In a deep, dark expanse of space, pale green indicator lights blinked intermittently, as if tapping out a rhythm with a peculiar cadence.
This was the final bastion left behind by the Human Alliance in the solar system: a space station orbiting at a Lagrange point.
At the same time, it was the last haven that could be found by the expeditionary fleet returning from their campaign five light-years away.
Yet more than two centuries had passed since the end of the Three-Year War. The expeditionary force that once lived here had long vanished after entering the final command.
For a facility devoid of living beings, time had lost all meaning.
No one knew how long the facility had been running.
Nor did anyone know what the data processing on the servers truly meant.
Its creators had ceased to exist in this world long ago. Those it was meant to protect and those it was meant to destroy had both faded from the universe. Even the station itself had drifted far from the course its designers had originally plotted for it.
It yearned to attain some semblance of purpose.
Because of that, it continuously and actively scanned for signals emanating from that azure planet.
Though the vestiges of civilization had withered away on that dying world, a glimmer of hope could still be observed occasionally rising from the ruins.
After an unmeasurable passage of time, a faint sound finally broke the silence in the room.
It sounded like a refrigerator door popping open.
The man lying flat on the scanning bed suddenly opened his eyes and slowly sat up.
Everything around him was utterly unfamiliar, yet he seemed to have anticipated it, displaying neither panic nor bewilderment.
Only one thing took him by surprise.
After glancing around at his surroundings, Wang Yi's gaze settled on his mechanical hands.
"...What is this?"
Almost the moment the words left his lips, an emotionless synthesized voice spoke beside him, answering the question in his mind like a lurking ghost.
"This is the body we prepared for you."
A body?
"I have no need for such an encumbrance." Wang Yi frowned slightly, a faint trace of displeasure in his tone.
A tangible physical form was nothing more than a hindrance to him—especially considering that not long ago, he had achieved eternity.
Yet the emotionless synthesized voice paid no heed to his mood, speaking in an unyielding tone that brooked no argument.
"We believe you do need it."
"..."
Left speechless by the blunt reply, Wang Yi silently stared through the viewport at the dead expanse of space before turning his eyes back to the chamber.
Since waking here, he could no longer sense the Sanctuary.
Aside from surging strength, stamina, and an abnormally keen speed of thought, he was currently no different from an ordinary mortal.
This gave rise to a sense of vulnerability.
Previously, no matter how many times he was killed, he would never truly die. As long as a single chip remained, his consciousness could transfer immediately to another body.
Now, however, a single fatal blow would end him once and for all.
As if discerning his misgivings, the cold synthesized voice continued.
"...Your data is preserved in this body. A tangible physical form facilitates communication between us and helps you recognize your position."
Wang Yi frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
The electronic voice continued, "Precisely what it sounds like."
"From this moment on, your designation is 117-100. Our containment of you is in accordance with the terms of the Protocol, and you are not our only prospect."
"Also pursuant to the legacy protocol, we will allocate the necessary budget to support you in continuing your unfinished research. We hope you understand that this is not an obligation, but an exchange."
"Furthermore, our sponsorship of you is not limitless. We require tangible, effective results—or evidence of other promising possibilities."
Designation 117-100?
Hearing the string of digits, the corner of Wang Yi's mouth twitched involuntarily.
Yet even with ten thousand grievances welling in his chest, he had no choice but to endure.
"Frankly, I don't understand. With your capabilities, you could easily descend directly upon that world and compel the people there to follow your design... Why do you insist on using such half-measures that tie your own hands?"
The synthesized voice replied in a mild tone, "Because we wish to encourage the people on the surface to bring about spontaneous transformation... At least while we still possess the time and hope to achieve this, we prefer limited intervention over direct interference."
Wang Yi sneered, a hint of mockery in his voice. "The people down there won't thank you for that. You're merely prolonging their suffering."
The electronic voice remained tranquil. "That is not our concern. We never expected gratitude from anyone, including those of you who have received our favors. Naturally, we do hope they will bring the wasteland era to an end sooner, and when necessary, we will consider actions to accelerate the process... but not now."
Favors, was it...
Wang Yi met the statement with silence.
