Ch: 34-39
Chapter 34 Chapter 34
"Look at you. Which civilization didn't rise by ambition and greed? No matter how much they pretend, they're all the same deep down."
"I never pretend," Wang Haoyu said self-righteously, shaking the Space Stone in his hand.
Thor curled his lip, "That's true, but I still don't like it."
Without another word, the straightforward prince led Wang Haoyu towards the Golden Palace—his father was waiting to "have a chat" with the visitor from Earth.
"Young man from Blue Star, welcome."
The white-haired Odin sat majestically on his throne, smiling kindly, much like a friendly old Grandpanext door.
"I've long admired your name, King of All Gods."
Wang Haoyu greeted him politely, not daring to be presumptuous in the slightest. Although he could be considered Star-destroying Level combat power, he still had to be cautious in front of Odin.
"Interesting... I can't see through you," Odin observed the young man before him with great interest.
"The energy within you is very similar to Divine Power, yet completely different."
Odin rose from his throne and paced to Wang Haoyu's front, gazing at him with profound eyes.
"However, everyone has their secrets, and I won't pry." He smiled slightly, his tone peaceful yet implying a deeper meaning. "Your visit this time, I'm afraid, isn't as simple as just seeking compensation, is it?"
Hearing this, Wang Haoyu couldn't help but secretly click his tongue.
Why do these old guys, who have lived for countless years, all love to play guessing games? The Ancient One was like this, and so was the Asgardian Lord before him.
He suppressed his internal grumbling, a calm smile still on his face: "Indeed, besides compensation, I also need a bounty list."
"A bounty list?" Odin's eyebrows twitched slightly, showing a hint of confusion.
"That's right," Wang Haoyu explained directly. "My people have newly developed a Cosmic Battleshipand need to conduct actual combat tests. We can't just pick a random Planet or force to attack, can we? So, the targets can only be those notorious Space Pirates or Marauders."
He shrugged, his expression candid.
Since the existence of Red Alert Star had already fallen into Odin's eyes, it was better to be open about it than to conceal it. For these cunning beings, honesty was often the best strategy.
"A wise move," Odin nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "The strong should not bully the weak; that is an iron rule."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly changed the subject: "But you Earthlings have a saying—'Give first, then take.' What do you plan to exchange for this list?"
The old God King revealed a foxy smile: "Will it be to forgo some compensation, or... at some point in the future, to act once for my Asgard?"
Wang Haoyu sighed inwardly.
Sure enough, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Wang Haoyu highly valued these resources. Although Red Alert Star was rich in resources, it still seemed scarce in the vast Universe.
He urgently needed to acquire various cosmic resources.
More importantly, after absorbing a large amount of magic knowledge at Kamar-Taj, Wang Haoyudeveloped a strong interest in the mysteries of Asgard.
This desire grew even stronger.
Between cosmic resources and Asgardian knowledge, he unhesitatingly chose the latter.
"Father King..." Thor, who had been standing by like he was invisible, looked up, confused, at his father.
Why would he propose such a thing to this guy?
It's too strange.
Is something going to happen?
"I agree to provide assistance when Asgard needs it, but with three conditions: it must not exceed my capabilities, it must not cross my bottom line, and all operational losses must be borne by you."
Wang Haoyu stretched out his hand, stating in a serious tone.
"Good! I agree!" Odin nodded readily.
Odin didn't care about Wang Haoyu's intentions. After all, to become a king, having a thick skin was an essential quality.
Among his two sons, Thor was benevolent and deeply loved by the people, suitable for guarding the Nine Realms; while Loki, though more suitable for ruling, unfortunately had a narrow vision.
"Then it's a deal." Seeing that his conditions were not rejected, Wang Haoyu smiled.
These three clauses contained hidden meanings—his scope of ability and bottom line were defined by himself. He could help if he wanted to, and decline if he didn't.
The most crucial was the last supply clause.
Wang Haoyu vaguely remembered that in a certain Thor movie plot, the Dark Elves would invade. Sending troops to participate then would not only train his forces but also gain benefits from Asgard.
"Tell me, what compensation do you want?"
After reaching an agreement, Odin felt completely relaxed and pleased.
In Odin's eyes, although Wang Haoyu was occasionally unreliable, he was at least trustworthy.
However, Wang Haoyu's aggressive development of his forces, in Odin's view, seemed more like the potential of a hegemon.
It was a pity that his three children were all more disappointing and outrageous than the last!
"Firstly, I need a batch of cosmic resources. Secondly, I heard that Asgard, as the head of the Nine Realms, must have imprisoned many alien prisoners, right? I want their blood genetic samples. Additionally, I also want to borrow Asgardian books!"
Wang Haoyu suddenly remembered and added the condition of alien prisoner blood samples.
One must know, given Odin's warlike personality in his youth, he must have had many alien prisoners.
If Wang Haoyu wasn't tempted by the blood samples of these people, then that would truly be unbelievable.
Wang Haoyu had already established a massive gene bank on Red Alert Star.
This was precisely to continuously enhance his own strength.
"No, you can only choose two conditions. Three, don't you think that's too much?"
Odin shook his head slightly. Although he intended to support Wang Haoyu, he was unwilling to be taken advantage of.
Since he was here to claim compensation, there had to be a limit.
"Then I'll just take the alien prisoner blood samples and borrow Asgardian books!"
Wang Haoyu paused briefly, realizing he might have been a bit excessive, and decisively removed the cosmic resources item.
Actually, cosmic resources weren't particularly scarce.
But the first two items would be of greater help to Red Alert Star and himself.
If it really came down to it, he could just open a few more sub-Bases and mine resources desperately.
"Alright, I'll have Thor take you to Asgard's dungeon."
"You can take as many prisoner blood samples as you want from there, as long as you don't cause any fatalities."
"As for magic books, Asgard's Royal Library and Hall of Magic are both open to you."
Odin said, pushing Thor forward.
"Then many thanks, Your Majesty Odin, King of All Gods!"
Wang Haoyu nodded slightly. Seeing Odin's weary expression, he tactfully left the great hall.
This trip had yielded far more than expected.
"Father King..."
Thor was about to ask, but Odin raised a hand to stop him.
"I know what you want to ask. Thor, remember this: no one who rises in this vast Universe is weak."
"Either achieve hegemony, or become a legend. And legends often fall the fastest."
"I don't expect you to become a hegemon—you can't. But you should spend more time with that young man. His future will certainly not stop at the path of a hegemon."
..."Because on your shoulders rests all of Asgard, bearing the fate of the Nine Realms!"
Odin's gaze was heavy with responsibility as he spoke earnestly to Thor.
"Go and interact with him. For the Nine Realms."
"Father King, you know... I don't want to inherit the throne. Although Loki has made mistakes, he is more suitable for coronation than I am."
After a moment of silent contemplation, Thor still argued reluctantly.
He knew better than anyone: when it came to schemes, his younger brother far surpassed him.
The difference between the two was like a brave general encountering a cunning politician.
"My child, my time is running out. Choosing you to succeed is not because Loki is incompetent, but because only you can protect the Nine Realms and defend Asgard... Loki, he cannot protect them."
Odin sighed deeply, his words like a hammer striking Thor's thoughts.
As he stumbled out of the palace, he saw Wang Haoyu leaning against a pillar. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the man held a quiet black-haired girl in his left arm, led a proud blue-haired girl with his right hand, and had two little lolis clustered at his feet.
"Finished talking? Let's go," Zero said calmly.
Wang Haoyu seemed to have timed it perfectly, following Thor the moment he stepped forward.
"Where first?" Thor asked dully.
"The library and the Hall of Magic. As for blood sample collection—you should be able to handle that, right?"
Wang Haoyu turned his head and chuckled softly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
While waiting outside the hall, he had figured it out: this was clearly Odin finding external help for his naive son. After all, if he remembered correctly, when that Purple Potato Monster dared to invade Earth, Odin and Sorcerer Ancient One's coffin lids should have already been sealed.
At this moment, Odin was busy arranging helpers for his naive son.
It seemed then that Odin might fall earlier than Sorcerer Ancient One?
This thought immediately deflated Wang Haoyu.
The only consolation was that dealing with this naive heir was easier than dealing with the cunning Odin.
Thinking this, Wang Haoyu decided to give this honest heir a bit of trust first.
"Oh, aren't you going in?"
