The President of Ash and the Return to the Golden Cage
The victory on Kepler-186f was not just a battle won; it was a declaration. Li Wei, now a Level 3 Commander, had forged a Super-Earth army and driven the Kree from his sector. Bases were expanding, resources flowed, and hope flourished on Earth-199999. It was time for the next step.
"Commander, the consolidation of this sector requires a figure of public authority to inspire the population and legitimize Super-Earth's presence," Aegis reported, its voice as practical as ever. "Your actions have piqued the interest of survivors across multiple worlds. It is time to establish a visible government structure."
Li Wei nodded. He had thought about this. He couldn't lead an empire from the shadows of the Fortress alone. He needed a face, a symbol. And that symbol, for now, would be him.
"Aegis, with our accumulated War Credits and the advancement of our capabilities, can we summon a President of Super-Earth?" Li Wei asked, the idea forming in his mind.
"Affirmative. Commander Level 3 allows the invocation of 'Civilian Leadership Assets'. This includes a President of Super-Earth, a Prime Minister, and other key administrative positions. Cost: 5,000 War Credits for the Presidential function."
Li Wei activated the invocation. He had 8,500 War Credits. The 5,000 for the President meant a significant investment, but it was worth it. "Request confirmed. A Super-Earth President prototype has materialized aboard the Fortress. Remaining: 3,500 War Credits."
A moment later, a figure emerged from a materialization chamber. He was a middle-aged man, of noble bearing and a resolute gaze, wearing the pristine uniform of Super-Earth. He seemed... genuine. Even Li Wei, accustomed to false facades, felt a pang of hope.
"Commander Li Wei," said the newly invoked President, his voice resonating with authority and charisma. "I am President John Smith of Super-Earth. I have been informed of your admirable work in this sector. It is an honor to serve under your command in building this new bastion of democracy."
Li Wei nodded. He was a construct of Aegis, a puppet perhaps, but a puppet with a purpose. And a speech.
The President's Speech: A New Dawn
The transmission was sent to all settlements on Earth-199999 and to the bases on Mars and Kepler-186f. The signal was amplified by the Research Laboratories, reaching the farthest corners of the sector. Survivors, soldiers, even the Kree and Skrulls monitoring communications, would see it.
President Smith appeared on the monitors, his image spotless and his voice firm. Behind him, Li Wei remained in the shadows, a somber but protective figure.
"Citizens of Earth-199999, and of all free worlds in this sector," President Smith began, his voice resonating with unwavering confidence. "You have lived in darkness. You have known despair. You have witnessed tyranny and annihilation. But I tell you today, that era is over!"
The image changed, showing videos of Helldivers fighting the Desolated, Super-Earth soldiers defending barricades, 'Liberator' tanks tearing down Kree defenses. Then, the image of the Fortress of Justice in orbit, a beacon of technology and power.
"We have faced the tyrants, and we have driven them out. We have fought chaos, and we have brought order. We are not an empty promise; we are living proof that freedom and democracy will prevail."
The speech continued, praising the spirit of the survivors and the bravery of the Helldivers and Super-Earth soldiers. He promised reconstruction, security, a future. He spoke of the Great Crusade of Democracy, and how Super-Earth rose as a new legacy.
"We have named our great leader, Commander Li Wei," President Smith gestured toward Li Wei, who for a moment found himself under the spotlights. His figure was imposing, his face hardened by war. He said not a word, only nodded with a serious gaze, projecting the image of a strong, silent leader.
"He is the architect of this new era. Under his command, Super-Earth will grow. We will fight for freedom wherever tyranny dares to raise its head! For DEMOCRACY!"
Cheers erupted in the settlements. The images showed people celebrating, a renewed hope lighting their faces. Li Wei observed the reaction, a strange mix of pride and a hint of discomfort. He was not a politician. But if this "president" could inspire people, he would use him.
The Return Home: The Ghost in the Golden Cage
With President Smith established and the sector stabilized under the Super-Earth banner, Aegis gave Li Wei a window of opportunity.
"Commander, dimensional parameters have temporarily aligned with your point of origin. The probability of a stealth interdimensional jump to your home universe is 98%. Window period: 4.7 hours."
Li Wei felt a chill. His home universe. The golden cage. Lin Jian. The family that had discarded him. It was time to go back. Not for forgiveness, but for another reason. A reason he couldn't yet define, but one that drove him with a magnetic force.
"Aegis, prepare the jump. Just me. In stealth mode. And notify me if Lin Jian is near the mansion."
"Confirmed. Deactivating all Fortress beacons. Proceeding with personal jump."
The dimensional tear was instantaneous. One moment, Li Wei was on the command bridge of his stellar fortress; the next, he materialized on a dark street, a few blocks from the opulent Lin mansion. The air smelled of the metropolis's wealth, of the ostentation he had hated.
He moved like a shadow, his Helldiver armor camouflaged. The Lin mansion guards were mere obstacles. He leaped walls, slipped through corridors, his knowledge of the mansion's nooks and crannies, forged in years of seclusion, now his ally.
"Commander, Lin Jian is in the main study with his parents. They appear to be arguing. Their stress signatures are elevated," Aegis whispered in his inner ear.
Li Wei stealthily approached the study door. Voices, raised and tense, penetrated the polished wood.
"I don't know how this is happening, Father!" it was Lin Jian's voice, tinged with a rage Li Wei had rarely heard. "Investments are failing, contacts are vanishing! It's as if someone is dismantling my operations from the shadows!"
"Don't shout at me, Jian!" his father's voice was weaker, tinged with despair. "This family is falling apart! And your brother! Li Wei! Still missing! Things started to go wrong when he left..."
"It has nothing to do with that good-for-nothing!" Lin Jian roared. "He's nothing but a nuisance! A nobody!"
Li Wei felt a pang, but it wasn't the old one. It was a pang of cold satisfaction. Lin Jian was feeling the pressure. His foundations were cracking. And Li Wei was the hammer breaking them.
Without a sound, Li Wei opened the study door a few millimeters. He saw his parents, emaciated, sitting in their leather armchairs, the mansion's brilliance unable to hide their desperation. And he saw Lin Jian, his face contorted by anger and fear, the perfect mask falling to pieces.
The contempt. The usage. The abandonment. Everything Lin Jian represented. Li Wei observed him, not with pain, but with a cold resolution. He had returned to the cage, but he was no longer a prisoner. He was the guardian. The enforcer.
He stood there, an invisible shadow on the threshold of the life that had once tortured him, contemplating the slow fall of his tormentor. There was no need for confrontation. His mere existence, now manifested in the power and chaos that Lin Jian felt, was his vengeance.
The golden cage of the Lin mansion had become Lin Jian's tomb. And Li Wei, the phoenix risen from its ashes, was ready for the next battle.