Tianzhu and Kaiyang stood side by side in the warehouse, one with its chest burst open and its energy core detached, the other with its operating system entirely removed. They weren't ordinary mechs; they were large-scale weapons capable of intimidating an entire star region. Who would have thought they would end up like this?
As they confirmed that the two mechs were now complete scrap, the heads of the various families felt a sense of panic, yet were unwilling to accept reality.
"Without a 3S-level mech engineer, who can help us rebuild the psychosomatic control systems? Old Man Yan, you make it sound so easy. With a flick of your tongue, you have us disable our strongest fighting force! If the Federation causes trouble for the Empire during this period, or if another Zerg queen is born, what will the troops use to defend themselves?" The head of the Song family jumped down from the lift platform, speaking with a cold tone.
"That's right. Removing the psychosomatic control system is a last resort. We can keep Mu Ran under control, force him to hand over the secret key, and then close the window. That's the only way to ensure lasting peace." The head of the Du family mused.
Yan Zhongkui was getting anxious, questioning, "How can you control Mu Ran? He can utilize the vast network to monitor all of your military actions. Before you can make any preparations, he will strike first, cutting off your supplies right at the source. He will directly recall your super-powered mechs. What can you do? Holding this secret meeting, our Yan family has taken a huge risk. If it weren't for the Empire and the people, we would have quietly withdrawn long ago. Without the determination to make a painful sacrifice, none of us can hope to emerge from this quagmire! The Mu family had been planning this for hundreds of years. It's not something your single families can resist. We must unite!"
"But that's just your one-sided story. How can we believe you? The mech you brought is just an empty shell. You have no substantial evidence. Each super-powered mech's control system is independent and not connected to the network. Even if there is a window, how can Mu Ran infiltrate it?" the head of the Zhao family countered.
"Through psychosomatic energy." Yan Zhongkui uttered these five words and then displayed a tired expression. He finally understood that if he had revealed the truth from the beginning, no one would have believed him. Crafting a convincing story, they would not comprehend the severity of the issue. This created a vicious cycle. No matter how the Yan family tried to persuade them, apart from the Li family, they wouldn't gain any allies. Unless they also experienced a similar disaster.
"Through psychosomatic energy? Did I hear you right? Can human psychosomatic energy invade the network?" the head of the Fang family laughed oddly.
If they couldn't accept such a claim, then informing them that Mu Feixing wasn't dead and would use the network to devour others' souls and resurrect himself would probably make them think he was insane. Yan Zhongkui helplessly wiped his face and then looked at Old Man.
Old Man looked at Qi Ze.
Qi Ze waved his hand, "We've done what we could. Let's go." With that, he left first. Li Ziqian stored Tianzhu and promptly followed. Yan Zhongkui also tried to store Kaiyang but pressed the Interspatial Button several times to no avail. He couldn't help but ask in alarm, "What's going on? Is the Interspatial Button malfunctioning?"
As he finished his sentence, many military ships and mechs flew toward the warehouse. Red dots from laser targeting systems landed on the heads of the various family heads.
"The Royal Guard!" Old Man Yan removed his military cap, saying through gritted teeth.
"Why is the Royal Guard here? What do they want by surrounding us? Who gave them such authority?" The heads of the various families finally realized the gravity of the situation, but it was too late. Prince Yue, clad in military attire, walked in from the slowly sliding metal gates and said with a nod, "Please accompany me to the Imperial Palace. The Emperor wants to see you. Oh, especially Master Qi, you are our esteemed guest."
"So? Does Mu Feixing also want my brain? Then let him come and get it himself." Qi Ze smiled, his body slowly transforming into a shadow before vanishing. Simultaneously, Old Man Yan, Yan Zhongkui, and Li Ziqian, standing beside him, also turned into nothingness.
