Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1031: Chapter 1030: Sudden Assault

When the Normandy arrived at the Nomadic Star System, three days had already passed.

”Keep an eye on the surroundings, there’s an asteroid belt just ahead.”

Staring at the screen in front of her, Shupard’s expression was serious and tense.

”I still can’t believe we actually have to go here... Are you sure there’s really someone in this place?”

Joker, the pilot, was operating the warship while expressing his helplessness.

”The Nomadic Star System is already on the edge of the Milky Way, isn’t it? Isn’t this a lifeless zone? Why would anyone want to live here?”

”Regardless, we must investigate... Everyone, be aware that the identity of the other party is unknown, their origins unclear, and...”

”Commander.”

However, before Shupard could finish, someone suddenly interrupted her.

”The long-range scanner detected something, an unidentified vessel, resembling a cruiser!”

Upon hearing this, Shupard was taken aback.

”Is it them?”

”It doesn’t match any known signals, nor is it a warship signal previously obtained from the Turui Fleet!”

Joker spoke as his expression turned serious.

”The cruiser is changing its course, currently on an interception trajectory!”

Startled by this, Shupard exclaimed.

”They’re going to attack! Emergency evasive maneuvers!”

”Got it!”

Under Joker’s control, the Normandy swiftly maneuvered to the side. However, at the same time, a golden beam shot out from the peculiar cruiser behind them, directed at the Normandy. Although the Normandy narrowly dodged the attack under Joker’s handling, the beam still grazed the edge of the hull.

”Boom!!”

The entire warship shook violently, followed by sparks and flames bursting within.

”Kinetic barrier is gone! Hull damage, weapon systems failing...!!”

Joker was frantically operating the warship while loudly reporting.

”Someone put out the fire quickly...”

”Bang!”

Shupard smashed the glass beside her, grabbed the fire extinguisher, and quickly sprayed the flames on the control panel while issuing commands calmly.

”Send a distress signal! Immediately retreat from the battlefield!”

”I’m trying, but there’s insufficient power! Difficult to deviate from the preset course... The second strike is incoming!”

”Everyone, brace for impact!”

At this moment, Shupard shouted, grabbing onto the wall beside her, waiting for the explosion.

However...

”Whoosh—!”

Just as the mysterious cruiser’s attack was about to hit the Normandy, a faint blue beam suddenly shot from afar, striking the Normandy. Immediately, an elliptical energy shield enveloped the Normandy, and the mysterious cruiser’s attack hit the shield seemingly without any effect, as if sinking into the ocean.

”What is... this?”

Seeing this strange energy shield outside, Shupard was shocked, as was Joker, who widened his eyes.

”I don’t know... It seems like some sort of energy barrier... This isn’t our technology, but it completely neutralized the attack!”

”Beep beep...”

Suddenly, the display in front of everyone flashed, and then a girl with white twin-tails and red eyes appeared on the screen.

”Hi~! This is the Azure Fleet’s Vampire vessel, who are you guys and what brings you here?”

”We are the Citadel’s direct SSV Normandy! We are ordered to investigate the Nomadic Star System!”

Although puzzled by why a little girl was communicating with them, Shupard quickly responded.

”We encountered an attack from an unknown warship en route and request assistance.”

”Ah... I thought so, you don’t seem like them.”

After listening to Shupard’s account, Vampire nodded and turned her head.

”Sister Rodney, take action, the one behind us looks suspicious.”

”—!”

As soon as the girl finished speaking, Shupard saw on the screen, amidst the pitch-black universe, a dazzling energy beam appeared, directly hitting the peculiar cruiser that previously attacked the Normandy. Under the assault of this beam, the cruiser held out for less than five seconds before being pierced, and then it was completely destroyed in the explosion and flames.

”Hiss...”

Witnessing this, the crew aboard the Normandy couldn’t help but gasp. They were by no means rookies, and they knew how powerful a cruiser could be. In fact, the Normandy stood no chance against such a cruiser. But what surprised them was that such a cruiser was instantly pierced by the opponent? Without any chance to resist?

”... Such terrifying firepower... How could it be penetrated with one strike...”

At this moment, Joker, looking at the data displayed on the screen, was at a loss for words.

”Alright, it’s settled.”

Watching the cruiser explode into fragments, the red-eyed girl on the screen gave a cheerful gesture.

”So, come over here, aren’t you seeking us? By the way, why did you guys engage in battle?”

”I don’t know either...”

Shupard shook her head and looked at the operator beside her, who was also puzzled.

”I also don’t understand what happened, the invisibility device is functioning normally...”

”Invisible?”

Upon hearing this, the girl on the screen blinked.

”You’re not invisible, you’re right here in plain sight.”

”I didn’t mean invisible like that...”

In response to the girl’s comment, the operator was momentarily speechless. In fact, the Normandy couldn’t truly become invisible; the invisibility system referred to a system that temporarily stored the heat generated by the ship’s operations. Due to current technology, these ships depended more on electronic scans rather than visual sightings, so under electronic scanning alone, the Normandy could disguise itself as an asteroid or something else, evading scans from other ships.

Of course, if one considers this as invisibility... it could be seen as a form of stealth.

”Whatever you say.”

But the white-haired, red-eyed girl didn’t seem to care about this; she only shrugged before speaking.

”So, Leander, I’ll leave this to you, guide them over here.”

”Okay.”

With this voice, everyone saw, outside the porthole ahead of them, a peculiar destroyer suddenly appearing out of nowhere, as if it had materialized.

Everyone: ...????!!!

Simultaneously, a gentle, elegant voice sounded.

”Hello, everyone, I am Leander from the Azure Fleet, please follow my lead...”

”I see...”

Looking at the suddenly appearing warship ahead, Shupard exhaled deeply. She finally understood why the girl with white hair and red eyes had looked puzzled when they mentioned invisibility... In her view, they weren’t really invisible!

Shupard’s emotions were a little mixed, knowing that this Normandy was equipped with top technology from the Turui Fleet and the Star Alliance, unrivaled in detection scans and stealth. It made no logical sense that even if they were attacked, the opponent wouldn’t instantly extend a helping hand.

It seems now that when the Normandy entered the Nomadic Star System, this warship had been secretly following them all along.

And in stealth mode...

Thinking of this, Shupard’s expression turned serious. She could now be certain that this was neither Cerberus nor Turui technology, nor even technology from the Serretian, which held the most advanced technology!

What on earth is their background?