A month had passed, and Su Chen found himself immersed in busyness once again.
There was little to do regarding Dark God but to keep a watchful eye and wait for its elimination. Meanwhile, all Super Soldiers were tasked with expanding the territory of the Red Alert Empire. With the Red Alert Base firmly holding the rear, no planets faced any issues.
As time went on, Su Chen took measures to minimize his soldiers' losses. He initiated conscriptions on various controlled planets, enlisting humans and Universe species to fight in their stead.
In layman's terms, these recruits were nothing but cannon fodder.
Unwilling to use his own people for such a role, Su Chen felt no remorse for these individuals' deaths.
Especially the most troublesome ones—they were all dispatched to the front lines, facing deaths of utter despair.
Days passed, and the Red Alert army conquered a vast number of planets. The Red Alert Empire's territory had expanded to a diameter of five thousand light-years. At this rate, even seizing control of the Milky Way wouldn't take much longer.
One day, a squad captain contacted Su Chen unexpectedly: "Commander, we've discovered a primitive planet in a star system near Earth. It shows no signs of civilization."
Without hesitation, Su Chen commanded his forces to obliterate the cities before responding, "Brief me on the situation of this primitive planet."
"Permission granted, but ensure their safety."
After ending the communication, a trace of curiosity flashed in Su Chen's eyes.
He was fairly acquainted with the situation in the Milky Way, which fell under the Rota Empire's domain—though situated at the very fringes, it was still considered part of human-occupied space.
However, the location of Earth remained an enigma; nobody knew where it was!
Since that planet had experienced a Zerg presence, Su Chen feared it might be located within the Zerg's territory. He dispatched numerous exploration teams, spreading out to investigate.
If it indeed lay within the Zerg domain, Su Chen planned to evacuate everyone from Earth and destroy that Space Channel in passing.
He could only imagine the perils deep within Zerg territory. If the Zerg discovered the Space Channel, humanity would be thrust into jeopardy.
Yet, unexpectedly, they discovered a primitive planet near Earth, suggesting the absence of Universe species in that area!
The implications of uncovering a brand-new, primitive planet were known to all: it represented a bounty of untapped resources!
If an alien species were present, it might trigger an all-out war, potentially resulting in heavy losses, even if they ultimately secured the planet.
However, such scenarios were unlikely with a primitive planet, which, by definition, hadn't hosted any Universe species.
Despite this, caution was paramount during exploration.
With his subordinates handling the exploration, Su Chen awaited their findings. The emergence of a primitive planet didn't necessarily negate the area's potential as Zerg territory; it might just mean they hadn't been discovered yet.
The Universe was vast, with many unexplored regions within human space, known as the Barren Starfields.
Indeed, within these human territories, numerous adventurers were drawn to the mysteries of these Barren Starfields.
At this moment, a warship was wandering through the starry void, a vessel that had lost its way in the Barren Starfield.
"Who the devil assured us we'd definitely find the primordial planet this time? It's been three full years! The water recycling system has broken down, there's a significant glitch in the air circulation, and then there's this..."
One of the men pulled out his weapon, a long spear, only to find, unbelievably, traces of rust on it!
This was beyond comprehension. Their weapons were custom-made, resistant not just to rust but also to most forms of damage. Now, they were facing this inexplicable reality.
In a modest-sized room, more than a dozen people sat, each with a grim expression.
"This weapon, as you all know, is the work of a renowned master. If it were genuinely crafted by him, how could it possibly rust? We've been deceived! From the very beginning, this mission has been a trap!"
The room fell into an oppressive silence. After a while, a more composed middle-aged man spoke, "Nass, stay calm. As long as we can locate a life-sustaining planet, we can take a break and recoup. Once we return, I'll personally hunt down those who set us up and strangle them with my bare hands."
His voice was cold, yet it was music to the others' ears.
"You're right, boss! Once we return, we'll make them pay!"
"Don't call me 'boss.' I'm your captain!"
They were an adventure group, venturing into this Barren Starfield to seek a primordial planet. If they succeeded, reporting back would secure their future.
But dreams are often far from reality.
They had embarked with several warships, carrying over a million people, boldly penetrating this desolate space. Within the first month, they lost a warship to a meteorite shower.
Misfortune continued to plague them, encountering various perils, reducing their fleet to just six warships. The loss frightened the survivors, prompting calls to abort the mission.
But Bob, the head of the adventure group, refused. He was like a gambler at this point; finding that planet meant a bright future, while failure would lead to bankruptcy, considering only the compensation for the families of the deceased.
Under his forceful coercion, the fleet set off again, only to experience a starburst in the universe—an event that should have been impossible per their calculations.
Ultimately, only one warship escaped, but with much of its equipment compromised, they were stranded, drifting aimlessly through the Barren Starfield, hoping against hope to find a planet teeming with life.
By now, their ambitions had waned; finding a habitable planet to survive was all they could wish for.
As the meeting adjourned, and Bob was about to send everyone away, one of his confidants rushed in frantically.
"Boss, we've made a huge discovery!"
Hearing this, Bob resisted the urge to smack his subordinate and bellowed, "If you don't have good news, I'll have your head!"
"Boss, it truly is good news—we've found a primordial planet!" (To be continued)
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