Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 531 - 461 - Stars

Chapter 531: 461 Chapter Stars

At three in the morning, a torrential rain began to fall.

The chilly rainwater spread across the Archipelago, washing away charred machinery, damaged walls, and abandoned bodies, eventually flowing into the neon-lit corporate city.

On the outskirts of Akasumi City, a star rose from the ground.

It was a very bright star, constantly twinkling.

When it left the Ground, its light could be seen from tens of kilometers away, arrow-like in length and as hot as the sun, dragging a huge plume of white smoke, unstoppable by even the heaviest rain.

The New Xisheng Corps had been driven out of Akasumi City, the factories were completely shut down. People needed time to organize a new management layer, workers left the colossal production facilities to go home, experiencing for the first time a sense of complete relaxation, dreaming of a tomorrow without the giant corporations, and this star rising from the ground illuminated their dreams.

They could see the star rise from their homes, its flames ascending, radiance filling the sky, so the residents left their rented houses. A thousand people, ten thousand, a hundred thousand—they braved the rain to come out onto the streets, looking up as the star left the Yulong District and soared into the high skies, roaring mightily.

Overawed by this tremendous power, people watched the star climb higher and higher, its hue a vivid red, aglow, trailing a white thermal wave-like tail across the sky. They had never imagined such a weapon would stand on their side.

The star traveled across the sky, like a moving streak of red light.

In Shengbo City, this seaside town is 35 kilometers away from Shangjing. Many senior officials, directors, and company managers had driven to Shengbo City from the blockaded Shangjing Bay, waiting for an opportunity to leave, unwilling to be caught up in any risks.

Luxury cars and brand-name Shuttle Machines gathered, waiting for the large transport planes of the neutral traffic companies to evacuate them.

The star passed over their heads at this time, like an ominous comet bringing a sign of destruction. Ninjas and Samurai responsible for escorting shouted aloud, and company executives came down from their vehicles.

Their leather shoes stepped on the icy, damp steel ground as they looked up at the star streaking across the sky, surrounded by people vying to hold umbrellas for them.

Some of them, unmodified, with unclear eyesight, could only see a blurry dark red spot of light. Others, with full-sight eyes implanted, could instantly make out the nature of the star—it was a "Wind Demon" Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.

They immediately shouted to turn on the news, and soon they heard a clear broadcast, heard the voice of President Lila Nestor, calm and steadfast.

"...Given the escalating form of confrontation..."

The star traveled alone across the sky, heading for the distant Western Hemisphere.

The satellites of Northern Military Industry detected it but did not destroy it. The computers calculated its trajectory, discerning that its target was not in the Great Northern Region.

This star would pass straight over the Arctic Circle, taking the shortest distance to the place where it was meant to fall.

Therefore, the satellite weapons let the star pass and continued to guard the sky.

"...The corporate war between Nestor Corporation and New Xisheng Group will regrettably continue..."

The star skimmed the cold firmament over the polar region, its rocket engine pushing it towards the 60 kilometers high mark.

Here, accompanying the star were the phantom blue and pale green hues of the auroras. It continued to fly towards the Taixi Continent, moving through the beautiful, dreamlike curtains of light, like an out-of-place visitor.

The polar atmosphere was thin, and the personnel at the research stations received the alert, leaving the base. With the help of equipment, they could see the star traveling in the hazy radiance.

The polar night would end in just over ten days, followed by a half-year-long polar day. The research team members watched the star pierce the hazy night sky and auroras, heading to the other side of the planet.

"...To prevent further senseless bloodshed in this war, to stop the losses on both sides from further escalating..."

The star arrived, and the air raid sirens in Britannia sounded mournfully, as the large cities in the Gael Region initiated emergency evacuation plans.

In the Northern Archipelago, it’s three in the morning, while in Britannia, it was only seven or eight in the evening, just when the nightlife was beginning.

Alert messages were sent to each networked terminal, all electronic screen billboards and consumer product advertisements turned into evacuation notices. People hurriedly left subways, companies, stores, and hospitals, guided by drones and robots to the nearest nuclear war shelters. Electromagnetic Pulse protection Canopies were raised, and the anti-missile defense system was put on standby.

"...We must take a strategy, although extreme, that can save more lives..."

The ballistic missile defense base located in the Gael highlands responded immediately, adopting a mid-course interception strategy, firing anti-missile defense missiles at the star.

The star had shut off its engine, falling by inertia, and interception was more likely at this time.

They had to fire now. Once it began its high-speed dive during descent, the efficiency of interception would drastically decrease, making it possible for it to fall within their territory and blast a scar on the Britannia Region.

Prepare—aim—fire.

Twelve anti-air missiles soared into the sky towards the shining red star to intercept its MIRV warhead.

This weapon, like an arrow, like a sun in the night sky, had been launched from the distant Northern Archipelago, crossing the Arctic Circle, arriving in Britannia.

"...Nestor Corporation has decided to carry out a nuclear strike on the assets of New Xisheng Group located on the Taixi Continent..."

Bang!

The nuclear weapon was intercepted by the missile defense system and destroyed in mid-air, unleashing a terrifying shockwave, lighting up the whole of Britannia as if the sun had never set on this land.

The black remnants of the star fell toward the sea, the hot winds igniting the surrounding trees, causing wildfires. The surface burst triggered Electromagnetic Pulse spread widely, affecting the coastal cities and extinguishing their lights from the night, while the radiation dust drifted slowly in all directions, like interstellar dust.

Then there was silence.

