"Eighty percent chance it's a legendary magic type skill or item," Chu Xuan stated coolly to the other two. "If it were a high-tech weapon, they themselves would likely be the first to suffer harm. Even if they could somehow avoid injury due to various countermeasures, what about Luo Gandao? We haven't received any notification of Luo Gandao's death yet, have we? He should still be alive somewhere aboard this warship, Zhan Lan?" Zhan Lan was momentarily stunned, clearly engaged in using some form of mental scanning ability. Only when Chu Xuan's sharp query cut through her focus did she finally snap out of it, replying, "Yes, yes, there is something being shielded somewhere on this warship..." Chu Xuan shook his head. "Uh... Zero Point, have we been notified of any kills among their members so far?" Zero Point silently shook his head. "No, none. So far, we only have notifications about the destruction of two warships..." "Oh, is that so? In that case, Zheng Zha really must intend to save Luo Gandao..." Chu Xuan frowned slightly, adjusting his glasses before addressing the other two.

Zhan Lan and Zero Point exchanged a glance. Zhan Lan asked curiously, "What do you mean? Why does the absence of a notification imply he wants to save Luo Gandao? Given his character, saving Luo Gandao shouldn't be surprising in the least, should it?" Chu Xuan shook his head. "If the other side quickly received notifications of their members dying—once, twice, three, four times—what would the survivors do? Aside from possibly fleeing in despair, we can't make them surrender, and they know surrender won't end well for them. The most likely outcome would be to kill the hostage and abandon hope for themselves. And the most likely person to be that hostage is Luo Gandao..." "Of course, Zheng Zha has been through so many horror movie worlds and life-or-death battles; he’s already an excellent warrior. He understands priorities. I heard the other side also has someone with a self-created skill; perhaps he wants to observe that skill clearly... Zhan Lan, keep a close watch on Ba Wang, Wang Xia, and Zheng Zha. Inform us immediately of any change in situation. That's essentially it for now... Zero Point, you will be responsible for protecting Zhan Lan and providing me with fire support later. I will handle the main thrust of the operation."

Zero Point and Zhan Lan both nodded, looking out through the shuttle's viewport.

Far away, where the warship and the supply vessel intersected, seven or eight warships were locked in combat. The missiles and attacks they fired drew surrounding vessels into the fray, pulling more and more ships into the chaotic melee. With the high-ranking command officers having been killed by the Caucasian male from the South Yan Continent team, coupled with Chu Xuan’s own disappearance from the command post, the entire fleet's command structure had descended into increasing chaos. The two sides became endlessly entangled in disputes over the legitimacy of their ongoing conflict, and after their standoff failed to resolve, gunfights erupted on numerous warships. The dead were mounting... By the time Chu Xuan and the other two reached the warship previously occupied by the South Yan Continent team, most of the soldiers aboard were already gripped by panic. The majority of the shuttles and troop transports had been utilized, yet large numbers of soldiers still waited to evacuate the vessel.

In the ship's docking bay, as soon as Chu Xuan and his companions disembarked from the shuttle, more than a dozen soldiers surged forward, each desperate to board the shuttle first.

They didn't even clearly register who the three individuals descending from the shuttle were.

Chu Xuan and Zero Point showed no mercy, batting the throng of soldiers aside with a few swift punches and kicks.

Seeing the sudden violence, the surrounding soldiers instinctively aimed their weapons at the trio. Only when a dozen veteran soldiers finally got a clear look at the arrivals did they loudly shout admonishments at the newer recruits. These veterans immediately snapped to attention and saluted Chu Xuan.

"Stand at ease... What is going on? Have you forgotten you are soldiers? All squad leaders and senior non-commissioned officers, listen to my order: any who disobey will be shot on the spot and dealt with for violating military protocol. Now, someone tell me exactly what has happened?" Chu Xuan wasted no words before pointing at a Senior NCO.

The NCO was clearly a veteran who had survived the incident on the Insect Star. He snapped a crisp salute to Chu Xuan before stating calmly, "Report, Lieutenant Colonel. Many large bees appeared on the ship, about one or two times larger than normal bees. Any soldier stung or bitten by them develops a fever and falls unconscious. If bitten by many at once, the soldier often succumbs to poisoning and dies. Our weapons are completely ineffective against these bees... Indeed, those high-ranking officers on the ship must have been parasitized by the Insect race; otherwise, how could such monstrous, bee-like creatures exist?" "Bees?" Chu Xuan, Zhan Lan, and Zero Point all frowned. As members of the Reincarnation Squad, they immediately understood the implications of these bees. This was clearly a legendary magic-type skill, and given its large-scale destructive nature, its enhancement level was likely significant.

