svetikya Page 228
Page 228
"Are you crazy?" Number 18 rolled her eyes at him and pointed to the radar screen. "They still have five warships behind them. Charging head-on is suicide!"
As the two were arguing, Lin Ye suddenly looked up, the ore in his hand still glowing faintly: "Lei, you just said this ore is part of a key, what exactly do you mean? What's the use of the complete key?"
Lei sat up straight, turned off autopilot, turned around, and his expression instantly turned serious: "The file I intercepted says that the complete key is made up of three pieces of ore... The Observer has already obtained two pieces, and the one you have is the last one. Only when all three pieces are collected can the hidden program be activated to reveal the coordinates of the Creation Ruins."
"The ruins of creation?" Trunks leaned closer, his eyes lighting up. "What's hidden inside? A weapon that can counter the Watchers?"
“It’s even more powerful than weapons,” Ray said in an even lower voice. “Legend has it that it’s a ‘galaxy controller’ left behind by an ancient civilization… a power capable of directly destroying or controlling an entire galaxy. If the Observers get their hands on it, the entire universe will have to listen to them.”
He had barely finished speaking when the spaceship suddenly emitted a "beep beep beep" alarm... On the radar screen, three red dots were rapidly approaching from the front, forming a triangular formation that completely blocked their path.
"Damn it! It's the interceptor fleet!" Lei slammed his hand on the control panel. "How did they get around to the front?"
Outside the porthole, three observer warships were already anchored, their cannons pointed directly at the reconnaissance ship, their dark barrels menacing. Vegeta instantly stood up, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "Perfect! I've been itching for this! Let me out here and I'll blast these bastards to smithereens!"
"Wait!" Lin Ye grabbed him and held up the ore in his hand. "A direct confrontation won't work. Let's use this as bait."
Number 18's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood: "You want to use a feint? Draw their attention away with the ore, and then take the opportunity to break through?"
“Yes,” Lin Ye nodded, then looked at Lei, “Does this ship have escape pods? How many people can it seat?”
“There are two small escape pods, each seating only two people,” Ray pointed to the rear of the cabin, “but they are slow and poorly defended, making them easy targets.”
“That’s enough,” Lin Ye said, looking at Trunks. “You come with me in the escape pod with the ore to draw some of the pursuers away. Rei and 18, you two go with Vegeta in the main ship and head in the opposite direction to lure away the rest of the pursuers.”
"Why should I go with them?" Vegeta immediately bristled. "I want to go with you! I want to fight!"
Number 18 glanced at him sideways, his tone laced with sarcasm: "What? Afraid of danger on the main ship? Or do you think you can't beat those warships?"
"Who's afraid!" Vegeta blushed and shouted, his neck stiff. "Fine! I'll stay on the main ship! I'll show you what real fighting power is!"
The plan was devised in a flash... Lin Ye and Trunks, carrying the ore, quickly crawled into one of the escape pods. Ray pressed the release button, and the escape pod shot out like an arrow, heading towards the asteroid belt on the left; the other empty escape pod launched to the right to confuse the enemy.
"It's our turn!" Lei pushed the control stick, and the main ship suddenly turned around, deliberately rushing towards the intercepting fleet. He even turned on the signal transmitter, as if afraid that others would not see it.
The Observer fleet was indeed fooled... The four warships immediately turned around and chased after the main ship, while only a small reconnaissance ship kept an eye on Lin Ye's escape pod and slowly followed.
"It's done! Most of the pursuers have been lured away!" Trunks looked at the radar screen and breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Ye frowned, his fingers gently stroking the ore: "It's not that simple... That reconnaissance ship may be small, but it's very fast; it's definitely designed specifically for chasing people. Prepare for battle."
As soon as he finished speaking, the escape pod suddenly shook violently, and a blue traction beam shot out from behind, firmly binding the escape pod and instantly reducing its speed.
"Damn it! We've been captured!" Trunks frantically tried to press the control stick, but the escape pod wouldn't obey him and flew straight towards the Observer reconnaissance ship. "What do we do now?"
