144. Prelude
Li Aozi stood with his hands in his pockets, outwardly indifferent. This was entirely within Johan's expectations. On one hand, the player with the ID 'Truth' was a rookie. On the other hand, his retired military background likely meant he held a favorable view of the Empire.
However, Johan only knew half the story about Li Aozi, while Li Aozi was fully aware of Johan's actions.
After a moment of thought, Li Aozi already had a devious idea brewing in his mind.
[Johan is an experimental digital immigrant with both player and NPC templates. Unlike other digital immigrants, he cannot issue NPC missions, and his number of respawns is severely limited.]
In "Star Abyss", there are no private servers or GM (Game Master) privileges. Strength can only be earned through personal effort. Even pay-to-win strategies can only marginally improve the gaming experience.
As an experimental convict, Johan is ineligible for recruitment resets, with a cooldown of one year. If killed three times, he would be permanently eliminated.
[The optimal solution is to figure out his respawn points, camp them, and kill him three times in a row. Problem solved.]
The worst approach would be to kill him on sight—this would only delay the problem. After three years, his respawn chances would reset, making the kill meaningless.
But Li Aozi had a plan of his own.
"...I cannot agree with your ideology for now."
Li Aozi deliberately showed a look of helplessness:
"But the price you're offering is hard to refuse."
Johan smiled faintly:
"No rush—you'll understand eventually."
As he spoke, Johan pulled a bullpup rifle from his backpack and tossed it to Li Aozi:
"Isaac, hold onto this."
Without changing his expression, Li Aozi caught the rifle and inspected the magazine: a total of 45 rounds of 5.45x39 polymer-shelled bullets with tungsten-cobalt alloy tips. Each round contained trace chemical energy charges, offering exceptional armor-piercing capabilities. Upon penetrating armor, they triggered secondary explosions, scattering shrapnel throughout the enemy's body.
These rounds were notoriously infamous on early-game Azure Star, nicknamed the 'Tier-3 Armor Puncher.' With outstanding armor penetration and stopping power, they were prohibitively expensive to manufacture.
[These are military-grade items. It seems Red Arrow's army has traitors.]
Without a word, Li Aozi reloaded the magazine, cocked the rifle, and looked at Johan:
"Who are we targeting?"
"I like how straightforward you are," Johan said approvingly. "Don't worry; we don't harm civilians."
A few electric off-road vehicles emerged from the shadows, their quiet engines making them ideal for covert operations.
Johan led the group into the vehicles, which began to drive out of Erga City and toward the Outside World.
While donning Kevlar jackets and ceramic steel armor, the group listened to Johan explain the operation:
"Forty years ago, due to the Red Arrow Empire's brutal expansion and conquest, many Frost-Plated refugees were left homeless and forced into the Outside World. Using their knowledge, technology, and numbers, they quickly overran local Outside World refugees, forming a regional warlord power."
Johan projected a presentation, displaying information about key figures and historical events:
"Flower Valley, Northwind Town, and New Erga—these are three Outside World cities established by Frost-Plated refugees. Ten years ago, they united to form a nation: Melva."
"Law III once supported them, providing them with a small number of nuclear weapons and barrier generators. But over time, Frost-Plated's influence here has waned due to the distance and prolonged duration."
"The younger generation increasingly identifies with the Red Arrow Empire. Influenced by Red Arrow culture and disillusioned by Frost-Plated's frequent domestic crises, they admire the powerful Empire and feel emotionally closer to Red Arrow."
"The conflict between conservatives and reformists has escalated. The older generation and a few young people remain loyal to David Lin's New Frost-Plated Federation. Meanwhile, the middle-aged and younger population gravitates toward Red Arrow. These factions, known as the 'Frost-Fang Group' and 'Arrow Camp,' respectively, have longstanding tensions. Frost-Fang controls Melva's education and healthcare sectors, while Arrow Camp dominates industry and military forces."
Li Aozi frowned as Johan continued:
"David Lin has already visited the Red Arrow Empire. Frost-Plated and Red Arrow will undoubtedly reconcile and strengthen their ties."
"Our task is simple: divide them. Push Melva into civil war and turn it into a powder keg that disrupts relations between Red Arrow and Frost-Plated. Force the world's two strongest nations into direct conflict."
The plan was straightforward but brutal: exploit ethnic tensions to escalate local disputes into a global war. Once the world was in ruins, the Entropy Monarch could effortlessly devour Azure Star.
