fictionpage Chapter 290 A Brief Alliance, A Game of Extremes
Chapter 290 A Brief Alliance, A Game of Extremes
The battle situation fell into an eerie calm.
Hermon of the Star Devouring Cult suffered a minor setback after a head-on clash with the Tianheng Empire, and is now licking his wounds in a fit of rage.
His gaze swept back and forth between the Tianheng Empire and Su Chen, his undisguised killing intent seeming ready to erupt again at any moment.
The Tianheng Empire's fleet, on the other hand, restored its perfect geometric formation, its cold cannons pointed in all directions, like a heartless hedgehog.
Their mastermind, "Sequence One," is recalculating the current situation at a rate of billions of times per second, attempting to find the optimal "breakthrough algorithm."
Meanwhile, the uncrowned Carlos remained seated cross-legged in the void, his eyes closed, as if he were not the one who had just rewritten the laws of space and stopped Su Chen.
However, the invisible pressure he exuded made neither side dare to make any rash moves.
As for Su Chen, he became the focus of the entire event.
"Advisor, what do we do now?" Chen Zhou's voice was somewhat tense.
"Both of them see us as a thorn in their side, especially the Star Eater Cult. Hermon probably wants to devour us alive."
"And that Carlos, he's too strong, we have no way to break through his blockade."
The atmosphere on the bridge was extremely tense.
The first attempt, while successfully disrupting the battle, also completely exposed its own weaknesses.
Now, all three forces are extremely wary of them, and it is no longer possible to use the same trick again.
"A direct assault won't work against Carlos."
"If we fight Hermon, we'll be worn down."
Su Chen leaned back in his command chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrests, his mind racing.
His gaze finally settled on the cold, mechanical fleet of the Tianheng Empire.
Hermon is synonymous with chaos and tyranny; trying to reason with him is like casting pearls before swine.
Carlos represents pure individual power, pursuing self-transcendence, and he will not form alliances with anyone.
Therefore, the only one with whom communication and cooperation is possible is this absolutely rational mechanical civilization.
"Prophet, connect to the Tianheng Empire's public communication channel."
Su Chen issued an order that shocked everyone once again.
"What? Consultant, you want to negotiate with them?" Chen Zhou was taken aback.
"Would these metal lumps talk to us? In their eyes, we're just a 'virus'!"
"How will you know if you don't try?" Su Chen's eyes were deep.
"Since they are an absolutely rational civilization, then all their actions should be based on the principle of 'maximizing interests'."
"They are likely to accept the cooperation if we can offer enough benefits, or show them the 'optimal solution'."
Soon, a cold, emotionless, mechanical synthesized voice rang out on the bridge of the Pangu.
[An unknown organic civilization, reveal your intentions.]
He is the emperor of the Tianheng Empire, "Sequence One".
"Sequence One, my name is Su Chen, from Earth civilization."
Su Chen's voice was calm and direct: "I want to make a deal with you."
[A trade? Based on calculations, your civilization's overall strength is rated 'D-', disqualifying you from engaging in an equal trade with us. There is a 98.7% probability that your actions are merely stalling for time.]
"No, I can give you what you want most."
Su Chen interrupted it: "I know how to make Hermon, that 'chaotic biological virus' in your eyes, completely lose its fighting ability in a short period of time."
This sentence is like a stone thrown into a calm lake.
The Tianheng Empire's fleet fell silent for three seconds.
For a super artificial intelligence, three seconds of silence is almost equivalent to a century in the human world.
It is calculating.
They frantically calculated the credibility of Su Chen's words and the value they contained.
"Provide your solution." The voice of "Sequence One" rang out again.
"My plan is simple. In a moment, I will seize that shipping lane in my own way. Hermon will do everything in his power to stop me, and Carlos will do the same."
Su Chen spoke slowly, but with a strong sense of confidence:
"I need you, Tianheng Empire. The instant I act, at all costs, hold off Carlos. Even if you can only hold him off for ten seconds!"
Our mission is to seize the Ark fragments, creating opportunities for you, which is not in our best interest.
"No, this is exactly in your best interest."
Su Chen laughed: "Because when I rush towards the channel, I will detonate the 'hidden danger' within Hormones."
"Isn't a severely wounded, out-of-control Hermon the perfect target for you to eliminate?"
"When the time comes, I'll enter the shipping lane, and you'll deal with Hermon. We'll each get what we need."
"Otherwise, if the three of us continue to stand here in a stalemate, it will only allow Carlos, the strongest of the three, to reap the benefits."
"This multiple-choice question shouldn't be too difficult for the great 'Sequence One,' right?"
Another long silence followed.
Su Chen could feel an immense, unimaginable computing power frantically scanning and analyzing every word he uttered.
at last.
[An agreement has been reached.]
"Sequence One" provides the answer.