Lin Ye calmed down, tucked the ore into his pocket, and lowered his voice: "Don't panic, this is exactly what I want. When they open the hatch, you go first and cut off their weapons; I'll go capture their commander and interrogate him about the Creation Ruins."
A few minutes later, the escape pod was pulled into the Observer warship's hangar... As soon as the hatch opened, blinding lights shone in, and a squad of soldiers in black uniforms surrounded it, pointing their energy guns at the hatch.
"Come out! Hands up! Don't move!" A bearded officer stood at the front, his voice rough and hoarse.
Lin Ye and Trunks exchanged a glance and suddenly rushed out at the same time... Trunks' sword was drawn with a "whoosh," and in a flash, it sliced the energy guns in the soldiers' hands in two; Lin Ye, on the other hand, used his feet to move behind the officer in an instant, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up.
"Speak! Why do the Observers want the ore so much? Where exactly is the Creation Ruins?" Lin Ye's voice was as cold as ice, and his fingers tightened even more.
The officer, his face flushed red from being choked, struggled and cried out, "I...I don't know the location of the Creation Ruins! I was just ordered...ordered to capture the person who obtained the ore!"
Trunks held the sword to his neck, the blade already pressed against his skin: "Not telling the truth? Believe me, I'll cut you down right now!"
"I'll talk! I'll talk!" The officer was terrified, his voice trembling. "The ore is the key to unlocking the Creation Ruins! The higher-ups said... said it contains the power to control the universe! If we get our hands on it, we can... we can rule all the star systems!"
Lin Ye wanted to ask more questions, but the entire warship suddenly began to shake violently, the alarm sounded "whoosh whoosh," and the lights on the ceiling flickered.
"What happened?" Trunks steadied himself by grabbing the box next to him.
A soldier rushed in, his face pale: "Report! There's a black warship attacking us outside! Its engine has been damaged!"
Lin Ye and Trunks immediately rushed to the porthole and saw a strangely shaped black warship hanging outside. There were no markings on the hull, and the cannons were pointed directly at the Observer's engine. The vibration just now was caused by the engine being hit.
"Who is that?" Trunks asked in surprise. "Is it one of our allies? I've never seen this ship before."
Lin Ye narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the black warship: "I don't know, but it's definitely not from the Observers; their warships are all silver."
Just then, the communicator suddenly rang... A deep, unfamiliar voice came through: "Mr. Lin Ye, Mr. Trunks, we're here to help you. Please prepare to evacuate immediately; we will open your escape pod passage."
Lin Ye pressed the communicator, asking warily, "Who are you? Why are you helping us?"
After a few seconds of silence, the other party replied, "We are enemies of the Observers, just like you. Time is of the essence, but the Observers' support will arrive soon. Please trust us."
Lin Ye looked at Trunks, and Trunks nodded... There was no other choice but to trust the other party.
“Okay, we’ll go with you,” Lin Ye said.
A few minutes later, a beam of teleportation enveloped Lin Ye and Trunks. When they opened their eyes, they were already standing in the command center of the black warship. The command center was crowded with people, including alien races with tentacles, robots made entirely of metal, and several people dressed in uniforms similar to Night Owl's.
A tall man walked over and extended his hand: "Welcome aboard, Mr. Lin Ye, Mr. Trunks. I am the captain of this ship, the 'Night Falcon,' codename Night Owl."
Lin Ye didn't shake hands, his eyes still wary: "How do you know our names? And how did you find us?"
Night Owl chuckled and pointed to the reconnaissance ship being pursued on the screen: "We'll explain these issues later. Your friends are still being hunted by the Observers; we need to go rescue them first."
He turned to the control panel and shouted, "All personnel prepare! Activate the hyperspace engine! Target coordinates: Last known location of Ray's reconnaissance ship!"
The roar of the engines grew louder and louder, and a blue light emanated from around the black warship... The next second, the warship suddenly vanished from its spot, leaving only the damaged Observer warship spinning in space, its alarms still sounding intermittently.
