Outside Blue Star, in the Deep Space Star Sea.

Here lie countless shattered celestial bodies, dim and lifeless, floating in the star sea like vast expanses of space debris.

Only two intact celestial bodies remain,

each emanating their unique halos.

One, slightly larger, with a pale blue halo is Blue Star, while the other, emitting a cold white halo and slightly smaller, is the Moon.

Now, a massive Space Fortress floats between Blue Star and the Moon.

Surrounding it, planetary bases stand as sentinels.

Starships continuously shuttle among them, gathering near Blue Star.

These starships are densely packed, nearly filling the entire field of view.

The types of starships are even more varied, including primarily defensive motherships, small and swift supply transport ships, and Star Destroyers loaded with high-energy weaponry and ammunition.

There are even many ships of varying types, whose purposes are unclear from their appearance, floating in the Endless Star Sea.

At the center of the Space Fortress is a super-large strategic command room.

This command room is built at the top of the Space Fortress, with special transparent curved glass, allowing for a 360-degree unobstructed view of the entire space.

A man in black, wearing a metal mask, is watching the assembled starship group outside the command room.

In the vast command room, he is the only one there, making it seem incredibly spacious and so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

"Any new movements from Shang Jianyue lately?" A middle-aged man’s voice resonated from within the mask.

"He visited Great Xia and made contact with Han Zhan." A virtual human face formed on the window directly opposite him.

It was unmistakably the Celestial Net entity of the Can Shang Company!

"Is the information reliable?"

"You should know that in the virtual realm, nothing can escape my perception," answered Celestial Net.

Great Xia. Whispering this name internally, the real captain of Can Shang Company, through the gaze behind the mask, showed a noticeable chill.

Truly an unkillable cockroach.

They once joined forces with the other three major powers, even collaborating with the Crimson Insect Race to launch an assassin attack on Great Xia.

And indeed, they had achieved some results.

The first of Great Xia, the Tier Nine Ultimate Powerhouse, Li Shutong, perished in this siege.

The territory of Great Xia shrank by three-quarters, leaving only North County.

Energy Bricks and Awakening Stones were both being tactically withheld by the major powers.

Everything was moving towards the extinction of Great Xia.

When did it begin that Great Xia, like a spark, began to revive from ashes?

"Great Xia is unlikely to join the war."

"Shang Jianyue is attempting to add variability, to obscure and mislead."

For tech civilizations like Can Shang Company and Titan City, as Shang Jianyue said earlier, the battle of Intelligent Mechanical Life often ends up as monotonous numerical confrontations.

Therefore, to ensure victory, one must increase variability for oneself.

"Great Xia just had a major war with the Imperial," he continued analyzing, "Although I wasn’t on the battlefield, I sensed a large amount of Tier Nine Ultimate-level Spiritual Power fluctuations."

"The injuries from battles between Tier Nines aren’t easily healed unless there are Level Nine healing artifacts or medicines."

"So, in my view, Shang Jianyue’s visit to discuss cooperation with Great Xia is likely to be unsuccessful."

Great Xia couldn’t possibly dispatch troops.

If troops were sent, it would only be limited reinforcements, with limited variability.

"Any other information?"

"No, after all, Shang Jianyue is my creator. In terms of preventing Celestial Net infiltration, he’s done an excellent job."

Replied the Celestial Net entity.

"How’s the situation on the Moon?" he switched the inquiry.

"The ’waking-up’ project is fully prepared and is expected to be completed in twenty days."

"Still needs twenty days?" From his tone, a hint of dissatisfaction with this timeframe could be discerned.

"This is already the fastest progress possible," continued the Celestial Net entity, "If it were according to the previous schedule, it would take at least three more months."

According to the original plan, the Moon was to wait until the Prism Platform was assembled for a synchronized awakening.

But nobody anticipated that the situation on Blue Star would drastically change in just a few months, seriously spiraling out of control, which was not favorable for Can Shang Company.

If they waited until Great Xia ’digests’ the benefits gained from the Imperial and joins forces with Shang Jianyue, the consequences are hard to predict.

Thus, Can Shang Company temporarily abandoned the assembly of the Prism Platform and allocated all resources, fully preparing the materials needed for awakening.

Thus the benefits and drawbacks became particularly clear.

The benefit is that the awakening plan was significantly advanced, greatly increasing the variability on Can Shang Company’s side.

The drawback is that due to the lack of support from the Prism Platform, the post-awakening effects would significantly be reduced.

This is a race against time.

Whoever outruns time will achieve ultimate victory!

...

"Our time is running short," Shang Jianyue said calmly.

Currently, within the core region of Titan City, there was a scene bustling with activity.

Countless armament factories stood, constantly creating numerous Intelligent Mechanical Life forms, shining bright silver under the light, resembling a rippling endless sea of silver!

"Are you referring to the full attack on Can Shang Company in half a month?"

Standing beside him, Han Zhan joined the conversation, somewhat puzzled.

"Not half a month, five days," Shang Jianyue held up his right hand, palm open, indicating a number. "In five days, Titan City will launch a full attack on Can Shang Company."

"Why has the timeline moved up?" Han Zhan was greatly surprised.

"The value of speed in warfare. In fifteen days, both we and Can Shang Company would be making preparations; the longer the preparation, the greater the variability."

As Shang Jianyue walked up to Han Zhan, he continued speaking. "But now, our preparations are evidently more complete; the sooner we start the war, the more advantageous it will be for us."

Han Zhan didn’t know how Shang Jianyue’s "more complete" preparations were manifested.

However, as an external supporter of Great Xia, he knew it wasn’t his place to interfere.

Looking around, he didn’t see Judith’s figure.

He wondered if my ruthless rejection had hurt her. Thinking of this, Han Zhan couldn’t help but ask, "Judith, is she okay?"

Han Zhan’s words slightly paused Shang Jianyue’s otherwise smooth actions.

After a moment, he responded, "She’s fine."

Han Zhan felt, perhaps an illusion, that when Shang Jianyue said these three words, his voice seemed a bit more subdued.

In the next second, Shang Jianyue suddenly gripped the silver cane propped on the ground and strode off in the direction he had come from.

Leaving Han Zhan standing there somewhat bewildered.

"Hey? Where are you going? Why leave so suddenly?"

Shang Jianyue’s voice echoed in the air, "Going to reformat the brain a bit more."