456: Going out to eat (Chapter 1)

The New Continent Star System—its very name was filled with irony and greed.

It was a vast, fertile, massive star cluster located near the geometric center of the New Eden star map.

Hundreds of planets, brimming with abundant resources from basic minerals to rare crystals, and several terrestrial planets with excellent environments, were hailed as the 'Promised Land of New Eden'.

During the heyday of the six major powers—the Amarr Empire, Caldari State, Minmatar Republic, Gallente Federation, Human Union, and Earth Federation—the New Continent was the focus of their delicate balance and the front line of their struggle.

Among them, the Amarr Empire, with its most powerful national strength, secured the largest share of the pie, and its influence once covered the entire New Continent Star System.

However, that was ancient history, before the 'Osha Battle'.

When news spread that the Amarr Empire's much-hoped-for main expeditionary force, led by a supercarrier, had turned into cosmic dust in the Osha Star Domain, when border skirmishes erupted and internal rebellions raged, and even the splendor of the capital Dam-Tursaam was overshadowed, the Empire's control over the New Continent rapidly eroded and collapsed.

Ironically, it wasn't external forces that struck first, but the Empire's own people.

"Where the Imperial Glory shines, there lies the Holy Emperor's territory. Now, with the Imperial Fleet's recent defeat and rebellions arising everywhere, the Holy Emperor's radiance temporarily cannot reach every inch of the New Continent's starscape."

"I, Count Talos Van Klystron, Governor of the Imperial New Continent's Third Star Sector, hereby declare that to preserve the Empire's living forces in the New Continent and prevent valuable resources from falling into the hands of heretics or traitors, the Third Star Sector shall enter a special defense state starting today."

"Until the Imperial Central Government restores effective support to the New Continent, all defense, taxation, diplomatic, and internal affairs of this star sector shall be the sole responsibility of the Governor's Mansion."

An announcement, subtly worded but essentially a declaration of independence, was issued from the 'Talos Star System,' the Amarr Empire's most important mining hub in the New Continent.

Count Talos, a powerful governor with distant royal bloodline and deep connections within the Imperial Navy, was the first to raise the banner of 'protecting the territory, pacifying the people, and awaiting the opportune moment' in the third week after the Imperial Fleet's annihilation.

Twelve hours after the announcement, over a third of the remaining ships from the Imperial New Continent garrison fleet declared allegiance to Governor Talos.

Within twenty-four hours, local garrison officers in three surrounding resource star systems either announced their joining the 'Third Star Sector Special Defense Alliance' or remained silent, observing the situation.

The reprimands and transfer Orders from the Imperial Central Government were like stones sinking into the sea.

Count Talos's actions were like pushing over the first domino.

Next came the 'proxy' forces, which had long been deeply entrenched throughout New Eden and acted even more recklessly.

Angel United Enterprises, a behemoth backed by some Amarr Empire nobles, specializing in 'high-risk, high-reward' ventures including but not limited to smuggling, assassination, intelligence peddling, and secret warfare, almost simultaneously with Talos's announcement, strengthened its military presence in several key star systems under its control.

Their fleets no longer concealed themselves, openly displaying their self-created emblem of intertwined angels and swords. Patrol boats even began 'politely' intercepting and inspecting passing merchant ships, especially those originally belonging to the Amarr Empire.

"To ensure the safety and stability of trade routes in this region," claimed the spokesperson for Angel United Enterprises.

The Gustas pirates, these space gangs that had ravaged the Imperial and Caldari borders for years, their activities, like hyenas smelling blood, rapidly infiltrated the vulnerable areas of the Caldari's eastern outer control zone.

They were no longer content with plundering lone merchant ships, but began organized attacks on the Caldari State's small outposts and mining outposts, even attempting to occupy some weakly defended planets.

Their objectives were clear: resources, territory, and to seize greater influence in a chaotic world.

Blood Raiders, Serpentis Corporation, Sisters of EVE... even some mercenary groups, independent mining companies, and even exiled scientist collectives that were originally minor players, emerged like mushrooms after rain in the fertile soil of New Eden's starscape, where power vacuums appeared due to the weakening of old rulers, and rapidly expanded.

They carved up star systems, controlled trade routes, and vied for resource points.

Small-scale skirmishes, ambushes, and sneak attacks occurred almost every moment. The starscape of New Eden was no longer an orderly chessboard, but was gradually evolving into a giant gladiatorial arena.

Old forces recovered slowly, while new warlords, corporate overlords, and cult militias constantly emerged, forming alliances and betraying each other.

And in this chaos, one name was repeatedly mentioned, with awe and longing.

Jiuzhou.

That 'Seventh Pole' in the Osha Star Domain, which, with two colossal ships like divine punishment, almost single-handedly annihilated the combined main forces of the six great Empires.

The Sharpening Sword Base Command Center recently saw an exponential increase in unofficial communication requests from all over New Eden.

Among them, requests from the middle layers of New Eden accounted for a considerable proportion. These communications usually went through multiple jumps, and their origins were often chaotic star systems.

"Respected Jiuzhou leaders, on behalf of the Free Tacoma Front, I extend our most sincere greetings. We admire your courage and strength displayed in the Osha Star Domain against the corrupt Empires. We possess three rich iridium mines and an experienced guerrilla fleet, and we eagerly desire to establish a mutually beneficial cooperative relationship with your esteemed party."

"We can provide a stable supply of rare metals, only hoping for some technical support. For example, the navigation module for those small drones?"

"Greetings, esteemed leaders of Jiuzhou. We are the 'New Keho Mining Consortium.' We control two gas giant collection stations in the BQ6-R3 Star System. We have noted your demand for gaseous materials, and we are willing to supply hydrogen isotopes and helium-3 to you long-term at 30% below market price, only requesting the opportunity to observe and learn from your automated collection platform. Alternatively, purchasing a few sets of your retired older models would also suffice."

"To the leaders of Jiuzhou, we are the 'Silent Blade' Mercenary Group. We specialize in intelligence gathering, special infiltration, and targeted elimination. We have just obtained a batch of detailed intelligence regarding the Amarr Empire's military deployment within the New Continent Star System. We believe this will be valuable to you. Our desired compensation is simple: a batch of standard model destroyer reactor cores, or a squadron of destroyers."

And so on, too numerous to mention.

Some sought recognition, some wanted to exchange technology for resources, some sold intelligence for weapons, and there were even a few who claimed to be a certain 'Star Sector Provisional Government' or 'Free Republic,' sending elegantly worded diplomatic notes hoping to gain Jiuzhou's diplomatic recognition to enhance their legitimacy.

"Good heavens, they're treating us as their backing?" Zhao Youcheng exclaimed in wonder, browsing the filtered communication summaries. "And some want to establish diplomatic relations? Aren't they afraid those few powers will get desperate and bite?"

"Actually, the very act of them sending messages is enough for them to gain benefits," Mu Wan said, bringing up the New Continent star map, which was now colorfully annotated with interlocking blocks representing different factions.

"Oh? How do you mean?" Zhao Youcheng was intrigued by this statement.