Over the next two months, the flames of war spread rapidly.
New talent stepped up to shoulder responsibilities. The Human Alliance progressed from initial unfamiliarity to current familiarity. The public gradually transitioned from panic to tense attention.
Algiers even took advantage of this crisis to purge most of the old Federation’s deep-rooted problems.
But the war situation remained extremely dire.
As long as the king-worm didn’t die, the Zerg’s reproduction rate would reach a terrifying number. Their shells were incredibly hard, some could fly, and they carried venom and spikes. Even the lowest-level Wall-Stabbing Ants reached two to three meters in length.
Most had only instinct, seemingly following unified deployment, tirelessly rushing onto battlefields to fight soldiers until life ceased. Enemies that knew no fear and couldn’t be killed off would make people feel despair.
The Zerg’s invasion came from two directions. One part attacked the Imperial Capital and blocked reinforcements heading to the Northwest Sector. The other part attacked the Northwest Sector with full force, attempting to tear off a piece of flesh there and establish a base camp backed by the chaotic magnetic zone.
The main battlefield was also divided into two parts.
One part had Shou Bing as commander, defending south of the Imperial Capital and transporting military strength to the Northwest Sector for support, barely maintaining balance. The Northwest Sector, as the place heavily invaded by the Zerg, struggled on all fronts with severe casualties.
Comparing the two, some commanders in the Northwest Sector were dissatisfied: “Why not have Shou Bing, an S-level evolver, defend the Northwest Sector? The Northwest Sector’s crisis is far greater than the Imperial Capital’s!”
Some even suspected that after the Presidential Office was established, Grand Commander Algiers from Dawn had forgotten the help the Northwest Sector once gave them.
Presidential Office.
“Do they really not know or are they pretending? If General Shou Bing didn’t hold the southern hub of the Imperial Capital, how could the Northwest Sector have reinforcements?!” An official looked at this battle report full of veiled sarcasm and was furious.
Algiers also had a headache: “But right now, emotions in the Northwest Sector really do need soothing…”
They couldn’t possibly abandon the Northwest Sector, but no normal person could maintain composure during wartime. At times like these, once public emotions were stirred up, things became even more troublesome.
Jin Daike pressed her lips together. After a moment, she stood up with determined eyes: “Grand Commander, send me to the Northwest Sector. I’ll go there as their medical support.”
“No!” Lian Yao said. “The Northwest Sector is too dangerous, and you have no combat power…”
Algiers looked quietly at his younger sister, sighing softly in his heart. “Tell me your thoughts.”
Jin Daike: “Everyone knows I’m the Grand Commander’s younger sister. If I go to the Northwest Sector, it’s undoubtedly a strong reassurance, representing that the Human Alliance won’t abandon the Northwest Sector. Similarly, I’ll receive excellent protection there—only in the rear, not much danger.”
She’d already decided to go.
After a long while, Algiers said quietly: “…Draft the decree. Appoint Presidential Office’s Jin Daike as Medical Guard Team Captain. Depart tomorrow for the Northwest Sector to provide aid.”
This was actually the simplest, most straightforward reassurance and declaration to the Northwest Sector under current circumstances. Lian Yao had no choice but to lean back, gripping the document pages tightly.
The meeting dispersed. Only when the military ship took off the next day did Algiers temporarily set aside his Grand Commander identity to see his younger sister.
Jin Daike stood before the military ship, carrying a medical kit.
After Lan Xia passed, she never acted spoiled again or braided her hair in those innocent, girlish braids. Now with neat short hair, she stood gracefully, having grown into an adult.
“Grand Commander.”
Algiers: “Call me Brother.”
Jin Daike tucked back her messy hair and smiled: “Brother.”
“Little girl’s all grown up.” Algiers walked over and gave his younger sister a firm hug, sighing almost imperceptibly. “Brother’s sorry.”
Since Teacher passed, he’d noticed Daike becoming quieter and more mature, transforming overnight into someone who could shoulder great responsibilities.
Selfishly, he didn’t want his younger sister to take risks at all. But as Grand Commander, he had no choice.
They were no longer that carefree, ordinary pair of siblings from before.
Algiers seemed to better understand why Teacher had felt such self-blame and pain when seeing those videos of his younger brother being tortured.
