The darkness is coming

Starlight twinkles, night breeze rustles, five pitch-black starry warships lie still like ancient behemoths beside the city of Ares. Augustus Kesar reclines on the command platform of the land cruiser warship, his right hand supporting his chin, left hand holding a glass of wine, gazing into the light curtain of Ares City. As he finishes his drink, a hint of amusement appears at the corner of Augustus Kesar's mouth, and he casually says, "Go." In an instant, the five starry warships light up like torches, dimming the stars in the sky.

Augustus Kesar, around thirty years old, has a slender figure, fair complexion, high and straight nose bridge beneath his narrow eyes, and thin lips with a touch of redness. His dark eyes seem to contain icy coldness, giving off an impression of coldness, ruthlessness, and unfathomable depth.

The five starry warships hover in the air, seemingly slow but actually fast, flying towards Ares. On the flagship, Augustus Kesar slightly leans back, and the female attendant behind him silently places a cushion on the backrest of the command platform. Augustus Kesar changes from a reclining position to a lying position, and his thoughts begin to churn in his mind.

Over five hundred years ago, the Lord of the Seventh City-State of Mars, Benjamin, launched a blitzkrieg, conquering dozens of Martian city-states within two years and becoming the most powerful ruler in Mars. After becoming the Martian overlord, Benjamin did not choose to bide his time and hide his strength, but instead allied with the lunar military forces to launch an attack on the United Nations of Earth. The United Nations of Earth, in a militarily disadvantaged position in the early stages of the war, managed to withstand the offensive of the Martian-Lunar Alliance by utilizing the resources of Ganymede and other colonies around the solar system, turning the war into a protracted conflict.

After thirty years of protracted warfare, the living conditions in the solar system's planets deteriorated to an unbearable extent, and rebellions flourished everywhere. Eventually, through the joint efforts of various forces, a peace agreement was reached among all the solar system's powers, and the Human Star Alliance was established. The Human Star Alliance committed to unite all human beings in the solar system for common development and the creation of a future for humanity.

In this war, the emergence of Elemental Mecha became a standout. The origins of Elemental Mecha are extremely mysterious, existing in high-dimensional space, seemingly omnipresent and endless. Humans can summon Elemental Mecha through rituals and sacrifices, or sometimes without any rituals or sacrifices, only requiring "destiny."

Due to the existence of these Elemental Mecha, the thirty-year war shifted from the initial form of battleships and cannons to a focus on mecha warfare. Humans also developed more artificial replica mecha for military and civilian use, making mecha technology the mainstream of the Star Alliance.

After more than five hundred years of development, the overall quantity of Elemental Mecha remains a mystery. Elemental Mecha is not only used for military purposes but also many Elemental Mecha pilots have become internet celebrities, and some have even become top live-streaming salespeople.

Augustus Kesar gazed at the Ares City, located near the Baiye Circumference Mountains on the lunar surface. The Baiye Circumference is the largest crater on the Moon and is situated near the South Pole. The Star Alliance has existed for over five hundred years, and its member states have varying levels of economic development, making the organization bloated and full of contradictions. As the Kesar family, which has always held the strongest military power on the Moon, we must ensure our own security while also considering the future. Just as the Seventh City of Mars became the Martian overlord with the power of a single city five hundred years ago, the Kesar family may also have the potential to become such a dominant force.

William, a trusted subordinate standing behind Augustus Kesar, respectfully said, "We will arrive at Ares City in thirty minutes. According to the intelligence, the physical form of the Elemental Mech, 'The Nine mech Scriptures,' has appeared at the Os University in Ares City. If General Kesar can obtain 'The Nine mech Scriptures,' his influence within the family will be greatly enhanced."

The true form of the Elemental Mech exists in a high-dimensional space and can project itself onto three-dimensional objects through certain means. These projected objects are called "physical forms." Physical forms serve as the coordinates for the Elemental Mech in the three-dimensional world and can be any material object in the three-dimensional world.

The legend of "The Nine mech Scriptures" has been passed down for a long time and often appears in online metaphysical enthusiasts' discussions and web novels. The influential families within the Star Alliance are all aware of the existence of "The Nine mech Scriptures," which appeared even before the rise of the Seventh City of Mars. However, no family has ever used "The Nine mech Scriptures" to summon an Elemental Mech. After several power shifts, "The Nine mech Scriptures" have been lost to the annals of history.

Augustus Kesar squinted his eyes and lazily said, "The legend of 'The Nine mech Scriptures' is just a story. If it were truly useful, the families that possessed it would not have disappeared from the Star Alliance. Since the old man wants this book, we, as his children, should fulfill our filial duty and obtain it for him."

