From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 647 "The Determination to Rebuild Civilization"

"No problem at all"

Tiberius's response squeezed out from the Shark Tooth helmet, hoarse like the hiss of a deep-sea monster.

The company commander, clad in his exclusive Terminator armor, raised his right arm, which was covered in scale-like armor, and the hydraulic system of the power claw emitted a bloodthirsty hum: "Killing aliens and plundering resources is the natural duty of a man-eating shark."

"."

Malakin Forros remained silent.

The handsome warrior merely nodded slightly, the white feather decorations behind him trembling gently, scattering fine dust of light in the hard light projection, his fingers unconsciously caressing the blood-red ribbon wrapped around the spear shaft.

"."

Jim Reynolds, on the other hand, looked worried.

After all, the target of this group of giants' discussion was none other than the "ex-girlfriend" that the Ranger Commander was so fond of.

Jim Raynor had nothing to say, since Athena had indicated that the Emperor would capture Sarah Kerrigan alive, and he and the Rangers only needed to cooperate with the giants.

"The investigation department will also provide all assistance."

Lyon echoed this sentiment.

"In that case."

Sigismund took a step forward, and the Chinese characters on his pure black power armor were clearly visible in the holographic projection.

The legendary company commander's face was as resolute as iron, and the muscles beneath his scars twitched slightly: "When do we begin our operation?"

Sigismund's voice was like sandpaper polishing steel, each syllable carrying the composure of a battle-hardened veteran.

"We will set sail immediately after all fleets have completed basic maintenance and repairs."

Athena's voice, like a sacred proclamation from a temple, resonated subtly in the air: "Preparation is expected to take twenty-four standard hours, during which time..."

The goddess's gaze swept over each warrior. "You may wish to take a short rest."

The words fell——

In the holographic image, Sigismund's right fist is clenched against his chest, and the scriptures on his black armor glow slightly with this movement.

"The Black Sanctuary is ready at any time."

The image of this legendary company commander was the first to dissipate, turning into countless blue particles of light.

"Hehe. No problem."

Tiberius's Shark Tooth Helmet emitted a low laugh, and the "Deep Sea Hunter" in the holographic projection made a tearing gesture before disappearing like bubbles.

"Yes, ma'am."

Fross bowed gracefully, the wing decorations flashing one last time before fading away.

The bridge instantly returned to calm, with only the faint hum of the environmental systems operating.

Ariel Hansen's breathing returned to normal, and she loosened the hem of her clothes that she had been clenching without realizing it, only to find that her palms were covered in cold sweat.

"That one," her voice trembled slightly, pointing to where Athena had just stood, "was she really the Olympian goddess of war?"

Gao Zan is turning off the holographic image on the center console, and the power armor joints are emitting a slight hydraulic sound. "To be precise, it is the embodiment of war recognized by the Emperor."

Then he turned around and continued, "Come with me."

As he spoke, the company commander walked toward the bridge exit, his magnetic boots making rhythmic thuds on the deck, the silhouette of the Terminator armor appearing exceptionally large in the red light of the hatch.

?

Hansen paused for a moment, then jogged to catch up.

Six company guards were already lined up in the corridor, waiting. These elite soldiers were also wearing Terminator armor, with the 3rd Company's unique scale emblem etched on their shoulder armor.

The sergeant leading the team flashed a dark red light through his helmet visor and silently led the way.

The walls of the corridor leading to the hangar, like those of other large ships in the same company, are covered with reliefs depicting battles from various eras.

As Hansen walked and observed, she realized that all the battles mentioned above, in terms of time and location, seemed to have taken place outside her own universe.

Before long, the group boarded the ship's railcar and arrived at a hangar.

The Thunderhawk gunboat rested quietly on its dedicated platform, its rugged fuselage reflecting a cold light.

The armor of this company commander's personal vehicle is covered with small honorary insignia, and the prayer text of the "Code of Humanity" is written in Chinese characters on the left hatch.

As everyone boarded, the engine roared and lifted the gunboat smoothly before it quickly sailed away from the Indomitable Flame.

"Shield channel activated."

The pilot's voice came through the communication.

Through the porthole, Hansen witnessed a section of the energy shield that enveloped the entire planet part like a curtain of water, revealing a hexagonal passage about one kilometer in diameter.

The Thunderhawk tilted its fuselage slightly and precisely passed through the temporarily formed gap.

As Hansen passed through the energy shield, he also discovered a hexagonal energy grid that enveloped the entire Mar-Sala, clearly visible at close range.