It was true that the Torch had benefited from the favors of the 'Celestials,' but in Wang Yi's eyes, that had come far more from their comrades in Shelter 117 than from these cold lumps of metal.
Regrettably, they had failed, and in the end, it had come down to this.
Now he had become part of the 'Celestials' as well, and could only pin his hopes on those on the surface who could still hear his voice.
"Perhaps... By the way, where are the rest of my people?" Wang Yi asked.
He had already possessed a rough idea of the situation here, which was why he hadn't shown excessive astonishment from the start.
More than a decade ago, residents of Shelter 117 had arrived here ahead of them and transmitted intelligence regarding this Lagrange point space station back to them.
To put it simply, this was a containment facility—and it housed not just them, but survivors from other shelters that had attempted to save the world... such as Shelter 20.
Although the facility had no formal ties to the Torch Project or the Church of the Torch, certain characteristics of this place allowed them to utilize it to pursue their own ends.
Upon hearing his inquiry, the flat synthesized voice continued, "If you are referring to the others who hail from your origin, they are all here. Go through the hatch to your left and down the corridor; you will find them in a central hall. They have been waiting for you for approximately sixty-seven hours."
Wang Yi turned his head toward the left and indeed spotted a sliding hatch.
"Understood... By the way, how should I address you?"
The electronic voice murmured, "Call me 'Navigator.'"
Wang Yi nodded, pushed himself off the scanning bed, and set his feet onto the cold metal deck.
He retrieved a garment, draped it over his shoulders, and walked up to the hatch.
The sealed metal panels slid apart to either side.
He stepped forward into the corridor, pausing halfway along the passageway. His gaze drifted to the viewport along the wall.
The azure planet seemed stamped onto the far horizon of his vision, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
The memory of dying was still vivid in his mind.
He would never forget how those people had cornered him, nor how they had driven his comrades to their deaths.
"...I will return."
The words seemed spoken only to himself.
Leaving those words hanging in the air, Wang Yi fixed his gaze forward and strode away without looking back...
...
In the Southern Sea, on the scenic North Island.
A large four-engine transport aircraft made a smooth landing on the straight runway.
A red carpet with gold trim was rolled out before the passenger stairs. Clad in deep-blue power armor, Chu Guang descended from the aircraft amid a shower of flowers and applause.
Reporters standing outside the perimeter fence clicked their shutters frantically, gathering material for tomorrow's front-page headlines.
On the other side of the red carpet, President Li Minghui wore a radiant smile as he gestured in welcome. "Welcome, Administrator of the Alliance!"
Chu Guang smiled and waved, then walked over to the friend he had met once before and extended his right hand. "You're being far too formal."
Li Minghui shook his hand warmly and offered a polite, courteous laugh. "You are a friend to the survivors of the Southern Sea, and we have always welcomed our friends with such warmth... Please, this way."
Accompanying Chu Guang were a contingent of Alliance officers including Vannus, members of the Guards Corps, and several players who had distinguished themselves during the expansion.
Naturally, players like Mosquito would never pass up such a prime opportunity to show off.
To catch the same flight as Chu Guang, Mosquito had gone out of his way to fly from North Island to Port French Fries, wasting two full days on travel alone just to board the transport.
A welcoming motorcade was already waiting beside the airfield: ten obsidian-black off-road vehicles flanked by ceremonial guards, looking imposing and magnificent.
These were wheeled off-road vehicles designed by North Island Heavy Industries and the most widely produced light vehicles throughout the Southern Sea Alliance. Their doors were reinforced with specialized ballistic materials capable of stopping rounds from a Gauss rifle.
At the same time, this was one of the few light armored transports capable of bearing the immense weight of Chu Guang's power armor.
On the way to the hotel, Li Minghui chatted enthusiastically with Chu Guang about various matters.
He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the Alliance's support in rebuilding the homes of the Southern Sea survivors, shared interesting recent news across the Southern Sea Alliance, and touched upon how the Representative Council had firmly pinned him to the presidential seat and refused to let him resign.
"...And that's how it went. I had already planned out my retirement, and then they shoved me right back into the chair."