Chapter 489: Unexpected Reinforcements
Before the dizziness of the hyperspace jump had completely subsided, the portholes of the black warship were illuminated red by the firelight. Lei's reconnaissance ship drifted in space like a broken leaf, surrounded by three observer warships firing wildly. The reconnaissance ship's shields flashed a blinding red light and looked like they were about to shatter.
"Perfect timing!" Night Owl slammed his hand on the control panel, his voice suddenly rising. "All guns lock onto the enemy engines! Portal gun crews, take out the rightmost ship first, disable its propulsion! Don't give it a chance to retaliate!"
The black warship's cannons instantly lit up with a cold blue light, and three energy beams shot out with a "whoosh," accurately striking the engine room of the rightmost observer warship... With a loud "boom," the engine exploded into a fireball, and the warship, like a kite with a broken string, drifted straight towards the distant asteroid belt and quickly disappeared from sight.
"Holy crap! That accuracy!" Trunks stared wide-eyed at the tactical screen. "Are their gun crews equipped with auto-aiming? That's insane!"
Lin Ye didn't reply, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the ore in his pocket. The black warship's tactical coordination was too perfect. The gun crew fired, the engines evaded, and the defensive shields connected without even half a second of gap. This was a level that ordinary resistance organizations could not achieve.
The communicator suddenly blared as Vegeta roared, accompanied by the booming of energy cannons: "Finally, someone capable of fighting! Let me out! I'm going to dismantle those shoddy warships into pieces!"
Android 18's calm voice followed, tinged with helplessness: "Don't be impulsive, Vegeta. Rejoin our allies first, and wait until we know their strength before engaging. Going out now would just make us sitting ducks."
Taking advantage of the situation, Ray's reconnaissance ship circled around to the back of the black warship, using the defensive shields of its allies to stabilize its position. A few minutes later, the indicator light in the connecting passage lit up with a "click"... Ray, Android 18, and Vegeta strode in. Vegeta's battle suit was still covered with charred fragments from the warship's hull, and his face was full of frustration from not having had enough of the fight.
"Wow," Ray circled the command center, reached out and touched the metallic-looking control panel, and whistled, "This ship's equipment is even more advanced than the Observer's patrol ships! Who are you guys anyway? Are you some planet's regular army?"
Night Owl chuckled, about to speak, when the navigator suddenly screamed, "Captain! Something's wrong! A spatial anomaly has been detected ahead... a spacetime rift! It's expanding!"
Everyone turned sharply to the porthole... A deep purple crack was slowly opening in space, its edges twisting like a living thing. Several observer warships were emerging from the crack, their numbers increasing until they formed a small squad in the blink of an eye.
"They've used spacetime technology!" Night Owl's face instantly darkened, his fingers flying across the control panel. "They're trying to trap us in this airspace!"
Lei suddenly clapped his hands, as if he had remembered some key information, and his eyes lit up: "I have a way! I've seen it in the Observer's database before. Although spacetime rifts are unstable, if you use precise energy to impact a specific node, you can trigger a chain reaction and temporarily shut it down!"
Night Owl frowned and tapped his fingers on the table: "Theoretically, it's feasible, but the impact point and energy intensity have to be calculated precisely... Even a millimeter off, or too much or too little energy, could make the crack even bigger."
"I'll calculate it!" Number 18 immediately walked to the secondary control panel, his fingers flying across the screen. "My combat system can simulate the trajectory of energy impacts and calculate the optimal parameters within three minutes!"
Vegeta impatiently shook his fist, his knuckles cracking, his tone full of frustration: "What's with all the calculations! Just use my energy! I guarantee I'll blast that damn crack open in one go!"
The plan was devised in a flash... The black warship led the way, using its defensive shields to block the observers' fire; Ray's reconnaissance ship provided cover from behind, firing a few shots every now and then to distract the enemy; Android 18 stared at the screen, which was constantly refreshing with dense data; Vegeta stood on the external platform of the black warship, his hands gathering golden energy balls, the shockwaves making the surrounding metal panels hum, and even pushing away debris in space.
"The parameters are calculated!" Number 18 suddenly shouted, his voice slightly urgent. "The impact point is 30 degrees to the lower left of the crack, and the energy intensity should be maintained at 70% of your maximum output! Don't exceed that!"
