Chapter 201: Successful Fishing! Humanity on the Brink of Extinction! A Besieged Earth!
Li Ang pulled his thoughts back, ceasing to dwell on matters unrelated to the colonization of the Pacific Rim Earth. His gaze returned to the stargate.
"Begin the operation."
Without hesitation, Li Ang issued the command to the frontline soldiers stationed near the base to advance.
Shortly after, hundreds of AI drones, controlled by technical personnel, successfully crossed the stargate and arrived at the Pacific Rim Earth. The footage transmitted by the drones was relayed back to the headquarters of the Multiverse Base and displayed before Li Ang.
What appeared on screen was a landscape of ruined buildings, skies shrouded in dense clouds—eerily reminiscent of the post-nuclear wasteland on Netherworld Earth. However, unlike the freezing conditions of Netherworld Earth, the environment here was unbearably hot.
Preliminary scans conducted by the drones' sensors indicated an alarming temperature of 48°C.
"This doesn't make sense... Why is it so hot here? Could a recent nuclear explosion have caused this?"
Seeing such abnormal data, Li Ang's mind raced with various possibilities. However, without concrete evidence, he refrained from jumping to conclusions.
Since the stargate transmission system was reliable, and this was indeed the Pacific Rim Earth, Li Ang decided to uncover the truth by analyzing the timeline. His priority was to determine whether he had arrived too late, too early, or just in time.
"Let's hope this is merely the aftermath of a nuclear explosion and not a sign that I've come too late."
Li Ang silently prayed. The thought of humanity being wiped out by the Precursors was unsettling. If that were the case, the corporate forces would be left with a disastrous situation to clean up.
While Li Ang was lost in thought, a communication from "V," stationed on the other side of the stargate, came through to the Multiverse Base headquarters.
"This is the Astartes Vanguard Unit. The frontline base station has been preliminarily set up, and the vanguard soldiers are being deployed through the stargate in an orderly manner."
"The visual support system is now connected!"
As V finished speaking, more holographic screens lit up on the headquarters' main console. Through the perspectives of V, Jack, Reed, and other vanguard members, Li Ang observed additional details of the alien world.
The large-scale destruction of infrastructure, abandoned vehicles, and dilapidated shops clearly indicated humanity had suffered a catastrophic blow.
The desolate skies and barren surroundings further confirmed Li Ang's suspicion: they had arrived too late.
This Pacific Rim timeline seemed to have reached the point where humanity had been defeated, and the Precursors had claimed victory.
What Li Ang urgently needed to confirm now was the extent of humanity's defeat. Were there still pockets of resistance in designated zones, or had humanity been completely eradicated, leaving the Precursors to occupy the Earth?
Li Ang switched the holographic screen to display more detailed environmental data from the Pacific Rim Earth.
The results left him stunned: the planet's oxygen levels had dropped below 8%, carbon dioxide levels had surged to 20%, and even ammonia, toxic to humans, constituted 7% of the atmosphere.
It was evident that the Precursors' terraforming project had been overwhelmingly successful, and humanity had indeed been defeated.
The red warning lights triggered by the drones' sensors when they crossed the stargate had already signaled the danger. The environment was hostile to human life.
Made of alloys, the AI drones were immune to such conditions—this was why drones were always sent ahead to scout new worlds. If regular soldiers in standard combat suits had crossed the stargate, they would likely have suffocated or succumbed to poisoning within two minutes.
Fortunately, the Astartes Vanguard Warriors were equipped with Mark X power armor featuring advanced filtration systems, making them immune to the toxic environment.
"Boss, it seems we're too late… This Earth has been claimed by another civilization," Morgan Blackhand observed, surveying the devastation.
The uninhabitable environment was unsuitable for humans but seemed tailored to another alien civilization.
Standing beside Li Ang, corporate secretary Lucy frowned in contemplation. Reviewing the data and red alerts on the holographic screens, she echoed Morgan's conclusion.
"Boss, it appears our adversary this time is an alien civilization. Their technological level remains unknown."
Lucy's tone carried unease. This was their first confrontation with another extraterrestrial civilization, entirely different from the Na'vi on Pandora.