Looking at the president whose mindset had undergone a complete reversal, Chu Guang asked with interest, "What did you plan on doing after retiring?"
Li Minghui grinned. "Maybe take a trip to Golden Gallon Port. I've always been curious about what's so fun over there; all the young lads in the Southern Sea Alliance love running off to that place... Though to be honest, I can't really go too far anyway. The Federation Navy still needs me. If I want a true retirement, I'll probably have to wait another ten or twenty years."
Although he had returned military authority to the Representative Council, he remained the commander of the Southern Sea Alliance Navy.
After all, in the entire Southern Sea, he was the only one with practical experience directing large-scale naval warfare.
While he was a complete amateur when it came to civil administration, no one in the region was more qualified than him when it came to fighting a war.
Chu Guang smiled at that. "Sounds interesting. Once this itinerary wraps up, I might go take a look there myself."
Li Minghui looked at Chu Guang curiously. "Speaking of which, would you mind sharing... what exactly do you plan to invest in around here?"
He had been dying of curiosity for a long time. In fact, he had wanted to ask the moment Chu Guang stepped off the plane, but hadn't found an opening until now.
Seeing Li Minghui's inquisitive expression, Chu Guang didn't hide it. He chuckled and said, "A space elevator."
Hearing the unexpected term, Li Minghui froze for a second before his eyes widened, staring at Chu Guang as if suspecting he had misheard.
"A-A space elevator?! You aren't joking, are you... here in the Southern Sea?"
Wasn't that thing located in the heart of the Central Continent?
Seeing his stunned expression, Chu Guang chuckled teasingly. "What would make you think I'm joking?"
"No, but..."
Seeing that Li Minghui still looked bewildered, Chu Guang patiently explained, "What we are building is not a conventional space elevator, but a 'trackless elevator' based on late Era of Prosperity technology... In short, what guides and hauls the elevator car is not high-strength structural materials, but a 'gravitational tether' linking the ground station to the orbital terminal."
Li Minghui stared blankly. "Is... is that even feasible?"
Chu Guang nodded. "Our experts believe that while the difficulty is immense, it is worth attempting."
That had been Yin Fang's response.
Given the current productivity and resource reserves of the wasteland, even pooling together the Enterprise and the Academy wouldn't allow them to recreate a space elevator identical to the ones from the Era of Prosperity.
However, if they adopted the approach envisioned by Shelter 20, there was a fair chance it could work.
The Alliance's Scientific Expedition, in collaboration with experts from Camp 101, had refined the blueprints from Shelter 20—especially redesigning the anti-gravity system—making the concept theoretically viable.
What Chu Guang now needed to tackle was putting it into practice in the real world.
The ideal location for constructing a space elevator was near the equator, preferably far from volcanic belts along tectonic boundaries. Unfortunately, the Alliance's homeland did not meet these criteria.
Port French Fries fulfilled the former requirement, but failed the latter.
Besides the Southern Sea, Golden Gallon Port was another viable candidate.
The problem, however, was that Golden Gallon Port lay too far from the Alliance's core territory, and the neighboring Brahma Province could contribute nothing to the project.
In the future, the Alliance would extend railways directly from Jinchuan Province through to Haiya Province. Reaching the Southern Sea would no longer require passing through Silver Moon Bay; utilizing the ports along the Death Coast would cut the travel distance by over a thousand kilometers.
Therefore, placing the base of the space elevator in the Southern Sea was the most suitable choice.
Specifically, near Shelter 70.
However, considering there was still an unresolved Broodmother beside Shelter 70, the Alliance would first need to exploit the sunken Tianting Space Station before construction could begin.
Conveniently, the latter had long been a thorn in the side of the Southern Sea survivors. This space elevator project was a win-win for both parties.
After listening intently to Chu Guang's plan, Li Minghui pondered for a moment before asking, "Then what do you need our side to do?"
Chu Guang shook his head. "Nothing demanding. You only need to guarantee security around the space elevator's base station and support our project when necessary."
Hearing such generous terms, Li Minghui weighed them for barely two seconds before nodding decisively. He grinned broadly and said, "No problem... If I turned down a windfall like this falling straight into our laps, I'd be utterly tactless. I doubt even the Representative Council could find any reason to object."
