From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 767 Before the "Dawn" Arrives, the Game in the Shadows Has Already Begun
The empire’s efficiency was on full display at this moment.

Just two hours after the space gate opened, a relatively complete frontline base had already risen from the desert of Earth 21, taking on a clear initial shape.

The standardized barracks are neatly arranged and large enough to accommodate the advance troops for rest and recuperation;
The prefabricated dome of the temporary factory has been closed, and the production line inside is being tested in preparation for replenishment using local resources.
The vast warehouse area is filled with mountains of supplies, which are managed and allocated by Terminators and Hunters;

The core command center is a multi-layered, sturdy fortress, with its communication arrays and sensors constantly rotating on top, like the beating heart of the base and the eyes observing the outside world.

Meanwhile, on Earth 21, the sun was slowly sinking below the distant, dry horizon, and the sky's color gradually changed from a hazy yellow to a somber, dusty red, before finally being swallowed by a deep, inky blue.

Night began to fall over this desolate land.

Above the base, the Empire's power was already on full display.

A massive Imperial-class battleship, belonging to the Flame Lizard Legion and as large as a mountain, hovered low in the air. Its thick armor and the dense array of large cannons on its sides gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster in the last rays of daylight.

Several smaller but equally imposing cruisers, along with the "Sturdy" supply ships, surrounded the battleships, forming a rudimentary air fortress complex.

Further away, the agile frigates, like vigilant peregrine falcons, had already entered near-Earth orbit and begun performing area scanning and surveillance missions.

At this moment, in the large conference room on the second floor of the command center;

The atmosphere here is completely different from the silence of the night outside; it is filled with solemnity and focus.

The conference room was brightly lit, and almost all the key personnel had gathered there.

This included senior generals and technical officers of the Flame Lizard Legion responsible for base defense and construction, coordinating officials from the Imperial administration, and senior agents such as Leon, Mike, and Maggie responsible for intelligence gathering.

Most notably, the two Primarchs—

The imposing and resolute Vulcan, and the young but sharp-eyed and inquisitive Chagatai.

Their presence gave this meeting the highest decision-making weight.

In the center of the conference room, a large holographic projector was running, projecting several huge light screens that were constantly changing angles in front of everyone.

The images and data streams displayed on these screens all originate from real-time reconnaissance data transmitted by stealth drones cruising in low Earth orbit and by the Flame Lizard ships, which have also activated stealth mode and are hovering in low Earth orbit.

The image of Earth 21 shown is truly shocking.

The overall tone of the planet is a suffocating, lifeless gloom.

Green vegetation has almost disappeared, replaced by vast expanses of gray-brown desert, withered yellow mountains, and a deep, almost black, arid blue that has taken over the original marine area—that is, exposed seabed minerals and saline-alkali land.

Compared to the vibrant life on Earth in the main universe, the natural environment here is extremely harsh.

The reconnaissance focused on former human cities.

Somewhat surprisingly, most of the large cities that exist in their corresponding locations in other universes still have their skeletons standing and have not been completely destroyed, indicating that a large number of human survivors are struggling to survive inside them.

However, every city was in a state of severe damage.

Skyscrapers were cracked, windows were broken, and streets were piled with rubble and abandoned vehicles. Many areas looked as if they had experienced a brutal street battle and bombing.

What's even more striking is that these cities are filled with a large number of "soldiers" in uniform, sleek armor patrolling the area.

Details captured by high-definition cameras reveal that these soldiers treated the human survivors with extreme cruelty.

They pushed, yelled at, and even drove them away with gun butts, treating them like livestock, showing absolutely no respect.

The survivors were mostly ragged, with withered faces and numb eyes, some of them performing some kind of forced labor under close surveillance.

In the wilderness and abandoned suburban areas outside the city, reconnaissance units also discovered a large number of strange-looking, chaotic, and seemingly unintelligent unknown alien creatures lurking and wandering around.

They seemed to form a delicate balance with the soldiers in the city, or rather, they were all constrained by some greater force.

One of the shots focuses on a large city located in Eastern Europe.

In this complex of buildings filled with the remnants of human civilization, a colossal structure stands out starkly out of place.

With its distinctive style, sharp lines, and aggressive nature, and made of neither gold nor stone, seemingly shimmering with ominous energy patterns, its scale and technological sophistication far surpass the surrounding human architecture, like an alien wedge forcibly embedded in the ground.

