Kuang Ye proudly detailed the Dragon Slaying Society's plans and deployments, swelling with self-satisfaction, and then burst into loud laughter.

Liu Hui’s heart twinged; he moved to seize Kuang Ye, intending to use his own means to control him and force him to reboot the starship's main computer, but he noticed Kuang Ye’s laughter fading, finally ceasing altogether.

Startled, Liu Hui rushed forward, only to find Kuang Ye’s face turning ashen; he had poisoned himself at some unknown moment.

At this juncture, Liu Hui finally grasped the gravity of the situation. He turned and asked, "An Qi, can you initiate the starship's main computer?"

An Qi was already maneuvering the controls on the main console. As she worked, she replied, "The highest access level for this main computer belongs to the Captain upstairs, and he has shut it down. It will take me at least half an hour to gain control."

Liu Hui countered, "Those nuclear warheads will hit us in twenty minutes. Where are we supposed to find half an hour?"

An Qi sighed, "There's nothing I can do. It’s because you trusted the Captains on these ships so absolutely that we didn't set a higher access protocol on the main computers. So now, even we are locked out; we have no choice but to rely on external force for a brute-force crack, which requires time."

Currently, Liu Hui's starship had killed its engines and was hurtling through space purely on momentum; its trajectory could no longer be altered by even a fraction. This meant the incoming missiles were certain to strike the vessel. Normally, even if the ship were hit by a nuclear blast, Liu Hui wouldn't be overly tense, as the ship was equipped with a massive defensive array, and he possessed enough Demon Beast Crystal Cores to power that array to completely nullify the nuclear attack. But now, with the main computer defunct, the large-scale defensive array could not be activated, leaving them to rely solely on the hull's structural integrity to withstand the nuclear bombardment.

Although the ship was constructed from advanced, reinforced materials, granting it considerable resilience even under nuclear assault, Liu Hui couldn't be certain it could survive several hundred nuclear bombs, each with an explosive yield exceeding two kilotons. Should any failure occur, he and Hu Xian'er might survive, but An Qi, Liang Jingyue, and Shu Yan would certainly perish.

At this moment, Liu Hui faced the greatest crisis of his life, a crisis far more ferocious than any he had encountered before. The Dragon Slaying Society had calculated brilliantly, choosing this precise moment for their strike, successfully cornering Liu Hui into a desperate impasse.

On the ship, everyone except An Qi, who was rapidly manipulating the computer, watched Liu Hui. In the star-dusted void ahead of the vessel, they could vaguely discern the fiery trails of the missiles. If nothing changed, in just over ten minutes, their starship would be struck by these immensely powerful nuclear weapons.

Liu Hui was consumed by regret—regret for not destroying the Dragon Slaying Society much sooner, allowing them to persist. He also regretted not showcasing his full power to the world, which left these people clinging to the illusion that they still had a chance, a chance they were now using to drive him to this precipice, even endangering his wives.

"You all stay here; I will deal with the incoming nuclear missiles," Liu Hui suddenly announced.

Liu Hui was clad in his repaired Radiant Light Armor and had the storage space of the Planar Transporter at his disposal. He resolved to fly toward the location of the missiles, hoping to absorb them into his storage space and transfer them to the plane of Xiaoyaozi or Zeg for elimination.

Though the idea bordered on the fantastical, it was currently the best option to break this deadlock.

Liang Jingyue cried out, "A’Hui, no! If we must die, we die together. Don't leave us..."

Shu Yan echoed, "Huihui, we die together. I forbid you from going to your death alone."

An Qi, beads of sweat dotting her brow, intensified her efforts on the console, hoping to reboot the main computer ahead of schedule.

Liu Hui spoke with gentle resolve, "Don't worry about me; I have means of self-preservation. I will be fine. I finally managed to be with you all; how could I easily leave you..."

Suddenly, Liu Hui felt his body stiffen; not only could he not move, but he couldn't even speak. Then, Hu Xian’er's voice reached his ears: "Bull, if anyone has the confidence to handle those nuclear bombs, it's me, by far. Remember, I have already reached the Nascent Soul stage of cultivation. Even if all those nukes detonated simultaneously, they wouldn't harm me in the slightest. So, let me go this time..."

Liu Hui realized Hu Xian'er had cast some spell he was unaware of, rendering him immobile and speechless. His heart raced with anxiety. Even though Hu Xian'er was now a Nascent Soul expert, facing the spectacle of so many nuclear detonations, she surely couldn't return unscathed. He screamed inwardly, "Xian'er, don't go! You'll get hurt..."

