Xyrin Empire
Chapter 585: The Spreading Flames of War

Chapter 585: Chapter 585: The Spreading Flames of War

The reconnaissance team previously sent to the Eastern Nebula Region to scout had finally sent back a message. The clue to Lili’s whereabouts, the historically most clueless person, had been found.

Of course, finding an Imperial Fleet that was earnestly hiding was not so easy. The small band of Protos scouts we dispatched only discovered traces of Holy Temple Army activity, such as a couple of giant planets that had been completely burnt into a molten state, or a constant star that had clearly just experienced a supernova explosion and was mixed with an abundance of ghost energy waves, or the wrecks of a few unmutated Imperial Assault Ships. These all confirmed that some constant star system in the Eastern Nebula had once been an extremely active zone for the Holy Temple Army. The Protos reconnaissance team left a beacon there that only an Imperial Ship could recognize, in hopes of contacting the Holy Temple Army that might still be lingering nearby. Then they established an outpost in a desolate asteroid belt, readying for our arrival.

For our part, we were fully prepared, ready to set forth within a day. The entire fleet was about to embark and leave Jetas.

It was naturally impossible to conceal such massive movements of the Federation Army from Jie En; this distinguished old soldier, who was deemed diligent and faultless by Queen Fina within the scope of his responsibilities, proved to be diligent in his duties. We were just about to start moving when he hastily arrived at our temporary residence, even without bringing any guards—clearly showing sincerity, or perhaps just panic.

"That’s the way it is, we’re leaving now, and we can’t say for sure if we’ll come back," I said, prompting the visibly anxious old soldier to sit calmly in the living room. I got up and poured him a glass of water, "The fleet will be sailing later today, and I knew you’d come looking for me, so I waited here."

"Well, okay," Jie En sat upright on the sofa, a picture of fair play, "In this damned universe, many rules are meaningless. You are still your own ’Federation Army.’ Gotaque has not bound your stances. But may I be so bold as to ask why such a hasty departure?"

It seems it was still the alertness native to a soldier. And indeed, the movements of such a huge fleet were enough to make anyone feel nervous.

"You should remember that when I first arrived, I inquired if another Lost Fleet had entered this universe following the Federation Army. In fact, we came here in search of that fleet, and now my people have found their trail, so we have to set out."

"I see," Jie En nodded, but there was still unease on his face, "The reason is understandable, and I shouldn’t ask too much about the specifics. But at this critical moment, your colossal fleet’s departure from this star zone might trigger unnecessary trouble."

"What’s going on?"

I raised an eyebrow, and Big Sister who was brewing tea beside us also stopped what she was doing and listened intently to the conversation.

"A message from the Shepherd, they sent out a notice to all wisdom races across the universe twenty-four hours ago, announcing that this balance cycle is about to end."

Upon Jie En’s words, the room fell silent for a full thirty seconds. He was waiting for our response while I suppressed the urge to curse.

Those damned "Imperial Rebels"! They’re going to be the death of me, aren’t they?

"A new round of universal chaos? That’s what they mean, right?"

"That’s one way to put it. This balance cycle has been shorter than previous ones, perhaps because the various forces in the universe have developed too quickly and prosperity has returned in a short time. The Shepherd has declared the beginning of a great war ahead of schedule. Several kingdoms close to the Big Nebula have already begun preparing for war. Many other powers have already seen Shepherd fleets appear over many colonization stars. At the time this news had just been delivered, a vast fleet that had only entered this universe a few years ago and had never experienced the baptism of the Shepherd openly declared their defiance of the Shepherd. A few hours later, the star systems where they had been active no longer showed any sign of life, spreading fear among all powers informed of this intelligence. The Gotaque Free Kingdom barely survived the last grand melee, its vitality not yet recovered. We had originally pinned our hopes on two ongoing efforts to decipher the Shepherd’s technology, hoping they might enable Gotaque’s warships to be strengthened in a short time. Now it seems unlikely. Furthermore, the Kingdom’s pride, the Queen’s Fleet, has just been directly attacked by the Shepherd. While they miraculously survived, you’re well aware they were all but decimated. We daren’t even let the citizens of the Kingdom know. As a leader of a power, you and those two Governors should know how dire the situation is. At this very moment, if the Federation Fleet, which Gotaque has gradually grown familiar with and friendly towards, were to suddenly depart... I’m afraid it doesn’t bode well for us."

Jie En paused, assuming a forthright attitude, "I’ve been in the military for many years and dislike beating around the bush. I’m only conveying the truth: Your continuous actions after your arrival may have caught the attention of many forces. The departure of the Federation Army at this time will have a significant impact on Gotaque, and it might even prompt other nervously wound powers to act prematurely, and even more disastrously, to draw the Shepherd’s attention. The latter is especially lethal. I have no right to prevent you from fulfilling your mission, but as a soldier of Gotaque, it’s my duty to inform you of this. That is my purpose."

