novelaction Chapter 1424 Interstellar Hyena
Chapter 1424 Interstellar Hyena
That was not only a betrayal of power, but also a desecration of this profound protection.
After saying the last words, "undisturbed," Xiao Ce fell into a brief silence, his gaze fixed on the dazzling Milky Way, as if searching for the direction of his homeland, the star called "Yang Star."
The sea breeze rustled his clothes, making his figure appear even more lonely and profound.
Looking at his deep profile, Yin Pan'er had countless questions churning in her mind: Did he return to Yangxing later?
What was the outcome of that war?
Why did he come back here again...?
How did Xiao Dingshan learn the secret of the energy stone and utilize it? And who is that mysterious master?
And... what kind of reincarnations and wear and tear has that weathered being who left his image in the Star Network Hub and claimed to be "himself from the past" gone through?
A thousand words stuck in my throat, finally turning into a concerned, soft call, filled with intense curiosity and a touch of heartache:
"Your Highness, what happened next?"
After hearing Yin Pan'er's words, Xiao Ce seemed to be recalling something...
"Later... I took enough spiritual essence crystal energy to repair the spaceship, and with my blessings and determination to protect this second home, I activated the repaired escape pod and left this planet."
I carefully erased all traces of my presence, shut down the secret mining site, set my course, and began my long journey home towards Yangxing.
His gaze sharpened, and after a pause, he continued slowly:
"The universe is vast, and the journey through the stars is long..."
In theory, the probability of two spaceships meeting unexpectedly in the boundless void is as small as the collision of dust particles.
However, fate played a cruel trick, or rather, the aura of this spirit essence crystal core ultimately attracted a predator that shouldn't have come.
Xiao Ce's voice was tinged with coldness and self-mockery.
"Just as I escaped the gravitational pull of the star where this planet is located and entered the deep space acceleration phase, a starship with a ferocious appearance and covered with energy cannons emerged like a ghost from behind a cloud of interstellar dust."
Their detectors were incredibly sharp, capturing the faint energy fluctuations in my escape pod just before the jump! Those fluctuations carried a unique fragrance belonging to a high-purity spiritual essence crystal core.
"Space Hyena!"
Yin Pan'er's heart sank, and she asked Xiao Ce.
Actually, Yin Pan'er had heard Xiao Dingshan talk about this from his perspective before, so she had some understanding of it...
"Yes."
Xiao Ce nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes!
"They are like real hyenas, with an instinctive greed and tracking ability for energy."
They clearly had no interest in my little escape pod; a lone survivor wasn't worth their trouble.
However, the direction I came from, the direction from which a trace of high-purity energy had just been released, acted like a lighthouse in the darkness, instantly igniting their greedy senses!
He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.
"They abandoned their pursuit of me and instead turned around without hesitation, rushing towards that planet that is like a blue gem in the universe! That is, the land we are standing on now!"
Their technology was several generations ahead of Earth's at the time; colonizing a primitive planet would have been a piece of cake for them.
Xiao Ce's voice became extremely heavy, filled with indescribable pain and self-blame.
"Unsurprisingly..."
They easily discovered the enormous, breathtaking Spirit Essence Crystal Mine deep underground.
The enormous surprise made them ecstatic, but it also made them immediately realize the importance of keeping it a secret.
They quickly contacted their most 'trusted' and most greedy 'partner'!
Another, even more powerful hyena fleet arrived to reinforce them. Without even attempting to communicate with the native civilization, they launched a blitzkrieg-like colonial war.
Energy shields, orbital bombardment, genetic weapons...
All resistance on Earth, whether it be the ancient formations of the Eastern Federation or the primitive artillery of the Western Federation, is as laughable as a child's toy in their presence.
"Crush them, utterly crush them!"
The glass lamp at the bow of the ship swayed in the night wind, its light and shadow dancing on Xiao Ce's face, outlining his profound pain.
Yin Pan'er also frowned at this moment; Xiao Ce's words still had a very strong influence...
When Yin Pan'er heard this, she felt a deep sense of empathy...
“Hell on earth… Pan’er, that is the real hell on earth.”
