In cosmic space, the mirror-like surface of the gamma ray emitter beneath the Nelson-class battleship lit up, releasing an invisible wave of energy that shot straight downward. The gamma rays pierced through the outer wall of the Mendel Satellite and struck the energy building.
In an instant, the clustered vines bristled like fur standing on end.
They twisted, convulsed, and thrashed wildly, their movements producing a howling wind.
Several blood-colored vines, three meters thick and thirty to forty meters long, swept horizontally across the ground, shattering and toppling buildings in their path. Dust billowed, leaving behind a barren expanse.
The entire satellite trembled incessantly.
After a dozen seconds, the vines drooped powerlessly and crashed heavily to the ground. Their leaves and skin rapidly curled and withered, while their thick bodies burst open in a series of bloody splatters.
The gamma ray emitter rotated, sweeping its rays across various parts of the satellite.
Smaller vines instantly ignited and turned to ash.
Survivors in emergency shelters, homes, and private research facilities were swept by the high-energy gamma rays. They immediately felt nauseous and weak, collapsing to the ground in convulsions as their skin seemed to melt as if scorched.
Inside the LHZ-4 Series Shuttle at the spaceport, Natarle, Zhao Qi, and the others nervously swallowed hard. Though they couldn't see the gamma rays, the shuttle's alarms blared fiercely.
Woo-wah! Woo-wah!
The shrill sirens echoed through the cabin.
With nowhere left to hide, everyone gripped nearby objects tightly and remained silent.
After a long moment, the alarms continued to blare, but joy began to spark in their eyes.
Zhao Qi shouted, "Is anyone feeling unwell or experiencing any adverse reactions?"
"No!"
"No!"
Everyone responded in unison. Zhao Qi let out a long sigh and turned to Natarle. "Badgiruel, we owe you once again. You've saved us a second time." Natarle, drenched in sweat and utterly drained, managed a weak smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
The entire group relaxed, collapsing onto the floor of the cabin and gasping for breath.
Ray watched them curiously, a look of confusion on his face. Then, mimicking the others, he lay down on the floor and began panting heavily.
His adorable demeanor prompted Gu Yue to pounce on him like a tigress, pinning him to the ground and rubbing against him.
"Ah! Ah!"
Ray struggled frantically, reaching a small hand toward Natarle.
Qin Feng and Li Xin burst into laughter, while Zhao Qi's face darkened as he grabbed Gu Yue by the collar and flung her aside.
The moment he broke free, Ray darted behind Natarle, peeking out with half his face to glare at Gu Yue like an angry kitten.
Natarle gently stroked his golden hair to soothe him.
On the bridge of the Nelson-class battleship in cosmic space—
The colonel nodded with satisfaction. "Retreat. Contact the Atlantic Federation as planned and see who's interested in buying this credit."
A subordinate voiced his confusion, "But won't that expose us?"
"East Asia, the Atlantic Federation, and Eurasia—we're the only three with the power to stir up trouble. If it's not East Asia, and not the Atlantic Federation themselves, then who's left?" The lieutenant colonel shot his subordinate a look. "Just lay out the surface-level facts openly. The key is to stop them from speculating wildly. None of us are clean—everyone has their own shady operations."
"Understood."
At that moment, the radar operator shouted, "Lieutenant Colonel! Those vines!"
On the main screen ahead, small black flowers were now blooming from the vines they thought had died.
They grew upon the corpses of the blood-colored vines, blooming and withering at a visible pace, then transforming into black vines that rapidly expanded. "Really..." The lieutenant colonel shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. Let the Atlantic Federation handle this themselves. We'll just charge them less."
"Report to command that we need stricter quarantine measures for ships traveling to and from L4. We can't let these things reach Earth."
"Are we really ignoring them? These vines..."
"We're on fixed salaries here. How much are we getting paid to deal with this? Let's move out, now!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Nelson-class battleship turned and swiftly departed.
In the distance, a red glimmer shone within the cosmic space filled with white starlight.
Satellite, Spaceport Shuttle
"Li Xin, still not done?" Qin Feng sat backward on his seat, leaning over the backrest. "Have you gotten worse at this?"
