Chapter 802: Undercurrents Beneath Victory

Chapter 802: Undercurrents Beneath the Victory

“Ahhh!!”

With a series of teeth-grinding cracks, the roaring chainsaw sliced through the mutant champion’s battle axe, and at the same time cut through the steel bulletproof armor on its chest.

The blow landed solidly on its chest, and the mutant champion let out a pained roar, a trace of fear gradually creeping into its bloodshot pupils.

Summoning all its strength, it used the broken axe in its hand to desperately beat the iron lump before it, trying to knock it unconscious, but still could not stop the chainsaw from cleaving open its chest. It could only watch helplessly as its own flesh and blood were flung into the air by the high-speed spinning saw blade.

“Roar—”

The sound of the roar gradually weakened, and the struggling strength grew smaller and smaller.

As if finally unable to bear the immense pain, it collapsed like a tattered rag onto the player.

Pushing aside the fallen mutant champion, the player in the exoskeleton gasped for breath and looked around the battlefield.

On the smoke-filled ruins, no mutants were left standing.

The one that had fallen before him seemed to be the last!

A trace of excitement rose on his blood-soaked face. He forcefully pulled the chainsaw out of the mutant’s chest and swung it into the air, splattering shredded flesh and blood plasma onto the ground where he had fought.

It was over!

This battle of Heaven!

“Victory—!”

Looking up at the overcast sky, he let out a hearty shout.

Soon, others responded to him, and cries of victory rang out across the entire battlefield.

“Victory!!!”

“Long live the Administrator!!!”

“Long live the Alliance!!!”

“Ooohhh!!!”

The unending sound gradually drifted into the distance, even shaking apart the dark clouds in the sky and rising to the deck of the Steel Heart…

Standing inside the airship’s bridge, Chu Guang’s expressionless face finally showed a genuine smile.

“It’s finally over.”

…

Things had indeed developed as Vanus had said. This battle to end the Church of the Torch had drawn to a close before dusk settled over the peak of Mount Rosson.

A soldier wearing “Iron Wall” exoskeleton armor planted the Alliance’s flag at the highest point of the entire battlefield.

With the fall of the last Apostle and mutant, the final bionic chip carrying the Sanctum also ceased to function, merging with brain matter and blood into the soil.

Never again would those pretentious Progenitors stand high above, pointing fingers at the people below.

Their evil deeds and twisted ideals had been burned to ashes, not a single one left, by the sparks of fire kindled on the wasteland.

Later that day, in his capacity as Marshal of the Allied Coalition Forces, Chu Guang delivered a speech on the bridge of the Steel Heart.

“…Today will surely be a great day. Our history will remember this day forever.”

“Over the past six months, our troops have crossed grasslands, climbed hills, even sailed across oceans, and ventured into the most vicious hells, fighting the ugliest and most savage monsters…”

“Now, all the blood and sweat we have shed for justice have finally been rewarded. We have completely driven the evil Torch out of the land beneath our feet!”

“We have proven our bravery through our actions, proven that we are invincible!”

“Cheer for this moment! Celebrate!”

“For the people who have been saved!”

“For this hard-won victory—”

“And for our unity!”

The resounding voice echoed through the bridge and was broadcast via radio across the entire Alliance and to all units of the Allied Coalition Forces.

At this moment of celebration, almost every television and radio was playing the same content.

At the Weifu City military base, cries of victory rose and fell within the camp.

People turned on all the lights in the base, lighting up the entire sky, venting the joy in their hearts.

The wounded resting in the hospital even pulled out their IV needles and ran out of the wards, embracing their celebrating comrades in excitement.

Whether they were residents of Ideality or Warrants from Triumph City.

No matter their identity or where they came from, people were now cheering for the same joy.

In a tavern near the military base, the lads of the 100th Mountain Division were about to lift the roof off.

Having spent so long on the battlefield and seen so much life and death, their mindsets had long since changed from half a year ago. The more warlike they had been before, the more homesick they were now.

Using his wine bottle as a microphone, Tang Feng jumped excitedly onto the table and shouted to the cheering brothers.

“Praise the Administrator! Praise the Alliance! Praise the badasses of the Storm Corps! This damn war is finally over!”

The bars, nightclubs, and most of all, the Endpoint Cloud of Ideality!

Everything was coming back!

His heart was filled with excitement, his emotions already taking wing.

