Valentina and Tuan stared in stunned silence at what they had just witnessed. Though it was only a short simulation of events that had happened, were happening, and would soon happen in the near future, it was more than enough to leave them utterly overwhelmed.

  “As you can see,” Arnaldo continued, “Mercury and Venus have already been reduced to dust. All life within the Solar System has been completely eradicated, and the three of us are the last surviving members of human civilization.

  “Fortunately, the scientists at L.A.B made the correct calculations when they chose Jupiter as a safe refuge. Thanks to its enormous size and dense atmosphere, the planet was able to shield and neutralize nearly all of the dangerous effects from the Sun’s explosion. That is precisely what allowed us to escape death’s grasp and survive to this day.

  “It won’t be long now before this star system reaches its final end, and our mission is to leave this place as soon as possible – before it’s too late,” Arnaldo concluded.

  “But… I don’t understand,” Tuan asked. “How did L.A.B know the Sun was going to explode and prepare in advance, Brother Arnaldo?”

  “To fully understand that,” Arnaldo replied, “you’ll need to know the origins of Operation ELE-VII, as well as why L.A.B was secretly constructed on Mars in the first place. I know… the memories associated with that place may be painful for both of you. Facing them now might be too much. If you’re not truly ready yet, we can set this aside and move on to more immediate concerns.”

  Tuan turned to Valentina. Her gaze briefly fell when she heard Arnaldo’s words, but only for a moment. In the next instant, a fierce spark flared within her eyes. The flame of determination inside her surged stronger than ever. Tuan smiled faintly, reached out, and took Valentina’s hand as if to lend her strength before turning back to Arnaldo and answering in a firm voice:

  “We want to know this, cap.”

  Arnaldo looked at his two teammates with pride. Both of them were growing stronger, little by little. He then ordered Freya to compile a summary of all news reports related to the Black Knight incident that occurred in the year 2111.

  Freya immediately accessed the shared database. A flood of articles and recorded footage from that day appeared suspended in the air before the three of them, then vanished all at once as Freya announced that the compilation was complete. The broadcast began, opening with the image of a beautiful female news anchor whose expression was unmistakably tense:

  “We interrupt our regular broadcast to bring you an important announcement from the United Nations. According to the information received, The Ring orbital array detected a strange signal several days ago, originating from the Black Knight satellite – an object believed to have ceased operation long ago in the distant past. The signal has since been decoded by scientists, revealing a brief message consisting of only four words:”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  THE ENEMY IS COMING.

  The bold text displayed during that international news broadcast sent shockwaves across the entire world. Many viewers burst out laughing after watching the report, dismissing it as nothing more than a ridiculous stunt fabricated by the media to attract public attention.

  “What do you mean, the enemy is coming? They’re acting as if Earth is about to be destroyed.”

  However, those mocking smiles quickly vanished when the screen revealed the face of Madam Tr??ng Ng?c Trúc Viên – the Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time. She appeared on television wearing a khaki-colored women’s suit, her eyes clearly marked with exhaustion. It seemed that the past few days had been nothing short of a nightmare for her.

  “Distinguished Presidents, ladies and gentlemen watching this broadcast from behind your screens,

  “We are living in an era of profound turbulence – an era in which every decision, every action, every word spoken can deeply influence the fate of all humankind. Therefore, the very first thing I must state is this: everything I am about to say is the absolute truth.

  “Today, on behalf of the United Nations, I solemnly announce to all of you a matter of survival – an unprecedented challenge in the entire course of human history.

  “Earth is facing a threat from an extraterrestrial civilization.

  “Several days ago, a mysterious message was transmitted to our planet via the Black Knight satellite. The contents of that message have been successfully decoded, and as you can see on your screens, it serves as definitive proof that humanity is not alone in the universe.

  “Immediately after receiving this information, an emergency meeting was convened with the participation of all 204 member states. After extensive discussions and careful evaluation, we have concluded that this threat is real – and that its scale far exceeds any crisis humanity has ever faced.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,

  “From a historical perspective, humanity has endured countless catastrophes that have profoundly impacted our societies. Natural disasters, pandemics, armed conflicts, and most recently, the Third World War – all have left deep scars upon the course of human history. Yet never before have we been forced to confront a danger originating from outer space, a realm where all human understanding becomes uncertain and painfully limited.

  “To respond to this threat, the United Nations High Leadership Council has officially approved the initiation of Operation Extinction-Level Event VII, abbreviated as ELE-VII. This operation represents the next phase of The Ring project, aimed at comprehensively upgrading our space-based defense systems in preparation for hostile forces beyond Earth.

  “ELE-VII is a global-scale operation, demanding enormous resources and inevitably causing major disruptions to everyday life. We understand that this is not an easy decision. But ladies and gentlemen, while humanity can endure hardship, we will never allow another civilization to dominate or enslave us.

  “We must act – and we must act now.

  “I call upon all of humanity: stand together to protect Earth.

  “We must remember that in any war, strength does not come solely from advanced weaponry or material wealth. It also comes from unity and the will to survive that burns within every human being. We have witnessed this strength before, during our war against the super-intelligent machine armies. And once again, let us show humanity’s enemies that we are not easy prey. Humanity will never surrender, and we will stand firm to defend this planet at all costs.

  “Rise together. Fight together. For a future where peace is no longer just a dream, but a radiant reality – where humanity lives in freedom and independence.

  Thank you for watching and listening.”