"What's going on? Where are the people? Where did they go? Find them quickly! Hurry!" Prince Yue was terrified, rushing over and grabbing at the air. Four full-grown men had vanished in broad daylight, leaving him with no time to react. It was simply bizarre! Even more bizarre was why Qi Ze mentioned Master Mu Feixing and said that the master wanted his brain?
Prince Yue's mind was in chaos, but he had no time to ponder deeply. He hurriedly dispatched troops to search and personally escorted the other heads of families to the Imperial Palace.
"If my memory serves me right, the Constitution stipulates that the Royal Guard cannot act without the consent of the Upper and Lower Councils. You've deployed flying ships, mobilized mech forces, and are detaining us. What does the Imperial Family actually want? To restore the monarchy?" the head of the Du family spoke in a gloomy tone.
Prince Yue did not answer him but pointed out the window, saying, "Take a good look. Stop dreaming of an empty monarchy."
"Tens of thousands of years have passed, and history has proven that monarchy is equal to dictatorship, which is outdated. It's not that we want to weaken the monarchy, but the people are yearning for freedom and democracy..." the head of the Zhao family began, but his voice faded as he stared at the window. A massive mech was rising from the ground, rushing into the sky. It was Tianquan, belonging to the Fourth Corps, or the Zhao family. After circling twice, it flew toward the Imperial Palace, its powerful thrusters leaving two broad trails of clouds in the sky.
"Without my permission, who dares to pilot Tianquan?" the head of the Zhao family was about to explode with fury but soon fell silent. Following Tianquan, Tianxuan, Tianji, and Yuheng approached from three directions at lightning speed, their destination straight for the Imperial Palace.
"What Yan Zhongkui said was true! Mu Ran can control the six super-powered mechs through psychosomatic energy!" The head of the Du family finally realized, but it was too late. He sincerely hoped that the Yan family and the Li family could successfully escape from the Imperial Star without being caught in a net. Undoubtedly, the Imperial Family had seized several super-powered mechs and was detaining them. Their aim was to restore the monarchy!
"Through psychosomatic energy? How could you think that way?" Prince Yue said with a mixture of laughter and tears, "After the death of Master Mu Feixing, the Mu family was in charge of maintaining the six super-powered mechs. From that point, they slowly modified the mechs' control systems, changing them from independent to networked. So through the star network, Mu Ran could also invade the control back end of the super-powered mechs and issue commands."
But what Prince Yue did not grasp was that none of the Mu family's successors could match Mu Feixing's prowess. How could they dare to alter the control program he had designed? This was just a lie Mu Ran fabricated to hide his consciousness and the existence of his ancestor.
"The Mu family is indeed cunning and calculating." The head of the Du family sneered, "It seems that Mu Ran has already pledged allegiance to the Imperial Family? He holds the secret key to control the super-powered mechs. If he wants to, he can turn around and wipe out the Imperial Family. Your collaboration with him is akin to allying with a tiger; you're asking for trouble!"
"You can rest assured on that point. Mu Ran isn't an ambitious man like you," Prince Yue was unfazed, but a shadow passed over his eyes. What Mu Ran truly wanted was Qi Ze. He suspected that Qi Ze was the perpetrator behind the destruction of the Mu family's old residence. However, now, things had gone awry. Qi Ze had managed to escape under the encirclement of mech forces. How did he do it?
Prince Yue slowly massaged his temples, sensing that this matter would not end here. It didn't matter who escaped, but it couldn't be the Li and Yan families. If the six families were ranked by combat strength, the Li family of the First Corps and the Yan family of the Sixth Corps would undoubtedly rank first and second. They were the Empire's elite forces, the backbone of the frontline defense. If these two elite forces were to lose control, they would not only injure the enemy but also deal a severe blow to the Empire.
"Have you found the people?" As they proceeded, Prince Yue repeatedly inquired about the search teams he had dispatched.
"Reporting to Your Highness, we haven't found them. The Yan and Li families have been emptied. The First Corps has been disbanded to a large extent, and the Sixth Corps is entirely missing." More bad news came, infuriating Prince Yue.
