The incandescent flash of Viltrum Prime's destruction completely faded outside the viewport, leaving only the eternal, cold darkness of the cosmic background.
Inside the Ark, the engine's shriek subsided into a low hum of deep space travel, and the post-disaster silence weighed heavily on everyone on the bridge.
The regular ticking of the medical bay's life support system was the only faint heartbeat in that dead silence.
Eve slumped on the cold alloy floor, leaning against the wall, staring blankly at the void that had swallowed the planet.
The mental tearing from overexerting her matter reorganization ability and the dull pain in her ribs left her unable to move.
Tears fell silently; the safety of Earth and Mark's horrific state... several immense pressures almost crushed her.
In the center of the bridge, Mark lay on a makeshift stretcher, his armless, mutilated body a shocking sight.
Trigg roughly used bio-gel and bandages from the spaceship to temporarily seal Mark's severed arm stumps, but it couldn't hide the charred, curled muscles and fractured arm bones beneath.
Blood mixed with remnants of dark purple annihilation energy, spreading an ominous pattern on the stretcher.
Mark's face was ashen, his breath faint, with only an occasional twitch of his brow from extreme pain proving that life had not completely left him.
Rudy, dragging his injured leg, shuffled to Mark's side, his trembling fingers checking his carotid artery and then his breath.
"He's still breathing... but it's too weak... he could... at any moment..."
His hoarse voice was filled with despair as he looked up at Eve, about to speak but hesitating.
Trigg stood like a mountain before the viewport, his silver-grey heavy armor covered in spiderweb cracks, and the terrifying indented palm print on his chest plate still pulsed with pain.
He silently stared at the void, his eyes filled with lava-like fury, bone-deep humiliation, and a flicker of bewilderment in the face of an unknown, absolute power, all churning intensely.
Viltrum... had turned to dust so easily!
He suddenly turned, his gaze sweeping over the unconscious Mark like a searchlight, his voice like grinding cast iron.
"You... you must be this kid's adjutants, right? Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Eve didn't reply; although the other party had saved Mark's life, under her superpower perception, she always felt that this person was very dangerous.
But Rudy clearly didn't have this perception.
In Rudy's view, whoever saved Mark was a friend, and one should be open with friends, shouldn't they?
"Adjutants? No, we're Mark's friends..."
Afterward, during two hours of communication, everyone learned useful information about each other, and Trigg was undoubtedly the more shocked one.
The kid who helped him was indeed a Viltrumite, but he was Nolan's son, and a hybrid?
And what about the so-called Titan race?
As the strongest Viltrumite who had conquered hundreds of planets, he had witnessed many strange and inexplicable things throughout this long river of time, but he had never heard of such a race in the universe.
That indescribable immense power still made his heart palpitate when he thought of it.
At this moment, the Robot's cold electronic voice explained.
"Nolan Grayson, as a fusion of pollution and Viltrumite power, should have been deemed a special container with research and reutilization value by the Titan Clan, so... he should have been recovered."
"Container..."
Trigg chewed on the word, the expression on his face becoming even more ferocious.
A madman becoming a so-called container, along with the mysterious Titan Clan and uncontrollable Old Ones' power... this undoubtedly planted high-risk invisible bombs for the entire universe!
"Eve."
The Robot reported again.
"Received highest priority communication request from Earth GDA. Concurrently, the spaceship's life support system reports that Allen's vital signs remain below the critical threshold, and life support system efficiency is decaying."
"Mark's vital signs are extremely weak, residual Old Ones' annihilation energy is detected continuously eroding him, and his internal energy response, though abnormally active, cannot effectively organize repair."
"Recommendation: Determine a clear course, acquire necessary resources."
"Connect the communication first!" Eve braced herself and stood up.
The main screen flickered, and Samson's anxious face soon appeared.
"Eve! Mark! How are you?! We detected a strong energy fluctuation in the universe..."
"It's a long story, but in short, Viltrum Prime... is gone."
Eve's voice choked, and she turned to let him see.
"Mark is severely injured and unconscious, having lost both arms. Allen is critical in the medical bay. Rudy is injured, and... Trigg."
She pointed to the mountainous figure.
Trigg slowly turned, his gaze coldly sweeping the screen, the oppressive aura of a top predator instantly suffocating the GDA command center, even through the screen.
"Samson! We obtained some Great Old Ones' data on Viltrum Prime; you must analyze it immediately! Root out all the dangerous seeds hidden on Earth!"
Eve's voice trembled with fear as she shouted.
"Understood! We're activating maximum alert and will fully research the transmitted data and samples! Quickly!"