He swore that after returning as a war hero, he would take a good long rest—maybe even brag on the Endpoint Cloud for an entire week!

Of course, the most important thing was that he had to bring back the Gwent cards that had become all the rage on the front lines!

It would be a shame not to share such an interesting game with everyone!

Their commanding officer had already said in the camp that tomorrow, when the “Orca” transport planes landed at the military base’s airstrip, they could immediately board flights home and leave this damn place.

Watching Tang Feng’s excited antics, Edm of the Hound Special Forces also wore a genuine smile and raised his glass to clink with his.

“Congratulations! You can finally go home!”

To be honest, these guys didn’t seem like they had come to fight a war; they seemed more like they were on a field trip.

But now that the battle was finally over, it should be a relief for them.

Tang Feng gladly clinked glasses with the one offered to him, downed the drink in one gulp, then let out a burp and said drunkenly with a grin.

“Haha, same to you! It’s not just us—you guys can go home too!”

Edm smiled at that, but a faint melancholy crept into his eyes.

“Us? We probably won’t be so quick… and even if we do go back, there’ll likely be new jobs waiting for us.”

The Hound Special Forces was a for-profit organization; they didn’t keep idle hands.

As long as the wasteland existed for one more day, they would have endless work to do.

Besides, he still had loans to pay off.

Maybe, in fact, he hoped even more than Mr. Sigma sitting in the Firestone Group building that the war wouldn’t end.

If the war really ended, he, who had once lived a decent life, might truly end up sleeping on the streets begging…

The clinking of glasses and lively chatter never ceased in the tavern of Weifu City, and the same was true aboard the Legion's airship, the Loyalty.

Standing by the porthole, Rium savored the fine wine in his goblet, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons of contentment as he gazed southward.

"...Those disgusting cockroaches are finally dead and gone."

Though the battle on Ten-Peak Mountain was but a minor episode in the grand scheme of the war, he had not forgotten the humiliation he suffered on that ridge.

He couldn't fathom what the Eastern Expansionists were thinking, allying themselves with such vile creatures...

But credit where it's due, the Torch Church had a knack for biotechnology.

If only they could combine the technology of limb regeneration with eightfold-speed cloned humans.

Then the Legion could forge a truly immortal army!

Their march would make the entire continent tremble!

Standing beside General Rium, the Myrmidon Commander Modlin let out a soft sigh, his eyes tinged with regret.

"...A pity. The research institutes we captured only held scraps. The truly valuable technology is said to be stored in a place called Vault 20."

"Vault 20..." Rium's pupils narrowed slightly, his mind wandering with unknown thoughts.

Glancing at General Rium, Modlin continued in a hushed tone.

"I suspect the Alliance and the Corporations have secretly taken control of that vault. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so certain the war is over... But unfortunately, we have no evidence. Even if we point it out, they'll deny it."

In truth, it wasn't just the Alliance and the Corporations—even the silent Academy, and the Legion itself, had been quietly absorbing the Torch Church's research teams behind the scenes.

This was an understanding reached early in the war: whoever seized territory in the Haiya Province would govern it, unless the actual controller voluntarily withdrew, in which case no one else could interfere.

The advantage was clear: to increase their leverage, every army put forth their true strength on the battlefield, rather than waiting for allies to fight while they reaped the benefits.

But now that the war was over and it was time to divide the spoils, the situation had shifted.

Now, the other factions of the Conclave were no longer just allies to the Legion—they were gradually becoming rivals.

After listening to Modlin's suggestive words, General Rium merely chuckled lightly, as if unbothered.

"Evidence? Why would we need that?"

This was a battlefield, not a courtroom.

Now that the Torch Church's great nuisance was finally dealt with, it was time to settle old scores with the Alliance.

Pausing for a moment of thought, Rium placed his goblet on the porthole sill and turned to his adjutant, speaking calmly.

"Later, contact Myrmidon Commander Bennott in Dawn City."

"Tell him this: the civilian officials have reaped enough benefits behind the scenes—it's time they did some work."

The adjutant stood at attention, saluted, and replied solemnly.

"Yes!"

...

The news of victory seemed to sprout wings, spreading swiftly throughout the Conclave's forces.

And as everyone raised their glasses to celebrate this hard-won triumph, an invisible undercurrent stirred restlessly beneath the calm surface.

Threats to peace came not only from within the Conclave but also from a distant one hundred fifty million kilometers away.