Those confined in the energy shields sneered, "Don't waste your effort. Although Master Qi only passed the level nine certification, everyone knows his manufacturing skills far surpass Mu Ran's. You want to catch him with Mu Ran's abilities? Dream on."
"Old Man Yan was dishonest, revealing the Mu family's conspiracy without telling us. Instead, he withdrew the Sixth Corps first! But we can't blame him. If he had discussed it with us before acting, Mu Ran would have acted first. All six of the corps might have been wiped out. Now, at least the First and Sixth Corps are on the periphery holding the line. They weren't caught in one net. Dictatorial rule is a step backward; you won't succeed. Yan Zhongkui once said that Mu Ran could invade the control back end of the super-powered mechs through psychosomatic energy. Even if he hands over the secret key to you, he can still command the mechs in the future. Don't you see now? The Imperial Family, the six corps, the people, all have been played by the Mu family. They are the true rulers of the Empire! If we can safely leave, we will surely uproot the Mu family!"
The heads of the various families all displayed expressions filled with murderous intent. They finally saw the big picture but were powerless to resist.
Prince Yue did not believe these incredible words. Psychosomatic energy invading the network? Had they been reading too many fantasy novels?
At this moment, news from the search teams arrived, "Reporting to Your Highness, we've spotted the fugitives at the exit port of Area 51. They have already left the Imperial Star in a flying ship. Should we intercept and attack?"
"Organize the fleet for interception immediately! The lives of the others are inconsequential, but you must bring Qi Ze back alive!" This was Mu Ran's only request. Prince Yue dared not refuse.
The heads of the families turned pale, all raising their heads to look at the floating holographic screen, which displayed the situation at Area 51. A Neptune-class ship was slowly leaving the Imperial Star's control range. A cruiser followed, then a second, a third. In no time, a large fleet had gathered. To catch Qi Ze and completely cut off the Li and Yan families' retreat, the Imperial Family had clearly spared no expense.
A Neptune-class ship was a light vessel, not very powerful. Surrounded by hundreds of cruisers, it seemed like a speck in the vast sea, so insignificant. If Qi Ze wasn't on board, the Imperial Family would have ordered an attack long ago, blasting it to pieces.
"Order them to hand over Qi Ze," Prince Yue spoke in a deep voice.
"Your Highness, they have refused," the commander replied.
"Attack, board the ship," Prince Yue lost his patience.
The commander immediately formed an array, preparing to bombard the Neptune-class ship and dispatching several mechs to circle around to the rear, attempting to board. The heads of the various families stared at the holographic screen, involuntarily holding their breath. They knew that this was an uneven battle. A Neptune-class ship could not break through the encirclement of hundreds of cruisers. Li Ziqian had already taken Tianzhu. With Qi Ze by his side, it was only a matter of time before he could restore Tianzhu's control system, allowing the First and Sixth Corps to possess the strength to challenge the Empire and dominate a region. They were a thorn in the side of the Imperial Family, one that had to be removed.
"It's over..." The heads of the various families stared at the Neptune-class ship, battered by artillery fire, and felt a sense of sorrow. The phrase 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold' probably described this mood.
Quickly, they became confused. They saw the Neptune-class ship dispatch six T4 mechs, preparing for a counter-attack. T4 mechs were indeed powerful, but to resist hundreds of cruisers was too much of a stretch. Was this Old Man Yan's panic or...
Considering a possibility, the heads of the various families were invigorated. Simultaneously, Prince Yue also realized what was happening, shouting into the communicator, "Retreat, quickly retreat!" The Royal Guard had always been suppressed by the six corps, and their equipment was not particularly top-notch. Mobilizing hundreds of cruisers at once was already their limit. If all were lost at the exit port, how could he explain to his father?
But the commander couldn't understand his anxiety and asked, "Your Highness, why retreat? Our firepower is hundreds of times stronger..." Before he could finish his sentence, this command ship was obliterated by the pulse cannon's bombardment. The communication channel crackled for a few seconds before falling into silence.
