Chapter 183: The Spirit Tree! The Gluttonous Maw! The Flames of War Ignite!
'Good thing I had just enough corporate credits left after redeeming Ideal City's technology to upgrade the Matrix to Level 3.'
Looking at the system panel displaying the upgraded Matrix server, Li Ang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In fact, long before the Infinity Fleet officially set sail, Li Ang had already connected the Matrix to all the transcendent AI entities within the Cyber World.
However, even after consuming those other transcendent AIs, the Matrix had barely reached Level 2!
Fortunately, Li Ang had a habit of hoarding experience packs, specifically feeding them to SSR characters for missions.
Coupled with his discipline in resource management, he didn't find himself stretched too thin at this crucial moment.
A Level 3 Matrix should be sufficient to bring Eywa into the server!
'Eywa, I've got you now!'
Li Ang felt like a super-corporate overlord with sinister powers, a true mastermind behind the scenes—but he was thoroughly enjoying himself.
After all, he had cheats!
But even with his advantages, Li Ang remained cautious and vigilant.
After all, this was his first time engaging in a "friendly nuclear-level sparring match" with a planetary consciousness like Eywa.
For an entity like this—far beyond mere mortal flesh—traditional military force from LA Corporation would likely be ineffective.
A planetary consciousness is an abstract form of life.
Even if they bombarded Pandora's surface with the Infinity Fleet's firepower, it was unlikely that Eywa would truly perish.
Unless they managed to completely collapse and dismantle the planet from within—destroying the vessel that contained Eywa's consciousness—it was improbable she would cease to exist.
But such extreme and brutal measures were neither what Li Ang wanted nor something he could accept.
As the CEO of a megacorporation, he hadn't come all this way just to unleash planetary-scale destruction out of frustration.
Such reckless behavior would be a pointless waste of resources, and Li Ang had no interest in such foolishness.
What truly caught his eye was Pandora's floating stone deposits, the free labor of the Na'vi natives, its exotic flora and fauna, and its unique alien landscapes.
This place was his interstellar resort—if he destroyed it, how would he build his corporate empire?
---
"Boss, what are our next steps? Do we proceed as planned—advancing our troops, mining the resources, and establishing military bases?"
At that moment, Morgan Blackhand, the captain of the Infinity , contacted Li Ang via real-time holographic transmission.
As of now, nearly 100,000 ground troops had been deployed on Pandora.
However, their operational range remained limited, and until they received explicit orders, the soldiers remained on standby.
They would only move once Supreme Commander Li Ang gave the official command.
Faced with Morgan Blackhand's inquiry, Li Ang pondered for a moment, contemplating his next course of action.
Beyond resource extraction and displays of force, the key objective in this colonial war was a decisive strike against Eywa!
Therefore, Li Ang's plan was to replicate his success with the transcendent AI Europa—through a swift and direct decapitation strike!
First, a mid-sized force would advance quickly, bringing the Matrix to the Na'vi's Spirit Tree.
Once there, his forces would use the axon neural system, shared between humans and Na'vi, to forcibly link the Matrix to the Spirit Tree.
Once the connection was established and the Matrix integrated into Pandora's planetary consciousness network…
The Matrix would act like a massive extraction pump, uprooting Eywa's consciousness entirely!
At that point, the battle would be decided—the Na'vi's so-called eternal deity, Eywa, would become nothing more than Li Ang's prisoner… or perhaps even a power generator.
The plan was simple and ruthlessly efficient—just the way Li Ang liked it.
"Perfect! That's settled, then."
As he finalized the operational strategy in his mind, even the slight frown on his face eased.
Clearly, he was very satisfied with this plan.
Seeing his boss's relaxed demeanor, Morgan Blackhand knew it was time for action!
Immediately, Li Ang raised his hands and marked a few key locations on the holographic map before issuing his latest commands from the command center:
"Effective immediately, the ten Infinity warships closest to Pandora will deploy 20% of their engineering teams to assist ground forces in constructing bases."