While listening, Li Aozi quietly used his White Obelisk privileges to establish a [Police Center] facility. He also issued an oracle to the Obelisk's caretaker—formerly a farmer, now the 'High Priest,' Kadan Frolich.
"If I can't take down Johan for now, I'll reluctantly let you pave the way for me."
Crossing his arms, Li Aozi patiently awaited the unfolding drama.
...
Red Arrow Empire, Erga City, Sacred Obelisk Police Station.
On-duty officer Chris Vincent yawned as he brewed coffee and filled out his shift report.
The descent of the White Obelisk six months ago transformed this rural area into the Empire's top tourist destination. However, the influx of visitors greatly increased the local police force's workload. The larger the crowd, the heavier the burden on officers. Young Officer Chris had practically become a 'trinity'—with the hairstyle of a programmer, the posture of a civil engineer, and the mental state of a pediatrician.
Massaging his temples, Chris braced for a long night. Tomorrow promised even more chaos. After finishing his coffee, he still had work to do. He could only hope competent new recruits would arrive soon to relieve his misery.
As he carried the coffee pot to his desk, an announcement echoed through the hall:
"Number 0212, please proceed to Window 6."
"Ugh." Chris sighed. "Please don't let it be another 'I lost my wallet' or 'I can't find my kid' situation. If it is, I'm done. Seventy or eighty cases like that a day—is it that hard for parents to keep track of their children?"
Despite his grumbling, Chris dutifully sat at the window, skillfully opened his computer, picked up the microphone, and instinctively said, "Hello, Sacred Obelisk Police Station. How can I assist you?"
The caller responded politely: "Apologies for disturbing you so late, Officer."
"It's alright. Just let us know earlier next time if there's an issue."
As Chris spoke, he realized something was off. Looking up, he saw a middle-aged man in a black robe with red trim, exuding a kind demeanor. Startled, Chris exclaimed, "Mr. Kadan Frolich! Shouldn't you be tending to the deity? What brings you here?"
This man was effectively the 'god's' earthly representative. Whether that was true or not, the decrees he received from the White Obelisk had proven reliable, helping Erga City's GDP soar. Chris wouldn't dare disrespect such a prominent figure.
"I received a divine warning at midnight," Kadan said solemnly. "The deity revealed that a group of malicious heretics plans to sabotage relations between the Empire and Frost-Plated Federation. Among them is a traitor with Omega Energy. Using this [Mutant], we can locate their destination. Please trust my testimony…"
Initially skeptical, Chris grew alarmed as Kadan detailed their numbers, weaponry—including an AE-150 'Albatross' unmanned gunship—and motives.
Armed with such precise technical knowledge, it was clear Kadan wasn't fabricating this.
"I need to consult my superiors," Chris said. "Please wait here; we may need your cooperation… to communicate with the deity."
Chris hurried to a neighboring office and reported the incident to the Empire's Armed Forces Department.
If true, this intelligence suggested a terrorist plot aimed at inciting war. Given the Empire's improving relations with Frost-Plated and the Emperor's goal to end the Tianhuan Kingdom conflict within his lifetime, such disruption could not be tolerated.
Minutes later, the Armed Forces Department received the report.
On-duty staffer Stephen lazily opened the email, decoded it, and skimmed the content before scoffing:
"Terrorists trying to spark a civil war in Melva and drag the Empire into it? Absurd. Who would believe this?"
Shaking his head, Stephen dismissed the file and reclined in his chair, soon snoring.
Most Armed Forces staff dismissed such detailed intelligence as fabricated, suspecting foreign spies were sowing panic and wasting resources.
Consequently, Chris's report went unanswered, leaving him anxious. Based on his experience, he believed it was credible.
Kadan Frolich, now highly respected, wouldn't stake his reputation on a lie. The divine warning was secondary; it could be interpreted as a tip from the White Obelisk's intelligence network.
Ancient churches often operated similarly, gathering information under the guise of religious missions.
After two hours without a response, Chris decided to trust his instincts. Failing to act on such a significant matter would surely draw public ire.
He shared the information with Erga City's mobile squad and the Pioneers' Association, requesting investigations into Melva.
His instincts proved correct.
Twenty minutes after Chris contacted the mobile squad, border outposts near Erga City detected firepower signals originating from Melva.
Evidence indicated that military activity was underway in Melva.