The heads of the various families stared straight at the holographic screen, their eyes filled with disdain and delight. They saw those six extremely tiny T4 mechs, dwarfed by cruisers and the universe, fire out powerful pulse cannons, hitting a cruiser while also causing a terrifying shockwave, sweeping away the surrounding cruisers one by one.
With a few shots, the tightly packed encirclement was torn open by a large gap, allowing the Neptune-class ship to proceed unobstructed. After destroying a large fleet, the six mechs remained stationary. Six safety pods popped out, returning to the main ship under the control of the navigation system, disappearing into the vast universe.
"Qi... Ze!" Prince Yue clenched his teeth, saying each word slowly. To fight against hundreds alone and return victorious, there was no other explanation except Qi Ze's pseudo-super-powered mech modification technique! No wonder Mu Ran was determined to catch him. With him, the Li and Yan families were like cockroaches that couldn't be killed. Sooner or later, they would clash with the Imperial Family again.
The heads of the various families all lowered their heads, some feigning sleep with closed eyes, some sneering, and others with bland expressions. Escaping two corps, they now had room to maneuver. It was just unknown who was the true captain, the Imperial Family or Mu Ran.
"It's said that a 3S-level mech engineer can match an entire fully armed army. I finally believe this saying." The head of the Du family looked at Prince Yue and prophesied, "As long as Master Qi isn't captured by you, the Empire still has hope."
"What do you know? The Empire's hope has always been in the hands of the Imperial Family! You formed the Council, you divided the power, you controlled the troops, you deceived the people! You are the real tumor of the Empire!" Prince Yue removed the isolation shield around the head of the Du family and slapped him hard.
However, beneath his righteous words and grandiose manner, his heart trembled with anxiousness. The destruction of this cruiser fleet brought him a foreboding sense of uneaseâ
Imperial Palace, Secret Chamber.
Before Helian Zhao stood a supercomputer, displaying a multitude of data on its screen. In the center, a dialog box popped up, prompting him to enter the secret key. He typed in a string of characters following Mu Ran's instructions and indeed took control of the backend system, immediately setting up a new secret key.
"Recall the six super-powered mechs." He issued an order to the intelligent system. Shortly after, a liaison officer walked in, informing him that Tianji, Tianxuan, Yuheng, and Tianquan had arrived in succession. Kaiyang's control system had been dismantled and was being transported back by a cargo plane. Tianzhu had been taken by Li Ziqian.
"Why could Li Ziqian take Tianzhu?" Helian Zhao looked at Mu Ran, standing in the corner.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Tianzhu was actually destroyed by the Zerg queen long ago." Mu Ran lowered his eyelids, respectfully answering.
"Your information is much more reliable than mine. The Mu family has truly hidden deeply!" For a moment, Helian Zhao felt a chill. If Qi Ze hadn't destroyed the Mu family's old residence, leaving Mu Ran isolated and helpless, what would have happened to the Empire? It would have surely become a puppet of the Mu family, wouldn't it?
The Mu family was already such a terrifying existence, so how formidable was Qi Ze, who had personally annihilated the Mu family? Whether agreeing to Mu Ran's terms of exchange or for the long-term stability of the Imperial Family, Helian Zhao had to eliminate Qi Ze. Of course, before that, if he could excavate the contents of his mind, it would be even better.
Giving Prince Yue the order to capture Qi Ze alive, Helian Zhao began to control several super-powered mechs. Through the holographic screen, he could see them making all sorts of movements under his command. The feeling of seizing real power slowly became a reality.
Mu Ran stared at his back, his smile odd. Now, he only needed to wait for the news of Qi Ze's surrender. He was eager to obtain what was in Qi Ze's mind, and the Profound Ancestor could devour the other party's soul to make up for previous losses. But soon, reality slapped him hard. Qi Ze not only escaped but also took Old Man Yan, Yan Zhongkui, and Li Ziqian with him.
