Luna used forceful measures to suppress dissent.
Publicly, no one opposed her, but resentment simmered beneath the surface, especially after Luna sent 119 people to the suicide squad.
This suicide squad was truly suicidal.
The suicide squad was composed of clones and simulated organisms; few were actual citizens of the star nation.
Those selected had miniature robots implanted in their bodies, controlling their consciousness and preventing rebellion or surrender.
Entering the suicide squad meant certain death.
Luna's ruthlessness surpassed the expectations of all 276 corps soldiers. The remaining two months were agonizing.
Daily training was intense, lasting 23 hours, with the remaining hour divided into three short rest periods, including meal times.
Fortunately, meals in this era were readily available in restaurants.
Most people subsisted on small biscuits or drinks.
These came from various food companies.
The Matriarchy star nation used 44 Womililitt Corporation's Type 3 supplementary nutrient pupae. These pupae were small but weighed approximately 80 grams each, 100% digestible, providing enough energy for a 200kg individual for a day.
Above Type 3 supplementary nutrient pupae is not Type 2, but Type a1 supplementary wafers, providing enough sustenance for a 200kg individual for five days.
These food companies also produce various food types; the differences are minimal. Type 2 supplementary nutrient pupae contain slightly more gene-stabilizing substances than Type 3.
Type 3 supplementary nutrient pupae and Type a1 supplementary wafers are inexpensive, ready-to-eat foods commonly used in the military.
Even with reduced meal times, the single hour of rest was insufficient.
For ordinary individuals, the training intensity isn't extreme; normal citizens in human civilization can rest for only an hour daily, or even go days without rest.
However, after strenuous exercise, the body requires substantial recovery time.
These two months pushed these individuals to their limits; they'd never undergone such intensive training.
Daily training included rigorous team exercises: running 100 kilometers in one hour under 50g of gravity; that was one of the easier exercises.
Nearly 6000 soldiers stood on a single rope, each carrying a 500kg boulder, constantly transferring them back and forth for ten rounds, without dropping them, or the exercise would be repeated. This was their personal hell.
In their eyes, Luna had become inhuman.
Fortunately, this torment lasted only two months.
Otherwise, they might have doubted their ability to survive the battlefield.
After two months, the 276th Corps received new reserves, restoring its full complement of 6021 personnel.
Luna carefully surveyed her troops. "War is imminent. These past two months of training are the moment of truth."
"I expect no one to falter. Any disobedience on the battlefield will be met with immediate and severe punishment."
"I'm stating this upfront. Now, for the next arrangements."
"The warships will arrive at the battlefield in 25 years. During this period, I will train you in fighter combat."
When Luna said this, the soldiers' faces fell.
They thought the nightmare was over; it was only an interlude.
25 years!
A full 25 years.
This was truly a death sentence.
But no one objected. The embarkation notice for the warships had been issued, meaning they were fully entering a state of war.
Luna could kill a Sergeant on a whim during rest periods; now, even more so.
Any opposition now would be incredibly dangerous.
Even those deeply resentful of Luna wouldn't dare to rebel at this point; they would wait until they reached the battlefield.
Luna observed everyone's expressions, continuing, "During the training period, we are seven Sergeants short."
"With the upcoming deployment, those positions need to be filled."
"Based on the past two months' performance, I've reached a conclusion."
All the soldiers tensed up, hoping for promotion.
Luna began to call out names: "Demi Aigues, you are appointed Sergeant of the 4th Company…"
"Simali Cadinmo Edini, you are appointed Sergeant of the 11th Company…"
Hearing his name,
Simali couldn't believe it.
He'd expected Luna to promote her loyalists, but after hearing several names, he realized Luna had no such intention.
These individuals had merely shown exceptional performance. They'd secretly exchanged views and expressed dissatisfaction with Luna.
Yet, Luna still chose them; it was incomprehensible.
Wasn't she afraid her subordinates wouldn't obey her?
The seven newly appointed Sergeants emerged; no one objected; they welcomed it because these individuals were not Luna's loyalists.
However, some who had secretly supported Luna during the past two months were furious. They had done so much and gained nothing; their excitement turned to resentment.
Luna ignored their inner turmoil, completing the appointments and ordering embarkation.
Their warship, the Orca, was a 21,700-meter-long vessel; this size was considered small.
Although the distinction between warships (10,000 meters or longer) and spaceships (under 10,000 meters) remained, warships were becoming increasingly larger, while spaceships were becoming smaller.
The warship's design prioritizes carrying more fighters and energy sources. The energy source itself is the firepower core; sacrificing some speed for firepower is acceptable.
Spaceships, conversely, prioritize speed. Even explorers prioritize speed over firepower.
Speed allows for faster travel; a 10% increase in speed equates to hundreds of years saved.
Regarding weaponry, they weren't facing super-spaceships; lower-energy weapons could still penetrate defenses, eliminating the need for excessive armament unless their opponent was a warship—a completely different scenario.
This is a trend within human civilization, though not universal.
Some still believe bigger is better, whether larger ships or larger cannons.
Some explorers have modified their ships to over 10,000 meters, making them practically warships.
However, the Federation strictly controls this; such situations only arise within independent star nations.
