Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!-Chapter 968 - 677: Bug Race Progression (2)
A chance to possibly persuade Bai E.
He understands better than anyone the severe test the Alliance is currently facing.
The Bug Race fleet that crushed the joint fleet did not remain in place.
And it's far more than what most Alliance member states understand—
They are not just a threat, but in a surprise action that caught everyone off guard, they brazenly devoured a colonial planet at the edge of an Alliance member state!
Billions of people, countless basic infrastructures, the efforts of several generations, turned into cosmic dust in just a few days.
The news has been temporarily suppressed by the top levels of the Alliance, not fully disclosed to avoid triggering panic and chaos throughout the Stellar District.
But all senior officials who know the inside story are already anxious.
Panic spreads like a plague in the shadow of the highest council.
Those council members who still held some illusion about the "Divine Fragment" weapon development have had their confidence shattered by the cruel reality—
Development is far off, and the Bug Race has already violently embedded its bloody fangs into human territory.
The representative of the member state whose colony star was devoured almost wanted to overturn the table at the informal closed-door meeting, were it not for several lead council members suppressing him with the promise that the Alliance would definitely provide an explanation and organize a larger-scale counterattack to keep the news from leaking out.
The situation is dire to the extreme.
The threat of the Bug Race is no longer just the cold numbers of casualties on a report but a butcher's knife hovering over every member state's head, ready to fall at any moment.
Under such enormous pressure, the Alliance must re-examine all possible response plans.
The name "Bai E," the only expert who successfully executed a decapitation operation inside the Bug Race fleet and was strongly emphasized in Xing Zhuo's report, was once again brought to the forefront.
Despite the fact that within the Alliance, especially the three giants and many proud officers, there is not much hope placed on this, thinking it absurd to rely on an individual, but in a dead-end situation, any straw might be grasped.
Xing Zhuo knows this is his opportunity and also a task he must complete.
He knows more clearly that once Bai E indeed achieves success in the fight against the Bug Race, even partial success, his prestige within the Alliance will be unmatched.
By then, even if the three giants want to suppress and block him like before, those Alliance member states overshadowed by the Bug Race, fearing their land might be next, will unite to push Bai E to a high position in exchange for his protection.
Bai E and the Bauhinia Republic will truly gain unstoppable development space.
With this complex and urgent mood, Xing Zhuo's spacecraft quietly arrived at the outskirts of Mine Star.
He avoided the tightest surveillance areas of the Huowali Fleet and sent a landing request through a pre-established secret communication channel with Bai E.
Mine Star Command Center.
"Xing Zhuo requests landing." Catherine looked at the communication, her expression subtle, "He's coming at this time..."
"Let him come down," Bai E said calmly.
He vaguely guessed Xing Zhuo's intentions.
Soon, Xing Zhuo's shuttle landed on a hastily built simple landing platform in the mining area.
Compared to the once spirited Xing Zhuo at the Thousand Stars Commerce Alliance port, he now seemed weathered, with anxiety and fatigue lurking deep in his eyes.
But in front of Bai E, that seriousness and earnestness were more evident than ever before.
Without pleasantries, Xing Zhuo didn't even acknowledge Catherine and Victor, who were watching him cautiously, and said directly to Bai E: "We need to talk alone, the situation... is very serious."
In a room temporarily cleared out, only Bai E and Xing Zhuo were present.
"Huowali's people are surrounding you, but I know they don't dare to really move, at least not now," Xing Zhuo said directly, his voice heavy, "because they themselves aren't clean, and moreover... the Alliance is too occupied to care about such 'small matters' now."
He looked at Bai E, his gaze sharp and weighted: "The Bug Race fleet made a move, they've devoured an edge colony star of the 'Lorraine Unity,' billions of people, gone. The news is suppressed, but those who should know, know. The parliament is a mess now, with fear more than anger. The weapon development of the 'Divine Fragment'... slow progress, unreliable."
"So they thought of me again?" Bai E's tone was flat, revealing no emotion.
"I thought of you, and reality forced them to consider all possibilities."
Xing Zhuo didn't deny, he leaned slightly forward, his tone carrying unprecedented earnestness, even a trace of pleading, "Mr. Bai Er, I know you're committed to rebuilding the Bauhinia and have your plans, refusing to be controlled by others. But the current situation... is different now. The threat of the Bug Race is tangible and destructive, they won't stop. If they continue devouring human planets, it's not just the Bauhinia, the entire Alliance, even human civilization in this Stellar District may face an existential crisis!"
"I refused you last time, and as a result, your joint fleet was defeated," Bai E reminded.
"Exactly because of that!" Xing Zhuo's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed pain and defeat, "We were wrong! Terribly wrong! Those officers, those council members, they are still living in the arrogance of the past, thinking that large ships and cannons can solve everything! But the Bug Race... they are a different level of threat. We need different thinking, need people who understand them, need... you."
He took a deep breath, almost exerting all his strength to say, "I represent... at least represent those in the Alliance who realize the seriousness of the problem, officially requesting you to act. Not recruitment, not employment, it's cooperation, it's asking you to fight for humanity's living space. As long as you're willing, I can go persuade the parliament, mobilize all resources to support you, provide fleets, intelligence, logistics for your battle with the Bug Race... even if it's just as a platform."
"What's the condition?" Bai E asked.
"There are no rigid conditions." Xing Zhuo shook his head, "Or rather, the condition is—please fight against the Bug Race. As for what degree you can achieve, the Alliance will give corresponding rewards. If you can achieve results again... your prestige will be unmatched, the support you wish for the Bauhinia's recovery will be unimaginable. Those countries threatened by the Bug Race will see you as hope, they will become your natural allies, by then, even the three of our giants... won't be able to suppress you."
This is the greatest sincerity Xing Zhuo gives, and also the most unvarnished analysis based on reality.
He no longer mentions recruitment and conditions but lays out the tremendous political capital Bai E might gain—
Returning as a savior, he will gain support from those countries in fear, which will be a more solid foundation than any promise from the giants.
Bai E was silent for a moment. The news Xing Zhuo brought confirmed some of his suspicions, the threat of the Bug Race is escalating, and his identity as the "Insect Race Killer" is destined not to remain uninvolved.
More importantly, the prospect depicted by Xing Zhuo... indeed offered him a shortcut to rapidly develop and break the current impasse.
Gaining support from many Alliance member states, even just moral and support, can greatly alleviate the external pressure on Bauhinia's rebuilding.
"Huowali's fleet is still surrounding outside," Bai E said.
"I'll go talk to them," Xing Zhuo immediately said, "Give me authorization, I'll see their commander. Huowali domestically is also in chaos now, the Bug Race's movements have frightened them, this fleet might soon be redeployed. I'll apply pressure, make them lift the blockade, at least not act rashly."
"Can you do that?"
"We'll see. As the chief of the Thousand Stars Commerce Alliance, and... as an envoy from the Alliance." A gleam flashed in Xing Zhuo's eyes, "Their actions this time aren't compliant, now the Bug Race's threat is looming, any internal conflict is foolish. I can use this to pressure them."
"Alright." Bai E nodded, "Go talk. But I want to make something clear: I'm going to deal with the Bug Race not for the Alliance, not for anyone. I'm just going to... kill them."
