Chapter 218: Absolute Power Brings Absolute Confidence! Victory Is Certain in This Battle!
Chapter 218: Absolute Power Brings Absolute Confidence! Victory Is Certain in This Battle!
"Mr. Chisaji Fox, what should we do next? Is this place really safe enough to protect us...?!"
Gillian had never seen anything like this before. She had always worked comfortably from the studio, reporting on various news stories.
Field assignments and live on-the-scene interviews were rare for her.
"There's no need to worry. Judging from the current situation, nothing major should happen to us."
Unlike the visibly tense Gillian and William Cage, Chisaji Fox remained calm and composed as he continued leading them toward the cruiser.
"We're not exactly sure what's going on yet, but since this is a shipyard facility, we can use the cruiser as a temporary shelter."
"Everyone, please follow me."
As a senior engineer who had worked on the massive science hub megastructure—and even taken part in the reconstruction of Earth-001's Netherworld—Chisaji Fox had plenty of experience.
So even in this kind of emergency, he stayed level-headed and immediately chose the most appropriate response. Right now, retreating into the cruiser was clearly the best option.
"Alright!"
Gillian and the others quickly responded, picking up their pace toward the cruiser's landing bay, while Mike kept up his filming the entire way.
This trip wasn't a vacation—they were here to report. As dangerous as the sudden incident was, it also presented a golden opportunity to go viral.
If they could capture this unexpected event in full, N54 News' exclusive coverage might just land them a spot in the top headlines—and likely promotions and bonuses once they got back!
Seeing that Mike was still focused on filming, Chisaji Fox didn't bother to say anything.
After all, the team had secured exclusive interview rights with departmental approval. The goal of this broadcast was to showcase the mega-corporation's strength to the people of Earth-003's Edge of Tomorrow.
So rather than interfering, Chisaji Fox simply let him continue.
Before long, the group reached the cruiser's entrance. With the help of two security guards, they made their way inside the ship's spacious, brightly lit interior.
The cruiser's internal space was large. Although it didn't boast the self-sustaining biosphere systems of an Infinity-class vessel, it still had all the essential life-support features.
Under Chisaji Fox's guidance, the group headed toward the cruiser's rest area.
This section was relatively wide, with all sorts of entertainment facilities: a Dreamscape Club, a cinema, and an arcade, among others.
They were meant to help the navy personnel relax and kill time during long voyages or off-duty hours.
However, there were very few navy crew members aboard this particular cruiser—less than 30% of its usual complement—so the atmosphere felt a bit desolate.
Soon, everyone found a seat and waited patiently for the next broadcast announcement.
Mike, meanwhile, kept his camera trained on the scene outside, capturing footage of what was unfolding beyond the cruiser.
Thanks to his livestream, viewers closely following the broadcast were quickly brought up to speed on the incident.
As soon as people realized the lunar base had gone into emergency mode, speculation exploded online. Some said the base was about to blow up; others guessed it was a rebellion.
Still more outlandish theories claimed it was an alien invasion—just like the one with the mimetic species three years ago!
And while online debates raged, the city of Nelrova—directly beneath the space elevator—suddenly echoed with the shrill wail of air-raid sirens.
As the alarms rang sharply across every district, patrolling soldiers and on-duty workers froze in confusion.
"What's going on? Did some department have an accident?"
"That can't be it—what kind of accident would set off the citywide alarm?"
"We haven't received any alerts from HQ... Don't tell me this is an alien invasion?"
"..."
While a squad of soldiers patrolled a neighborhood, they happened to glance up at the massive screen in Times Square.
The usual ads abruptly cut off, replaced by a live emergency broadcast.
At the same time, dozens of Skyhawk shuttles roared overhead, slicing across Nelrova's sky in tight formation.
Even without official confirmation, the people knew what this meant—war was coming.
As confusion and concern mounted, every public holo-screen across Edge of Tomorrow Earth-003—along with all the major ad displays—suddenly switched to a signal from Universal Megacorp.
The next instant, Li Ang —broadcasting live from the grand hall of Megacorp's Paris headquarters—appeared on screen.
Unlike the confused and increasingly panicked public, Li Ang exuded composure. Having fully prepared for this moment, his tone remained calm and steady throughout.
"Greetings. I am Li Ang , CEO of Universal Megacorp."
After a brief self-introduction and summary of the situation, Li Ang revealed the truth to all of humanity: the arrival of the Reaper Civilization.