"Is that also your Queen’s sentiment?"

Suddenly, I thought of that young queen who thought like a machine. For some reason, ever since our last meeting, she made a very deep impression on me. The first thing that came to mind was how Her Majesty the Queen would react to the current situation. My instinct told me she knew much more than Jie En, and perhaps, I should consider meeting her again.

"I’m very curious about your Queen," I said, seeing Jie En’s face acknowledging my statement. It seemed necessary to ask about that strange queen’s situation; after all, curiosity killed more than just the cat. But I was a bit unsure about how to begin—it involved privacy, moreover, the Queen’s privacy. I had to think it through or it could be considered political provocation.

In the end, I asked very subtly, "Is your Queen a person?"

Big Sister dropped her head on the table with a clunk, "Ah Jun, you should draft your questions in advance next time!"

Jie En was equally startled by my question, and his expression contorted subtly. It took him almost five minutes to regain his composure—to be fair, he had already had a taste of our local brand of quirky spirits.

"If you’re curious about the Queen’s race, I can only say that she was indeed once human, a carbon-based life," the old heartthrob said resentfully. "But that was a long time ago. I also saw related records in some ancient files. Frankly, when my United Countries Escort Fleet and I got lost in this universe and were rescued by the Gotaque army twenty years ago, Her Majesty had already been ruling this kingdom for over a hundred years..."

...No wonder the nearly sixty-year-old handsome Jie En showed such respect to a girl who looked barely in her teens. Considering the real age, this old man would qualify as her grandson, right?

"I want to meet the Queen, is it convenient?"

Still, that eerie cylindrical "bedroom," before the throne with not a single guard in sight, Her Majesty—let’s just call her Fina—seemed to have anticipated our arrival, her face an unfathomable well of stillness, as always.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected Jie En to agree so readily. It was as if we were going to visit not the ruler of a kingdom but just a neighbor named XXX. Nowadays, you’d have to report for half a day to even meet a deputy county head.

"My calculations are correct; you have come."

There was no seven-minute stare-down like last time; the mechanical female voice filled the air beforehand. Here we go, another master of strategic foresight.

But I was used to it; our home wasn’t without a queen or prophets. If I could handle Lin Xue, what’s to fear from a little prophetess?

This time I came alone, even leaving those two clingiest kids, Pandora and Visca, back at the embassy—just me and my curiosity, plain and simple.

I had a rough idea of how to interact with the Queen: no need for formalities, no need to overthink. If I wasn’t mistaken, Her Majesty was now pretty much akin to a thinking machine. As long as it didn’t endanger Gotaque’s interests, communicating with her was straightforward, just like dealing with our own XP lady.

So, taking a seat on the stool, I started chatting with our XP lady, "Has the Shepherd messaged you?"

...Seems there’s still a bit of a difference from XP lady.

"The flames of war are about to spread, and the Roland Gale Consortium has always wanted to extend its influence to the western Sky Zone of the Big Nebula. They came close to success in the last war but were thwarted when the Shepherd declared the onset of a calm period. This time, they are coming on fiercely."

"I don’t have much feeling for the power struggles in this universe. Today, I came to bid you farewell. Jie En should have reported to you that we’ve found the fleet we’ve been searching for."

"The fleet in the Eastern Nebula Zone, which was active for a brief period before vanishing without a trace. Although all the pirate forces that had contact with them have been annihilated, there are rumors of a substantial connection between them and the Shepherd. My calculations tell me that the fleet you’re looking for is one such fleet."

"Alright, alright, your calculations," I stood up and exhaled, "let’s just cut to the chase—where is the Shepherd’s fleet now?"

The exploration team from the Imperial Admiral had been roaming the Star Zone for several days but couldn’t find the base of the "Imperial Rebel Army"; this was merely a waste of time. Now that the Shepherd had suddenly become very active, it was a good opportunity to draw them out. I was curious to see how the autonomously operating, ghostlike Imperial Army would react when faced with a direct attack from another Imperial force. This was also a good chance to assess their behavioral patterns. The most suitable target was naturally the Supervision Army they had stationed on other civilizations’ Colonization Stars—while Supervision Teams were a deadly threat to ordinary Colonization Stars, those isolated planet-killing spaceships were easy prey for the organized Imperial Regular Army.

Suddenly, the air fell into Silence. Fina, who thought entirely in logic, couldn’t discern the significance of my question. But an XP is an XP, and as long as it doesn’t blue screen, there’s always a chance of recovery. Two minutes later, her voice resounded, "The Shepherd never hides their movements when they are in action. Now every power is closely watching the movements of those Supervision Teams. I can give you the coordinates, but what are you planning to do?"

"Do you believe me if I say I want to wipe them out?"

"There’s no belief or disbelief, calculations tell me that it’s suicide."

Fina stated bluntly, but soon after that, the Light of El sent information that they had received a set of coordinates from the Queen’s Flagship.