Unfortunately, Hu Xian’er couldn't hear his silent pleas. She leaned in, kissed his cheek, and smiled, "What a pity! I regret not having a child with you in this lifetime."

Liang Jingyue pleaded, "Xian'er, don't go! Let us die together!"

Hu Xian'er laughed, "What are you worrying about? Didn't you witness my divine might that night? These nuclear bombs are child's play to me. I'll be right back; it’s nothing..."

Shu Yan wept, "Sister Xian'er, I don't want you to go. I’m so scared..."

Hu Xian’er said softly, "Silly child, what do you fear? As long as Sister is here, no one can harm you."

An Qi, beside them, sped up her actions, desperately hoping to restart the computer before Hu Xian’er went out to her death.

Hu Xian’er took one last look at Liu Hui, then at the other women, and smiled, "Farewell, everyone!"

Then Hu Xian’er opened the ship's decompression chamber, stepped inside without even donning a spacesuit, and moved directly through. Liu Hui was frantic but paralyzed, forced to watch helplessly as Hu Xian’er passed through the airlock and entered the void. Darkness washed over Liu Hui’s vision, accompanied by a chilling premonition that Hu Xian’er, once gone, would never return.

Entering space, Hu Xian’er stood on a colossal white light sword beneath her feet. She floated to the starship’s viewport and gazed fixedly at Liu Hui inside. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged.

Though she made no noise, Liu Hui understood what she was conveying through the subtle movements of her mouth: "Bull, farewell! If there is a next life, I still want to be with you..."

After bidding her goodbye, Hu Xian’er propelled the white light sword under her toward the incoming missiles, vanishing in a flash. Only then did Liu Hui regain the freedom of movement. He let out a choked cry, stumbled to the glass, and peered anxiously outside.

Liu Hui was consumed by anxiety, but now all he could do was pray that Hu Xian’er could successfully resolve the nuclear crisis. However, he could no longer see her figure ahead; after all, in the vastness of the cosmos, one person was impossibly small.

Everyone fixed their gaze on the rapidly approaching missile cluster. Five minutes later, a blinding flash erupted ahead. Fortunately, the ship’s viewport instantly adjusted its filtering intensity, blocking the glare; otherwise, the intense light would have blinded them all. Following the light came a massive energy shockwave that sent the ship rolling violently, blasting it far backward with tremendous force.

Liu Hui and the others were secured in their seats, preventing them from tumbling with the ship. At that moment, the nuclear warhead Hu Xian’er had intercepted detonated, triggering a chain reaction with hundreds of subsequent flashes, creating erratic energy surges everywhere. Liu Hui’s starship bucked and rolled like a skiff on a raging ocean, propelled rapidly backward by the shockwaves. Had the hull not been exceptionally strong, it would surely have disintegrated in space.

The ship flew uncontrollably, and suddenly, a colossal asteroid appeared directly in its path, one the ship was set to collide with. At their current velocity, such an impact meant certain destruction; even the high-strength materials wouldn't save them.

At this critical juncture of imminent disaster, An Qi suddenly let out a joyful cry. The starship’s main computer roared to life, the large-scale defensive array engaged, the engines fired up, and the ship's speed and direction began to adjust.

Although the ship still scraped against the massive asteroid, its speed had drastically reduced. Combined with the shield of the massive defensive array, the tremendous force of the impact was ultimately canceled out. After a severe jolt, the vessel scraped past the giant rock.

Hu Xian’er, in that final instant, had managed to reboot the main computer, saving the starship from disintegration.

Then, the engines roared to full power, shielded by the defensive array. After a few necessary adjustments, the ship finally resumed normal flight, stabilizing completely amidst the furious energy onslaught and evading the catastrophe.

Once the ship settled, Liu Hui realized they had been thrown at least 200,000 kilometers from their original position. Ahead, the violent, continuous nuclear detonations had ceased, and the major energy shockwaves had passed. However, in their previous airspace, residual energy fluctuations still obscured all visibility.

Liu Hui thought of Hu Xian’er, and a sharp pain pierced his heart. He shouted, "An Qi, activate the spiritual energy fluctuation radar immediately! Scan the space ahead and search for Xian'er's location."

An Qi replied with dejection, "Liu Hui, I'm sorry. A nuclear explosion just occurred ahead, and there are still massive energy anomalies. Our spiritual energy fluctuation radar won't be usable for some time, and we can’t even contact the 'City of Stars' right now."

