Chapter 253: Aftermath! Cleanup of the Shield World! The Hardlight Weapon Series!
As for the terms Li Ang offered to the Elites, they were quite simple: he promised them the top spot in the Covenant hierarchy and a chance to make the Sangheili great again.
He even proposed granting them official ranks—making them the vanguard corps of the LA Universal Megacorp. Acting under the company's banner, they'd be sanctioned to plunder, cooperating with Megacorp forces to consolidate control over the entire 004 [Halo] universe.
The Elites may not have many other talents, but when it comes to fighting, that's their bread and butter—an honored tradition of their tribe.
Li Ang's offer hit all the right notes for them. The terms matched their expectations, and the mission fit their specialties perfectly, making it difficult for Moramee to refuse.
A golden opportunity lay before him—one that might never come again.
Rather than enduring endless oppression under the decrepit Prophets and constant provocations from the Brutes, why not strike back with a well-timed "surprise rebellion"?
Besides, the LA Universal Megacorp was no joke. It had real power, real backing—a heavyweight.
We're talking about a titan civilization reigning over four universes. They had the Universal Trade Ring, receiving tributes and treasures from countless civilizations.
In comparison, the Covenant was still in its startup phase—a "promising stock" with an uncertain future. Even a moment of thought would be a disservice to the Megacorp.
The Megacorp was thriving and already eyeing this universe, thoroughly prepared for the move. Meanwhile, the Covenant was a mess.
A ragtag mix of religious fanatics and space pirates—cowards who preyed on the weak. Their market hadn't even taken shape yet, but internal power struggles were already in full swing.
The smart play? Cash out while your Covenant shares still have value, and join the Megacorp.
"Get up."
Seeing that the Elites had mentally done the math, Li Ang cut the small talk. What he needed now were capable workers.
Now that the terms were set, it was time to evaluate the quality of their "service."
"Starting now, you and your subordinates are auxiliary staff of the LA Universal Megacorp. Consider this your first official day on the job."
"I'll have someone distribute your employee contracts and benefits agreements. Signing them represents your tribe's formal pledge and commitment."
"Break the contract, betray the Megacorp—and you'll never be employed again."
Naturally, Li Ang wasn't about to hand out cushy perks from the get-go. All benefits must be earned. You eat according to your ability.
Even Dr. Halsey, who had just joined the company, only received respect and rewards because she risked her life on the front lines and completed her mission.
At the Universal Megacorp, all beings are equal. The road upward is open only to the strong.
Hearing this, Moramee and the other Elites quickly stood up and respectfully said:
"Boss, only a few of us here speak the Reclaimer language, but many in our tribe do not. What should we do?"
Moramee understood clearly—Li Ang's generous offer was based on the tribe's potential.
But to "hand out gold bars" to the village folk, they had to be able to say things like "thank you, boss" or "congrats, boss." Without basic communication, things could get messy.
Fortunately, Li Ang had already planned for this. He turned to the woman beside him—alt Cunningham—and said:
"This is our Head of R&D, one of the smartest engineers in the Megacorp. She'll analyze the languages of all Covenant species and develop a real-time translation AI."
"With the translation AI, your people will be able to communicate properly with our employees. Of course, to join the Megacorp officially, they'll still need to learn human language."
Hearing this, Moramee brightened up and nodded. "Yes, Boss!"
"Good."
Seeing Moramee call him "boss" so quickly, Li Ang was quite satisfied with his tact.
Sharp instincts are crucial for climbing the ranks quickly.
With the Covenant science team now under control, Li Ang left alt in charge of cleanup, then took Dr. Halsey and departed.
As alt looked at the towering Elites around her, she smiled and addressed them:
"Everyone, although we're now all part of the Megacorp, working together as colleagues—"
"To establish a foundation of trust, I'll be leaving some Astartes warriors here. I'll now open the holding gates."
"I hope you'll cooperate with the following procedures. Otherwise, I'll be forced to implement mandatory enforcement measures."
As she spoke, the Astartes acting as guards raised their bolt rifles.
Opportunities like this only come once. If you waste it, it's gone for good.
For Covenant members who don't know what's good for them, physical extermination is the best solution.
"Director alt don't worry."
With a firm gaze, Moramee declared in a loyal tone, "We Sangheili are a tribe that values our word. Honor and credibility are our core beliefs."
"If anyone breaks their oath, I'll personally rip their head off!"
He meant every word. No matter how hot-headed he was, he couldn't risk ruining his tribe's chance to "collect gold bars" from the Megacorp.
They'd finally met a boss willing to lift them out of poverty. If someone messed that up, Moramee would devour them alive.
"Excellent. The wise recognize opportunity. The Megacorp needs talents like you."
Alt nodded and ordered her troops to open the gates and begin relocating the Elites and Unggoy to their new quarters.
