With the situation as it was, General Mongo’s face darkened; he had clearly sensed what was unfolding.

A group filed in. First came the Stellar Constabulary, distinguished by their red armbands, followed by the Chief Engineer of the vessel, the Captain, an Army Colonel, the First Officer, and other high-ranking personnel. Next entered Major General Feiji, a strange, unsettling smile plastered across his face. Last were two individuals.

Two Lieutenant Generals. One was a middle-aged woman whose face was set as if everyone owed her money—one could easily read it as a woman starved of satisfaction.

The other Lieutenant General looked perpetually cheerful, appearing more like a jovial businessman than a military general.

The scenario was now abundantly clear. Feiji, it seemed, was cruel and ruthless to an extreme. The moment he decided to abandon Mongo, he instantly turned and sold him out. This served two purposes: atonement for his own failures, and, in his moment of defeat, the chance to utterly crush Mongo, with whom he had previously clashed.

“When I fall, to see my former superior fall even harder... that offers some consolation,” Feiji clearly found a strange comfort in that thought.

The reason Feiji was presumed to be the informant stemmed from the current structure of the Human Empire.

The Empire currently dominated the majority of the galaxy, with sporadic territories scattered around its periphery. Governing such a vast dominion presented the same awkward logistical dilemma faced by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in the old Earth era: Genghis Khan had conquered immense swaths across Eurasia. Thus, an order issued from the massive imperial center could take years to reach its destination.

Such inefficient operation made the empire highly susceptible to unforeseen crises that couldn't be addressed in time. Consequently, upon the demise of the Great Khan, the empire immediately fractured into four major khanates: the Golden Horde, the Ilkhanate, the Chagatai Khanate, and the Yuan Dynasty centered in the Central Plains. Although all four nominally recognized the Yuan Dynasty as the legitimate successor, they had effectively become independent powers.

However, technological progress had resolved this issue. Imperial scientists, while researching telepathy, discovered that among some identical twins, even when separated by vast distances, an affliction affecting one—such as illness—would register a corresponding sensation in the other, regardless of the separation.

Using this principle, scientists had solved the problem of long-distance communication.

Yet, even with the advent of fold-space technology and the discovery of numerous wormholes, traversing the immense cosmic ocean and the boundless starry expanse still required considerable time.

The fact that Major General Feiji managed to summon so many people in just a few days indicated meticulous pre-planning: he intended to shift all blame onto Mongo the moment his plan failed.

Otherwise, stripping a Major General like Mongo, who was executing a sensitive mission, of his command involved mountains of paperwork and intricate procedures. Normally, this process would take at least a month; such efficiency was impossible under standard protocol.

“Andes Mongo?” The elderly woman with the sharp voice produced a transmission report. She stated with crisp finality, “According to the latest findings from the Imperial Constabulary Command, you are charged with dereliction of duty during the execution of orders, causing massive damage to Imperial assets, and forging intelligence. You are also suspected of instigating interstellar conflict. Penalized across multiple counts, you are hereby stripped of all current rank and command! You will be detained by the Constabulary and delivered to a military tribunal!”

Mongo did not speak, merely offering a cold chuckle. He offered no resistance, allowing the Constabulary officers to step forward and place him in restraints.

Feiji approached Mongo, observing his casual demeanor, and for some inexplicable reason, a surge of inexplicable fury welled up inside him! However, under the eyes of so many witnesses, he dared not erupt. He kicked Mongo’s heavy redwood desk with enough force that it let out a protesting creak and listed sideways.

Having shifted his angle, Feiji spotted an ultra-thin display screen still active atop Mongo’s desk. Taking a closer look, he saw it was still transmitting the image sent by Android One. He immediately sneered, “You truly haven’t given up, have you? What a pity; this is the moment for your despair.”

Feiji quickly tapped a few spots on the desk, signaling an attendant to cancel the signal jamming. He then coldly announced, “Order Number One issued! Immediately cease the Little Hawk's overload operation and sever all connection with the planet Epsilon!”

Hearing this, Mongo’s eyes instantly flashed red; the veins in his forehead burst forth as he roared, “You cannot do this!! If we stop the overload now, the Little Hawk faces the danger of complete power loss!”

Indeed, the very reason Mongo felt secure was his connection to the “Big Ben” Research Institute. To process a case against an Imperial Major General—from suspicion to confirmation, trial, and conviction—unless it involved treason or sedition during wartime, the timeline was measured in years. This meant the Big Ben Institute had ample time to extricate him.

