Chapter 274: A New Universe Begins! Appointing the Governor! Activating the Portal!
Boom——!
At that moment, the skies over Mombasa suddenly darkened, accompanied by a thunderous roar of engines.
Sensing something unusual, the citizens all looked up to the sky above.
There, a Traveler-class Dreadnought, the Infinite-class carrier from LA Universal Megacorp, and numerous escort ships and cruisers were slowly sweeping across the airspace over Mombasa, heading south.
Inside the command center of the Infinite-class carrier—
Li Ang stood at the observation deck with his hands behind his back, overlooking the city of Mombasa, now fully under LA Universal Megacorp's control, along with the corporate troops on the ground.
Behind him stood Song Zhaomei, Lucy, Alt Cunningham, and other top executives of the megacorp.
For this campaign to take control of the Halo system, Li Ang had brought almost all his trusted senior staff with him. As for the situation in the Prime Universe, he had handed it off in one click to the Transcendent AI, Europa.
Of course, Loki—the intelligent AI responsible for processing and managing cross-universe intel—was also accompanying Li Ang on this mission.
Once the Infinite-class carrier fully crossed over Mombasa and reached the portal site, a message from the ground was relayed up by Loki:
[Boss, we've arrived at the designated area. The ground team is requesting approval to begin excavation.]
Right above the portal ruins, a massive Long Night of Solace was already stationed, its excavation beam system fully prepped and ready.
Now, all that was left was for Li Ang to give the go-ahead.
"Mm. Proceed with the mission."
Li Ang nodded.
[Understood!]
With Li Ang's approval, the Long Night of Solace's captain immediately ordered the shipboard AI to begin excavation at the site below.
As beams of light shot down, powerful magnetic fields blanketed the ground, digging deep into the earth like invisible tendrils.
Before long, the portal matrix—capable of reaching beyond the Milky Way—was unveiled before their eyes.
Just a little longer, and the excavation would be complete.
Originally, Li Ang had planned to head for the edge of the galaxy to find the Ark device after completing the unification of the Covenant.
But judging from the ongoing war to unify the Covenant, dealing with the Prophets and the Brutes might still take another year or two.
However, the situation in the Halo universe was more or less settled. The Covenant's internal splits and humanity's consolidation were both nearing their conclusions.
This pushed Li Ang—ever a champion of high-efficiency speedruns—to decide to head to the portal immediately and locate the Ark beyond the galaxy.
After all, unifying a universe isn't like solving a test paper where you tackle one problem after another. It requires global strategy and preemptive maneuvering.
It's like fighting a boss in Genshin Impact—if you want to speedrun it flawlessly, you need elemental synergy. Rushing in recklessly is inefficient, if not downright futile.
Li Ang's rapid takeover of the solar system and his control over the UNSC and UEG were largely thanks to his successful strategy of fracturing the Covenant and swiftly crushing the rebels.
Now that the situation was stable, if he didn't seize the Ark soon and something unexpected happened, it'd be much harder to deal with.
Especially since the Covenant remains a volatile factor!
As of now, LA Universal Megacorp had deployed eight Traveler-class Dreadnoughts and ten battle fleets—over twenty thousand ships strong—to battle the Prophet-Brute coalition.
Within the galaxy, these two forces were locked in a fierce, full-scale war.
A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if the Covenant had fractured and lost its former glory, it remained the dominant power in the Milky Way—not something easily subdued.
The only way to speed up the unification of the Covenant was to obtain the Ark and construct a new array of Halo rings.
That way, Li Ang could unleash the colossal [War Moon] megastructure, currently stationed in Universe 003 (Edge of Tomorrow), and bring it into Universe 004 (Halo).
When that day came, LA Universal Megacorp would sound the horn of Covenant unification!
Soon enough, the portal ruins outside Mombasa had been fully excavated. Ground-based scientific teams were already conducting analysis and research.
Naturally, Li Ang wasn't going to sit around idly. He issued a new order: have the fleet ascend into low Earth orbit for a military parade inspection!
Loki relayed the command, and the massive fleet began slowly lifting off, heading toward Earth's near-orbit zone.
At this point, LA Universal Megacorp's ground forces, navy, and air force had completely suppressed the UNSC's forces on Earth.
With the loss of many top UNSC commanders and core personnel, their command structure had effectively collapsed. In the absence of leadership, the megacorp easily took over everything.
All of Earth's governmental departments had been replaced by corporate administrative structures. In less than two weeks, the colonies throughout the solar system had rallied to the megacorp's call, initiating internal reforms of their own accord.
This was thanks largely to LA Universal Megacorp's overwhelming military presence and its clear, transparent promotion channels.
After all, people just want to make a living. If resisting meant risking their heads, they'd rather follow the megacorp and work steadily.
Especially now that Li Ang had personally taken command of the solar system, the top brass of the UNSC and UEG had completely given up any thoughts of resistance. Their loyalty now lay solely with the megacorp.
However, this only applied to the solar system. Things were different in the outer colonies.
Take the Epsilon Eridani system, for instance—Reach's authorities still hadn't publicly declared support for the megacorp and were staying cautiously neutral.