Vegeta hurled the energy ball... The golden energy ball, trailing a long, fiery tail, struck the designated spot on the crack like a miniature sun. The purple crack instantly twisted violently, like scalded skin, constantly contracting and expanding, causing the surrounding space to tremble. Several Observer warships that couldn't dodge in time were sucked into the crack, leaving not even a fragment behind.
"It worked!" Lei excitedly pumped his fist, his voice filled with surprise. "It worked even better than I expected!"
Night Owl shook his head, pointing to the ever-expanding crack on the screen, his expression grave: "No, the energy impact has caused spacetime disorder, and the crack is out of control! It's absorbing energy and getting even bigger!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a cold, electronic voice suddenly cut in on all communication channels, carrying an unquestionable authority: "All ships, immediately cease attacking the spacetime structure! Repeat, immediately! Otherwise, you will be considered to have violated Article 117 of the Spacetime Protection Law and will be forcibly expelled!"
Lin Ye abruptly pressed the communicator, his eyes wary: "Who are you? Why are you able to access our channel?"
Night Owl's expression turned strange. He whispered to Lin Ye, "This is the official channel of the Time and Space Administration. They are the regulators of the spacetime order of the universe. They are even more difficult to deal with than the Observers. They are the last people we want to encounter."
"The Time-Space Administration Bureau?" Trunks scratched his head, looking confused. "What's that? Is it related to the Supreme Kai's World?"
Before anyone could answer... a blinding white light suddenly shot out from the crack, like a giant net, instantly enveloping the entire war zone. The engines of the black warship and the reconnaissance ship suddenly shut down with a "click," the light from their cannons went out, and Vegeta's half-formed energy ball dissipated, unable to even mobilize his ki, as if someone had pressed the pause button.
"What happened?!" Vegeta stomped his foot in anger, his fists clenched so tightly he couldn't release a single breath. "Where did my energy go?! Who did this?!"
The same electronic voice sounded again, this time calmer yet more authoritative: "This is a special task force from the Time and Space Administration. Your illegal interference with the spacetime structure constitutes a violation of Article 117 of the Time and Space Protection Law. Please immediately shut down all engines, cease resistance, and cooperate with the investigation. Those who refuse to cooperate will be subject to enforcement."
Lin Ye turned to look at Night Owl, his tone accusatory: "Was this part of your plan? Did you deliberately lure the Time and Space Administration here, hoping to use them to deal with us?"
Night Owl shook his head with a wry smile, shrugged, and said with a tone full of helplessness, "If I could command the Time and Space Administration, I would have wiped out the Observers' hideout long ago. They are a neutral organization that only recognizes the Time and Space Law. They deal with anyone who violates it. We can't even hide from them."
Several white warships slowly emerged from the white light. Their hulls were sleek, with no exposed weapons, yet they exuded an unassailable majesty, like white guardians in space. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from a private communicator, tinged with urgency: "Lin Ye! Can you hear me? This is Bulma!"
"Bulma?" Lin Ye's eyes widened in surprise, his fingers tightening on the communicator. "How did you get in here? Where are you? Do you know what happened?"
“I’m in the Supreme Kai’s Realm!” Bulma’s voice was broken, mixed with Whis’s voice. “Whis told me that the Time-Space Administration Bureau is not the enemy! They are just maintaining the order of time and space and will not hurt people indiscriminately! The Watchers are their main targets. Don’t fight with them, cooperate with the investigation first!”
As soon as the words were spoken, a slight tremor came from the exterior of the black warship. The warship of the Time and Space Administration emitted a pale blue traction beam, fixing both the black warship and the reconnaissance ship in place, but did not launch an attack, simply maintaining a safe distance.
Night Owl sighed, leaning back in his chair, his tone helpless: "Looks like we have no choice but to cooperate with the investigation. But don't worry, I've dealt with them a few times before, I know what to say, and I won't let them make things difficult for us."
Surprisingly, the Time and Space Administration did not take any strong action... A few minutes later, the indicator light on the connecting passage lit up, and a team of soldiers in white uniforms walked in. Their movements were synchronized, but they did not draw their weapons and were very polite.