"How is this possible? They aren't spatial ability users and can't teleport away! A 3S-level spatial ability user's maximum teleportation distance is one thousand kilometers, still within the surveillance range of the Sky Eye system. Immediately seal off all exits and ports, quickly!" Helian Zhao ordered in a heavy voice.
Mu Ran stared at him, a layer of cold sweat slowly appearing in his palms.
Half an hour later, the communicator rang again. This time, the troops had discovered their tracks in Area 51 and dispatched hundreds of cruisers in pursuit. Helian Zhao thought it was a sure thing but received news of the operation's failure again.
"Six mechs wiped out one of your cruiser fleets. Are you eating shit?" Helian Zhao raged, "Continue the pursuit. No matter what, you must bring Qi Ze back! With him, Yan Hongyuan and Li Zhenhai will eventually become a major threat to the Empire! Issue a decree to the entire Galaxy, stating that the Yan and Li families have betrayed the country. Offer a bounty of an energy star for their capture!"
The other side agreed and immediately executed the order. Helian Zhao finally calmed down. Mu Ran clenched his fists, having to admit that he had lost to Qi Ze once again. Ze belonged to water, and Ran belonged to fire. Water overcomes fire. Was Qi Ze born to be his nemesis? But it didn't matter. If the Empire didn't work, he had a backup planâ
A Neptune-class ship sailed in the vast universe. Qi Ze stood by the window, looking at the countless stars without expression.
Li Yu carried the drowsy Ming Rui over, smiling, "Master Qi, we're indeed wanted for the crime of betrayal. The high-ranking members of the Yan and Li families are also on the blacklist. Want to take a look?" He handed over a smartbrain. After escaping the Imperial Star, they destroyed their own smartbrains to prevent the enemy from tracking them through network signals.
"Brother Qi Ze, I will quickly help you assemble new smartbrains. Not only can they connect to the Empire's star network, but also to the Federation's E network. They can even be used throughout the Galaxy," Ming Rui comforted softly, "I can help you hack into the network of any star region and register any identity for you. With me, you don't have to worry about becoming a blacklisted individual. Those space pirates have to rely on my help to operate globally. I'm very useful."
"Thank you, Ming Rui." Qi Ze finally showed a faint smile.
In the meantime, Li Ziqian walked over, serious, "Up ahead is the asteroid belt where Yan Junyu disappeared. We have already prepared. Let's go. If we can't find anyone within a month, we must evacuate this area. The terrain of the asteroid belt changes instantly. Even the navigation system can't guide us. It all depends on luck."
"My luck has never been bad." Qi Ze waved his hand nonchalantly. However, as soon as he finished speaking, an alarm sounded in the cabin. The commander's urgent voice came from the speaker, "We've been ambushed by space pirates. All departments, get ready. Passengers, return to your cabins quickly and secure your safety belts. If necessary, head to the rear of the ship, where there are emergency escape pods."
"Never bad luck?" Li Ziqian raised an eyebrow, asking with a half-smile.
"Take Ming Rui back to the cabin," Qi Ze patted Li Yu's shoulder, speaking calmly, "That's right, my luck has never been bad, because I never fight unprepared. Let's go and see in the command room. How many modified mechs are left? Can they withstand this ambush?"
"All the modified mechs of the Yan family are scrap. I have one left, which can hold out for a while, but the chances of escaping are slim." Li Ziqian looked at the densely packed warships outside the window, his expression turning grave. This formation was much larger than the Imperial Family's. Apart from hundreds of cruisers, there were two cruiser behemoths, one Dark King mother ship, and thousands of T6 mechs.
A tight net! Li Ziqian could only describe the current situation with these four words.
Qi Ze, however, remained expressionless, entering the command room and giving a deep order, "Use all the energy to support the protective membrane. Don't waste ammunition. I have my own plan." The scene before him reminded him of the day his sect was destroyed. His mood was terrible, and he wanted to wreak havoc!