Smaller star nations often cannot restrict such actions.
The largest independent explorer fleet in human civilization is the Walker Explorer Corps.
They dare call themselves a corps primarily due to their over 1.3 million registered explorers, over 40 modified ships exceeding 10,000 meters, and—mysteriously—two genuine warships, along with over 11,000 other ships.
Their strength approaches that of a small star nation, making war impractical for a small star nation. The benefits wouldn't outweigh the costs.
This practice isn't unique to independent explorer fleets but is also prevalent among corporate explorer fleets.
The Walker Explorer Corps is the largest among independent fleets, but it's insignificant compared to the truly massive corporate fleets.
Many corporate explorer fleets have over 100 million registered explorers and hundreds, even thousands, of genuine warships.
These warships are prohibited within the Federation, but Federation law is flexible; they can establish branches in other star nations and station these warships there.
The power of super-corporations extends far beyond this; they possess private armies.
The Federation long ago permitted super-corporations to purchase and develop star systems. Within their own systems, they can establish security forces, legally allowing them to possess warships.
However, these warships are not permitted to leave their star systems, and their numbers are limited; each system cannot have more than five.
In short, the Orca, in the current era of human civilization, is only a small warship.
Medium-sized warships are 50,000 meters or longer; large warships are 100,000 meters or longer. True sub-planet-class warships are at least 500,000 meters or longer. Of course, there are behemoths like the Supernova Tech Corporation headquarters, which, despite its size, is merely a gigantic warship, not a true sub-planet-class warship.
After boarding the Orca, Luna first allowed everyone to rest before departure.
It didn't take long.
Three days later, the Orca left port, heading into deep space.
The Orca was named for the two arc-shaped structures on its hull. These are sensors that grant the Orca superior scanning capabilities.
To maximize space utilization, these arc-shaped sensors also house fighter launchers, with fighters docked on both upper and lower surfaces in two rows.
The Orca's fighters, called Red Spirits, are standard fighters produced by the Matriarchy star nation's military. They aren't entirely red; they have a red stripe running from the nose to the tail on both sides.
The fighter design resembles a stylized "mountain" character, elongated and slender, with a large thruster at the rear, accelerating the fighter to 28,290 km/s.
With the launcher, the fighter's speed can exceed 51,000 km/s.
That's the power of the launcher.
The Orca carries a total of 35,874 fighters, clearly insufficient for 900,000 personnel.
Each fighter requires at least two operators: a primary pilot and a secondary operator who collects and processes combat information, relaying it to the pilot for decision-making.
The 35,874 fighters require 71,748 operators. Each warship has 150 corps personnel, meaning each corps effectively controls about 478 fighters.
Luna will cycle these soldiers through fighter training over the next 25 years, selecting the best pilots to deploy in combat.
The warship's departure from the Star City combat zone commenced on the second day.
Other corps found the 276th corps' training amusing.
"They don't think this will actually reduce casualties, do they?"
"Haha, I heard the 276th corps' Lieutenant Colonel is a rookie. Only a rookie would think like this. The intricacies of war can't be grasped; this training is a waste of time."
"The 276th corps is so pathetic…"
Facing the mocking gazes, the soldiers of the 276th corps could only endure.
They felt aggrieved; why had they been assigned such an unreliable Lieutenant Colonel?
Twenty-five years passed in a flash.
The Orca arrived at the target star system.
Luna, through the warship's system, saw the destination.
Although she had seen it before, seeing it now still filled her with awe.
It was a four-star system composed of a blue dwarf, a yellow dwarf, and two red dwarfs.
Stunningly beautiful.
This star system contained only two planets, both with extremely high surface temperatures: Planet E, 297°C; Planet F, 452°C.
These planets formerly belonged to the Matriarchy star nation. But when the Matriarchy joined the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant and the Federation attacked, the Federation seized control of this four-star system, holding it for approximately 5230 years. To this day, the Matriarchy star nation strives to reclaim it.
This area is energy-rich, and the Federation has deployed a super-range weapons defense system here. The Matriarchy star nation's super-range weapons are ineffective, forcing them to deploy troops for close-range combat to reclaim the two planets.
The Federation's garrison here is relatively small, consisting of only one sub-planet-class warship.
But this alone makes progress difficult for the Matriarchy. The Matriarchy only possesses three sub-planet-class warships—extremely valuable assets not readily deployed.
An attack wouldn't involve only the Orca; other combat zones would send reinforcements, bringing the total to 13 warships.
The Matriarchy's neighbor, Boutini star nation, also dispatched 18 warships, bringing the total to 31 warships participating in the battle.
Thirty-one warships, 28 million personnel—a substantial commitment.
Although the Federation's sub-planet-class warship is powerful, it lacks supporting vessels. Ground combat would be the primary focus of this conflict.
This mission wasn't to destroy the sub-planet-class warship but to seize the two planets. These planets house the star system's network defense systems. Seizing control would force the sub-planet-class warship to retreat.
"All soldiers, prepare for combat!"
...
The warships stopped 0.2 light-years from the four-star system.
From here, they could observe the Federation's sub-planet-class warship.
Distance—1 light-year.
Perfectly positioned.
