Just as Zero had predicted, the "Destruction" Aeon quickly cleared away the disasters in the Yadriphin star system for them.
After that, that Aeon began wandering throughout the universe.
To avoid unnecessary losses, Zero kept his eyes fixed on the galactic map.
Originally, he only needed to keep track of the swarms and the Mara-struck, but now there was another uncontrollable high-level NPC to worry about.
Oh, and also his ever-expanding "dear friend," Aha.
Whenever either the Xianzhou people, his "dear friend," or any fleet from other factions were about to encounter a high-level NPC, Zero would always give an advance warning.
His own faction and his friend would obediently follow his instructions.
As for the others… whether they chose to retreat on command or insisted on courting death, Zero didn't care.
After all, as the saying goes, "You can't talk sense into a ghost that's already dead."
After staring at the map for so long that his head felt like it was spinning, he finally managed to push progress to fifty percent.
It was as if he'd been sitting at his desk for a month straight doing math problems day and night…
Who wouldn't feel miserable? If Zero didn't randomly blow up a planet now and then to vent, it was already proof of his emotional stability. How could he still have the energy to worry about other factions?
Anyway, he'd already given them a warning, that counted as doing his utmost duty.
On a star-destroyer, the few ways to relax were bathing and checking his jade terminal messages.
In his spare moments, he would reply to the many messages he received there.
For example, his dear friend Aha often shared with him all sorts of strange things he'd seen on different planets.
But mid-conversation, Aha would suddenly vanish without a trace.
Zero didn't think much of it. After all, he was a god, what could possibly happen to him? Nine times out of ten, he'd probably just gotten himself into some trouble again.
When Aha finally replied later, Zero's guess was proven right.
He really had gotten into trouble.
Even through the jade terminal, Zero could feel the chaos surrounding Aha and his group of "Nameless" travelers.
If they weren't being wanted by someone, they were broke. Hanging out with Aha had to be… quite the experience.
They chatted idly now and then.
One day, Aha once again asked about Zero's birthday.
Zero was confused.
Why did everyone like to ask him that question?
A long time ago, his subordinates had asked the same thing.
Back then, he'd been obsessed with maxing out the residents' satisfaction rating, and he didn't want his subordinates wasting credits on birthday gifts, so he hadn't answered.
And now, Aha was asking again.
Zero realized he couldn't even remember.
After thinking it over, he decided to treat the day he officially became General Yaoqing as his birthday.
Close enough, it was basically the day he "created his account," right? How could that not count as a birthday?
He sent the date to Aha, who replied with a gray rabbit emoji.
Besides Aha's message, Zero also received one from Lord Yubie of the Luofu, the refined dragon himself.
This very particular dragon sent Yaoqing a gift, an incense blend he had personally chosen from his private collection.
Yubie explained that this tuberose-based incense had the effect of calming the spirit, clearing heat, and refreshing the mind.
The dragon lord went on at length about the top, middle, and base notes, he sounded even more professional than the actual incense makers.
Zero couldn't help but sigh inwardly, what an exquisitely particular dragon.
He must be the type who lights a different incense every day, until even his clothes are infused with fragrance.
Zero messaged his chief strategist, telling them to be thoughtful when preparing a return gift.
But he never imagined Yubie could be even more particular.
One day, Yubie started complaining about his attendant, saying the man had failed to book an appointment with his long-time incense master, so he couldn't get incense made to his liking.
Zero, "???"
He couldn't understand the troubles of the rich.
Then Yubie changed the topic, since the incense master wasn't available, his attendant had instead invited the most famous floral design team from a neighboring star system to his courtyard to make bouquets.
Yubie said that the scent of fresh flowers could barely compare to incense.
Zero didn't even dare imagine how many credits the man was burning through, but he was also confused.
Why not just order the flowers directly? Why invite people all the way to the Luofu?
Yubie said he'd ordered so many flowers that it was better to communicate in person.
When Zero asked why he needed so many, Yubie calmly explained that they were to perfume his courtyard and his private vault.
