The World Engine appeared nearby.
That single report alone carried a heavy sense of danger.
"We were supposed to reach the Tianling Star Region in two days," Adjutant Lilith said calmly after reviewing the data. "But it seems General Zod didn't want to wait. He's already moved the World Engine close to our position."
The Kryptonian crew exchanged uneasy glances.
The meaning behind the action was obvious.
Zod didn't trust them.
If the World Engine had come personally to intercept the Aquarius, then it meant Zod was making sure they had no opportunity to escape.
But since it had already happened, worrying about it was pointless.
"What comes will come," Yun Chen said lightly.
His expression remained completely relaxed.
"There's always a solution to any problem."
He shrugged slightly.
"Besides, since they were kind enough to come to us, it saves us the trouble of making the trip ourselves."
Lucine rolled her eyes immediately.
"This is not the time for jokes."
Since the medical examination earlier, her relationship with Yun Chen had improved noticeably. That familiarity made it easier for her to show open annoyance at his casual attitude.
Lilith suddenly raised her hand.
"They're here."
…
Whoosh.
Under the vast starry sky, a colossal spaceship floated silently in space.
Its enormous structure resembled a floating fortress.
This was the World Engine of Krypton.
The ship possessed a terrifying capability: biological environmental transformation. With it, an entire planet's atmosphere could be reshaped into conditions perfectly suited for Kryptonian life.
In another timeline, General Zod had once brought this very vessel to Earth in an attempt to conquer the planet.
Through the Aquarius's observation window, the crew stared at the massive craft in stunned silence.
"Wow…"
Compared to the small reconnaissance ship they were currently aboard, the difference was almost embarrassing.
"This ship is incredible," Lilith said quietly.
"Not only can it alter planetary environments, but its offensive and defensive capabilities are among the best in Kryptonian technology."
She spoke with a hint of admiration.
"Really?" Yun Chen said casually.
He glanced toward the massive warship.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Then it'll belong to me soon."
The thought remained unspoken, but the amusement in his eyes made his intentions obvious.
At that moment—
Whoosh.
A tearing sound echoed through space.
A smaller vessel detached from the World Engine and flew directly toward the Aquarius. The ship had a distinctive shell-like shape, resembling the armored back of an insect.
Lucine frowned.
"What's this supposed to mean? Are they worried we might try something?"
Far away, the massive World Engine remained motionless.
Soon the smaller craft arrived beside the reconnaissance ship and transmitted a docking request.
"Captain," Lilith said hesitantly, "do we really want to let them board?"
Yun Chen waved dismissively.
"There's no need to worry."
He smiled faintly.
"We're all rare surviving compatriots after all. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about."
Lilith frowned slightly.
His tone carried an odd undertone she couldn't quite understand.
But before she could question him further, Yun Chen had already given the order.
The Aquarius opened its docking hatch.
The shell-like shuttle landed smoothly against the reconnaissance ship.
A moment later—
Hum.
The gangway extended.
Four figures stepped down from the craft.
They all wore identical black cloaks. Beneath the cloaks were battle suits with an ancient Kryptonian design, yet the armor shimmered faintly with the smooth glow of advanced nanomaterials.
This was clearly a far more sophisticated Kryptonian combat suit.
At the very least, it was vastly superior to the single-soldier suit Yun Chen had been using earlier.
More importantly, the aura surrounding these four individuals was dramatically different from the ordinary soldiers aboard the Aquarius.
Their presence alone carried an oppressive weight.
It was obvious that their genetic sequences ranked far above those of standard Kryptonian soldiers.
Not even the same level.
The difference was enormous.
After stepping into the ship, the four newcomers looked around with faint arrogance. Instead of greeting anyone, they simply examined the interior of the Aquarius on their own.
"Not bad," one of them said casually.
"It's rare to see a reconnaissance ship still in such good condition."
Another glanced toward the interior compartments.
"Even the incubation chamber hasn't been destroyed. That's surprisingly fortunate."
Their conversation sounded like they were inspecting an abandoned relic rather than visiting fellow Kryptonians.
Soldier Todd finally lost his patience.
"Hey!"
His voice echoed sharply through the corridor.
"You people are acting pretty high and mighty. Are you looking down on us?"
One of the newcomers slowly turned his head.
The man was tall and heavily built.
His name was Derek.
Through the translucent visor of his combat helmet, a faint sneer appeared on his face as he looked down at Todd with obvious contempt.
Yun Chen watched the scene with interest.
Then he spoke casually.
"Did General Zod not dare to meet me himself?"
He glanced toward the leader of the group.
"In the end, he even sent a woman to speak with me."
The person leading the group was indeed a woman.
She had short black hair and sharp, confident features. The Kryptonian battle suit accentuated her tall, athletic build, giving her the powerful presence of a hunting leopard.
Her name was Faora.
Her deep eyes locked onto Yun Chen.
"So you're the captain," she said coldly.
Before their conversation could continue, Derek suddenly stepped forward.
"Bastard," he snapped angrily.
"Watch how you speak to an officer."
His temper flared instantly.
"You dare disrespect General Zod? You must have a death wish—"
He twisted his body and launched forward.
His massive frame surged ahead like a fired cannonball. The sudden movement carried tremendous momentum as he charged directly toward Yun Chen.
The distance between them vanished instantly.
Bang!
A heavy impact echoed through the cabin.
"Not good…" Faora's eyes widened slightly.
For a brief moment, everyone saw a body flying backward through the air like a discarded sandbag.
But the person who had been sent flying wasn't Yun Chen.
It was Derek.
....
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