Before Mark Grayson and White Lion's spaceship could reach the designated coordinates, the Alliance's base, located within a drifting asteroid, had already been embroiled in more than one whirlpool of debate over the matter.
Inside the enormous, crude meeting hall, which had been converted from a natural cave, various bizarre alien lifeforms were packed together.
The air was thick with dozens of different pheromones, body odors, and the burnt smell of overloaded language processors.
A multi-tentacled, octopus-like creature was excitedly gesturing complex patterns with its arms, trying to explain something to a one-eyed creature whose skin was covered in crystalline scales.
The latter, meanwhile, continuously emitted high-frequency hums indicating confusion and irritation.
They couldn't even communicate directly through language, relying on not-always-reliable simultaneous translation devices, or more primitive sign language.
If the other party even had the concept of hands.
"Mark Grayson? Hmph, a rather resounding name!"
A tall, armored creature resembling a humanoid mantis rubbed its sharp mouthparts together, producing a grating sound.
"Who knows if he's a new lure sent by the Old Ones?"
"The collapse of the Planetary Alliance is imminent; how could he survive and even grow stronger?"
"This in itself is highly suspicious!"
"Suspicion! Suspicion! Karakza, what else can you do besides suspect?!"
Another corpulent creature, whose skin bubbled like a swampy mire, growled.
Its voice, emanating from a vibrating membrane on its abdomen, was muffled yet loud.
"What do we lack now? Fighting power! A sharp blade capable of tearing apart those monsters head-on!"
"Look at our recent battle reports! How many ships and warriors have we lost? We need strength like his!"
"Nurgle is right!"
A lifeform that flickered, like an energy aggregate, shimmered.
"His deeds have spread; destroying Old One avatars, saving multiple worlds—these are solid achievements!"
"If we push away such a powerful aid due to baseless suspicion, that would be the greatest foolishness!"
"But his origins..."
"But his companion, that White Lion, I heard he used to be Trigg's henchman!"
"What if he abuses his strength and tries to seize power?"
"What we need is unity! Not infighting!"
The sounds of arguments, discussions, and noises of different languages and frequencies almost tore the cave ceiling off.
Various forms of body language, based on different cultural customs, were displayed: some waved tentacles to show approval, some tapped carapaces to show dissent, and some simply sprayed irritating gas to express anger.
The entire meeting hall was as chaotic as a cosmic-level marketplace.
Just as the debate was about to escalate into minor physical confrontations between several factions...
"Silence, all of you!"
A roar like thunder suddenly suppressed all other noise. This voice was not merely loud; it also contained a powerful, undeniable spiritual pressure and physical vibration!
The entire meeting hall instantly fell silent.
All creatures, regardless of their form, involuntarily felt their hearts or similar organs tighten, and looked towards the tall figure at the end of the meeting hall.
She was a female alien, nearly three meters tall, with a robust and formidable physique that even surpassed many of the males present.
Her skin was deep bronze, with a metallic sheen; her facial features were sharp and angular, and a pair of deep amber eyes burned with a light that intertwined wildness and wisdom.
She had no hair on her head, but was covered in a structure resembling petrified bone plates, extending down to her strong spinal tail.
She wore simple battle armor, seemingly crudely tanned from the hide of some giant star-beast, and leaned on a huge, heavy scepter in her hand, which appeared to be polished from the leg bone of some creature.
She was the current de facto leader of the Starfire Alliance.
With her powerful personal strength, relatively clear mind, and the prestige established during several crises, she temporarily suppressed the various factions...
Ruijia.
"Had enough arguing?"
Ruijia's voice was low and oppressive, her amber eyes sweeping across the room. Every creature that met her gaze involuntarily averted their eyes.
"Suspicion? Need? I'm tired of hearing these words!"
She slammed her scepter heavily on the ground, producing a dull thud that made the floor tremble slightly.
"I only ask you one question: without a new, powerful force injected, how long can we last with our current ragtag fleet cobbled together and our individualistic thinking?"
"A month? Or do we wait until another unlucky planet is completely devoured, and then we mourn and argue again?"
Her words were like a cold knife, cutting open the bloody reality.
The meeting hall was in dead silence.
"Mark Grayson, I will meet him."
Ruijia said decisively.