Zero, "…"
'As expected of you, Lord Yubie. Truly extravagant!'
———
The next day, Yubie changed his mind again, he decided to give up incense altogether and use flowers instead.
Considering the problem of bloom cycles, the dragon lord immediately decided to invite the florists back every week.
Then he asked Zero if he needed florists or incense masters as well.
Zero, "..."
All his money was already poured into SSR's research projects.
Of course, he hadn't told Marty that, she thought all their funding came from Xianzhou.
And besides, he'd only just settled his account with Aha, where would he find the spare credits for such nonsense?
He politely declined Yubie's offer.
After chatting with such a rich and refined dragon, Zero felt mentally exhausted.
He suddenly realized that both Aha and Yubie were far from "normal."
For the sake of his sanity, he decided to find someone normal to talk to.
It was decided, Marty it is.
Zero reached out to SSR, asking about her project progress.
Marty reported that she'd successfully completed her previous concept, combining the "Neutron Annihilation" technology with firearms, resulting in a new weapon.
Once fired, it instantly extinguished all life in the target.
It could even erase corpses completely, perfect for those who wanted to kill, loot, and destroy evidence.
This time, Zero spoke first.
[What's the name of the gun?]
Marty went quiet for a long while before replying, [How about calling it the Neutron Gun?]
Zero agreed.
She then asked whether they should begin mass production.
Without hesitation, Zero told her to coordinate with the responsible teams, and reminded her to follow his original specifications for weapon use.
Each weapon's time and location of deployment had to be logged in real time.
Oh, and combat footage must also be recorded.
He trusted that the Cloud Knights wouldn't point these guns at their allies, but… what if something happened?
Zero would rather spend extra credits than deal with the fallout of friendly fire.
Not long after, while following the fleet to a planet for resupply, he received his personal Neutron Gun, along with a leather holster for his belt.
The person who delivered it wasn't a native but another Xianzhou citizen.
When they saw him, they grew excited and speechless, insisting on helping him fasten the holster.
Zero instinctively stepped back, politely declining, and fastened it himself.
Then a thought struck him, and he asked, "Do you have any ships? Fully intact ones, not damaged?"
The person nodded eagerly. "Plenty! How many do you need, thousands? Tens of thousands?"
Zero shook his head. "Just one. Send it to Marty. I need her to add something, I have a use for it."
The man asked, "When do you plan to use it?"
Zero replied, "No rush. Once Marty finishes modifying it, just deliver it to the coordinates I'll give you."
He then gave a planet's coordinates near the "Erudition" star system.
Before leaving, he reminded the man, "Tell Marty for me, whether she's playing games or taking a vacation, she must balance work and rest. Don't forget to relax."
After saying that, Zero returned to his star-destroyer.
Sometimes, he wanted to act more human, but the circumstances didn't allow it. Now that they had a more efficient weapon, they could handle disasters differently.
For example, instead of blowing up planets, the soldiers could land and rescue people.
Of course, if a planet's disaster level was too high, there was no need to risk it, the danger was too great.
If Zero brought the Xianzhou people out on missions, he intended to bring them back alive.
The war against calamities was a long one, it tested not just the soldiers' minds, but his own as well.
Though in the system's map, they were nothing more than insignificant data points, Zero was genuinely trying not to see them that way.
To remind himself, he took out the Heavenborn Fang, a revival item he could never use.
This item could only be used by those with true compassion, and only once in a lifetime.
Zero knew himself too well. Forget compassion, he didn't even have the basic reverence for life.
Because of its unique effect, he couldn't hand it to anyone else either.
But he was willing to try to be a human being.
He placed the dagger somewhere he could always see it, to remind himself, and issued new orders.
He first contacted the company shareholders to ask whether there were plans for planetary reconstruction aid. When they confirmed there were, he sent Cloud Knights equipped with the new weapons to those worlds not yet completely destroyed, telling them to be cautious.
After all, those war-torn natives would be more cunning than ordinary rogues.
Of course, Zero wasn't the kind of leader who made demands from safety. He knew too well that in desperate environments, survival itself was already a miracle, morality and conscience simply didn't exist there.
