Chapter 450: Where is Ying Yaoshi
“What do you mean? Are you telling me that after all our efforts, after sacrificing so many elites, we not only failed to capture Ning Xuan, but we can’t even confirm if she’s dead or alive?” Dean Gu Qingkong of the Starry Sky Academy couldn’t help but demand.
“Yes, Dean Gu.” Ji Wuchen steeled himself and nodded.
“Who planned last night’s operation? Who approved it? Weren’t there repeated warnings not to harm her? She is the only female Spirit Controller in nearly a thousand years with a Legendary Level Companion Spirit! If we’ve caused her death, how are we going to answer to the Military Department and the Elder Council?” Gu Qingkong’s expression was grim as he glanced at the others.
“Enough. This isn’t the time for settling scores,” said Ren Pingsheng, the Lord of Myriad Phenomena Star River. “Wuchen, dispatch men to completely block any news of Ning Xuan’s disappearance and use all resources to track her whereabouts. A spatial rift is dangerous, but with Qinghe and Di Youlin at her side, she may not be in any real danger.”
“Master Ren, I’m afraid it’s too late to suppress the news,” Mo Changsheng said, his tone heavy. “I just received an urgent communication. Your Ren Family’s home world, Four Meetings Star, is under attack by a massive Insect Race hive. You’ll likely need to send reinforcements back.”
“What did you say?” Ren Pingsheng roared furiously. “Four Meetings Star is shielded by three asteroid belts, and the space there is exceptionally stable. How could it possibly be attacked by an Insect Race hive?”
However, no one responded to his fury. Instead, dozens of distress videos flooded his Light Computer. The sight of his clansmen being brutally killed by the fearsome mandibles of the Insect Race made Ren Pingsheng’s face twist into a hideous expression.
“Wuchen, take the First and Fifth Battle Squads to Four Meetings Star immediately!” Ren Pingsheng commanded. “Prioritize rescue operations, especially for the women and children.”
Ji Wuchen accepted the order and departed. Moments later, Ren Pingsheng went offline, obviously to arrange his next deployment.
“Chairman Mo, do you think what happened at Four Meetings Star is related to Ning Xuan?” Gu Qingkong asked, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. “I have a feeling more is yet to come.”
“We should check if something has happened at the Star Meteor Battlefield. And the Chaotic Divine Domain… I think…” Gu Qingkong’s voice trailed off, a terrible premonition taking hold.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! An alarm suddenly blared, causing Gu Qingkong, Ji Wuque, and the others to tense up.
“There’s trouble on Sirius now, too,” Mo Changsheng announced, his gaze sweeping over the others’ grim faces.
Sirius was a Star Domain under the Mo Clan’s control.
“There’s trouble at Abyssal Canyon, too,” Ji Wuque said in frustration. “What in the world is going on? How can all this be happening right after the incident with Ning Xuan?”
The mood among Ji Wuque and the others grew heavy. They had mobilized a portion of their forces to capture Ning Xuan, expecting a swift operation. They never imagined it would drag on for so long. Not only had they failed to capture her, but now their own territories were facing crises.
「Seventh Space Station—Star Sky Council」
“Chairman,” a burly military officer reported to Mo Changsheng, “the uprising on Sirius has been brought under control. We are currently compiling the lists of economic losses and casualties. The cause of the uprising is still under investigation, but our preliminary findings suggest it was triggered by a sudden change within the S-Class Mysterious Barrier Land on the planet.”
“What’s the situation at Four Meetings Star and Abyssal Canyon? Is there any word from the investigations into those incidents?” Mo Changsheng asked.
“I don’t know, sir. Our embedded assets haven’t transmitted any intelligence,” the officer replied, shaking his head.
“Keep investigating. And find out if there’s been any movement from that one from the Ying Family in the Chaotic Divine Domain.” ‘Something must have happened to the one attempting to break through to the Extraordinary Realm,’ Mo Changsheng thought.
‘If Ying Yaoshi hadn’t made a move, how could an uprising have erupted on Sirius for no reason?’
‘But even if Ying Yaoshi did make a move, a situation like this shouldn’t be possible… unless. Unless Ying Yaoshi, Yu Mingche, the Di Family, Five Maples City, Seven Star Divine Mountain—all the powers connected to Ning Xuan—have formed an alliance and are cooperating without holding anything back.’
At this thought, Mo Changsheng could no longer sit still. He immediately opened his Light Computer to contact Ji Wuque, Gu Qingkong, and Ren Pingsheng. The operation to capture Ning Xuan had been a joint venture between their four factions. Now, all their home territories were in trouble at the same time. ‘Ning Xuan is just a commoner from a Low-class Star. Even with her outstanding talent, she shouldn’t have been able to build this kind of influence in just a few years.’
Mo Changsheng had a theory, but he still found it hard to believe. His video call request was answered quickly. The faces of the four leaders were grim. Even though they were reluctant to believe it, the overwhelming coincidence left them in a stunned silence.
“Do you have any word on Ning Xuan?” Gu Qingkong asked, breaking the silence. “What’s the reaction from Yu Mingche and Ying Yaoshi’s sides?”
“My asset in the Governance Department reported that ten days ago, twelve High-level Governors paid a visit to Yu Mingche in the Qingluan Mountain villa area,” Ji Wuque said. “Feng Linran goes to the Governance Department every three days to handle official business. There’s no other information.”
“On the Star Meteor Battlefield, Lan Xin showed up a month ago and has since presided over three high-level Star Domain skirmishes,” Ren Pingsheng said in a dark tone. “Her performance has been flawless, and the reception from the Central Army has been excellent. Ying Yaoshi hasn’t been seen at all this past month.”
No one knew the full extent of the losses Myriad Phenomena Star River had suffered this time.
For the operation that resulted in Ning Xuan’s disappearance, Myriad Phenomena Star River had deployed thirty Undead Warriors. Ren Pingsheng had been absolutely certain of capturing her. But now, Ning Xuan was missing, the controller of the Undead Warriors was missing, and all thirty of the Elite Level Undead Warriors had completely vanished.
They were completely unreachable, whether through their monitors or their brain chips. In theory, even if the Undead Warriors were killed, Myriad Phenomena Star River should have been able to view footage of their final moments via the monitors. This blackout was only possible if both the brain chips and the monitors had been removed *before* their deaths.
‘But that’s absolutely impossible. No one can remove their brain chips before they die.’
“Ying Yaoshi hasn’t been seen for a whole month? Is that intelligence reliable?” A look of unconcealable panic flashed across Mo Changsheng’s face.
“According to the agreement, Ying Yaoshi cannot leave the Star Meteor Battlefield until it enters a period of stability,” Gu Qingkong said. “So even if he hasn’t been seen for a month, that doesn’t necessarily prove anything, does it?”
“The Elder Council has supervisory authority over the war on the Star Meteor Battlefield. If we want to know where Ying Yaoshi is, we can just contact their command directly,” Ji Wuque pointed out.
The four of them were not just the leaders of the four great Extraordinary Influences; they all held seats on the Elder Council, which did indeed grant them the authority to liaise directly with the command of the Star Meteor Battlefield.
They had originally wanted to avoid tipping their hand, but since things had already escalated this far, there was no longer any need for secrecy.