Chapter 544: Not Overconfident

Leng Pan looked at the thousands of moving red dots before asking, "Do you want to connect the gate to the command subject inside the horde?"

"If the subject carries alien technology, the anchor might accept its signal as a beacon. We could open the gate near it, then order the zombies through."

"You make it sound simple."

"It is not simple. We are standing inside an enemy vessel, surrounded by alien soldiers, while trying to operate a gate neither of us understands."

Leng Pan moved closer and rested her head briefly against his shoulder. "I was beginning to worry that my husband had become too confident after the system accepted us as operators."

Lu Zhen slipped an arm around her waist. "I am confident that we will find a way home. Everything between this vessel and our family is only an inconvenience."

"A rather large inconvenience."

"I have dealt with difficult business partners before."

Leng Pan lifted her head and looked at the alien army waiting beyond the gate. "Did any of your business partners have thousands of soldiers and a portal?"

"Some of them behaved as if they did."

She chuckled before turning back to the controls. "When we return home, I would like at least one day without zombies, aliens, or people trying to steal my space."

Lu Zhen’s gaze moved over her face. "Only one day?"

"I was trying to make a reasonable request."

"I will arrange three. We can lock the door, enter your space, and refuse to answer any communication devices."

"What will we do for three days?"

His hand moved slowly along her waist as he replied, "I have several ideas, but explaining them now might distract you."

Leng Pan raised an eyebrow. "You are the one who brought them up."

"You asked."

"I asked an innocent question."

"There was nothing innocent about the way you looked at me."

Before Leng Pan could respond, the gate anchor released another warning.

[Connection stability: seventy-six percent.]

[Arrival at Primary Passage: nine minutes.]

She sighed. "The aliens are interrupting us again."

Lu Zhen kissed her temple before releasing her. "Then we should finish quickly. I intend to continue this conversation in private."

They returned their attention to the map.

Little Vine extended a tendril toward one of the command signals. When it touched the red line, several alien symbols appeared.

The translator processed them slowly.

[Undead Unit Two.]

[Command carrier active.]

[Mobile coordinate available.]

Leng Pan smiled. "You were right. The command subject can act as a beacon."

Lu Zhen selected the mobile coordinate.

The image inside the gate flickered, but the alien platform remained visible.

A second map appeared beside it.

[Select connection direction.]

Two arrows were displayed. The first pointed from Earth to the alien world, while the second pointed in the opposite direction.

Leng Pan selected the first option. "We want the zombies to enter their world, not invite the soldiers here."

The gate anchor requested confirmation.

Before she could touch it, the vessel tilted sharply.

The blue energy core trembled, and part of the image inside the gate disappeared.

Vanish’s voice came through the communicator. "The automatic repair system reached the engine lines. We damaged them again, but the vessel is losing stability."

The alien prisoner spoke in the background. "You should stop destroying every control panel you see. If the vessel falls, we will all die."

Sonny replied, "You told us to cut the silver lines."

"I said the thin silver lines."

"They all look thin to me."

Lu Zhen touched his communicator. "Can the vessel remain airborne for another ten minutes?"

The prisoner answered after a short pause. "Perhaps, but you need to restore control before it reaches the Primary Passage. The Passage could pull in a damaged vessel and tear it apart."

"We are working on the gate anchor. Keep the engines functioning until we contact you again."

Sonny’s voice became clearer. "If we survive, I would like a mission where the enemy uses normal doors and vehicles."

Leng Pan smiled faintly. "We will consider your request."

"Please do more than consider it."

The communication ended.

Leng Pan confirmed the gate’s direction.

The alien platform disappeared. A barren road outside Qinghe Base appeared in its place.

Thousands of zombies moved across the road, but the view was above the horde rather than in front of it.

Lu Zhen adjusted the position. "The command subject is moving among them. We need the opening at ground level."

The gate anchor responded to his touch and lowered the viewpoint.

A thin black line appeared across the road several hundred metres ahead of the zombies.

It slowly expanded into an upright circle.

The aliens waiting inside the energy chamber began reacting. Soldiers outside the transparent wall struck the barrier while technicians attempted to override the controls.

[Unauthorized command detected.]

[Primary authority contesting control.]

The black crystal beneath Leng Pan and Lu Zhen’s hands became hot.

A third symbol appeared on the panel.

[Release emergency operators.]

If the vessel’s main control system removed their authority, the gate would return to its original destination.

Leng Pan strengthened her grip around the crystal. "Something is trying to force us out."

Lu Zhen placed his hand over hers. "Can your space protect us from the control signal?"

"I could pull the crystal inside, but we do not know what would happen to the gate."

"Then connect the crystal to your space without storing it."

Leng Pan understood what he meant.

She created a small opening beneath their hands, allowing the crystal to touch the edge of her space without entering it completely.

The spiritual spring reacted.

Clear energy flowed through the connection and surrounded the black crystal. The warning symbols disappeared one after another.

[Emergency operators confirmed.]

[Primary authority suspended.]

Outside the chamber, the alien technicians became more frantic.

Leng Pan looked through the transparent wall and asked, "Should we wave?"

"That might be childish."

"You burned their commander through the forehead."

"He threatened my wife."

"So you may be childish when you are angry, but I cannot enjoy their expressions?"

Lu Zhen’s lips curved. "You may wave."

Leng Pan lifted one hand and gave the aliens a cheerful wave.