Thor was visibly stunned.
It was impossible for him not to have noticed Wang Haoyu's enthusiasm for genetic research. After all, on his first visit to Earth, he had been tricked into giving a tube of blood.
Recalling this, Thor always felt that Wang Haoyu harbored some strange habits.
"I won't go in. That's your dungeon. If the prisoners cause trouble because of my presence, it wouldn't be appropriate, right?"
"I'll rely on you for this, Brother Thor!"
Saying this, Wang Haoyu patted Thor's shoulder lightly, grinning to reveal two rows of sparkling white teeth.
"Very well!" Thinking of the dungeon as a secret and important place, Thor no longer declined. It was indeed more convenient for his own people to go in and collect blood.
"Leave it to me!" Encouraged by Wang Haoyu's trust, the simple heir immediately thumped his chest in assurance.
He was truly someone who brightened up with a little encouragement, instantly forgetting what he had been tricked into earlier.
"Now, take me to the library or the Hall of Magic."
Wang Haoyu, suppressing his inner excitement, prepared to diligently study those precious ancient texts.
"Let's go!"
Thor, like an older brother leading a younger one, guided Wang Haoyu towards the Hall of Magic.
In his opinion, since Wang Haoyu was proficient in magic, what he most desired must be the Hall of Magic. As for the library? Besides some miscellaneous books and historical materials, it was truly of little use.
For Thor, who lacked literary cultivation, the library was practically a childhood trauma.
"What are your plans, ladies? I guess there should be quite a few books in the Hall of Magic."
Arriving before the heavily guarded Hall of Magic, Wang Haoyu couldn't help but exclaim.
As expected of Asgard, the supreme power of the Nine Realms; just this Hall of Magic alone was so magnificent and heavily guarded.
This sight filled Wang Haoyu with a hint of envy.
On that Red Alert Star, all one could see were cities and military Bases constructed from metal.
And this magnificent city before him, like Asgard, was exactly what he dreamed of.
"Huh?"
"Then won't we have to wait a long time again?"
"Oh, come on!"
Upon hearing that there were many books in the Hall of Magic,
The lively and active Astraea immediately frowned in distress... For this energetic girl, having to wait for such a long time again was simply torture!
"Are there any snacks here?"
Chapter 35 Chapter 35
Nymph, silently following Wang Haoyu, did not speak, but directly posed the question to Thor.
After all, having to stay in this confined space for a full week would be equally unbearable for her.
It would be much better to stroll and play around the periphery of the hall!
"Asgard has quite a few delicacies, little girl."
Before Thor could answer,
a graceful and noble woman slowly walked out of the hall.
The moment he saw the noble lady in splendid robes, Wang Haoyu had a few guesses.
"Mother!"
Thor immediately saluted respectfully,
and Wang Haoyu also nodded in greeting.
"You must be the young man Odin praised so highly, right? You certainly look impressive! I sincerely apologize for the trouble Loki caused you all."
The Queen slowly approached, examined Wang Haoyu closely, and said with a smile.
"Your Majesty, you speak too highly."
Wang Haoyu responded politely.
He knew well that such a gentle noblewoman was the easiest to win over, and he needed to leave a good impression now.
After all—he had long planned to bring the honest Thor under his command.
"Mr. Wang, are you going into the Hall of Magic to view the ancient texts?"
The Queen turned and asked Nymph and the others gently.
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"Then let me look after these children. I will certainly take good care of them for Mr. Wang."
The Queen, radiating maternal brilliance,
looked at the little loli clinging to Wang Haoyu,
and the three girls who never left his side,
and promised lovingly.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." After a brief hesitation, Wang Haoyu readily agreed.
Perhaps letting Icarus and the others follow the Queen was indeed a wise choice.
"Children, come with me, I'll take you to taste some delicious food!" The Queen, smiling brightly, took the petite Chaos and led Nymph by the hand as she walked forward.
"Master..." Icarus looked up at Wang Haoyu, her eyes filled with worry.
"Go on, and have fun." Wang Haoyu gently stroked Icarus's head and smiled warmly. Seeing this, Icarusand Astraea obediently followed behind the Queen.
"I've never seen Mother look like this before." Thor watched the Queen radiating maternal brilliance and teased Wang Haoyu with a hint of jealousy.
"Then I'll be going ahead." Wang Haoyu selectively ignored Thor's sourness and walked straight into the Hall of Magic. After confirming he was alone, he immediately activated the void engine.
Rather than flipping through pages one by one, establishing a complete magic knowledge base would be more efficient. When he eventually integrates the Super God Universe's Technology Tree, it can be shared with everyone—this was Wang Haoyu's far-sighted plan.
While Wang Haoyu was immersed in knowledge collection, Thor had already begun dispatching military doctors to assist with blood collection in the dungeon. Meanwhile, on Earth, Tony was overwhelmed by the trouble Peter Parker had gotten into.
Umbrella, as a top biomedical group, should have been the primary target of the Extremis Organization. But perhaps due to an inability to reach the high-level executives or fear of their security forces, they instead attacked a subsidiary company jointly owned by the two major groups. This conflict resulted in Tony's trusted subordinate, Happy, being severely injured and hospitalized, completely igniting the genius's rage. A full-scale counterattack against the Extremis Organization immediately commenced.
The collision between reality and ideals is often dramatic.
Under the dual pressure of the Umbrella Group and S.H.I.E.L.D., Tony Stark's confidence began to swell.
But he quickly paid the price for this arrogance.
Ultimately, having no other choice, Tony had to act alone.
During this time, he specifically asked Xu Mu to assist in handling related matters.
Xu Mu, who had been active in the Umbrella Group for a long time, developed a strong interest in this so-called "Extremis Organization."
He immediately mobilized hundreds of super-powered soldiers and cornered the Extremis Organizationmembers in the harbor area.
This encirclement operation, led by Tony and supported by hundreds of ability users, immediately began.
"Sir, Mr. Xu Mu reports that his forces are in position. The outer perimeter is completely under their control."
Tony, wearing his battle armor, looked at the nearly hundred steel suits hovering in the air, feeling a subtle unease.
These members of the Extremis Organization were practically desperate outlaws.
They could resort to extreme measures at any moment.
"Jarvis, share the detailed information on these individuals with Xu Mu. I don't want Wang Haoyucoming to question me if they suffer heavy casualties."
"Data transfer complete, Sir."
"Friday, prepare for battle!" Tony issued the command to the other intelligent system built into the battle armor.
As a new type of combat AI developed by Tony, Friday was distinctly different from the butler-leaning Jarvis.
It was loaded with massive amounts of combat data, including the Elite Cavalry Legion's operational information obtained from Wang Haoyu.
But even so, Friday's status remained lower than Jarvis's.
With Tony's command, the hundred or so battle armors hovering in the air immediately sprang into action.
Xu Mu, watching the battle from the ground, looked at the swarm of battle armors flying overhead, his eyes filled with unconcealed envy.
Which man doesn't harbor a dream of mecha?
Xu Mu was naturally no exception.
"Begin the assault! Notify Jin Sheng to archive all research data completely."
Xu Mu gave the order with a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
The well-trained ability users immediately took action.
Although they might be at a disadvantage in a one-on-one fight, the tactic of using superior numbers allowed them to fully seize the initiative.
Fair duel? That didn't exist. They believed in the advantage of collective combat.
Just as Tony began his operation on the ground... Red Alert Planet
On Red Alert Star, the Engineers were arguing fiercely over the design of the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Aircraft Carrier, even grabbing wrenches and wrestling each other. The scene was quite comical.
Meanwhile, a former astronomical team member code-named "Niu Niu" accidentally wandered into an abandoned factory and unexpectedly crossed over to the World of the Dark Elves.
(Dark Elves' whisper)
"Centuries of slumber have ended..."
"The Aether Particle has appeared in the World..."
"Darkness shall return to the Nine Realms..."
In the depths of a hidden canyon, the Dark Elves gathered beside a giant battleship, letting out Earth-shattering roars.
Over in Asgard, Thor was staring distractedly at the newly escorted prisoners.
"Your Highness, these are the latest captives," the guard answered respectfully.
Thor rubbed his chin and muttered, "Should I draw some blood samples for research?"
Wang Haoyu, who had just emerged from the library, stretched and cursed, "It only took ten days to copy the spellbooks, but copying this entire damn library took me a full month!"
