"What is happening?"
The approach of [The Predator] was definitely not coincidental. Something must have triggered it, just like that sound earlier.
What could it be?
Hossie meticulously re-examined the thoughts he had just entertained.
Indeed, [The Predator] seemed to have been agitated by something and accelerated its approach toward him.
Hossie broke down all the available information into distinct components, testing each one.
What ultimately surprised him was the discovery that the specific phrase "Hyperdimensional Space" caused [The Predator] to react.
"All my current words are constructs of my mind. Theoretically, any content I imagine here can be transmitted externally."
"That noise in the real world might have been auditory sound, but within this domain, it has transcended the category of mere sound. Similarly, all my thoughts must have transformed into something else entirely."
"Perhaps the phrase 'Hyperdimensional Space' happens to correspond perfectly with whatever stimulus causes [The Predator] to react."
Hossie was temporarily unable to establish a link between Hyperdimensional Space and [The Predator].
The reason was that the implication was too shocking for him to comprehend.
When did human Civilization ever possess such technology?
He couldn't fully grasp it, which made belief an impossibility.
However, different judgments made no difference to his immediate predicament.
Because once [The Predator] reached him, facing death was inevitable, unless [The Predator] altered its trajectory.
The only potential salvation was for [The Grazer] to emerge from the vortex.
But [The Grazer] was excessively cautious. If Hossie were to recall or project anything related to sound at this precise moment, [The Grazer] would become even more wary.
Hossie could not afford to make any move right now.
He desperately hoped [The Grazer] would exhibit even the slightest sign of activity.
An unknown duration passed once more.
[The Predator] was now once again within inches of Hossie.
At this point, Hossie faced an even more terrifying sense of pressure. [The Predator] seemed to be actively broadcasting some kind of intense emotion. These emotions, due to the extreme proximity, were already corrupting Hossie's consciousness, causing it to distort in a profound manner.
Hossie felt himself being driven toward an extreme state. This extremism instilled fear in him, yet he could not suppress the fervent, intense thoughts bubbling within his mind.
He became utterly chaotic.
He urgently needed [The Grazer] to manifest.
"Hold on!"
"Hold on!"
Hossie's intense internal compulsion forced him to think of those triggering sounds again.
Having waited this long, perhaps one more manifestation of that sound might pique [The Grazer]'s interest.
What drove Hossie to this desperate act was pure fear.
He even sensed [The Predator]'s physical presence making contact with him.
Hossie remained merely a mortal; he acted out of instinct.
He could not restrain the impulse to recall those critical sounds.
Then he looked toward the vortex.
Alas.
No miracle materialized in this reality.
The sound failed to draw out [The Grazer]. Hossie descended further into desperation.
[The Predator] enveloped his body, beginning to consume it.
In reality, this absorption took barely an instant, akin to a casual passerby on a road crushing an ant without noticing.
Hossie was submerged in chaos. Countless emotions entangled his consciousness. Within these swirling sentiments, he could even perceive fragmented information.
Emotions were not monolithic entities.
For example, laughter could manifest as embarrassed laughter, joyful laughter, helpless laughter, cold laughter… countless permutations of emotion formed a complete piece of data, from which substantial knowledge could be extracted.
Hossie felt his very being merging into this emotional matrix. He too was about to become another component of these feelings.
He struggled in immense, primal fear.
To the point where his calm and rationality completely deserted him.
He recalled that in Star City, many had lauded him as a composed leader. He prided himself on being able to analyze everything with extreme rationality.
He had always been proud of that stoicism.
He believed time had tempered him into sufficient maturity.
Now, Hossie realized that so-called calmness was merely a cruel joke. At this moment, facing this relentless onslaught of extreme emotion, if he were a flesh-and-blood entity, he would likely have long since lost all control of his biological functions.
Every emotion was being pushed to its absolute limit, and then far beyond.
"I do not wish to perish..."
Hossie even felt his core consciousness trembling violently.
At this critical moment, only this single thought remained clear in his mind.
"Why do you possess knowledge of Hyperdimensional Space?"
At this precise instant, a voice suddenly pierced through his consciousness. Hossie's entire being abruptly experienced a moment of sharp lucidity.
He didn't even have time to process what was happening when that voice returned, louder this time.
"Answer me!!"
This voice was more akin to a thunderous declaration.