They couldn't approach further; it would trigger a conflict.
Although they had 31 warships, they were no match for a single sub-planet-class warship in a direct confrontation.
Their objective wasn't large-scale warship combat but planetary conquest.
"Everyone, board the transports!"
Luna's shout spurred the 276th corps into action.
The warships carried landing craft that would transport most of the soldiers to the planets for ground combat.
The 276th corps gathered. Luna quickly assigned personnel to the ground combat zones, donning her own combat gear.
"The 276th corps is assigned to Planet E."
"Everyone should be familiar with the conditions on Planet E. Our objective is Sector K028. Everyone must land in this sector."
"After landing, ensure the area is clear of enemy forces. Contact command immediately if you encounter any enemies; do not act independently."
"The Federation occupied our landing zone for a time. Expect ambushes, traps, and lures."
"Our initial objective isn't an attack. We've lost contact with this sector; we need to locate and reactivate it."
Luna spoke at length.
Even after boarding the transport, she continued speaking.
The transport was enormous—1300 meters long, 780 meters high, and 840 meters wide.
It had a layered structure, each layer 52 meters high, totaling 15 layers.
Each layer represented a corps; one transport carried 15 corps. The warship had 10 transports, transferring nearly 830,000 soldiers in a single day.
Departure.
Every soldier was tense.
They sat strapped into their seats on the transport.
The transport was essentially a large box, lacking any advanced technology or stability systems. It only had thrusters and fuel systems to deliver them to their destination.
The transport's speed wasn't high—only 13,829 km/s. This speed made collisions likely.
A warship provided escort after the transports launched.
Less than 40 hours after launch, the transport began to shake, the shaking caused by frequent changes in direction.
These directional changes affected speed; the acceleration force on the transport fluctuated constantly.
Warships and other vessels wouldn't experience this shaking; their hulls could withstand rapid gravitational shifts, and they possessed anti-gravity systems to mitigate the effects.
But this transport had nothing.
Not only was the ship itself affected, but the soldiers inside experienced extreme discomfort.
It was like being in a car stuck in stop-and-go traffic, constantly accelerating and decelerating, greatly increasing the likelihood of motion sickness.
But this was far worse than simple motion sickness. Luna saw many soldiers suffering intensely; their bodies couldn't adapt to the erratic changes.
These were mostly new recruits; their nervousness exacerbated their physical distress.
"Truly rudimentary!"
Luna couldn't do anything but wait.
They might not even have a chance; their transport could be pierced by Federation fire at any moment.
[Attention! Transport 8, starboard side destroyed! Transport 8, starboard side destroyed!]
Amidst the shaking transport, everyone heard this announcement, their hearts leaping into their throats.
Luna shouted, "We're Transport 6; don't panic!"
Someone cursed.
Why were they informed about Transport 8's destruction?
For a moment, everyone, veterans and rookies alike, thought their own transport had been hit.
Luna's heart sank; they were in the same combat zone and wouldn't be far apart after landing, allowing mutual support.
The destruction of one transport meant over ten thousand soldiers wouldn't reach their destination, leaving a gap in their deployment.
This served as a warning.
Luna marked Transport 8's intended landing zone; it was quite close to their own, meaning they'd face increased pressure from that direction after landing.
Waiting.
There was nothing else to do but wait.
This waiting lasted a grueling four years.
It was agonizing for every soldier, especially the first year.
They faced relentless attacks from the Federation's outer defenses, losing 18 transports and sustaining warship damage.
Reinforcements were dispatched; they destroyed most of the star-blocking cannons before breaking through.
Star-blocking cannons were deployed on the outer edge of the star system to intercept warships. These cannons, 80 to 120 meters in diameter, were considered medium-to-small anti-ship cannons—manageable for warships individually, but not when numerous.
Along their route, they encountered as many as 3843 star-blocking cannons; their combined fire destroyed the first escorting warship.
Once inside the star system, the star-blocking cannons ceased firing. Their dense barrage risked friendly fire. Further interception came from anti-aircraft guns on Planets E and F.
Planetary anti-aircraft guns ranged from 500 to 1000 meters in diameter, far more powerful than the star-blocking cannons.
These were long-range anti-aircraft weapons; numerous electromagnetic cannons were also deployed around the planetary orbits.
Electromagnetic cannons typically targeted within 10 AU; they were short-range weapons primarily targeting warships. Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant warships generally avoided entering their range.
The limited range of electromagnetic cannons stemmed from their extremely high energy density, rendering internal laser beam confinement ineffective. Beyond 10 AU, scattering occurred, drastically reducing their power.
At close range, however, even ten-kilometer warships couldn't withstand a direct hit.
Therefore, fighters were deployed.
Agile fighters could evade the electromagnetic cannons' lock-on, providing cover for the transports.
Planet E had relatively few electromagnetic cannons—827; Planet F had more—1098.
The electromagnetic cannons were a significant threat, but the situation wasn't entirely bleak.
They had long held control of 30% of Planet E's territory and 307 electromagnetic cannons.
By evading some attacks, they could successfully land on Planet E.
But war is unpredictable.
During the Matriarchy's 5230-year campaign here, 6% of the attacks failed to even land on the planet, resulting in complete rout.
