166: Chapter 166 The Mouth and Nest Are Gone

Deep beneath Capitol Hill, an abandoned pumping station.

The White Queen had reattached herself to the concrete pedestal in the center of the pumping station. Her ovipositor extended from the rear of her body, and with every contraction, a new egg slid out of the birth canal.

She was surrounded by the remnants of the Xenomorph swarm gathered from across Washington: over two hundred Drones, forty Praetorian Xenomorphs, and a dozen newly molted Warriors.

Their fan-shaped heads covered every inch of the pumping station's walls, floors, and ceiling.

Fluorescent resin covered all the concrete structures, illuminating the entire space in an eerie blue-green glow.

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Counting these remnants withdrawn from across the city, the hive had barely recovered to seventy percent of its size before the battle at the Tri-Union Building.

If given another forty-eight hours, she could lay new Queen eggs. Even if she died, a new Queen could lead the swarm and turn Washington's entire underground network into a Xenomorph kingdom.

But the White Queen did not relax.

From the moment she retreated from the Tri-Union Building, that sense of crisis had never vanished.

It didn't come from her arch-rivals, the Predators.

The White Queen was certain that the Yautja ship had already left.

Nor did it come from that golden man.

His life signal had completely disappeared from the Washington city area; she didn't know where he was hiding.

Where exactly was the threat coming from?

The White Queen was utterly perplexed.

It was precisely this unknown that stimulated her to lay eggs frantically at all costs, attempting to trade the size of the swarm for a shred of safety.

The White Queen raised her head, her fan-shaped armor turning toward the ceiling of the pumping station.

There was nothing there, only the fluorescence of the resin.

She remained still in this posture for a long time.

The Drones sensed the Queen's unease, and their hissing grew even lower.

The White Queen finally lowered her head and continued laying eggs, though the rhythm had clearly slowed.

...

In the temporary operations room of the Washington Police Department, Fu Haoran held a cup of tea.

On the holographic projection in front of him, a large auspex was scanning the Washington underground, outlining the three-dimensional structure of the Capitol Hill underground network layer by layer.

The White Queen's signal was stationary in the center of the pumping station and hadn't moved for over six hours.

Feedback data from a dozen scout-type Servo-skulls were superimposed onto the model in real-time.

Each Servo-skull was equipped with enhanced optical sensors and signal jammers, synchronized in real-time with the auspex via a cogitator array.

Every movement of the White Queen, the width and direction of every tunnel in the hive, the density of the Xenomorph swarm, and their patrol routes were all marked on the holographic model.

Simultaneously, the complete structural mapping of the Xenomorph nest was finished.

Four main tunnels, six branch pipes, and three emergency exits were all labeled.

The total number of Xenomorphs had also been calculated.

Fu Haoran's decision to let the tiger return to the mountain was never an emotional whim.

"Washington is only so big. Luring all the rats in the city into one hole is much easier than hunting them down one by one."

Fu Haoran looked at the static red dot on the screen. The White Queen had entered an egg-laying state.

All the remnants and eggs were gathered at the core of the nest.

Even if she wanted to run now, she couldn't.

"Alright, it's time to wrap this up."

...

In near-Earth orbit, a 1.5-kilometer-long Cobra Destroyer hung silently.

Wade was on the bridge, waiting for the latest orders.

"Sir, a Xenomorph ship has been detected. Should we engage?"

Wade looked at the "small" ship appearing on the auspex and shook his head.

"Ignore it. Don't forget our mission."

Suddenly, the communications officer shouted, "Colonel, we've received coordinates from the Governor. Please advise."

Wade gave the order without hesitation: "For the Emperor, for the Governor, fire!"

"Understood. melta bunker-busters loaded. Near-orbit firing window locked. Countdown: ten seconds."

The Cobra Destroyer's optical cloaking module deactivated simultaneously, and the launch bays on the belly of the ship opened.

The melta bunker-busters slid out of the launch bays, and the attitude control thrusters at their tails lit up in sequence.

The next second, three melta bunker-busters were fired one after another.

The missiles pierced the atmosphere, the friction-induced heat wrapping the shells in an orange-red halo.

There was no explosion, no roar.

The warheads plunged into the Capitol Hill lawn at a near-vertical angle. The bunker-busting fuses activated the moment they touched the ground, and the shells sank silently into the earth like red-hot nails.

The warheads utilized a directed-energy shaped charge design; all the Promethium flames and explosive energy were locked within the underground network.

Only three holes, less than two meters in diameter, appeared on the Capitol Hill lawn. The main buildings were not damaged in the slightest.

The warheads penetrated the pumping station's ceiling.

The concrete was melted through, and the fluorescent resin vaporized instantly.

The warheads detonated at the core of the nest, and Promethium flames at several thousand degrees surged from within the warheads like a sun exploding underground.