[We will be responsible for containing target 'Carlos' for 11.3 seconds. We hope your plan is feasible.]
You'll see.
Su Chen turned off the communication and took a deep breath.
You made the right bet!
"Advisor, you...you really have a way to deal with Hermon?"
Chen Zhou listened with a pounding heart.
"Ougus." Su Chen didn't answer, but instead called out to the soul orb.
"You previously mentioned that Hermon devoured countless members of his own race, including his own brothers, in order to advance his career. Wasn't this process imperfect, leaving some kind of aftereffect?"
Oghuz's soul fire flickered violently:
"Yes, Master! This is the sect's highest-level secret! The power that Hermon devoured was too complex, and deep within his soul and body, there has always been a conflict between multiple wills."
"He needs to constantly suppress this conflict using the Holy Land's 'Pool of Requiem.' Once the conflict erupts, he will fall into temporary madness and weakness!"
"Very good." A cold glint flashed in Su Chen's eyes:
"Prophet, do you remember the spiritual knowledge base we obtained from the collective consciousness? Find the sections on 'soul resonance' and 'will contamination'."
"Use the soul frequencies of the Hermon brothers provided by Ogus as the core parameters."
"Using my mental power as a vessel, I will construct a one-time 'willpower bomb'!"
"The goal is to detonate the deepest... conflict of will within Hormon!"
"Yes, Master!"
A tremendous surge of spiritual power erupted from Su Chen once again.
This time, he did not construct any "spear of will," but instead twisted and wove his mental power into an extremely complex mental imprint filled with pollution and inducement.
After doing all this, Su Chen's face became even paler.
He looked at the bridge, at all the crew members who were looking at him with tense yet admiring eyes.
"Gentlemen, the final charge is about to begin."
"This time, we have no way out."
"Full fleet, prepare for attack!"
The next second, the engines of the "Pangu" roared deafeningly!
Once again, the Earth fleet, like a sword drawn from its sheath, launched a desperate charge toward the Path of Light!
"court death!"
Just as Su Chen had predicted, Hermon saw that Su Chen still dared to take the initiative.
He roared and personally piloted the flagship, which resembled a continent of flesh and blood, to intercept Su Chen!
Meanwhile, Carlos, the Uncrowned One, slowly opened his eyes, preparing to extend that finger that could fold space once more.
But at that moment!
The Tianheng Empire's fleet has moved!
Countless mechanical warships instantly combined to form a gigantic prism that blotted out the sky.
Instead of attacking, they concentrated all their energy onto the prism.
The next second, a beam of light, invisible and intangible, composed purely of "gravity," shot out from the prism and instantly enveloped the space where Carlos was!
"Gravity Cage!"
The space around Carlos was instantly locked, becoming like solidified cement.
For the first time, his invincible spatial laws were severely disrupted!
He frowned, and a brilliant golden light shone as he began to fight against the powerful gravitational pull.
He's been held back!
It's now!
A sharp glint flashed in Su Chen's eyes!
He used the "Prophet's" long-range lock-on to launch the completed "Willpower Bomb" fiercely at Hermon, who was charging towards him!
The invisible spiritual imprint instantly traversed space and entered Hermon's enormous body.
Hermon, who was roaring, suddenly froze.
The next second, his body began to tremble violently.
Countless pained, twisted, and hateful faces emerged from his flesh and blood, emitting silent screams.
"No...no!!"
Hermon let out a scream of extreme pain.
The internal conflict within him was completely ignited!
His seemingly indestructible body began to crumble and disintegrate from the inside out!
"We did it!" Chen Zhou shouted excitedly.
Su Chen's scheme has once again created a miracle!
Taking advantage of the moment when Hermon was in chaos, the "Pangu" swept past his flagship and successfully rushed into the narrow Path of Light!
However, just when everyone thought they had succeeded.
A roar, more furious and terrifying than ever before, came from behind them.
"You...all...must...die!"
Despite being severely injured, Hermon managed to suppress the collapse within his body by relying on his terrifying willpower at the peak of the Eternal Star level.
His mangled body was suddenly torn apart!
They actually managed to tear open a spatial rift with brute force and rushed into the Path of Light!
Immediately afterwards, Carlos, who had just broken free of the "gravity cage," and the Tianheng Empire fleet, which had completed the first step of the "cleanup" mission, also followed without hesitation!
Su Chen's face darkened completely.
He knew that stratagems could only create an advantage.
Once everyone has entered this single "track," there will be no more opportunities for shortcuts.
What remains is only the most primal and bloody... head-on confrontation!
A point of light radiating immense suction appeared at the bow of the "Pangu" ship.
That place is the end of the shipping route and the location of the last piece of the Ark fragment—the "Primordial Singularity".
Su Chen was the first to reach the finish line.
But behind him, three terrifying enemies followed closely, completely blocking all his escape routes.