Chapter 231:Star Roads! The Datadomain! Time to Hit 'Em Hard!
With the terrifyingly overpowered Flood pathogen in hand, the ancient Precursor nearly forced a hard reset on the entire Halo universe.
It goes to show—this old fossil of a civilization really cared about its account, like a true hardcore player.
If their rebellious offspring couldn't be kept in line, then the only option left was to wipe them all out.
Fortunately, the Forerunners later developed the Halo Array—massive pulse-energy weapons that successfully wiped out most of the Flood...
...along with a bunch of other civilizations.
Otherwise, this galaxy-spanning "Resident Evil" scenario might've never been brought under control.
After all, the Flood was derived from the Precursors—the creators of the Halo universe.
Think of the Precursors as the "Pangu" of the Halo world; their biological structure and material composition included every essence of matter and information within the universe.
That's precisely why the Flood could infect everything—including AI.
In simple terms, if it exists in the Halo universe, the Flood can infect it.
After piecing together the main plot points, Li Ang started to recall the various factions and forces in Halo.
When it comes to the most iconic antagonists in the Halo franchise, it's got to be the Covenant—a motley crew of alien street punks from multiple civilizations.
They're basically a cosmic hybrid of triad gangsters and fanatical cultists, filled with eccentric minds and god-tier players.
These guys worship the Forerunners like gods—especially for pulling off some grade-A patricide. No wonder most of the Covenant members have questionable morals.
They're always burning glass with plasma beams for fun and digging up ancient graves to loot relics.
But honestly, grave-robbing and glassing planets aren't even the worst of their antics.
These brain-dead alien bros worship the Halo Rings with obsessive fervor—despite having zero clue what the rings actually do.
They dream of launching them, hoping to emulate the One Piece-style "Great Voyage Era," thinking they'll find their version of the "One Piece" in the stars.
In their deluded minds, firing the Halo Array will transform them into gods like the Forerunners. So the whole Covenant basically operates like a death cult.
They're obsessed with activating the rings, dragging innocent people along for a cosmic mass-suicide ritual, dreaming of physical annihilation and spiritual ascension to reboot reality.
And the craziest part? They don't even know they're walking into their own deaths. They just blindly hustle around for a faith that makes no damn sense.
Bottom line: when you let a bunch of unhinged street rats form a galactic alliance, it's not just a threat to universal peace…
…it becomes a cosmic catastrophe waiting to happen.
With an enemy force riddled with danger like the Covenant, if Li Ang ever enters the Halo universe, he's absolutely going to introduce these fools to the Matrix's power plant experience.
All in all, Halo's worldbuilding is like a spacefaring mash-up of Hamlet, half a Bible, and a whole lot of wild lore.
And because the universe is so rich in setting, there are a ton of tech trees to play with.
Besides massive warships with slipspace drives and advanced navigation systems, Halo also has FTL communication technologies.
Yep, they've got hyperspace comms too—like the Covenant's so-called "Divine Interface System."
These alien thugs might be dumb in many ways, but grave-robbing for loot? That's their forte.
They piggybacked off ancient Forerunner tech hidden in phase-space relics, and somehow cobbled together their own FTL comms systems.
No surprise—the Covenant loves freeloading off other civilizations' tech trees.
In that regard, they're actually a lot like Li Ang.
They even have these "Healing Altars" that can repair any non-fatal injury and enhance physical performance—basically Genshin Impact's Statue of The Seven.
Lie down and regen HP—portable medbay unlocked.
But if we're talking about the strongest tech points in Halo, nothing beats the Precursors' twin relics: the Star Roads and the Domain.
The so-called "Star Roads" are created using neurophysics, allowing the material to freely alter its mass and form.
In the Halo universe, Star Road materials are scattered across countless star systems. They're indestructible, and many have been weaponized.
To put it simply, they're made from the same stuff as the Precursors themselves.
So yeah, it's literally descendants using their ancestors' corpses and bones as weapons—a hilarious but also horrifying image.
