Muxi, however, shook her head, her gaze resolute. "I know what staying behind means, but I'm not afraid. Since I can help, I cannot simply watch everyone suffer like that again."
"Muxi, this is no place for you to be brave. The cruelty of war is something you cannot imagine; you cannot stay here on passion alone."
"I am not leaving."
Just as the two were at a stalemate, Fesili's star brain chimed. He swiped to answer, "Report, Commander. A Zerg trail has been detected 20 miles to the southwest."
At the same time, the voice of the Little Milk Cat rang out in her mental consciousness:
[Master, be careful. An ambush has been detected to the rear.]
Startled, Muxi spoke instinctively, "What's in the rear?"
Fesili, who had just risen to leave, heard Muxi's question. He merely lifted his eyes, his expression devoid of any extra emotion. His thin lips parted, and he replied indifferently, "There is a heavily polluted river one kilometer to the rear."
He turned and walked away.
"Wait."
Seeing this, Muxi hurriedly called out to stop him.
Fesili paused, but he did not turn back, merely tilting his head slightly to reveal a sharp, cold-edged profile. "Is there something else?"
Muxi said urgently, "You had better send someone to check the rear. I... I have a bad feeling. If there is any potential danger, it's better to be prepared early."
Fesili fell silent for a moment, his cold, composed face revealing no ripples. After a while, he coldly spat out a single word: "Fine."
Muxi watched Fesili’s retreating back, her sense of unease growing stronger. She was terrified that this was the force of the plot. As long as she did not leave the barren planet, Fesili would remain in danger. Fesili could not die. If she wanted to take control of her own fate, she had to defy the plot.
Fesili trusted that Muxi would not issue such a warning without cause, and the moment she spoke, he became alert. He commanded quickly into his communicator, "Monitor the Zerg movements closely, and dispatch a small team to scout the rear. Be cautious and remain hidden; report back at any time."
Before long, the soldiers sent to scout the rear sent back word; the voice over the communicator sounded slightly crackly:
"Report, Commander. No obvious abnormalities have been discovered in the rear. The river is heavily polluted and emits a pungent odor; the surrounding environment is equally harsh and unsuitable for life. We have detected no signs of danger for the time being."
Fesili listened to the report, his expression remaining grim. He replied coldly, "Continue strict surveillance. Do not be the least bit negligent."
Saying this, he headed toward the rear himself.
Muxi had not wanted to go out and cause trouble, but upon hearing the Little Milk Cat’s report, she knew they had failed to detect the danger. The Little Milk Cat could still feel that hidden, dangerous aura. They must have missed something.
Without a moment's hesitation, Muxi immediately hurried in the direction Fesili had gone.
Fesili heard the footsteps and turned back. Seeing her approach, his eyes turned cold instantly. "Go back!"
"I don't think the rear is clear. It can't be that simple. I want to see for myself." Muxi looked straight into Fesili's eyes, her tone firm.
Fesili looked at Muxi’s unwavering gaze, his tone brook no argument: "Go back. This place could face a Zerg assault at any moment, and I cannot spare the energy to look after you."
Muxi kept her eyes fixed on him, enduring the crushing pressure radiating from him, and continued, "My mental scans do not fail. You have to believe me."
Fesili eventually agreed to bring her along.
They stopped more than a thousand meters from the waste lake. Though they were far away, the pungent smell hit them in waves, and she could not help but cover her nose and mouth.
After she used her Mental Power to sweep the area, it initially seemed exactly as the soldiers had reported—nothing obviously abnormal. Just as she was about to retract her power, something seemed to slide at the bottom of the lake.
Muxi felt a jolt of alarm and hurriedly used her Mental Power to check again. She saw that in the turbid, foul-smelling water, there were faint black shadows moving slowly, and those shadows appeared to be approaching the shore...
She tugged on Fesili’s sleeve, wrote two words on his palm, and pointed at the lake.
Fesili looked in the direction Muxi pointed, his expression turning even colder. He made a shushing gesture to the soldiers behind him, signaling everyone to stay alert.
Muxi concentrated her Mental Power, attempting to further probe the situation of these unknown creatures. The black shadows in the lake moved more clearly now, and she could vaguely discern that they were bizarrely shaped creatures.
Muxi was shocked. Just as her Mental Power touched those shadows, her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to tell Fesili, but she did not understand this high-tech equipment and couldn't name what they were.
[Master, it is an Armored Warship.]
Hearing the Little Milk Cat’s explanation, she hurriedly said to Fesili, "Commander, what’s hidden in that lake are modified Armored Warships. At least five of them."
Fesili’s expression shifted, but before he could react further, a chaotic noise erupted from behind them. Turning, they saw a massive swarm of Zerg surging toward them like a tide, instantly surrounding the Third Legion and creating a pincer attack.
The Third Legion descended into a momentary panic, but soon received orders from their captains to regroup and fight.
Muxi watched with wide eyes as Zerg, larger than any human, flew toward them. She nearly fainted from terror. How could so many monsters appear so suddenly?
[Master, at the bottom of the lake are special forces from the Diluo Empire. Among them is a blue-haired orc who possesses an extremely unique ability: he can control the Zerg by emitting a strange sound that is difficult for human ears to perceive. He is the one manipulating these Zerg to launch a fierce attack on the Third Legion right now.]
Muxi was struck with horror. Before she could react, she was pulled into a mecha by Fesili.
Held in Fesili’s arms, Muxi’s heart raced—partly from the sudden, perilous situation, and partly from being in such close contact with him. But she quickly forced herself to calm down.
"Fesili, it’s the Armored Squad from the Diluo Empire!"
Fesili’s expression was grim as he issued orders through the mecha’s communication system. Hearing her words, his eyes darkened, but he showed no other emotion.
Muxi did not dare to disturb him further. Through the control panel, she could see the Zerg outside pouncing with claws and fangs, their appearance hideous. These Zerg looked like a cross between a mantis and an ant, but scaled up; their shells were as hard and sharp as metal.
Although the soldiers of the Third Legion fought valiantly, faced with a pincer attack, they soon fell into a grueling battle, and the casualty count climbed steadily.
Inside the mecha, Muxi watched the tragic scene through the observation window, her heart aching. At first, Muxi hadn't wanted to sing. While her voice could soothe orcs, the Diluo Empire soldiers were also orcs; her singing would soothe them as well, which would only make the situation more chaotic.
But the scenes of misery before her eyes cut deep.
Muxi gritted her teeth, knowing she could not delay any longer. She took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes. At this moment, she could not—and would not—sing a gentle, sentimental song. It wouldn't be appropriate.