After rescuing the hostages and returning to Zi City, De Silva was overjoyed when Melanie kept her promise and asked him to dinner. He dressed himself up meticulously, even putting on men's cologne. They met in Tako Town, where Melanie covered her mouth to stifle a laugh the moment she saw him. "What happened to your hair? It looks so strange."
De Silva touched his head and realized he had put his wig on backward. He hastily corrected it. Melanie was surprised but said nothing, only thinking to herself, Could he be bald? They sat down opposite each other in a café, the atmosphere slightly awkward. Fortunately, a waitress approached. "What can I get for you two? We have excellent coffee."
De Silva ordered two cups, then scratched his head, grasping for something to say. "The weather's nice today. It's sure to be a sunny day."
The words sounded wrong as soon as they left his mouth, and he quickly changed the subject. "Have you eaten?"
Melanie burst out laughing. A moment later, her expression turned serious. "De Silva, how old are you, really? Have you had a girlfriend before? Why haven't you aged at all?"
"I had one before. She left me."
"And the second question?"
"I don't age because of my family's genetics. Alena has always stayed young, too."
"Is that so?" Melanie didn't believe such nonsense, her tone laced with dissatisfaction. The meeting did not go well, and they left after just one cup of coffee. When De Silva tried to ask her out a second time, he was rejected. His spirits sank, and he lost his appetite for days. However, the events that followed soon made him forget his heartbreak. Within a week, the Nine Stars United had occupied three of the City-State's main cities—Chen, Wei, and Shen—along with dozens of secondary cities. At the Grand Elder Council meeting in Zi City, everyone was filled with righteous indignation, all advocating for an immediate counterattack. De Silva sat silently, stealing glances at Melanie across the table. Josh spoke first. "We must retake the occupied city-states as quickly as possible. I propose we appoint Simon as the supreme commander."
"But he is no longer a member of the Grand Elder Council. Is that appropriate?" Jonathan asked.
Melanie interjected, "In extraordinary times, we shouldn't be so bound by rules. I support Josh's proposal."
"Then let's put it to a vote," Josh said. The proposal passed with ten votes in favor and two against. One of the dissenting votes was De Silva's, earning him a sharp glare from Melanie. After his retirement, Simon had become an ordinary City-State knight and had been utterly bored. Appointed in this time of crisis, he was thrilled and immediately began preparations. He reassembled the members of the original resistance army and the "Courage Alliance," all of whom had rich combat experience. Alena also joined, and De Silva, worried for her safety, dispatched two Guardians to protect her. Their first objective was to retake the nearest city, Chen City, which was only seven hundred kilometers from Zi City. The Nine Stars United, having received intelligence, was already prepared. The City-State's forces were ambushed before they even reached Chen City. The battle was exceptionally fierce, with casualties on both sides, but the City-State's losses were greater. Simon had no choice but to lead his troops back to Zi City in retreat.
With the campaign off to a bad start, some on the Grand Elder Council began to complain, questioning if they had chosen the wrong person. This time, De Silva stepped forward again. Some supported him, while others were opposed. To some surprise, Melanie was among those who supported him. The vote was seven to five, and De Silva became the new commander. Alena wanted to join the fight again, confident her brother would win with his stealth robots. De Silva first sent two robots out for reconnaissance. The next day, he had Alena lead a force of over a thousand people while he, along with thirty stealth units, secretly went ahead to clear the way. When they reached the same spot where they had been ambushed before, he was extra cautious, though a moment later he felt it was unnecessary—they were invisible, how could anyone possibly see them? Just as he was feeling pleased with himself, there was a whizzing sound, and two large nets suddenly appeared, ensnaring two of the stealth units and instantly immobilizing them. De Silva, hidden nearby, stared in disbelief. Is there someone in this world who can see invisible units? he wondered.
Fearing he would also be exposed, he hastily retreated with the remaining robots. De Silva pulled Alena to a secluded spot to discuss their strategy. "Should we head back for now? It's too dangerous to advance," Alena said.
De Silva really didn't want to return in disgrace like Simon; it would be too humiliating. But he couldn't think of a better solution and was caught in a dilemma. The two captured stealth units were bound tightly and sent to the Nine Stars United headquarters that same day. Ethan's entire family was present. He was wearing a pair of glasses. "It seems these stealth units are all robots," he said. "We need to find a way to make them work for us."
"Brother, let me see," Nandi said, snatching the glasses from Ethan.
Ethan turned to Paitun. "It's a shame we only have one pair. Ask the technical department if they can replicate them."
"That's probably impossible. This is future technology."
"Why not ask Miss Vega? Perhaps she has a way," Nandi suggested.
The glasses had been provided by Vega. In the future, they were called "Quick-Reveal" and were commonly available. She had been found by the Nine Stars United and hired at a high price, her information having been leaked to Ethan by Catherine. Vega had come willingly; now living here, she had her own agenda: to find her daughter with the help of the Nine Stars United. When she heard their questions, she said, "These were invented by my father, Ronnie. It's impossible to replicate them in this era."
"Have you seen these robots before?" Nandi asked, putting the glasses on her. "These were likely also produced by my father." Paitun, who had been silent, asked, "Is it possible to reprogram them to be our robots?"
Vega hesitated, weighing whether to reveal what she knew. Noticing her expression, Ethan asked, "Do you have some concerns?"
"You know I'm from the future. I'm afraid that if I get too involved in this era, I might alter history." When Ethan learned that in the future the Nine Stars United was constantly suppressed by the City-State, he was deeply resentful, and for the first time, the thought of eradicating the City-State emerged. He said coldly, "If you are of no use, then you have no value." Nandi tugged at his sleeve. "Brother, don't talk to Miss Vega like that. It's very rude."
"I'm sorry," Ethan apologized, then added, "Still, I hope you will cooperate with us." Cornered, Vega thought for a moment, then gritted her teeth and told them everything she knew. After hearing it all, Ethan's resolve to eliminate the City-State only hardened. Vega, who had been hiding from Daechir, had now found a powerful backer in the Nine Stars United. Ethan was very satisfied with her cooperation and brought her directly into the center of power, forming a new Group of Seven.