Chapter 16: Nightmare, Section 3

Humans? How is that possible?
Before this call, the old general had imagined countless scenarios of meeting his opponent and even prepared the proper etiquette for interacting with an alien civilization. But he had never imagined that the person he would meet would be a human.
It was utterly unexpected…
After all, the Interstellar Fleet was the most powerful force in human society—not because of its abundant resources or large number of soldiers, but due to the support of the noble classes. Their domestic policy also involved constant suppression. Apart from the Interstellar Fleet, any human faction attempting to organize a large-scale military fleet would face pressure from both the nobles and their own forces. It was for this reason that the equally powerful Warrior Association had never been able to surpass them.
In short, any human faction wanting to possess an armed expedition fleet needed the approval of the Interstellar Fleet—a fact that had become common knowledge among humans.
So, who exactly was this young man with black hair? How had he managed to establish such a powerful military force right under the nose of their own fleet? Where did that formidable armed planet come from? Could it be that some new force unknown to the Interstellar Fleet was involved?
Countless questions flashed through the old general’s mind, yet outwardly, he remained calm. He slowly sat back in his chair, picked up a cigar from the table, and lit it. With a smile, he directed his gaze at the figure in the vision crystal.
“Would you like one? The best cigars from Gurit Planet—unavailable on the market.”
“No, I prefer ordinary cigarettes. Cigars are too strong for me,” replied the black-haired man with a smile, raising his glass in response.
His gentlemanly appearance, steady demeanor, polite speech, and deep cunning—this young man was no ordinary person.
The old general immediately formed his first impression of the black-haired man.
“Very well, young man—um, please allow me to call you that, as I still don’t know your name. If it were a week ago, I might have been willing to have a thorough conversation with someone like you. But now, it seems the timing of our meeting isn’t quite right. Do you understand what I mean?” the old general said with a laugh, pointing to another vision crystal showing a video of a surprise attack.
Seeing his gesture, the black-haired man couldn’t help but smile.
What a straightforward old man. On the first meeting, he went straight to the point without even any polite words. Perhaps he thought he had the upper hand now? Or maybe it was just in his nature?

Anyway, Kurokami suddenly found himself liking this old man a bit.
“My name is Kurokami, esteemed General. Are you referring to those warships that my men destroyed? If so, though I’d like to apologize, as the party under attack, I must say they truly deserved it.” Kurokami still smiled, but his words were sharp as knives, utterly unfriendly.
“One hundred Shortsword-class ships, with a standard crew of 120 per ship. I merely killed over ten thousand of yours. Compared to the catastrophe I’m about to face, these are just a drop in the bucket.”
“Oh? You know much about our fleet composition?” The old general’s eyebrows raised slightly, his lips curling in a faint smile—no trace of displeasure on his face. It seemed he hadn’t sensed any provocation in Kurokami’s words at all.
“Pretty well. I know your purpose this time, as well as the goals of those nobles behind you. If you want to know, I can even tell you what awaits you after completing this mission.” Kurokami took a sip of red wine, looking utterly casual.
“Of course, I don’t like nor care about your fate. But since your mission threatens my territory, I have no choice but to intervene. General Birito, I’m sorry to inform you that your target—the 31st Star Region—already has a master. And that master is me.”
“What did you say?” Before the old general could speak, his adjutant shouted angrily.
“What are you, exactly? How dare you claim the 31st Star Region as your territory? Who gave you the right? What qualifications do you have!?”
His angry outburst went unanswered. Kurokami merely glanced at the handsome adjutant before ignoring him completely. The adjutant, realizing his own position, faltered in speech and looked at the old general, only to meet his reproachful gaze.
“Young man, though you seem to be in charge, have you ever thought that no matter what our intentions may be, they’re just that—intentions? In fact, so far, your territory hasn’t faced any threat, while my fleet has paid a heavy price of over ten thousand lives. Don’t you find that absurd?” With a soft sigh, the old general’s expression finally grew serious.
“Indeed absurd. General, if you’re upset, perhaps I could prepare some wreaths for them. I imagine your crew would like that.” Kurokami remained unmoved by the old general’s accusations. He simply waved his finger and smirked mockingly.