Hossie, utilizing this brief window of clarity, managed to speak: "I am Hossie, leader of the Eternal Cycle Star Nation. Who are you? Release me now!"
However, Mithra's voice did not answer Hossie.
After approximately half a minute, Hossie was once again engulfed by an endless torrent of emotions, as if everything that had just transpired was unreal.
Was death finally approaching?
He didn't know why, but after that brief moment of clarity—less than a minute long—Hossie became significantly more composed. His emotional shift turned towards acceptance. He had accepted the certainty of his impending demise.
But instead of death, Hossie was greeted by lucidity once again.
He had regained the authority to "see."
The surrounding cosmos remained unchanged.
[The Predator] was retreating once more.
"I'm not dead!"
"The Predator didn't kill me."
It was at this juncture that Hossie made the definitive connection: [The Predator] was drawn by the Hyperdimensional Space.
"What truly lured it was the Hyperdimensional Space. Theoretically, it originates from there."
"The entity capable of commanding the Hyperdimensional Space must have been specifically dispatched by Luna. Is its purpose to save me, or to investigate Star City 4?"
Hossie was now flooded with the relief of surviving a crisis—though only barely.
He had nearly perished there.
After a long moment, he calmed down completely and began to thoroughly analyze his situation.
"If that's the case, the situation can now be clarified. This world is a special construct, perhaps linked directly to emotion, or even consciousness itself."
"Yes, consciousness. [The Grazer] and [The Predator] are both personifications of consciousness. And [The Grazer] is clearly our adversary. It possesses intelligence and adheres to order. But [The Predator] is intensely chaotic. Simply making contact with [The Predator] will cause one to be devoured by its terrifying emotional output."
"No, emotion is only one facet. It's just that the emotional component is so overwhelming that people overlook other aspects."
"It is a collective nexus of consciousness. Perception, emotion, will—these three constantly clash, rendering me not only extreme but also profoundly chaotic."
"[The Grazer]'s palpable fear of [The Predator] is entirely understandable. Now, the most crucial task is figuring out how to inform [The Predator] about the whereabouts of [The Grazer]."
"And, is [The Predator]'s current disposition rational?"
"I have no choice but to gamble."
The current plan had utterly failed.
[The Grazer] would not reappear voluntarily.
Therefore, there was only one viable route remaining: through [The Predator].
Hossie began to experiment.
"Hyperdimensional Space!"
[The Predator] indeed reacted.
It returned once more.
[The Predator] was inherently chaotic; its previous moment of seeming rationality must have been transient.
Facing [The Predator]'s renewed approach, Hossie was even calmer this time.
If [The Predator] devoured him again, he would have no regrets.
Every attempt carried inherent risk. He wasn't even certain what state he was currently inhabiting. Perhaps he wouldn't be able to return; thus, using his life force to complete the hunt for [The Grazer] wasn't entirely a loss.
After being consumed, he would relay the location of [The Grazer] to [The Predator]. This would be his absolute final exertion of strength.
As [The Predator] began to turn, Hossie hastily spoke specific directives based on the direction [The Predator] was focused on.
He uttered almost one word per second.
Even a momentary flash of clarity from [The Predator] would be sufficient.
However, things still did not unfold as anticipated.
[The Predator] seemed incapable of comprehension, turning back and once again pressing down directly before Hossie.
Hossie still held a sliver of hope, but then he was enveloped and consumed by [The Predator] once more.
"I wonder if there's another opportunity this time!"
"[The Grazer] is in that direction, Southwest. There is a vortex there, but you still need to ascend slightly higher."
Hossie continuously transmitted information through his thoughts.
But he was focusing too much on his own connection to the ordeal.
Even after experiencing the process once, and then a second time, he still couldn't prevent his emotions from spiraling out of control; his willpower was shattered into ruin.
He instantly collapsed, alternating between sobbing, laughing wildly, and grieving—utterly insane.
Fortunately, Hossie was no longer desperate, because he had already prepared for this contingency. If his own core held no despair, then no matter how much raw emotion this space inflicted upon him, the multiplier effect would remain zero.
This might perhaps be considered a functional exploit—a bug.
But for an ordinary being, attempting to leverage this flaw was sheer, deluded fantasy; entirely impossible.
Just as Hossie again believed he was about to perish, he was unexpectedly ejected by [The Predator].