"Notify the AST Power Armor Battalion, the Iron Hand Astartes Legion, and LA Security's First and Third Battalions to coordinate. Full advance!"
"Their objective: Locate and mark all 'Spirit Trees' on this planet!"
"Then, standby…!"
Li Ang's directives remained focused—not on destruction, but on precise control.
From start to finish, he maintained absolute caution and patience, methodically consuming Pandora, piece by piece.
This three-year colonial campaign was no mere military raid—it was a long-term operation requiring the construction of extensive infrastructure for human occupation.
Regular personnel aboard the Infinity fleet, including military police and security forces, would assist the ground troops in constructing military bases.
Only after securing sufficient logistical support and solidifying their foothold could his forces freely unleash large-scale firepower operations.
---
"Yes, Boss!"
Upon receiving Li Ang's clear orders, Morgan Blackhand swiftly relayed them to the command centers of various warships.
The commands were then seamlessly transmitted to the ground forces' encampments.
The entire process was executed with smooth precision—proof that LA Corporation's military was a highly disciplined and well-trained force.
Despite this being their first colonial war, everyone was proceeding with practiced efficiency.
With Morgan having relayed his orders, Li Ang remained seated at the control console, keeping his attention on the holographic tactical display.
Through the 3D topographical map, he could see the immediate execution of his commands as 20,000 soldiers mobilized.
Thousands of polymer-controlled flatbed carriers, Basilisk war chariots, Chimera tanks, and various armored vehicles were now in motion.
Their role: fire support, cover operations, and route clearance.
"Planetary climate: stable."
"Ground humidity and temperature: normal."
"..."
Meanwhile, the Infinity fleet, hovering in Pandora's atmosphere, actively coordinated with the ground forces.
They continuously monitored and collected vast amounts of planetary data.
Tens of thousands of AI-controlled drones—like nimble metallic dragonflies—zipped through Pandora's rainforests and plains.
These drones weren't solely for military reconnaissance; they also collected samples of local insects, plants, and soil for research purposes.
---
At this moment, deep within Pandora's dense rainforests, V was leading the Astartes vanguard towards another jungle sector.
According to the latest drone reconnaissance, the Spirit Tree they sought was just a few kilometers ahead.
Securing that region would be a significant step forward.
"V, this place is goddamn beautiful—almost too beautiful!"
As they marched, Jack Wells, ever talkative, couldn't help but comment to his commander and close friend, V.
His voice was filled with genuine admiration for Pandora's breathtaking scenery.
Looking at his genetically enhanced comrade—built like a massive bear—V simply shook his head.
Jack had been in the military for three years, yet he still couldn't shake his laid-back attitude and odd sense of wonder.
While the other soldiers focused on potential threats and unknown dangers, Jack was busy appreciating the scenery.
"Jack, stay focused. This colonial war is no joke," V warned sternly.
As the commander of Li Ang's elite forces, V was privy to classified information about Pandora.
He was well aware of Eywa, the planetary consciousness.
But since Li Ang had provided little additional intel on Eywa, V remained highly cautious of this unknown, colossal lifeform.
A planetary consciousness… Even the name itself sounded terrifyingly powerful.
---
"Relax, V!"
Jack waved dismissively with a grin.
"If it were really that dangerous, our fleet would've carpet-bombed this place already."
"No way would they send us down here first."
Jack had a point.
From its inception, LA Corporation's military doctrine had always been clear: If you're rich, you drown your enemies in firepower.
Artillery and munitions were as abundant as tap water in the company's vast factories—if they wanted to bomb a place, they would.
V: "..."
After hearing what Jack said, V reluctantly accepted his reasoning and began observing the alien landscape with him.
Since Li Ang had permitted them to operate on the surface, it indicated he was fully prepared to deal with the mysterious sentient entity here.
"Jack, you know what? This place could really be an ideal vacation spot for interstellar travelers like us!"
In V's imagination, he could already see LA Corporation's massive observation deck towering above the rainforest, providing humans with the perfect vantage point to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
"Yeah, sure, but before that, we have to put in the hard work of clearing out the exotic species here," Jack said nonchalantly, making a grim joke. Though his words were a bit harsh, they reflected the sentiments of the soldiers.