To learn about the Lagrange point, Chu Guang, on Yin Fang's advice, summoned a representative from the Academy.

As one of the three major powers inheriting the legacy of the Post-War Reconstruction Committee, the Academy likely had the deepest understanding of the Torch Church's research—and was the most probable source of knowledge about the "Lagrange point" and the "Celestials."

As Yang Kai's figure materialized in the holographic meeting room, Chu Guang wasted no time on pleasantries and cut straight to the point.

"What do you know about the Celestials?"

Hearing the word "Celestials," Yang Kai's expression visibly shifted.

This only confirmed Chu Guang's suspicion that the Academy indeed knew something.

"I'd like to say I don't know much... though I doubt you'd believe me."

Seeing his attempt to evade, Chu Guang fixed his gaze on him and continued.

"I'm asking you this very seriously."

When Yang Kai's face remained impassive, Chu Guang pressed on sternly.

"According to intelligence gathered by our frontline forces, the Torch Church's high command digitized their consciousness and uploaded it to a server one hundred fifty million kilometers away. During our troops' attempt to apprehend them, we learned that a faction called the 'Celestials' had taken them in."

At this, Yang Kai's expression finally cracked.

"Why are you so sure I know something?"

Chu Guang shrugged lightly, as if it were obvious.

"Isn't it clear? No one pays more attention to what's beyond Earth than you."

He paused, then continued.

"I know you don't have the authority to decide whether to share this information with me. But I hope you'll think carefully: there's a group hostile to us lurking somewhere in outer space, watching us. You want to leave the solar system in search of a new home—I won't oppose your well-considered choice. But do you really think you can leave under these circumstances?"

Yang Kai fell into a long silence.

After a moment, he sighed and said, "The Celestials... Honestly, we really don't want to get involved with them. I'd advise you to stay out of it too. Your goal was to end the Wasteland Era, wasn't it? Now that the war is over, just focus on that. Why stir up more trouble?"

Using the Alliance to eliminate the Torch Church was the Academy's high command's decision. Though being dragged into the war and forced to fight was an unexpected twist, the end result was good—all the objectives the Academy's leadership had anticipated were accomplished without compromise.

Neither the Chief Technology Officer nor Dr. Conclusion wanted the war to escalate further. Ending it here was the best outcome.

Though he didn't fully understand the high command's reasoning, he deeply trusted the wisdom of the Chief Technology Officer.

But hearing Yang Kai's words, Chu Guang frowned.

He felt there was more beneath the surface.

"Now you've made me even more curious. What kind of beings are so formidable that even you dare not provoke them?"

Hearing the hint of provocation in his tone, Yang Kai sighed.

"I won't deny it—we really don't want to be their enemies. And think about this: why did the Saint do so many superfluous things when he was about to die? Not only did he reveal his destination, but he also kindly told you who took them in. Think about it!"

Seeing Yang Kai's pained expression, Chu Guang remained unmoved.

"I know what he was trying to do—lure us into investigating the Celestials."

Yang Kai's brow twitched violently, and he couldn't help blurting out, "If you know it's a trap, why ask so much?"

"Whether it's a trap is a separate matter. I'll judge the risks based on the intelligence and clues I gather," Chu Guang said, staring intently at him. "What I cannot tolerate is filth lurking in the shadows, ready to spring a surprise on us. Compared to a trap laid out in the open, hidden dangers are far more worthy of my vigilance."

Yang Kai fell silent.

After what seemed like a consultation with his superiors, he sighed again.

"We don't know much about them either... I can only tell you what I know."

Chu Guang gestured for him to continue.

After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Yang Kai began slowly.

"If you understand the history of the Human Federation, you should know that two centuries ago, the Federation sent an expeditionary force to Alpha Centauri."

Chu Guang's heart stirred, and he immediately asked.

"Are those Celestials the descendants of that expeditionary force?"

"You could say that." Yang Kai slowly nodded, confirming his guess.

Yet after receiving the affirmative answer, Chu Guang's mind was flooded with even more doubts.

"...But I don't understand—if they are the descendants of the expeditionary force, shouldn't they be on our side? Why are they helping the Torch?"

Showing no surprise at Chu Guang's confusion, Yang Kai continued.

"On our side... what exactly do you mean by 'us'?"

Hearing these words laden with meaning, Chu Guang couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Yang Kai said succinctly.

"Exactly what I said."