Everything happened so abruptly.
It must have been [The Predator] regaining its momentary clarity.
He seized this chance to transmit [The Grazer]'s location data to [The Predator], but [The Predator] still showed no discernible reaction. Hossie grew intensely anxious.
Until he spoke the phrase, "Hyperdimensional Space," again.
[The Predator] actually reacted! It shifted its trajectory according to Hossie's words! Success!
Hossie actually held no genuine hope.
Because this entire endeavor, from start to finish, was his own deliberate gamble. He didn't know the true nature of [The Grazer] and [The Predator], nor their current operational states. Everything remained mere speculation.
Fortunately, his innate senses proved keen enough.
Hossie began issuing directions. He remained oblivious to the fact that none of his commands were truly being processed by Damoro, the entity he referred to as [The Predator].
...
Inside [The Predator].
At this moment, Damoro was operating in a state far more insane and chaotic than anything Hossie had previously encountered.
Before absorbing the soldiers' consciousness, Damoro first assimilated a substantial amount of his own essence, strengthening his dominant self. Otherwise, he wouldn't even be capable of existing as the ruling entity within this massive collective consciousness.
Previously, when Hossie called out "Hyperdimensional Space," he had briefly regained a flicker of rationality, but only a flicker.
After devouring Hossie and learning his identity, Damoro utilized this final shred of lucidity to forcibly expel Hossie.
Then, the next time Hossie called out "Hyperdimensional Space," Damoro was in an unconscious state, and thus, [The Predator] once again consumed Hossie.
As Hossie repeated the call more and more frequently, Damoro—straining intensely—managed to regain self-control.
This entire sequence was a long, agonizing battle for him.
It could be said that Hossie's very survival hinged entirely on whether Damoro was lucid at any given moment.
After the second devouring, Damoro had no awareness of Hossie's intentions, but Hossie's persistent utterance of "Hyperdimensional Space," coupled with the changing context of his verbal cues, began to trigger Damoro's instincts.
Or rather, [The Predator]'s instincts.
In the early stages, the phrase "Hyperdimensional Space" consistently appeared immediately following the creature's movement. Later, as these words surfaced earlier and earlier—even preceding any physical motion—[The Predator], driven purely by reflex, began altering its position in pursuit of those specific sounds.
This process was akin to a form of conditioning, not actual comprehension.
Much like training a pet, the animal develops a conditioned reflex to specific behaviors without truly understanding the meaning of the action itself.
Although the mechanism differed, Hossie's starting conditions were also unique. Fortunately, the same eventual result was achieved.
There was an element of sheer coincidence involved, but more significantly, it was due to Hossie's sheer persistence.
If Hossie had not persevered, fearing [The Predator] would permanently devour him, he might never have attempted anything beyond simple attempts at survival.
Time slowly continued to pass.
[The Predator] utilized this conditioned reflex to navigate toward the vortex where [The Grazer] was located.
For Hossie, the sole difficulty remained that [The Predator] barely registered any verbal commands other than "Hyperdimensional Space."
And space was not a flat plane; it was a three-dimensional domain, encompassing not just lateral directions but also vertical space (up and down).
Crucially, [The Grazer] was situated on an upper layer. [The Predator] needed to move vertically to reach the vortex.
Hossie found himself in a fresh dilemma.
"What must I do now?"
"Unless I can force it to momentarily retract and finally comprehend my commands again."
Hossie maintained a belief that the third attempt might succeed, though he recognized he might not be as fortunate this time as in the previous two instances.
He meticulously observed [The Predator]'s movements and suddenly realized that, due to its chaotic nature, [The Predator] often executed irregular motions. These random movements potentially established spatial markers, creating recognizable axes of "east, south, west, north."
It was simply that the entity had been too compliant before, causing Hossie to overlook this subtle detail.
This state of erratic movement only manifested after Hossie intentionally paused his directional cues.
Hossie began deliberately halting his commands, allowing [The Predator] to re-orient itself erratically.
He waited for a considerable duration.
Finally, Hossie waited. [The Predator] eventually oriented itself toward the vortex.
"Hyper!!!"
He directed [The Predator] forward, resolutely.
At this moment, Hossie felt an overwhelming urge to laugh out loud. He had finally achieved his objective. He had no clear measure of how much time this process had consumed.
