“Like ink dropped into a vat of water,” Lei Ting said.
“What is ‘ink’?” The group was collectively dazed for a moment. To these Orionites, the term was far too removed from interstellar life, causing a slight hitch in their emotional flow.
“...” Lei Ting fell silent for a beat. “Ignore my metaphor. Have you figured out how to resolve this pollution?”
“We have already blockaded the nearby interstellar shipping lanes,” the officer replied.
“Only that?”
“Only that. The polluted zones that have already manifested physically cannot be eradicated or controlled by conventional means,” the officer explained. “However, according to our calculations, if the current polluted zone were to spread to the vicinity of the ‘Ringworld,’ it would take approximately two hundred and twenty thousand years...”
“No wonder those bastards further out aren't willing to come. It’s the Orion Arm that suffers regardless,” ‘Imperial Blade’ sneered. “Two hundred and twenty thousand years...”
In such a vast span of time, who knew what might happen?
But Lei Ting noticed a different issue.
“Is it moving with the galactic rotation?” he asked. “If so, it should be a form of matter.”
“Regrettably, that is not the case,” the officer said. “Its space-time coordinates are fixed; it can be considered an overlap of space upon space... Do you understand? Much like how a Stargate would be struck by a planet if it didn't move, this entity intersects with the rotating galaxy at every moment, standing in the path of certain matter like a disturbing filter.”
*Fine, perfectly understandable,* Lei Ting thought. *Matter processed through that filter certainly wouldn't remain in its original form.*
This was essentially a cosmic performance of spreading batter for a pancake across this poor, disaster-stricken barred spiral galaxy—a celestial crepe that would one day inevitably smother everyone as the universe continued its unceasing eruption and rotation.
Regardless of what sacred or profane thing was hidden behind the Sea Lord’s transformation, whoever came up with this move was a genius.
They say governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish; this entity was taking that philosophy to the extreme, preparing to cook the entire Milky Way like a small fish.
“Have you collected tissue samples from the target?” ‘Imperial Blade’ asked. “Does it have an impact on its immediate environment?”
“Yes, and a significant one,” the garrison officer said. “All its bodily fluids are highly corrosive to conventional matter. Furthermore, once tissue cells are harvested, they can maintain activity for over 240 hours in various environments, automatically devouring other organisms to convert into energy and expanding their mass through self-replication...
“To put it simply, the Sea Lord’s body is like a massive colony of dangerous slime mold. Therefore, the Assembly believes that during the battle, the dispersal of its tissues or fluids should be minimized to avoid further secondary disasters.”
“If that’s all, you should have been able to handle it yourselves,” Lei Ting said.
“...”
Hearing this, the officer fell silent for a moment. He leaned closer to Lei Ting and ‘Imperial Blade,’ whispering, “I am very sorry. It may sound somewhat disgraceful to say this, but... we were not allocated sufficient heavy firepower.”
At those words, Lei Ting and ‘Imperial Blade’ exchanged a glance.
Neither was a fool. They naturally understood this was a warning: someone in the Assembly wanted to test their limits—or rather, the limits of this generation’s high-level espers.
In truth, they had likely wanted to probe this for a long time, but high-level espers within the galaxy were not as numerous or disorganized as they were often portrayed in fiction.
The cultivation of a powerhouse depended not only on talent and personal character but also required a complete system of education and training, as well as massive logistical resources and a sophisticated intelligence network.
Such external conditions could only exist within medium-to-large factions, not simply within some pirate crew or a small hideout.
“...” ‘Imperial Blade’ rubbed his forehead. “No wonder...”
“What?” Lei Ting asked.
“No wonder my intelligence officers said the feedback wasn't great, and the staff suggested I’d be better off not coming,” ‘Imperial Blade’ sighed as he took flight toward the Sea Lord.
“Then why did you come? For galactic peace?” Lei Ting countered. Before flying off, he said to the garrison officer, “Thank you.”
The officer had never expected the ‘Sun Star’ to say that to him. From the first moment they saw him, everyone there had felt a strange majesty and a suppression stemming from the levels of life and power. This naturally made them place this ‘Double-S’ ranker—who currently lacked any shocking interstellar battle records—on a pedestal far above themselves...
And then he said “Thank you.”
Watching the silhouette depart immediately after the thanks, the garrison officer stood dazed for a moment.
Then, he suddenly asked, “Has our report been written?”
“No,” another officer beside him said. “How do you plan to report it?”
“I don’t think he’s a dangerous person,” the garrison officer said. “That ‘thank you’ didn’t seem faked.”
“Won’t he hear us at this distance?”
“He’s already entered the vacuum of space.” The garrison officer turned to look at the person speaking to him. “So? what do you think?”
“Report the facts. Subjective conjecture is a taboo,” the female officer replied.
...
Lei Ting withdrew his psychic perception.
Just as he had envisioned years ago, by sensing the extremely slight vibrations of the metal ornaments and armor on the two officers, he—who was intimately familiar with all metallic properties—obtained the acoustic waveforms of their conversation. Converting that into ‘content’ was a basic skill from his information analysis classes.
Beyond that, he had conveniently transmitted a bit of material into the isolation walls of the fleet’s flagship, creating several tiny integrated monitors. They merged with the ship’s own metallic structure, their sole purpose being to broadcast nearby metallic vibration waveforms. It was nearly impossible for any means to detect their existence.
