If the mastermind arranged things this way, then everything made a chilling kind of sense. The enemy had been given just enough strength to kill the Fla Emperor, yet a contingency had been prepared to ensure Blue Crystal Planet would survive. Revenge could be taken without exposing the orchestrator as a traitor.
But who could that person be?
Rowan turned the question over in his mind, trying to piece together what little he knew about the internal structure of the Giant Axe Arena. As an outsider, his understanding was limited, yet from the Fla Emperor's words and subtle reactions, he had already sensed underlying tensions. Power struggles were never absent in organizations of this scale.
Before he could pursue the thought further, the ship's communication system suddenly chid.
"Lord Fla Emperor, we've received an urgent transmission from headquarters," the pilot reported.
"Put it through."
The screen flickered to life, revealing a stern middle aged man with sharp eyes and an imposing presence. His uniform marked him as a high ranking official of the Giant Axe Arena.
"Fla Emperor, I heard sothing happened on Blue Crystal Planet?" the man asked without preamble.
"Yes, Lord Sakar," the Fla Emperor replied respectfully. "We were attacked by a coalition fleet. Fortunately, Lord Arois arrived in ti to reinforce us."
"Arois?" Sakar frowned slightly. "Why would he be there?"
"You didn't know?" The Fla Emperor's brows knit together. "Lord Arois said headquarters instructed him to provide support."
Sakar's expression turned serious.
"I issued no such order. As far as I know, none of the other elders did either."
The words struck like thunder.
If headquarters had not sent Arois, then how had he known?
"Lord Sakar, what exactly is going on?" the Fla Emperor asked, his voice tightening.
"That's what I want to ask you," Sakar replied. "We're also investigating a possible information leak. Where are you now?"
"On our way back to headquarters."
"Good. Increase your speed. We need to speak in person. Also, that Earthling Rowan is with you, correct? Bring him along. We may need his assistance."
"Yes, sir."
The transmission ended, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.
Sakar's words confird Rowan's suspicions. Soone had indeed been manipulating events from the shadows.
"Lord Fla Emperor," Rowan began carefully, "I have a hypothesis. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to say."
"Speak freely. We need every lead we can get."
Rowan took a breath and began laying out his reasoning.
"I believe this incident is more than a simple intelligence leak. It may be part of a deeper internal conflict."
"Internal conflict?" The Fla Emperor frowned.
"Yes. When I reviewed the sequence of events and the details, I found several contradictions."
He explained everything step by step, from the enemy's excessive deploynt to Arois's perfectly tid arrival, from the spy's conflicting actions to the possible motives behind them.
When he finished, the Fla Emperor's expression had darkened considerably.
"You're suggesting the spy could be my enemy?" he asked slowly.
"It's only a possibility," Rowan said cautiously. "But logically, it explains many inconsistencies."
The Fla Emperor fell silent for a long ti. His expression shifted as if old mories were resurfacing.
"At the top levels of the Giant Axe Arena, harmony is not absolute," he finally admitted. "Power struggles exist everywhere, including here."
"Do you have anyone in mind?" Rowan asked.
The Fla Emperor hesitated.
"There are a few possibilities," he said quietly. "But I don't want to believe they would go this far."
"We have to consider reality," Rowan said gently. "If this is truly an internal enemy, then our situation may be more dangerous than we thought."
"You an…"
"If they could set up the first trap, they can set up a second," Rowan said. "On our way back to headquarters, we may already be walking into another ambush."
The Fla Emperor's expression hardened instantly.
"Change course imdiately. Do not return to headquarters directly. Head to the relay station in the Third Star Region first."
"Yes, sir."
The ship shifted direction at once, veering toward a new destination.
Outside the window, the stars stretched and twisted as the course changed. Yet Rowan's unease did not fade.
Who could they trust now?
The Third Star Region relay station floated at the intersection of three stars, a massive hub bustling with interstellar traffic. Their ship docked quietly among countless others, its insignia gleaming under the triple starlight.
Inside the command room, the Fla Emperor initiated a private call.
A rugged man appeared on the screen, his gaze seasoned by years of battle.