These translucent blue barriers may appear thin, but each node is actually precisely calculated. Any unidentified object attempting to cross them will be destroyed, either "crashed and killed" or "evaporated."

Of course, without needing a highly upvoted explanation, Hansen speculated that trying to "bypass" the fixed entrances and exits of large space stations, or obtaining exit permits from other areas, was not impossible.
That is to use extremely high-energy, high-powered artillery to shatter a certain area of ​​the energy shield in one go. For example, the Extinction Beam of the Unyielding Holy Flame and the Wings of Sorrow was enough to shatter the shield in front of Hansen.

However, such an action would undoubtedly attract the attention of the human empire even before the artillery was fired.

Furthermore, Hansen noticed that Zerg remains seemed to be floating outside the shield, suggesting that since the shield system was activated, it had become virtually impossible for Zerg, Protoss, and other factions to infiltrate Mar-Sara.

Immediately afterwards, the Thunder Eagle began to descend.

Hansen's gaze was immediately drawn to it—

The towering portal, like the Tower of Babel in mythology, stood on the horizon. Its six-kilometer-high frame, made of an unknown alloy, was as smooth as liquid mercury and shimmered with a mother-of-pearl iridescence under the starlight.

Even though she had seen it many times before, this "miracle" created by the emperor still made her gasp for breath.

The energy vortex at the center of the portal rotated slowly, with occasional bursts of psionic sparks tracing golden paths.

“Every time I see it,” Hansen’s voice seemed stuck in his throat, his fingers unconsciously clenching the hem of his clothes, “it feels like ancient humans gazing at the stars.”

"."

Gao Zan remained silent and did not respond to Hansen's remarks.

The changes in the new city are even more astonishing.

What was initially a sparse cluster of buildings has expanded into a regular geometric matrix, with hundreds of mega-structures using nanomaterials rising from the ground. These buildings are covered with a photosynthetic coating, displaying a gradient amber color against the sky. Sky trains shuttle between the skyscrapers, and the blue light emitted by the magnetic levitation system resembles a flowing galaxy.

Even more surprising are the ubiquitous ecological domes, through which lush vegetation can be seen.

"The second phase of the greening project was just completed three days ago."

Gao Zan noticed her gaze, and the power armor's servo system emitted a slight hum, saying, "Ground vegetation coverage has increased to 27%."

At this moment, below their Thunderhawks, groups of New Canaan refugees were advancing in an orderly fashion, guided by clone soldiers.

These clone soldiers, clad in full-body mechanical exoskeletons, held scanners that constantly beeped.

Each refugee had to pass through three biometric screening gates before receiving a temporary identity card with a tracking chip. Several children curiously touched the glowing patterns on the screening gates, but were immediately pulled back to the group by their parents.

Subsequently, the Thunderhawk gunboat landed on the dedicated helipad in the western square.

The hot exhaust from the engine swirled up dust and a few fallen leaves from the ground, creating golden vortices under the starlight.

As soon as Hansen unbuckled his seatbelt and left the cabin, he saw the twenty-meter-high monument not far away—

"Remembering Agriya"

The font and inscription use a hybrid holographic and physical technology. During the day, it is made of solid obsidian, while at night it displays the names of the victims and even holographic images.

At the same time, familiar dialect accents flooded in like a tide.

The square was filled with conversations in Agrija accents, and children chased and played in the playground equipment and the newly installed gravity maze, their laughter rising and falling with the anti-gravity device.

Several elderly people sat on smart benches basking in the sun; the chair surface, made of nanomaterials, automatically adjusted its temperature according to their body temperature.

"Dr. Hansen!" A little girl with a ponytail suddenly ran over, holding up a handmade model made from recycled metal. "Look at my new creation!"

The model is crude but imaginative, clearly imitating the shape of a portal.

Gao Zan's Terminator armor cast a long shadow on the plaza tiles. He deliberately walked lightly to avoid disturbing the children playing with the vibrations from his magnetic boots.

But every adult who passed by would unconsciously straighten their body and clench their right fist against their chest—this was a spontaneous expression of respect from the colony's inhabitants.

Hansen crouched down to look the little girl in the eye and said, "Well done, Lina."

Her fingertips lightly touched the gold paint on the model that mimicked an energy vortex. "Next time I can bring you some more professional materials."

At the edge of the plaza, a team of engineering mechs is installing a new holographic fountain.

The water flow will form a map shape of Agriya within the photon matrix, a commemorative scheme recently approved by the local "community office".

Further away, an educational holographic drama is playing on the exterior wall of the newly built cultural center, telling the story of the human empire's colonial history in various universes.

