Chapter 8: The Gathering Storm

After the meeting involving the angels concluded, the entire Nova Star entered a state of high alert for war. Following the battle with the demon Andrew and receiving the message from the angel Yara, the high-ranking officials of Nova Star, including Ethan, realized that their previously devised plans for an interstellar war had become obsolete. The concept of a prolonged war was a fallacy; the demons wouldn't grant them such a luxury. Time was of the essence!

The original plan to construct underground shelters at a depth of 100,000 meters, capable of sustaining the lives of the entire billion-strong population along with all industrial and agricultural facilities, was urgently halted. The timeline required for this plan was ten years, which they simply didn't have. According to Yara, the demon army would reach Nova Star within a year at most.

Thus, the shelter plan was altered: the completed underground space at 100,000 meters would be immediately finalized for use. Additionally, four other locations at a depth of 5,000 meters would construct underground shelters with only the essential survival facilities, discarding the rest, to be completed in the shortest time possible. These would accommodate approximately twenty million people each.

The central underground shelter, housing three ultra-large quantum supercomputers, would form the core, with the large quantum supercomputers of the four auxiliary shelters at the corners, all supported by the surface quantum supercomputers, forming a supercomputing cloud to support the dark information shielding device provided by Yara. This was to prevent those underground from being detected by Morgana. However, both Ethan and Yara knew that once Morgana arrived, avoiding detection was impossible; the best they could do was delay it.

If any of the four shelters at 5,000 meters were discovered first, they would immediately cut off its network to prevent the other shelters from being linked and discovered. The central shelter was to accommodate key scientific, educational personnel, and minors, totaling about eight million people. The other four shelters would each accommodate around twenty million people, totaling eighty million. The remaining one million people would not enter the underground spaces; they would all be combatants.

According to Aiden's calculations, the entire construction plan, under the condition of pausing all non-essential production and living activities in Nova Star society, would take seven months. During this period, there would also be a large-scale production of various weapons, including conventional, nuclear, and special weapons. Nova Star society would operate like a well-oiled machine, running at high speed.

"Are you agitated, child?"

"I am not like you, who have experienced countless wars and put life and death aside. I still have attachments and things I want to protect!"

After the series of plans were devised and issued, Ethan returned to his room, exhausted, and sat at his desk deep in thought. Suddenly, he heard a melodious voice beside him. Turning his head, he saw Yara sitting on the windowsill, one leg draped over the sill, with her secrets just hidden, one hand casually placed, her celestial beauty creating an almost heavenly scene. But Ethan had no mind for this; after a moment of contemplation, he spoke to Yara.

Yara's discerning eyes saw through Ethan's indifferent expression and thoughts. She felt a bit disappointed, wondering if she had lost her allure. But she reconsidered, thinking, in the end, he's just mortal soil. Even if there is attraction, it won't lead anywhere.

Yara then said to Ethan, "Your answer doesn't satisfy me. What do you know about me?" She spoke with a disdainful look.

Hearing this, Ethan suddenly turned to face Yara's eyes. After a few seconds, he made a decision. "Yara, the Holy Left Wing of Divine Kesha and heir apparent, born five thousand years ago, participated in three wars between angels and demons."

His tone grew heavier. "Defeated once, lost 308 comrades!"

Yara listened, her expression changing from scorn to seriousness, then to surprise. "Who are you? How do you know this?"

Her surprise didn't last long. With a flash of her right hand, the Flame Sword appeared, and in an instant, she was in front of Ethan, the sword at his throat. "Me? I'm Ethan, just an ordinary person!" Ethan replied calmly, unmoved by the blade or Yara's presence.

Yara's reaction didn't surprise Ethan. After all, it was understandable that a native of a planet would be astonished by the knowledge of these so-called gods. Yara, in her surprise, activated her insight eye, finding Ethan's dark data clear. She was astonished she couldn't read his thoughts like before, and his other dark data showed he was just an ordinary person who had lived for about a hundred years.

Unable to understand, Yara connected to the Sacred Knowledge Base, increasing computational support. Shortly, the results came out the same as before. There were only two possibilities: either Ethan had support far beyond the Sacred Knowledge Base, or he truly was an ordinary person.

Retracting the slightly trembling Flame Sword, Yara looked at Ethan helplessly. "I don't know how you know these things, but I don't think you're evil, so I'll let it go."

"And don't you know never to mention a woman's age, especially a several-thousand-year-old single woman?" she added.

As soon as she finished, Yara suddenly punched Ethan in the stomach, catching him off guard. As he was about to fly backward, she grabbed his shoulder, leaned close, and whispered with a teasing smile, "Kid, that's your lesson. How do you know about me?"

Ethan, enduring the pain, quickly thought through his hundred years on Nova Star. With the imminent demon threat, he had no certainty. The demons excelled in wormhole sniping tactics, and Nova Star's technology was far inferior, unable to resist.

But should he resign to fate? Ethan didn't care about his life, but Nova Star had to survive, no matter the cost. Even if...

Ethan, squinting at Yara through the pain, thought perhaps the key was her. According to Yara, Divine Kesha knew about Nova Star and was leading angels to help. This might mean Nova Star could survive the angel-demon war, but not in good shape. Even if they survived, they might be forcibly integrated into the Order of Justice, which wasn't what Nova Star wanted.

He wouldn't agree to that! Nova Star needed to prove its strength to avoid joining the Order. And to show such strength, he might have to take action himself. He didn't care about his sacrifice, but he couldn't abandon Nova Star. If he were gone, what would happen to Nova Star?

Ethan needed to leave hope for Nova Star, and Yara might be that hope. Realizing this, Ethan made a decision. Looking at Yara's close face, he suppressed his pained expression and said, "Guess."

Then, with lightning speed, he grabbed Yara's hands, pulling her into his arms, one hand around her waist and the other behind her head. Before Yara could react, he kissed her.

Time seemed to stop, their lips intertwined, lost in each other's eyes, feelings swirling.