The leader was a tall woman with silver hair that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were a strange silver color, as if they could see through people's hearts. Her uniform was embroidered with a gold "Time and Space Administration" badge. She had a cold but not fierce temperament.
“I am Aria, a special envoy from the Time and Space Administration,” she said calmly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Night Owl. Her tone was flat. “Captain Night Owl of the Wings of Freedom organization, we meet again. I haven’t settled accounts with you for the time barrier you destroyed last time.”
Lei suddenly looked at Night Owl, his eyes wide with shock: "Wings of Liberty? You're the legendary resistance organization that specifically opposes the Observers? I thought it was just a rumor! You really exist!"
Night Owl sighed helplessly, no longer hiding anything, and shrugged: "It's true. We've been collecting evidence of the Watchers' crimes and searching for the Key to Creation, trying to stop their plan to manipulate spacetime. The last time we destroyed the spacetime barrier was also to save refugees being hunted by the Watchers."
Arya's expression softened slightly as she turned to Lin Ye, her tone more gentle: "We've confirmed from the battlefield records that the Observers attacked first, and you acted in self-defense, which we won't pursue. However, Captain Night Owl, you've repeatedly interfered with the Observers' actions in different time and space regions, violating Article 92 of the Time and Space Law. You need to come back to the Administration Bureau with us for investigation."
Her gaze suddenly fell on Lin Ye's pocket, her silver eyes brightened slightly, and her tone became more inquisitive: "Mr. Lin Ye, we are very interested in you... You have the energy signature of the Key of Creation on you. This signature only appears on the holder of the Key of Creation in the entire universe; no one else has it."
Arya extended her hand, her tone sincere: "Please entrust the Key of Creation to us for safekeeping. The Watchers have already obtained two. If the third falls into their hands, they will control the spacetime of the entire universe, leading to the destruction of countless civilizations and unimaginable consequences. Only the Time and Space Administration can ensure the key's safety and prevent its misuse."
"Why should we hand it over to you?" Vegeta immediately jumped out, blocking Lin Ye's path, his tone full of vigilance. "Who knows if you're like the Watchers, trying to use the key to cause trouble? What if you also want to manipulate time and space?"
Aria wasn't angry; she simply explained calmly, "The Time and Space Administration's duty is to maintain the balance of time and space. We never actively interfere with the development of civilizations, much less use the Key of Creation for profit. You can ask Bulma about this... Whis is the Supreme Kai's attendant, so you should be able to trust his words. He has already explained the Administration's position to Bulma."
Lin Ye remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly took out the ore from his pocket. He held the cold ore between his fingertips, but did not hand it to Aria. His tone was firm: "I'm sorry, I can't give it to you. The Watchers' plan has already begun. We need to use the key to find the Creation Ruins in order to completely stop them. If we give the key to you, we will have no chance. Even if the key is safe, the universe will still be controlled by the Watchers."
Before Aria could say anything more, the warship suddenly began to shake violently, and the alarms on the control panel blared incessantly... The navigator shouted in a panic, "Special Envoy! Something's wrong! A large-scale spacetime disturbance has been detected! The source is the Observer's main fleet! They've actually forcibly torn through spacetime and broken in!"
Arya's expression changed instantly. She immediately turned and ordered into the communicator, "All units, enter combat readiness! Activate the spacetime barrier to protect civilian ships! The Observers dare to cause trouble in the Bureau's jurisdiction; they must not be let off!"
Everyone was stunned... Suddenly, the white warship deployed a pale blue barrier, protecting the black warship and the reconnaissance ship in the middle. The cannons slowly rose, aiming at the observer warship pouring out from the crack. Its posture was tough, and it did not back down in the slightest.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Night Owl moved closer to Lin Ye, lowered his voice, and said urgently, "Now is a good time to leave! I know a safe house with the Observer intelligence we've collected, as well as clues about the Creation Ruins. It might be able to help you find the location of the ruins. If we don't leave now, once the main Observer fleet arrives, we really won't be able to leave!"