Therefore, Luna and her forces faced similar dangers.
"It's almost time."
Someone on the transport spoke, seemingly asking a question.
"You guys weren't here before?" a rookie asked a veteran.
The veteran looked at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Here? How could we be? This is a death trap. I've never heard of anyone returning."
"There's a sub-planet-class warship. Our warships can't enter the star system en masse; we can only send one or two, while others watch the Federation's sub-planet-class warship."
"Everyone's seen the data: Planet E's surface is covered in electromagnetic cannons. Getting in is difficult enough; what hope do we have of returning?"
"Everyone here is on their first deployment. The hc23 combat zone encompasses more than just this location. We previously fought on the main battlefield, a direct fighter engagement—called the fighter graveyard."
"They say the number of buried fighters exceeds a trillion. It's filled with debris and frozen corpses."
"Though that was a terrifying battlefield, there was at least a chance of return; that's nothing compared to here."
"Coming here means never leaving."
"Our objective was never to participate in a battle but to protect our territory from total occupation."
"Who knows how long it will last? A thousand years? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? We'll probably be here until this war ends."
He glanced at Luna.
If there were any chance of returning, a rookie wouldn't be their Lieutenant Colonel.
Precisely because this location was so dangerous, they didn't want a rookie Lieutenant Colonel; it would significantly increase their chances of death.
Even if they survived, a few decades wouldn't be too bad.
The previous sergeants, believing they were as good as dead anyway, had initially refused to cooperate, but Luna had executed them.
Hearing this, the rookies felt a surge of suffocating dread.
It was over.
They would die here.
They had known about the mission, but not in detail. They'd launched after only two months of training, largely spent under Luna's direct supervision, leaving little time to learn the specifics.
As time passed, they had forgotten.
Now, they knew everything, a shocking revelation.
Luna was awaiting the arrival of information; she only received it after the warship launched.
She didn't mind; all battlefields were the same to her; the odds of survival and death were 50/50.
Other battlefields might be slightly better, but she wasn't someone who avoided conflict. She relished this war, and she would give her all.
"Detected!"
"Detected!"
"This damned feeling."
Simali stared at Luna, noticing her unusually calm demeanor.
From their first meeting, Simali sensed that Luna wasn't like other soldiers. Before, he'd simply thought she lacked tension, but now, knowing everything, he couldn't comprehend her calmness.
He didn't understand her.
Simali privately considered Luna a monster.
The term suited her perfectly.
[Entering Planet E's atmosphere. All soldiers prepare for landing.]
[First stage separation initiated!]
Finally arrived.
The transport shuddered, followed by a slight upward jolt, as if something heavy had been dropped.
This was a transport's characteristic; it didn't deploy individual parachutes but dropped each layer to the ground separately.
Each layer contained substantial supplies.
Luna's group was on the third layer and was quickly dropped.
The violent descent lasted only a moment. The transport's rear thrusters shifted downwards, slowing the fall. Ten minutes later, they landed.
"Everyone, suit up, grab your gear, and move out."
At Luna's command, over five thousand soldiers rose simultaneously.
Luna pressed a button; the transport's bay doors hissed open, and everyone poured out.
It was a hot, golden world. Luna looked up to see three stars hanging in the sky, with a fourth presumably behind them.
The ground was littered with metal buried in the golden soil, stretching as far as the eye could see.
In the distance, half a wrecked warship jutted from the ground like a mountain.
The land was roughly half golden soil, half wreckage.
Luna checked their coordinates.
"We're not far from the base, only 10 kilometers."
"Be warned, the base has been out of contact for 130 years; it may be occupied by the Federation. Don't underestimate them."
"Carry anything that can be sealed; let's move."
Luna ordered the soldiers to retrieve supplies from the transport; these would provide energy for the base.
Luna only allowed 30 minutes for preparations.
But before 30 minutes passed, a black dot appeared in the sky. Luna identified it as a reconnaissance aircraft.
She shot it down with a single shot.
"That was a Federation scout; we've been detected! Move!"
Everyone was tense, following Luna's lead.
They hadn't gone far when a loud explosion erupted to their left. A powerful electromagnetic blast engulfed the area; over a hundred soldiers were affected, instantly electrocuted within their armor.
"Electromagnetic landmines!"
"What the hell are you doing? Activate the detection systems!"
A sergeant gritted his teeth.
Electromagnetic landmines are easily deactivated, but their activation was a gross error, costing over a hundred lives. Everyone felt heavy-hearted.
Luna ordered a rapid advance, sensing a large number of signal sources approaching.
It was likely Federation robots.
They had to reach the base immediately!
Luna and her forces increased their pace. Ten kilometers wasn't far, but it wasn't close either.
Before they reached the base's entrance, numerous black dots appeared in the distance.
"Mechanized beasts!"
The proximity of ground combat had fueled a period of intense mechanized warfare.
This resulted in the emergence of numerous mechanized warfare companies within the Federation; some had become quadrillion-scale giants.
These companies produced robots, mechanized beasts, drones, unmanned tanks, and more.
They could effectively annihilate ground units.
Most importantly, their production volume was high.
A sergeant shouted.
"We've detected approximately 130,000; this is difficult. Set up defensive positions!"