"It seems"

Mike broke the silence in the meeting room, pointing to the "swaggering" soldiers and apathetic civilians on the screen, and said in a heavy tone:

"Humanity in this universe has indeed experienced a series of fierce battles, and judging from the current situation, the result was undoubtedly a crushing defeat."

They not only lost control of the planet's environment, but even their cities and their fate were completely occupied and enslaved by these invading alien forces.

Lyon then spoke, glancing at the alien soldiers and the monsters in the wilderness: "These so-called 'soldiers' are highly disciplined and uniformly equipped, unlike a disorganized mob."

They don't seem to be on the same side as the low-intelligence aliens in the wilderness, but they are all hostile to humans, and that strangely styled building is likely the invaders' command center or some kind of key facility.

Following the analysis of the two veteran agents, the generals and officials in the conference room also began to express their own opinions:

"The extent of environmental modification is so profound that the technology possessed by the invaders should not be underestimated."

“There seem to be quite a few survivors, but their condition is extremely poor. We need to consider intervention options.”

"The urgent task is to obtain more intelligence to understand the enemy's troop deployment, technological level, social structure, and where they come from."

"That strange building is a key target. I suggest sending an elite reconnaissance team to conduct close reconnaissance."

Inside the conference room, an in-depth analysis and strategic planning were underway regarding the ravaged Earth 21 and the invaders on it.

Vulcan listened calmly to the opinions from all sides, while Chagatai absorbed everything attentively. This was the first time he had personally participated in the decision-making process for the unified war effort.

After the generals and officials in the conference room had presented their analysis and concerns about the current state of Earth 21, Vulcan slowly began to speak. His deep and powerful voice, like metal churning in a furnace, instantly drew everyone's attention.

“The analyses and concerns of my colleagues are all valid.” Vulcan’s gaze swept across the room. “So, based on the current situation, what do you all think we should do?”
Please feel free to speak your mind and offer your opinions and strategies.” His questions were intended to gather diverse perspectives and stimulate more comprehensive thinking.

Lyon responded first, pointing to the strikingly different Eastern European city in the holographic projection, his tone calm and professional:
"I believe that the city with the strange megastructure has extremely high strategic and intelligence value and deserves to be a priority target for reconnaissance."

Infiltration and reconnaissance in advance, gathering as much information and intelligence as possible, are consistent and necessary steps for the Empire in carrying out trans-cosmic integration missions. When the situation is unclear, force should be the last resort.

Mike nodded in agreement: "I agree with Kennedy's view. It would be great to send a large army to invade, but we are 'blind' right now and need to 'open our eyes' to see clearly first."

Other generals and officials also expressed similar cautious views:

"Indeed, launching a large-scale attack rashly could very likely result in incalculable casualties among the large number of civilians trapped in the city."

"Although our current military strength and technological level are sufficient to sweep away these alien patrols we have observed, as well as those human traitors who aid and abet the evildoers, that is, those 'soldiers' wearing full-coverage equipment, we cannot determine where the main fleet, advanced troops, or even the command core of the alien forces that have invaded this universe are hiding."

"If we rashly use our absolute advantage to crush others without obtaining sufficient intelligence, it could trigger an uncontrollable chain reaction."

The problem is not whether we can win, but that we may suffer more avoidable civilian casualties and unnecessary losses of our own troops. We must be responsible for the lives of the Imperial citizens and soldiers who will be unified in the future.

As he listened to the crowd's remarks, Vulcan's resolute face remained calm and composed.

He certainly understood these principles; as a Primarch known for his resilience, reliability, and thoughtfulness, he knew the importance of intelligence better than anyone else.

He asked the question precisely to guide everyone to have a full discussion and reach a consensus.

Although the original genetic material is a "master" in many aspects such as military affairs and governance, the ability to listen to and synthesize different opinions is always an indispensable virtue for leaders.

After the discussion subsided, Vulcan turned his attention to the trio of Leon, Mike, and Maggie.

His gaze finally settled on Lyon, and he solemnly entrusted him with the task:
"Director Kennedy, as the chief commander of the Investigation Department's operations to assist in this integration mission, you are highly experienced. Therefore, you will be in charge of arranging the Investigation Department's specific action plan for the initial reconnaissance and intelligence gathering phase."