In the Xisheng Hotel in Lundinium, Kurokawa Kana was enjoying a moment of peace in the giant private bath.

She looked out at the Lundinium night scene through the full-length windows, truly resting for the first time since the corporate wars began.

She noticed the intelligent screen beside her flicker, a strange mosaic image abruptly appeared, then vanished in an instant.

"Hacker?" Kurokawa Kana asked the branch of the Hundred-eyes Demon located in Lundinium.

"A Wind Demon Intercontinental Ballistic Missile exploded in the air over the Gael Region due to interception, this 40-ton missile was carrying 3 nuclear warheads, each weighing 400 kilograms," the Hundred-eyes Demon reported.

"Who launched it?"

"Nestor Corporation has claimed responsibility for this action."

Kurokawa Kana climbed out of the bathtub and got dressed.

The Gael Region, located in the northern part of Britannia, had rugged terrain. New Xisheng Group had deployed many industries near the Gael, including a large number of oil drilling platforms in nearby waters, and military bunkers deep within the mountains.

"Where did they get the nukes?"

"NCER Base."

"Why could Nestor Corporation use them?" Kurokawa Kana struggled to stay calm.

"Xisheng Shrine has the physical keys that can open the nuclear arsenal, having the highest authority over the nuclear weapons."

"No, the personnel at NCER Base could have locked the launch shafts," Kurokawa Kana murmured to herself, "I knew the base had fallen, but there were a thousand ways to make the base permanently inoperative, including self-destruct... Of course, there are traitors among the management, they left NCER Base intact for Nestor Corporation. Ridiculous, what did Nestor Corporation promise them?"

"The personnel at NCER Base died instantly, all at once; they had no chance to lock down the launch apparatus," the Hundred-eyes Demon stated.

"You say that again?"

"The personnel at NCER Base died instantly, all at once," the Hundred-eyes Demon repeated.

"How was that achieved?" Kurokawa Kana frowned.

"I don’t know," the Hundred-eyes Demon admitted truthfully, and then it received a communication request, "Simon Truss, head of Rose Medical Foreign Affairs Department, is initiating a call to you."

"Patch him through," Kurokawa Kana said, her mind uneasy.

"In view of the formal pressure," Truss informed Kurokawa Kana, "my company will exercise the ultimate legal authority granted by the Corporate Alliance, acquiring all of New Xisheng Group’s industries in the Britannia Region to avoid being unnecessarily dragged into the corporate wars."

"Nestor Corporation’s actions are a provocation to you," Kurokawa Kana responded with restraint.

"We will seek compensation from Nestor Corporation. But please, also consider our offer and leave the Britannia Region."

"Are you really content to suffer this loss? They launched a nuclear missile," Kurokawa Kana whispered quietly.

"Listen, long story short," Truss said, choosing his words carefully, "we could launch a nuclear counterattack and defeat Nestor Corporation, but Britannia’s corporate armies have no reason to be drawn into this war. A campaign in the Northern Archipelago is meaningless for us; why cross the sea to fight in the Northern Archipelago. In other words, turning the Northern Archipelago into scorched earth, what does it gain for the people of Britannia? We are no longer in an era where bombarding a region to resolve issues or achieve revenge is feasible."

"You could cleanse the dishonor."

"No, no... what’s the shame worth. The intercepted nuclear missile has made our Rose Medicine’s health services sell out, especially the anti-radiation tablets, and the sales for the next 24 hours are enough for all our staff to get a day off."

"A professional submarine force could block off the Northern Archipelago," Kurokawa Kana said quickly, "Then Nestor Corporation would surrender, New Xisheng would still be in the game."

"Madam," Truss attempted to make this woman face reality, "I still advise you to leave Lundinium as soon as possible and to consolidate resources in other regions. Other mega-corporations will likewise forcefully acquire New Xisheng’s industries for the same reason, thus avoiding security risks."

They’re using this pretext to devour New Xisheng’s assets in the Taixi Continent. Kurokawa Kana was well aware of this. Now every Taixi Continent enterprise could use this reason to incorporate New Xisheng, which became an easy prey within their grasp.

Even if they want to retaliate against Nestor Corporation, they would first acquire and merge New Xisheng.

The game of big fish eating the little fish, had she really fallen into the position of the weaker side one day?

"We do not accept the acquisition of New Xisheng assets for security reasons," Kurokawa Kana regained her composure and told Truss, "Just a single communication from me, and New Xisheng has justification to continue its existence in Taixi Continent, you can give up on those acquisition cases."

"Although I don’t know who you are planning to contact, I await the good news," Truss ended the call.

Kurokawa Kana listlessly walked toward the glass curtain wall.

She saw in her own reflection the former appearance of Honma Noriko. People often said she was the spitting image of Honma Noriko in her youth, elegant and exquisitely beautiful.

She opened her phone and checked the message that would determine her fate.

Two hours ago, the "Digital Ark" tech team gathered a powerful group of hackers for an assault, but still failed to break through Nestor Corporation’s cybersecurity defenses.

What kind of monster was guarding that place?

Defeated by such a small, so minute company. Kurokawa Kana sat down on the couch. Or was it that Nestor Corporation had already become incredibly strong and was only now showing its full firepower?

The eyeball-shaped domestic robot brought Kurokawa Kana a glass of red wine. She swirled the liquid gently in the glass, drank it down in one gulp, then pulled a cable from behind her ear, plugged it into the terminal, and launched a communication invite to Nestor Corporation.

"Mrs. Lila Nestor," she said, "New Xisheng Group surrenders to your side in this war."