The mechanized beasts moved quickly; they couldn't advance blindly. Their priority was establishing defensive positions to withstand the attack.
But Luna didn't want to waste time here.
The longer they stayed on the surface, the worse it would get.
This was a graveyard of metal, meaning the Federation could continuously collect scrap to produce more mechanized beasts.
The mechanized beasts communicated via a network; upon detecting targets, they would alert others to converge. Millions, even tens of millions, could arrive.
"Don't stop. Proceed directly to the base entrance."
"It looks like the entrance is sealed. Everyone prepare to breach the entrance."
"Leave these mechanized beasts to me."
At Luna's command, everyone stared at her in surprise.
Her body vanished in an instant, reappearing rushing towards the mechanized beasts.
Her speed created a sonic boom in her wake.
A distance of several kilometers was covered in an instant. Only upon approaching the mechanized beasts, which had appeared ant-sized from afar, did their true immensity become apparent.
These mechanized beasts were designed after felines—not large predators like lions or tigers, but more akin to cheetahs, with streamlined bodies built for speed.
They were approximately 6 meters tall and over 9 meters long, with beam cannons mounted on their shoulders.
These were powerful energy weapons, capable of piercing warship hulls. A single shot against a ground target could penetrate thousands of meters.
However, beam cannons consumed immense energy, so they were typically equipped with physical weapons, such as rotary machine guns at the end of their tails.
2.5cm diameter bullets were fired at 0.15 times the speed of light, their impact devastating. Each bullet was essentially a bomb.
Countless bullets rained down on Luna.
Facing this barrage, Luna activated her armor, covering her body.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The armor successfully deflected the bullets. Its defense wasn't simply blocking; it absorbed the kinetic energy of incoming projectiles and redirected it outwards from her back.
Physical weapons posed no threat to this top-of-the-line Federation armor.
Of course, it wasn't invincible.
If the armor's energy depleted, these bullets could penetrate it.
Luna's armor, provided by Ayla, deflected the high-kinetic-energy bullets, sending them hurtling into the mechanized beasts.
Two high-energy light blades appeared in her hands.
The blades were set to a thousand meters in length.
With a casual sweep, hundreds of mechanized beasts instantly exploded.
Distant soldiers gasped.
"What kind of armor is that?"
"I thought our armor could only handle ten mechanized beasts at most. Is the Lieutenant Colonel's armor bugged?"
"High-energy light blades capable of such power… that armor must cost at least ten million energy credits."
Armor, though often not as powerful as warships, is exceptionally expensive at the high end, often exceeding the cost of comparable vessels.
Combining defense and power in a compact form, especially with abundant energy, required astonishing technology.
Ten million energy credit armor!
They'd hardly ever heard of anyone possessing such a thing.
Extravagant!
"Is our Lieutenant Colonel secretly a rich kid?"
Someone voiced a concern.
"Even with ten-million-credit super-armor, that's still hundreds of thousands of mechanized beasts; the energy won't last."
"The Lieutenant Colonel will probably only hold out for a few minutes."
But before a few minutes passed, darkness suddenly enveloped the area, followed by a blinding light piercing the gloom.
A gigantic humanoid creature appeared.
"It's a gene pool!"
"That gene pool… I remember it as one of the rare [ Supreme Being] gene pools listed in the gene pool catalog. It costs 500 million energy credits, and it's incredibly difficult to produce."
"I heard it wasn't a standard gene pool for the market but a special gene pool created decades ago to satisfy someone's whim."
"And it's been continuously optimized over the past hundred thousand years."
500 million energy credits.
While many families in the Federation and various star nations possessed millions of energy credits, those with over 100 million were a select few. Purchasing a gene pool costing hundreds of millions was extravagant.
Once the Supreme Being gene pool was activated, it would instantly absorb ambient energy, including light energy.
That's why it suddenly went dark.
With a [ Supreme Being] gene pool of this caliber, the 276th corps relaxed.
Those mechanized beasts were no match for a peak-level gene pool.
Luna, transformed by the Supreme Being gene pool, raised her hand, a blinding sun appearing in her palm, which she then slammed into the ground.
"Boom!"
Everything within a 2-kilometer radius was obliterated, leaving a 2-kilometer-wide crater.
"Truly a peak-level gene pool!"
The soldiers marveled.
But they still felt it was wasteful.
A peak-level gene pool was comparable in power to a main cannon on a similarly equipped warship, yet warships cost only one-tenth as much, from a few million to tens of millions of energy credits.
The 2-kilometer crater was equivalent to a mere 100-megaton hydrogen bomb.
"If only I had one…"
Envy was evident.
While Luna dealt with the mechanized beasts, they discovered the base entrance.
"The base still has a signal, meaning the energy systems aren't completely destroyed."
"Let's breach it!"
Several thousand soldiers, clad in armor, began digging directly with their hands.
Their speed exceeded that of any excavator.
Soon, they reached a depth of 600 meters, discovering the damaged base entrance.
Planet E's soil had been disturbed countless times by war. This entrance, once exposed, was buried hundreds of meters deep by the conflict.
They connected to the base network, deactivated all defensive weapons, and then created an opening in the sealed entrance to enter.