The flames spread frantically along the pipes, burning through branch lines, emergency exits, and the resin nests secreted by the Xenomorphs. Drones were engulfed by the flames, their exoskeletons shattering in the high heat, and their acidic blood evaporated into green mist before it could even hit the ground.

The Praetorian Xenomorphs tried to break out through the emergency exits, but it was far too late.

The rolling heatwave swept through, spreading rapidly along the crisscrossing underground tunnels.

Whether it was Xenomorphs or eggs, they were powerless before this sweeping wall of fire.

Sewage was vaporized, moss was incinerated, and the flames swallowed the White Queen, the ovipositor, and the newly laid eggs.

The last image the White Queen saw was the hole in the pumping station ceiling melted through by the melta warhead, and the fleeting glint of a Servo-skull outside the hole.

It turned out that the lingering sense of crisis never came from the Predators, nor from the golden madman, but from this human who had led her into an incinerator step by step.

The vibration vanished.

The fear vanished as well.

The fire burned for a full three minutes.

In the Pentagon's operations command room, Major General Bradley watched the satellite footage as the underground heat signals turned from orange-red to complete darkness. The coffee cup in his hand slammed onto the table, and the staff officers behind him were deathly silent.

No one dared to speak.

There was only a sense of lingering fear.

They realized that in this chaotic struggle, they had become the most incompetent faction.

Spy satellites had already detected abnormal heat sources beneath the city.

However, they dared not send troops, nor did they dare to counterattack.

Send troops? Did they even have any?

Counterattack? Attack the ship hovering in near-Earth orbit?

The high-ranking officials in the Pentagon could only watch helplessly as others dropped missiles over their heads, like an incompetent husband.

At this moment, someone knocked and entered: "Sir, a communication request from General Fu Haoran. Should I patch it through?"

Major General Bradley nodded: "Patch him in."

Bradley and the others harbored exceptionally complex feelings toward the only fighting force in this calamity.

They certainly didn't like him, but as for hating him...

Fu Haoran's figure appeared on the screen. He got straight to the point: "The aliens have withdrawn, the Xenomorph organisms have been completely exterminated, and the powered individual has fled after being heavily wounded. My mission is complete."

Hearing the good news from Fu Haoran, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, everyone, I hope you transfer the final payment to my designated account. I really hate having to ask for final payments."

With that, Fu Haoran hung up the communication directly.

In the meeting room, the crowd was silent for a moment before someone finally couldn't sit still and complained, "Why does an Asian dare to order us around! And he even dares to reach out and ask us for money!"

"Not just an Asian, he's a Chinese national. To be precise, he doesn't even have a Green Card yet," the CIA head corrected.

"What?! This is simply ridiculous! What's the difference between this and putting a spy in our military and letting him be a high-ranking officer?!"

A white-haired old general slammed the table, making the coffee cup rattle. He questioned with a face full of fury.

"Then what can you do? Can you find someone capable of leading troops in battle, or do you think your subordinates can be as fearless as his soldiers?" Admiral Johnson asked back mercilessly.

"Besides, during this entire suppression of the chaos, our US Army stayed huddled in the base, not daring to move. It was him who took his private army and cleared the entire Washington Xenomorph hive while facing a three-way pincer attack from Xenomorphs, Predators, and superhumans. In the end, he even went to the Weyland-Yutani Corporation and brought back the people and core data we wanted."

"If it were you, would you dare take your people and charge into a Tri-Union Building filled with Xenomorphs?"

"Or do you think that the next time you encounter a similar threat, you can rely on those soldiers of yours who only know how to slack off to step up and say, 'Let me do it'?!"

The crowd fell silent.

Everyone knew that this wasn't the era of World War II where heroes emerged in abundance. Not only could they not find experienced commanders, but they also didn't have soldiers who could fight tough battles.

Good citizens were less and less willing to join the military, which was now almost filled with illegal immigrants, gang members, and thugs.

They certainly wouldn't fight for honor or ideals.

Seeing that no one spoke, Johnson sneered in his heart.

"Very good. As long as Fu's position is unshakable, I, as an ally, can continue to stay in office."

The reason Johnson spoke up for Fu Haoran was never because of stance, but because of where he sat.

...

On the other side, Fu Haoran looked down at his system panel.

Kill logs started jumping from the very first second.

Dozens, hundreds—the entire panel was flooded with green numbers.

The general points balance ticked up frantically, so fast that the specific numbers couldn't be seen clearly.

Tychus stood nearby with a Multi-melta over his shoulder, watching the heat signals of the hive on the holographic projection turn from orange-red to pitch black. He smacked his lips.

"Is it over?"

Fu Haoran looked at the final kill log on the screen.

Kill confirmation for the White Queen.

"It's over."

The scrolling on the system panel gradually stopped. Immediately after, a golden system announcement popped up.