He then thought mockingly of the vortex, transmitting the finalized information to [The Grazer], ensuring [The Grazer] would continue to wait complacently within its small pocket dimension.
It was utterly unaware that a "wolf" was about to breach its domain.
...
Eternal Cycle Star Nation.
Star City 1.
At this moment, Luna had just arisen from bed.
Recently, she had an overwhelming volume of information to process.
Hossie was missing; Chu was gone—the Eternal Cycle Star Nation now fell under her sole governance. Both external enemy threats and internal civilian management were paramount concerns that could not be delayed.
Luna yawned. As she left her bedroom, she began reviewing the Star Nation's intelligence reports.
Among countless pieces of data, she utilized passive filtering tools to isolate the most critical content.
The first item displayed wasn't internal Star Nation information, but rather intelligence originating from the Federation.
Upon opening it, the very first line caused her brow to furrow.
"The relationship between the Flyer Civilization and the Federation has deteriorated once again. This decline is unprecedented, appearing as though it might escalate into outright war."
"The Connecter has been absent for so long; the deterrent power has severely diminished. Perhaps this conflict might genuinely erupt."
"What exactly transpired?"
"Ayla will certainly send at least one contingent of my counterparts to the Flyer Civilization. Given this current climate, it suggests I must have mismanaged something."
Luna focused only on these consequential details.
Even if war were to break out, it would be a conflict between the Federation and the Flyer Civilization. The Eternal Cycle Star Nation would likely only become involved in the later stages.
Furthermore, given the existing precarious situation, participation in that war was itself questionable.
Luna quickly shifted her focus to the intelligence transmitted from the other Star Cities.
The critical events unfolding in Star City 1 and Star City 5 served as a stark reminder to the entire Star Nation. Luna began integrating all Star City data, systematically deploying "Divines" from the Hyperdimensional Space across all major hubs.
These Divines possessed the capacity to handle far more complex operations, and their information-gathering capabilities were demonstrably superior to those of Lorc and Kesiba.
All her actionable intelligence originated from these Divines.
They had achieved complete mastery over all information within their respective Star Cities. Each Divine had compiled an incredibly thorough, detailed chart outlining the current situation.
Luna examined them closely. Most Star Cities were as severely impacted as Star City 5; several quadrillion lives across the Star Nation were currently under active invasion.
Logically, the enemy should have initiated their decisive actions long ago.
Yet, they seemed to be intentionally holding back.
"What exactly are they waiting for?"
"Their current state of invasion could lead to the complete collapse of the entire Star Nation. Isn't this affording me an opportunity?"
"Could it be that they intended to give me an opportunity?"
The enemy seemed to be providing the Star Nation a window to mobilize a defense.
If the Star Nation successfully managed these internal crises, what tangible benefit would these enemies gain from waiting?
Luna found the entire scenario genuinely perplexing.
The situation, from its very inception, was undeniably bizarre—the form of warfare, the massive scale, the deep infiltration. Any single factor, examined in isolation, was formidable, but combined, the strategy was utterly strange.
If Luna were orchestrating the conflict, this war would have concluded long ago.
Damoro, in his report, had used the term "biological inertia." Or perhaps the opposing force was simply inherently sluggish?
Luna could not rely on mere speculation.
After grasping the details of the pseudo-quantum field, Luna determined that their existential crisis was far from resolved; the true adversary remained concealed within the super-microscopic realm.
They were likely awaiting a specific opportunity for a fatal, decisive strike.
"If such an opportunity exists, why delay acting until this precise moment?"
"Or perhaps I have overlooked something; some of their critical deployments are still in place, and I have failed to locate them."
Luna remained locked in a continuous loop of deduction.
If she were the enemy strategist, how would she proceed? And if the enemy employed that tactic, how must she counteract it?
Once she accessed the Star City's core computer systems, many of these conjectures became instantly solvable.
However, the more definitive answers she received, the more new, complex questions Luna generated.
It was only now that Luna truly empathized with Ayla's hardship. Every single problem required extracting answers from layers of complex conjecture; it was an exhausting endeavor.
Fifty-one hours passed after Luna concluded her review of all gathered intelligence.
She then departed her residence. Because she was operating within the underworld, a virtual construct, she simply tapped a location point before her, and her avatar was instantly teleported to a distant chamber.