The mountains, rivers, cities, and villages that once existed have been transformed into massive open-pit mines and slave camps.
The surviving humans were shackled with energy and driven like livestock, digging day and night for crystals deep underground to provide these greedy hyenas with the delicious food they dreamed of.
Revolt?
This will only lead to more brutal massacres and tighter surveillance.
The flame of civilization teetered on the brink of extinction under immense pressure and despair...
And I am the source of all this disaster!
"It was the 'jade' I brought that attracted this pack of world-destroying jackals! It was I who personally pushed the planet that saved me into an abyss of no return!"
Xiao Ce's voice choked with emotion, overwhelmed by a profound sense of guilt.
Yin Pan'er held his hand tightly, silently conveying her strength; she could feel his body trembling slightly.
"Your Highness, this is not your fault..."
A bitter look appeared in Xiao Ce's eyes.
"After that, I returned to Yangxing, carrying endless sorrow and guilt that almost tore me apart."
I immediately checked a very discreet miniature monitoring beacon that I left in Earth's orbit before leaving.
When that hellish scene was transmitted back through the faint but clear signal from the beacon...
I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, my scalp tingled, and my internal organs felt as if they were being gripped tightly by an icy hand!
I know, it must be them! It must be those interstellar hyenas that followed the scent of the crystal ore!
Xiao Ce spoke of anger, self-blame, and a variety of indescribable emotions...
"I must go back! I must make amends for my mistakes! Even if it costs me my life!"
I immediately went to see the Lord of Yangxing and reported everything to him, including the 'Spiritual Essence' on Earth, which was so vast that it could elevate the entire Yangxing civilization by several levels.
I implored him to send troops to save that suffering planet.
"Lord of Yang Star..."
He was a powerful ruler, but even more so, a pragmatic leader.
At first, he flatly refused.
To cross the vast ocean of stars and wage war against another powerful interstellar hyena for a distant, unrelated primitive civilization?
The cost is too high, the risk too great. Yangxing has just experienced a major battle and needs to recuperate.
Xiao Ce paused slightly, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
I understand his concerns.
But I didn't give up. I knew that the only thing that could sway him was the enormous profit.
I pledged my life and honor to him, and we established a three-point agreement:
First, the Yangxing army is only there to drive out the hyenas and save Earth's civilization; it must never enslave Earth's creatures.
Second, after driving out the hyenas, Yangxing has the right to reasonably mine some crystal mines as resources for war compensation and future cooperation, but it must help Earth build its self-defense capabilities, provide basic technological support, and conduct 'protective guidance' rather than predatory development.
Third, Earth's independence, sovereignty, and cultural heritage must be respected to the fullest extent, and Yangxing must not interfere in its internal affairs. The rulers of Yangxing must weigh the pros and cons, especially the allure of that vast crystal mine!
He finally nodded in agreement and handed me command of a sizable and well-equipped interstellar fleet.
"However, the scale of the universe is brutal."
Xiao Ce continued, his voice tinged with deep helplessness: "Even if we used the most advanced hyperspace jump technology at the time, assembling our fleet from Yangxing and then traversing that endless sea of stars to reach Earth..."
Hundreds of years have passed!
A distance of light-years separated centuries of human suffering.
His gaze fell upon the dark sea, as if he could see the tragic state distorted by the long passage of time.
"When we finally reached the edge of the solar system, the scene before us..."
It was even more shocking than the scattered images transmitted back by the beacon.
The once azure planet is now shrouded in a layer of gray dust. Huge mines resemble ugly scars on the planet's surface, and countless slave camps stand like anthills.
The orbit is filled with menacing hyena-style space stations and armed satellites.
Earth's atmosphere appears to have become thinner and more murky...
Centuries of enslavement and exploitation have long since turned this planet beyond recognition, leaving its people destitute.
The tyranny of the colonizers had reached an appalling level.
Xiao Ce's eyes suddenly turned icy cold, and a monstrous killing intent surged forth, making Yin Pan'er feel a chill run down her spine.
"When we launch our attack, attempting to destroy the orbital defenses and force a landing..."
