r18novel Chapter 268 Void Standoff, Extreme Pressure
Chapter 268 Void Standoff, Extreme Pressure
"Set the flight path, we...go home."
Su Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone on the bridge of the "Pangu" ship.
Chen Zhou was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, and his face lit up with the ecstatic joy of surviving a disaster.
"Yes! Set the course! Target: the solar system! Let's go home!"
The communications officer practically roared the order down, and the entire Earth fleet erupted in an uncontrollable cheer.
Come back home!
These two words possess boundless magic at this moment.
The fleet's engines began to warm up, and the warships adjusted their attitudes, preparing for a space jump.
However, just as the flagship "Pangu" was about to turn around, Su Chen's calm voice rang out again.
"Wait a moment."
The cheers abruptly stopped.
Everyone on the bridge looked at Su Chen in confusion, wondering why he had called a halt again.
Chen Zhou's heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition washing over him: "What's wrong? Could it be...?"
"Isn't it too easy for them to just leave like this?" Su Chen's gaze, passing through the porthole, remained fixed on the Star Devouring Cult fleet that was slowly retreating in the distance, but had not yet dispersed.
His face showed no sign of ease at the thought of leaving; instead, it carried an unfathomable depth.
"Let them off easy?"
Chen Zhou was a little out of sync with Su Chen's train of thought:
"They let us go, that's the best outcome we can hope for! We're running out of energy and ammunition; if we don't leave now, it'll be too late if they change their minds!"
"They won't go back on their word," Su Chen shook his head, his tone resolute.
"At least, they dare not make any rash moves until this behemoth is dealt with."
He paused, then continued, "But if we leave, this behemoth will become theirs. We used Earth's technology to trap it, only to let them reap the benefits. What kind of world is that?"
The people on the bridge looked at each other in bewilderment.
That makes sense, but the problem is, we don't have the power to reason with them right now!
They have over three hundred warships. Even if they stood still and let us attack them, we might not be able to take them down.
The fact that they were able to force them back was already a result of relying on that giant beast's intimidation; it was already the limit of their capabilities.
If we stay any longer, what if we mess things up?
Su Chen didn't explain much. While he was deciphering the Shadow's memories, he also gleaned a crucial and dangerous piece of intelligence from the massive information stream.
"The Reaper".
A force even more terrifying and mysterious than the Star Devouring Cult.
According to fragments of Shadow's past life memories, the Star Eater Cult, an organization that plunders everywhere under the banner of the universe, is considered a "heretic" and "false believer" that needs to be eliminated in the eyes of the "Reaper".
This "Sea of the Dead" star system happens to be one of the patrol routes of the "Reapers".
The time... is almost up.
What Su Chen needs to do is not to run away.
It's just a delaying tactic!
He was going to wait, to wait for the real "shrews" to appear.
He wanted to make the Star-Eating Cult, this greedy "mantis," be targeted by the oriole before it could catch the cicada!
"Connect to the other party's flagship communication," Su Chen ordered again.
"yes!"
The communication was quickly connected, and the "scholar's" forced smile reappeared on the screen.
In his background, the Star Devouring Cult's fleet had retreated to a relatively safe distance, but still maintained a loose encirclement.
"What? Commander Su Chen, have you changed your mind? Do you think going home is too early and would like to stay for a cup of tea?"
The scholar's tone was filled with suppressed anger and sarcasm.
In his view, Su Chen's initiative to contact him now was simply to say a few harsh words before leaving and regain some face.
"I won't drink the tea."
Su Chen leaned back in his chair, his posture even more relaxed than that of a "scholar," and said, "I just feel that if we just leave like this, it would be a bit unfair to your 'enthusiasm'."
"Oh?"
The "scholar" raised an eyebrow, wondering what Su Chen was up to.
"This big guy,"
Su Chen pointed to the huge silver cage:
"We went through tremendous trouble to capture it. If you want it, you should at least show some sincerity, right?"
These words stunned not only the "scholars" but also Chen Zhou and others on the "Pangu".
What's going on?
Is this... an attempt to extort money in front of more than three hundred warships?