Jokes aside, Star Roads are the single most powerful material in the Halo universe.
Weapons crafted from them can obliterate any fleet, full stop.
And then there's the Domain—which is on a whole other level.
It's an infinite data repository containing every ounce of knowledge and information in the Halo universe.
Over eons, the Forerunners cataloged everything: the rise and fall of civilizations, technological breakthroughs, even genetic codes.
If you gain access to the Domain, you basically gain total control over the entire information system of the Halo universe.
It's like Zhang Song handing over the map to Liu Bei—instant game-changer.
"Tsk. The Forerunners really were top-tier gamers—writing full walkthroughs and strategy guides for future players. Gotta respect that."
Li Ang silently gave them a thumbs-up. If he could get his hands on both the Domain and the Star Roads, wiping out these cosmic bottom-feeders would be child's play.
Clear this Halo level, and he'd be free to coast through most multiverse worlds, just hitting the "auto-win" button.
Why run around doing grunt work when you can just wave your hand and fix everything?
"Time to think up a plan—and hit 'em hard!"
With that same fire Li Yunlong had when he went after Sakata's regiment, Li Ang made up his mind to mobilize the troops and head straight for this next isekai campaign.
"Europa."
[I am here.]
Once he locked in his game plan, Li Ang closed the system panel and summoned the Transcendent AI, Europa.
"Notify all department heads and deputy heads across the Universe Conglomerate. Meeting in 30 minutes."
[Affirmative.]
———
003 Universe: Edge of Tomorrow Galaxy Sector
"Corey! Take your squad and block the right flank—don't let those heretic bastards escape!"
"Steve, Bruce! You're leading the sweep through this sector—no one gets away!"
David Martinez's voice rang out over the Astartes squad's tactical comms.
In the dense jungle, hundreds of Astartes warriors clad in assault-pattern power armor fanned out at lightning speed.
They split into tactical units and began a systematic sweep. The moment any heretics were spotted, the order was clear: shoot to kill.
One particular ten-man fireteam moved through a section of rainforest, eyes sharp and alert.
Their captain—wielding a pulse-energy sniper rifle Division—took point. Spotting suspicious movement ahead, he signaled with hand gestures.
Two breachers armed with Cantaudian-pattern SMGs moved forward and unleashed a burst of suppressing fire into the foliage.
With the rapid tat-tat-tat of gunfire, everyone heard the telltale sound of rounds tearing through flesh—and a muffled groan from some kind of creature.
The captain and his squad immediately fanned out into a cone-shaped firing line, ready for whatever emerged.
Moments later, they spotted a horde of alien beasts—and a group of heretics wielding energy-based weapons—lurking in the underbrush.
Four years ago, this hard-headed alien civilization refused the LA Megacorp trade proposals and repeatedly ambushed resource convoys.
So the Market Expansion Division sent a combat force to "clean house" and show these heretics the cost of defiance.
The operation evolved into a "combat-to-negotiate" campaign. Despite years of fighting, the heretics still held their ground.
But the LA Megacorp wasn't in a rush to crush them outright. They turned the area into a live training ground—perfect for field-testing new recruits and letting young warriors earn their stripes.
This Astartes squad's mission was to eliminate the remaining insurgents in this sector.
"ROAR—!!"
A chorus of monstrous howls echoed through the jungle as beasts burst from the undergrowth, charging the soldiers with terrifying speed.
They were met with unrelenting fire—pulse cannons, bullets, and explosive rounds rained down from all directions.
Above, AI drones provided aerial superiority, giving the troops full visibility and tactical support.
BANG!
BANG!!
In just under three minutes, the ambushing monsters and heretical troops were turned into shredded corpses.
Limbs, blood, and viscera splattered across the rainforest. The enemy was completely wiped out.
On a trooper's HUD, new data appeared—including name and designation:
[Rita Vrataski – Market Expansion Division, ID: L2200. Mission: Operation Purge 003, Universe Sector 7]
"All units, follow me into the designated zone. Confirm and neutralize all remaining threats in the area."
