Chapter 78

The clue of the "abandoned research base" was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in the command center.

"This is a trap." Luo Yan's voice came through the encrypted communication, calmly stating the facts. "The residual signal is too obvious, it seems like a deliberate bait."

"I know." Miao Weizhen stood in front of the star map, his dark brown eyes reflecting the star field marked as "abandoned", his gaze as sharp as a falcon about to pounce. "But even bait can tell us the location and habits of hunters."

He tilted his head slightly and looked at Wen Ling beside him: "What do you think?"

Wen Ling stared at the dark area on the star map, his fingers unconsciously tapping the edge of the console. His consciousness had just exited the vast network of connections, and it still carried the hum of billions of thoughts.

"They're afraid," he began slowly, his voice a little hoarse. "They're afraid of our progress and the stability of the alliance. So they're willing to expose a possible stronghold just to test our reaction and buy us time."

"Then give them a reaction." Miao Weizhen's lips curled up into a cold arc. There was no warmth in that smile, only cruelty under precise calculation. "A reaction they didn't expect."

He did not choose to send a fleet for a frontal attack, which would have played into the enemy's hands.

He played another card—

Secretly trained by Han Zhong and equipped with the latest stealth technology and mind-shielding devices, the "Ghost" reconnaissance team had a mission not to attack but to infiltrate, sneaking into the star field like an invisible shadow and collecting all possible information.

At the same time, the cleanup within the alliance was also being carried out with greater efficiency and secrecy. Luo Yan, like a shadow, moved through the vast network of organizations, silently eliminating each marked "information source" one by one.

Miao Weizhen was in charge personally. His instructions were concise and efficient, his methods were swift and decisive, and his iron fist was unquestionable. A senior official tried to plead for a "talented person" who was under investigation, but before he could finish his words, he was forced back by a cold look from Miao Weizhen.

"There are no 'extenuating circumstances' in my defenses." His voice was low, but it caused the temperature in the entire command center to drop several degrees. "Either be loyal or disappear."

This coldness towards others is in stark contrast to his almost paranoid protection of Wen Ling.

Miao Weizhen was always present during every one of Wen Ling's mind-linking training sessions. He not only monitored the data but also kept a close eye on the slightest changes in Wen Ling's condition. When Wen Ling's face paled from mental overload, he wouldn't hesitate to interrupt the training, even if he was just one step away from breaking a critical threshold. When Wen Ling, exhausted, rested on the console late at night for a nap, Miao would quietly approach, drape his outer robe over him, and then, like a silent guardian, stand by until Wen Ling awoke.

This protection transcended duty, becoming an instinct ingrained in their bones. During an informal meeting, a representative from the Saili Kingdom, out of concern for the core, suggested sharing some of Wen Ling's work to alleviate his stress. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a cold gaze locked onto him. Miao Weizhen remained silent, simply staring at him, his dark brown eyes devoid of emotion. Yet, the representative was instantly silenced, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back.

Afterwards, Xing Lan smiled helplessly to Wen Ling privately, "My brother is now... like a giant dragon guarding his only treasure."

Upon hearing this, Wen Ling simply lowered his head and took a sip of water, hiding a complex smile. He knew full well that Miao Weizhen's almost pathological possessiveness and protectiveness stemmed from deep fears and past events. He couldn't blame him, so he could only, within the invisible walls he had built, give him complete trust and reliance, using this method to appease the ever-vigilant "dragon."

A few days later, the Ghost team returned with their first intelligence report. The "abandoned" star region wasn't a deserted city. Within it, there were highly concealed energy reactions and regular traces of small ship activity. The defenses were far more robust than they appeared. More importantly, they had captured an extremely brief, highly encrypted external communication signal.

"The signal points in another direction," Xing Lan reported after analyzing it, his brow furrowed. "Not in the original core area of ​​the Federation, but... in an interstellar dust belt that has not been claimed by any force."

The enemy was more cunning than they imagined and had laid more than one layer of fog.

"Keep chasing." Miao Weizhen gave the order, his eyes not wavering at all, "Remove all the fog."

He walked over to Wen Ling, looked at his face, which had regained some color, and said in a low voice, "How do you feel?"

"Much better." Wen Ling looked up at him, reached out and gently held his wrist, and rubbed his taut skin with her fingertips soothingly. "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile."

Miao Weizhen held his hand with his backhand, a little hard, as if to confirm his existence in this way.

"I know." He whispered, his eyes fixed on their clasped hands, his eyes filled with indescribable complex emotions, "But I can't bear any eventuality."

His voice was soft, yet it carried a weight of weight.

Wen Ling's heart moved, and just as he was about to say something, the shrill alarm sounded once again, breaking the silence of the command center!

"Report! The third hub of the energy network has been attacked by an unidentified fleet! The scale is small, but the aggression is extremely strong!"

Miao Weizhen's eyes froze instantly. He let go of Wen Ling's hand, turned and walked towards the command desk, his voice as cold as a knife:

"It seems they can't wait any longer. Activate the emergency defense protocol and order the third 'Anvil' squadron stationed at this hub to crush all those bugs."