…
Meanwhile, Li Ang and Dr. Catherine Halsey had already taken a Falcon dropship through the portal, returning to the Multiverse Base HQ.
Ever since Li Ang personally entered the interior of the Shield World, he had dispatched David and Reed, along with other Astartes warriors, to the surface.
With intel from [031 Enthusiastic Witness], the Forerunner AI, David and the others easily tracked down the Flood and proto-Graveminds hiding across the Shield World.
Once targets were confirmed, Megacorp forces deployed Scorpiolion virus spores to execute total eradication protocols.
Eliminating the proto-Graveminds meant the rest of the Flood wouldn't pose much of a threat.
As for the tiny, undetectable Flood spores, they could be filtered and eliminated using Templar Defenders and the Shield World's internal cleaning systems.
Additionally, the moment Li Ang reached the Shield World's core, he communicated with the Forerunner AI and completed the Reclaimer recognition process.
Upon learning that Li Ang was the CEO of the Universal Megacorp—and about the existence of a multiverse—the Forerunner AI shared that the Forerunners had once tried to locate entrances to parallel universes.
Apparently, they still harbored some confusion about their own "patricide and usurpation" of the Precursors.
They believed the Precursors had allowed themselves to be destroyed because they had discovered a method of transcending dimensions—a path to true immortality.
Driven by both admiration and envy, the Forerunners, too, had sought ascension—to surpass dimensional boundaries or create entirely new parallel universes.
The reasoning behind this was simple.
Once you're max level, sure, it feels great—for a day or two.
But after indulging in all the superior Forerunner tech and ruling the vast [Halo] galaxy, all that's left is endless boredom.
After all, the previous "account owner" had already unlocked every achievement. There was barely any room left for discovery or growth—no sense of accomplishment at all.
Therefore, the Forerunners also hoped to migrate to a new parallel universe to usher in a new era of civilization for their race.
Unfortunately, before they could act, they were ambushed by the scheming Primogenitors. The overwhelming Flood obliterated the Forerunners' plans and destroyed their civilization.
After recounting the Forerunners' past, [Ding!] the Forerunner AI designated "031 Passionate Witness" also shared some valuable Forerunner technological data with the researchers of the Megacorp.
Moreover, all 56 Traveler-class dreadnoughts stationed in the core of the Shield World were handed over to the Megacorp, along with 12 World Seeds that were also brought under their control.
With this, Li Ang had essentially achieved the strategic objectives he had set for the Halo Universe (004). From this point forward, his plan was to proceed steadily and securely.
He would continue expanding the Megacorp's fleet while having Morami infiltrate the Covenant, winning over the Sangheili clans and laying the groundwork for a full-scale defection and the eventual toppling of the Covenant.
Among these, the Traveler-class dreadnoughts would become key strategic assets left behind in the Halo universe, functioning as megastructural warships.
Meanwhile, all 12 World Seeds were transported back to the primary universe—some were handed over to engineers in the Science Nexus Department for research, while others were planted on a selected planet in hopes of cultivating a new species or civilization. This would greatly benefit humanity's studies in civilization development.
As for the think tank system Li Ang was most concerned about—that would take a little more time.
The Forerunner AI was currently reconnecting with the think tank, but the process was laggy. The long period of disuse had slowed down the overall connection progress.
It was just like a computer freezing up after being idle for too long—once the connection to the think tank was restored, there would be no rush in accessing its data.
Three months later.
Shield World 0459!
Ever since David and Halsey arrived at the planetary core of the Shield World and took control of everything there, the Megacorp had completely seized the site.
During this time, Megacorp forces deployed the Scorpilion virus spores to nearly wipe out the surface-level Flood and the primitive Graveminds.
Although these primitive Graveminds had already developed basic tactical deployment capabilities, without the fanatical Covenant cultists to conduct sacrifices, they were unable to continue evolving.
Lacking nutritional support, the Graveminds stood no chance against the heavily armed Megacorp troops and the overwhelming Scorpilion virus assault. They were utterly helpless.
As for the airborne Flood spores, they were entirely eradicated by the Templar Defenders and the Shield World's built-in atmospheric filtration system.
Now, the Megacorp had constructed large-scale research facilities, training grounds, surface bases, and industrial zones across the Shield World's surface.
In the desert region, a sprawling research facility spanning 120,000 square meters was bustling with activity. Transport aircraft, Templar Defenders, and all manner of AI drones constantly patrolled the skies above it.
Such tight security clearly indicated the immense importance of this experimental site.
Inside the facility…
"Training staff of Squad 041, prepare for deployment."
As the broadcast echoed through the facility, 300 new recruits from the Iron Hands reserve regiment, clad in powered protective armor, assembled in the bioweapons training ground.