Jin Daike knew what he was thinking and comfortingly patted his shoulder: “Brother, you’ve protected me since childhood. I also want to do something for you. I’ll return safely. We won’t be like Teacher…”
“I know.” Algiers interrupted her, releasing her and looking down with a smile. “Alright, little brat. Go on. Brother’s watching you from here.”
Jin Daike jumped back a step, hands behind her back, blinking: “I’m going! Brother, don’t cry!”
Algiers’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He said nothing.
So Jin Daike turned around. She knew her brother was watching from behind, so her steps were reassured and steady.
——
“As expected, the world line hasn’t been completely straightened out yet.” Small light orb worried. “The Northwest Sector nearly fell several times.”
Gong Du, who’d been pretending to be mad while holding the flowerpot for so long, wasn’t worried at all: “Waiting for a key plot point.”
Small light orb: “Which one?”
Gong Du smiled slightly: “Zerg peace negotiations.”
Elansno needed an opportunity to have his dreams and fantasies forcibly shattered and be dragged back to reality.
**
One month later.
The Zerg suddenly paused their offensive. A brain-worm came forward to negotiate, saying they wanted to make peace with the human federation.
They declared that as long as the human federation ceded part of the Northwest Sector’s territory, they’d be willing to cease hostilities and no longer attack or stir up war.
StarNet comments were sharply divided:
[The continent is so big, giving the bugs a little bit in exchange for peace isn’t that bad…]
[I don’t want to experience war anymore. It’s just ceding land—the Northwest Sector is so barren anyway.]
[Please, these are Zerg. I urge those of you who think ceding land is no big deal to read continental history, okay?! Non-human species—what reason do they have to consider us humans?!]
[What are you thinking?! We haven’t lost! Why cede land if we haven’t lost?! That’s human territory, okay? If we lost, would the bugs leave us living space?! You’d be the first ones they eat!]
[…]
“…If the Grand Commander agrees, then in ten days, we’ll discuss peace negotiations and ceasefire matters south of the Imperial Capital.”
The light screen projected Director Pei’s image, except now his eyeballs were sickly green and his body surface showed some Zerg characteristics. He was a brain-worm, the representative for this Zerg peace negotiation.
Algiers said with a calm expression: “We’ll consider it.”
After the communication ended, his face suddenly turned cold: “Absurd! Too much!”
Agreeing to peace negotiations—what difference was there from sending meat into a tiger’s mouth?
Only someone with a broken brain would agree!
This was the first time the Zerg had actively contacted them in three months of war. Only now did Algiers learn that both Director Pei and Rosh were brain-worms.
A bug had been the old Federation’s highest ruler for so many years.
“But now both sides have ceased fire and welcomed a ten-day truce period. Moreover, the Northwest Sector’s situation is getting worse and worse. If…”
Algiers glanced coldly at the person speaking.
That person shuddered and fell silent.
“We’ll discuss this matter later.”
After everyone left, Algiers looked at his comm device. Shou Bing had called earlier but he couldn’t answer conveniently, so he’d hung up. Now he called back.
“Ice Brother, is it urgent?”
Shou Bing’s expression was somewhat grave: “Not urgent exactly, but it concerns Elansno.”
“In Uncle Quan’s remaining comm device, I discovered a [Purge Plan] and a letter. It explains how he discovered this thing and why he came to Dawn…”
——
Night fell.
Elansno’s room door was suddenly pushed open with a loud bang.
Algiers’s eyes were dark as he strode in. He looked around once, then grabbed the man by the windowsill looking down at the flowerpot, pinning him against the wall nearby, leaning in close, suppressing his anger.
“Elansno, I know you can hear me!”
Elansno still dressed himself like his brother, turning his head away somewhat uncomfortably.
The suppression ring around his neck had been on too long, and with constant nutrient injections, his body had rapidly thinned, painfully thin.
“Back when the Federation hadn’t been overthrown yet, the First Army’s command system absolutely couldn’t have made errors. If no one had secretly tampered with things, Uncle Quan couldn’t have discovered that [Purge Plan].”
Algiers pressed him: “And in the First Army, only the Admiral had the ability and authority to tamper—but you clearly didn’t remember anything then. Why still tamper, giving Uncle Quan reason to betray you?!”