[Myriad Realms War · Third Calamity World Main Quest Settlement Complete]

[Main Quest 'Clear Xenomorph Contamination' Progress 100%. Xenomorph Faction completely annihilated.]

[Third Calamity · Xenomorph Calamity, core threat cleared.]

[Third Calamity · Xenomorph Calamity, core threat cleared.]

Fu Haoran leaned back in his seat, picked up his teacup, and took a large gulp.

The tea, now cold, was just right to drink.

The system settlement interface expanded before his eyes.

[Reincarnator's Faction: Native Faction]

[Final general points Ranking: 1st]

[Basic general points Settlement: Xenomorph Hive Annihilation Battle, cumulative kills of 247 Drone-class units, 41 Praetorian-class units, 16 Warrior-class units, 1 Xenomorph Queen 'White Queen'. general points gained: 127,400.]

[Extra Settlement: Heavily wounded Reincarnator leader Li Yohan, forcing his permanent withdrawal from the current instance. Completed key instance achievement 'Retreat of the Golden Madman'. general points gained: 100,000.]

[Main Quest Completion Basic Reward: Free Attribute Points +3.]

[Leaderboard Real-time Rank 1 Extra Reward: Free Attribute Points +3.]

[Reincarnator's Current Free Attribute Points: 6.]

Fu Haoran closed the attribute panel. Just as he raised his finger, a second wave of rewards popped up.

[Native Faction Special Reward: Resurrection Coin x1.]

[Name: Resurrection Coin]

[Function: Upon suffering fatal damage, triggers resurrection with full health. Resurrection location can be chosen. Only effective within the currently bound world and entered Myriad Realms instances.]

[Note: This item is exclusive to this faction. Non-tradable, non-droppable.]

Fu Haoran glanced at the anchor badge glowing with a faint golden light in his inventory and closed the interface.

Meanwhile, in a safe house, Li Yohan, with only one eye left, was staring at Fu Haoran's ranking on the system leaderboard, the malice in his eyes almost overflowing.

"Just you wait. Next time we meet, it's not certain who will reveal their trump cards first."

A third wave of rewards popped up.

[Instance Leaderboard Rank 1 Extra Reward: Yautja Optical Cloaking Cloak x1.]

[Utilizes Yautja Clan exclusive optical refraction and signal jamming technology. When activated, achieves complete optical invisibility, perfectly blocking infrared thermal imaging, radar scanning, and biological signal detection. No sound is produced during movement. Cloak is only briefly deactivated during active attacks.]

[Instance Leaderboard Rank 1 Extra Reward: Yautja Plasma Scimitar x1.]

[Basic Attributes: All Attributes +4, Physical Attack Power +55.]

[Exclusive Effect 'Molecular Disintegration Field': Upon hitting a target, generates a molecular disintegration field on the target's surface lasting 7 seconds. Ignores conventional physical armor, reducing the target's base defense and exoskeleton strength by 6 points. Also effective against mechanical units and building structures. Effect can stack up to 3 layers.]

[Instance Leaderboard Rank 1 Exclusive Reward: RX-92-00 Mars-pattern Rocket/Afterburning Turbofan Composite Engine Complete Optimization Blueprint x1.]

[The standard main engine for the Imperium of Man's Thunderhawk Gunship. Perfectly adapted for supersonic flight within the atmosphere and near-Earth orbit navigation. Can be adapted for short-range warp requirements of small interstellar frigates. Includes full set of manufacturing processes and optimized parameters.]

[Instance Achievement Extra Unlock: Permanent Summoning Authority for Adeptus Arbites Arbiters]

[Can permanently summon 10 Imperium of Man Adeptus Arbites Arbiters to serve as the Reincarnator's permanent guards. If a summoned unit dies, the roster can be replenished after a 72-hour cooldown.]

[Instance Achievement Extra Unlock: Yautja Clan Hunter's Badge]

[Effect: Can remove negative effects such as fear and mind control.]

Almost simultaneously, the clan brand on his Storm Shield grew slightly warm, and a cold-gleaming Yautja metal badge appeared out of thin air in his hand. This was the clan's official recognition of a top-tier hunter, and also a token left by the female Predator before she departed.

[Holding this badge prevents active attacks from conventional Yautja Clans. Allows for equivalent technology and resource trading with Yautja Clans. Current Badge Level: Hunter, upgradeable.]

Fu Haoran closed the system panel. On the holographic projection, the heat signals from the Capitol Hill ruins had completely extinguished.

Above the clouds, the transparent silhouette of the Predator mothership lingered for a moment. The clan elder on the bridge looked at the pillar of smoke rising from Capitol Hill, then at the plasma scimitar in Fu Haoran's hand on the monitor. He nodded slightly and signaled to leave.

The mothership then slowly ascended and disappeared beyond the atmosphere.

"Boss, what's the next move?" Tychus asked.

Fu Haoran said with a curl of his lips, "The war is over. Naturally, it's time to rake in the money."