The room was modest, furnished only with a long table. Already present and awaiting her arrival was an individual seated at the table.
After Luna took her seat, she spoke: "Report on the observation status of personnel in all regions."
The others began replying in a mixed chorus.
Fundamentally, everything remained stable.
After the localized reports concluded, Luna stated: "Currently, we have only one viable method to enter the super-microscopic world, and this method remains unverified. We cannot confirm if the consciousness behemoth is submerged beneath Star City 1. If we fail to neutralize this behemoth, we cannot certify that Star City 1 is genuinely secure."
"Therefore, I require each of your respective regions to nominate one individual possessing sufficiently robust willpower. We will proceed with a consciousness upload into the super-microscopic world."
The methodology Luna referenced was, in fact, Damoro's technique.
In fact, Damoro's methodology was also derived from Hyperdimensional Space, and the technology underpinning Hyperdimensional Space itself originated from Ayla.
The central computer, upon analyzing Damoro's actions, subsequently optimized Ayla's original schematic. The final iteration involved fusing consciousness before injecting the subject into the super-microscopic realm.
Naturally, the individuals possessing the most resolute wills were those classified as the "Divine" cohort.
However, the number of Divines was far from infinite.
Following numerous cycles of Mortality Selection across the years, the total count of Divines rested only in the four digits.
These essential beings were required across many sectors of the Federation. The contingent of Divines assigned to the Star Nation's side was even scarcer, numbering merely a few dozen.
Luna herself was uncertain whether this elaborate plan would prove effective; it was simply the best viable strategy available at the current juncture. Should flaws emerge later, the process allowed for subsequent optimization. Therefore, for this initial execution, Luna had no intention of committing to an all-or-nothing gambit.
If a full commitment resulted in complete failure, then every effort expended would become utterly meaningless.
"If there are no further pressing concerns, this meeting is adjourned. I require you to present the selected individuals within five days. Absolutely no confusion of identities must occur; the survival of the entire Star City hinges on this. I will transmit the willpower screening tool to you; your task is simply to employ it for investigation."
Those assembled here constituted the primary executive officials of Star City. They had been selected by Hossie; some were even his most trusted confidantes.
They possessed certain organizational capabilities, yet their individual strengths were not overwhelming, which is why Luna personally managed all critical preparations to preempt potential failure points.
Once the meeting concluded, Luna departed immediately.
She was not returning to her previous post, but rather venturing back into the mortal realm.
She strolled through the streets, microphone in hand, conducting impromptu interviews to personally gauge the populace's current disposition.
Even though those officials had reported no anomalies, she felt compelled to verify matters firsthand. These stakes were too high to be handled solely through delegated reports.
Only by stabilizing Star City 1 could the other Star Cities realistically hope to ever return to normalcy.
Eventually, Luna turned her focus to tracking Chu's movements.
Chu had made a dedicated trip to Star City 5, departing shortly thereafter. Based on his established trajectory, he might now be heading toward Star City 4.
Damoro and his warship had been out of contact for an extended period. There was no intelligence regarding Star City 4 whatsoever. Luna was currently unwilling to dedicate resources to managing Star City 4 independently. If Chu had indeed gone to Star City 4, he would be effectively powerless there as well. At that point, Luna was prepared to identify an alternative leader for the Eternal Cycle Star Nation.
"No one is making things easy!"
Luna could only sigh heavily, refocusing on her immediate duties.
...
Deep space.
On the charted route between Star City 5 and Star City 4.
Warship after Qili-class warship advanced in formation.
The lead vessel carried Chu; it was his personal flagship.
After departing Star City 1, he had proceeded directly to Star City 5.
The reason for selecting Star City 5 first was purely tactical: that sector had already neutralized its internal enemy threat, meaning drawing warships from there eliminated the worry of the entire deployment being compromised by infiltration.
Chu understood that once Luna deployed Damoro toward Star City 4, she would certainly not commit a second fleet to the area.
Should Damoro fail, Luna would likely be forced to temporarily sacrifice Star City 4 and prioritize resolving crises in other Star Cities.
Dealing with those peripheral Star City issues would consume centuries, perhaps millennia. By that time, Hossie, currently situated in Star City 4, would have long since perished and dissolved into dust.
Thus, Chu knew he had to initiate action immediately.