Following David's command, Rita and her comrades regrouped with the main force, sweeping forward in a coordinated advance.
They maintained tight formations and covered one another, only proceeding once the zone was confirmed clear—ready to resume the purge.
Three hours later—
The extermination squad led by David had successfully completed their sweep operation. The team now boarded the Hornet manned shuttle and began a swift return to the Infinity-class supercarrier stationed in low Earth orbit.
Their job was simple: strike hard and wipe out the arrogant alien heretics.
As for whether to keep fighting or begin peace negotiations—well, that was up to the megacorporation's diplomatic department.
Inside the cabin, Rita Vrataski removed her heavy tactical helmet, revealing sharp, striking features and a crisp, black pixie cut.
As one of the few female warriors in the operation, Rita stood in stark contrast to the towering Astartes warriors like David.
She hadn't undergone any organ transplant procedures or cybernetic enhancements.
Her combat prowess relied solely on her personal skill and the added power of her exoskeleton suit. Soldiers like her—purely human and classically trained—were a rare sight in the ranks of the megacorp's forces.
Only the Arasaka Division's Lone Wolf Ninja Squad still preserved ancient martial traditions and close-quarters combat techniques based on raw human strength.
It was exactly because Rita refused to become a giantess through surgical augmentation or a half-machine via cybernetics that she relied on her exoskeleton to fight.
But with an indomitable will, she repeatedly volunteered for frontline missions, participating in numerous military operations on behalf of the megacorp in the increasingly volatile Universe 003.
Universe 003 had become one of the most resource-draining theaters for the megacorporation.
There were allies—and even more enemies—everywhere.
Plenty of neutral alien factions too.
To maintain stability in the region and ensure continued trade for the Universal Megacorp, powerful military forces had to be stationed locally on a near-permanent basis.
And as the company's influence rapidly expanded in Universe 003, so did the urgent need for fresh recruits.
Fortunately, Earth from Edge of Tomorrow—one of the local worlds—boasted a population of nearly seven billion, a megacorp-supported industrial chain, and a state-of-the-art lunar base.
Naturally, its people were given the most opportunities to join the military and climb the social ladder.
Rita was one such success story from that world.
Once again, she had volunteered and been reassigned by the Market Expansion Division to carry out military strikes here.
After the successful completion of this operation, she was now in line to become the captain of AST Power Armor's elite first squad.
From this point forward, she would lead missions directly—and with more distinguished service, she could rise further, perhaps all the way to a high-level executive role—
Such as the head of the AST Power Armor Division!
With the times offering great opportunity, countless young people seized the moment. The constant warfare in Universe 003 became the perfect proving ground for rookies to hone their skills.
They threw themselves into the megacorp's military expansion, building their courage and combat abilities through live fire.
And with a mega-structure like the Moon of War stationed here, the soldiers posted in Universe 003 felt an overwhelming sense of security.
No alien threat felt insurmountable.
Once branded a "Full Metal Bitch" in Earth's Defense Forces, Rita now hoped to prove herself on this new stage and take her career even further.
As the Hornet made its return journey—
The cabin filled with idle chatter among the warriors.
"Bro, you think those alien heretics down there will surrender within the month?"
One soldier broke the silence.
"Probably. We've run like, what, hundreds of extermination ops already? Keep going like this, and they'll be extinct."
Another chimed in.
"Exactly. If they still don't surrender, just release the Scorpid Lion virus and be done with it."
A third added bluntly.
"I heard once this battle's over, we might get reassigned to elite squads like the Iron Hand Vanguard or the Multiverse Expedition Force."
A fourth shared the latest rumor with a grin.
The Iron Hand Vanguard was a core unit of the Universal Megacorp, a gathering of elite fighters from across the multiverse. Every soldier was the cream of the crop.
Within the Vanguard, two special units stood out—dream destinations for every Astartes warrior.
One was the Iron Vanguard itself. The other: the Multiverse Expedition Force.
The Multiverse Expedition Force had been the first elite team formed under the Iron Hand Vanguard. Even after the Vanguard's rise, the Expedition Force remained intact.