During this time, he recorded Asgard's vast collection of ancient texts and secrets, and even the damaged void engine inside him stopped working due to data overload.
"Master—"
When Icarus appeared before Wang Haoyu wearing an Asgardian Royal Princess Dress, he barely recognized the pink-haired girl.
The magnificent attire made Icarus look particularly graceful, and Wang Haoyu couldn't help but praise her, "It suits you well, you look so beautiful!"
He subconsciously wanted to pinch her cute cheek, but seeing the guards standing watch and the people passing by, he reluctantly dismissed the thought.
"Where are the others?" Finding only Icarus waiting, a wave of emotion surged through Wang Haoyu.
Sure enough, among the Smart Angels, she was the most thoughtful and considerate.
"Astraea is sparring with the Asgardian warriors at the Training Ground, and Nymph is taking Chaos to gorge themselves at the Food Street."
As Icarus spoke, she moved closer, her intense gaze making Wang Haoyu a little overwhelmed.
"What is it?" Facing the suddenly close face, Wang Haoyu blinked confusedly.
The girl took a deep breath, as if steeling her resolve: "Master... I want a head pat too."
She often saw her Master rubbing the heads of her other companions, and her heart had long been filled with anticipation. Although she occasionally received affection, it was too infrequent.
"Of course."
Wang Haoyu was startled for a moment, then gently ran his hand over her pink long hair. Seeing Icarus's intoxicated expression, he suddenly realized something.
These simple and lovely girls.
Smiling, Wang Haoyu took Icarus's hand, deciding to go find the three playful Little Fellows.
"It's time to go back."
Putting away the Space Capsule containing thousands of gene samples, Wang Haoyu nodded to Thorin greeting.
He had originally estimated that Thor would only provide about a hundred samples, but the God of Thunder had directly collected blood samples from all the prisoners.
Now the Gene Research Institute on Red Alert Planet would never lack experimental materials.
"Alright, then I won't see you off. I just suppressed a wave of rebellion, and I still have some matters to deal with." Thor nodded slightly and did not accompany Wang Haoyu back to the Blue Star.
"Let's go!" Wang Haoyu nodded understandingly, and taking Astraea, who had swept through the Training Grounds, and Nymph and Chaos, who were still enjoying themselves, he returned directly to the Blue Star Villa.
"Should I go to Kamar-Taj now? Or postpone it?" Wang Haoyu, standing in his living room, suddenly paused—wasn't cultivating White Magic the original plan? After thinking it over, he decided to temporarily postpone the trip to Kamar-Taj. After all, on Red Alert Planet, that behemoth was probably getting impatient waiting.
"Let's see what the sign-in yields first." Wang Haoyu's lips curled up slightly as he opened the monthly sign-in system, which had accumulated five uses. "Sign in!" He rubbed his hands, planning to try another day if his luck was bad this time.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Naval Base Building x1!]
"What?! A Naval Base? Ship Girls?" Wang Haoyu widened his eyes and pulled up the detailed information, but reading it only made him more conflicted—these Ship Girls were completely different from what he expected! The original Ship Girls were at least a cute girl corps: battleships were long-legged older sisters, Aircraft Carriers were gentle healers, cruisers were energetic girls, plus destroyers as little lolis. Although they could only handle planetary internal conflicts, they were considered surface hero level. But this Naval Base before him—
He first had to pour massive resources into creating Ship Cores... Ship Cores were divided into various types, including destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and Aircraft Carriers.
However, the most astonishing part was that the resources required to forge a single battleship Core were in the tens of billions.
But this was only the beginning.
Once these cores were manufactured, Wang Haoyu still had to construct matching hulls. Installing these precious cores onto ordinary ships only a hundred meters long would be a terrible waste.
"Could these cores be designed for those giant installations?"
Connecting this to the compatibility needs of the Naval Base Ship Girls, Wang Haoyu suddenly recalled the behemoth designed by the Engineers—the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Aircraft Carrier, the super battleship capable of traversing the Universe.
"Interesting, it's worth a try!"
Without hesitation, he took the Naval Base Building to Red Alert Planet, not even taking the time to meet the two Generals who were already in position, and went straight to select a small island near the sea to set up the facility.
"Ship Core Manufacturing Equipment?"
After discovering this device, Wang Haoyu immediately mobilized massive resources from Gonghui Base and continuously funneled them in. While he was investing tens of billions of resource units, the two Generals and the Aerospace Aircraft Carrier's Chief Engineering Team arrived one after another.
"Commander!"
The first to salute was a young woman dressed in a Lieutenant General's Uniform. She appeared to be in her twenties or thirties, and her calm and capable demeanor earned Wang Haoyu's silent approval—she was indeed an excellent Group Army Commander.
Chapter 36 Chapter 36 "Commander!" Following closely, the young woman in the black military uniform also saluted crisply. This twenty-something mature woman exuded the sharp aura characteristic of a special operations expert.
"Thank you for your hard work. I will need your continued assistance moving forward." Wang Haoyureplied with a smile. After all, a Lieutenant General and a Major Hero had far more experience leading troops than he did.
"Commander, when will we initiate the Spark Transformation procedure for the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Carrier?" The Chief Engineer asked Wang Haoyu, his eyes shining. Transforming such a massive Aerospace Carrier using the Spark Transformation was his most urgent desire.
"The Spark Transformation can wait," Wang Haoyu replied with a smile, his gaze falling upon the Naval Base, which was constantly consuming resources. "I've found a solution that is even more effective than the Spark Transformation!"
"Surpassing the Spark Transformation?" General Liang raised an eyebrow slightly. This General, who was responsible for commanding the Group Army, had defined the direction of development and massively expanded the troops and equipment of the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Carrier after taking over Red Alert Star's affairs.
"That's right," Wang Haoyu explained. "Once the Naval Base manufactures a Warship Core, the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Carrier will achieve a qualitative leap."
General Liang's confusion deepened: "It can cause such a massive entity to undergo a qualitative change?"
"Have you heard of Ship Spirits?" Wang Haoyu pondered briefly. "The product of the Warship Core is similar, but they can speak and laugh, possess the ability to think, and even have combat experience not inferior to ours."
General Liang recalled: "Sailors during the Age of Sail often claimed to have seen Ship Spirits. Even on modern warships, similar rumors exist, but they are all regarded as hallucinations caused by the crew's deep affection for their vessels."
"The most crucial point is that warships assimilated by them can completely bypass system compatibility issues. To put it more simply, these Ship Girls are equivalent to a higher level of existence than a Super Intelligent Joint Control System!"
"They also possess the ability to leave the ship's hull and move freely." Wang Haoyu elaborated on the operational principle of Ship Girls merging with warships in the Azure Frontline.
Essentially, the Ship Rigging Core is like the soul, and the warship is like the body. When the spirit and the flesh perfectly align, the Ship Girl can control the entire warship as easily as moving her own arm.
Under this model, auxiliary positions that originally accounted for one-third to one-half of the crew roster can be reduced to one-eighth or even one-tenth. The saved personnel slots can be used to deploy more combat units like the Marine Corps.
After listening to Wang Haoyu's explanation of the Ship Girl combat system, General Liang and the cold, glamorous woman in the black uniform finally showed expressions of realization. The Chief Engineer, however, appeared extremely excited.
"Commander, could you provide one core for scientific research and analysis?" The Chief Engineer's fervent gaze made Wang Haoyu secretly rub his forehead.
Wang Haoyu, who had played and studied the Ship Girl game, knew how precious the core was, and he muttered internally, 'You want a core? I might as well give you a sledgehammer to research!' Although he had doubts about the core's underlying principles, he didn't plan to delve into them for now.
"If you really want to conduct research, first produce the Technology Tree development plans for Gonghui Base and Shenzhou Base," Wang Haoyu refused without reservation.
When the accumulated tens of billions of resources finally met the requirements for manufacturing an Aircraft Carrier Core, Wang Haoyu immediately initiated the construction procedure. Looking at the estimated seven to eight hours of construction time, he judged internally: this production cycle meant it would be a considerably powerful Aircraft Carrier Support Ship.
He turned his attention to General Liang, the only military talent in Wang Haoyu's mind capable of commanding hundreds of thousands of troops in a Group Army, who was awaiting instructions. "General Liang, there are two important positions here that require your choice."