William smiled and replied, "General, you are absolutely right. The Twelve Beasts of the People's Alliance and certain individuals from the Os University are planning to privately trade 'The Nine mech Scriptures.' We have obtained this intelligence in advance, and with our careful planning, I believe we will succeed."

Augustus Kesar chuckled, "To facilitate our operation, the family has paid a hefty price to impose military control over the Os University. Don't disappoint the family."

William understood Augustus Kesar's meaning that if there is success, it is credited to Augustus Kesar, but if there is failure, it is William's responsibility. William felt some resentment in his heart but still respectfully replied, "Yes, General."

At the same time, inside Ares City, Christopher Clark anxiously looked at the five towering starships in the sky. Christopher Clark was the deputy chief of the Twelve Beasts Division of the People's Union Organization. He infiltrated Ares City this time to meet a mysterious person who called himself "the Professor." Besides Christopher Clark, all the armed forces deployed in Star Snow City and Edgar City by the Twelve Beasts were also present. Originally, Christopher Clark thought that they only needed to deal with the city defense forces of Ares City, but he didn't expect the formidable Kesar family from the Moon to be involved.

Five days ago, a mysterious hacker calling himself "the Professor" made contact with the Twelve Beasts and sent a video of the "The Nine mech Scriptures." After a special ceremony, the Twelve Beasts determined that this "The Nine mech Scriptures" was genuine.

The "The Nine mech Scriptures" made the high-ranking members of the Twelve Beasts extremely eager, willing to pay a high price to trade for it from the "Professor." The trade was set to take place at the Os University in Ares City.

Christopher Clark cursed inwardly as he looked at the five Kesar family starships. The Twelve Beasts had been in conflict with the Kesar family for a long time, and this time the Kesar family starships were heading towards Os University. It must mean that the trade between the Twelve Beasts and the "Professor" had been leaked. Now, all the strength of the Twelve Beasts in the three cities of the Moon's South Pole was concentrated in Ares City. If they didn't handle it well, they could all be wiped out here.

Meanwhile, in the Ares City Hall, Mayor Andrew Green and other city officials were also discussing the capture of members of the radical group Twelve Beasts in the name of the Kesar family, and the month-long blockade of Os University.

As the officials discussed the impact of military control in the meeting room, a tense atmosphere filled the room. Some officials wore worried expressions, concerned that such actions would provoke public dissatisfaction and resistance, or even be part of a conspiracy by the Kesar family. In this tense atmosphere, everyone in the meeting room appeared extremely cautious. They exchanged glances from time to time, trying to find clues in each other's expressions. Some people silently looked at the documents on the table, seemingly contemplating something. Others took out pens and paper, starting to record every detail.

The whole conference room was filled with a tense atmosphere. A slightly chubby municipal official sitting on the left side of Andrew Green nervously said, "Augustus Kesar is the representative of the radical faction of the Kesar family. This time he came to Ares City with five starry warships. With the defense military strength of Ares City, we won't be able to stop him if he wants to do something."

A young official sitting opposite to the municipal official chimed in, "Yes, General Left belongs to the Third Legion Expeditionary Force and holds the rank of Major General. The Second and Third Legions are almost private armies of the Kesar family."

Just as the municipal officials at the table were filled with fear about Augustus Kesar's arrival, Andrew Green glanced at the expressions of the people and crossed his hands on the edge of the table, saying, "General Left's operation in Ares City this time has been approved by the President and authorized by the Congress. It aims to implement a 30-day military control at the Os University to eliminate terrorists. Please cooperate with General Left's military actions during these 30 days and avoid any dangerous actions that may cause misunderstandings."

Andrew Green paused for a moment and looked towards the middle-aged female official sitting on his right, saying, "General Left's actions have been authorized by the President and Congress. The propaganda department should carry out corresponding publicity work to ensure that the Ares City residents understand that General Left's actions will not affect the city's security."

The middle-aged female official adjusted her glasses and understood the message, saying, "Understood, Mayor Green."

Andrew Green scanned the municipal officials at the table with his eyes, remained expressionless, and then left the conference room.

On July 17th, in the year 537 of the New Universe Calendar, the headlines of major media newspapers in Ares City were all about the military control imposed by the Third Legion Expeditionary Force on the Os University.

Every day, the headlines read "A Day of Fear for Students under Martial Law."

The Big Wave News published "Disaster in Education: University Autonomy Trampled."

The One News reported "Military Blocks City University, Hotel Owner Reveals Military's Involvement with Female Students..."

The Fat Tiger News declared "The Dark Age is Coming: All Academic Activities at Os University Suspended."