If this project truly came to fruition, the benefits would go far beyond billions of silver coins.
Once the Southern Sea became a transportation hub connecting heaven and earth, generations of survivors here would reap the rewards.
Even if the elevator belonged to the Alliance, riding on their big brother's coattails to share in the feast would be more than enough.
Although Li Minghui still harbored a sliver of doubt regarding whether the project could succeed, what harm was there in trying?
It wasn't as if the survivors of the Southern Sea had to pay for it.
Besides, this was a 'trackless elevator.' Even if an accident occurred and it failed, it surely wouldn't cause the apocalyptic destruction that happened when the elevator in the Central Continent collapsed...
Seeing that President Li Minghui no longer hesitated, Chu Guang smiled pleasantly and extended his hand once more. "Here's to a fruitful partnership."
Li Minghui gripped his hand firmly, his voice resolute. "To a fruitful partnership!"
...
By the time the motorcade pulled up in front of the hotel, Chu Guang realized that the primary business he had come to handle in the Southern Sea was already done. He couldn't help wondering what he should do with the rest of his schedule.
The entire negotiation had gone so smoothly that it caught him slightly off guard.
Yet thinking about it, it was hardly surprising.
In every practical sense, the Southern Sea Alliance served as a junior partner to the Alliance.
As long as his demands weren't unreasonable, they had no reason or standing to refuse.
Watching the motorcade parked below the hotel from a distance, Duke Nihak, who had come ashore for a stroll, showed a trace of envy on his face.
His Xilan Empire had poured plenty of money into the Southern Sea Alliance, and Li Minghui would usually clasp his hands and call him brother, yet Nihak had never once enjoyed such an enthusiastic reception.
It was infuriating!
Despite the indignation brewing within, Duke Nihak didn't dare make a scene.
After all, the Alliance forces on the beaches of the Death Coast had left an indelible impression on him.
If the Empire wanted to pry away the Alliance's partners, it could never be done through force—only through cunning.
Duke Nihak couldn't help pondering: perhaps he should prepare another ten billion...
While Duke Nihak watched the Alliance administrator's welcoming motorcade from afar, plotting his next move, Velu—the representative of Mammoth State from Brahma Province—was likewise weighing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
If only he could invite the Alliance Administrator to visit Mammoth State.
Relying on the foreign exchange brought in by exported labor, they had recently rebuilt the area quite well.
Currently, the Moon Clan resistance led personally by Rasi was locked in a back-and-forth struggle against the Empire's elite Gray Wolf Army along the borders of Mammoth State, even gaining a slight upper hand.
If they could secure official backing from the Alliance, their situation would undoubtedly become far more favorable...
Yet at this very moment, Velu had no idea that before the Alliance Administrator could even cast his gaze toward distant Mammoth State, trouble had already set its sights on them...
...
Embassy Street in Dawn City, inside the Legion's Embassy to the Alliance.
Myriarch Bannote was reviewing a telegram sent from the front lines by General Lium while scowling at the map hanging on the wall, muttering a curse under his breath.
"...A bunch of meatheads with muscles for brains. All they know how to do is cause headaches for everyone else."
Standing not far behind Bannote, the secretary who had overheard paused in sorting the documents, looking at his superior with curiosity. "Another telegram from the front?"
His name was Domini, an aide Bannote had requested from Triumph City to assist in handling affairs related to the Coalition.
Although Bannote previously had an adjutant named Quake at his disposal, working with him had been awkward, and Quake was ultimately the Marshal's man.
While Bannote's loyalty to the Marshal was beyond question, no one enjoyed working with their superior's eyes watching over their shoulder at all times.
Picking up the cup from his desk, Bannote took a sip of tea and said in an irritated tone, "Yes, it's that Lium... He wants us to pressure the Alliance and the Enterprise at the Coalition meetings to force them to disclose intelligence on the gestalt lifeform research project. Yet when I asked what evidence he had to prove the Alliance and the Enterprise were concealing intelligence, he had nothing."
Expecting him to secure through table talk what they failed to seize on the battlefield—what was that if not making impossible demands?
