Chapter 744: The Approaching Swarm
The burly man walked up to the bar, his massive frame casting a shadow that almost enveloped Raynor.
He looked at the glass in front of Raynor, then at Raynor's face, which was full of complex emotions. He sneered and spoke first. His voice was loud and gruff, carrying a unique tone as if he didn't care about anything in the world: "What's wrong, Jimmy? Drinking alone? That doesn't seem like your style."
Raynor looked up at this familiar yet unfamiliar face. The solemnity and previous struggle on his face seemed to be replaced by a more direct emotion—a mix of annoyance and helplessness.
He replied in a bad mood: "Tychus Findlay... Looks like the prison food didn't do much to you."
The burly man named Tychus burst into laughter. He carelessly pulled over a tall stool (which groaned under his weight and power armor) and sat down. His massive power armor took up almost two seats.
"Thanks to you, Jimmy, the 'entertainment' inside was pretty rich." He took the unlit cigar from his mouth and played with it nimbly between his fingers, but his gaze looked sharply at Raynor. "But I didn't come all this way just to hear you reminisce about the good old days. I heard you've been... messing around with some 'small business' lately?"
The implication in his words made Raynor's frown deepen.
Before Raynor could answer, Tychus's gaze had already perceptively glanced toward the door at Valerie, who was preparing to leave, and the conspicuous squad of guards behind her. His gaze lingered for a moment, especially on those power armors of a vastly different style, a subtle gleam flashing in his eyes, but he quickly returned to his careless demeanor.
"Looks like I came at the right time?" Tychus turned back to Raynor, lowering his voice slightly, but still loud enough for Valerie not far away to hear clearly. "Seems pretty lively here, you even attracted guests with 'special equipment'. What, planning a big score? With a good thing like this, shouldn't an old friend get priority in buying shares?"
Raynor glared fiercely at Tychus, clearly nursing a headache over this "old friend's" sudden appearance and inappropriate banter.
He glanced at Valerie, who was standing quietly by the door observing, then looked at Tychus, who clearly intended to stick to him, feeling that the already chaotic situation had become even more thorny.
Valerie took in the entire scene in the tavern.
That burly man who suddenly barged in wearing blue power armor, and his familiar yet tense interaction with Raynor, was definitely no ordinary passerby.
She clearly heard the name—Tychus.
An unfamiliar name, but combined with his appearance, equipment, and the prison background revealed in his conversation with Raynor, it was enough for her to mark him as a new variable requiring high attention.
This person's appearance had clearly disrupted Raynor's original rhythm and added variables to the fragile contact she had just established.
She did not show any extra attention or emotion, as if she had merely witnessed an unrelated reunion by chance.
Taking advantage of Raynor's attention being completely drawn by the uninvited guest named Tychus, Valerie and her guards silently left the tavern, leaving the increasingly complex atmosphere inside behind the heavy door.
Returning to the Thunderhawk gunship parked at the landing pad outside the town, Valerie immediately activated the encrypted communication link with the Eternal Seeker and reported the preliminary results of the contact to Ryo.
"Initial contact with target Jim Raynor has been made. The Swarm warning has been delivered as planned. His reaction met expectations, showing vigilance and a posture of needing to verify." Her report was concise. "The commercial cooperation intention has been pitched. The other party did not directly accept, but set a test condition to 'prove our value'. His attitude is reserved but leaves a window open."
"An unexpected variable occurred during contact: A male calling himself Tychus, wearing an older model CMC power armor, suddenly intervened. He has a close relationship with Raynor, mentioned a prison past, and their conversation implied he came with some sort of 'proposal'."
"Raynor referred to him as 'Tychus Findlay'. This person's background, intentions, and impact on Raynor's subsequent decisions are all unknown."
After a brief silence, the synthesized voice of Ryo's main body came through, as calm as ever, but the analysis directives were rapid and precise: "Tychus Findlay... Database matching in progress. Relevant information confirms a deep historical connection with Raynor; danger level is high. His appearance is related to the proactive actions beyond conventional defense that Raynor is about to take. This is not a bad thing, Valerie."
"What are your orders?" Valerie asked.
"Revise the priority of your subsequent actions." Ryo issued the directive. "Maintain contact with Raynor, and find a way to integrate into any substantive actions he and Tychus are about to launch. Your mission is to observe and evaluate from a close distance, and when necessary, provide limited convenience or support for their actions that aligns with the logic of your current identity."
He paused slightly, emphasizing the core judgment: "Based on the Swarm signal diffusion model, the large-scale fall of Mar Sara is only a matter of time, and this time window might be shorter than the public warning. The local garrison and defense forces cannot stop this flood."
"If Raynor and Tychus are attempting some scheme here, they will inevitably come into direct conflict with the Swarm outbreak. Your ultimate phase mission objective is: Ensure that when the planetary defense collapses and the situation completely deteriorates, you can guide or cover the evacuation of Raynor and his core team from the planet. They, especially the 'item' they might acquire, are far more valuable than this doomed planet."
"Understood. Maintain embedding, observe and participate in their operations. The ultimate objective is to ensure the target personnel and the high-value item they might carry are safely evacuated before the planet falls." Valerie repeated the core points.
"Correct. Execute it. The Eternal Seeker will continuously monitor the overall situation and provide necessary intelligence support."
The communication ended. Valerie did not delay; she quickly sorted her thoughts. Passively waiting for Raynor's "test" notification was no longer appropriate; Tychus's appearance meant the situation was accelerating. She needed to intervene more proactively.
Shortly after, Raynor's communication channel received a message from "Far Star United Representative Valerie". The tone was peaceful but direct:
"Mr. Raynor, considering you might need time to verify the risks and gather forces, our side is willing to provide a small material credit line in advance for emergency procurement. There is no need to sign a contract immediately; this serves merely as a further manifestation of our sincerity. Additionally, if your side has any upcoming 'field operations' that require rapid mobility or firepower testing, my security team and the transport they arrived in might be able to provide some assistance in efficiency. We are available to further discuss the details at any time."
After sending the message, Valerie began methodically checking the status of the Thunderhawk gunship and had the "Security Consultants" conduct final equipment checks before departure.
She knew the final calm before the storm might have already ended. The real operation—following Raynor and Tychus into the increasingly confusing chaos of Mar Sara—was about to begin.
And above the firmament, the shadow of the Swarm was silently closing in.