Buzz—
In the boundless sea of stars.
A colossal starship drifted slowly toward a distant world.
Its volume rivaled that of a small city. Aside from essential defenses and a modest array of weapons, the vessel's interior housed nearly a complete ecological cycle system.
Lush forests flourished beneath a holographic dome. Countless unknown small animals darted through the trees, and from time to time, crisp birdsong echoed through the woods.
The living quarters for the crew were extravagantly spacious. If not for the dark void of space beyond the portholes, one could hardly tell they were aboard a spacecraft.
Ordinary employees of the Interastral Peace Corporation naturally had no right to such treatment. Within the entire IPC, only a select few were qualified to be assigned an ecological starship.
Inside the lounge, a silver-white-haired girl finished reviewing the documents in her hand. She took a sip of red wine, crossed her legs, and nodded in satisfaction.
She wore a short black uniform. The fabric and tailoring were perfectly fitted, flawlessly outlining her figure.
The white sleeveless shirt beneath strained slightly against her generous curves, bulging subtly at the neckline.
A large expanse of fair skin was exposed between her shorts and her black thigh-high boots, radiating youthful vitality.
"Director Topaz, this is tomorrow's schedule. Please review it."
Her assistant transmitted a list.
Topaz glanced at it. Finding no issues, she nodded.
As a senior executive in the Strategic Investment Department of the Interastral Peace Corporation—and the leader of the Special Debt Inspection Team—Topaz had countless tasks to handle every day.
She checked the time. 9:30 p.m.—exactly when the Interastral Peace Broadcast began broadcasting.
On the holographic interface, the image of the IPC's news host was projected.
"Welcome to tonight's Interastral Peace Broadcast. First, here are the headlines..."
"The Armed Archaeologists of the Intelligentsia Guild has discovered a micro-galaxy in the Haierlei System. Related engineering efforts are currently underway."
"The Xianzhou Alliance has signed a trade agreement with another unfamiliar civilization originating from a remote star system in the Milky Way Galaxy."
"The Interastral Peace Corporation is preparing to dispatch its Marketing Development Department to more distant worlds to expand markets, promote peaceful coexistence across the cosmos, and foster trade prosperity."
"Mm..."
Topaz listened carefully to each news item.
She sat aboard an IPC starship, using IPC electronic appliances, drinking red wine specially supplied by IPC Department Stores.
Her bank card came from IPC Banking. Her communications provider was IPC Network.
Even the Interastral Peace Broadcast she was currently watching—as well as the movies and entertainment programs on other channels—were all controlled by media enterprises under the IPC.
The Interastral Peace Corporation was just that domineering. It governed and controlled every aspect of people's lives.
Across the entire universe, there was no organization more powerful or more influential than the IPC. Nor was there any civilization that dared claim it could survive independently of it.
—Perhaps some civilizations could.
But the IPC would not allow it.
"..."
Topaz was not particularly interested in the earlier reports about distant galaxies—until the host began reporting another matter.
"The Xianzhou Alliance has recently signed a trade agreement with an unfamiliar civilization known as the Starsea Empire. Both sides have dispatched diplomatic delegations for exchanges."
"Reportedly, trade between the two parties includes food, medicine, materials, military weapons, and various other goods. The Starsea Empire is said to be dumping products into the Xianzhou Alliance at low prices in order to seize market share."
"The Interastral Peace Corporation has lodged a strong protest, reminding the Starsea Empire to abide by trade rules and inviting it to join the cosmic trade market."
"At present, members of the IPC's Marketing Development Department are actively attempting to establish contact with the Starsea Empire's homeworld. Interastral Peace News will continue to bring you updates..."
"Oh..."
Topaz glanced at the documents in her hand. As an IPC executive, she knew more or less what was happening behind the scenes.
Everything reported in the news was true—in a sense.
But understanding the meaning behind each sentence required a bit of insight.
For example, the phrase "reminding the Starsea Empire to abide by trade rules." The "rules" in question were, of course, the Interastral Peace Corporation's rules.
In other words, they were demanding that the Starsea Empire join the IPC's trade system and use credit points for settlement.
As for "establishing contact with the Starsea Empire's homeworld," that naturally meant the Marketing Development Department would conduct investigations and expand the IPC's territory.
Many civilizations had witnessed the department's methods—effortlessly dismantling a civilization's economic system, leaving behind ruins, and then thoroughly absorbing it.
Under media hegemony, most people saw nothing wrong with this.
It was merely another routine expansion of the IPC's business.
As for the Xianzhou Alliance?
Given that the Xianzhou could directly send coordinates to the Aeons to beat someone up, the IPC certainly could not afford to provoke them. Dealing with the Starsea Empire would suffice.
"The IPC will establish a new trade route to the Solar System, intended to explore more distant star regions and—"
Bzzz—
Bzzzt—
Just as the host was about to continue, the holographic interface flickered as if the signal had been disrupted.
Crack!
The screen went black. The signal transmission was completely cut off.
"A broadcast accident? Equipment malfunction?"
Topaz blinked. If something like this occurred, someone in the media department was probably going to have a very bad day.