“Okay.” Lyon readily accepted the order without any hesitation.

He immediately got into the zone, and drawing on his years of experience as a special agent and his rapid analysis of the information marked on the holographic map, he began to issue clear instructions:

"Based on existing reconnaissance data, we have selected seven large urban strongholds with different characteristics that are worth infiltrating."

Groups one through seven were assigned to these seven cities, focusing on gathering information on alien troop deployments, technological levels, social control models, the condition of human survivors, and potential weaknesses.

As he spoke, he quickly assigned tasks on his personal data panel, distributing the elite special agent teams he had brought to different target cities.

Finally, he looked at Mike and Maggie beside him, his tone calm yet firm:
"As for the three of us, we are responsible for personally going to that core city in Eastern Europe where there are alien buildings to conduct in-depth investigations. That place has the highest risks, but also the greatest potential value."

Vulcan nodded calmly in approval of Lyon's meticulous and professional operational plan.

This Primarch knew that in times of uncertainty, intelligence was far more valuable than a blind display of force.

Then, his deep voice echoed in the conference room, carrying an undeniable decisiveness:

"Director Kennedy's plan is well-considered, so we will proceed accordingly. Gentlemen, prepare immediately."

Before he finished speaking, Vulcan had already turned to the Flame Lizard Legion commander who was standing to the side.

A sharp glint flashed in his lava-like eyes as he issued a crucial strategic order:
"Pass down the order: the fleets belonging to the second to sixth companies of the legion shall set sail immediately to carry out the concealment agreement. I want them to secretly enter the 21 geostationary orbit and all key Lagrange points without alerting any surface targets."

When the Investigation Department's sharp blade points the way, these hammers hanging in the sky will surely crush the enemy's core with thunderous force, ending this conflict in the most efficient way—

Either completely dismantle the enemy's combat system, or directly sever the alien command center.

"Yes."

This command was like a boulder thrown into a still lake, instantly creating ripples.

The entire frontline base, like a sophisticated war machine, immediately entered a state of high-speed operation.

The engineering and technical corps accelerated the construction and debugging of the front-line base, the communications officers were busy establishing encrypted links with the orbital fleet, and the ordnance officers were directing the Terminator, Hunter and other machines to conduct final checks on weapons and equipment before deployment.

On the western helipad, which is not yet fully completed but has already been put into use, a "secret expedition" is quietly taking place.

Dozens of elite agents from the Investigation Department have completed their change of clothes, shedding their standard equipment that showcased Imperial technology and donning meticulously replicated local civilian attire based on reconnaissance data.

Worn-out work jackets, faded canvas trousers, stained headscarves, and so on.

Every detail has been meticulously considered to ensure a perfect harmony with the tone of this weathered world.

These experienced agents boarded the plane in a neat and efficient manner, without uttering any unnecessary words.

Several raiding craft were quietly docked in the take-off and landing area. Their streamlined black hulls were made of the latest composite radar-absorbing materials, and their propulsion systems had undergone special noise reduction treatment, so that even at close range, only a low hum like a breeze could be heard.

Leon, Mike, and Maggie, as the vanguard team, boarded the lead assault boat.

Although they were about to venture deep into the most dangerous alien-controlled area in Eastern Europe, the three showed no sign of tension. Mike even had the leisure to inspect the multi-functional tactical equipment disguised as a tattered backpack, while Maggie sat quietly by the hatch, meditating with her eyes closed.

With Maggie, the "super agent" who can dismantle armored vehicles and heavily armored tanks with her bare hands, it seems that no unexpected situation is a threat.

As the control tower issued a green signal clearing for takeoff, the raiding craft took off one after another.

As they crossed the boundary of the base's protective force field, the submarine's optical camouflage system activated instantly.

These advanced "stealth" devices, through adaptive environmental simulation technology, allow the hull to blend perfectly into the dim sky and the swirling sandstorm.

In the blink of an eye, the entire formation vanished completely from the visual and sensor interface, as if it had never existed.

These invisible "messengers" are rushing toward their respective goals, like probes plunged into the darkness, about to uncover the truth of this scarred world.

The empire's "gaze" has pierced through the clouds, silently watching over this land.

Before dawn arrives, the game in the shadows has already begun.
(End of this chapter)