Liu Hui roared, "If the radar is unusable, then we fly into the blast zone! Xian’er is still there; I must find her!" An Qi sighed and piloted the ship into the nuclear impact zone, beginning to search for Hu Xian'er with her eyes. With the large-scale defensive array active, the ship could enter the hazardous post-blast area, though the array's energy consumption increased sharply.

The sheer scale of the recent blast zone, compounded by lingering energy eruptions and the lack of radar assistance, made finding Hu Xian’er impossible for the time being.

Liu Hui refused to give up, staring intently out into the void, desperate to locate Hu Xian’er. Though he already held a terrible premonition, he clung to the faintest hope that she might have survived this chain of nuclear detonations.

An hour passed with no results. Just then, An Qi announced, "Liu Hui, the main impact of the nuclear blasts has passed. Our spiritual energy fluctuation radar is now operational, and we can reach the 'City of Stars' again." Liu Hui commanded, "Contact the 'City of Stars' first; inform them of our situation and tell them to raise their alert level. Then, activate the spiritual energy fluctuation radar and scan the entire nuclear blast zone. I must find Xian’er’s traces." An Qi began communicating with the 'City of Stars,' reporting the incident and issuing certain directives. Liu Hui personally took control of the radar, sweeping the entire detonation zone, hoping to find any sign of Hu Xian’er.

Half an hour later, the ship's spiritual energy fluctuation radar finally detected an object belonging to Hu Xian’er in space. When the ship drew closer, they saw a white, broken sword floating in the void—the very light sword Hu Xian’er frequently used. However, the white light sword was snapped in half, retaining only half its original length, and was riddled with cracks.

Seeing the battered, fractured white sword, Liu Hui’s heart constricted. He quickly manipulated the ship's external mechanical arm to retrieve the broken weapon and bring it inside. Holding the white sword, Liu Hui felt as if his heart were being sliced open. This weapon, forged by a Tribulation Stage master, was damaged in the chain reaction; Hu Xian’er was likely beyond saving. He asked in a trembling voice, "An Qi, what are the results of the scan of this area?" An Qi murmured softly, "Liu Hui, you must prepare yourself for grief! We have scanned the entire blast zone. Besides this white broken sword, there is nothing else here. Xian’er... she is likely..."

Liu Hui bellowed, "I don't believe it! My Xian’er hasn't left! I know it! I must find her! Continue the search immediately!"

An Qi sighed, took the spiritual energy fluctuation radar back, and resumed sweeping the area. Yet, over the next two hours, they found absolutely nothing more. By this point, Liu Hui finally accepted the truth: his Hu Xian’er had not survived this powerful series of nuclear explosions. Hu Xian’er, just as in his previous life, had gone before him.

Grief tore through Liu Hui. His Hu Xian’er, the woman he loved most, who had loved him unconditionally and helped him so much in both this life and the last, the woman who had promised to wander the stars with him, was truly gone.

Liu Hui’s eyes red-rimmed, he declared fiercely, "An Qi, set a course immediately! I'm returning to the 'City of Stars.' They caused Xian’er's death! I will avenge her. I will make them all pay the price for Xian’er..."

Liang Jingyue said worriedly, "A’Hui, you need to calm down. Please, don't be so impulsive!" Liu Hui sneered, "How can you ask me to be calm? They killed Xian’er! But ultimately, this is all my fault. It was my single lapse in judgment that allowed the Dragon Slaying Society to survive, leading to Xian’er's departure. I will uproot the Dragon Slaying Society! I will make every nation that authorized this attack on Xian’er pay the ultimate price..."

The starship had been exchanging information with the 'City of Stars' since re-establishing contact. Liu Hui now knew that just as their ship was under nuclear attack, nations on Earth—led by the US, Russia, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India, among others—had formed a brand-new organization: the New International Alliance.

This New International Alliance declared war on the 'City of Stars,' citing its monopolization of Mars and the marginalization of other Earth nations, claiming the action was necessary to uphold fairness and justice. Warships from these countries had formed a massive joint fleet heading toward the 'City of Stars' with the intent to attack it.

Upon learning this news, Liu Hui simply sneered. "Do they think I'm dead already? They were too eager to jump out and snatch the spoils of victory. Before, I avoided war with them, choosing to bide my time and control them economically. I didn't expect them to be so ungrateful, uniting to take my Xian’er’s life. Since they show such cruelty, they shouldn't blame me for teaching them a lesson they will never forget."

Noticing Liu Hui’s grim demeanor, Liang Jingyue asked cautiously, "A’Hui, what are you planning to do?"

Liu Hui stated, "I don't plan much. I just intend to repay violence with violence, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot."