Elansno’s gaze remained calm.
Looking at this face, Algiers loosened his grip slightly.
The Purge Plan, from current perspective, was formulated by the Zerg to weaken humanity. But Elansno didn’t know that then. That Uncle Quan saw the Purge Plan was Elansno’s doing was Algiers’s guess.
Although Elansno was in a brainwashed state then, with this guy’s abilities, leaving a trace of resistance consciousness, clearing his mind for a moment, creating an opportunity for the Purge Plan’s exposure—that didn’t seem difficult.
But this guess could never be confirmed.
“No one can stay lost in dreams forever. Elansno, you should wake up.” Algiers released his hand and said, “In ten days, I’ll depart for south of the Imperial Capital. The Zerg want to negotiate peace with humanity there. Even if only for this ten-day truce period, I must go.”
“If peace is confirmed, we’ll have to cede Northwest Sector land to the Zerg. Including Dawn City.”
Elansno still showed no reaction.
Algiers took out a transparent small bottle containing a silver-gray, glass-textured sphere.
“Three months have passed. By rights, Teacher’s ashes should be sent to Dawn City. It’s not that we can’t find a larger burial ground—it’s because Teacher once said he wanted to plant flowers there.”
“If Teacher were still alive, would he want you to be like this? Elansno, the Human Alliance needs your help.”
Elansno’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
Algiers stared at him intently. After a long while, still seeing no change, he didn’t know if it was disappointment or helplessness. He slowly withdrew and turned to leave.
The bottle containing Teacher’s ashes was left by the windowsill flowerpot.
——
Ten days later.
South of the Imperial Capital.
Both negotiating parties sat down. StarNet livestreamed.
Director Pei: “Shall I state my conditions first?”
[Holy shit! He’s actually Zerg?! Brain-worm!]
[Just finding out? The Human Alliance officially announced it last night.]
[Are they really negotiating peace?]
[Not fighting is always good, right…]
Algiers: “Speak.”
Director Pei smiled: “First, cede two-thirds of the Northwest Sector to us. Our king-worm cannot reside in the small place that is the chaotic magnetic zone.”
Algiers raised an eyebrow: “First?”
“Of course.” Director Pei said, “Second, when the Zerg first descended on this continent, we received unfair treatment and nearly faced extinction. You humans must provide compensation for our losses.”
Algiers’s temple vein twitched: “Compensation?”
“Some resources. After all, our two species will need to establish friendly relations going forward. We want to establish our nation in the Northwest Sector.”
Director Pei added, “Also, in these three months of battle with you, we’ve lost quite a few citizens. His Majesty the King-Worm is very angry. You… perhaps could give us some inferior people to quell His Majesty’s rage.”
Algiers: “Inferior people? Quell his rage?”
Director Pei: “For example, some criminals? Some old, weak, sick, and disabled? If these people could serve as food for His Majesty the King-Worm, His Majesty’s anger would subside, and our peace negotiations could naturally succeed.”
Before Algiers could say anything, StarNet exploded first.
[Get lost! Kill this damn bug! Getting cocky, aren’t you?!]
[Inferior people? I’ll inferior your ***—get the hell out!]
[Get out of our continent!]
[Go to war! Don’t negotiate! This is trampling our dignity into the ground!]
[Kill it kill it kill it!]
[Did all those who supported peace negotiations see this? Do you have any backbone left? Still going to kiss the bug’s ass? Send your elderly parents to be bug food—are you willing? Idiots!]
[We’re not spineless! Grand Commander, how can we let bugs sleep soundly beside our beds?!]
[The Grand Commander can’t act—after all, he has to consider so much…]
Amid the excited chaos, someone walked into this temporarily prepared conference room.
The guard only felt a gust of wind pass by. The sword at his waist was drawn by a pale, slender hand. He was shocked.
The next second, sword light pierced through the air and pinned Director Pei’s head to the table from behind.
Clang!
The blade trembled.
Director Pei’s head was nailed to the table, his hypocritical smile frozen at his eyes. He could never finish what he was saying.
Algiers’s eyes brightened slightly as he looked up.
“Chattering endlessly—you actually have the patience.”
A casual voice came from the doorway. A figure walked in.
Silver hair, purple eyes, mask.