A few seconds later.
[All channel signals have been cut off]
[Sophon network ready. Higher-dimensional interference ready... 33%, 67%, 100%... Complete]
[Communication network seized. Complete]
Swish—
The signal reconnected.
However, the figure that appeared was not the Interastral Peace News host, but a woman Topaz had never seen before—cold and strikingly beautiful.
Her features were so exquisitely perfect they hardly seemed human. Dressed in uniform, with the brilliant galaxy behind her, she spoke in a calm and solemn voice.
"The Starsea Empire extends its greetings to the Interastral Peace Corporation and to all intelligent life in this universe."
The Sophon inclined her head slightly.
"???"
"Huh?!"
At the same time—aboard Topaz's ship, aboard the Xianzhou Luofu, the Xianzhou Yaoqing, the Xianzhou Zhuming, and every other vessel of the Xianzhou Alliance, at Herta Space Station...
And on every planet controlled by the Interastral Peace Corporation, in front of anyone watching any IPC-controlled film, entertainment broadcast, or livestream.
All IPC-controlled media network signals were severed and replaced with the Sophon's live broadcast.
Including the IPC's own executives, everyone stared dumbfounded at the woman on the screen, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"This is the Starsea Empire, conveying the Commander's will."
The Sophon looked down upon the audience.
"The Starsea Empire rejects all proposals from the Interastral Peace Corporation regarding market expansion, settlement in credit points, and opening our home territory."
"The Interastral Peace Corporation's control over this universe ends here. We will take over the Interastral Peace Corporation, rebuild a trade network spanning the cosmos and across worlds, and conduct a comprehensive internal restructuring of the IPC."
"Hereby, we present a second proposal to the Interastral Peace Corporation: based on the first proposal, all members of the IPC's board of directors and department heads must surrender immediately, relinquish all personal assets, and submit to the Commander's judgment."
"This is a final ultimatum. The Interastral Peace Corporation has twelve standard hours to consider."
Her words were concise and direct, stating her demands without embellishment.
After she finished speaking.
Click—
The communication was cut, and the broadcast switched back to the Interastral Peace Broadcast channel.
"..."
"Huh???"
"What was that just now??..."
The host and director of the live broadcast were utterly bewildered.
After standing frozen for a long while, they hastily wrapped up the program.
"We apologize. The Interastral Peace Broadcast appears to have suffered an unidentified hacking attack."
"We will conduct a thorough investigation. This concludes tonight's broadcast. Thank you."
Click!—
The holographic screen went dark, replaced by dazzling advertisements for various IPC products.
"...What was that?"
Topaz remained stunned for quite a while, her wine glass still in hand.
"Wow—"
On the planet Punklorde, hackers exclaimed in admiration. A silver-haired, silver-eyed girl with goggles perched on her forehead could not help but applaud.
"To cut off the IPC's transmission network for that long—it's an expert."
"And quite a creative joke, too. Hmm?"
The geniuses within Herta Space Station fell into thought as they gazed toward the distant stars.
Within the Xianzhou Alliance, an uproar erupted. The Xianzhou high command was stunned speechless.
General Feixiao immediately sent an inquiry and visitation request to the Xianzhou Luofu, demanding to meet the Starsea Empire's delegation.
Who was bold enough to do something like this? Even more daring than the people of the Xianzhou Yaoqing.
Beep—
A jade-green communication lit up on Topaz's phone, startling her.
"Madam Jade, did you see that? What was that just now?..."
"A declaration of war, Topaz. We're in trouble."
At the very moment the announcement was delivered.
The entire universe boiled over.
Everyone who had happened to watch the Interastral Peace Broadcast began spreading the word. Recordings of the Sophon's speech went viral across the networks.
Because the Interastral Peace Corporation was so vast that ordinary people could not avoid it—even if they tried—and because it monopolized nearly the entire media industry.
Therefore, anyone within the IPC's trade system, anyone using its products, anyone watching its programs, had heard the Starsea Empire's declaration.
Wherever the Interastral Peace Corporation's influence extended, the broadcast reached.
Combined with the news reported just minutes earlier, the situation was exquisitely ironic.
The IPC had claimed it would incorporate the Starsea Empire into its trade domain and expand into the Solar System.
The Starsea Empire rejected all conditions and issued a final ultimatum—in reverse—demanding the IPC's submission.
Clearly, the other side had come prepared.
This was a public challenge to the authority of the Interastral Peace Corporation—to the most powerful organization in the entire universe!
On the Xianzhou and on every planet under the IPC's jurisdiction, an enormous uproar erupted.
Petty hacking antics could never achieve something like this. Hackers would be silenced within minutes, and no individual would dare issue an ultimatum to the IPC in their own name.
"Huh? Declaring war on the IPC? Seriously?"
On some unfamiliar planet, a petite girl with black hair, pink eyes, and twin ponytails lay sprawled on her bed in a short red kimono, idly scrolling through her phone.
When she suddenly saw the news, she froze for a moment—then burst into uncontrollable laughter filled with pure delight.