"The first choice is to serve as the Commander of the Quantum Infinite Power Aerospace Carrier! What you see now is only the initial model. Once the Engineers have collected sufficient real combat data, I will build an entire Universe Fleet for you."
"The second choice is to serve as the Supreme Executive Officer of Red Alert Star, managing all planetary affairs." Wang Haoyu explained the differences between the two roles in detail to General Liang. He secretly hoped General Liang could both command the Carrier and govern the Planet.
Under Wang Haoyu's operation, Red Alert Star was already covered in research facilities—Bases in the east, laboratories in the west. Fortunately, the Department of Internal Affairs established by Zhang Yaand Zhang Yu was coordinating the overall situation, but this management team was quickly reaching its limit.
Rapid expansion brought immense pressure. Wang Haoyu noticed that Zhang Ya and Zhang Yu's beautiful black hair faintly revealed receding hairlines, and from then on, he didn't dare to endlessly mass-produce troops. After all, reality was not a game; mass-producing troops also meant dealing with countless resultant problems, which gave him a huge headache.
Currently, the total population of Red Alert Star was less than a million, most of whom were ordinary soldiers who had not undergone ability modification. These soldiers also handled basic tasks.
"I choose to serve as the Carrier Commander!" General Liang said without hesitation. Being able to command interstellar combat was, in itself, a demonstration of strength.
"Effective immediately," Wang Haoyu announced the appointment. "But you will still need to assist in handling some planetary affairs." As for the unnamed Carrier, it was actually waiting for the Core Module to be completed.
After all, Wang Haoyu wasn't sure which Ship Girl the manufactured Warship Core corresponded to.
It would be awkward if he gave it a random name that the Ship Girl disliked.
"Actually, the problem the Commander is concerned about can be solved."
General Liang paused briefly and began to explain to Wang Haoyu.
"It can be solved? Are you saying we can cultivate mid-level and high-level Commanders?" Wang Haoyu had always been concerned about the inability to recruit Generals at Gonghui Base and Shenzhou Base.
When the number of soldiers was small, it was manageable, but when the scale expanded, problems became apparent.
Not just any soldier could handle regimental or divisional command.
To date, Wang Haoyu had recruited two to three hundred thousand soldiers, but only had two Brigadier Generals, Zhang Ya and Zhang Yu, a dozen or so field-grade officers, and a large number of company-grade officers.
It was easy to promote grassroots Commanders, but mid-to-high-level command talent was extremely scarce.
Even those two Brigadier Generals were only promoted through the continuous, day-and-night operation of Red Alert Star.
"The Commander only needs to order operatives to infiltrate enemy Bases and combat laboratories to steal technology."
"There is a certain chance of acquiring the special structure 'Military Academy,' which can mass-produce field-grade officers."
"To cultivate General-grade Commanders, one must collect the Main Base Vehicles of all factions. After continuous theft, one might obtain the 'General Academy.'"
General Liang explained the secret settings of these two facilities in detail.
"So that's how it is..." Wang Haoyu immediately thought of the effect in the game where stealing technology increases the soldier's level.
"Alright, we'll try that later." Wang Haoyu placed great importance on this matter.
"Therefore..." General Liang continued after a slight hesitation:
"I hope the Commander will grant me full operational autonomy!" After speaking, she saluted Wang Haoyu solemnly. This request was clearly significant.
If this were on the Blue Planet, such an action would definitely be subject to strict investigation.
But on Red Alert Star, having nearly unrestricted operational authority?
Was this even a problem for Wang Haoyu? It was no problem at all!
He held a wanted list in his hand. You want permission to start a war? I'll give it to you! Not only will I give you the authority, but also the soldiers and weapons. Train to your heart's content, and maximize that combat power!
As long as you can withstand the attack of that Purple Sweet Potato Monster later on, and even defeat him utterly—I will agree to any condition!
"Good, I approve!"
Wang Haoyu knew that his military command level was only barely passable.
He had a very clear understanding of his own role:
Quartermaster General, combined with Combat Power Ceiling.
This was Wang Haoyu's role.
"Thank you, Commander!" General Liang's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.
Nothing was more encouraging than receiving the absolute trust of a superior!
"What about you?" Wang Haoyu turned to the mature woman in black.
Unlike General Liang, the mature woman in black exuded a murderous aura, like an ice blade drawn from its sheath.
"Reporting! I have no surname, my codename is Black Lotus. I specialize in special operations, infiltration missions, assault and siege tasks, and other similar duties."
If General Liang was a commanding talent, and Tanya was a solo ace, then Black Lotus was the sharp dagger leading the charge.
"Understood. Do you want to establish a Special Forces unit, or serve aboard the Carrier alongside General Liang?" Wang Haoyu pondered briefly.
Facing such unique talent, he found it difficult to make a decision immediately. He decided to let Black Lotus choose for herself.
"I..." Black Lotus hesitated, a rare occurrence.
Space conquest fascinated her, but the opportunity to personally build a Special Operations team was equally hard to give up.
A difficult choice!
"Seeing you so conflicted, let's compromise—you will first serve as General Liang's Adjutant, and simultaneously establish the Special Forces unit while serving on the Aerospace Carrier. If the formation encounters obstacles, I will allocate existing elites for your command."
Wang Haoyu smiled as he offered the solution.
"Understood!" Black Lotus's eyes brightened, and she accepted the order crisply. Time flew by.
(At this Naval Base, the warship's core device was finally completed.
When Wang Haoyu took out the Warship Core, which was shaped like a Tesseract, a trace of emotion appeared in his eyes.
Did this small cube truly seal the soul of a warship?
Wang Haoyu pondered while simultaneously activating the activation device next to him. As the device operated, the Warship Core in his hand began to emit a dazzling blue light.
This was the Aircraft Carrier-type Core he had specifically selected! No matter how ordinary, it should at least be a somewhat famous model, right?
Just as the activation was completed, the Core suddenly burst forth with brilliant Radiance. A silver-haired girl in a white dress slowly stepped out of the light. The girl looked about seventeen or eighteen years old and radiated a gentle halo.
"Are you my Commander?"
The silver-haired girl smiled sweetly at Wang Haoyu. That smile, filled with motherly Radiance, nearly made Wang Haoyu, who typically preferred cute styles, lose his composure.
"Radiance... Madam?" Looking at the girl gracefully approaching him, Wang Haoyu almost subconsciously blurted out the title. The girl's appearance and clothing were exactly the same as the image in his memory.
Wasn't this the Illustrious-class Aircraft Carrier affectionately known as "Wifey" by players in that famous Ship Girl game?
"Commander, wouldn't calling me that count as sexual harassment?" The girl's cheeks were slightly flushed, but she looked at Wang Haoyu with a mischievous smile.
"My apologies, it's just that your image is too deeply ingrained in people's minds, Radiance," Wang Haoyu explained, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, calling someone "Wifey" immediately upon meeting them was indeed inappropriate.
"...But I don't dislike it," Radiance responded in a voice that was almost inaudible. However, what annoyed her slightly was that immediately after apologizing, Wang Haoyu introduced her to the female officer standing nearby.
"General Liang, this is your future partner—the 'Quantum Infinity' Aircraft Carrier, Radiance." "This is also the Carrier's official designation."
"Hello, Radiance. You can call me Commander Liang." Although she was somewhat puzzled by the girl's identity, General Liang still politely extended her hand.
"Illustrious-class Aircraft Carrier. A pleasure to meet you, Commander Liang." The young woman elegantly shook hands with the General.
"Let's go, first we need to initiate the Warship Fusion Procedure!" Wang Haoyu led General Liang, Radiance, and the others quickly toward the illustrious Command Center.
When Wang Haoyu installed the Core Processor into the control console, the entire Carrier seemed to be injected with life. A layer of crystalline energy film silently covered the hull's surface, and the neural network of the Quantum Power System lit up with blue light throughout the ship.
The previously somewhat rigid seams began to self-adjust, though the extent of the change was quite limited.
Chapter 37
"Commander?" Radiance, who had just completed her fusion, suddenly tilted her head. "My designation is clearly an Aircraft Carrier, but what are these three thousand giant cannons loaded onto the hull?" She pointed at the flickering data on the firepower system panel. "Not to mention the ten special warheads onboard—this completely goes against the operational logic of an aircraft carrier!"
