Chapter 901
Despite Antons intent to stay out of the war, the war had come to him. Though to be completely fair to various people in supporting roles, not everyone participated in a war in a direct combat role. Intercepting shipments as he had been showed just how important those who handled supply lines were. It was just that nothing coming from the upper realms was providing basic necessities people needed to survive. Everything seemed to be weapons of various forms, some on very different scales.
When he was certain that all the retreating ships had lost their ability to maneuver and he had dealt with members of the Twin Soul Sect, Anton went around rounding up the numerous ships. Even if individually the majority of the ships were small and lacking in power, the total amount it would set back the Trigold Cluster in the lower realms very much added up. Ships capable of interstellar travel didnt just grow on trees and if they did, it would take a long time and they would still be quite valuable.
In short, either in terms of manpower or other resources, this was expensive. And they wouldnt have sent such a large group if they hadnt both determined a threat and very much needed the support from the upper realms.
Unfortunately, Anton wasnt great at interrogating people he wasnt going to let live. He was willing to kill off uncooperative individuals, but there were people much better at the job. So he stuck to very simple questions. Like, Who was stupid enough to think this was a good idea and send you all out here? Some people clearly thought that things were going to get worse, and because Anton couldnt seal the cultivation of everyone in such a large group- despite having more cultivation binding restraints than before- some simply chose to kill themselves. You know you guys might have a chance to live, right? You must realize that your leaders screwed you over. Take what you can get.
He finally got a few answers there. The orders came from the sect head, said one of the members of the Void Scrying Sect. I assume its the same for the rest.
That would be one Jimena Rostani, correct? Oh dont look so surprised, Anton said when many of them tensed up. Its literally just a name. You think nobody provided names before?
He wasnt quite certain how he was going to fill the time for people to arrive. Indeed, they were going to need quite a bit more than their previous ships that had reached this place. Then again, it shouldnt be easy for the Trigold Cluster to send many people to stop them. With successive losses in Anrade and now here around Naewu, even ignoring whatever was happening in the civil war, they were going to be stretched thin.
Nobody provided him useful information, though Anton had the insight to pick out those who had information. He would point them out later. Ultimately, he pushed all of their ships into a nice orbit around Anrade. They would have enough supplies to last for a while, since they had enough for the trip back and many of them had died. Anton wasnt interested in starving them to death while they waited. In fact, he had little intention to restrict them to any significant degree. He didnt even stop them from conspiring after he left to continue his patrol pattern.
Of course, he was still paying attention, quite closely. And if they actually came up with plans that seemed like they would go anywhere, it would be trivial to stop them, since they were fairly close to one of his bound stars. As close as he could get them without heat being a problem, specifically. Some ships were in different layers, and most would eventually drift apart over the next days and weeks.
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With Anrade and Egnos both occupied- as well as the lack of superweapons to make up for their weaker cultivations and ships- things were looking up for the Lower Realms Alliance. Egnos had been cleaned up to some extent, with much information they might want purged before they managed to capture it. But the same was not true for Anrade.
While there had been some efforts to destroy records during the assault, many people were more concerned about their own survival rather than sect secrets. Which meant they had piles of records and numerous alchemical laboratories and sealed vaults to look through. At least some of the production of the most dangerous poisons had taken place on Anrade- it seemed as if it had been split up between various planets such as Kunion.
She wished she had proper counselors. The humans who had come to aid her were fine, of course, but what she really needed were properly aged void ants who could keep up with her mentally, or perhaps something like the leaf and stick fellow from Akrys.
For the moment, she only had herself and her Grand Counselors. Autumn and Bark had been rebuilt several times. Good day, counselors, she said. I am sure you read my report with my concerns. The timeline cannot withstand any delays, and yet it cannot be sped up, either. For example, were I not to help with educating each new colony they might develop divergent thoughts.
Crossed Antennae moved around the area. Humans couldnt come here, and void ants wouldnt. All would respect her private rooms, and they could be as expansive as she wished. Though this area in particular was not as grand as she made it out in her head.
What is wrong with divergent thoughts, you might ask. Well, straying from the desires of the Great Queen is a great risk to our people. Whats that, Grand Counselor Chipped Thorax? Naming people is divergent? Even my own name, as a queen? Crossed Antennae shuffled around. I agree. But just because the Great Queen accepted it doesnt mean it was part of her plans. And yes, I am aware of the Sergeant in the lower realms. Perhaps I should have met her.
She really wished there was tea or something around here. Humans could always take a sip of tea when they wanted to pause their talking. Now there was awkward stillness. Judgmental.
Yes, I heard about the drone, she continued. A son of the queen. A brother, perhaps. But we will never meet. She clacked her mandibles as she signed. So divergence is accepted. But the problem what if I cant handle it? What if the colonies want to just live on their own? What if they become dangerous, and attack our friends? What if I fail?
There was no one to answer her. And she would not voice her words to a blind lad or a wolf, no matter how much she appreciated them. The only thing she could do was hope that her mother hadnt made a mistake.
And wonder why she cared more about her as a mother than as the Great Queen. That was certainly not how things were meant to be.
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With the prisoners taken off his hand, Anton was able to relax and focus more on his patrols and his binding of future stars. Because he could replace more of his early stars still, and he had time. This wasnt a bad place for it, either. Aside from simply stopping these shipments, he could also monitor movements through the area in the future- when the Tides of the World shifted.
That was still a long time off. Several centuries away but that was less time than Anton had lived, now. And with the massive presence the Trigold Cluster had here already, they couldnt just think about protecting their own systems. They had to prevent all forms of intrusion. He likely couldnt cause any significant damage to Trigold forces unless they passed quite close to the stars he could have in the area, and he almost certainly wouldnt be present himself as he would be focusing on Ceretos and the core of the Lower Realms Alliance. But just knowing information was very useful.
Of course, they might also try to destroy his stars. But even the shifting Tides of the World wouldnt make that easy. Both of the methods hed seen so far wouldnt work on him, and the Trigold Cluster hadnt shown the ability to replicate those attempts frequently. And they might not be able to bring such things through the Tides of the World. Anton couldnt be certain, but not binding stars would make him much less effective. He couldnt give up before he started because of what might happen in the future.
Besides, they needed this now. He couldnt even guarantee living that long into the future, and that wasnt a matter of nebulous lifespan. And he might need to get involved with other conflicts that would be a greater risk to his life. If they met groups who had been stable for multiple cycles, they could easily be outclassed by a different sort of ascension alternative. And they might not care about the solidarity of the lower realms as much as the rest they had met. Like Ekict, who had been more concerned about their own power.
