Chapter 110: A Chaotic Situation

Chapter 110: A Chaotic Situation

Shen Family Manor

From the very beginning of the war—or more precisely, from the moment it was about to erupt—this place seemed to have lost all its former bustle. Now, it appeared even quieter, matching its outward appearance.

“Chairman, the command center is requesting an increase in the clone order quantity,” a young man reported via holographic communication before Shen Yan.

“Is this an order from the command center?” Shen Yan’s expression remained unchanged, but he caught certain words in the message.

“Yes, from the command center,” the young man affirmed.

“Tell them I insist on speaking directly with the Chairman. Until then, all orders should proceed as before.”

“But…”

“Just say that. Don’t interfere with anything else,” Shen Yan’s tone hardened.

“Understood, Chairman.”

The young man replied, ending the communication. Shen Yan reclined slightly in his chair, muttering to himself, “Those old foxes really know how to sit tight.”

It had been a week since the first conflict. In Shen Yan’s eyes, the situation remained incredibly chaotic.

First, after the Vatican declared war, Ross and America also joined in, plunging the borders of the Chinese Star Domain into a full-scale crisis.

But the threat was not only external. Contrary to what the people believed, given the deployment of forces by China and others, this was akin to an egg striking a rock.

However, therein lay the problem. If China were truly united as a solid block, the Vatican and others would not have made such reckless moves. There is a Chinese saying: “Flies do not bite eggs without cracks.” Much of the current turmoil stemmed from within China itself.

Meanwhile, Liu Shaoyu had arrived at Young Dragon Star.

“Boss, how much longer do we have to stay here?” Monkey impatiently reeled in his fishing rod, noticing the hook was empty. Somehow, the bait he’d carefully prepared had already been stolen by fish.

Liu Shaoyu sensed Monkey’s irritation but kept his eyes on the float.

“Wait until the situation stabilizes a bit more. Now is not the right time,” Liu Shaoyu soothed, though he himself was uneasy.

He did not want to remain idle, but the chaos was undeniable.

All signs pointed to deep internal instability within China. This was the fundamental reason the Vatican’s forces had been winning so many battles on the front lines.

“Why does it feel like those fanatics’ forces suddenly multiplied several times over?” Monkey fiddled with the bait, asking.

Liu Shaoyu did not answer immediately, as he himself was puzzled by this.

“What exactly is going on inside China?” he wondered.

Within China, countless interest groups existed, each wielding some armed power and holding various degrees of authority.

The military, the political bodies, and powerful clans—all these large factions were reluctant to reveal their true strength or commit fully to the war at such an early stage.

Even in the face of war, everyone still looked out for their own interests.

Yet, Liu Shaoyu knew the current situation was no longer just internal strife, because the universe was not limited to the Chinese Federation alone.

It was only a matter of time before larger forces emerged.

The Shen family’s intentions had also grown ambiguous. Due to a communication blackout, Liu Shaoyu had heard nothing from Shen Qingyi for a long time.

After the last battle, Liu Shaoyu’s identity had abruptly shifted—from a military colonel to a deserter. To this day, he did not know why, as Wang Weifu had vanished since then.

“Boss, if our own side really starts fighting internally, who would we help?” Monkey asked after re-baiting his hook, seemingly struck by the question.

“Do you still remember what Article Two of our Constitution says?” Liu Shaoyu responded with a question instead of a direct answer.

“All powers of the People’s Republic of China belong to the people. Why? I’ve known that since I was a child,” Monkey replied fluently, puzzled by Liu Shaoyu’s timing.

“Right. All powers belong to the people. So when the battle truly comes, we stand with the people,” Liu Shaoyu smiled, watching the bait float. He pulled the rod—there was a bite.

“Stand with the people? So we’re going solo now?” Monkey muttered almost inaudibly.

But Liu Shaoyu, with keen hearing, caught his muttering and grew thoughtful.

“Who, then, truly stands with the people?”

***

“The fleet has returned. As instructed, I’m notifying you immediately,” Thomas’s voice came at that moment.

Liu Shaoyu smiled upon hearing the news and turned toward Monkey. “Let’s go, the goods are back. Time to notify that fatso.”

The “fatso” Liu Shaoyu mentioned was none other than the black market dealer Du Yue. Despite the heightened state of alert, Liu Shaoyu marveled at how their business seemed unaffected by the war.

“Since things are so chaotic inside, maybe we can go shake down those outsiders,” Liu Shaoyu said as he moved.

Monkey barely had time to react before Liu Shaoyu was already far ahead, prompting Monkey to hurry after him.

Monkey had always enjoyed the “shaking down outsiders” operation.

Liu Shaoyu calculated as he went. He was no longer the man who ate well while his family went hungry. Now he had a planet, home to the families of the fleet’s crew.

These fleet members and their families all depended on Liu Shaoyu for survival. The weight on his shoulders had never been heavier. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility—a truth Liu Shaoyu now understood more deeply than ever.

“How’s it going this time?” Liu Shaoyu asked with concern when he saw Xu Meng, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.

“Don’t mention it. It’s utterly dull,” Xu Meng replied, his expression softening only in front of Liu Shaoyu. On the fleet, he was otherwise unapproachable.

“Don’t worry. Soon enough, you won’t have a moment of peace,” Liu Shaoyu said, though anxiety lingered in his heart.

“By the way, EVA detected some activity near the stargate on our way back,” Xu Meng suddenly recalled the urgent matter.

EVA was the name Liu Shaoyu had given the “natural” life staff on Young Dragon Star. Now it was fully operational, having established a galactic defense and reconnaissance system.

“Hm? At this time? Who would be coming?” Liu Shaoyu wondered, just as he received a border crossing application.

“Oh! Brother Liu! Long time no see!” a familiar voice rang out.

To the readers: The missing updates will be filled in, all previous breaks will be caught up.