Hansen suddenly realized that the new city was evolving at an astonishing pace, not only in its buildings and facilities, but also in the determination of the people living there to rebuild civilization.

Next, Gao Zan led the way, flanked by six company guards in a diamond formation.

Hansen walked in the middle of the group, the hem of his white coat swaying gently with his steps. The streets of the western region came alive in the gradually darkening sky, and the smart streetlights lit up one after another, casting geometric patterns of light on the ground.

The buildings on both sides of the street present a wonderfully diverse style—

Next to a standard human modular apartment is a dwarf hardware store.

A steampunk-style sign hangs at the entrance of the shop, and every now and then, a mechanical clock made of brass gears will emit a harmless puff of steam.

In the window of the elf handicraft shop next door, a tapestry woven from moonlight silk swayed gently in the breeze, and the runes embroidered on its surface changed color depending on the viewing angle.

"We've got a new batch of goods today!" the dwarf shopkeeper shouted in heavily accented Chinese, his red beard almost reaching his waist.

When the dwarf shopkeeper spotted Gao Zan, Hansen, and the others passing by, he made a point of greeting them:

"Hey?! Doctor, would you like to take a look at the newly arrived steel wrench!"

Hansen smiled and waved, noticing several Agria workers in the shop selecting tools, the Atlas logo on their work pants gleaming under the lights.

The streets gradually became more crowded.

Workers finished their shifts and walked out of the factory area in twos and threes. Some carried shopping bags and headed toward the "People's Livelihood Market" marked by the holographic projection. It seemed they were going to buy some vegetables and meat before returning to the "home" assigned to them by the Human Empire, which was their apartment suite, to cook.

Some people headed straight for the restaurant area, where the air was filled with the aromas of roasted meat, spices, and freshly baked bread, with the occasional sweet scent of elfin fruit wine.

"Dr. Hansen!"

As I passed by the market, the woman behind the fruit and vegetable stall waved her mud-covered gloves, saying, "These mushrooms just arrived today, cultivated according to your instructions!"

The neatly arranged brown mushrooms on the stall did indeed have the unique sheen of the Agrija Greenhouse.

As Hansen nodded in acknowledgment, he noticed that the landlady was still wearing the temporary identity ring she had worn during the evacuation, though it had now been transformed into an exquisite bracelet.

The helmet, which had received high praise, rotated slightly, its eyepiece recording every detail of the street.

At this moment, several children chased after them, one of whom almost bumped into the company commander's leg armor, but the power armor's avoidance system detected it in advance, allowing Gao Zan to gently dodge to the side.

The neon lights in the food court lit up one after another.

Long queues formed outside the Chinese-style stew restaurant, while the terrace of the neighboring Elf Light Food Shop was filled with workers leaving get off work. Even more eye-catching was the newly opened fusion-style bar, where the holographic signboard at the entrance featured images of dwarf ale and elf fruit wine constantly colliding and merging.

"Doctor!" the bar owner exclaimed.

A former Agria militiaman excitedly ran out, shouting, "The first batch of homemade beer is ready today! Please be sure to check it out!"

However, the bar veteran's voice immediately quieted down when he saw the high number of likes.

Just as Hansen was about to politely decline, he heard a voice coming from the loudspeaker:

"Non-duty personnel are allowed to take a proper rest. Li Ran and Lin Hao, you two stay here. Remember to pay your bill."

Upon hearing this, two guards immediately stepped forward. Although their expressions were not visible due to their helmets, their demeanor was noticeably more relaxed.

The bar owner was overjoyed and quickly told the waiter to bring out a barrel of beer and an extra-large draft beer mug, clearly designed specifically for Astartes.

As we continued on, the gratitude on the streets became increasingly evident.

An old man stopped and bowed deeply, placing his right hand on his left chest. Several young girls shyly handed a bouquet of flowers woven from recycled metal wire to the company guards. Even a drunken worker raised his glass and shouted, "For our savior! Alas!" before being quickly pulled back to his seat by his companions.

Hansen saw his photo on the community holographic bulletin board at the corner—

That was a scene of her working in a makeshift laboratory.

The text below records the entire process of the Agrija refugees' evacuation and resettlement, with the last line reading, "Survival opportunities stem from perseverance, and new life begins with hope."

As dusk deepened, the holographic billboards on the street began to operate in full swing.

Occasionally, a transport ship would streak across the sky, and people would stop to watch, their faces no longer showing the fear they once had, but instead a resolute calm.

In this new home built of steel and hope, Agriya's wounds are being healed little by little.
(End of this chapter)