Zhan Lan suddenly realized, "No wonder! I've been scanning all these tiny wisps of psychic energy flying around earlier. I initially thought the enemy's psychic controller was using some skill to mislead me. Now I understand—those psychic energies are the bees... But it’s strange; these bees seem incorporeal. They only possess psychic energy. Are they illusions created by a skill—psychic bees? Incredible..." "If they are psychic bees..." Chu Xuan said calmly, "Then try attacking them with your Mind Lash. I recall your Mind Lash is specifically designed to target psychic controllers, isn't it?" Zhan Lan nodded, closing her eyes and walking silently forward. Chu Xuan addressed the NCO, "You all remain here to guard this area, and dispatch some men to search for any living personnel remaining on the ship, but do not approach the central area where the bees appeared. That business is for us..." With that, Chu Xuan turned and followed behind Zhan Lan deeper into the ship.

Indeed, Zhan Lan's Mind Lash proved devastatingly effective against these bees, each about the thickness of two fingers.

They were pure psychic entities, appearing almost translucent just before they struck, and their numbers were immense. If Zhan Lan's constant barrage hadn't been shattering the bees' psychic forms, the trio might never have reached the center of the ship, nor been able to harm the members of the South Yan Continent team waiting there.

As the three advanced toward the ship's core, Zhan Lan suddenly frowned. She turned to Chu Xuan, her face etched with confusion. "Chu Xuan, the enemy's psychic controller is trying to contact me... They say they need to speak with someone high-ranking from the Central Continent team. But Zheng Zha is currently fighting. I’m worried that linking my mind to theirs will disrupt him. How about this: I'll link their consciousness with yours."

Chu Xuan snapped his fingers. He looked at Zero Point. "Zero Point, kill anyone who tries to approach us, soldier or otherwise, at least until my negotiations with the enemy are concluded... Zhan Lan, tell Ba Wang and Wang Xia to aim their respective warships at this vessel, but do not inflict fatal damage. I will determine the timing of the attack."

Zhan Lan and Zero Point both nodded their assent. Chu Xuan then closed his eyes and connected his consciousness with theirs. The first voice he heard was that of a young woman. "Hello, is this a senior member of the Central Continent team? I am a member of the South Yan Continent team. Since our team leader is dead and our Captain is currently engaged with your Captain, I will handle the negotiations."

"Negotiations? Don't joke," Chu Xuan sneered. "If you call a surrender ceremony a negotiation, then fine, I acknowledge we are negotiating. Also, don't presume to be proud just because you hold a hostage. Although our team doesn't have your Rune Stones, we are currently running a clean slate. It makes no difference if one or two of us are killed. Want to test if I'm telling the truth?" The young woman did not get angry; instead, she sighed. "I believe you are correct. Yes, we have utterly failed. It's more appropriate to call this a surrender ceremony than a negotiation... We are willing to surrender to you, but please understand, we are not entirely without the ability to fight back, it's just that we..."

"The person among you capable of rallying another fight is dead, correct?" Chu Xuan cut her off abruptly. "You just said your leader is dead and your Captain is fighting our Captain... To date, apart from the one person we killed at the beginning, the death toll for the South Yan Continent team at our hands is zero. Logically, the South Yan Continent team should have had someone talented in overall strategic planning. Is he dead?" The young woman sighed again. "Yes, he is dead. If his intelligence were still leading us, even if we died, you absolutely would not be winning as easily as this now... Leader of the Central Continent team, please accept our proposal! We will return the hostage, and in addition, we will offer one person who has unlocked their Gene Lock and one person who has not, as an apology. Can you spare the rest of us? We will handle the disarmament of the two personnel so you don't have to worry about this being a conspiracy..."

"Impossible!" Chu Xuan sneered. "I'll say it again... Stop joking. I am not worried about you killing that hostage, and I don't even care about your reward points or bonus scenarios. Do you think I can be threatened?" As he spoke, Chu Xuan sent a silent command through the psychic link to Ba Wang and Wang Xia. Ten seconds later, the entire warship shuddered violently.

"This is your final warning: surrender unconditionally within five minutes, or we will destroy this entire vessel, killing you and the hostage along with it... I am not kidding." Chu Xuan pushed up his non-prescription glasses, then spoke to the woman with detached indifference through their mental link.