The UNSC branches in the Epsilon Eridani system were self-sufficient, with capable naval forces.
They also possessed rich titanium ore reserves, enough to build a powerful fleet and wage a large-scale interstellar war.
Though Reach had elite troops, the political significance of the megacorp's takeover of the solar system sparked fierce debate within their ranks.
Some supported the megacorp; others staunchly opposed it and advocated continued resistance.
Li Ang wasn't in a rush to deal with them. Instead, he dispatched large numbers of agents to infiltrate Reach, buying off the elites and sowing division.
Once internal chaos broke out, that would be the perfect time for the megacorp to take over the Epsilon Eridani system!
A farsighted governor must stay calm. Acting rashly now would only unite Reach's factions against a common enemy. Holding off, however, would deepen internal discord.
As for the outer rebel forces, they were quite happy to cooperate with the megacorp's efforts at pacification.
After all, LA Universal Megacorp wasn't just deploying engineers to improve their living conditions—it also gave them money, weapons, and food, even encouraging them to go raid colonies that refused to submit.
That lifestyle was far better than when they were constantly hunted by the UNSC Navy!
Li Ang had already delegated all human-side affairs to Morgan Blackhand. With the megacorp's absolute power, resistance was pointless.
Now, his focus was entirely on the Ark beyond the Milky Way. Once that was secured, unifying the Halo universe would be a done deal!
"Boss."
At that moment, Lucy stepped forward, stopping just behind Li Ang's side. She spoke softly:
"Are Reed and jack really up to handling the Covenant war? The solar system is already under control—should we send reinforcements?"
Her concern wasn't unfounded. The Covenant situation was highly complex, involving multiple species, especially the cunning Prophets.
If those old schemers somehow tricked the Elites into switching sides again and turning against the megacorp, it would be a disaster.
Just because the Elites broke away from the Covenant to ally with the megacorp didn't mean they couldn't rekindle old ties with the Prophets and stab them in the back.
As for the Reclaimers? Even the Forerunners are gone. If they don't follow the Reclaimer's decrees—so what?
"I trust Reed and jack can handle the situation over there. As for the solar system garrison… not a single soldier is to be moved."
A sharp glint flashed in Li Ang's eyes. Reed and Jack had been carefully chosen by him to lead the expeditionary force.
Reed a seasoned political operator, was more than capable of dealing with Elite scheming and Prophet manipulation.
He'd spent his whole life navigating bureaucracy—not someone to be underestimated. Keeping those politically naïve Elites in check would be a breeze for him.
As for battlefield tactics and military command, Jack Wells had more than enough experience—he was a veteran forged under Morgan Blackhand himself.
---
Back during the rebellion wars in the main Cyberpunk universe, he had already fought alongside V numerous times.
As for the naval forces of the solar system, not only could a single unit not be spared, but even more troops needed to be stationed there as a precaution!
After all, the greatest threats often came from within—especially from humans, who were particularly good at stirring up trouble.
Regarding the situation with the Unified Covenant, deploying a few more fleets or expeditionary forces wouldn't really change the strategic picture—it wouldn't make much of a difference.
What truly affected the pace of integrating the Covenant were more destructive and powerful weapons and devices, like the War Moon megastructure, or Arks capable of producing Halos.
In contrast, here in the solar system, even the withdrawal of one or two fleets could risk a resurgence of UNSC and UEG remnants, who might reorganize naval forces and attempt to seize power once more.
Li Ang needed to wait until the UNSC and UEG were fully acclimated to corporate rule, familiar with the operation of each department, and staffed entirely with corporate personnel.
Only after the inertia of regime change had been fully dissolved could large-scale military garrisons be gradually scaled down.
Then, Li Ang once again turned his attention to the naval formations and space stations in near-Earth orbit and said:
"Don't worry about Reed's situation. It won't be long before even more universes await our conquest."
"The Covenant's warfront is tricky, but for us at this stage, it's no longer a real threat."
As soon as his words fell, Lucy immediately grasped the immense implications behind them.
Li Ang had effectively defined the status of Universe 004 Halo, declaring it stabilized and signaling that Universal Megacorp's focus would soon shift to other multiversal worlds.
Which also meant that the Halo universe would now need a planetary governor capable of holding down the fort!
Much like how V had taken charge of Universe 003 Edge of Tomorrow, quelling rebellions and maintaining order.
"More multiversal universes?!"
Song Zhaomei, alt Cunningham, and the others were visibly stunned. It was clear they too realized that Megacorp was about to embark on a new campaign—and that the selection of a new planetary governor was imminent.
After all, the situation in the Halo universe was far more complex than the earlier universes—possibly even more so than the one where V operated.
Relying solely on a strategic AI to manage the big picture wasn't enough. It needed someone politically astute, far-sighted, and obedient at the highest levels of leadership.
Currently, Song Zhaomei from Strategic Resources, with her expertise in talent deployment, Alt Cunningham with her intelligence and political skill, and even Lucy, Li Ang's long-time close aide, were all potential candidates for governor.
But the top brass from the Expansion Department were no slouches either, making them strong contenders for the role.