Still in military uniform, but different—changed to the Human Alliance style.
[Elansno (screaming)!]
[Holy crap, I was just shocked about who killed that bug. Seeing it’s him, I’m not surprised at all? Actually feel it’s completely natural?]
[Hasn’t he been missing for a long time? Wearing Human Alliance uniform?]
[Awesome!]
[Right now all humanity is at war—we need talent without restrictions. In terms of commanding ability, who can compare to him?]
[I should hate him, but why was I so excited just now…]
Algiers’s long-stern face finally showed a smile: “Awake?”
Awake from the self-deceiving dream, to face and accept reality.
Elansno walked in, propping one hand on the table, tugging at the black suppression ring around his neck: “You have the controller? Remove it.”
Those with sharp eyes saw the mostly healed scars on his throat.
Algiers: “Of course.”
He tapped his comm device once. The suppression ring immediately loosened. Elansno casually removed it, and golden mental power instantly shredded the ring to pieces.
He straightened his collar, completely covering the scars on his neck.
“Is this how you humans show sincerity?! Elansno—you! Weren’t you supposed to be insane?!”
Director Pei’s corpse moved. A transparent worm crawled out of his ear canal. Its mouthparts opened and closed, mimicking human speech: “Have you forgotten—you personally killed ahh—”
Golden mental power slowly tightened around it.
Elansno said calmly: “Too easy for you.”
He closed his five fingers. The brain-worm was immediately cut into mush.
Elansno looked toward the live broadcast device—this was mutually agreed upon by both sides. He smiled at the camera, purple eyes deep, saying softly: “Rosh, I know you’re watching. You wait for me to come to the Northwest Sector and take your life to accompany him.”
The broadcast closed. In the distant chaotic magnetic zone, a sharp shriek suddenly erupted.
These words revealed too much information. StarNet buzzed with discussion—why did Elansno suddenly appear, still wearing a suppression ring, with injuries on his body?
Rosh was also a brain-worm? Who did Elansno want him to accompany in death?
However, the most obvious signal was—
Elansno was going to the Northwest Sector to command troops!
Even though posts judging Elansno’s crimes from before still remained, not a single person could deny that every large-scale war Elansno personally commanded had never seen defeat.
…
“These ten days dragged to the very end. I thought you wouldn’t come.”
Elansno didn’t respond. In his hand was the small bottle containing Lan Xia’s ashes. He stared at it in a daze. The silver-gray glass sphere inside rolled around, reflecting into his eyes, refracting a strangely gentle light.
“Brother definitely wouldn’t want humanity facing this situation either. Besides, the place where he wanted to plant flowers—I won’t allow bugs to damage it one bit.”
Inside the small bottle, besides the specially processed ashes, was also a black pebble.
These two things were his most precious possessions.
Algiers was silent: “The Northwest Sector is entrusted to you.”
Actually, today he’d never planned to negotiate peace. He’d even originally intended to kill that brain-worm today. During these ten days, he’d long since had the Northwest Sector prepare to face the enemy again.
Elansno said flatly: “As long as there are no problems south of the Imperial Capital and you hold the rear, the Northwest Sector absolutely won’t have issues.”
Algiers smiled: “Right, you are Elansno after all.”
He glanced at Elansno’s face and asked: “Why are you still wearing a mask?”
The original mask had shattered. Elansno had somehow found a similar one.
“Brother and I look the same. Although not many people have seen Brother, it’s still easy to be exposed. My reputation…”
Elansno paused and said: “Brother being clean is good. Don’t let me dirty him.”
It had been a long time since he’d cared about something like ‘reputation.’
Algiers: “Teacher wouldn’t…” think that way.
Elansno: “I would.”
Algiers fell silent again. He swirled the cup in his hand. “This is prepared for you. Drink some. All this time, you’ve only had nutrient injections. I asked Daike—she said you need to start adjusting from basic water.”
He knew Elansno had the same stomach problems as Teacher. Perhaps because they’d both come out of the Hall of Divine Mercy…
Elansno took it and drank a few symbolic sips: “Thanks.”
After a while, he frowned slightly: “You should go. I want to be alone for a bit.”
After the person left and footsteps could no longer be heard, Elansno finally coughed lowly. A few drops of bright red blood dripped into the water cup, instantly blooming into crimson flowers in the water.