Luna returned shortly after.
Her body was fully encased in armor, preventing exposure.
Nudity wasn't an issue in this era, even though the 276th corps had over 30% female soldiers.
But Luna retained some of the modesty of old Earth.
The entrance was massive, 300 meters wide.
It descended vertically. Luna and the others, using their armor's anti-gravity capabilities, flew down. They saw a door.
"Connect to the base network; initiate the verification program."
Luna instructed her auxiliary brain, directly accessing the base and using her highest-level clearance to open the door.
She led everyone inside and quickly sealed the entrance.
This was necessary, as hundreds of thousands of mechanized beasts had gathered outside. Upon seeing the entrance, they relayed the information to the Federation base.
"Target has entered the base. Requesting detonation!"
"Detonation initiated!"
"Error. No detonation detected!"
...
Using her authority, Luna detected the nuclear implosion devices installed within the base.
These bombs could collapse all the atomic nuclei within a material, then repel all electrons.
The immense energy released during the implosion, combined with the energy from the escaping electrons, created a devastating energy surge.
These weapons are typically used in interplanetary warfare.
With sufficient energy, they could even collapse a planet's core into a miniature black hole.
In most cases, they could directly destroy a planet; they were planet-killer weapons.
But after ground combat, their range was reduced.
The affected area was only 1 mm³.
However, the resulting power exceeded 100 billion tons of TNT equivalent.
This was enough to create a massive crater, destroying the entire base.
"Ruthless,"
Luna commented with a playful tone, typical of her.
She often used such tactics against enemies, including deploying black hole weapons in asteroid belts.
This time, however, these hidden weapons were targeting her.
Fortunately, they were Federation weapons; Luna could easily disarm them. If they belonged to another star nation, she couldn't guarantee disabling them before detonation.
The entire underground base, to avoid war damage, was constructed 100,000 meters below the surface.
They passed through a 20-meter-thick reinforced steel door into the interior.
The first level was for parking vehicles and other large equipment. Now, it was empty, only showing numerous dents and scratches on the walls, evidence of past battles.
The entire level was circular, over 500,000 square meters in area and over 100 meters high.
They then entered the second level through a smaller opening. There were no elevators; their anti-gravity equipment rendered them unnecessary.
The second level was clearly a living area, a half-circle.
Through a large glass window on the other side of the semicircle, they could see a multi-level aerial garden where edible plants were once grown.
Now, it was completely derelict. The entire underground base was dark and reeked of decay.
"Release the repair drones!"
Luna gave the order.
A soldier next to a large cubic metal container activated its surface, then issued a command.
The metal instantly transformed into a mist, dissipating into the air.
The repair drones weren't insects but miniature robots, small at the molecular level.
These were similar to the nanobots that repaired ships in the spaceport, but operated in more complex and unpredictable environments.
"Estimate complete. Full base restoration will take 98 hours," said the soldier controlling the repair insects.
They had too few repair insects; the restoration would take a considerable time.
Luna considered, "Prioritize the fuel systems and the main server; the rest can wait."
"Everyone, search for any useful materials and information."
According to her initial data, this base was destroyed almost instantly, without warning.
Therefore, their mission wasn't just restarting the base but investigating what had happened.
Luna's final report speculated that a traitor within the military was responsible.
This was the most serious issue.
If there was one traitor, there might be more. Finding the traitor was crucial, lest it cause unrest among the troops and prevent commanders from making accurate judgments.
They meticulously searched the entire facility, but everything was destroyed; no useful information was found.
Luna toured the base.
While called a base, it was more akin to a small city, capable of housing over 30,000 soldiers.
Level one was the vehicle depot; level two, the living quarters and a small park; level three, the research area; level four, the strategic planning area; and level five housed servers and energy systems.
There was also a sixth level, extending downwards from the base. It appeared to be a network of tunnels connecting to other facilities.
This plan should be shelved.
Luna searched carefully, even retrieving some data from the partially repaired servers. She discovered that most of the server data had been completely erased; even her authority couldn't recover it.
"Perhaps there really was a spy."
Luna wasn't particularly surprised.
After all, the loyalty of soldiers from other star nations wasn't strong; many were conscripted.
Fighting against the powerful Federation was less appealing than siding with them.
What truly controlled these soldiers were the implants within their bodies. These implants ensured instant death upon rebellion.
But these implants weren't unbreakable.
However, during her thorough search, Luna found a trace.
A tiny chip, less than one-tenth the size of a hair, was discarded in a corner; it was difficult to detect.
If Luna hadn't been wearing her advanced armor, she might have missed it.
Luna retrieved the chip's data. Upon seeing it, her expression shifted from questioning to contemplation.
"So, that's it!"
...
Flyer Civilization.
Bill had resigned his position.
While not voluntary, he found it agreeable; the pressure of being the first was immense.
The new commander on the Flyer Civilization side was named Luna.
A human.
Bill didn't know her specific background; he found it unremarkable, having left the Federation tens of thousands of years ago.
The maximum term for any high-ranking official in the Federation was 500 years. Even the highest-ranking Federation Prime Minister served a 500-year term, renewable but never exceeding 1000 years.