He personally needed to search for Hossie.
In Chu's assessment, Hossie represented a flawless successor; he was the ideal candidate to be sought out within the Star Nation structure. No other individual could possibly be more perfectly suited.
This perfection stemmed from experience.
All citizens of the Star Nation were fundamentally comparable regarding knowledge reserves and overall aptitude. In fact, because they originated from a shared template and had participated in collective consciousness assemblies, many of their core ideologies were nearly identical.
So, what differentiated one individual from another?
In Chu's view, it was lived experience—the crucible of leadership.
Hossie had successfully guided a populace to overthrow an established, ancient Civilization. His personal insights and accumulated experience were profoundly deep. Let alone within the Star Nation, even when examining all known Human Civilization, few could rival his credentials.
Hossie absolutely must survive.
Chu this time commanded two full fleets, totaling over 800 warships.
With such a massive force advancing, especially given the absence of any onboard spies and their comprehensive knowledge of the enemy's known maneuvers, Chu's expedition had successfully mitigated all foreseeable risks. This formation represented the strongest possible asset. Chu possessed the necessary intelligence to locate and rescue Hossie.
But all of this rested on the premise that Hossie was indeed located within Star City 4, and more critically, that he was still alive.
Chu was now nearing the vicinity of Star City 4.
He had converted several of the older warships into high-powered telescopes.
Dozens of these telescopes within the fleet formed a synchronized array.
This array possessed the capacity to resolve a light source spanning several hundred meters in diameter from a distance exceeding one light-year.
Their immediate purpose was to scan the void for the "Dancer."
The "Dancer" was exceptionally swift, but there was a chance it might have been intercepted in transit by the enemy. As long as any debris field was detected in space, Chu would dispatch a scout fighter jet for immediate investigation.
And so, after another twenty-one years of continuous flight, Chu finally reached the periphery of Star City 4's star system.
This was the identical route Damoro had navigated earlier.
They plunged directly into the star system.
Chu also issued a stern reminder to every soldier aboard the warships: "Remember everything that was briefed, and keep the reminder data constantly visible. I do not wish to see anyone undertaking unauthorized actions behind my back."
The reminder data included numerous stringent regulations, among them taboos that carried the penalty of immediate death.
Chu had accumulated immense experience; he had no desire to fail at this critical juncture and end up interred here alongside them.
He was here for a rescue operation, not a suicide mission.
The moment the fleet entered the star system, an alarm sounded: "All surrounding equipment has lost energy, yet several machines were found to have been recently activated, estimated to be 517 years ago."
This timeframe suggested the active period of Damoro's fleet.
Damoro had been here!
Chu felt a surge of excitement. At least they were not entirely alone in this hostile void.
"Continue advancing; locate any residual warships, search for the Dancer!"
Since the confrontation aboard Damoro's warship had not concluded before Chu's departure, he remained ignorant of Damoro's final status.
He hoped to extract vital operational intelligence from any surviving soldiers accompanying Damoro's contingent.
The fleet pressed onward, charting a course deeper into the sector, confirming numerous traces left by Damoro's warship. All directional indicators pointed unequivocally toward a single location: Star City 4.
"Set course for Star City 4!"
There was no strategic purpose in lingering near the system's edge any longer.
Following Chu's definitive order, the fleet plunged straight toward Star City 4.
Two months later.
Chu finally sighted the "Dancer."
The "Dancer" had indeed reached Star City 4.
Chu was overcome with excitement.
"Hossie is on the Star City."
Yet, he managed to maintain his composure.
He had no knowledge of what lay within the Star City, nor whether the enemy was currently monitoring his movements.
"The Third, what is the next directive? A full landing?" a Captain inquired of Chu.
He addressed Chu as "The Third," signifying him as one of the three paramount leaders.
The populace of the Eternal Cycle Star Nation hailed from a previous epoch. They all understood precisely who Chu was, and it was precisely because of this knowledge that Chu could command the allegiance of 800 warships to arrive at this location.
After all, Star City 5 was currently devastated and desperately required recovery efforts, and it remained uncertain if the enemy held any further countermeasures in reserve. The interior of the Star City urgently required personnel.
"Negative. The enemy's strategy is too sound. Once we breach the Star City, we will be completely unable to retaliate."