"White Lion, I will also meet him. If they are truly committed to resisting the Old Ones, then they are our brothers and sisters! If they have ulterior motives..."
A terrifying glint of ferocity flashed in her eyes.
"Then I, with my own hands, will twist off their heads!"
"Now, who still has an objection?"
Her powerful aura and undisguised killing intent silenced all dissenting voices.
Ruijia might not be able to completely eliminate internal strife and suspicion, but at least, within her sight, no one dared to openly question her decision anymore.
...
When Mark Grayson and White Lion's spaceship, guided by the instructions, was cautiously pulled into the port carved out inside the giant asteroid, the sight that greeted them was quite astonishing.
The interior of the asteroid had been largely hollowed out, forming a huge, irregular space.
Buildings of various styles—some like metal mushrooms, some like crystal beehives, and some simply caves carved directly into the rock face—were haphazardly stacked together.
Connected by crude walkways and pipes, creatures of different races bustled and moved, hawking goods, the roar of machinery, and even the growls of unknown creatures mingled together, creating a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere of life.
The air circulation system seemed a bit overloaded, permeated by a complex smell mixing engine oil, food, and alien body odors.
This was far from the image Mark Grayson had imagined for the Alliance's headquarters.
He had expected to see a neat, more technologically advanced military base, not this place that looked like a combination of a cosmic refugee camp and a black market.
"Whoa... this is truly... unique."
White Lion bared his sharp fangs, his tone a mix of sarcasm and surprise.
He was accustomed to the relatively orderly environment of the Planetary Alliance, and instinctively felt uncomfortable with this chaos.
They were greeted by a small squad of guards led by Ruijia herself.
Her welcome was direct and enthusiastic; she clapped Mark Grayson on the shoulder, then eyed the bandaged but still fierce White Lion, grinning.
"I am Ruijia! Welcome to the Alliance, the last gathering place of hard-boned individuals in the universe who refuse to kneel and wait for death!"
"Don't mind the mess here; being alive and being able to fight—that's the biggest rule here!"
Her straightforwardness and powerful aura momentarily stunned Mark Grayson, who then also showed a slight smile.
This style was far more agreeable than the hypocritical politicians and bureaucrats of the Planetary Alliance.
Ruijia personally gave them a brief tour of the base's main areas.
The crowded living quarters, the noisy repair docks, the not-particularly-well-stocked armory, and an information center made of giant crystal clusters that seemed capable of hyperspace communication but appeared very unstable.
Mark Grayson keenly noticed that while some of the technology here was more advanced than Earth's, the overall level seemed rather... cobbled together and rudimentary.
Many devices were clearly pieced together from different civilizations, with poor compatibility and inadequate maintenance.
This contrasted sharply with the highly integrated, cutting-edge technology ubiquitous in the Planetary Alliance.
This also made Mark Grayson understand why the Alliance acted so low-key and covertly.
It turned out they weren't trying to be low-key; they simply lacked the capital for a head-on confrontation.
Finally, they arrived at the huge, arena-like natural cave.
This was the Alliance's meeting and banquet hall.
As soon as they stepped into the hall, Mark Grayson felt at least a hundred gazes instantly focus on him and White Lion.
The emotions contained in those gazes were extremely complex: curiosity, awe, undisguised provocation, deep suspicion, cold scrutiny, and pure indifference.
Various alien races sat or stood, distributed on the naturally formed viewing platforms around the cave, creating an invisible encirclement.
In the central clearing, several huge bonfires burned, roasting unknown giant beast meat, with fat dripping and sizzling.
This atmosphere instantly reminded Mark Grayson of the feeling he had in the Planetary Alliance Council.
Seemingly gathered, yet each acting independently, with undercurrents surging.
Ruijia seemed unconcerned, sitting grandly on a large beast hide at the head table, gesturing for Mark Grayson and White Lion to sit in the relatively honored positions beside her.
Servants brought food and drinks, a wide variety, but both the appearance and smell were rather... raw and challenging.
"Don't be shy! Eat if you can eat, drink if you can drink!"
"Here, filling your stomach is the top priority!"
Ruijia grabbed a large piece of charred roasted meat and began to chew on it heartily.
Mark Grayson nodded his thanks, politely trying some of the seemingly safer foods.