For example, Morgan Blackhand—Megacorp Navy's original Grand Admiral—not only had strong combat capabilities but also demonstrated exceptional political judgment and reliability.
Among all senior leadership, he was arguably the most likely candidate for the governor position.
Then there was Solomon Reed, who was personally leading on the front lines and had rich institutional experience. He'd be a natural fit to serve as the Halo universe's planetary governor.
Even the young David Martinez couldn't be entirely ruled out!
After all, David was just one step away from completing the Primarch enhancement procedure and was about to become Universal Megacorp's second Primarch-class warrior.
Lucy and the others speculated that Li Ang might even push David into the role just to let him get a taste of being planetary governor.
That said, the decision to appoint a planetary governor for the Halo universe was a serious matter that demanded extreme caution.
This universe had a vast human population, with over a thousand extrasolar colonies. On top of that were the Forerunner relics and the ongoing war with the Covenant. Without a sharp mind overseeing things, chaos could erupt at any moment.
More importantly, the person chosen had to be someone Li Ang trusted implicitly—someone who wouldn't form factions or play political games at the top.
Just those two requirements alone would eliminate a vast number of seemingly suitable candidates.
It was worth remembering how V, acting as planetary governor of Universe 003 Edge of Tomorrow, had been the target of constant jealousy—and even impeachment attempts—from other high-ranking departments.
As the one managing Megacorp's multiversal trade network, V had no choice but to interact with various civilizations, making it easy for him to build alliances—or even stage a coup and declare independence!
But despite all the rumors, impeachment motions, and warning messages, Li Ang had ignored them all. He even held direct talks with V to express his support for every one of his operational decisions.
This wasn't because Li Ang trusted V completely. Rather, he had already set up contingencies and countermeasures to suppress any potential rebellion.
And from V's perspective, launching such a risky and thankless rebellion wasn't worth the trouble.
After all these years, Li Ang had a pretty good grasp of V's personality.
V, for his part, understood his own position very clearly: he was good at getting things done, but not at calling the shots.
Furthermore, Li Ang, as the Executive of Universal Megacorp, had accumulated an unmatched level of prestige—practically godlike.
In the main universe, Universe 001 Ghost Realm, 002 Pacific Rim, 003 Edge of Tomorrow, and most of Universe 004 Halo, virtually everyone knew that Li Ang was the real head of Megacorp.
From the humble beginnings of LA Military-Industrial Corporation, he had personally forged the greatest human empire in history by uniting dozens of cyber-tech conglomerates into Universal Megacorp.
On paper, Megacorp followed a corporate structure—but in reality, it was beginning to resemble a religious system.
Over time, the reverence Megacorp employees had for Li Ang had reached near-deific levels.
Yet Li Ang wasn't fond of running Megacorp like a religious cult, which was why he never adopted grandiose titles like "Emperor" or "God."
Instead, he maintained the understated, unpretentious title of "Executive."
Of course, his current power and status were already equivalent to that of an emperor or a god—the only difference was in name.
To humans across the multiverse, Li Ang was the great Executive of Megacorp. To species like the Reapers, he was the unshakable Master of Civilization.
To the billions of AI robots and polymer-based machines under Megacorp's command, he was the one and only Omnissiah.
Any attempt to rebel against Megacorp would end in certain death.
After a brief silence, Li Ang continued speaking to Lucy, Alt, and the others:
"As for the governor of the Halo universe, I've decided to hold an internal vote within the organization. Competition drives excellence, and I want to find a true talent who can hold the rear lines steady for me."
With that statement, Li Ang made it clear: the appointment of the next planetary governor was official, and he wasn't keeping it secret.
But he also emphasized the words "internal" and "talent," which carried deeper implications.
"Internal" meant the selection would come from the core leadership circle. Department middle managers could forget about it.
If the candidate came from the military, they'd have to be part of the elite vanguard. If from a department, they'd need to be a top-tier director.
Departments like Arasaka, Military-Tech, and Kangtao—primarily manufacturing arms—needn't bother.
As for "talent," that was Li Ang's way of saying: who counts as talent isn't up to others—it's up to him.
In short, Li Ang's message was: I'll reveal the final pick when the time comes. As for who that might be—go ahead and guess.
One thing was certain: votes and recommendations wouldn't decide this.
The senior staff of Megacorp fell silent in contemplation—each wondering if they were fit for the role, or trying to guess who the next planetary governor would be.
"…"
Lucy didn't say much. She knew perfectly well that with her skillset, she wasn't cut out to be a planetary governor. Serving as Li Ang's chief secretary was already more than enough.
After another inspection of near-Earth orbit, Li Ang received word from the ground—research personnel from the Science Division had nearly completed excavation and analysis of the portal.
Only then did Li Ang issue his next directive:
"Alt, Dr. Halsey—head to the surface and assist the research team in activating the portal to the extragalactic region. We'll follow shortly after."
"Yes, boss!"
After receiving the order, Alt Cunningham and Dr. Halsey immediately boarded a dropship toward the planet's surface, while the fleet began descending slowly, heading back toward the Mombasa region.
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