Chapter 193: Star‑Sector‑Level Troop Surge

Aolake quietly docked above a massive Nest City world.

Inside the huge hull, the crew were busy resupplying the ship while enjoying a rare day off.

A large number of crew went to the leisure area; inside Aolake, free from Subspace corruption, they could indulge in all normal pleasures.

The main thing was a group gathering together, drinking themselves completely drunk.

"Demon, another twenty ant‑cow skewers!"

A Star Realm Army soldier slammed down a large barrel of beer, then, with a bright red nose, slurred to the bartender behind the counter.

The bartender, hearing that they wanted ant‑cow meat again, saw a huge expression of speechlessness on the faces of several demons.

At the same time, the Huaiyaner who had just planned a pilgrimage to Aolake watched this group of former divine messengers of Aieribas, their faces as strange as could be.

Many Huaiyaner even squeezed their eyes hard, silently chanting Xisi's name a few times to dispel evil, before daring to glance again for confirmation.

Then, faced with a demon who had just put on a kitchen apron, the Huaiyaner could only furrow their brows, withdraw their gaze, and seriously wonder what they were seeing.

Xisi did not send the demons back; instead, he corralled all the demons into Aolake to serve as logistical 'personnel' for the ship's massive crew and army.

At this bar counter, three demons were swamped with work.

One kept pouring drinks up front, while two prepared dishes behind.

Hearing the mortals order ant‑cow again, a demon in the back kitchen who had just revived from Subspace sprang upright.

Their face kept twitching.

After all, ant‑cow meat is decent, but every time you open a can you risk being eaten by the can itself.

The demon's emotions fluctuated wildly, but a patrolling black‑gold skull flew by; though it didn't meet its gaze, the demon instantly wilted again, then, a breathless demon—no one could tell which time—shivered, sighed deeply, and resignedly trudged toward the warehouse.

Before entering the warehouse to battle the cans, they went to the roadside, fumbled out half a cigarette butt, shoved it into their mouth and took a hard drag.

The smoke rose, merging with other plumes; following the trail down, they saw the warehouse entrance crowded with demons whose faces showed a hopeless emptiness.

Although these demons varied in appearance, they all coincidentally wore various waiter outfits.

The demons now furrowed their brows, squatting on the floor, bewildered, letting out a sigh and a deep breath.

Meanwhile, from the warehouse behind them came occasional angry roars of ant‑cow and the demons' cries of pain; a moment later, in a room on the other side, a flash of light revealed a demon that had just been torn apart by ant‑cow, its desperate eyes wide and unrelieved, numb, and it shuffled back toward the warehouse.

"I told you they're more useful than servitor machines."

"When the servitor machines break, we have to fix them."

"If these demons die, they'll just regrow from Subspace on their own."

Above, in Xisi's room.

Watching the projected scene, Xisi ate a grilled ant‑cow skewer and spoke casually.

After finishing the meal at Fanluosi, even under the numbness of Bai'er and Xiulun's "Is this correct?", he smiled and looked toward the black‑gold skull beside him.

"Send another hundred ant‑cow skewers up from below."

Fanluosi and the others stared with blank eyes; after a long while they forced themselves to meet each other's gaze, their faces expressionless.

Enslaving A-space demons to serve mortals as waitstaff—such a spectacle could probably only be pulled off by us, right?

"Alright, now let's talk about Luo Jia."

Xisi satisfied himself, set down the ant‑cow skewer, and flicked the projection off.

Just before Fanluosi spoke, Xisi suddenly remembered something and summoned another black‑gold skull:

"I see the demons' work enthusiasm waning."

"Thus, double the quota for 'caring for' Aieribas."

"Allow high‑performing demons a chance to spend an evening alone with Aieribas."

The black‑gold skull flew off, leaving only the three silently waiting Fanluosi, Bai'er and Xiulun below, their faces utterly dead.

Then, after Xisi signaled, Fanluosi gathered his thoughts and spoke:

"According to the reports from Luo Jia's recent reconnaissance and scouting teams, Luo Jia has already led the main force of Huaiyaner toward us."

"It's still unclear whether Helusu has also begun moving, but a decisive battle between us and Luo Jia's Huaiyaner main force is inevitable."

After Fanluosi finished, Xiulun and Bai'er behind him couldn't help but sigh, their gazes dropping to the ground; though they said nothing, Xisi knew they were again cursing Aieribas.

"Sir, if this battle is unavoidable, with our current forces even a victory would cost us too much."

"Behind us lies an entire wolf pack and the Imperial Guard; our strength is extremely precious."

No one even considered trying to persuade the wolf pack; given its irrational, obstinate nature, you can't defeat it by fighting, let alone by rhetoric!

Fanluosi cautioned carefully; Bai'er and Xiulun, unable to keep berating Aieribas, looked up at Xisi.

Xisi simply stood up and walked over to the porthole.

【48】 At that moment, beneath Xisi, the Nest City world was launching a barrage of celebratory fireworks.

After finishing, under the numb "Is this right?" of Fanluosi, and even Bai'er and Xiulun, he smiled and looked toward the black‑gold skull beside him.

The great rebellion had begun, but it had not yet come to the surface.

Thus the Nest City below still believed the Huaiyaner were the Empire's loyal legion, and they were now celebrating the Huaiyaner's arrival.

Even the Sub‑star District navy that controls this Nest City voluntarily gathered and joined Xisi's fleet.

Gazing at the world below, Xisi stared for a moment, then gave it a gentle nod:

"Expand the Mortal Legion before Luojia arrives."

Fanluosi and the others looked oddly, scrutinizing Xisi and the massive Nest City serving as the Sub‑star District capital, then Xiulun hesitated:

"Luojia still has at most six months; expanding the army now—won't that be too late?"

Six months, a Hundredfold after fifty‑plus years of training; Xisi calculated quickly and withdrew his gaze from the world below:

"Six months is enough!"

Saying that, Xisi sat back down, picked up a pen and began drafting orders, and while Fanluosi and the others puzzled over 'how six months could be enough?', he spoke as he wrote:

"I recall this Sub‑star District has six Nest City worlds in total."

"Now issue a mobilization order for the entire Sub‑star District at once, fully expanding the Mortal Legion."

Speaking, Xisi capped his pen, nudged the order forward, and looked toward Fanluosi:

"Under full mobilization, roughly how many people can we obtain?"

Fanluosi thought quickly for a moment, confirmed the final number he arrived at several times, couldn't help but take a deep breath, then looked up at the surrounding Xiulun and Bai'er, and only then bit his teeth and answered Xisi.

"If we calculate based on Oumia Group's million‑person roster."

"Then for such a million‑person group, we have......"

"One thousand."