"I’ve changed my mind; the fleet might set sail a few days later. Before that, I’ll take care of some troubles for you, as a friend."

Directly connecting to the Imperial Admiral via the command link, I ordered the Imperial Ace Army, which had established a massive production base within the Red Giant Star, to immediately organize a superior force and prepare to launch a surprising assault on several random "Rebel" Supervision Teams. Soon, the universe would be boiling over, right?

At the very least, it would divert the attention of the "Shepherd", preventing them from continuing to wreak havoc on the unfortunate regular Races here.

"Friend, a familiar term. It’s valuable to become your friend." Fina’s voice sounded indifferent, and she had no idea that just seconds ago, a terrifying command had been issued from this room. Meanwhile, I curiously observed her sculpture-like face, finally unable to refrain from asking, "Fina—It’s alright to call you by name, right? I want to ask you something, and it might be personal..."

"Friend, you may ask what you wish to ask, and I will answer what I wish to answer."

"Quite direct. Well, I just want to know if you... in this form, are you still human?"

To be fair, it was a rather impertinent question. I wouldn’t ask this of just anyone, but it seemed an exception could be made for the person in front of me. I wasn’t even sure if human rights laws were still applicable to her. Curiosity could kill a Leader.

"So, you’re curious about that. Memory tells me I should be honest with friends." Fina truly had no sense of privacy—pure logic, Her Majesty the Queen. I bet if someone asked her her measurements, she wouldn’t hesitate to answer truthfully. As I watched in surprise, the Queen, who had been sitting on the throne ever since our first meeting without changing a single expression or posture, actually moved!

She gently lifted an arm, and immediately, sounds of electric currents could be heard emanating from the throne.

"The Queen’s Fleet is now in silent mode; it doesn’t need my control."

The voice, finally, was no longer coming from the surrounding machinery but issued from the mouth of the young girl. It sounded clear and pleasant, devoid of any awkwardness—worlds apart from the mechanical tone heard before. Astonished, I watched as Fina slowly rose from her throne and turned slightly, allowing me to see behind her—where countless cables and pipes were connected.

"Long ago, I was human," the tubes and cables fell away one by one, and the expression on the girl’s face started to come alive. "Before coming to this world, I was merely the Fleet’s chief communications officer; then, many things happened."

The majority of the cables detached from Fina’s body automatically, but a few blue energy pipes remained connected at her shoulders. Now that those cables were gone, the situation behind Fina was clearly visible, the exquisitely beautiful girl’s back densely packed with various ports and connectors, creating an unsettling sight.

I could never have imagined that my single comment could lead to such consequences. No matter how I thought about it, she shouldn’t trust me so much, but...

"My body was damaged in a battle, in a sudden encounter; a convoy of one thousand three hundred escort ships came across twenty-two Shepherds’ spaceships. After a fierce fight, the entire force was annihilated. My escape pod was later discovered by reinforcements. Inside the escape pod, only a head submerged in the life support system remained."

Fina pointed at her own head, a gesture that frightened me. But beyond that chilling feeling, I was more curious about the surge of some sort of energy that had momentarily flowed through her...

It was like Ghost Energy.

"I was saved by the leader of the Gotaque Pirate Group at that time, a brave and ingenious Zaplu Tribesman. ’It’ used its tribe’s technology to resurrect me, as you see now."

"This body is not mine. She comes from... from... from..."

Fina’s words suddenly jammed up, repeating that word over and over. The girl’s eyes became vacant until I involuntarily completed the sentence for her: "From a Shepherd, right?"

The vacant look in her eyes disappeared in an instant, and Fina inexplicably continued to recall from where she left off, "This body was acquired by the leader of the Pirate Group during a successful ambush. Shepherd ships rarely have pilots, and it’s even rarer for standard warships to triumph in combat against Shepherd ships. Even if they do win..."

"Even if they do win, they would opt for self-destruction. Your body is indeed a rare commodity. Let’s not discuss this," I hurriedly interrupted Fina, my eyes earnestly fixed on her flowing Ghost Energy and Xyrin physique. Such a gaze would lead to wild thoughts if seen by others, "Fina, do you feel like... what I say... gives you an irresistible feeling?"

She pondered for a moment, seemingly slowed down in her thinking abilities after detaching from those cables, and then nodded her head.

So that was the reason.

A human brain merged with a Xyrin body, the rational brain providing logical thought to a Shepherd body, which had none before. The body of a low-level Xyrin Apostle instinctively resonated with the spirit frequency of a High Order Xyrin Apostle. That was why Fina seemed so familiar around us, the Imperial High Level; even she might not be aware of it—after all, she no longer possessed emotional thinking.

Really now, I actually thought my charm had suddenly LEVELED UP, coming over here on my own to test it out... oops, I spoke without thinking.

But now, it seems there’s a lot more I need to understand...(To be continued. For further updates, please visit www.qidian.com. New Chapters are available, support the author, support genuine reading!)