Jiang Yan looked down at the Monster troops clad in sleek black metal armor, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Everyone, you must be wondering why I summoned you here!" Jiang Yan's voice reached every ear below.
All eyes turned to him in curiosity.
Jiang Yan stretched out his left hand toward the sky and declared, "The Monster Association will not stop at Blue Planet. Next, we conquer more worlds, plunder their resources, and annihilate any aliens who dare resist us!"
"Aliens—so they really exist!"
"With so many planets out there, it'd be stranger if there weren't any. I just wonder how we'll get there; our tech can't build interstellar ships yet."
Shock and excitement rippled through the Monsters as they discussed the revelation.
Aliens had always been a hot topic; now their president was offering them a chance to fight them—how could they not be thrilled?
Jiang Yan eyed the chatter and continued, "Your target this time lies seventy-nine light-years away. Don't worry about transport—I've prepared a 'ship' for you."
At those words, the earlier arrivals already knew what he meant; they turned to the colossus behind them, awe on their faces.
He pointed at the mountain-sized Shentan Beast: "It will carry you to that planet seventy-nine light-years away."
Without waiting for reactions, Jiang Yan's grin turned savage. "You will be the first expeditionary force the Monster Association sends beyond Blue Planet. Plunder and destroy everything. The Association will remember your merits. If you crave promotion and power, go—conquer other worlds!"
Matching savage smiles spread across every Monster's face below.
Jiang Yan surveyed them, then turned to An Conghao.
An Conghao stepped forward and roared, "All Monsters, form ranks and jog into Lord Shentan's body—move!"
Rumble—
At his command the Shentan Beast opened its vast maw, a thunderous drone shaking the air.
The assembled Monsters spun about and jogged straight toward the beast's gaping mouth.
"We're off, Master!" Hei Jin swaggered toward the Shentan Beast, face cocky.
Blood Master and Yue followed behind.
This time the vanguard counted eight Cadres and Monsters combined, two of them Seventh Level.
Blood Master's aura had grown even stronger, now only a step away from Level Six.
"Let's roll—it's time to make our mark!" Wei Gaocheng pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and swaggered toward the Shentan Beast.
Behind him, Fang Wenyu stared at the beast, expressionless: The Soul Research Institute has yielded results. Just a little more, junior sister, and I can bring you back!
Salo, in white shirt and black trousers, white hair fluttering: Plenty of strong ones over there. Hope I can kill enough to scrape together points for a soul crystal.
Each Cadre entered the beast with different thoughts, yet their goal was the same—slay the strong and raze everything!
Over ten thousand Monsters and several colossal beings quickly filed into the Shentan Beast's interior.
Seeing them loaded, Jiang Yan issued the order for the Shentan Beast to head for the Origin Artifact World.
Rumble—
At the command the beast's immense jaws clamped shut and its vast body began to rise.
"Woo—!!" After a roar toward Jiang Yan, the Shentan Beast accelerated skyward.
Its speed was modest, barely breaking the sound barrier.
Inside the beast, a few hundred meters from the throat portal, Fang Wenyu studied the surroundings. Two entrances ahead were sealed with alloy plates: a twenty-meter gate glowing with soft white light—quarters for Monsters and Cadres.
The other gate, seven or eight meters high, spanned several decks for the common Monsters.
Farther back lay cold-storage food holds and Monster-powered generators.
Fang Wenyu walked toward the twenty-meter gate; beyond it a spacious alloy hall came into view.
Rooms lined the left; Hei Jin, Blood Master, and the others were also exploring, while Yue stood silent in a corner.
High above Blue Planet, the Shentan Beast aligned its massive frame with the star map marking the Origin Artifact World.
Buzz! An invisible ripple swept from the beast's countless eyes across the space ahead.
A blue vortex seven to eight kilometers wide materialized, and the Shentan Beast plunged inside.
Seven pre-positioned satellites followed it into the wormhole.
Whoosh! The instant the beast fully entered, the blue vortex snapped shut.
The tens-of-kilometers-long Shentan Beast and its seven satellites vanished completely.
Far below, inside Blue Planet's satellite control room.
Technicians stared at the lost signals, speechless.
"As expected, wormholes are still beyond us," an old man sighed. It had been a small Association experiment—yet it failed the moment they stepped outside.