This was one of the simplest things the ‘Sun Star’ could do.
If Lei Ting wanted to harm others, he truly possessed countless methods.
“Hey, ‘Sun Star,’” ‘Imperial Blade’ sent a message from ahead. “Didn’t you ask me why? To be honest, it’s for you. So, won’t you really consider—”
“No.” Lei Ting once again declined the other’s request, none too gently.
Though his way of doing things was changing, adding ‘transaction’ to his list of reasons to kill for the sake of an alien was still impossible for him at the moment.
“But that guy... if that day comes, he might negatively impact nearly half the galaxy,” ‘Imperial Blade’ shrugged. “When that time comes, you might be the only one who can solve the problem.”
“So who exactly is this person?” Lei Ting asked back. He could feel that ‘Imperial Blade’ was telling the truth, but it didn't align with the facts. “I haven’t heard of such a powerhouse existing in the galaxy,” he added casually.
“Of course you haven’t heard of him, because he hasn't appeared yet,” ‘Imperial Blade’ shrugged.
“...”
Lei Ting suddenly ceased his flight.
‘Imperial Blade’ sensed his action and instinctively asked, “What are you—hm?!!”
Lei Ting reached out and gripped the air. Powerful energy surged. The metallic portions of ‘Imperial Blade’s’ armor were violently yanked, carving a sharp streak of light through the stars before slamming into Lei Ting’s hand with a heavy *thud!*
In the next second, the earth and stone on ‘Imperial Blade’s’ body exploded. A greatsword appeared out of thin air, and he swung it around in a cleaving strike!
*BOOM!!!*
Lei Ting’s expression remained unchanged. His free hand dropped down, steadily catching the not-so-sharp edge of the greatsword in front of his torso.
Brilliant golden waves erupted from the two of them. The distant fleet immediately lit up its emergency defense indicators.
In just a moment, the shockwave slammed into the fleet’s shields like a roaring tide, nearly blowing the defensive grid wide open—
But in the next instant, everyone was shocked to find that the entire fleet, composed of millions of ships large and small, remained as immovable as a mountain. This was not due to their own defenses or stability, but because...
This entire stretch of space had turned into a vast, peerless, spherical sea of golden light.
In this moment, everyone stood within a giant, superpowered sun.
It was so radiant, yet it vanished in a flash.
“Calm down, Mr. ‘Imperial Blade.’ If I had ill intent toward you, you would be dead by now.” As Lei Ting spoke, he casually disarmed ‘Imperial Blade’ of his ‘blade.’ “Now, I want you to answer one question...”
“...” The light of superpower flickered in the eyes of the now completely immobilized ‘Imperial Blade.’ But after a moment, he still replied, “Speak.”
He was certainly not without the ability to fight back. What did his body being unable to move have to do with his superpowers? It was just that ‘fighting back’ would be far too costly.
Lei Ting released his grip, letting the man and his energy—which had been drowned by Lei Ting’s radiance—float together.
“No offense, but...”
He tilted his head slightly, his glowing golden eyes staring into the vast darkness within the other’s visor. His young but majestic face drew close to ‘Imperial Blade’s’ field of vision.
“Do you really want to die that badly, ‘Sane Tane’?” he asked.
To anyone else, this would sound like a threat—a final ultimatum from a harassed man to his harasser.
But ‘Imperial Blade’ was different.
He only let out a long sigh—the kind of sigh he had often let out since he and Lei Ting first met.
“Well, you really did read my thoughts back then...” ‘Imperial Blade’ helplessly tried to scratch his head, but failed. “Even though I know you didn't mean to, it really doesn't feel great.”
“Get to the point,” Lei Ting said coldly. “You want me to kill you. What does that mean?”
“Because I can’t hold on much longer, ‘Sun Star,’” ‘Imperial Blade’ said flatly. “Do you think things like the ‘Sea Lord’ are appearing for the first time?”
“...”
Lei Ting withdrew his power and his oppressive forward lean, adopting a posture of listening intently.
But ‘Imperial Blade’ said no more. He stood tall, straightening his appearance, and said to Lei Ting, “Since five years ago, every sensitive esper in the galaxy could sense a brilliant light appearing in the direction of the Orion Arm...
“I have seen the ‘Sun’ of that space. It revealed everything related to you. Therefore, I believe in you, and you will take over my task, whether you want to or not.”
Lei Ting’s brow twitched slightly beneath his mask. But on the surface, he showed no reaction to this cryptic praise and subtle coercion.
Even if he was truly a bit displeased—a fleeting displeasure.
‘Imperial Blade’ did not notice this unhappiness. Lei Ting’s ‘immovability’ made his composure naturally superior to everyone else’s.
Thus, he turned and accelerated, saying as he charged toward the Sea Lord, “It’s hard to explain clearly... when we destroy it, you’ll understand what’s going on.”
Lei Ting remained expressionless. In an instant, he transformed into a golden light of terrifying speed. As he passed ‘Imperial Blade,’ he casually grabbed the back of the man’s neck armor, and with a few flickers, they arrived at their final destination.
He raised his hand and tossed the dizzy, riddle-speaking man aside. Facing the other’s expression of inexplicable shock mixed with something strange, he placed one hand behind his back and gestured with the other toward the planet-sized giant creature before them.
“After you.”
***