"If we can defeat them, fine. But if not, we could end up enslaved or worse."
"Since we're here, we'll deal with them too," Li Ang replied calmly, already familiar with the Precursors' nature. After assessing the planet's ecosystem, he issued further orders:
"Notify the vanguard to set up automatic sentry turrets near the stargate. Also, dispatch engineering personnel through the stargate—ensure they wear sealed and pressurized protective suits. I don't want anyone losing their life over a minor oversight."
The headquarters staff promptly relayed his orders. The vanguard and engineering teams began constructing defensive structures and establishing a forward base near the stargate.
Once satisfied with the progress on the other side, Li Ang strolled to the observation deck at the edge of the base. Watching the vanguard soldiers and engineers prepare to venture into the Pacific Rim Earth, he began pondering his next moves.
Lucy, following him to the observation deck, spoke after some deliberation:
"Boss, the mining and communications teams on Pandora recently detected traces of abnormal activity. Based on the images and video analysis, our 'Civilization Fishing Plan' may have lured another alien civilization.
"Fortunately, this civilization appears to pose a low threat. Investigation teams, escorted by two Infinity -class starships, are already en route to Pandora to investigate."
Since Li Ang's fleet returned to Ideal City, many had questioned why the corporation didn't colonize Pandora. To address public speculation, the corporation had publicly announced the Civilization Fishing Plan.
While previously classified, the plan was revealed to boost confidence in humanity's progress and showcase the corporation's power.
Now, Pandora's "abnormal activity" provided the perfect opportunity for the PR department to highlight the plan's success.
"Leave it to the investigation teams. Make sure they remain vigilant. Clean up thoroughly—don't let a single alien escape," Li Ang instructed.
"Understood," Lucy replied.
In truth, Li Ang had already learned through Pandora's planetary consciousness, Eywa, that the visiting aliens were a low-level, nomadic civilization relying on scavenging to sustain their spacefaring fleet.
Their only noteworthy technology was an antimatter engine—of minimal interest to the corporation.
Li Ang had initially planned to leave them alone, but their intention to claim Pandora as their second home sealed their fate.
When he confirmed their plans, Li Ang immediately dispatched Infinity -class starships to eliminate the threat.
As he gazed upon his flourishing civilization, capable of effortlessly conquering universes and extinguishing alien threats with ease, Li Ang felt a surge of pride.
In this world, humanity struggles to survive under the threat of alien forces. The mother planet lies in ruins, and civilization teeters on the edge of extinction.
In stark contrast, the humans of the Ideal City seem to live in paradise.
Witnessing the plight of their fellow humans on the Earth of Pacific Rim, Morgan Blackhand couldn't help but lament:
"Boss, it seems our company still has a long way to go. Each time we visit a new universe, seeing different apocalyptic scenes on alternate Earths reminds me of the critical importance of technological advancement."
"Falling behind invites destruction—a lesson written in blood!"
Morgan's words stirred memories in Li Ang , recalling the painful history of his homeland. For nations and civilizations alike, the development of technology often equates to the right to survive.
Without sufficient technological power, they would be crushed like insects by advanced civilizations.
"Morgan, it's good that you have such a keen sense of crisis. As an executive of a megacorporation, your primary mission is to move forward relentlessly and by any means necessary."
After saying this, Li Ang suddenly felt something was amiss.
Wasn't he here to carry out colonial actions in alternate worlds? Wasn't he supposed to be the ultimate villain of a universal megacorporation? Why did it feel like he was becoming some kind of savior across universes?
On the Ghost Earth, the corporation eradicated the ghostly plague with plasma bombs, saving humanity there.
Now, on the Pacific Rim Earth, Li Ang had to deal with the Precursors and their kaiju to save humanity once again.
Frustration bubbled within him. When could he finally visit the Three-Body world and stomp on the Trisolarans, making the Singer Civilization sing the praises of his corporation's glory?
When would he make the Zeroer Civilization rewrite the laws of universal physics in honor of his company's dominion?
"Understood, boss!" Morgan replied with unwavering determination.