This is insane! This is absolutely insane!
The "scholar" was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the universe.
"Hahahaha! Sincerity? Commander Su Chen, don't you understand the situation? Letting you go is already the greatest mercy I can show! And now you actually want 'sincerity' from me?"
His laughter was filled with disdain and cruelty:
"Believe it or not, with just one order, even at the cost of damage to my fleet, I can tear all of you dozens of wrecked ships, along with you, into cosmic dust!"
I believe you.
Su Chen nodded, his expression unchanged.
"However, before you give the order, I suspect your adjutant will remind you that our 'pet' seems to be hungry again."
Su Chen had just finished speaking.
"Prophet, reduce the power of the seventh stabilizing anchor by another five percent, widen the gap slightly, and give our guests a little something to do."
"Command confirmed."
"Buzz—"
The gap in the silver cage had visibly widened again.
"roar--!!!"
An even more ferocious will to destroy surged forth like a tsunami.
This time, it wasn't just an energy fluctuation; a condensed, almost tangible, dark purple breath, imbued with a rule-based destructive power, suddenly spewed out from the gap!
Its target was not the Star Eater Cult's mothership, but a nearby escort ship.
The captain of the frigate had no time to react. The ship's shields were as fragile as paper in the face of that breath attack, shattering instantly!
Immediately afterwards, the entire warship, several kilometers long, was pierced from head to tail by that breath, under everyone's watchful eyes.
There was no violent explosion, no dazzling flames.
The entire warship was wiped out of the universe as if by an invisible eraser, silently disintegrating and annihilating without leaving a trace.
Dead silence.
Whether it was the Star Devouring Cult's fleet or the bridge of the Earth fleet, everyone was stunned by this terrifying scene.
This is the true power of a Class A natural disaster!
Just now, it was only trapped, but the aura it emitted was already suffocating.
Now, with just a casual "breath," it instantly annihilated an elite interstellar warship!
The scholar's smile froze completely.
His adjutant was so frightened that his face turned pale and he took several steps back.
"You...you're a madman!"
The "scholar" stared intently at Su Chen, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.
"Now, can we have a proper discussion about the issue of 'sincerity'? Elder Scholar."
Su Chen's voice was cold and calm, as if the destruction of the warship had nothing to do with him.
The scholar's chest heaved violently as he struggled to control his emotions.
He knew that he had been cornered by this native once again.
The card in the opponent's hand, that mad dog, was even more terrifying than he had imagined.
Moreover, the other party is simply a gambler who doesn't care about the consequences!
"Tell me! What exactly do you want?!"
The word "scholar" was practically squeezed out from between his teeth.
He had already decided to keep this madman calm for now.
Once the sect's reinforcements arrive, he will make this native named Su Chen experience the most painful punishments in the universe!
"It's very simple." A smile finally appeared on Su Chen's lips.
The fish has taken the bait.
"What I want is neither money nor resources," Su Chen said slowly.
"I want... for your Star Devouring Cult's most core technology to save its life."
"What?"
The scholar's eyes widened suddenly.
He never expected that Su Chen would make such a request.
The core technology of the Star Devouring Cult is the foundation of the cult's existence; how could it possibly be traded away!
"You're dreaming! That's absolutely impossible!"
The "scholar" refused without even thinking.
"Don't rush to refuse," Su Chen said calmly.
"I don't want your offensive techniques, and I'm not interested in your crooked methods."
"I only want one thing."
"Your 'soul grafting' technology."
Su Chen's gaze sharpened.
That was one of his real purposes.
One reason is to delay, and the other is to extract something of value from "scholars"!
In Shadow's memory, there are scattered records about this core technology of the Star Devouring Cult.
This is a bizarre technology that can graft powerful souls onto other vessels, even warships, thereby giving the warships "life" and "growth potential".
This technology has immeasurable value for the future development of Earth's civilization!
The scholar's pupils suddenly contracted.
Soul grafting technology!
How did he know that?!
This is one of the sect's top secrets!
Only those at the elder level or above are qualified to have contact with them!
Just who is this native?!