The invisible war finally revealed its ferocious fangs.

Miao Weizhen's response was simple, direct and cruel.

The battle report from the third hub soon arrived—

The attackers were a small but well-equipped mercenary fleet, fiercely attacking with suicide attacks in an attempt to destroy the energy relay station. Under Han Zhong's remote command, the garrisoned "Anvil" Third Squadron annihilated them with overwhelming firepower, taking few prisoners.

The interrogation results were as expected: the mercenaries only did the work for money and knew nothing about their employers. The funds were also laundered many times, and their final destination was difficult to track.

"They're wearing us down, and testing our reaction speed and defensive strength." Wen Ling frowned as he read the battle report. This omnipresent, yet elusive, enemy was even more exhausting than the Federation Army on the front lines.

"Then let them see clearly," Miao Weizhen's voice was as cold as the ice in deep space, "the price of touching the bottom line."

He didn't simply strengthen the Third Hub's defenses; instead, he used this incident as a pretext to push for the passage of the "Wartime Security Control Regulations." These regulations empowered security agencies to, under certain circumstances, investigate, and even seize individuals and assets suspected of endangering alliance security without requiring cumbersome legal procedures. This effectively handed immense power directly to Luo Yan and Miao Weizhen, who stood behind him.

As soon as the regulations were released, undercurrents surged within the alliance. Representatives from some countries that uphold a tradition of freedom, such as the State of Sairang, expressed cautious concerns.

"Minister Miao, does this regulation concentrate power too much? There is a fear of abuse." The diplomatic envoy of the Sairang Kingdom spoke bluntly at the interim parliament.

Miao Weizhen stood at the podium, his gaze calmly sweeping across the room until he finally rested on Wen Ling for a moment before slowly speaking, "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The enemy's knife is already on the energy pipelines. Next time, it might be a city's water supply system, or... the core nodes of the consciousness connection network."

He paused deliberately, letting the words "core node" hammer home to everyone. "Would you rather wait until disaster strikes to regret it, or would you rather give us the necessary tools now to nip this threat in the bud?"

His tone was steady, without any heated arguments, but with an undeniable sense of oppression. He had precisely grasped everyone's weaknesses.

The fear of the "Tide of the Void" and the dependence on the consciousness connection network, especially the core Wen Ling.

Ultimately, the ordinance was passed by an overwhelming majority.

With power in hand, Miao Weizhen's actions became even more drastic. Luo Yan's security department, like a sharp blade unsheathed, carried out a thorough "cleansing" within the alliance with unprecedented efficiency and forceful measures. Several mid-level officials suspected of ties to external forces were swiftly apprehended, and several companies found to have unusual capital flows were directly shut down. The process was swift and resolute, showing no mercy.

For a time, the alliance was in a state of panic, but the subtle infiltration of "toxins" was indeed significantly reduced. Miao Weizhen used ruthless measures to temporarily suppress the possible internal corruption.

However, this repressive rule also had side effects. Privately, some began to describe Miao Weizhen with terms like "Shadow Emperor" and "Iron-Blooded Prime Minister," with a mixture of awe and fear. Some even secretly advised Wen Ling that Miao Weizhen's power was too great and could lead to future troubles.

Wen Ling remained silent. He knew Miao Weizhen's motives better than anyone else.

At night, he leaned in Miao Weizhen's arms and could feel the tension hidden under the other's muscles, which almost never relaxed.

"They say you are too cold." Wen Ling said softly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the buttons of Miao Weizhen's pajamas.

Miao Weizhen's arms, wrapped around his waist, tightened at his words. He rested his chin on the top of his head and said in a low voice, "I don't care what they say. I just want them to be scared, scared enough not to dare to target you and destroy our only way out."

He spoke with a paranoid determination: "Any potential threat must be eliminated. Any price is worth it."

Wen Ling raised his head and looked at Miao Weizhen's face in the dim light. His dark brown eyes seemed even deeper in the night, and within them surged emotions that he was familiar with but could never fully fathom.

A strong desire to protect, an almost crazy possessiveness, and the coldness buried underneath that is derived from the fear of loss.

He knew Miao Weizhen's heart had long been twisted by past suffering, part of it a solid armor protecting him, the other a sharp blade piercing his enemies. He couldn't change this, nor did he want to. He could only hug her tighter, using himself as an anchor to steady this ship sailing on the edge of darkness and light.

"I know." Wen Ling finally said this, and then kissed the corner of his lips. "Go to sleep. I still have to test the new firewall iteration version with Xing Lan tomorrow."

Miao Weizhen stared at him, the coldness in his eyes gradually melting, replaced by something deeper. He lowered his head and returned a brief but possessive kiss.

"Yeah." He replied and turned off the light.

In the darkness, the two slept in each other's arms. One was trying to shoulder the hopes of millions of people, while the other stubbornly pinned these hopes on the person in his arms.

External pressures and internal undercurrents could not shake this twisted yet indestructible bond. And the real storm was still gathering strength in the distance.