"Raymond, I need a favor," the Fla Emperor said.
"What is it? You look tense," Raymond replied.
"I need you to take your reconnaissance ship and check a set of coordinates," the Fla Emperor said, transmitting the data. "It's the route I originally planned to take back to headquarters. I need to know if anything unusual is there."
Raymond studied the coordinates, frowning.
"It looks normal. Why not go yourself?"
"I suspect soone is planning to ambush ."
"Ambush? Who would dare?" Raymond sounded incredulous.
"That's what I need to confirm," the Fla Emperor said. "It could be dangerous. If you're unwilling…"
"Don't be ridiculous," Raymond cut him off. "We've been through too much together. I'm on my way."
The call ended.
"Let's hope we're worrying for nothing," the Fla Emperor said quietly.
"I hope so too," Rowan replied, though his instincts told him otherwise. "But if soone is targeting you, they may already be adjusting their plans."
"You an…"
"They could be trying to locate us right now," Rowan said. "We shouldn't stay here long."
The Fla Emperor nodded.
Two hours later, Raymond's call ca through again. This ti, his face was grim, a hint of fear in his eyes.
"You were right," he said. "There's an ambush on that route."
The room went still.
"Details?" the Fla Emperor demanded.
"I detected powerful Immortal level auras about one light year from the rendezvous point. At least three of them, and none are ordinary."
The Fla Emperor's face turned cold.
"There's more," Raymond continued. "When I withdrew, they seed to notice . They've started searching in my direction."
"Where are you now?"
"Heading toward the Fifth Star Region. They might trace my path."
"Be careful. Contact if anything happens."
"You too. If they set that trap, it ans they know your movents precisely."
The call ended.
Silence settled over the room once more.
"Your analysis was completely correct," the Fla Emperor said, looking at Rowan with complicated emotion. "If not for you, I might already be dead."
"No need for thanks," Rowan said. "The real question is what we do next."
The Fla Emperor t his gaze.
"I owe you my life. Now I need your mind. What should we do?"
Rowan thought for a mont, then spoke.
"First, we must accept that the enemy has near perfect intelligence on our movents. Both the attack on Blue Crystal Planet and this ambush prove they have a reliable source."
"What does that imply?"
"That we cannot act through normal channels," Rowan said. "Any standard communication or movent within the Giant Axe Arena may be exposed."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"We go sowhere unexpected."
"Where?"
"The Black Dragon Mountain Empire."
The Fla Emperor blinked, surprised.
"Why there?"
"There are several reasons," Rowan explained. "First, the empire cooperates with the Giant Axe Arena but is not subordinate. The enemy is less likely to set traps there."
"Second, we are officially representing the empire in the Virtual Universe Company's competition. Traveling there is perfectly reasonable."
"Third, their civilian transport network is relatively independent. We can use civilian routes to return to headquarters, avoiding monitored channels."
The Fla Emperor nodded slowly.
"Well thought out. It's a solid plan."
"But there's a condition," Rowan added. "We must keep everything absolutely secret. No one can know our true identities or purpose."
"Why?"
"If the enemy is inside the Giant Axe Arena, they may also have agents within the empire," Rowan said. "We have to assu the worst case scenario."
"So we go undercover."
"Exactly."
The Fla Emperor considered this, then agreed.
"Alright. We'll follow your plan."
"Safety matters more than speed," Rowan said. "And the extra ti gives us room to gather more information."
"When do we leave?"
"Imdiately."
Within the hour, they boarded an unremarkable civilian vessel. Its plain exterior drew no attention, and its registration had been altered to match a standard trading ship.
"I've updated the ship's records," the Fla Emperor said. "It's now listed as an interstellar rchant vessel."
"And our identities?"
"I'm the captain. You're my business partner. We're seeking trade opportunities."
"Sounds convincing," Rowan said with a nod. "Destination?"
"The capital planet of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire."
"Perfect."
The ship lifted off, leaving the relay station behind.
As the stars stretched into streaks of light, Rowan sank back into thought once more.
"Lord Fla Emperor," he said after a mont, "there's sothing I need to confirm."
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