Chapter 170: Aolake, Today You

The Command Center was quiet.

Everyone stared blankly at the image on the projection.

At this moment, on the Pluto defense line at the far edge of the solar system, a dense swarm of fold‑jump signals reverberated back, crowded like a torrential rain shattering a calm lake.

Until, after an unknown amount of time, a shout rang out, completely breaking the silence.

"Reinforcements!"

"It's reinforcements!!!"

Whether it was a mortal or an Astartes, when this excited shout echoed, the previously dead silent hall instantly erupted into clamor.

The crowd busily confirmed that this reinforcement had finally arrived in the solar system, and Laisande also stared blankly at the projection.

After holding it in for a while, he finally muttered speechlessly:

"That's not even nine hours..."

After Laisande finished muttering, he then watched the dense warship signals continuously bursting out of Subspace, without time to ponder why, at this critical moment for the Empire, such a massive reinforcement had appeared.

He immediately turned to face the officer in the lower command hall:

"Immediately issue the news of the reinforcements' arrival."

"Also, for tonight's dinner, give each person an extra serving of starch."

Laisande almost at once began devising ways to harness the ripple effect of Xisi's arrival, doing everything possible to boost Terra's defending troops' morale.

He even, after confirming that the defenders had regained some morale, already sketched numerous subsequent battle plans in his mind.

Even though Xisi is still only at the outer edge of the solar system, reaching Terra still requires traversing the entire solar system.

But before Laisande could finish formulating a plan, the massive body of the Mechanical Sage suddenly appeared beside him, its mechanical staff thudding onto the ground with a crisp sound.

Then, amid the crispness, even though it was a cold electronic mechanical tone, Laisande still heard "lack of confidence" coming from the Mechanical Sage's mouth.

"Reinforcement flagship..."

"Why does it match the 'Dream Illusion Vessel' in my database..."

"The same appearance?"

Reinforcement flagship? Dream Illusion Vessel?

Laisande was startled; he didn't have time to ask the Mechanical Sage, he simply followed the sage's puzzled whisper and turned his head toward the projection.

The projection automatically enlarged at that moment according to Laisande's and the sage's gaze.

As the earliest warship to jump out of Subspace, even as just a projection, its size among the crowded fleet now stood out like a crane among chickens.

Although it still pales compared to the ancient ship now cruising outside Terra's orbit, at least it is no longer a shrimp, but a similarly massive human super‑ship capable of locking arms with the ancient vessel.

Logically, such a colossal ship appearing on the battlefield should trigger a roar of cheers from the defenders; indeed, the troops on Pluto who could see the warship with the naked eye did erupt in cheers.

But in the eyes of many high‑ranking Empire officials familiar with the ship, it was sheer, incredulous astonishment.

Even Laisande, after carefully comparing the sizes, widened his eyes slightly.

Then, instead of looking straight into space like the others, he first turned his head to glance at the towering Terra Imperial Palace behind him.

The palace remained quiet; confirming that the Divine Emperor was still seated inside, Laisande breathed a sigh of relief.

Then his eyes widened sharply, and he began to curse Kiriman deep in his heart.

"Since it's not the Divine Emperor."

"Then who the hell unleashed the 'Dream Illusion Vessel'?!"

At this moment, Laisande's heart no longer held the excitement from the reinforcements' arrival.

With the natural vigilance of Terra's close guard, he almost instantly sensed something seriously amiss about this ship that just didn't look right.

But before he could find a way to gather more information, on the distant Pluto orbit—

Accompanied by the sky filled with shattered Terran wreckage and the defenders' cheers, Aolake's silhouette also blocked the sky!

At this moment, on Aolake's Bridge.

A multitude of crew members bustled back and forth, and there were also many Black Gold Skulls, acting as Aolake's avatars, busily shuttling around.

Then one Servo Skull swiftly flew to Xisi's side.

Projecting a message from its Prosthetic Eye, it quickly scanned the content, and Xisi lightly nodded:

"Understood."

The Black Gold Skull flew away; at this moment behind Xisi stood Fanluosi and Bai'er, Tularen also stood behind, and while merely looking at Fanluosi was fine, when he saw Bai'er his face turned terribly grim.

At the same time, his eyes kept glancing at that group of Black Gold Forbidden Army; if earlier Tularen was only suspicious, now he could almost be certain that this Black Gold Forbidden Army was actually assembled by Xisi through Bai'er!

And the thought of having to cooperate with this bunch to go to Terra made Tularen's face turn extremely sour.

If it weren't for the Divine Emperor's warning glance earlier, Tularen would already be devising ways to drag Xisi into mutual destruction!

It could only be mutual annihilation…

Although Tularen is the Marshal of the Forbidden Army, even now he only dares to hope for such a thing.

As for a unilateral kill…

Tularen cautiously glanced at Xisi from behind, then withdrew his gaze without further comment.

In this situation, perhaps only the Divine Emperor acting personally, or some fugitive Star God, would have the capability.

Tularen still maintains necessary vigilance toward Xisi; at least until Xisi meets the Divine Emperor in person, Tularen will not trust Xisi completely.

Thus, even though he currently holds the highest rank on the Bridge, even his official authority on paper exceeds Xisi's.

But Tularen does not stand at the front; instead, he deliberately steps back a bit.

At this moment, after Aolake finished transmitting the response from Terra, Fanluosi silently watched the excited feedback about the protagonist's "early arrival", and glanced at Xisi.

"Sir, we clearly secured nine hours, so why still stick to the original plan of nine hours?"

Xisi was looking out the viewport at the Terran bio‑ship disintegrating under the warship's cannon fire.

Listening to the question, Xisi's gaze lifted slightly, his sight settling on the distant planet emitting a faint glow.

As in those days, Terra was trapped defending a lone citadel awaiting reinforcements, but the aid that was promised in nine hours turned out to be countless nine‑hour intervals.

Consequently, the defenders grew hopeless and were forced to launch a desperate counterattack without any reinforcements.

Now it is Xisi's turn to rush to Terra's aid; when Fanluosi asks a question, Xisi looks for a moment and then withdraws his gaze.

"These nine hours are what we return to Terra."

Fanluosi is startled, Bai'er feels a bit embarrassed, and Tu La at the rear never expected the suddenly appearing Xisi to be so "considerate."

Only after Xisi finishes speaking does he look at the information relayed by Terra and swiftly complete the updated strategic star map.

He finally focuses his attention on the battle before him.

A Terran tendril, even one weakened after a long‑range raid, is terrifying in scale enough to cover every void of the solar system.

Thus, when Xisi looks up, no matter how many bio‑ships his fleet has destroyed, the endless void ahead keeps sweeping in more bio‑ships.

And the vast emptiness between him and Terra is filled with such countless bio‑ships.

Everyone follows Xisi's gaze toward the port window, and all of them feel a chill down their spines at the sight.

Because the forthcoming reinforcements mean they will have to cut through the entire Terran Fleet of the solar system.

And as the opening signal for this exaggerated fleet, Xisi stands on the Bridge, looks toward the fleet ahead, and takes a deep breath:

"Aolake."

"Today…"

"You will unleash full firepower!"