By now, it had essentially become the Vanguard's reserve team—its members the future generation of Iron Vanguard elites.
As for the Iron Vanguard itself, it was the megacorp's ultimate strike force.
The only Primarch-class warrior, "V", served there. Jack Wells, the original Expedition Force leader, was based there. So were high-ranking officers like Reed and Johnny.
Even the megacorp's most-watched up-and-coming officer, David Martinez, worked there.
Others like Alt Cunningham and Song Zhaomei also held posts within the Vanguard.
In short, the soldiers stationed in the Iron Vanguard were next in line to become top executives in the company.
This was the megacorp's elite upper echelon.
Of course, the price of joining the Iron Vanguard was high. The most dangerous, high-stakes missions always fell to them.
Critical recon, strike ops, assassinations—you name it, they handled it.
And surviving such missions was no easy feat. Few Astartes warriors had both the strength and the luck to make it this far.
"Join the Iron Vanguard? You're dreaming! Getting into the Multiverse Expedition Force would be lucky enough!"
Several nearby soldiers shook their heads. Though genetically enhanced into towering "tin cans," not all Astartes were qualified to even apply for the Expedition Force—let alone the Iron Vanguard.
Just then, they turned to look at the lone unmodified soldier in the cabin: Rita.
"Rita, if you're not getting any augmentations, are you planning to just stick around and work your way up to division head of the AST Power Armor?"
In truth, Rita was already a quasi-officer in the division. Following the typical route, she could have easily risen to full department head.
But she chose otherwise—opting instead to throw herself into the grueling, high-risk world of the Astartes battle groups, fighting side-by-side with the giants in a completely unaugmented human body.
Faced with the question from her comrades, Rita simply shook her head. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she answered firmly:
"No. My goal is the same as yours—to join the Iron Vanguard."
Her resolute tone caught the others off guard. They couldn't quite believe Rita truly aimed to enter the Iron Vanguard without a single body mod.
After all, the core members of the Vanguard were monsters—three-meter-tall demi-gods in power armor.
For a regular human to survive among them, let alone stand out, sounded like sheer fantasy.
"Are you serious, Rita? Everyone in there's a walking tank. How are you supposed to keep up?"
They didn't want to crush her dreams, but they also didn't want her setting herself up for disappointment. To survive in the company's top-tier unit, she'd at least need some basic augmentations.
Otherwise, even regular training could break her.
"I'm serious," Rita replied without hesitation.
Her expression didn't waver, not in the face of surprise or doubt.
If she had come this far, then of course she would aim for the megacorp's highest honor.
"If there's never been someone like me in the Iron Vanguard, then I'll be the first."
And truthfully, Rita's confidence wasn't unfounded.
Sure, the bulky Astartes warriors were ideal for frontal assaults and high-durability missions.
But not all battlefields were suited to their massive frames.
Confined, cramped environments required soldiers like Rita.
She believed her unique skills and combat specialties gave her a real shot at earning a place in the Iron Vanguard.
And there was no rule that said only modified Astartes could join.
The Vanguard was designed to gather the absolute best from every division and unit in the megacorp.
It was like building a squad from classes in a game—warriors, assassins, mages, tanks, ranged attackers, healers. A team of all warriors or all assassins was bound to have weaknesses.
Only with a well-balanced composition could a squad's effectiveness reach its full potential.
Rita knew that among human-sized soldiers, none could match her in hand-to-hand combat. She was also a master at piloting powered armor.
She believed that was enough to earn her a shot.
Seeing how determined she was, the other warriors could only offer their support.
"Alright then, if you really make it in, you better treat us to a damn good meal!"
"Yeah, how about a whole sturgeon, huh?"
"…"
Laughter echoed through the cabin.
Rita laughed too, joining in easily.
After years of military service, she had become one of the team. Despite being fully human, she'd forged deep bonds with these "tin can" brothers.
Time and again, they had fought and bled together. And in this found family, Rita had finally discovered her place.
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