I saw that figure standing on the command seat of the Hyena Fleet flagship!
The man whom all the hyena soldiers reverently called 'Lord'...
That face, though distorted by time and cruelty, and covered with strange energy patterns, I would never mistake it!
He is Xiao Dingshan! Or rather, the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom, whose consciousness has been possessed and distorted by the greedy, cruel, and tyrannical leader of the interstellar hyenas who first descended upon Earth!
Yin Pan'er gasped, covered her mouth, and her eyes were filled with disbelief and horror!
All the mysteries surrounding Xiao Dingshan's betrayal and the Lord's position suddenly became clear at this moment!
"What? Xiao Dingshan looks exactly like the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom?"
"It's him! It's him! The hyena leader who first smelled the crystal ore and led the fleet to colonize Earth! Perhaps he borrowed the body of the most authoritative person back then in order to better control this planet..."
Xiao Ce's voice was as cold as ice for millennia as he continued, "Hundreds of years have passed, and he has long regarded himself as the true master of this planet."
He used Earth's resources to strengthen himself, and may even have merged with or devoured Xiao Dingshan's consciousness, becoming a more powerful and twisted being!
Our arrival thoroughly enraged him.
A devastating interstellar war erupted within the solar system!
Xiao Ce spoke faster, as if he were once again immersed in that earth-shattering war.
"The soldiers of Yangxing are well-trained, well-equipped, and have extremely high tactical skills."
We came prepared and did gain the upper hand in the early stages, breaking through their orbital defense network and successfully establishing landing points on several continents.
However, Xiao Dingshan, or rather the hyena leader, was far more ferocious and cunning than imagined!
He commands an equally fearless hyena army, utilizing their familiarity with the Earth's environment!
Centuries of colonization have given them an intimate knowledge of the Earth and a vast array of traps they've laid, and...
Their tactics of using the people of this planet as a shield have no moral bottom line!
Our advance has been incredibly difficult, each step accompanied by immense sacrifice! The war has descended into a protracted stalemate and attrition. Both sides are bloodthirsty, the wreckage of warships floats in orbit like asteroids, and the land is ravaged...
This war lasted a very, very long time... so long that Yangxing's fleet suffered heavy losses, and its supply lines became extremely vulnerable.
His voice was filled with shock...
"Finally, in a decisive battle, we paid the price of almost total annihilation, severely damaged Xiao Dingshan's core forces, forced his main fleet into a desperate situation, and his most elite henchmen were also killed or wounded."
The scales of victory seem to be tipping in our favor.
However, just as we were preparing to deliver the final blow and end this catastrophe completely...
Xiao Ce's gaze became incredibly solemn and resolute.
"I know the nature of these interstellar hyenas all too well! When Xiao Dingshan is at his wit's end, he will definitely choose the most insane and vicious counterattack!"
He doesn't intend to perish with us; rather, he wants to broadcast the Earth's coordinates and the secret of the existence of the Spirit Essence Crystal Mine through some kind of transdimensional beacon!
If successful, the signal will spread throughout the vast universe, attracting countless interstellar civilizations as greedy as sharks smelling blood! At that time, Earth will never have peace, and will be completely reduced to a hunting ground for all advanced civilizations to plunder!
The victory we achieve at all costs will be meaningless!
Yin Pan'er listened, her heart pounding with horror. She could fully imagine what a despairing, hellish scene that it must have been...
Although Yin Pan'er knew at this moment that they had failed.
But after hearing it, I still felt extremely nervous...
"We absolutely cannot let the signal get out! We absolutely cannot let him escape!"
Xiao Ce's voice was resolute as he continued, "But our strength at that time was insufficient to completely annihilate all their remaining fleets and stop every possible signal transmission point."
Conventional methods are too late! The only solution is to completely confine them within this star system, severing all contact between them and the outside world!
He looked at Yin Pan'er, his eyes flashing with a desperate glint.
"We used the last reserves of the Yangxing Fleet, which were also the purest spiritual essence crystal cores that I took from Earth!"
This energy was originally intended for the fleet's return voyage.
We set up...