All of these recruits were adult males from Prosperity Star. After a rigorous selection process, only 300 were chosen from a population of over a hundred thousand.
They had just completed Phase Three of the Astartes surgical enhancements, standing between two and three meters tall with reinforced skeletal-muscular systems.
Even so, they were not yet considered true Astartes warriors. They still had to endure several more rounds of grueling training to qualify for official entry into the Iron Hands legion.
And today, the first batch of Astartes warriors from the Halo Universe (004) was about to face their graduation trial!
"Now, choose your weapons."
At the sound of the broadcast prompt, the 300 fully armed warriors double-checked their power armor systems and stepped up to the equipment crates prepared for them.
When they saw the array of new, high-powered weapons and a large stock of bolt rifles, they immediately realized this assessment would be the toughest yet.
After all, that was Megacorp training doctrine: the better the gear, the tougher the test. The enemies they'd face would be even more vicious.
It was common knowledge that the Iron Hands legion training grounds had a built-in casualty quota every year.
Still, even those unfortunate enough to die in training would be posthumously honored as martyrs, with medals awarded and generous pensions and resource allowances provided to their families.
Those who survived and passed the assessment would be on a fast track to promotion—from low-tier Astartes warriors to officers, and even Primarchs.
This was the hierarchy granted by the perfected gene-seed. With a 100% surgical success rate, recruits no longer had to fear failed organ transplants or mutations.
Scarcity breeds value. That's why Li Ang reserved the surgical enhancement project as a reward for meritorious service.
After all, resources that could enhance strength without any cost were priceless—no matter the era.
And that was precisely why Li Ang could so easily control the entire Iron Hands legion—he held the keys to the most critical production assets!
"Once you've selected your weapons, prepare yourselves. Countdown begins: three minutes. In three minutes, you'll be facing wave after wave of hostile units."
"Your task is simple: crush them all. Even if you run out of ammo, rip them apart with your bare hands and eat them alive if you have to!"
Hearing the broadcast, the warriors felt their blood surge. If they died, their families would want for nothing. If they survived, they'd have boundless futures.
In a word—fight!
"Brothers, are you ready to earn rank and fortune? Time to go all in!"
"Hell yeah! If I pass this trial, I'm heading straight to Dreamscape Club to blow off some serious steam. I've been holding it in too long."
"Haha! I bet the first thing you'll do if you survive is pass out in the barracks for three days straight. Let's see if you make it first."
"…"
The Astartes recruits laughed and cursed as they picked up their weapons. Among the options provided by the Megacorp this time was a brand-new class of gear—the Hardlight Weapons series.
One warrior stared at the sleek, white weapon in his hands—simple, angular, and elegant. His eyes lit up.
"This baby must be a new toy whipped up by the R&D department. Looks pretty damn slick!"
Soon, other warriors began voicing their amazement as well. Their tactical HUDs displayed notifications for Hardlight Rifles, Hardlight Projectors, and Hardlight Grenade Launchers, along with a quick rundown of each weapon's features.
The so-called [Hardlight] series weapons were generally rectangular and elongated in shape, with a clean, minimalist design.
Just as the warriors suspected, these Hardlight weapons had been developed by the Megacorp's R&D team through reverse-engineering Forerunner technology.
The "Hardlight" in question referred to boson-photon field technology, which could transform light into a solid state—for weaponization or construction.
For example, the many "light bridges" found in Forerunner ruins were built using this Hardlight tech.
This material could even be used in megastructure construction—many parts of the Shield World's superstructure were supported by Hardlight components.
That's why David and the others had witnessed oceans rippling in the sky and tree roots clinging to clouds within the interior of the Shield World.
Gravitational manipulation and Hardlight engineering—clear proof of the Forerunners' extraordinary technological prowess.
In the realm of weaponry, Hardlight could be used to forge extremely durable energy shields—like the Z-90 Photon Convergence Projector, also known as the Aegis Shield.
Or devastatingly powerful Hardlight weapons.
For instance, the Thermal Burst Semi-Automatic Hardlight Projector featured two firing modes and launched high-energy purple Hardlight shards that could slice through biological targets.
When striking terrain, these shards could even ricochet and deal multiple instances of damage to enemy units.
It was somewhat similar to kinetic weapons developed for military use.
There was also the Hardlight Grenade Launcher, comparable to a plasma launcher but packing slightly more punch.
The pros and cons of Hardlight weapons were obvious.
The advantage? Tremendous power with virtually no range limitations—lethal at close range.
The downside? Complicated recharging systems and massive recoil. Without sufficient strength, users risked injuring themselves.
As such, the Iron Hands legion had yet to issue them widely—only elite troops received priority access.
These green recruits were lucky enough to see the most advanced weapons in existence, all thanks to their graduation assessment!
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