Wang Haoyu awkwardly scratched his head: "It's a test version... these configurations are all for collecting combat data." As he spoke, he pushed the Chief Engineer next to him forward. "Let the expert explain the specific performance parameters to you."
Looking at this behemoth, which simultaneously carried gun turrets, a flight deck, and missile silos, Wang Haoyu also secretly had a headache. Theoretically, space warships should have clear classifications, but this monster, which integrated all weapons, simply defied logic.
"Comrade Radiance!" The Chief Engineer excitedly opened his holographic recorder. "Quick, tell us about your system adaptation experience!" After all, according to the design philosophy, the Ship Girlherself was the most precise combat detection instrument.
Radiance sighed while checking the data: "Controlling both artillery and carrier-based aircraft simultaneously—this design is too absurd!" The bridge immediately filled with intense technical discussions. Wang Haoyu quietly retreated to a corner, pulling out his tablet and pretending to work on files.
"Commander, where will we be conducting this live-fire exercise?" General Liang stopped Wang Haoyu, who was about to leave, and asked.
Wang Haoyu pondered for a moment before answering: "Let me think..."
At this moment, many thoughts flashed through his mind: It was too early to dispatch the 550th unit to fight space pirates and rogue factions. But when he left Asgard, he seemed to sense an undercurrent there.
Were the Dark Elves stirring?
He vaguely remembered that the Dark Elves possessed a space battleship capable of interstellar jumps... "First, to the Blue Star!" Wang Haoyu made his decision. "If we encounter a Dark Elf battleship, we will engage directly. Even if we can't get the interstellar jump technology, defeating them is equivalent to protecting the Blue Star."
More importantly, it would demonstrate their strength in front of powerful nations—while you are still playing with fire on the surface, I am already soaring through space!
"First, demonstrate our military might in Blue Star's outer space, then handle other matters." Saying this, Wang Haoyu handed the wanted list to General Liang.
"Oh, and bring a few more Base Vehicles, I have a use for them." After giving his instructions, Wang Haoyu left the Red Alert Planet, planning to establish Bases in the Antarctic or Arctic Ocean.
"Understood, Commander." General Liang acknowledged the order.
As he left, Wang Haoyu overheard Radiance arguing with the Chief Engineer:
"It would be better to dismantle all these enamel giant cannons!"
"Wouldn't it be better to have hundreds of planes in my hangar?"
"What's the point of keeping these missiles if I can't even launch them?"
Wang Haoyu quickly slipped away before a disgruntled Radiance could find him—it seemed this Quantum Carrier had been modified for nothing.
Just as he thought of the warship, Wang Haoyu's thoughts were suddenly pulled back to the Villa.
"Master, Mr. Tony is looking for you." Icarus, holding a watermelon, sat on the sofa and suddenly spoke.
"Looking for me? What could he possibly want?" Wang Haoyu looked bewildered, feeling that even rest had become a luxury.
Why are these people so idle?
He had a pile of research projects that hadn't even started yet!
The space war had greatly reduced the advantages of the biochemical system, and he was pondering how to strengthen the combat power of the Tyrants and vengeance goddesses.
Not to mention all the magic knowledge he hadn't had time to study since acquiring it.
"Got it." Wang Haoyu nodded and walked towards the next room. Icarus, holding the watermelon and wearing home clothes, followed behind.
"What happened? Did someone beat you up?" Wang Haoyu was stunned to see Tony's bruised and swollen face.
"I'm fine." Tony, still recovering from the Extremis Organization's attack, looked dejected. Although they had teamed up with Xu Mu to take down the Extremis Organization that night, the Extremis virus injected into Pepper's body could not be removed.
The most crucial point was that this time, the victim was the CEO of Stark Industries, his lover. Xu Muand the others didn't even dare to offer help with detoxification. If it were an ordinary experimental subject, it would be easier to handle, but facing Pepper, no one dared to act rashly.
"What's wrong? Did S.H.I.E.L.D. bully you? Don't worry, I'll go flatten their headquarters right now!"
Wang Haoyu rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, immediately preparing to gather people to destroy the S.H.I.E.L.D. building.
Seeing this, Tony quickly stopped him: "Wait, it's not like that, calm down!"
He desperately grabbed Wang Haoyu's arm. Tony had no doubt that this guy would actually do such a thing.
Ever since Wang Haoyu displayed his strength last time, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been like a mouse seeing a cat.
Now they basically don't come to trouble the Umbrella Group.
Even if there was something, they only sent Black Widow Natasha, Hawkeye Barton, and Stephen. Although the Avengers still existed in name, Wang Haoyu and Tony still held member statuses, and Wang Haoyu even became the Captain.
But Tony always felt that they had grown much more distant. As for Wang Haoyu? He was so busy that he was thankful the Avengers didn't bother him; he didn't have time to care about such things.
"What exactly happened?"
Wang Haoyu put on a show of watching the excitement, listening to Tony's rambling story.
Soon Tony clarified the matter: his Iron Legion had suffered heavy losses some time ago, and even worse, Pepper had been injected with the Extremis virus. Although she had temporarily resisted the viral backlash in the last battle, it was uncertain whether she could control it long-term.
"So you want me to help Pepper clear the Extremis virus? Is that what you mean?"
Before Tony could finish, Wang Haoyu directly stated his intention.
"That's right... so..."
Tony, who was always proud, rarely showed such a pleading look, staring eagerly at Wang Haoyu.
After all, this matter could truly only be resolved by Wang Haoyu.
"Alright, simple. But first, bring the stuff."
"What stuff?"
"The Extremis Organization's research data and experimental data. Without these, how can I analyze the virus and help you treat it?"
"Didn't your Minister Xu Mu take all of that? You don't know?"
"I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to pay attention to that." Wang Haoyu directly called Xu Mufrom Tony's house.
"Xu Mu, the Extremis virus project you guys cooperated on with Tony, where are the materials now?"
In front of Tony, Wang Haoyu inquired without any reservation.
"Officer, all the data is in the Umbrella Tower laboratory. Engineers have already been arranged to begin research. However, preliminary feedback indicates that the Extremis virus has significant flaws." Xu Mu understood and fully disclosed the research progress.
"Understood, I'll be right over. Have them prepare the relevant materials."
Wang Haoyu spoke briefly and then hung up the communication.
"I have good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?" Wang Haoyu looked at Tony with a mischievous smile.
"Stop teasing me, just tell me!" Tony rubbed his temples, helpless.
He really didn't understand how his once serious and steady friend could become so frivolous.
"The good news is that our department has already started research, and I can take over when I get back. The bad news is that this Extremis virus is basically a waste product; the current experimental results are very pessimistic."
"Other than being a human bomb, what else can this thing do? Enhance physique? Improve immunity?" Wang Haoyu mercilessly pointed out the virus's problems.
"Then Pepper, she..." Tony immediately became nervous.
As a biology expert, Wang Haoyu's judgment was authoritative. Thinking of the potential danger Pepper faced, Tony immediately became restless.
"Don't worry too much, it's not a big problem, just some minor issues that need to be resolved." Wang Haoyu reassured him.
Although stripping the Extremis virus from the human body presented technical difficulties, it was not unsolvable for him.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Compared to S.H.I.E.L.D. and other acquaintances, Tony trusted Wang Haoyu's professional abilities more.
"I'll go back and research the virus first and give you results as soon as possible. Remember to bring Pepper to me."
Wang Haoyu waved goodbye and left Tony's Villa directly.
As night fell, Wang Haoyu, escorted by Alice and her group, headed straight to the Umbrella Tower. The Extremis virus research plan had been put on the agenda and urgently needed to be launched... Inside the Asgardian Royal Palace, Thor was listening to an urgent report. "Your Highness, the Underground Prison has been breached!" A guard knelt on one knee, his urgent voice echoing through the hall.
Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened slightly. A prison that had never been breached for centuries, yet an incident occurred while Odin was asleep? Although he had doubts, the God of Thunder immediately rose and rushed to the Underground Prison.
At this moment, in the Queen's bedchamber, Thor's human girlfriend was being comforted by the Queen. Suddenly being drawn into another World, then being pursued by unknown forces, and finally fleeing in haste to her boyfriend's kingdom—anyone experiencing such changes would find it difficult to remain calm... In the command room of the Quantum Infinite Power Aircraft Carrier, the navigator stood at attention and reported to General Ling Liang: "Estimated arrival at Blue Star's near-Earth orbit in 24 hours." Ling Liang nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping across the holographic projection-filled console.
