“Commander. Why designate the Kustar as strategic enemies?” The question left Katerina’s lips as Yang Ying’s power held her aloft above the boundless ocean.

“If others asked this question, like Jiayouna or Kinseyler, I would reply: The Terran Mercenary Corps, as a military force, requires an enemy. We have had many in the past. Initially, it was mercenaries and pirates from the Asteroid Belt, then the Ba Yuan Cult, the Directorate, and a small faction of troublemakers within the Earth Military. Finally, it was humanity’s greatest foe, the Ancient Legion. We have systematically crushed all these forces. With the demise of the Ancient Legion, the Terran Mercenary Corps lacked an active adversary, thus requiring a hypothetical enemy to keep this military force vibrant and vigorous,” Yang Ying explained.

“If others asked?” Katerina gently brushed back her hair. “Then if I ask, is there a different answer?”

“There is.” Yang Ying nodded, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. “Designating a hypothetical enemy is only one reason. There is a deeper, more fundamental reason.”

“What is it?”

“To avenge Hardec,” Yang Ying stated.

“Hardec?” Katerina sounded puzzled. “Wasn’t he our enemy?”

“Yes, he was. A respectable enemy.” In Yang Ying’s mind, the scene from over two years ago replayed: at the Ancient Legion’s main base on Pluto, he had deployed six of his bodies to battle that hundred-meter-tall giant ape of light.

“The Ancient Legion—no, the Ape Race—was a tragic species, created by the Kustar, and thereby passively drawn into a blood feud with humanity. Humans and the Ape Race fought for half a century. Both sides had reasons they had to fight, and the casualties on both sides were countless. This enmity was irreconcilable, destined to end only with the complete annihilation of one side. Now the Ape Race is gone, but the fault shouldn't be placed on them. Hardec was the king of the Ape Race. For his species, he even conquered death to attain fourth-level power. He deserved that strength, and he deserved to live. Yet, I ultimately destroyed him. I killed Hardec when I shouldn't have, so I have an obligation to avenge him. This vengeance is not against humanity, but against the Kustar who created the Ancient Legion.”

Katerina listened, then nodded. “That is only right.”

“Currently, our military strength still does not match the Kustar, but the Kustar were already evenly matched with the Gexing people. Our involvement can be the feather that tips the balance—no. Our strength far surpasses a feather. At least in terms of high-end combat power, Karagunis is definitely no match for me,” Yang Ying asserted.

Just then, a vast continent appeared on the far side of the sea.

“Let’s change the subject,” Yang Ying pointed toward the distant landmass. “Look, that is the New Continent, manifested when the third lamp on the seventh layer ignited. None of the three races have set foot there yet. Shall we go up and take a look? Be the first explorer—what do you think?”

“Good,” Katerina agreed happily.

The two flew to the continent. Looking down from the air, they saw varied terrain with intricate elevations, meteorological phenomena that were breathtaking in their diversity, and endless unique flora, exotic plants, rare treasures, and strange beasts—a glorious, burgeoning New Continent!

Yang Ying and Katerina had previously explored the northern reaches of the Old Continent—where the mountains were majestically vast, twisting like dragons for a thousand li, soaring into the clouds—and they still remembered vividly the eastern lakes and dense forests, and the volcanic plains to the west. However, this New Continent possessed a different style. Truly, the myriad forms of the grand universe were an eye-opening spectacle.

The pair toured the New Continent for a day, flying over five mountain ranges, six forests, and twelve great lakes, taking in every beautiful vista. Katerina now possessed second-level spiritual power; concentrating would allow her to work sleeplessly for days on end without effort.

The next morning, as they walked, they arrived at a basin. This seemed to be the central region of the New Continent, surrounded by lush greenery and ancient, towering trees—a scene of natural beauty that was intensely pleasing.

“Huh?” Yang Ying gazed into the distance. On the other side of the basin, he spotted a structure.

The building stood about ten stories high. Its exterior appeared solemn and imposing, resembling some strange religious edifice, though its walls were mottled and ancient, suggesting considerable age.

“Commander?” Due to the distance, Katerina had not seen it. Noticing Yang Ying’s strange expression, she inquired.

“There’s something here,” Yang Ying responded. “I really didn't expect this New Continent to harbor human culture and scenery alongside its natural wonders.”

“What? Human scenery?” Katerina looked confused.

Yang Ying focused his High-Grade Spiritual Eye on the strange building. The outer walls seemed to fade away, allowing his gaze to penetrate the interior. He saw tall, soaring pillars, and carved runes and murals on the walls. Deep inside was a sacrificial hall. In the center of the hall sat an elevated altar, upon which floated a luminous sphere, roughly three meters in diameter.