"Peace has always been a scarce commodity. And survival has always been the top priority in any civilization's evolution."
"Today, we face the threat of invasion from another civilization. This marks the first time LA Megacorp will be fighting a battle on its own territory."
With that, Li Ang cut the feed to footage from the lunar base—then again, to deep space somewhere in the solar system.
The view zoomed in again and again, until it revealed a massive, disc-shaped celestial vessel.
At first glance, many mistook it for some kind of flying saucer—but it quickly became apparent this was no ordinary spacecraft.
This was an alien warship.
People watching from Times Square—passersby and patrolling soldiers alike—were visibly shaken.
They had just survived one war, finally emerging from the shadow of extinction wrought by the mimetic species… and now another alien civilization showed up?
Who had leaked this Earth's coordinates? Who was the idiot that invited yet another wave of colonizers?
As panic rippled through the crowds, the holo-screens switched back to Li Ang , who resumed speaking with unwavering poise:
"As you've seen, based on real-time images captured by our satellite outposts, the incoming object is roughly 800 kilometers in length and nearly 600 kilometers wide."
"This vessel's mass is nearly one-fourth that of the moon—making it the largest flying object we've ever encountered."
"Furthermore, it is currently approaching Earth at a velocity of 4.5 million kilometers per hour. We estimate that contact will occur in approximately 72 hours."
"..."
After providing technical details on the enemy craft, Li Ang went on to disclose partial intel about the Reaper Civilization, and offered a brief comparison of their military capabilities.
When he confirmed that LA Universal Megacorp's fleet had both the means and the time to intercept and neutralize the alien vessel before it could reach the moon base—or Earth—
the citizens of Earth-003 erupted in thunderous cheers.
So this was why Megacorp had spent years advancing Earth's technology—they had prepared for this moment all along!
Twenty Infinity-class supercarriers had already arrived on Edge of Tomorrow Earth-003, more than enough to eliminate the incoming threat.
In parallel universes across the multiverse, humans cheered as they watched Li Ang 's global broadcast.
Especially the residents of Ideal City—home to LA Universal Megacorp and its origins.
They supported the company and Li Ang 's decisions more fervently than anyone.
At this moment, in the executive hall at Megacorp's Paris HQ, Li Ang stood before the camera.
Beneath the platform stood his production crew and numerous high-ranking executives from all departments, ready to act on his next orders.
"Megacorp will deploy 10 Infinity-class carriers to surround the enemy vessel. We expect the interception and elimination operation to be completed within 48 hours."
"Until then, please continue with your regular duties. And of course, during your free time, feel free to follow the interstellar war via our official Megacorp website."
"Since its founding, LA Universal Megacorp has never suffered defeat at the hands of any alien aberration. You can always count on our powerful fleets and exceptional warriors."
"This is LA Universal Megacorp. All alien heresies will be purged by us!"
Throughout Li Ang 's speech, there wasn't a trace of solemnity, no hint of anxiety, and certainly no emotional appeals or dramatic calls to arms.
Only calm resolve and unshakable confidence.
LA Universal Megacorp never burdens its employees with fears about impending doom.
It simply announces the next strategic decision—and the victory that humanity will soon claim.
All across the multiverse, humans needed only to stay home, safe and sound, and watch this war between civilizations unfold.
Absolute power brings absolute confidence. What should have been a heavy, somber speech instead became a call to arms against alien incursion—
a moment defined not by fear, but by unshakable belief.
---
It was as if the ones about to be colonized weren't the humans of this world, but the invading Reaper civilization!
As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Ang's live speech was seamlessly handed over to the Universal Daily's broadcast channel. From this moment on, Stanley would be in charge of continuing the live coverage.
At the same time, the blaring alarms that had echoed moments ago were now shut off, as if they had merely served as a brief warning.
Almost like a public service announcement to all humanity: [Attention, everyone! Stay tuned for a live broadcast of Universal MegaCorp beating the crap out of the Reaper civilization!]
Meanwhile, having finished his address, Li Ang headed into his office with a group of high-ranking executives to begin the next phase of operational planning.
Though he had projected total confidence in front of the camera—declaring the enemy as easily crushed—he knew full well that serious battle preparations still had to be made.
Even a lion goes all out to hunt a rabbit—let alone when the prey is the Reaper civilization, which had mastered faster-than-light travel.