"Attack Star City 4 directly. Breach a massive opening on Star City 4's surface. I need to ascertain precisely what tactics those entities have deployed within Star City 4."
"Affirmative. Initiate small-scale preliminary assaults. Also, broadcast a message to our people inside, instructing them to evacuate the projected impact zone immediately to prevent accidental civilian casualties."
Chu resolved to respond with the utmost degree of caution.
All warships assumed a square formation, advancing without further delay, unleashing their main cannons directly upon Star City 4.
The terrifying energy assault struck Star City 4's outer shell, instantly tearing a colossal aperture through its plating.
The Star City's primary defenses were energy-based, and now that Star City 4 had completely lost its power source, it naturally offered no resistance to the warships' bombardment.
"Deploy reconnaissance fighters to investigate the Star City's interior."
"Instruct the fighter personnel: Do not initiate contact with the Star City. Do not land. If any contact is established, report immediately. Do not engage the enemy upon discovery; prioritize identifying their main concentration point…"
Following this series of precise orders, hundreds of fighter jets launched, flying directly into the gaping hole.
From a distance, the opening appeared minuscule, yet its width exceeded a million kilometers. The internal devastation was even more profound, with countless fragments of the Star City scattering throughout the void.
Warships meticulously navigated this debris field, penetrating the Star City's interior.
The interior of the Star City was effectively a self-contained world; there was no concept of 'small space' here. The warships broke through the artificial sky, looking down upon the silent city below.
It was utterly silent.
As if flying over a world completely devoid of any living presence.
...
"Report! Frontline fighter jet reconnaissance indicates zero occupants in Star City 4, with no discernible signs of life."
This report was disseminated across the entire fleet.
Many Captains within the fleet collectively let out sighs of relief.
"Perhaps, to the enemy, Star City 4 has lost all strategic value."
"Let's proceed with entering the Starport!"
Some Captains relaxed, but another contingent grew visibly more tense.
"What nonsense is that? We had a fleet earlier that deployed to Star City 4. If there are no enemies inside Star City 4, then where are those people?"
"They should have been constructing Star City 4 for hundreds of years and reactivated the city's Tachyon communication device to signal us."
These concerned Captains were situated aboard their own warships. Their communication was managed via the shared network connecting the entire fleet.
Chu was among them.
His immediate thought was one of intense unease: Something is fundamentally wrong here.
How could this possibly be a sanctuary? It clearly presented itself as a man-eating trap.
Now, if they were to enter the Star City, they risked confronting unknown, highly advanced tactics.
Assuming the previous fleet was annihilated, they faced the exact same predicament upon entering Star City 4.
Chu swiftly pulled up an information stream, displaying every piece of intelligence he possessed before him.
Ultimately, he resolved to employ the most uncompromising method available.
"Star City 4 can be repaired, even if severely damaged. The lost personnel can potentially be recovered. Obtaining intelligence and securing Hossie are the paramount objectives."
"Excluding Star City 4's outer shell, conduct thorough scans of every region within Star City 4. We must find traces of survivors. If not…"
"Never mind, let's execute this plan first."
Chu harbored a grave premonition, yet he desperately refused to accept that reality.
The fleet's warships began to disperse, targeting the structural weak points of Star City 4 to launch investigative assaults.
And Chu specifically ordered his warship to approach the vessel designated "The Dancer."
There might be critical information regarding Hossie aboard "The Dancer."
This represented almost Chu's final flicker of hope.
The warship maintained a cautious distance from "The Dancer," but from 100,000 kilometers out, it dispatched 200 soldiers via specialized flying vehicles toward the vessel.
"The Dancer," much like all the associated machinery here, had completely lost all residual energy supply; not a single trace remained active.
The soldiers utilized laser cutters to breach the Dancer's main hatch and proceeded inside.
The interior was utterly pitch black, devoid of any discernible light source.
Within these ships, warship interiors typically possessed many inherent radiant light sources that didn't rely on external electricity to illuminate, but now, those natural lights had utterly faded.
The soldiers advanced slowly.
They traversed compartment after compartment until they reached the vessel's main command area.
One soldier located a stack of documents. He scanned these materials, and countless streams of data were instantly copied into his personal storage device. He processed these extensive files in mere seconds.