This experimental warship made Radiance firmly refuse to fuse with it. After intense discussions, the Engineers compromised and promised to build a dedicated Aircraft Carrier for Radiance after the war. For now, this "four-unlike" was just a temporary vessel used to collect combat data.
With Radiance's unwilling cooperation, this behemoth, combining red alert technology, was heading towards Earth with a dazzling display of maneuvering. Wang Haoyu's vague instructions only required them to arrive soon, so Ling Liang allowed the Engineers to test various unconventional flight maneuvers.
Although this trip was meant to be a deterrent, Ling Liang cautiously brought a full combat fleet... Time passed, and the Extremis virus, which once troubled Wang Haoyu, had its mysteries gradually unraveled with the help of the knowledge vault, a complete technology tree, and the incomplete void engine. But theoretical understanding and practical application still had a gap.
(
Wang Haoyu stared at the final test report for the Extremis virus, only able to headache-inducingly put this research on hold temporarily.
This virus was like duckweed, without any foundation.
Although it could bring some kind of enhancement to people, the effect was similar to a temporary stimulant.
To put it bluntly, it was a useless thing!
"Tony, bring Pepper to the Umbrella Tower."
In the evening, Wang Haoyu directly called Tony.
Upon receiving the call, Tony didn't say a word and immediately brought Pepper, whose virus was temporarily suppressed, to the Umbrella Tower.
Mary Jane, who was waiting at the entrance of the tower, quickly led the two to Wang Haoyu's laboratory.
"You finished it so quickly?"
Tony rushed to Wang Haoyu with a surprised look and asked.
How much time had passed since their last conversation?
"Is it difficult?" Wang Haoyu rolled his eyes.
It might have been tricky before, but for the current Wang Haoyu, it was a piece of cake.
Even a broken void engine was a divine artifact; how could mortal minds fathom it?
"..."
Tony was speechless.
Not difficult? What a joke!
If it were that simple, would I need to find you?
Tony complained wildly in his heart, silently swallowing the eye-roll.
"Thank you, Wang Haoyu." Pepper naturally understood her physical condition and Tony's worries.
She gave Wang Haoyu a grateful smile.
Although the treatment hadn't started yet, she trusted Wang Haoyu as much as Tony did.
"Alright, both of you lie down on the experimental table."
Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Wang Haoyu manipulated the equipment without raising his head, saying, "The less strength we reveal, the better. If we scare off Tony, this cash cow, it would be a huge loss."
Tony stood nervously to the side, while Pepper, dressed in casual clothes, calmly lay down on the examination table.
Wang Haoyu said nothing more, quickly inserting several syringes into Pepper's body. He skillfully operated the equipment in front of the instruments, then walked to Pepper's side, holding his hands suspended above her.
White mist gradually rose from Wang Haoyu's palms, quickly enveloping Pepper completely. Tony, standing nearby, couldn't see the situation inside the mist, but he noticed green liquid slowly seeping out through the tube connected to the syringe.
Watching the green liquid continuously dripping into the tube, Tony's strained nerves finally relaxed slightly. Although Wang Haoyu had promised earlier that he could cure her, Tony only truly felt relieved after witnessing the effect with his own eyes.
After about half an hour, the tube stopped dripping liquid. Wang Haoyu ceased his movements, and the white mist enveloping Pepper dissipated. Seeing the sleeping woman on the examination table, Tonylooked conflicted and hesitated to speak.
"Don't worry, she just needs rest. Clearing the Extremis virus is quite a burden on the body," Wang Haoyu said while carefully collecting the extracted virus sample. "However, I kept the virus's effect of enhancing cell vitality. She will be more energetic in the future."
"Thank you so much," Tony said sincerely.
"It was no trouble at all," Wang Haoyu said with a smile, walking towards the office and leaving the task of looking after Pepper to the assistants who had arrived.
"Oh, right," Tony suddenly called out, pulling out a document. "Are you interested in looking at this plan?"
This document was originally handed over to Stephen by Nick Fury before his disappearance, and after reviewing it, Stephen immediately decided to transfer it to Tony for handling.
In this team, besides Tony, Wang Haoyu, and Dr. Banner, the remaining members likely did not possess the strength to execute this plan.
"A proposal? What's it about?" Wang Haoyu put down his teacup, took the document with slight confusion, and read it carefully.
Moments later, he grasped the core content.
"You plan to develop a Super Artificial Intelligence Hub?" Wang Haoyu put down the peacekeeping plan document and looked at Tony with a complicated expression.
The so-called Super Artificial Intelligence Hub was just a nicer way of putting it.
If they weren't careful, this could easily evolve into another Skynet System!
The proposal clearly stated that the core key was to build a Super Artificial Intelligence Hub named "Zero." This AI would connect and control a large swarm of worker-ant-like machines.
These robots would not only provide basic public services for humanity but would also be equipped with certain combat capabilities. In times of necessity, they could assist in maintaining public order and handling emergencies.
"That's right," Tony explained. "The inspiration for this concept actually came from your Moroboshi System."
"When Stephen first handed over the proposal, I hesitated too. After all, relying solely on my personal ability, it would be difficult to complete such a massive project."
"But after thinking about your Moroboshi System, I had a new idea. Perhaps we truly can develop this Social Security Management System centered around public welfare services!"
At this point, Tony looked exceptionally excited. If this plan succeeded, it would open a brand new chapter in human industrial history.
Imagine when the number of robots reaches scale, under the scheduling of the Super AI:
- Expensive labor costs will be drastically reduced
- High-risk engineering can be completed by robots
- When the strictly enforcing mechanical collective patrols the streets, will it bring a new model to public order?
"Wait a minute—" Wang Haoyu raised a hand to his forehead.
In his impression, Tony had never been such an idealist.
He couldn't help but remind him, "Have you considered what would happen if this Super AI develops beyond expectations and leads to system failure?"
Wang Haoyu tapped the desktop lightly with his fingertip: "The popularization of robots seems to liberate productivity, but how will the ensuing wave of unemployment be resolved? Behind every rotating part is the livelihood of millions of families!"
Tony wiped the arc reactor: "History tells us that every technological revolution will ultimately create new prosperity." He suddenly pressed the holographic projection. "As for the AI rebellion you mentioned—with Dr. Banner and the Umbrella team holding the fort, are you saying we still can't control the code?"
The laboratory fell silent, with only the cooling system buzzing. Wang Haoyu suddenly slammed the proposal onto the titanium alloy desktop, the metal surface reflecting his expression of utter despair: "Do whatever you want!"
Tony's lips curled into a victorious arc. This weapons merchant, who usually solved problems with violence, uncharacteristically pulled out a checkbook: "So, the location for the experimental Base? Let's be clear first—" He suddenly pressed his pen against Wang Haoyu's chest. "Don't even think about touching Stark Industries' budget."
Wang Haoyu glanced at the flashing indicator lights of the Quantum Computer Cluster. He thought of the row of Terminator Blu-rays in his display cabinet, and suddenly grabbed Tony's custom suit: "If we're going to do this, let's go all out. But I want all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s research data." The holographic screen cast a cold blue light into his eyes. "The production line at Red Alert Base can churn out an entire robot army for you in a day."
Tony neatly spread out a map, pointing to a remote town: "This project is funded by government appropriation, and this is our first pilot site." This inconspicuous small town was only a hundred kilometers from the City of Deliberation, yet it looked exceptionally run-down.
Wang Haoyu scoffed: "Trying to boost the local economy with this proposal?" Despite his words, he readily agreed. Tony immediately beamed, extending his wrinkled hand: "Happy to cooperate! As long as we join forces, this is sure to succeed."
"Just make sure it doesn't turn into a catastrophe," Wang Haoyu muttered, high-fiving him.
— — — — — —
The alarm suddenly blared aboard the Galaxy Battleship. General Ling Liang received an urgent report: "Unidentified Universe battleship detected!" The crew immediately entered battle readiness. The Adjutant quickly retrieved the database: "Confirmed to be the armed forces of the Kree Empire!" Ling Liang stared at the enemy identification on the screen, her brow furrowed tightly.
The Kree Empire was described on the wanted list as a highly aggressive power.
Why would their battleship appear here?