Not long after, the heavy footfalls of V, Reed, and others who had just received urgent orders echoed through the halls as they quickly arrived at the office building.
There, several towering Astartes senior officers—each nearly three meters tall—lined up before Li Ang, standing at attention.
At the front was V, clad in his bulky Mark X Power Armor, his expression resolute and calm as he stood in the center of the hall. For a moment, Li Ang felt as though he had stepped into a different world.
He vividly remembered the first time he'd met V—back when the guy was just a pitiful stray on the brink of death, nearly killed by a Relic chip, constantly scrambling just to stay alive.
But now? V wasn't just the legion Master of the "Iron Hands" Astartes Corps and the director of MegaCorp's Market Expansion Division—he had become the first-ever "Primaris"-grade warrior in recorded history.
Looking at the once-disheveled wanderer who had now transformed into a towering "tin can," Li Ang couldn't help but think to himself, "Well damn, the kid really grew up."
No denying it—gene-seeds really were cheats. Having hacks was a game-changer!
"Boss, did you call us here to lead a strike team against the Reaper civilization's ship?"
Before Li Ang could even speak, V stepped forward and volunteered. He understood better than anyone that with great power came great responsibility.
After all, he'd been in the spotlight plenty recently—making headlines repeatedly as the newly minted Primaris Astartes.
He'd gained the glory—now it was time to shoulder the burden.
"That's right."
Li Ang nodded. With someone as self-aware and work-focused as V, there was no doubt he'd earned Li Ang's trust.
This time, Li Ang had made extensive preparations and was giving V and a group of younger Astartes warriors the opportunity to shine and make their mark.
"I've outfitted you with Anti-Hulk Armor for this mission. I want you to crush those invading heretics and take that massive ship."
Li Ang didn't bother wasting time on fluff. His job was to give the orders—V's job was to execute them flawlessly and come back for his reward.
"But this time, Reed and Jack will only serve as your backup team. The primary strike team you'll be leading is a group of younger, less-seasoned warriors."
By "younger warriors," Li Ang meant the up-and-coming officers led by David—representatives of MegaCorp's next generation.
David Martinez had both talent and potential—it was only major achievements he lacked. This mission would be a perfect opportunity for him to prove himself.
Hearing this, V—sharp and emotionally intelligent—immediately grasped the subtext. Li Ang was grooming him for a higher leadership role.
There was no doubt that V was the toughest fighter in all of MegaCorp, enhanced with gene-seeds and cybernetic augmentations.
But no matter how strong he was, it was time for him to transition into upper management, to oversee an entire star sector.
As a battle-hardened veteran, it was only natural for V to start passing the torch, letting younger warriors take the lead on the frontlines.
Li Ang assigning him to personally guide and "polish" David's team was all part of this greater plan.
"Yes, I understand."
V's voice was firm as always, but Li Ang could still see a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
After all, V was used to leading from the front—throwing himself into every mission. Asking him to step back so suddenly, it was no surprise that he wasn't thrilled.
"V, I know what you're thinking."
Li Ang smiled and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the sun casting its golden light over the ancient city of Paris.
His voice echoed through the hall:
"Universal MegaCorp must keep its talent pipeline flowing. Everyone deserves a chance to defy fate and rise. The ladder to success is always ready for the next generation to climb."
"It all depends on whether they have the guts—whether they're willing to give everything to MegaCorp, and exchange their blood and loyalty for honor and reward."
"V, do you remember the very first mission I assigned you?"
"Of course I do."
V nodded. How could he forget the path he'd walked? Everyone's journey begins in hardship—only in hindsight do the thorns become flowers.
He remembered all too well how he'd gone from a penniless wastelander to a decorated Primaris Astartes.
It wasn't just courage and combat skill—it was his determination to seize every opportunity to grow stronger.
MegaCorp was like a cold, calculating merit machine. Every sacrifice V made had earned him a matching reward.
That, more than anything else, was why V had remained loyal all these years. Just as physical laws follow conservation of energy, MegaCorp followed its own law: equivalent exchange.
Now that Li Ang had called him out, V said nothing more.
Wherever this big "tin can" was supposed to go next—that was for the boss to decide.
His job was simple: follow orders and get it done.
"Boss, rest assured. I'll give it my all and lead those young warriors to capture the enemy ship. As legio Master, I'll also make sure every one of them comes back alive."