"You try it if you're so good!" Li Xin kept working without looking back. "Do you even know what level of defense system a research satellite like this has? Even the most skilled Coordinator would need half a day, and that's only because there's no maintenance on the other end."
Zhao Qi spoke up from nearby, "No rush. Just follow the procedure."
"Yes, Captain." Li Xin took a moment to stick his tongue out at Qin Feng.
"Hmph, brat."
Nearby, Gu Yue and Natarle were teaching Ray to speak.
Ray's learning ability was remarkable. In just a short while, he could already articulate words and phrases clearly, though explaining their meanings and usage took more time.
Boom!
A sudden loud noise interrupted everyone's activities, and the shuttle trembled.
They all turned to the external display screens, where the spaceport's metal flooring was bulging upward. The edges of metal panels curled up as if something was tunneling beneath. The next moment, thick black vines pushed through the surface and emerged.
They coiled around nearby shuttles, broke through their hatches, and burrowed inside. Within moments, slender vines sprouted from every crack and crevice inside the shuttles. In just a few breaths, one shuttle was dismantled, its engine section enveloped by black vines that writhed as if sucking something out.
"What is this?!"
Everyone was horrified.
"Did the gamma rays earlier not eliminate these vines?!"
Seeing vines snaking their way, Qin Feng grabbed two rifles and moved to exit.
Zhao Qi and Natarle grabbed his muscular arms.
Natarle said, "Are you insane! The radiation levels outside are lethal!"
Qin Feng smiled casually. "I've got a strong constitution. I should last a few minutes. I'll draw the vines away."
He called to Li Xin, "If you haven't cracked the system by the time I die, don't blame me for mocking you in the afterlife."
"Qin Feng..." Li Xin's eyes reddened, but he lowered his head and continued working on the system.
Gu Yue picked up a rifle as well. "I'll go too. With this many vines, you won't buy much time alone."
Faced with the situation, Natarle hesitated, took a step back, and bowed her head. "Sorry... I..."
Zhao Qi patted her shoulder. "No need to apologize."
He pulled out a palm-sized black storage device from his chest pocket. "You're taking over the mission objective now. Help us bring it back safely. My squad, Zhao Qi's squad, has never failed a mission."
Picking up a gun from the floor, he began giving orders: "Qin Feng, you... Gu Yue, you..."
Following Zhao Qi's instructions, the three of them walked out of the cabin toward the shuttle boarding gate.
Just as they were about to open the door, a thick vine suddenly shot out from beneath the shuttle, lifting it upward.
Everyone inside the cabin was thrown into the air, crashing against the walls.
Black vines crawled upward, coiling around the shuttle and slowly tightening.
The sound of twisting metal echoed through the cabin.
The shuttle's surface deformed under the pressure, creating gaps between its seams.
Tiny branches sprouted from the black vines' surface, worming into the cracks. The shuttle's outer shell was peeled away like an eggshell.
Inside the cabin, Natarle held Ray tightly.
Tian Ming!
Suddenly, a rain of red beams pierced through the spaceport's ceiling, striking the ground.
The black vines were severed and vaporized by the beams.
They precisely targeted the engines of the remaining shuttles, piercing straight through.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The shuttles exploded one after another, transforming into fireballs.
Scorching waves of fire swept through, setting the vines ablaze as they writhed uncontrollably.
Boom! Another explosion.
The metal ceiling above blew apart. Flames first rolled downward, then were violently sucked back up by howling winds, revealing a massive hole.
Shuttles and debris were pulled upward, while the black vines stretched taut.
Amid the explosive glare, ten red streaks shot forward.
The Feather Plumes gathered energy at their tips, forming glowing blades that remained unleased. They darted like fish among the vines, slicing them all apart in an instant. Like kites with cut strings, everything on the ground was sucked out and scattered into cosmic space.
Natarle's shuttle tumbled uncontrollably, surrounded by metal debris that slammed against its surface with loud crashes.
Inside, everyone was thrown about, colliding with walls and losing all sense of direction.
Then, the Feather Plumes swam over. They moved in a circular formation around the shuttle, creating a protective barrier that destroyed any approaching debris.
A few of them pressed close to the shuttle's surface, gradually stabilizing it.
"Don't be afraid! I'm here!"
Zhou Tianming's voice echoed through the cabin.