"General, how should we respond?" Inside the Command Center, Ling Liang's expression was grave. Starting a war rashly was unwise, but she urgently wanted to figure out the enemy's intentions.
"Perhaps our movements were exposed long ago, and they tracked us all the way here," Radiance, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly looked up and said.
"Exposed?" The Chief Engineer next to her immediately changed color. This meant that the method of space combat was completely different—improvements must be started immediately. He quickly pondered the battleship upgrade plan.
"Are they specifically targeting us, or is it..." Ling Liang's brow furrowed even tighter. If it was the former, a fierce battle was inevitable; if it was the latter, they must resolve the crisis as quickly as possible. The current Red Alert Planet was still incapable of confronting the Kree Empire head-on.
"We can't be sure, but both are possible." Radiance looked through the thick viewport, staring intently at the enemy ship, which was as tiny as a speck of dust.
"All forces, stand by! This location is too close to the Command Center. I need to first request instructions from the Commander." "Yes, General Liang!" The Female Soldiers answered in unison.
In an instant, the Transformers and the Elite Cavalry Legion were all in position. On this Mothership, which resembled a steel behemoth, three thousand enamel giant cannons slowly revealed their fangs.
Although fighting an entire empire was beyond their means, Radiance was absolutely confident in crushing a mere Soulless Battleship—especially one equipped with the Invader Legion, capable of space combat, and numerous Auxiliary Units.
Wang Haoyu, who had returned to the Villa, looked completely stunned: Kreegen? Who are they? Are they trying to steal Thanos's spotlight?
When he couldn't make up his mind, he consulted an expert!
Wang Haoyu immediately activated his Sling Ring to teleport to Kamar-Taj.
This ancient Sacred Place of Cultivation was still vast and desolate, appearing exceptionally quiet. Indeed, Kamar-Taj did not have many permanent residents these days.
"Mr. Wang, the Sorcerer has been waiting for you," Mordo, his old friend, slowly walked out from the Side Hall. Seeing Wang Haoyu accompanied by Icarus and several other female companions, he proactively led the way.
"Thank you for your trouble." Wang Haoyu gave a simple nod, leading Icarus and the others toward the Sorcerer Supreme's residence.
"You've arrived? Please sit." The Sorcerer Ancient One, who was enjoying tea, put down her teacup and gestured for the guests to take the nearby seats.
"I'm afraid now isn't the time for tea, is it?" Although he admired the Sorcerer's composure, Wang Haoyu couldn't help but prompt her. However, seeing her so calm, he felt reassured and sat down—if the expert wasn't worried, why should he be?
"Did you make this special trip to consult White Magic Texts?" The Sorcerer Ancient One looked at the slightly confused Wang Haoyu.
"If it were only to consult magic, why would I visit so late at night?" Wang Haoyu couldn't help but ask back. "Then what trouble have you encountered?"
"Do you know about the Kree Empire?" Wang Haoyu's eyebrows twitched slightly as he laid out the latest intelligence: "This Interstellar Empire, notorious throughout the Universe, is said to be extremely unpopular."
As one of Earth's few top powerhouses, the Sorcerer Ancient One rarely left the Blue Planet, but she was intimately familiar with the situation in the Universe.
"Their fleet has arrived in the Solar System. According to the intelligence I received, they are expected to reach Earth's Near-Earth Orbit in three hours. However, their specific intentions are still unclear." Saying this, Wang Haoyu looked directly at the Sorcerer, waiting for an answer.
The Sorcerer Ancient One frowned slightly upon hearing this: "It is likely related to the Space Stone you possess. As far as I know, the Kree have colluded with Thanos, and this Advance Fleet is likely here to test the waters."
Currently, Odin is in a state of slumber and cannot dispatch troops to support Earth. And I must remain on Earth and cannot leave. Saying this, Master Ancient One showed a helpless smile.
Although she is powerful, she has been constantly fighting against Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension, for many years. If she were to make the slightest mistake, the other side would seize the opportunity to invade Earth.
Although Earth is not a paradise in Dormammu's eyes, it remains an existence he constantly covets.
"This really is trouble!" Hearing Ancient One's explanation, Wang Haoyu couldn't help but click his tongue. He didn't expect to eventually be targeted by that Purple Sweet Potato Spirit!
"Leave it to me. Since you must guard Earth, then continue to stay put." "It's a good chance to see the strength of their advance forces."
Wang Haoyu decisively accepted the mission. Since Thanos was already thinking about him, he might as well play along with them.
If I don't show them a bit of color, they might really think I'm easy to bully, right?
"Then I'll leave it to you." Ancient One remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic. It was merely a fleet. Even if the Kree deployed their entire force, she, Ancient One, had nothing to fear!
In front of a true powerhouse, a disorganized rabble will always be a disorganized rabble.
"I'll go resolve these troublesome matters first; we can discuss White Magic another day." "It's truly baffling. The Space Stone is clearly right here on Earth, yet they insist on provoking me!"
Wang Haoyu complained while leading Icarus and the others back to the Villa. They were going to be busy next.
"General Ling, what is your current location?" After returning to the Villa, Wang Haoyu immediately contacted Ling Liang, who was aboard the Experimental Ship, using the Interstellar Communication Device forged by merging Super Divine Technology and magic.
This battleship, which Radiance despised, could now only be used as an Experimental Ship.
"Commander, we are currently near the Moon. Radiance attempted to establish communication with the enemy multiple times, but was rejected each time." "We estimate entering the engagement range in two hours."
Although she did not want to start a war, General Ling Liang was never afraid of a fight. Shenzhou Base and Gonghui Base are never afraid of a fight!
Chapter 39 Chapter 39
"Understood! You all prepare for battle, I'll provide support shortly!"
Wang Haoyu hung up the communicator and immediately issued an order to red queen: "Contact those major powers."
A glint flashed in his eyes; he decided to seize this opportunity to extort them. When else would be a better time to fleece them?
As soon as the communication connected, the other party eagerly asked, "Is that warship on the moon yours?"
The representatives of these major powers spoke with trembling voices. A space warship thousands of meters long completely exceeded the technological level of surface civilizations. Before interstellar power, ground forces were simply vulnerable.
"The warship is indeed mine." Wang Haoyu's tone shifted. "But the key point is that a Kree Empirecruiser will attack in three hours. This group of Space Pirates has coveted Earth for over a thousand years, and this time they've come to harvest—though I'm not sure what exactly they want."
He fabricated the lie on the spot. Anyway, Earthlings couldn't verify cosmic-level intelligence, so the story was entirely up to him to invent.
"Mr. Wang, what do you need us to do?"
These representatives of major powers were all intelligent people and immediately understood the implied meaning. Faced with an interstellar threat, Wang Haoyu could simply leave, but they had nowhere to retreat.
"It's great to talk to smart people!"
Wang Haoyu immediately listed the inventory of materials he had long planned for. Some rare interstellar elements were difficult for him to obtain on Earth, and now was the best time to extort them.
"Deal! The items will be sent to Umbrella. But there's a condition—you must block the Kree warship outside Earth's atmosphere!"
The representatives of several major powers agreed to Wang Haoyu's terms with grim faces.
"Great! I love doing business with straightforward people! Those tin cans are all yours."
Wang Haoyu smiled and cut off the communication. The Kree were coming for him anyway, and this move of diverting trouble not only shifted the conflict but also extracted many benefits from the pockets of the great powers. Even if he wanted to curb Thanos's arrogance, he wouldn't do a losing business.
Protect Earth? Pay the protection fee first!
He tapped his finger, connecting to the full Avengers channel: "Everyone, interested in fighting an interstellar war?"
The channel immediately erupted.
"You're starting an interstellar war?" Tony's sharp tongue was never absent.
"Who's the opponent?" Banner pushed up his glasses and put down a test tube.
"Reason?" Natasha's nail polish brush paused mid-air.
"???" Hawkeye's question marks almost materialized on the communication screen.
"Basis for war?" Captain America frowned and pressed his earphone.
Wang Haoyu shrugged: "A group of Space Pirates has been eyeing Earth for hundreds of years, and now they're coming with a warship to harvest."
"Need Iron Legion support." Tony slammed down his coffee cup.
"I'll be there after dealing with these HYDRA agents." Hawkeye shot an arrow through an armored vehicle.
"Arriving in three minutes." Natasha kicked off her high heels and rushed to the hangar.