"Heehee, hahahahahaha~"
"Fun, fun! This is a million times more entertaining than any circus farce!!"
"Have they gone insane? Right? Right? Only lunatics and fools would dare do something like this... but that's what makes it wonderful!!—What a glorious day!!"
A remote, obscure civilization openly challenging the IPC—outsiders would likely call them mad.
But to the girl, it was exhilarating beyond measure. The entire universe seemed to transform into a grand stage before her eyes.
And now, unfolding upon it, was the most unexpected and spectacular performance imaginable.
"Since it's a performance, the fools cannot miss such a grand occasion~"
Swish—
She placed a mask over her face. Her figure flickered—and vanished on the spot.
...
Within half an hour, at the headquarters of the Interastral Peace Corporation—Pier Point.
Department heads from every division had joined an emergency online conference.
Even now, many within the IPC remained dazed.
Openly challenging the IPC's authority—issuing an ultimatum and threatening war against the IPC—was so absurd that some believed it to be nothing more than a malicious joke.
A civilization from a remote star system daring to provoke a colossal enterprise spanning the cosmos—such a thing was unprecedented.
"The opposing party used unknown means to sever all IPC media communication networks, infiltrate the central servers, and insert their own signal."
"The signal interception lasted three minutes and thirty-two seconds. Their information warfare capabilities exceed those of our technical personnel. After completing the speech, they voluntarily terminated the interference."
"The heads of Interastral Peace Broadcast, Interastral Peace Entertainment, Interastral Peace Films, and related divisions have all received demotions and had their quarterly performance bonuses deducted."
Employees responsible for media operations reported nervously to the directors of the Traditional Projects Division.
An incident that made the IPC lose face before the entire universe would inevitably be followed by a reckoning.
"We have established contact with the Intelligentsia Guild and are currently tracing the hacker's identity and methods. The expected time required is sixty-six standard hours..."
The Technology Research and Development Department stepped forward as well. They maintained close ties with the Guild and hoped to rely on more advanced expertise to resolve the issue.
"..."
"What was that second proposal the Starsea Empire mentioned?"
Oswaldo Schneider asked. He did not recall hearing anything about a prior proposal.
"Th-this..."
"Reporting to the director—we previously negotiated with the Starsea Empire's representative on the Xianzhou. They rejected joining the trade market and put forward their own conditions."
"I... believed those conditions were merely a joke, so I did not submit a report."
The former business representative stationed on the Xianzhou trembled.
He repeated Grey's first proposal word for word.
"..."
Silence.
Frankly speaking, taken on its own, every IPC employee would have assumed the other side had no intention of negotiating.
Yet once the Sophon introduced a second proposal—and escalated it on that very basis—the situation became delicate.
They were serious.
"Withholding critical information—deduct this year's performance bonus. Relieve all current duties. Demote rank to P13."
After dealing with the responsible party, department leaders immediately shifted into a wartime meeting.
"All employees under the IPC, as well as every world engaged in cooperative trade agreements with us, are already aware of this matter."
"This is an open provocation against the Interastral Peace Corporation. We must adopt stronger countermeasures."
Oswaldo spoke. Within a short time, several department heads reached a consensus.
Now the entire universe knew someone was challenging the IPC. Every faction's gaze had turned toward them.
If they failed to retaliate, the IPC's authority would suffer an unprecedented blow.
Though the IPC did not pride itself on military strength, that did not mean it was a lamb waiting for slaughter. With influence spread across the cosmos, it possessed countless methods to deal with enemies.
"Mobilize armed fleets. Contact mercenary forces. Guard IPC trade routes."
"Unite all worlds and trade guilds under the IPC to impose the harshest trade sanctions against the Starsea Empire. Completely dismantle their economic system."
"Yes—"
Several senior executives responded.
Few worlds warranted the deployment of the IPC's military forces.
The Starsea Empire was an exception.
"Strategic Investment Department... hm. We require a strength assessment and asset evaluation of the Starsea Empire. Given their actions, someone sufficiently capable should be dispatched."
The director's gaze quickly settled on Topaz and her team.
The Ten Stonehearts were the department's elite force—combining asset liquidation, security, lending, and actuarial expertise. They were perfectly suited to the situation.
In fact, it almost felt like overkill.
"Go to the Solar System. Investigate the Starsea Empire in detail. Evaluate their strength and assets, and secure preservation measures. The IPC does not wish to inherit something worthless."
"Additionally, determine the identity of the Starsea Empire's supreme ruler—the Commander. All actions are authorized."
The Strategic Investment Department's plan was entirely premised on the IPC's eventual victory. They had already advanced to the stage of dividing the spoils.
Naturally, every department considered this the logical course of events.
One employee had initially intended to ask how they should respond to the Sophon's second proposal—but judging by the atmosphere, there was no need to speak.
"Understood."
Topaz examined the star map. The Solar System was quite distant, and she possessed little intelligence about it.
She wrote down the codename "Commander" in her ledger.
"Looks like I'm heading out on a long trip~"
"The one bold enough to challenge the IPC... Commander, just who are you? ..."