He informed the others: "Everyone maintain extreme caution. The Dancer was compromised by the enemy shortly after leaving Star City 1. Numerous casualties occurred aboard that vessel, and there is a strong possibility the hostile entity remains onboard."
"The Dancer carries extensive data retrieved from Star City 4. Absolutely nothing should be touched. The enemy's engagement protocols are clearly sophisticated."
The warning proved highly effective. Other soldiers, who were initially eager to examine the data logs, immediately ceased their intentions.
The soldier who obtained the information began relaying the crucial content back to the warship.
He had successfully secured the most valuable intelligence.
Chu, upon receiving the transmission, was unsure whether to feel relieved or intensely anxious.
The data retrieved from the "Dancer" indicated that while the vessel was attacked by the enemy, Hossie had ultimately survived.
However, after reaching Star City 4, Hossie had abandoned the "Dancer" and never reappeared.
These records dated back over a millennium.
Whether Hossie was still alive remained an absolute mystery.
"Deploy the diagnostic scanners immediately."
Since it was confirmed that Hossie had entered the city structure, a thorough sweep of every sector within Star City 4 was now mandatory.
Realistically, with such a massive deployment by the fleet, if Hossie were truly present in Star City 4, he should have already signaled a response by now.
Chu's only remaining hope was that Hossie had been captured by the enemy or trapped somewhere inaccessible.
Though the probability was low.
It was, at least, a sliver of hope.
Scanners were standard, essential equipment for any warship, typically housed in a series of specialized bays along the exterior hull.
Each scanner unit was a silver sphere, 67 cm in diameter. They featured circular detection arrays above and below, providing simultaneous optical, gravitational, and particle-level analysis.
Optical detection covered every frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Gravitational detection could map mass disturbances within a 100-meter radius. Particle detection specifically emitted artificial tracer particles; these particles would reflect upon contact with corresponding exotic matter, otherwise passing straight through existing structures.
Excluding gravitational detection, which had a comparatively short range, the other two methods could reach distances up to 100 kilometers.
In the vacuum of open space, the furthest viable detection range extended to 1 astronomical unit.
Powered by harnessed dark energy, these small probes could achieve speeds of 1500 km per second. Each warship carried a contingent of 1000 units.
Chu ordered the immediate deployment of scanners across all warships.
Green beams of light streamed out toward Star City 4.
Typically, scanners operated with a green emission signature. If a target was identified, the light would shift to yellow. Detection of hostile forces triggered a red alert. A blue emission indicated low energy reserves.
Their light output was within the detectable laser spectrum, visible from a significant distance. Furthermore, if a scanner's red warning was transmitted even a second before it was destroyed, it could still relay the relevant encounter data.
Eight hundred thousand scanners simultaneously plunged into Star City 4.
Meanwhile, the warships continued their methodical work of dismantling the city's outer shell layers. These two major operations proceeded almost concurrently.
After a period of approximately four years, the entirety of Star City had been scanned, and the physical dismantling process was also concluded.
During these four years, Chu's morale had plummeted beyond measure.
"Third Captain, prepare for the worst. It is highly probable that the Fourth has been eliminated by the enemy." Someone posted such a pessimistic message in the Captains' secure group chat.
In truth, this had become a commonly accepted, unspoken prognosis.
Yet, no one dared voice it aloud.
That single, isolated sentence instantly ignited Chu's fury. He responded with raw anger: "Absolutely impossible. We simply have not located him yet."
"Whoever made that statement will immediately have their command stripped by the system."
The Captain who had posted the message saw his rank instantly demoted by the program protocols.
The other Captains maintained absolute silence.
Four years after the initial events concluded, the warships spent an additional two years undergoing necessary space repairs. During this extended period, the scanners remained constantly active, but all gathered intelligence indicated an absolute vacancy of life within Star City 4.
But Chu could not bring himself to accept this outcome.
Just as Luna had predicted, Chu succumbed to heightened emotion.
Once an individual becomes emotionally driven, extremism becomes inevitable.
In Chu's mind, the possibility that Hossie might have died deviated slightly from the baseline expectation. Faced with the potential for Hossie's definitive demise, the emotional needle instantly swung to the opposite extreme.
Almost simultaneously, Chu issued a severe directive to all Captains.
"Execute Protocol Omega! Completely annihilate Star City 4!"
"If any hostile entity remains hidden in any conceivable location, eradicate those enemies!"