Chapter 55: Signs of War

After the execution missions on both sides concluded, Gray returned. 

As a soldier clad in the Guardian Power Armor, Gray and his companions, including Yaon, possessed the unrestricted ability to utilize teleportation technology, allowing them to swiftly reach their desired locations at any moment. 

Upon entering the underground cavern, Gray sat before Qin Mo, initially opening his mouth as if to speak but ultimately remaining silent. He suddenly turned to Yaon, inquiring, "Uh… have you dined with the Legion Commander?" 

"Speak plainly; our relationship transcends mere hierarchy," Qin Mo responded. 

"Did I… kill Grot's elder brother?" Gray asked hesitantly. 

"Who else do you think you just eliminated?" 

"I…" 

Gray found himself at a loss for words. 

He had not initially realized that he was sent to assassinate Grot's family member. It wasn't until he encountered the half-metallic figure of Heavy Hammer that memories resurfaced, recalling Grot's earlier rampage in Sector One. Only then did it dawn on him that his target was indeed Grot's brother. It was then that he uttered to Heavy Hammer, "You are the shame of your brother." 

At the time, he had felt little, but now, reflecting on it, unease settled in. 

"That man was killing civilians in the slums, so I, I had no choice…" Gray stammered, struggling to articulate his thoughts. "This matter… um, Grot…" 

Qin Mo raised a hand to interrupt the incoherent rambling, understanding the conflict within Gray's heart. 

On one hand, he believed his actions were justified, yet on the other, he felt remorse for taking Grot's family member's life. Although Grot had been reassigned to repair logistical machinery, Gray believed this did not preclude future encounters with his friend, and he was uncertain how to explain the circumstances to Grot when they met again. 

"Few are aware of the execution missions; only we are privy to them, which is why I have a plan," Qin Mo declared to Gray. 

"We must tell Grot that his brother is indeed dead, but not by execution; instead, he died battling the gangs in Sector One, saving many lives before his demise." 

"Then I will seek out Grot's last remaining family member, his sister. I've heard her name is Maya. I will deploy reconnaissance drones to search the entire Nest, comparing everyone's DNA against Grot's to locate his sister, ultimately reuniting them." 

After hearing Qin Mo's strategy, Gray nodded vigorously in agreement. 

In truth, he had come to express his thoughts, which aligned perfectly with Qin Mo's plan. 

"However, deceiving him… doesn't sit right," Yaon interjected. 

"Indeed," Gray reflected, realizing the moral implications of misleading Grot. 

"I don't wish to deceive him, but certain things cannot be explained. If you reveal the truth, even if he learns it, it won't truly be the truth. Why did his brother go mad? Why did he kill civilians? Can you provide an explanation?" Qin Mo posed the question. 

Yaon and Gray exchanged a glance, silently nodding in understanding. 

Qin Mo bowed his head in contemplation. 

He was now certain that Grot's brother had succumbed to corruption, yet discussing such matters was fraught with peril. Who could predict how Grot, a man who donned power armor and relished close-quarters combat, would react upon learning of the existence of the Terror Reaver? 

"Then it's settled." Qin Mo ceased further discussion regarding Grot and began constructing the genetic comparison devices for the drones tasked with finding Maya. 

However, Gray lingered and brought up another matter: "By the way, aren't we inevitably going to war with the Nest?" 

Qin Mo halted his work, turned to Gray, and admitted, "Yes." 

The predictions of the Mimetic Oracle had proven remarkably accurate. 

David was indeed a follower of the Dark God, and the Mimetic Oracle had warned that the entire Nest was undergoing corruption. 

There was ample reason to believe that the plan to assault the Lower Nest had originated with the corrupted nobles, though the underlying motivations remained elusive; nevertheless, it was a conspiracy. 

"I suspect that our conflict may extend beyond just the Nest," Yaon suggested, removing his helmet and playing back a recorded segment. "This was captured by the Power Armor's recorder." 

"The Talon Nest is still not our territory; we must tread carefully in our words." 

"The Talon Nest is still not our territory; we must tread carefully in our words." 

The recording looped repeatedly. 

Gray felt perplexed upon hearing the playback, only to witness Yaon activate data sharing, which revealed an encrypted mission log within his visor. 

After decoding the encrypted log with a unique key available only to Gray, Qin Mo, and Yaon within their power armors, the mission log laid bare the entirety of Yaon's assassination of David. 

In that moment, Gray realized that while he had been engaged in his mission, Yaon had been executing an entirely separate one. 

If there had been any lingering doubts about whether the First Army would confront the Nest, Gray could now assert with certainty that conflict was inevitable. They could no longer avoid battle. 

"The sole reason I sent Yaon to assassinate David was my conviction that his faith does not lie with the Emperor; we have all been deceived," Qin Mo revealed. 

Gray harbored no skepticism; he immediately concluded that David was a fraud, articulating a painfully evident yet hard-to-believe conclusion: "So, we must not only engage the Nest but also wage war against David's domain. But where exactly is that?" 

"Who knows? The Talon system comprises three worlds; one of the other two, aside from Talon Nest, could be his domain, or possibly both," Qin Mo analyzed. 

"Oh…" Gray nodded, his expression remaining untroubled, exuding an air of calm composure. 

Just as Qin Mo perceived Gray to be a natural leader, one who could maintain his equanimity in any circumstance, Gray abruptly posed a question: "If the fleet approaches, you will undoubtedly devise weapons to deal with them, correct?" 

"Do you take me for a wish-granting machine?" Qin Mo playfully knocked on Gray's helmet. 

Gray grinned, responding lightly, "Then we'll have to teleport aboard the warship for a decisive assault." 

Qin Mo shook his head, "Let's not be overly pessimistic. I plan to construct a dry dock in the Lower Nest; once war breaks out and we secure low Earth orbit, we can teleport the dry dock into position and work tirelessly to produce warships." 

"A dry dock that size can be teleported?" 

"Why not? Do you think dimensional teleportation can only facilitate your movements within the Nest?" 

"Heh, that sounds rather promising." 

With newfound assurance, Gray's worries began to dissipate. 

"We need to bolster our forces," Qin Mo stated. "Next, I require you to deploy water purification devices in various districts of the Lower Nest. Once completed, begin recruiting soldiers, sending them to the Lower Nest for training, and filtering out those with peculiar beliefs and eccentric behaviors during the training." 

"What if war breaks out and the enemy exploits the purification devices in the occupied Lower Nest?" Gray inquired. 

"Can they penetrate gravity shields or tear apart our tanks after drinking purified water? Even with our current manpower, we could swiftly seize control of the Lower Nest, even if the enemy increases their numbers tenfold," Qin Mo replied. 

"Understood." Gray, alongside Yaon, saluted before turning to leave.