Chapter 17: The Forbidden Species

Odinxis sat alone, simmering in his frustration.

Suddenly, a letter materialized on the screen, drawing his attention.

A quick glance at the sender’s name sent a jolt through him. It was the designation of the very space army he had dispatched.

The fact that they hadn’t replied directly, opting instead for this highly confidential method of communication, immediately filled Odinxis with a sense of foreboding.

He clicked open the letter, only to find its contents utterly blank.

Yet, in that void, he understood everything.

He rose from his seat without a moment’s hesitation, Filis moving to follow him.

Leaving the office behind, he swiftly headed towards another department, clearly marked as the military command center.

“Sir!”

The two guards at the entrance immediately snapped to attention and saluted when they saw Odinxis. He paid them no mind, however, simply waving a hand to signal them to open the door.

As the massive doors swung open, the interior of the military command center was revealed before Odinxis. At its heart was an enormous nebula simulator.

Within this simulated nebula, over half of the star systems belonged to the WER Alliance. While seemingly vast at first glance, its sheer size was incomparable to the Empire, which boasted more than a dozen large nebulae.

What’s more, dozens of other nebulae, great and small, were subservient to the galactic empire. Their own half-nebula was simply overlooked by the Empire due to its scarcity of resources and remote location.

The Alliance’s formation was solely prompted by relentless pirate attacks, which had plagued the leaders of various star systems. Under the subtle influence of certain individuals, this alliance gradually took shape, growing to its current formidable scale.

Having accumulated the technological might of half a nebula, coupled with occasional trade and technology exchanges with the Empire and its vassal states, the Alliance’s overall strength, though not exceptionally high, was more than sufficient to suppress the cosmic pirates.

It could be said that the space pirates were the catalyst for the entire Alliance’s formation. Now, with the pirates gradually receding and their powerful army losing its primary objective, Odinxis, too, found himself temporarily without a clear goal.

Though the sudden appearance of the Zerg instilled a profound dread within him, he also felt a slight thrill of anticipation, holding a certain degree of power in his hands.

This was an absolutely forbidden species, one that had no known specimens even in textbooks. If he could capture just one—no, it didn’t even have to be alive; a corpse would suffice—he could witness its true glory up close.

Odinxis felt a rush of excitement, perhaps a little too much. Fortunately, his aide, who was also his classmate, immediately clapped him on the shoulder, bringing him back to his senses.

Odinxis offered him a reassuring smile, then clapped his hands together.

The crisp sound of his applause cut through the hum of machinery and the quiet murmur of work. Everyone stopped what they were doing, turning their attention to their leader.

“I recently dispatched a fleet to a distant star system to investigate the cause of my child’s death. I admit, this action was driven by my personal motivations.”

Odinxis’s voice echoed through the space, met with utter silence. For Odinxis, as the supreme leader, to privately deploy a fleet for personal vengeance would likely incur severe penalties within the Empire.

However, this was the Alliance, not the Empire. No regulation within the Alliance prohibited a leader from privately deploying a fleet for personal matters—a loophole intentionally preserved by the Alliance’s founders.

“However, what transpired in that remote star system is likely unknown to you all. Filis, please display the video for them.”

“Yes.”

Filis nodded and moved to a nearby control console, pressing the chip embedded in his fingerprint against the reader. With a faint laser scan, the central nebula projection was replaced by a three-dimensional video display.

Everyone watched as a human figure, composed of blue light, battled an unknown monster. Even after its head was destroyed, the creature resiliently tore apart the human body before regenerating its own head.

A wave of murmuring swept through the room as everyone began to whisper amongst themselves.

Odinxis observed their reactions with satisfaction, then waved his hand, signaling Filis to release all other related data. Filis nodded, inputting all the previously received information in a single burst.

Images of massive insects and dense swarms filled the display. Thanks to the central device’s automatic stereoscopic function, the monster in the pictures appeared as if truly present before them. The central intelligent system even thoughtfully displayed a planet next to the massive insect for scale.

“Oh my god…!”

If their initial reaction had merely been curiosity about this cosmic lifeform, it was now replaced by sheer terror.

“Could this be the Zerg, long thought extinct?!”

“Indeed, sir. I am proud of your profound knowledge. Only those in the field of cosmic biology would recognize this damned creature; those accursed fantasy novels have distorted the Zerg’s true form beyond recognition.”

“Sir, isn’t that beside the point?! The Zerg are an absolute forbidden cosmic species, guaranteed to bring death and disaster wherever they appear. We should immediately inform the Empire and request support!”

“No! We will handle this ourselves. After countless eons of development, I believe our technological might far surpasses these bumpkins who only know how to bully the technologically backward inhabitants of remote regions…”

“But your dispatched fleet has not returned, nor have they sent any message?”

“The fleet I sent was not our main force; they were merely escort vessels! If they were unlucky enough to warp directly beside that monster, then yes, they might have been instantly annihilated. But most importantly, we haven’t even used our decisive weapon yet, have we? Don’t any of you wish to witness her power?”

Upon hearing Odinxis’s words, everyone paused, then their eyes lit up with a sudden realization.

“No! I object! Even after countless eons of development, the Zerg of old were only repelled when all intelligent life in the universe united their strength! We must approach this matter with caution!”

Odinxis frowned, gazing at the old man who had risen to voice his opposition. This fellow, a former cosmic historian, was known for his rigid demeanor.

“Very well, then. Let’s put it to a vote.”

Odinxis surveyed the room, ensuring all military strategists were present before initiating the ballot.

Everyone exchanged glances before casting their votes.

“Alright, excellent. Three hundred ninety-eight votes in favor, two against. We’re going to be busy, brothers.”

A fervent glow appeared in the eyes of Odinxis and the others. Only the old man and a young individual sighed softly before choosing to exit the room.