star System! You have no idea what that is!"

Valken ignored him.

He simply watched the expanding Rift, the blue-purple light reflecting in his three eyes.

"Come. Whoever you are, come."

Edge of the "Ash Corridor".

The fleet of the White Scars was sailing at maximum speed.

Twelve Cruisers, twenty-four Destroyers, thirty-six Frigates.

On the Bridge of the flagship "Wind-Speed", Jaghatai Khan stood before the viewing window, watching the distorted starlight ahead.

"Khan."

A voice came from behind.

Jaghatai did not turn around.

"How much further to the Shenyuan Star?"

"Forty-seven minutes, Khan."

Adjutant Sanguon stepped forward and pulled up the Holographic Star Map.

"At our current speed, we will arrive nineteen minutes ahead of the scheduled time."

"What about Father's side?"

"They will arrive in fifty-three minutes. The Emperor will be six minutes behind us."

Jaghatai nodded slightly, his eyes still fixed outside the window.

"Khan."

Sanguon hesitated for a moment.

"Do we need to wait for the Emperor to arrive before taking action?"

"If we wait, what Father faces upon arrival might be an already opened Rift."

Jaghatai interrupted him.

"Sanguon, you have seen it too. The Alien Valken has already opened the mirror Rift before our arrival."

He turned around to face his Adjutant.

"The White Scars never wait. We chase the storm, rather than waiting for the storm to subside."

Sanguon lowered his head.

"Yes, Khan. I will go prepare the assault plan."

"No need."

Jaghatai walked toward the command console.

"I will do it myself."