"Commander Simugu," I said, "I know you're bitter about your defeat. Don't assume that because your U-Galaxy is vast, you can bully us Twin Stars. You probably don't even know where you were before—that was Earth, a star system far more advanced than yours. Your Invincible Fleet was utterly crushed by the warships of the Earth Federation."

Simugu could no longer hold his head high. His eyes were dull as he said to me, "I strongly protest the actions of you Earthlings. If you have the guts, fight us for real again. The Invincible Fleet is just the lowest-tier fleet in our galaxy. I will show you the true might of the U-People."

I chuckled. "Heh heh, it seems you're rather optimistic about your galaxy's capabilities. I wonder what weapons you have to match us. I know you have twelve civilized planets, and your production capacity far outstrips that of Earth and the Twin Stars combined. But I must tell you, space warfare is about true power, not merely the quantity of warships. If it were just about numbers, I could build a fleet of ships and wipe out your entire U-Galaxy."

Though fear churned within him, Simugu showed no inclination to submit to Earth. He refused to plead for mercy. "You think that strange weapon capable of shattering energy shields is enough to dominate the universe? Your thinking is too naive. Once our scientists study and improve our defenses, it won't be long before new energy shields can withstand that weapon. Then, what right will you have to challenge us?"

"Hahahaha, a joke! Commander Simugu, you must believe we only possess one type of weapon to deal with you. Since you cannot escape anyway, I won't hide the truth: our superweapon isn't that energy-devouring projectile, but the Black Hole Bomb. I trust you understand the concept of a black hole better than I do. We can now artificially create black holes covering an area of ten thousand square kilometers. Everything within that range cannot escape its consumption. We've come to the Twin Stars this time precisely to let you witness the power of this weapon. What good are your energy shields then? Once swallowed by a black hole, even the shields can't protect you!"

Simugu, having navigated the stars for years, certainly knew the devastating power of a black hole, yet the artificial creation of one was something their U-Galaxy could never achieve. "Impossible! You cannot have created such a weapon. If even the wisdom of the U-People couldn't manage it, you certainly couldn't succeed."

I sneered. "I can't be bothered arguing with you. But I will let you personally experience the power of the Black Hole Bomb. Guards! Take Commander Simugu to the warship first. Treat him well with food and drink; it's the Earthling way to offer a grand meal before the end."

Simugu seemed to grasp the implication of my words and panic set in. He hastily said, "What are you trying to do? Why send me elsewhere? I'm not going!"

"Whether you go or not is not up to you. Earth and the Twin Stars are friendly allies. To offend the Twin Stars is to disrespect Earthlings. Now, I'm going to make you taste the bitter fruit, and I will film your end and send the recording to the U-Galaxy. Let any future invaders see what happens to them!"

"I am the commander! You cannot harm me, or you will face the full might of the U-Galaxy! Let me go! Let me go..." Simugu was dragged away screaming. Soon, he was aboard a small shuttle, flying from the warship into the vastness of space.

Simugu looked out the viewport. The enemy warship ahead was unbelievably massive, far exceeding the manufacturing capabilities of the U-Galaxy. The sheer caliber of the main cannon inspired terror. Having been struck by it once, he knew even a heavy warship with a full energy shield couldn't withstand five direct hits from that mega-cannon, let alone the fact that the enemy possessed energy-devouring projectiles. One hit from an energy-devouring projectile would cause the shield to vanish within seconds, leaving them vulnerable to ordinary energy blasts that could end their lives.

"Look at this pig-like alien, still staring dumbly at the scenery even when he's about to die."

The two Earthlings escorting Simugu suddenly started talking to each other. The taller one glanced at the vacant-looking Simugu and laughed.

The shorter one replied, "He’s an alien, after all. Don't insult his character, or other aliens will look down on us Earthlings."

The tall one was unconcerned. "What does it matter if I call him a pig? He can't understand anyway. If I smile at him, he'll probably think I’m praising him."

Simugu was furious inside. These two Earthlings assumed he couldn't understand their language. However, after months of intense interrogation, he had grasped their Earth language almost perfectly—even if not completely, he understood eight or nine-tenths of it. But Simugu knew his life was in their hands now; he wasn't the hot-headed warrior he was when first captured. If he could endure, he would. So, even knowing they were insulting him, Simugu pretended to be oblivious.