Theoretically, the Federation's personnel had changed dozens of times over.
His former colleagues were likely long deceased, reduced to cosmic dust.
In the Federation, death was typically handled not through burial but through disintegration. The body was completely broken down, leaving no possibility of recovery.
The Federation preferred to call this process "Unification."
All things originate from one; thus, all things return to one.
This philosophy was quite legendary and vague. Everyone understood that "Unification" meant complete disappearance, annihilation.
The only trace left of these individuals is a digital footprint on the civilization's cosmic database.
Everyone's pursuit is simply to leave a deeper, more lasting mark on this record.
Bill was no different.
But another factor conflicted with this: fatigue!
People get tired.
So Bill chose to relinquish his position; he couldn't achieve ultimate greatness, and what he had achieved was sufficient.
When Luna arrived, Bill readily relinquished his authority.
However, he wasn't completely uninvolved.
If the newcomer couldn't handle things, he would offer advice or even take over directly.
The people here still listened to him.
...
Bill sat in his home, handling affairs related to the Flyer Civilization.
Managing so much meant accumulating numerous issues. Even if he didn't handle everything personally, he still needed to understand it all.
A message appeared on his terminal.
He accepted the connection.
"Commander, what is it?"
Bill looked at the young face on the screen.
He still didn't know Luna's exact age.
She appeared young but possessed an unusually powerful aura.
That commanding presence made even him feel uneasy.
"You know Brakk Lord. Have him come see me," Luna said.
Bill instantly realized he'd been wrong.
This person clearly didn't understand diplomacy.
"Commander, if you wish to meet Brakk Lord, I can escort you to his residence."
"You must understand, the Flyer Civilization is more powerful than ours."
He reminded Luna not to be so arrogant.
But Luna seemed to ignore him.
"More powerful? They're still under our control. Tell Brakk Lord to come see me."
"Vice-Commander Bill, remember whose side you're on. Don't let personal feelings interfere with your work."
Bill was furious.
Personal feelings?
This was a warning not to disrupt the fragile peace.
But the other party held a higher rank.
He decided to smooth things over with Brakk and convince him to come.
He ended the communication with Luna and contacted Brakk.
"Lord Brakk, our new commander wishes to meet you."
"We hope you'll grace us with your presence at the trade zone."
Bill and Brakk had a decades-long relationship. He probed Brakk: "What does this new commander like?"
Bill considered this, then shook his head.
"I'm not sure, but she's probably not someone who appreciates formalities."
Luna was direct, from the beginning.
Someone had tried to offer gifts to Luna to build a relationship, but she refused.
This puzzled Bill.
Luna behaved like a political newcomer in many ways, yet demonstrated remarkable shrewdness in others. He couldn't quite grasp it.
Brakk said, "Very well, I'm free now. I'll come."
No need to wait.
Brakk had been eager to meet this new commander.
Bill, having known him for so long, knew his limits; he hadn't benefited much from their relationship. He hoped to discern this new commander's true nature and perhaps profit from it.
"I'll inform the commander and have her prepare."
Bill and Brakk exchanged pleasantries afterward, essentially exchanging information.
Although their relationship was deep, they belonged to different civilizations; every word could have far-reaching implications.
...
Approximately an hour later.
Luna met with Brakk.
This massive being didn't shrink; it appeared in its full form.
It seemed to attempt intimidation through sheer size.
But Luna's expression remained unchanged.
Standing, she addressed Brakk: "Your title is neither high nor low within the Flyer Civilization."
Luna's opening remarks made everyone present, including the Flyer Civilization representatives, sweat profusely.
After all, this was a meeting between the two civilizations' highest diplomatic representatives.
Others were present to provide support.
Of course, these were Bill's arrangements; Luna showed no interest.
Upon hearing Luna's words, Brakk felt she was incredibly rude, a stark contrast to Bill.
"That's true, but I'm more than capable of interacting with you."
The atmosphere was immediately tense.
Luna's opening remark froze the atmosphere.
"Insufficient!"
Luna shook her head.
"You lack the necessary qualifications."
Brakk's expression resembled a chuckle (though it couldn't actually chuckle).
"And what qualifications, in your opinion, are sufficient?"
It felt the new Federation commander was deliberately antagonizing it. It wanted to leave, but given the sensitive relationship between the two civilizations, it couldn't make such a move.
"Naturally, your Monarch would be sufficient."
"You must understand your civilization's current predicament. A significant portion of your outer star systems are now under the Federation's control."
"You are now merely a caged bird within the Federation."
Arrogant.
Insolent!
This was Luna's demeanor.
Brakk, initially believing the new commander merely sought to assert dominance, now felt it was an insult to his entire civilization.
"I urge you to retract your statement. Otherwise, this will lead to war between our civilizations."
Luna looked down at Brakk with contempt.
"Do you dare?"
The room fell silent; a pin could be heard dropping.
The officials present, including Bill, stood agape.
What was Luna doing?
"You…"
Brakk exploded with rage, turning to leave.
But Luna said, "Did I say you could leave?"
Utterly domineering.
A superior attitude.
Had Luna gone mad?
No.
As she said, the situation had changed. The Federation, not the Flyer Civilization, was now in the stronger position.