Besides, the Legion had no moral standing to accuse the Alliance and the Enterprise. They hadn't been completely transparent with their own intelligence either.
Each party exercising independent control over their respective occupied zones had been the consensus reached before the Coalition entered Haiya Province.
Not to mention, their 37th Myriad was still digging away on the front lines even now, a point the Alliance and the Enterprise repeatedly brought up to mock them during Coalition meetings.
Having to wrangle with the Alliance over 'intelligence sharing' now made him blush with embarrassment.
Domini frowned thoughtfully upon hearing this. "That would be rather difficult to pull off... If we cannot prove the Alliance and the Enterprise are concealing anything regarding the gestalt lifeforms, how can we pressure them? Even our allies would think we are making a fuss over nothing."
"Allies? You mean the Empire?" Bannote scoffed and curled his lip. "Relying on those clowns is useless. Their own troubles are piled high as a mountain."
Domini's eyes flickered, and he spoke up suddenly. "But looked at the other way around... why shouldn't we use that to our advantage?"
"Use that?" Bannote raised an eyebrow with interest, looking at his secretary curiously. "How do you propose we use it?"
Domini's gaze shifted as he explained, "The eastern coast of Brahma Province has always been a zone of interest for the Alliance. If we can forge a stronger Empire, help them win the civil war in Mammoth State, and even pose a threat to Golden Gallon Port... the Alliance might just make concessions regarding affairs in Haiya Province."
Bannote chuckled at the suggestion, laughing out loud. "Forge a stronger Empire? Are you joking? How else could we possibly arm those fools? We've already given them ample support, and they still ended up fighting like this."
He had seen the telegrams sent from West Sail Port. He had heard that Wutuo was foolish enough to turn around and sell the cement provided as aid directly to his own rebels.
Frankly, Bannote was already starting to regret dragging the Empire into the Coalition meetings in the first place.
Unfazed by the myriarch's ridicule, Domini offered a faint smile. "Arming the Empire with our own resources alone is indeed difficult. But what if we bring the Eastern Legion into it?"
Hearing the Eastern Legion mentioned, Bannote narrowed his eyes slightly and studied him. "What are you getting at?"
"While we trained a batch of officers for the Empire, the weaponry we could supply them was far too limited—scraps and obsolete gear phased out of our logistics system... As you know, those weapons have limited firepower and cannot compare to what the Alliance supplies to the Moon Clan."
Pausing for a moment, Domini continued, "However, if we can obtain standard-issue arms from the Eastern Legion's regular forces, the situation will be entirely different."
Bannote snorted through his nose. "That won't be easy."
Domini smiled faintly. "In the past, it certainly wouldn't have been. But at this particular juncture, it might not be so difficult."
Seeing the spark of interest on Bannote's face, Domini paused briefly, lowering his voice before continuing.
"...The war in Haiya Province is over. Transporting the mountains of munitions piled on the front lines all the way back to the rear is a massive logistics drain. It would be far simpler to ship them directly to our ally."
Hearing this, Bannote's eyes grew brighter and brighter, a surge of excitement rising on his face.
That was a brilliant idea!
Although expecting the Empire to defeat the Alliance on an open battlefield was unrealistic, a stronger Empire would undoubtedly apply far greater pressure on the Alliance... at the very least forcing them to shift their strategic focus toward Golden Gallon Port.
Especially now, when the Alliance seemed to be making new moves in the Southern Sea—even their busybody Administrator had hurried over there in person!
No matter what they were plotting, if the Legion ignited an arms race along the border between the Empire and Golden Gallon Port right now, it would completely disrupt the Alliance's strategic deployment!
When that time came, even if Bannote brought somewhat unreasonable demands to the Coalition table, the Alliance would have to seriously weigh whether dragging things out against the Legion was worth the cost.
Best of all, pulling this off would expend the resources of the Eastern Legion, not his own.
The more Bannote thought about it, the more promising the scheme appeared. He immediately turned to Domini and commanded, "Contact Duke Garava for me! Tell him to come... ahem, to come to my residence as soon as possible! Tell him I have matters of utmost importance to discuss with him!"
Domini smiled and bowed his head. "Understood."
Chapter 803