He didn't expect the natives to be grateful to the Cloud Knights, he just worried for his soldiers.
Worried that the starving, angry, desperate locals might hurt them.
After thinking it over, he decided to let the thought go.
'Come on, that's Xianzhou tech! That's an SSR-made Neutron Gun!'
Once the "small mobs" were cleared, the company's reconstruction teams would handle post-disaster relief.
And as for why Xianzhou wasn't giving out materials, please, military supplies aren't for just anyone.
With the Cloud Knights keeping order, no mob would be able to cause trouble, and the supplies would end up where they were most needed.
As Zero thought about it, he realized that while half his troops were saving lives and the other half were blowing up planets, the good and bad karma probably canceled each other out.
That put him in a great mood, even his tone sounded gentler when issuing retreat orders.
This left Beardman stunned and flustered. After thinking hard, he went to ask Chaoyan about it.
Chaoyan slowly sent him a question mark.
"Our Marshal has always been gentle."
Just earlier, the Marshal had even reminded them to save lives whenever possible, so long as they stayed safe.
After handling the disasters, they could rest on the planet while waiting for the company's supply ships.
But since outsiders wouldn't get such treatment, Chaoyan patiently explained, "The Marshal has always been kind."
Beardman, "…"
He thought it over. Aside from the part where the Marshal casually used a colossal weapon to handle disasters… 'Wait, that couldn't be ignored!'
He remembered how the Marshal hadn't mocked him when he cried before, and had even tactfully ignored his breakdown.
'Maybe… just maybe… the Xianzhou Marshal really is gentle?'
As Beardman was lost in thought, Chaoyan suddenly asked, "Come to think of it, you haven't fought Mara-struck yet, have you?"
Beardman blinked and shook his head.
Chaoyan continued, "Out-of-control Mara-struck are just like the swarms, they indiscriminately kill humans. But there's one difference, once the planets they occupy reach fifty percent damage, they self-destruct."
Beardman's mouth dropped open. He was stunned by the sheer weight of that information.
He'd never heard Mara-struck were that terrifying.
Chaoyan immediately saw the question in his eyes and sighed.
"Other than the Marshal, other than Xianzhou, who else would think of cleaning up Mara-struck for the entire universe?"
All other factions only cared about their own safety. As long as disaster didn't strike them directly, why would they care?
As for the profit-obsessed Interastral Peace Corporation, unless their bottom line was affected, they wouldn't lift a finger. The moment the war ended, they'd probably rush to clean up Mara-struck just to protect their business.
Compared to the endless swarm infestations, Chaoyan and his comrades actually preferred dealing with automaton-infected worlds.
In game terms, once the target hit half HP, it would self-destruct, greatly improving disaster-handling efficiency.
Chaoyan led Beardman through several such planets, relying on experience to time their retreat just before each one blew itself up.
Their next destination was the planet the Marshal had mentioned, a world that could still be saved.
As the fleet approached, the distribution of the swarms came into view.
The ships split up, descending onto the planet.
Beardman followed Chaoyan and the Cloud Knights through the barren wasteland, where nothing grew and only the sounds of battle and beasts gnawing on corpses echoed.
The casualty numbers he'd read in reports were now right before his eyes, this was his first time witnessing a world ravaged by the swarm.
After a long trek, they finally found a human settlement.
The natives' eyes were empty. The moment they saw the fully armed soldiers, they scattered in fear.
It wasn't until the Interastral Peace Corporation representatives arrived and distributed supplies that the panic began to ease.
Most were frightened; a few, greedy, tried to steal the company's goods, but were stopped in time.
Before the fleet departed, the survivors, finally recovering from their nightmare, sent representatives to thank Chaoyan.
Their barren, broken planet had nothing of value to offer.
All they could do was gather a few dried, fragile flower stems and carefully weave them into a wreath to present to the general who had saved them.
Chaoyan accepted it, his expression calm.
"If you want to give thanks," he said, "thank the Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance."