Chapter 11: Undercurrent Surges - The Prelude to the Taotie Invasion
Although the Taotie race is not large in number, they have a clear division of labor, and each individual can take on multiple roles.
Biological Taotie are responsible for command and strategic deployment.
Mech Taotie handle frontal engagements and assassination missions.
The Taotie King, Victor Steele, oversees the entire operation.
At the time, the Taotie vanguard, sent to test Earth's military capabilities, consisted of ordinary Taotie soldiers clad in exoskeleton armor.
The Taotie War Council
In the heart of the Taotie mothership, a central conference room pulsed with both technological brilliance and dark energy. A massive, circular table dominated the chamber, surrounded by high-ranking Taotie officers. Among them were Victor Steele, Marcus Stroud, Derek Raines, and Ethan Cole, all gathered to discuss their next move.
"Lord Steele," Marcus began, his voice grave. "Of the vanguard unit we deployed, only one soldier successfully returned. Despite Earth being a pre-interstellar civilization, its military strength is greater than anticipated. More concerning, our scout reports the presence of extraterrestrial warriors among the humans."
Victor Steele smirked, unimpressed. "As expected. Even if Earth isn't fully interstellar yet, they are advancing rapidly. It's not surprising they have weapons beyond nuclear technology."
Derek Raines leaned forward. "But the presence of alien warriors complicates things. Who could they be?"
Steele waved a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter. No one can stop us from offering Earth to our master, Lord Khyber."
Before the invasion, Lord Khyber, the entity Steele worshipped, had summoned him and bestowed upon him the powerful Void Core—also known as the Void Engine.
This engine, originally designed for celestial beings, was now repurposed to annihilate lesser species. It gave Steele an edge against alien forces, ensuring his confidence in victory.
The Crocodile God's Resurrection
"Lord Steele, there's another issue," Ethan Cole interjected. "We have yet to establish contact with the Demon Queen Morgana. Additionally, reviving the Crocodile God, Soton, is proving... problematic."
The name Soton sent murmurs through the room.
According to Taotie archives, Soton was an ancient beast-warrior engineered by Lord Khyber a thousand years ago using forbidden science. He was classified as a third-generation super-warrior, with power rivaling even fourth-generation combatants.
However, Soton's body had been destroyed by a Celestial warrior known as Angel Blaze, who unleashed the Heavenly Blade Judgment upon him. Though his physical form was obliterated, his dark essence remained.
To preserve this essence, Khyber had enlisted his most loyal agent, known only as Spectre, to negotiate with the Celestials. In the end, Soton's resurrection was delayed to maintain a fragile truce.
"Soton would be a powerful asset if we could control him," Marcus observed. "But he's unstable. A double-edged sword."
Steele remained unfazed. "We revive him now, while he's still weak. Khyber has the means to control him."
All the Taotie officers nodded in agreement. They were Khyber's blades, and their path to conquest was clear.
Trouble Brewing on Earth
Meanwhile, on Earth, days had passed since the alien threat had been confirmed. The newly assembled forces of the Plumber Special Forces had no idea what awaited them.
Onboard the battleship Excalibur, stationed in the southern sea, Earth's top strategists gathered. Images from the De Noto satellite displayed a chilling sight—Taotie warships amassing near Pluto.
"We have a problem," General Duke Maxwell stated grimly. "The Taotie army has breached Pluto's orbit through a wormhole."
Lieutenant Rachel Carter, head of intelligence, nodded. "We've also lost track of Tony Steele—his allegiance remains unknown. The Demon Queen Morgana is missing as well. Meanwhile, alien forces, possibly Celestials, have been detected in Earth's vicinity."
Duke sighed, rubbing his temples. "Demons, angels, and the Taotie—three opposing forces eyeing Earth like vultures. We're stuck in the middle."
The tension in the room was palpable. Duke was a seasoned strategist, but the sheer scale of the conflict made him uneasy.
"What's the status of our special forces?" he asked.
Rachel scanned her report. "Since unlocking their enhanced abilities, they've progressed quickly. But... they still haven't achieved proper battlefield coordination."
Duke exhaled. "Then we don't have time to wait. Ready the Plumbers. If Earth is to survive, we need them battle-ready now."
As the storm of war loomed closer, one thing became clear—Earth was about to face its greatest battle yet.