At that moment, the other MegaCorp executives exchanged looks of surprise.
It was clear to them: Li Ang wasn't just earning the loyalty of both the old and new factions within the Astartes.
He was also sending a message to the rest of the high-ranking officials.
Even a founding-level legion Master like V had to step aside for the younger generation—what did that say about them?
Anyone who didn't fall in line would be replaced.
This was a warning shot.
And after seeing how V perfectly played his role and delivered the exact response Li Ang wanted, the boss couldn't help but feel pleased.
Now that's a smart man. High-level communication requires no explanation—just a move, and the right counter-move.
V had made it clear in his own way: his loyalty to MegaCorp was absolute.
"V, I've always believed you're a capable legion Master. The Iron Hands of Universal MegaCorp will always need you."
Li Ang's promise acted like a stabilizing agent, reassuring V that the company still valued his contributions.
"From here on out, just lead your team to storm the Reaper's command deck and take control of the situation. Stay safe—I want all of you to return victorious and unharmed."
Li Ang instructed him warmly.
"Yes, sir. I'm heading to the lunar base now."
With that, V led Reed and the others out of the hall.
The rest of the MegaCorp executives, after receiving their orders from Li Ang, left with a mix of unease and reflection.
Soon, the office hall returned to its usual quiet state—leaving only Li Ang, silently standing by the window.
He gazed into the distance, lost in thought—analyzing the Reaper civilization's technological profile and searching for its weaknesses.
The Reapers operated like their bioengineered "mimic" weapons—ruthless and destructive, leaving nothing alive in their wake across the galaxy.
They sustained and expanded their massive, planet-sized flagship by pillaging other civilizations—stealing resources to fuel their own growth.
Their societal structure resembled that of a hive, with a singular Queen as the sole high-level entity.
Through a sort of psychic communication, the Queen could command the entire swarm, executing highly complex strategies with terrifying efficiency.
This centralized control allowed the Reaper civilization to evolve rapidly.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before they ascended into the ranks of advanced civilizations—or even became the supreme rulers of this dimensional universe.
However, this hive-mind structure had a fatal flaw: once the Queen died, the rest of the swarm became inoperable.
Just like the mimics' "Omega"—take out the head, and the rest collapse.
For hive-mind species like these, the best tactic was always decapitation—take out the Queen, and the war ends.
In the original Independence Day, humanity won by doing exactly that: nuking the Reaper Queen's mothership.
"There's no way I'm letting these goddamn heretics get within a hair's breadth of Earth's near orbit. If they do, my space elevator and infrastructure projects are screwed!"
Li Ang thought grimly.
Given the colossal size of the Reapers' flagship, just nearing Earth would trigger gravitational disruptions capable of uprooting oceans and entire cities.
The damage to MegaCorp's assets would be incalculable.
Which meant he had to intercept them in space—no matter what.
"Now, should I have Song Zhaomei's top hacker team prep a cyber-virus, or should I have Francis get the Scorpiolion virus ready…"
As he reviewed the Reapers' known tech points, Li Ang couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
In the original film, one of the most absurd yet oddly satisfying details was how an Earth-made digital virus actually worked on Reaper systems.
Which implied their OS ran on binary—just like humanity's.
It sounded ridiculous, but there was a reason: the Reapers had once sent a scout ship to Earth.
That ship was shot down by the U.S. military, and the scientists recovered its network tech.
Humanity's modern internet systems were actually built using reverse-engineered Reaper tech.
In other words, today's human digital networks were based on alien infrastructure. The Reapers were the true origin.
This was a textbook example of "using the enemy's strength against them."
"Now I'm wondering… does this parallel universe even have Turing? At this point, it's practically saying Earth's binary code was plagiarized from the Reapers."
Li Ang couldn't help but laugh at the mental image.
But the Reapers' similarities didn't end with their software. Even their standard motherships—meant only for reconnaissance—could carry up to 3 billion units.
They also had dozens of 20-kilometer-wide warships—disk-shaped "City Destroyers."
If the Reapers had one defining trait, it was massive.
But their true flagship—the one carrying the Queen—was on another level.
This ship had a diameter of 5,000 kilometers and could generate gravitational fields strong enough to siphon the molten core of Earth-like planets for fuel.
Just in terms of scale, that flagship could rival the [War Moon] Li Ang had been planning to redeem.
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