They were here to claim territory, after all. Leaving such a beautiful area to the natives for their primitive lifestyle was seen as a severe waste of resources.
To provide the local Na'vi with more "advanced" labor opportunities, LA Corporation had decided to offer them mining jobs or integrate them into the energy matrix free of charge.
Contributing to the prosperity of a universal megacorporation was seen as a privilege for all living creatures on this planet—a stroke of luck for them!
"Phew... the night sky here is pretty good too," V said, looking up at Pandora's celestial view.
As a moon orbiting a gas giant twice the size of Jupiter, Pandora's night sky featured not just one moon but multiple celestial bodies.
Perhaps it was these extraordinary natural phenomena that led to the unique genetic traits of Pandora's flora, flowers, and fauna—like their ability to glow in the dark.
Indeed, as night fell, the entire planet transformed into a magical, dreamlike wonderland, resembling the scenes from a child's innocent fantasies.
Looking around, V saw no barren land on this planet. Dense rainforests and grasslands covered almost every inch of its surface.
Words like desolation, barrenness, and bleakness were utterly irrelevant to Pandora, a seemingly flawless world.
Admittedly, Pandora's fantastical beauty made it resemble the private garden of some advanced civilization.
Hopefully, humans are the only ones who've attempted colonization here; otherwise, the outcome of this war could be unpredictable, V mused.
As V prepared to rally his troops and advance, a voice transmission from another reconnaissance team reached him.
"A forward squad has engaged in conflict with the local Na'vi. All units, stay alert!"
"Report any emergencies immediately."
"I repeat..."
The relaxed atmosphere between V and Jack dissipated as the announcement echoed. Details revealed that 15 minutes earlier, a forward squad had clashed with the Na'vi, killing 13 of the blue-skinned natives and exposing their location.
Meanwhile, other squads reported minor to severe encounters. Some units under heavy fire requested aerial bombardment support from the Infinity starship.
These events signaled that LA Corporation's ground forces had reached Pandora's tolerance limit for outsiders. Any further intrusion would ignite full-blown war.
"Looks like the war has finally begun," V muttered with a strange sense of relief. For some reason, he preferred the chaos of battle to the eerie silence of the environment.
When engaged in a corporate conquest, his doubts, indecision, and cautious nature vanished, replaced by unwavering resolve.
"Advance the entire army! Capture the base at the Tree of Souls!" V commanded with fiery determination, rallying his steel-clad soldiers.
The Astartes expedition team roared in response, charging through the rainforest toward the Tree of Souls.
A few kilometers ahead, flames raged in the forest, consuming everything. Upon receiving airstrike requests, squadrons of Hawks, Scorpions, and AT-99 gunships launched a series of bombardments.
After several rounds, towering trees collapsed, their trunks scarred with gaping wounds. Luminescent roots and vegetation withered and died under the relentless fire.
The airstrikes had left swaths of the forest in ruins. The returning aircraft, including drones equipped with silent mode, advanced toward the Tree of Souls.
The drones surveyed the sacred site, capturing high-resolution footage of the glowing, willow-like branches of the Tree of Souls. Its shimmering pinkish-purple light resembled Earth's fiber optic cables, even sharing a similar functionality.
"Excellent," Li Ang murmured, nodding as he reviewed the footage.
He understood that these trees were extensions of Eywa, Pandora's ancient deity, linking the Na'vi and their environment through a vast biological network.
"Deploy the drones closer. I want to see what the natives are doing," Li Ang ordered.
The drones approached, capturing footage of hundreds of slender, blue-skinned Na'vi warriors gathered beneath the tree, their expressions tense yet resolute.
Their leader, Eytukan, addressed them passionately:
"Today, the sky people destroyed our home and killed our kin. Now, we must retaliate with fury and show them they cannot act with impunity on our land. Brave warriors, follow me into battle!"
With that, Eytukan let out a primal war cry, signaling the Na'vi to prepare for battle.
The flames of war were now ablaze.
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