Samson immediately ordered.
The communication was interrupted for data transmission.
The bridge fell silent again, with only the engine's hum and the life support's ticking.
Trigg's massive shadow enveloped Mark's stretcher.
He looked down at the ashen face, the light in his eyes complex and hard to decipher.
Was it humiliation, anger, or a yearning for power, and a hint of scrutiny for this life's tenacious will.
Just then, Mark's body suddenly convulsed violently, and beneath the bio-gel at the stumps, golden-red and dark purple blood clashed fiercely, his blood vessels beneath the skin twisted and writhed like living things!
An expression of extreme pain appeared on his ashen face.
"Mark!"
Eve cried out and rushed forward, but was helpless.
"It's two forces fighting inside him!"
Trigg growled, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"Detecting intense energy clash, exceeding body limits. Physical intervention risk is extremely high. Recommend continuous monitoring and supplementing essential human energy."
The Robot analyzed.
"Rely on you? You Earthlings with your technology levels fantasize about saving him?"
Trigg's mouth curled into a cold arc, tinged with disdain for the weak.
Trigg's deep, oppressive voice sounded. He wasn't just talking to the Robot, but directly to Eve and Rudy.
His massive body took a step forward, his heavy armor clanking with metallic friction, his gaze fixed on Eve like a torch.
"Girl, tell me, with Earth's current medical level, how confident are you in saving him, or that one-eyed bug next to him?"
Trigg pointed towards the medical bay.
"Rely on your GDA?"
Eve opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but seeing Mark's tragic condition and the Robot's cold warning, the words caught in her throat.
Samson's situation was unclear, Eve's abilities were severely overexerted, and Earth indeed had no confidence in handling this level of trauma.
Trigg caught her wavering, his voice carrying an air of confident control.
"I know a place, not too far from here, on the Third Planet. It has the Viltrumite Empire's top medical technology and energy reserves!"
"My armory and lab are there too! Saving this kid and the one-eyed bug shouldn't be a big problem!"
Perhaps sensing Eve and Rudy's indecision, he turned to the Robot, his tone decisive.
"Robot! Analyze feasibility! Compare to going to Earth, the survival probability increase for Mark Grayson and Allen!"
The Robot's core processor whirred at high speed, and its cold electronic voice sounded emotionlessly.
"Calculating... Comparative analysis: Traveling to the Third Planet base shortens travel time by approximately 38 standard hours compared to Earth. The base possesses the Viltrumite Empire's highest-grade biological medical bay, equipped with high-purity stellar energy extraction and directional infusion matrices."
"For treating Mark's mixed-energy trauma and Allen's complex life support needs, theoretically, it is 412% more effective than the current spaceship life support system and the estimated highest medical level of Earth GDA."
"Mark's survival probability increases by 67.3%, Allen's survival probability increases by 53.8%."
"Traveling to Earth, survival probabilities are both below 20%, and there is a risk of treatment delays due to Earth's unstable factors. Conclusion: Prioritizing travel to the Third Planet base for medical resources is the optimal choice."
"Did you hear that?"
Trigg swept his gaze over Eve and Rudy, with an undeniable authority.
"Optimal choice! I'm not discussing this with you!"
"Even if he's Nolan's son... charging into the core with severed arms to save me, even if it was useless, that Viltrumite courage... I won't forget it!"
"Nolan's revenge, the Titan Clan's debt, I haven't settled them yet! He can't die so ignominiously!"
His words revealed an admiration for Mark and a peculiar declaration of ownership, and the Old Ones' annihilation energy... was a power he desired, researched, and even sought to control.
He finally looked at the Robot, his voice like a hammer striking.
"Spaceship! Change target! Third Planet base!"
"All non-essential energy, prioritize life support system. Cool this kid down, infuse energy, keep him alive!"
"Same for the one-eyed bug! If they kick the bucket before we reach the base, I'll dismantle you, you pile of scrap metal!"
"Command confirmed."
"Life support system priority highest."
The Robot immediately complied, and the spaceship's course instantly changed, its blue trajectory drawing a sharp zigzag on the star map, moving away from the direction of the Solar System.
Eve watched Trigg forcefully take over everything, watching the course change, her heart filled with conflict.
Trigg's reasoning was unassailable, the Robot's analysis cold and rational; for Mark and Allen's lives, this seemed to be the best choice.
But trust this Viltrumite Conqueror she had only just met?
Go to his base?
This might not be a good choice either.
She looked at Mark, still struggling in pain on the stretcher, bit her lower lip tightly, and finally lowered her head powerlessly, tacitly accepting the decision.
At least... they had to survive first.