The short one responded, "True. How could this fellow understand our profound Mandarin? This foolish alien thinks he’s something special. I wonder how many ships the next fleet they send will have. If they're as fragile as the first batch, it’ll be boring. We won't even have a chance to deploy the Black Hole Bomb."

The tall one nodded. "Yeah, our Black Hole Bomb is too powerful. If the U-People send too small a fleet, it’ll be a waste. We should provoke their so-called Supreme Leader until he flies into a rage and sends his entire force against the Twin Stars. Then we can wipe them out in one go, instead of playing these petty games every few days."

The short one chuckled. "Heh heh, killing this guy should be enough to enrage their pig of a Supreme Leader. Better send them footage of his final moments; that should surely make them mad. I bet the brass ordered a strict ban on revealing the true power of the Black Hole Bomb precisely to lure the enemy in."

"I suspect so. The actual effective range of our Black Hole Bomb is between fifty and one million square kilometers. Limiting it to ten thousand square kilometers now means that even if the U-People send spies or use reconnaissance weapons, they won't know the true power. Then, one full blast will annihilate their entire fleet."

The two Earthlings smirked at Simugu. Simugu's heart seized with dread. The Black Hole Bomb was that devastating? And the first one deliberately concealed the true scope from him! They must not know he understood their strange language now. But what good did knowing the truth do him? Judging by their demeanor, they had no intention of letting him live.

The shuttle flew tens of thousands of kilometers before a group of warships appeared ahead. Simugu recognized the insignia; it was his own Invincible Fleet, captured during the last battle. Why were they here? The shuttle seemed to be heading towards those very ships.

Simugu's guess was soon confirmed. He was escorted by the two men onto a heavy warship where Earth soldiers were guarding over a thousand U-People prisoners. After the handover, the tall escort told the receiving crew on the heavy warship, "Process these prisoners quickly and evacuate. If you linger, you’ll catch hell when the Black Hole Bomb strikes."

The crew on the heavy warship laughed. "Relax. We came on escort vessels—much faster than your shuttle. We might be back before you even return."

The tall escort replied, "Oh, then we better hurry! We're the only two shuttles left within a hundred thousand kilometers. If you leave early and they don't know we're still here, we’re done for."

Simugu thought to himself: So, they plan to massacre the prisoners and use the Black Hole Bomb to cover their tracks! When the black hole consumes everything, not a single piece of wreckage or person will remain. No one will ever know what happened here. These Earthlings are truly vicious.

Several hundred soldiers stood guard inside the warship, weapons drawn, while dozens of others rolled out several catering carts. The aroma alone suggested this was no ordinary synthetic food. Some U-People couldn't help but sniffle. Despite the U-Galaxy’s advanced technology, their culinary culture couldn't hold a candle to Earth's, especially the Great Dragon Kingdom's.

A ranking officer announced, "Per high command order, we have prepared a feast for you. But whether you eat it depends on yourselves. Alright, close the hatches, we are evacuating this area."

All the prisoners were handcuffed, hands secured behind their backs—which explained the officer’s comment. Though following orders, he had no intention of unlocking their restraints so the U-People could eat freely, lest the prisoners riot. The armed soldiers gradually withdrew from the main compartment, and the hatches were sealed. As the footsteps faded, Simugu knew they were abandoning the warship.

"Commander, what do we do now? Why are they abandoning us here?" The U-People prisoners quickly recognized him as their leader and began to inquire.

Simugu said coldly, "These Earthlings are vicious. They plan to use a Black Hole Bomb to completely destroy all evidence of our existence."

"Ah!" the U-People cried out in terror. "What is a Black Hole Bomb? They know about black holes, but not about Black Hole Bombs."

"Quiet!" Simugu roared. As a fleet commander, he had his methods. Though beaten nearly senseless and his fighting spirit dampened, at this moment of extreme peril, an unusual calmness surfaced. "It will take them several hours to evacuate this area—I calculated the time when I arrived. Including the time until the Black Hole Bomb hits, I estimate we have enough time to attempt an escape."

Someone asked, "Commander, what should we do? Our hands are tied; we can't even eat the food."

"Heh heh," Simugu sneered. "If we weren't afraid of their guns, do you think these tiny handcuffs could hold me?"