White Lion, however, seemed a bit impatient; he merely sniffed the meat in front of him, then sat to the side, his crimson pupils vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
After brief pleasantries and introductions, Mark Grayson and Ruijia got down to business.
During their conversation, Mark Grayson quickly confirmed that Ruijia's philosophy was highly consistent with his own: resisting the Old Ones was the sole objective, and all actions and resources should serve this purpose; internal strife and suspicion must be temporarily set aside.
This put his mind at ease considerably; at least this temporary ally had clear goals and a personality that suited him.
However, after several peculiar "drinks" were consumed, the atmosphere began to turn subtle.
Several obviously warlike alien tribal leaders, who were quite confident in their own strength, began to probe under the guise of toasting.
A burly man covered in reddish scales and with two horns on his head approached Mark Grayson, holding a strong liquor that smelled of sulfur, his voice booming.
"Hey! I heard you can punch an Old One avatar to smithereens? Is it true or false? Show us a trick, huh?"
"Just sitting around eating won't show us your abilities!"
The provocative tone was undisguised.
Another creature, resembling an upright walking insect with cold light flickering in its compound eyes, echoed in a sharp voice.
"Exactly! And that white-haired one... I heard he used to be the Planetary Alliance's attack dog, now he's turned to bite the Old Ones. That loyalty, tsk, tsk... Let's hope he doesn't see the Old Ones growing strong and wag his tail and run back, eh?"
"Hahahaha!"
A wave of unfriendly laughter from certain specific groups erupted around them.
White Lion suddenly lifted his head, his eyes blazing with ferocity, a deep, menacing growl rumbling in his throat. His injured body instantly tensed, claws extending from his paw pads, savagely scratching the rock floor with a grating sound!
He was on the verge of erupting in an attack!
"White Lion."
Mark Grayson's voice rang out calmly, one hand seemingly casually placed on White Lion's tensed arm.
That hand appeared to exert no force, yet it contained a strength that even White Lion could not easily break free from, forcibly pressing him back into place.
Mark Grayson didn't even look at the provocateurs; he simply picked up a drink that looked like water, took a light sip, then looked at Ruijia at the head table, his tone flat and unperturbed.
"Leader Ruijia, is this the Alliance's way of treating guests?"
"Or is this some kind of... initiation test?"
His reaction was so calm it was almost indifferent, as if the insulting and provocative words were merely a breeze past his ears.
Ruijia had been seemingly eating and drinking heartily, but her peripheral vision had never left Mark Grayson and White Lion.
Seeing Mark Grayson so composed, able to remain calm in the face of deliberate provocation and directly pinpoint the crux of the matter, a genuine hint of admiration and surprise flashed in her amber eyes.
She had indeed intended to test them, to see if these two rumored powerhouses were merely famous in name only, or if they were hot-headed and easily manipulated.
Now it seemed this Mark Grayson was far more complex than she had imagined.
This self-possession and ability to instantly grasp the situation were certainly not those of a mere brute with only strength.
"Hahahahaha!"
Ruijia suddenly burst into loud laughter, her voice shaking the cave and suppressing the discordant chuckles and murmurs.
She slammed the beast-bone goblet in her hand onto the ground, shattering it!
"All of you, shut the hell up!"
She stood up, her tall figure radiating oppressiveness, her gaze like lightning sweeping over the provocateurs.
"Mark Grayson and White Lion are my invited guests! They are brothers helping us kill the Old Ones!"
"Anyone who dares to be sarcastic or sow discord again will first have to ask if my bone scepter agrees!"
Her undisguised protection and powerful killing intent immediately made the provocateurs shrink back awkwardly, no longer daring to speak.
The atmosphere in the meeting hall became somewhat subtle and tense for a while, but the direct provocation indeed disappeared temporarily.
Ruijia sat down again, giving Mark Grayson a wild smile.
"My subordinates are ignorant; please excuse their behavior, brother."
"However... in this godforsaken place, strength is the ultimate truth. All talk and no action indeed makes it hard to convince people."
She changed the subject, a challenging glint in her eyes.
"What do you say? Eaten and drunk your fill? Are you interested in... stretching your muscles a bit, and letting us witness your rumored prowess with our own eyes?"
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