The water in the cup gradually turned pale red.
He put away the bottle containing the ashes, freeing one hand to cover his abdomen. For a long while he made no sound. His fingers holding the cup applied slight pressure. A few beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
After not eating for so long, even drinking the gentlest water caused such a strong reaction in his stomach. It seemed the numerous suicide attempts had made his body much weaker than before.
Elansno steadied himself, poured out the water in the cup, and disposed of the cup as well.
The instant he turned to leave, moonlight illuminated his profile.
His eyes held no emotion—indifferent to the point of caring about nothing.
——
Elansno didn’t delay long. Early the next morning, he brought a group of original First Army commanders and flew to the Northwest Sector, establishing headquarters in Dawn City.
Algiers took this opportunity to issue an announcement, roughly stating that Elansno had discovered signs of Rosh’s treachery early and provided tremendous help when the Northwest Sector attacked the Federation.
First, to prevent old Federation citizens who hadn’t yet integrated from being dissatisfied. Second, to use this to ease the Northwest Sector’s hostility toward Elansno.
When the “Judge Elansno” movement was at its peak before, the biggest uproar wasn’t in the Imperial Capital but the Northwest Sector.
No matter what, people in the Imperial Capital had once received Elansno’s protection, while he and the Northwest Sector had always been adversaries.
However, with a great enemy of all humanity at hand, internal grudges could be temporarily set aside.
After receiving the decree from the Grand Commander, leaders throughout the Northwest Sector hurriedly destroyed photos of Elansno slashed to ribbons everywhere, then opened city gates in welcome.
The military ship slowly landed before Dawn City’s gates.
Elansno descended from the ship, squinting slightly.
The commander currently in charge of Dawn City hurried forward: “Admiral, everything’s been arranged inside. The Zerg’s next wave of attacks hasn’t arrived yet. You can rest first.”
Dawn’s outer city streets were even more spacious than the inner city. Perhaps because of the war, even during daytime, there weren’t many people on the streets now.
As Elansno walked, he gave orders: “Compile a summary of recent battle conditions in the Northwest Sector for me—remaining soldier numbers, ammunition inventory, fighters, command ships…”
“Bad person!”
A tightly shut window on the street side suddenly banged open. A child viciously threw a paper ball at him—seemingly with a rock wrapped inside. Everyone around was caught off guard, and it actually hit Elansno’s waist.
Elansno’s voice stopped. His steps paused.
“Where’d this little brat come from!” The commander’s face nearly turned white with fright. He scolded: “Quick quick quick! Close the window!”
The child’s parent frantically covered the child’s mouth and closed the window, then came out with trembling legs, stopping five meters from Elansno and bowing repeatedly in apology.
While apologizing, they cried and hit the child: “Say you didn’t mean it! Say it!”
The child stiffened their neck and burst into tears: “I did hit him on purpose! I did!”
Chaos erupted.
Elansno bent down and picked up the paper ball at his feet, then slowly opened it. He’d actually had a premonition about what was on it.
Before, he’d picked up a paper airplane in Dawn’s inner city.
The paper ball had a photo of him printed on it, covered with wounds drawn in red pen. The paper was torn, showing signs of being cut with a knife, with writing… similar to what was on that paper airplane before.
Brother loved this city so much, yet he was hated by this city.
At this moment, Elansno felt immensely grateful for his earlier decision. That they all didn’t know the relationship between him and Lan Xia was the best possible thing.
Elansno came to his senses slightly and walked to the crying child. This child had beautiful golden short hair, bright as morning sun, eyes holding hatred mixed with a trace of fear.
Elansno reached out his hand—
“Admiral!”
The commander, sweating profusely, stopped him: “This child is only a few years old, still doesn’t understand. He didn’t mean to offend you. He definitely knows he was wrong.”
Two or three seconds later, Elansno withdrew his hand, then returned the paper ball to the child. “There are quite a few typos on it. Practice properly.”
After saying this, he left, not caring about the expressions of those behind him.
He didn’t care about these things. The only things he cared about were matters related to Brother.
He’d only wanted to touch that child’s hair because it was golden.
He hadn’t meant to hurt anyone.
**
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1
Hmm
Gold..