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Two hours later, Liu Hui, his eyes blazing, returned to the 'City of Stars.' The moment the ship landed at the spaceport, he headed straight for the Command and Control Center. Zhou Tengyun, Yue Wang, and Desheng were waiting for him there. As soon as Desheng saw Liu Hui enter, he said shamefully, "Boss, I apologize!"

Desheng was currently overwhelmed with self-reproach because the laxity of their intelligence agency had put the Boss in peril in space and caused him to lose his most beloved partner, Hu Xian’er.

Liu Hui waved his hand. "Desheng, you don't need to apologize. This responsibility is mine. But I won't let them off easy. Tell me the current situation first!"

Desheng reported, "Boss, after we received news of your attack in space, we immediately conducted investigations at the Orbital Space Station and the Lunar Base. We discovered four suspicious individuals manning the critical spiritual energy fluctuation radar posts. We have secured them now. It was due to their dereliction of duty that your starship was attacked by nuclear missiles from those Earth nations."

Liu Hui interrupted, "I already know that. They were infiltrators from the Dragon Slaying Society; their objective was to kill me. What about other aspects?"

Desheng continued, "After declaring war, the New International Alliance mobilized its forces, seizing all industries belonging to our 'City of Stars' within their borders, and detaining our staff there. Furthermore, they dispatched a powerful naval fleet, which is currently approaching our 'City of Stars'."

Liu Hui inquired, "Was Huaxia part of this New International Alliance?"

Desheng replied, "Huaxia did not join the New International Alliance. However, they too seem unusual; they mobilized their military and surrounded our 'City of Stars' assets. Their stated reason, though, was protection—fearing our property would be damaged by others."

Just then, a control officer suddenly announced, "Boss, the New International Alliance nations have begun launching missiles toward our 'City of Stars,' simultaneously attacking our Orbital Space Station and the Lunar Base. This wave already exceeds five hundred missiles."

Liu Hui let out a cold laugh. "They must think I perished in that nuclear blast to become so audacious, launching a full-scale assault on us. Very well, I shall let them all perish, as a tribute to my late wife!"

Next, Liu Hui stated with solemnity, "I hereby announce that the 'City of Stars' and the Mars Base are entering Level One Alert Status. All activities are now under military administration."

Liu Hui had only issued this Level One Alert once before, on the night the 'City of Stars' faced the super tsunami years ago. Reinstating it now underscored Liu Hui's unyielding determination for vengeance.

Desheng, Zhou Tengyun, and Yue Wang, hearing the command to enter Level One Alert, immediately understood that Liu Hui was resolved on revenge and that the situation was dire. However, they were now unified with Liu Hui; they stood entirely on his side, ready to support whatever he commanded.

Liu Hui spoke, "Now I command..."

The personnel in the Command and Control Center instantly stood at attention, awaiting Liu Hui's forthcoming orders.

"Order one: Immediately destroy all incoming missiles. To prevent these missiles from carrying nuclear warheads, you must use the matter converter during their destruction to neutralize any potential nuclear material contained within," Liu Hui stated.

"Order two: Activate our laser weaponry and annihilate every satellite belonging to the New International Alliance nations," Liu Hui commanded.

Desheng inquired, "Boss, should we also destroy the International Space Station orbiting in outer space? There are hundreds of researchers living aboard." Liu Hui replied coldly, "Yes. Destroy those completely as well. I will not permit any of their satellites to remain in space." He paused, then added, "Wipe out every satellite in outer space that does not belong to 'Star City'."

Yue Wang expressed concern, "Mr. Mayor, China has not yet declared war on us. Are we to destroy their satellites too? Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Liu Hui responded, "This is a critical juncture. Who knows if they might declare war on us? Even if they don't, what if they provide satellite support to the New International Alliance members? What then? Therefore, we must err on the side of aggression—better to strike wrongly than to let any threat escape. At most, we can offer them compensation after this war concludes."

What Liu Hui said had merit, and Yue Wang fell silent. Under Liu Hui's command, 'Star City' finally initiated a world war against the entire New International Alliance.

Liu Hui's orders were swiftly executed. The laser weapons aboard 'Star City,' the orbital space station, and the Lunar Base were activated. They each targeted the incoming missiles, unleashing high-energy laser beams, quickly obliterating every single projectile.

Following this, the laser weaponry on the orbital space station fired continuously, shredding every nation's satellite in space. This included the now monstrously large International Space Station and even the most covert killer satellites; none escaped the devastating strike from 'Star City.'

And so, in an instant, every satellite not affiliated with 'Star City' vanished from the void of space.