“Do you know? Honorable General, in my hometown, there’s a concept called preemptive action. To be blunt, by the time your plans actually come to fruition, it will likely be too late for me to do anything. No amount of retaliation can undo the harm you’ll cause me. I don’t like that at all. Not at all.”
Hei Fa smiled cheerfully, showing not a trace of anger from start to finish, yet everyone could hear the resentment in his words. The old general felt a chill sweep through him.
What a selfish, heartless young man. He was willing to take such drastic actions just for his own interests, even before the other party took any action. Did he really have no concept of the value of life? Over ten thousand of his own crew members had been killed by him, yet he showed no sign of remorse, instead seeming quite satisfied. It was utterly outrageous.
A terrifying way of thinking. Hei Fa gave the impression of a venomous snake, making everyone who heard his words shudder deep in their hearts.
Shaking his head as if to shake off these unpleasant feelings, the old general relaxed his brows again. “Alright, Mr. Hei Fa. I think we don’t need to keep arguing about this. Since you believe you’re right, then why stop us here and have this conversation? I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Ahah, you’ve hit the nail on the head.” Hei Fa suddenly laughed and stood up. “I’m here actually to propose a deal to you.”
“A deal?” The old general was surprised.
“That’s right, a deal. After the last two battles, I’m sure you’ve seen our strength. If this continues, the outcome will likely be disastrous for both of us. I admit your fleet is huge, and I’ll pay a heavy price for that. But you won’t fare any better either. I can even guarantee to you that if the war continues, not many of your remaining four hundred warships or those old transport ships will be left. And you, Honorable Eternal Star, will see your career end with this disgraceful invasion. So I think it’s time for us to stop fighting each other.”
A proposal for a ceasefire?

The old general suddenly felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. This young man really said whatever came to mind. Did he really think war was like a child’s game? Start fighting whenever he wanted, stop whenever he wanted—what did he think the interstellar fleet was? Not only was it impossible for him to agree, but even if he did, he didn’t have the authority to carry it out. This plan had been decided by headquarters, and no one could change it.

“Mr. Blackhair, this…” The old general hesitated for a moment before speaking, but Blackhair’s voice came through again immediately.

“I know what you’re trying to say. Honorable General, you’re saying this expedition isn’t something you can decide, right? Oh, that might be an issue. But what I’m more interested in is your personal opinion.” Blackhair shook his head, unconvinced by the old general’s words.

“I noticed your surprise when you first saw me. General, perhaps in your mind, a new force like mine shouldn’t be led by humans?”

“That’s right, that’s exactly what I thought. Young man, you really surprise me,” the old general admitted frankly.

“Then do you think a human like me would be willing to wage a war among humans? To be honest, if it weren’t for you showing hostility first, there wouldn’t have been any friction between us at all.”

“…” The old general remained silent, seemingly still not understanding what Blackhair meant.

Seeing his reaction, Blackhair couldn’t help but admire the old general’s skill. It was better to say less and think more at critical moments—that way, one could gain the upper hand. This old man was indeed not easy to deal with.

“What I’m trying to say is—let’s say, just for the sake of argument—if a powerful alien force really appeared here now, would your interstellar fleet still be willing to wage a protracted war against someone of your own kind? Please don’t doubt my words, neither about this unknown enemy nor my capabilities.”

“What? You mean there really are alien civilizations!?” The old general was finally moved. His eyes lit up instantly.

“That’s right. Not only do they exist, but they’re extremely powerful. Haven’t you always been curious about my origins? Wondered how I came to possess these weapons? Now I can tell you—everything is because of these powerful alien civilizations. To ensure the safety of my domain, I needed certain things. Unfortunately, before those alien civilizations could realize it, your interstellar fleet stepped in first.”

“This fire is quite intense…” The old general sighed and took a deep drag from his cigar. “Tell me about the origins of that alien civilization. Young man, though I feel you’re hiding many secrets, I understand your purpose here. As you thought, I really have no interest in conflicts among humans anymore.”
Hearing the old general’s words, the black-haired man laughed—joyfully.
Sure enough, there’s still hope to turn things around…