"This planet is filled with retrograde militarists, far-sighted escapists, and hedonists who've already found their good life... and of course, a bunch of other messy things. Do you think they have even the slightest hope of ending the Wasteland Era? Maybe they themselves have never thought about ending it—like us, for instance, we think it doesn't matter, since we'll leave here one day anyway."

Chu Guang: "But there are those who do think it matters, aren't there?"

Yang Kai gave a meaningful smile.

"You mean yourselves? In your eyes, of course, that's the case, but from the perspective of us bystanders, it's another matter entirely. You've indeed united a portion of people—that's impressive—but you're also helpless against the broader wasteland... No offense, but you yourselves know that some people simply cannot be united."

Chu Guang nodded.

"There's no shame in admitting that. We've also prepared another plan."

Yang Kai shrugged noncommittally and continued.

"Perhaps, but whatever plan you've prepared, at least from an outsider's view, it might not be more efficient than the Verant's methods."

"It might take five hundred years for the Verant to end the Wasteland, and for you, maybe four hundred—or perhaps six hundred... Who knows? I suspect even you don't have an exact number in your mind."

Chu Guang neither denied his words nor interrupted him, simply waiting quietly for him to continue.

After a pause, Yang Kai went on.

"As for the Celestials... in your eyes, they are compatriots from the Human Federation era, the inheritors of that age—but that's just your own assumption. In their eyes, they are not inheritors; they are the Human Federation itself."

"As for you, us, and everyone on this planet, in their eyes, we are merely the 'children' of the Human Federation. They don't care who wins, as long as human civilization can ultimately endure."

Chu Guang's brow tightened.

"Even if that endurance comes at the cost of everyone's lives..."

Yang Kai let out a dry laugh.

"Respected Administrator, have there been few deaths because of the Wasteland Era? What we find unacceptable might, in the eyes of those true bystanders, be a completely different matter... It's not impossible. But in most cases, they won't directly interfere in surface affairs, as long as you don't do anything that makes them feel threatened."

Chu Guang asked in a low voice.

"Like what?"

"I don't know—perhaps a piece on the chessboard actively breaks the barrier between the spectators and the board, or perhaps you do something that makes them think the Wasteland Era will never end..." Yang Kai spread his hands, a helpless expression on his face. "We know very little about them, including much of what I've said—a lot of it is just our speculation."

"But one thing is certain: these people are more impatient for results than we imagine. Perhaps it's related to their dwindling time... In short, they hope to end the Wasteland before their time runs out, and any unconventional methods are acceptable in their eyes—even the practices of the Torch Church and the Enlightenment Society."

"After all, in our calculations, if the Torch's plan succeeds, it could bring this planet into a new era within at most fifty years... Of course, the cost might be very high, especially for those of us who are alive."

He paused, looked at Chu Guang, and continued in a sincere tone.

"So I hope you'd better not provoke those guys. Pretending they don't exist isn't really that hard... After all, the Torch's power on this planet has been eliminated. Even if those fellows have fled a million and a half kilometers away, they can't stir up much trouble, can they? And besides, if any deadly danger arises on this planet again, we'll warn you, just like before."

Hearing this naive speech, Chu Guang shook his head.

"...If the Celestials' thinking only makes me feel that these people have gone mad, then your practice of burying your heads in the sand like ostriches strikes me as sheer stupidity."

Looking at Yang Kai, who was visibly annoyed but speechless, Chu Guang continued without mercy.

"Since you know these people are even more impatient than you imagined, how can you come to the naive conclusion that 'they won't interfere in surface affairs'?"

"Let me put it bluntly: they've already stepped onto the field themselves. Those black boxes the Torch holds—maybe they were provided by the Celestials. You just don't want to admit it."

"If we really leave them alone, this time it's the Torch; next time, who knows what other mess might pop up!"

Yang Kai couldn't help asking.

"And what can you do? They might have an entire fleet at their disposal, while you—you can't even reach outer space."

He still hoped the Alliance would avoid provoking those "Celestials," so he tried to persuade Chu Guang to abandon that impractical notion. After all, provoking them was not only unrealistic but also brought no benefit whatsoever, and could invite even greater trouble.

Yet Chu Guang did not comply with his wish; instead, he replied in a resolute tone.

"We will naturally use our own methods."

"Whatever we ultimately choose, one thing is certain: we will never sit idly by and wait for death."