"Departing immediately." Captain America's motorcycle left a blur at the street corner.
"On my way!" Dr. Banner, inside the Umbrella Tower, ripped off his white coat.
The fight to protect Earth was an undeniable responsibility!
For these Avengers members, no matter what they were busy with—
Nothing was more important than this.
"Alright, I'm waiting for you all!"
Watching the people he had persuaded, Wang Haoyu's mouth curved into a cunning smile.
Whether they would participate in the battle was still up in the air.
After all, what was about to unfold was a duel between cosmic warships and a contest between different types of troops.
If he really waited for them to join, it would probably be after Wang Haoyu brought the battlefield to the ground.
However, bringing these people along naturally made sense. As Thanos's old adversaries, how could they not be used as bait to attract firepower?
He absolutely had to send this group of Avengers right under Thanos's nose!
It was better for Thanos to focus on them than on himself, right?
"Wait... seems like I missed two?" Wang Haoyu suddenly remembered Quicksilver and Scarlet WitchWanda, who were slacking off next door.
This Wanda was a formidable character who almost single-handedly killed Thanos.
Impressive, truly impressive!
"General Liang, send a landing craft to pick them up!"
Wang Haoyu then connected to Ling Liang's communication channel.
"Understood, Commander. Landing in half an hour!"
Ling Liang immediately ordered the Radiance to launch a landing craft.
A landing craft barely a hundred meters long looked like an ant on an elephant's back compared to the thousands-of-meters-long giant ship.
But for the major powers busy mobilizing satellites to monitor space, this was already a blatant deterrent!
Fortunately, the Radiance had all its cannons aimed at the incoming Kree warship.
Otherwise, these major powers would probably be too scared to sleep.
The landing craft successfully landed on Earth without any interception. All parties knew that this vessel was connected to Wang Haoyu.
And the Avengers, eager to protect Earth, moved with astonishing speed.
In less than half an hour, the heroes, each displaying their unique abilities, had all gathered near Wang Haoyu's Villa.
Various exaggerated entrance methods appeared one after another. Some sped in on motorcycles, some drove speedboats through the waves, and others appeared directly through special means. Most astonishingly, Captain America Steve even parachuted from high altitude.
Facing the arrival of these people, Wang Haoyu could only secretly grumble to himself.
These guys are truly... unbelievable!
"By the way, where are we fighting?" Tony, wearing his latest Mark V battle armor, hovered in the air and asked.
Behind him, hundreds of Iron Man suits were neatly arrayed. For Tony, these battle armors could finally be put to use. The Extremis Organization a few days ago was simply a disgrace to his Iron Legion.
"Is that it?" Hawkeye Barton, with his exceptional eyesight, aimed at a landing craft flying in the sky, an arrow already nocked.
As soon as Wang Haoyu said yes, he would immediately fire the arrow.
"That's my landing craft. The battle location this time is in Blue Star's outer space, not here!"
Wang Haoyu helplessly slapped Barton's head. Couldn't he see the obvious Umbrella logo?
"Fighting in space? This is troublesome..."
Hearing that they would be fighting in space, everyone present frowned. After all, no one possessed the ability for space combat.
"Get on board first!" Wang Haoyu looked at the warship, which had activated its optical camouflage and was hovering on the sea surface, and led Icarus and the others to board the ship first.
For Wang Haoyu, a mere Kree Empire cruiser was not worth making a big fuss over. What was truly important was the attention of Thanos behind this ship.
As long as he could draw Thanos's attention to these Avengers members, letting the timeline return to normal, Wang Haoyu was confident that given enough time, he could defeat Thanos.
"Board the ship first." The Avengers members exchanged glances, then, along with the Wanda siblings, entered the landing craft. Tony's hundreds of Iron Legion suits followed closely behind.
Inside the landing craft, there were Customized Female Soldiers coming and going. Besides the marines and some Transformers members, other positions were basically filled by these Female Soldiers.
"Is this your warship? I'd believe it if you said this was your harem." Someone couldn't help but complain.
Tony muttered with a hint of envy, "I've truly never seen a sight like this before."
The landing craft was of moderate size.
Dozens of Asian Female Soldiers, dressed in summer uniforms, moved through the command bridge, drawing frequent glances from everyone.
Natasha scanned the Female Soldiers in the cabin, a hint of sourness rising in her heart:
With so many girls, she wouldn't believe it if Wang Haoyu hadn't used his authority to do something.
Wanda, another female member of the team, felt confused:
These Female Soldiers gave her a strange sense of harmony. But she couldn't help but wonder if her superior liked men.
Wanda was confident in her beauty; countless girls in the Umbrella Tower wanted to get into Wang Haoyu's bed.
But this boss always avoided them, which was truly peculiar.
She secretly prayed: God bless, please don't let my boss really be a pervert, otherwise my brother will be in danger.
"Nonsense! Do you think everyone is like you?"
Wang Haoyu glared at Tony, annoyed.
If he knew Natasha and Wanda's thoughts,
Wang Haoyu would probably flip the table—and throw Wanda out.
Aren't young girls fragrant? Aren't lolis cute?
How could anyone think that of me?
After some questioning, everyone finally understood the details of the operation.
But when they saw the test unit with their own eyes,
Everyone held their breath.
"Is this your trump card?"
After boarding the test unit, Tony asked seriously.
"Just a test product, not a trump card."
Wang Haoyu, standing on a hoverboard, shrugged,
And slid towards the command bridge with everyone.
In the warship's control room, Tony pointed downwards and asked with a worried tone, "Test product? Are you really not worried?"
Wang Haoyu waved his hand, his expression relaxed: "Don't worry, they're very clever. I brought you here this time to let you see my achievements firsthand."
"As for why the warship is parked here, it's simple—they pay, I'm responsible for protecting Blue Star."
Tony's hint was casually dismissed by Wang Haoyu, like an emperor unconcerned while his eunuch frets.
"So we're here as spectators?" Tony fumed, clenching his fists, but had to admit he couldn't beat the guy in front of him.
Wang Haoyu shrugged: "Pretty much. Your combat power is limited to the surface; space combat is not like ground combat."
"Although I don't know much about space combat, I have a professional team." Saying this, he easily jumped off the hoverboard.
Stephen suddenly lowered his voice and whispered to Barton beside him: "Did you notice? The entire warship is full of East Asian faces."
Barton looked around. It was true; he hadn't seen a single Westerner or Black person, but he chose to remain silent.
Even if he was seen through, it didn't matter—the soldiers cultivated by Red Alert Planet's Co-Brilliance Base and Shenzhou Base were predominantly East Asian, and explaining it would be too troublesome.
"Commander!" Ling Liang looked up with a slight surprise, but quickly regained her composure.
Looking at the Kree Empire warship opposite, Wang Haoyu looked up and asked.
The information attached to the wanted poster allowed him to immediately recognize that this cosmic warship was a cruiser-class vessel.
Seeing the cruiser's design, Wang Haoyu was even more convinced—a warship should look like a warship!
Damn it, it was all those sci-fi movies' fault.
There were all sorts of strangely shaped cosmic warships: crescent-shaped, asteroid-shaped, saucer-shaped, and even hat-shaped!
Ultimately, the most common was this conventional hull design.
"I sent ten communication requests, and the other party didn't respond to a single one."
Radiance, serving as both adjutant and captain of the test unit, stood beside Ling Liang and said helplessly.
This attitude, not even the Deep Sea Fleet was this arrogant, right?
"Then prepare to open fire! Get all departments into combat readiness, and start fighting directly!" Wang Haoyu narrowed his eyes.
He knew exactly what the other side was planning—they had no intention of negotiating, they just wanted to launch a surprise attack.
After all, these guys' target was the Space Stone in Wang Haoyu's hands.
Thinking of this, Wang Haoyu got a headache.
The difficulty of parsing the Space Stone was ridiculously high; even the void engine crashed when attempting to parse it.
Because of this, Wang Haoyu could only initially use some of the Space Stone's functions to this day.
"We're going to war already?"
Seeing Wang Haoyu's decisiveness, Stephen couldn't help but interject.
"What else? Wait for it to blast the Planet beneath our feet before counterattacking? What are you thinking?"
"Besides, I promised that the war wouldn't affect this place, and I will definitely make it happen!"
Wang Haoyu rolled his eyes, glaring at Stephen with a look that made Stephen shrink his neck back.