In the current context, where direct conflict was impossible, the Flyer Civilization was weaker.
Conversely, Luna was extremely displeased with Bill.
This previously appointed commander, even after realizing the changed circumstances, continued to adopt a weak and passive attitude.
He should have used this advantage to more deeply understand the Flyer Civilization and engage in higher-level interactions.
Instead, years had passed, and he had made no progress.
A trade zone?
What good was a small trade zone, even if it was thriving?
"It seems you haven't grasped the current situation."
"Dimensional warfare will erupt soon. How many of your star systems can withstand attacks from advanced civilizations from other dimensions?"
"Your civilization, within our Federation's system, is only Type 2.6. Compared to the true top civilizations of the Milky Way, you are insignificant."
"Outside the galactic bulge, the only civilization capable of cooperating with you is the Federation."
"I don't know what you're waiting for—the day other dimensional civilizations attack?"
"Then you'll be toyed with and nearly destroyed before understanding the true value of this current opportunity for peaceful development."
"Perhaps you believe your civilization is superior."
"Ridiculous!"
"That difference will quickly be erased. Given the Federation's rate of development, your civilization will soon become our stepping stone."
"As long as we control the star systems surrounding you, preventing you from acquiring more resources cheaply, you will only develop slowly, until you face other dimensional enemies."
Luna ruthlessly exposed the Flyer Civilization's predicament.
They wanted to develop, to develop as rapidly as the Federation.
But all this is being actively obstructed, or perhaps, controlled by Luna.
After listening, Brakk trembled violently.
It wanted to speak, but it couldn't utter a word.
Because it was the truth!
Their civilization was restricted, constrained.
And the one restricting and constraining them was the Federation.
Over time, especially after the recent interdimensional attack, they realized that their development was a race against time.
But there was nothing they could do. Bill and the Federation wouldn't relent, forcing them to play this deadly game of slowly reclaiming star systems.
Brakk's silence startled Bill.
He instantly understood his mistake.
Diplomacy!
Diplomacy!
Damn diplomacy!
He had been too limited; his vision was too narrow.
He should have broken through the deadlock long ago, but his caution had stalled progress.
Objectively, the Federation was stronger than the Flyer Civilization.
And he hadn't realized it.
He was utterly ashamed.
His conservatism had caused him to miss out on so much and inflicted significant losses on the Federation.
He'd considered himself a competent diplomat, but Luna's words revealed him to be a burden!
Without a response from Brakk, Luna continued, "I'll give you time to speak with your King."
"You also have Tachyon communication technology. I'll give you ten days. If I can't speak with your Monarch within ten days, there will be no further cooperation."
Overbearing.
Excessively overbearing.
Intimidating.
Brakk, though furious, knew its powerlessness.
Luna's words had shattered its defiance.
Luna had silenced it; Brakk was reduced to a beggar before her.
"You may leave," Luna commanded.
Brakk, along with the other Flyer Civilization representatives, flew out, utterly humiliated.
The Federation members in the room now looked at Luna with awe.
This was true leadership!
Bill stepped forward, ashamed, wanting to apologize.
But Luna stopped him.
"If you wish to express regret, there's no need."
"What you should do is get back to work. As a member of the Federation, you should secure the Federation's interests."
"Brakk is a minor figure; it only held its position for so long because of its connection to you and the Federation."
"Do you understand what to do?"
Bill wasn't a fool; he understood Luna's meaning.
Luna wanted him to directly subdue Brakk, not engage in a decades-long tug-of-war.
"Understood!" Bill nodded.
"Then go."
Luna returned to her office.
As one of the numerous Metacellular units, her presence here was to personally resolve the issues between the Federation and the Flyer Civilization.
The Federation was making unprecedented progress in dimensional exploration. The Flyer Civilization was becoming stronger and its technology more sophisticated, possessing more knowledge of dimensional space.
Luna wasn't interested in minor technological advancements.
She wanted everything.
Not just dimensional knowledge, but the entire Flyer Civilization itself.
Insatiable ambition.
The difference between the Federation and the Flyer Civilization wasn't as exaggerated as it seemed.
The Federation had been developing rapidly; Gaia BH1 had completed phases one and two, officially placing the Federation among Type 2.6 civilizations.
They were simply different types of reptiles, snakes and crocodiles.
In nature, snakes can kill crocodiles.
Theoretically, even without dimensional warfare, the Federation wouldn't be at such a disadvantage against the Flyer Civilization, a soft target.
And it's not just that.
As human civilization's sector expands, surpassing the Flyer Civilization, as Luna claimed, will be easily achievable—within two or three tens of thousands of years, at most.
"But development isn't fast enough."
"That's why we need to acquire the Flyer Civilization."
"Conquering other civilizations is the path to rapid advancement."
"Otherwise, we'll only face death and destruction in dimensional warfare; everything will be lost."
Independent technological development is important, but that wasn't the Federation's initial nature.
Galactic Federation.
A federation of all civilizations and nations.
That was the Federation's original meaning.
Because Luna was initially a single entity, managing many affairs simultaneously, she couldn't guide the Federation onto the right path.
Now, with her ability to create multiple selves, she could finally correct the Federation's errors on multiple fronts.