But, but!! The information Mongo, the ambitious rogue, currently possessed was only enough to salvage his initial investment! To successfully turn the tide, he still relied on the extensive surveillance data he was about to acquire.

And now Feiji was ordering the immediate shutdown of the Little Hawk's overload! If the overloaded reactor failed abruptly, reactivating it and pushing it into overload state again would become impossible! This move completely assassinated Mongo’s plan!

Seeing Mongo’s panic, Feiji’s spirits soared. He laughed loudly, “You still think you can turn this around now? Fool! Do you still think you call the shots on this vessel? Transmit the order: halt the Little Hawk's overload immediately!”

A response came quickly: “…Energy output is being reduced….”

“Energy consumption is being calculated….”

“Fuel transfer is being interrupted….”

“Severing the overload operation at this juncture risks total power system paralysis. Recommendation: execute this procedure after returning to Base Alpha-7.”

Feiji coldly stated, “We have three tugships standing by! Do not concern yourselves with the Little Hawk losing power. Execute the order!!”

“Order executed. Please proceed with highest clearance confirmation.”

The so-called highest clearance confirmation required Mongo’s cooperation in handing over the base’s master security key. Despite Mongo’s frantic struggle, the Constables found it on him… and eventually handed it to the elderly, austere Lieutenant General standing behind Feiji.

“No!! Don’t!” Mongo roared again.

Feiji walked over and deliberately planted his boot on Mongo’s face, who was being held down by the guards, grinding it hard as if trying to wipe grime from his sole. He then spat through gritted teeth, “I must be cursed to partner with an idiot like you! You ruined everything, you fool! How else could things have turned this disastrous?”

Watching the stern old woman forcefully insert the master key into the slot on the command console and twist it hard, Mongo closed his eyes in despair, saying nothing further. Against a man like Feiji, who bit like a rabid dog, Mongo realized he had little chance of meaningful discourse.

In the mind of this arrogant scion of an established family, any success was inherently his; any failure was always someone else’s fault. He sighed, pain etched on his face, and closed his eyes. Only four words echoed in his mind: Effort Wasted at the Final Step!!!

But just then, the adjacent 3D holographic projector began to glow, and the charging indicator lights on the floor started flashing like runway lights for an incoming landing.

Though Mongo was bleeding from the nose and looked utterly pathetic, his face smeared with blood, he was the first to notice this anomaly while pressed against the floor. Thus, a feverish, blazing light instantly ignited in his eyes—hope.

In an instant, light flared, an indescribable tangle of conduits and lines coalescing rapidly into a life-like 3D projection of a person, rendered with at least one-hundred-thousandth of a degree of high-definition accuracy. The man looked young, casually draped in a white lab coat. One lapel of the suit jacket underneath was flipped inward, the other flipped out. His hair looked unwashed, almost matted together with grease.

His lab coat was covered in numerous stains, including several scorch marks from cigarette burns. Most bizarrely, a large section of the lower hem had been torn away, revealing glimpses of brightly colored cartoon shorts underneath, and even peeking out were his hairy thighs!!

This man’s punk aesthetic was so striking that he bore a passing resemblance to a homeless person foraging near trash bins at midnight. However, however!! The mere capability to execute 3D communication across light-years of distance spoke volumes.

To deploy such strategically significant, high-end technology, a Lieutenant General was required to file a report a week in advance; even an Admiral couldn't use it indiscriminately. Like the old man before him, who longed to use it daily, in reality, it could only be accessed once every 48 hours or so.

The disheveled man clicked a lighter, sparking a flame, and lit a cigarette. He seemed slightly surprised by the scene before him, but that surprise was instantly replaced by a look of intense focus, which then settled into indifference. “Who is Andes Mongo?”

Mongo, pinned forcefully to the floor, immediately shouted, “I am!”

The scruffy man glanced at him. “We received all the data you sent us. It was rendered very convincingly, and you clearly have some insight into our internal records. Therefore, I have been authorized to retrieve the technology you used to generate these visuals, as it may have a positive impact on our research.”

“Furthermore, a Major General’s security clearance should not grant access to so many internal secrets regarding the Ten Strongest Program. So, I suggest you readily disclose your intelligence source. Otherwise, if you delay my afternoon tea, the consequences will be rather severe.”

I truly apologize; the promised second update is only the first one. Actually, I had already written the next update, but I deleted it. Because I suddenly realized that the way I handled it was too hasty. I was satisfied while writing it, but upon re-checking, I felt I could write it better. However, please rest assured, I should have that update written and uploaded before six tomorrow afternoon; it won't be significantly delayed. I deeply regret any inconvenience this causes to your reading; please forgive my willfulness....