"Commander Zhao, that bastard's firepower is intense! We can't break through!" Zhu Da shouted into the communicator.

"Stop charging. It's not worth getting shot down over. Let's fall back and figure something else out," I replied.

The six of us found a relatively safe spot to land. If Haas managed to fix all his defense systems, we truly wouldn't stand a chance against that colossal starship. It was just a pity that apparently only the main control cabin in the center of the basin was equipped with the anti-shield and automatic laser platforms.

I asked Long Nü, "Is Haas's technology superior to yours? How can he repair a starship when you can't?"

Long Nü pondered for a moment. "Perhaps he's been scheming for a long time. You know we've been fighting the Kang Hui rebels for years; we had no energy left for scientific research. Even the genetic research, which held our hopes for survival, had to be halted, let alone the unrealistic goal of repairing a starship. Haas is different. First, he's located remotely. Second, he commands his own forces and neither side dares to easily offend him. So, his area has never suffered from the turmoil of war, giving him relatively better conditions for research."

Cai Bao'er, realizing she was standing directly above the starship, stomped the ground. "Can we drill a hole in from here?"

Long Nü scoffed. "The starship can withstand the impact of large meteorites. Imagine how hard its hull is. This isn't like the secret room Haas built. Even the thinnest part of the ship’s hull is hundreds of meters thick. Do you think you can break through it? In any case, I won't let Zhao Qian try to ram it."

Zhu Da chuckled. "Long Nü is truly thoughtful."

"Am I not thoughtful too?" Elina challenged.

I interrupted their discussion. "Enough of irrelevant talk. I see Haas has many capable subordinates. If we charge in later, no one should slaughter the innocent indiscriminately. It would be best if we could persuade his scientists to defect. That way, our plan to repair the starship to create a moon will have a much greater chance of success."

Zhu Da grinned. "If they can't do it, let your wives come home to handle it. With them around, forget building a moon; they could rebuild the Earth."

"This is a chaotic era, and we came here out of necessity. Let's not drag them into this mess. Besides, I need to prove to them that men are no less capable than women. We guys aren't just good at fighting; we can handle research just as well!"

Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er raised their hands in agreement. "We agree!"

Elina and Long Nü secretly giggled on the side, "Such stubborn men!"

I continued, "I'll clear the path first, and you all follow closely. We'll force our way in and see where that old thief Haas can run and hide."

Long Nü objected. "Are you really going to force it? I don't agree, and Nana won't agree either."

"No need to worry. My body could already withstand laser attacks before; after the evolution, I fear lasers even less. Moreover, this is the only passage we've found into the ship's interior. If we don't go through here, where will we go? You yourself said the thinnest hull is hundreds of meters thick. If we have to drill a new hole and search for a way, finding it is uncertain, and time is running out. Wait for me to destroy the laser platforms on the summit first, then you advance."

The others couldn't think of a better solution and had no choice but to agree. The ship's automatic defense system was indeed formidable, but for me, its response time was still somewhat sluggish. By the time my figure landed atop the mountain near those laser platforms, they were just beginning to lock on.

I swung my sword down and instantly shattered them. I searched the area to confirm there were no other laser emitters before advancing toward the main gate. The anti-shield's protective function was limited; it could only block light-wave attacks, allowing passage for human bodies. However, the soldiers guarding the entrance were not to be trifled with; laser fire rained down on me like a deluge.

I intentionally wanted to test the limits of my body's resistance to impact. I charged straight into the laser beams. My clothes ignited in a burst of fire. I lunged forward in a flash, swung my laser sword in a wide arc, cutting down all the guards at the gate, smothered the flames on my body, and then attacked the main door.

After I slammed against it repeatedly—over a dozen times—the thick metal door finally collapsed with a loud crash. The door was incredibly thick, making it hard to shatter. Fortunately, it wasn't very securely anchored to the mountainside, so breaching the inner hatches would be much easier, something Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er could manage.

I signaled the other five to catch up, and then the six of us stormed into the main control cabin.

Haas clearly hadn't expected us to be this fast. Before he could flee to other compartments of the starship, we cornered him in the main control cabin. Although the space was vast, Haas couldn't match my speed. I spotted him immediately and tossed him down at our feet.

Zhu Da kicked Haas in the rear. "You old bastard, trying to roast us to death? Believe it or not, I'll set you on fire. From this moment on, you are no longer Master Haas. All your assets are now confiscated, including your wife, your mistress, and this grand starship. All the rebels in Yanshan City have been sent to the netherworld, which probably includes your wife and mistress, so you don't have to worry about being cuckolded."

While Zhu Da was tormenting Haas, stragglers kept sneaking closer from the periphery, intending to take shots at us. However, with Xia Huren, an old master of sniping, present, there was no chance for them to fire first. Xia Huren didn't even need to look; one precise shot killed one, never missing. Soon, the surroundings were completely cleared, which astonished Elina.

Cai Bao'er darted around and soon herded a group of people out of a circular room adjoining the main control cabin. "Commander Zhao, come look, are these the scientists? Why are they all wearing clothes?" Apparently, after seeing Bai He and Xue unclothed, Cai Bao'er assumed all the scientists here would also be nude.

Long Nü, who had been interrogating Haas, immediately rushed over with me when Cai Bao'er called out. These scientists were far more valuable than Haas; having them would save us tremendous effort for our great future endeavor. Long Nü questioned the crowd several times, but everyone kept their heads down and remained silent. Finally, one man couldn't resist the enchantment of Long Nü's beauty and responded. Long Nü pulled him aside for a private conversation. They talked for a long time. Bored, the rest of us took out our frustration on Haas. Poor Haas couldn't understand our questions and was nearly kicked senseless by Zhu Da.

Long Nü returned and spoke to Zhu Da. "Brother Da, stop tormenting him. He is, after all, a noble of our Tai Hao lineage. His attempt to kill us and cause rebellion—I will explain it to Brother Long Xi. As for how to punish him, let Brother Long Xi decide."

Zhu Da conceded. "Because you called me Brother Da, I'll grant you this favor. But this old man knew that the four of us were Grand Generals of Tai Hao, yet he dared to meet martial force with martial force—was he looking to die?"

Haas must have been green with regret by now. He thought the secret room alone was enough to kill everyone. Even if the room failed, he still had the starship as a fallback. In short, he never intended to hand over the starship, but who could have predicted that the enemy's speed would be so terrifyingly fast?

Long Nü ignored Haas's pleas and pulled me aside. "Those scientists were indeed gathered and nurtured by Haas during the chaos of war. They include physicists, mechanical experts, propulsion specialists, and more. Their technical capabilities far exceed the existing level of our Tai Hao. They should be considered our national treasures."

"Then what are we waiting for?" I countered. "Take them back immediately to start up the ten ships. Then, I will draft the blueprint for creating the moon, and they will be responsible for implementing it."