Chapter 1074: Gaia’s Gate
Ah Yin walked into the office.
Zhao Chen turned off the electronic screens one by one, making the previously 'crowded' office feel much more spacious.
"Why did you suddenly decide to come here?"
"Didn't you want to see our master?"
"I can take you to see him," Ah Yin suddenly said.
Zhao Chen looked at Ah Yin in surprise, not expecting such an important question to come right away.
"She's back?" Zhao Chen asked.
"I guess you're back." Ah Yin's voice was hesitant, as if her answer was forced.
Zhao Chen smiled and stood up, opening his arms: "Then why doesn't she come to see me in person?"
I really helped her a lot this time, shouldn't she give me something in return?
Zhao Chen was far from satisfied with the previous mega-military purchase orders.
If we could squeeze another penny out of that little girl, that would be even better.
Nobody would complain about having too few benefits, right?
“Master...she...can’t come.”
At this moment, Zhao Chen realized that Ah Yin's current state was very strange. He stared at Ah Yin and asked, "She... is she injured?"
Ah Yin didn't say a word.
"Is he still alive?" Zhao Chen asked again.
"Still alive," she answered the question.
This relieved Zhao Chen.
"Are you willing to take me to see her?" Zhao Chen asked.
"Yes.
"If you're willing," Ah Yin looked at Zhao Chen, "it can only be you."
This essentially put a choice in front of Zhao Chen.
Sending Zhao Chen away alone with this high-ranking member of the mechanical race was not as simple as just visiting someone's home.
After all, strictly speaking, there are quite a few gaps between the machine race and the various interstellar civilizations in the universe.
For example, because of this battle, the JF-17s have entered the territory of the Machine Race on a large scale, which is no longer something that can be kept secret.
There have been many rumors circulating within the three great empires.
"I'll go."
"Wait a moment, I need to explain something." Zhao Chen pressed his finger on a spot on the desk, and a holographic image of Lilith popped up.
"I need to go out for a while, to the Mechanical Royal Court."
The JF-17 incident occurred while I was away.
"You and Charlotte are fully in charge." Zhao Chen finished speaking, and before Lilith, whose expression was tense, could object, he said directly, "That's an order."
Lilith bit her lip, knowing that once the commander made a decision, it was difficult to change it. She then said, "Then I'll arrange for Leopard Woman and the others..."
“This time it’s just me,” Zhao Chen said.
Lilith's eyes still held a worried expression, but she didn't say anything more.
Zhao Chen released his grip, and Lilith's holographic image disappeared.
"Let's go." Zhao Chen picked up the military jacket from the clothes rack next to him and followed A Yin out of the office.
Before long, the two arrived at the hangar of the Dragon Emperor.
The shuttle that Ah Yin rode in during his visit is parked here.
Lilith was already waiting next to the shuttle.
Zhao Chen frowned and looked at Lilith: "I didn't mean..."
"I know, I'm just here to say a few words." Lilith smiled at Ah Yin beside Zhao Chen. Her smile remained unchanged, but her eyes were cold.
"Our JF-17 interstellar warships can save the Mechanical Kingdom in a month."
It could also destroy the machine race within a month.
After saying that, Lilith left the hangar without another word.
Zhao Chen looked at Lilith's retreating figure, then at Ah Yin, and shrugged helplessly, saying, "Sorry, my secretary is just like that sometimes."
I understand.
After all, according to normal diplomatic etiquette, it would be very inappropriate for me to directly invite you to the Machine Race alone.
"It's normal for your subordinates to have concerns," Ah Yin said calmly.
The two then boarded the shuttle.
There were only Zhao Chen and A Yin inside the shuttle; there was no pilot.
However, after the door closed, the shuttle automatically started the disembarkation procedure, and everything was very natural.
This is perhaps the advantage of the mechanical race; all processes can be continuously streamlined.
The shuttle departed from the Dragon Emperor and sped off towards the Mechanical Royal Court, leaving a comet-like trail behind it.
————
Mechanical Royal Court
Once inside, Zhao Chen could barely tell where he was, as he was surrounded by steel structures.
They can't distinguish up from down, left from right, or east from west.
All that is known is that Ah Yin led Zhao Chen through this steel forest in a mini shuttle that resembled a dragonfly.
Finally, the crowded surroundings suddenly felt spacious.
Zhao Chen stared in astonishment at the view outside the porthole.
Before me was a vast space, and on one side of the space was a huge semi-circular star, along with star rings and other objects, which appeared as a mix of black and yellow from a distance.
It gives people a feeling of exquisite beauty.
In that instant, Zhao Chen was certain.
This is the 'Gate of Gaia' mentioned in the mission.
“That’s the ‘Gate of Gaia,’ one of the legacies left by the Gaia Empire,” Ah Yin explained to Zhao Chen from the side.
"Where does this 'Gate of Gaia' lead?" Zhao Chen asked subconsciously.
“Another... universe,” Ah Yin offered an answer.
Another universe?
A very vague answer.
"Is that... a stargate?" Zhao Chen noticed a stargate at one end of this space.
“Mechanical Royal Court Star Gate,” Ah Yin said.
"You actually have a star gate here too?" Zhao Chen asked in surprise.
"Because this stargate is built inside the Mechanical Royal Court, it cannot help the battle outside," Ah Yin explained.
This is an enclosed space.
There was only the 'Gate of Gaia' and the Mechanical Royal Court Star Gate, as well as a building opposite the Gate of Gaia that seemed to be embedded in a cliff face.
“That is the real Mechanical Royal Court,” Ah Yin said, pointing to the buildings.
The dragonfly-shaped mini shuttle then parked in the designated parking area within the building complex, with a long corridor directly connecting to the shuttle's hatch.
Zhao Chen and A Yin got off the shuttle and walked along the corridor.
Within this complex, there are hardly any mechanical life forms; their numbers are even fewer than those found on the mechanical interstellar warships outside.
"Only advanced mechanical life forms are allowed to enter this place."
"Advanced mechanical lifeforms are very rare within the mechanical race." Ah Yin noticed Zhao Chen's confusion and explained it to him.
Zhao Chen followed Ah Yin to a large door. After a beam of light swept across Ah Yin's body and Zhao Chen's body, the door opened.
"Come in," Ah Yin said, leading the way.
Zhao Chen followed Ah Yin inside.
This place resembles some kind of shipyard, with a lot of equipment visible around it.
Finally, in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling window, Zhao Chen saw a 100-meter-long interstellar warship hovering in the dock.
The ship showed obvious signs of having been in battle.