"Good. Prepare for the upcoming battles. Deploy the Infinity -class starships and cruisers. Once the frontline base is established, we'll move to New Earth," Li Ang instructed, his gaze fixed on the advancing Astartes forces toward the Stargate.
"Yes, sir!"
---
At the Stargate's assembly zone, legions of soldiers and elite troops lined up in orderly formations, entering the Stargate in waves.
Massive Behemoth trucks transported vast amounts of construction materials into the portal, while AI construction robots from Night Corporation followed in organized squads.
Alongside these vehicles marched tens of thousands of Astartes warriors and engineering team members. Most of the primary ground forces were still held in reserve, entering only after the frontline base was fully operational.
In the skies above, various aerial formations, including Stormhawk gunships carrying air force troops, steadily moved forward.
Notably, the Steel Fist legion's elite vanguard units stood out.
Equipped with the corporation's state-of-the-art Mark X power armor, the vanguard was ready to confront the Precursors' kaiju. Many of them wore heavy-armor variants, designed for extreme durability.
These suits, larger and coated in striking crimson, could withstand and even damage kaiju attacks.
Each tactical squad of ten soldiers featured a diverse range of specialists:
A squad leader armed with a plasma high-explosive sniper rifle
Four assault troopers with E11 blaster rifles
Three demolition experts equipped with anti-tank missiles and bombs
Two machine gunners wielding M56 smart guns
Additionally, every member carried a Chaosburst pistol, and the leader could control 3-4 cloned soldiers via polymer devices for additional firepower.
A soldier carrying an E11 blaster rifle stepped through the Stargate into a desolate, ruined cityscape. His name was Cory, a former lieutenant now serving as a regular member of the Astartes reserve forces.
Having faced death before, Cory no longer felt the tension of entering unfamiliar terrain. With countless corporate warriors surrounding him, he felt a deep sense of security.
Soon, his tactical helmet displayed the target location marked by his squad leader. Through the comms, the leader issued orders:
"Everyone, proceed to the designated building 2 kilometers north. Establish a defensive position and coordinate with Team X308 to create a crossfire zone. Stay alert! Slackers will be sent to logistics—we don't need cowards here!"
"Yes, sir!" the squad responded in unison.
Cory and his team advanced, guided by AI drones providing precise battlefield maps. Within minutes, they reached a stable structure amidst the ruins and secured key positions.
At an open window, Cory mounted his rifle and reported: "Position 5 secured."
His teammates' responses followed:
"Position 7 secured."
"Position 9 secured."
Once all positions were confirmed, the leader announced: "Hold this position for the next three hours until reinforcements arrive. Understood?"
"Understood!"
The squad fell silent, each member vigilantly monitoring their assigned sector.
---
Above the ruins, reconnaissance drones scanned the city, confirming its identity as San Paulo. Under a dark, sunless sky, the city lay lifeless and desolate.
While engineering teams raced to construct the frontline base near the Stargate, Astartes forces established dense defensive positions to protect against potential threats.
Meanwhile, reconnaissance drones rose to near-orbital heights, capturing the continent's devastated landscape. Across northern South America, volcanoes spewed magma and carbon dioxide, worsening the planet's already dire conditions.
At the control center, Li Ang and his team watched the footage in shock.
"Boss, should we capture some alien Precursors for study?" Morgan asked, his anger simmering.
"No rush. Stick to the plan," Li Ang replied, maintaining composure.
"Understood."
---
A week later, the frontline base was nearly complete. Its facilities were operational, ensuring the survival of personnel for years. Meanwhile, the Infinity -class starship ascended to low-Earth orbit, ready to support ground operations.
High-altitude reconnaissance revealed the Earth's extreme environmental degradation. Melting Antarctic ice had raised sea levels by 60 meters, submerging coastal cities. Only high-altitude regions remained, though they too were rendered uninhabitable by the volcanic activity.
Despite this desolation, several massive walled cities were spotted in Australia and Antarctica, likely humanity's final refuges.
Li Ang sighed heavily, stating, "These are humanity's last sanctuaries."
The battle for survival—and the future of civilization—was just beginning.
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