Initially, the orb floated quietly. But it seemed to sense Yang Ying’s High-Grade Spiritual Gaze and suddenly became brighter, like a miniature sun. Simultaneously, a familiar sensation surged within Yang Ying’s heart.

“Those glyphs are recorded in the Protoss Sanctuary, as are those murals, depicting the initial creation stories of the Protoss and the Zerg. This is… a Khala Temple!”

Yang Ying was profoundly moved. The Khala were the wanderers of the universe, the creators of the Protoss and Zerg in the interstellar background. They possessed unparalleled bio-engineering technology; merely imagining the two races they created revealed their true power.

“Katerina, let’s go have a look.” Yang Ying instantly teleported with Katerina to the front of the Khala Temple. He no longer questioned why this temple appeared on a floating continent. Since the three races could manifest there, why couldn’t the Khala?

Entering the temple, passing through three gates and three long corridors, they reached the sacrificial hall. On the altar, the white orb seemed to sense Yang Ying’s arrival and grew even brighter.

Yang Ying felt the inherent Protoss and Zerg essence within him resonate with the sphere, and a sudden clarity dawned in his mind. This was the Khala Hall of Knowledge, the place that preserved the Khala civilization. These universe wanderers had traversed countless planets, collecting all manner of life information, all stored here. And he, currently containing the essence of the Protoss and Zerg—beings created by the Khala—was the most suitable inheritor of the Khala civilization.

He approached the luminous sphere. A beam of pure white light shot from the orb into the center of Yang Ying’s brow, establishing a mental link. Vast knowledge began to stream into Yang Ying’s mind from the sphere.

Yang Ying sent a telepathic message to Katerina: “This is the Khala knowledge inheritance. I need time to absorb it. The volume of knowledge is enormous; the entire process will take about one or two weeks. I didn't expect to find a Khala Temple here. The plan to tour the floating continents must be postponed for now. You should return first. Call the base and have the medical transport ship pick you up.”

“But… I want to stay here with you. Let me stay. I won't disturb you. I understand the difference between important and unimportant matters. The fact that the Khala truly exist is far more important than tourism.”

Katerina stepped back a few paces, watching carefully, making sure not to emit any sound that might disrupt Yang Ying’s absorption.

“Alright.” Yang Ying nodded. With a wave of his hand, a flash of golden light appeared, and two clones materialized beside him, both possessing peak fourth-level spiritual power.

At the same time, the sphere separated into two more beams of light, connecting with the two clones. Three beings of peak fourth-level power began to absorb the sphere’s knowledge with full concentration.

Yang Ying recalled that when he was at the Empire, absorbing knowledge with peak third-level strength, a standard tenth-level course could consume half a month of his time. Now, having advanced to peak fourth level, his thought speed had increased geometrically. He estimated that absorbing a tenth-level course now would take only a few seconds.

However, the sheer volume of Khala knowledge was indeed extraordinary. One day passed, then two. Calculated purely by volume, the knowledge already exceeded one hundred and eight thousand tenth-level courses, yet the sphere’s transmission process continued without pause.

Katerina could see that the light was slightly dimmer than it had been the first two days, but its radiance was still so dazzling that an ordinary person would need to shield their eyes to look.

Meanwhile, an agreement had been reached between Blade and Jiayouna. The Terran Mercenary Corps transferred its five thousand-plus captured Kustar warships and prisoners to the fleet sent by the Gexing faction. The handover location was the star system where the recent battle had taken place.

The entire process was kept hidden from the general Earth public. However, Kinseyler dispatched a Presidential Emissary—Master Tu Xin of the Psionic Temple—to observe the proceedings.

News that a fourth-level existence had appeared in the Sol system had already spread, which had a significant impact on the ongoing stalemate in the Flynn Kingdom.

The two major military alliances—the Gexing and Kustar—had entered a temporary ceasefire, both waiting for news from the Sol system. Most members of these alliances knew that the Terran Mercenary Corps had once participated in the Flynn Civil War before withdrawing when the conflict expanded beyond their capabilities. Now that the Mercenary Corps possessed a fourth-level entity and had easily destroyed a Kustar fleet of fifteen thousand vessels, the question of whether they would re-enter the fighting was critically important.

There was another piece of intelligence known only to a select few high-ranking Gexing officials: the Terran Mercenary Corps possessed not one, but two fourth-level existences.