Esper X Family – Chapter 614 – Targeted

“Tong Yao…”

White Comet gazed at the hazy figure outlined by countless fragments of information on the screen.

A being revered by human civilization as the “pioneer of a new era”, yet as elusive as mist itself.

Could she be the target?

Then, another glaring red marker popped up.

“Extreme threat event recorded: ‘Bluestar Defense Battle’.”

Another analyst summarized the report.

“According to multiple sources, a powerful alien invader, suspected to be an interstellar overlord, arrived in the solar system with devastating force, intent on wiping out human civilization.

Subsequent information indicates that the warriors brought by the interstellar overlord descended to the surface of Bluestar and engaged in fierce battles with the human warriors there.

Footage of these battles was made public worldwide, allegedly through the racial talent of a cosmic race known as the ‘All-Knowing Demon Eye’.”

The analyst then cross-referenced the invader’s information with the Watcher Civilization’s own database and discovered that the face had been recorded before.

It seemed that this interstellar overlord had once passed through Watcher Civilization territory.

A conflict nearly broke out back then.

But the interstellar overlord left without a moment’s hesitation.

Clearly, the Watcher Civilization held nothing it desired.

It was a typical cosmic bully.

Although the Watcher Civilization dearly wished to thoroughly vanquish such a pest of the universe.

They hadn’t been adequately prepared at that time.

It would have come at a heavy price just for a chance to take it down.

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If that interstellar overlord had been intent on making an enemy of the Watcher Civilization back then, perhaps it wouldn’t have encountered this human civilization.

White Comet was aware of this as well.

She inwardly lamented the human civilization’s misfortune.

To encounter such a civilization-ending calamity before even leaving their home planet.

Among known civilizations, they were certainly among the unluckiest.

But since human civilization hadn’t been destroyed, it meant that they had already weathered the crisis.

The analyst quickly added the follow-up.

“After the human warriors defeated all the warriors of the cosmic races, the two strongest human fighters bravely engaged the interstellar overlord…”

“And the result?”

White Comet pressed, already forming a guess in her mind.

“Those two human fighters unleashed power beyond a planetary scale, attempting to take the interstellar overlord down with them. But ultimately, they failed.”

“Just as I thought.”

White Comet shook her head.

It was already incredible enough that such a civilization could even begin to handle an invasion by an interstellar overlord.

Having developed a technological tree centered around mental power, the fact that human civilization could still produce warriors to rival powerful cosmic races was a stroke of “divine favor”.

No matter how powerful those human fighters were, they likely couldn’t get past the interstellar overlord.

The former had trained on a tiny planet, while the latter had waged wars across the vast cosmos for ages.

Without a doubt, those two human warriors must have fallen.

White Comet felt a genuine sense of pity.

She had a certain fondness for this young civilization, one so similar to the Watcher Civilization.

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However, the analyst’s next words shattered White Comet’s perception.

“Subsequently, the battle between the interstellar overlord and the two human warriors was forcibly interrupted by an individual codenamed ‘Ye Ge’.

This suddenly appearing ’Ye Ge’ displayed strength far surpassing the interstellar overlord, annihilating it in an instant. The overlord was utterly powerless to resist.

After this battle, ‘Ye Ge’ was recognized by human civilization as the ’strongest of the current era’, and her existence came to be seen as the ultimate guardian of the civilization.”

The analyst pulled up fragmentary information on “Ye Ge”, which was equally vague.

White Comet: “?”

Gray Marsh: “Ye Ge… who is that?”

There’s another master!

Gray Marsh and White Comet exchanged glances, both seeing the gravity and suspicion in the other’s eyes.

Based on the earlier analysis of human civilization, its inhabitants shouldn’t be a purely warrior race, right?

Weren’t they developing technology?

Where had this unreasonably powerful individual suddenly appeared from?

Or had they already mastered the technology of stellar manifestation?

Clearly.

This “Ye Ge” was another anomaly worthy of their attention!

“A civilization defying all logic. ‘Tong Yao’, who single-handedly accomplished the mental power baptism of an entire civilization’s populace in an exceedingly short time, fundamentally reshaping the trajectory of their civilization…”

Gray Marsh analyzed in a low voice.

“And ‘Ye Ge’, capable of effortlessly annihilating an interstellar overlord that posed an existential threat… They don’t seem like a product of a civilization’s normal development…”

White Comet continued, lightly tapping on the holographic screen with her slender fingers, linking these threads of evidence.

Under the assistance of highly advanced intelligent analysis, the data logic chain quickly became clear…

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The result was obvious.

Within the known historical process of human civilization, “Lullaby” and “Ye Ge” could very well be the source of calamity in their prediction!

White Comet’s gaze sharpened intensely. She turned to Gray Marsh and all the senior officers, her voice steady and resolute:

“The current information strongly suggests that these two anomalous individuals, ‘Tong Yao’ and ‘Ye Ge’, are highly likely to be directly related to the ‘source of calamity’ we are searching for.

Perhaps… they might ever be the source itself, or key components of it.”

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the blue planet on the star chart.

“Target priority changed.

While continuing to collect all information on this civilization comprehensively, initiate targeted search and high-precision analysis on ‘Tong Yao’ and ‘Ye Ge’.

We need to know their exact location, current status, behavioral patterns, and… the true upper limit of their strength.”

The Void Boundary Field still silently enveloped the fleet.

But the atmosphere aboard the flagship had turned somber and tense.

A covert investigation targeting two “anomalous existences” had quietly begun in the distant depths of space, all without the human civilization’s knowledge.

Yet, all of this was being observed with great interest by a white-haired girl who was lazily lounging on a sofa.

Ye Yao gently kneaded the feathers atop Xing Lan’s head, a look of keen amusement on her face.

“Ah~ They’ve really set their sights on me… Xing Lan, I took a huge blame for you. Aren’t you going to show some appreciation?”

“If you wanna top then top! I have no more words!”

Xing Lan continued to cosplay a koala, clinging to Ye Yao without letting go. She clearly had no intention of physically elbowing a starship.

“How come your mind is always full of such filthy thoughts?”

“So you want me to go elbow that starship? I’m weak, no way.”

“Haven’t I usually been gentle with you? You actually believed that joke?”

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“Then… what should I do to show my appreciation?”

Faced with Xing Lan’s curious gaze, Ye Yao pondered for a moment, utterly unconcerned about the Watcher Civilization.

In any case, figuring out how to tease Xing Lan was more fun.

“Based on the vast number of classic works I’ve observed, bird-type beastgirls all seem to be able to do one thing…”

Ye Yao pinched the white feathers on Xing Lan’s head.

“Xing Lan, how about you… try laying an egg?

I’m really curious what the embodiment of the world-destroying ability would produce.”

Xing Lan: “?”

Seeing the little loli in her arms plunged into a mental storm, Ye Yao didn’t interrupt, only smiling as she thought of something else.

She was curious about what course of action this fleet from the Watcher Civilization would take next.

Would it be a violent capture?

Or a secret contact?

Both possibilities seemed very interesting to her.

Anyway, she could just deny everything.

Their deduction wasn’t as effective as Sen Tong’s anyway.

Author Note

Kids, all your efforts are worthwhile

Translator Note

Apparently it’s a Delta Force joke, some kind of fake tactical defense university acceptance letter.