250: You want to enslave me? You'll pay the price!

"All Orbital Defense Platforms have been shot down!"

"News of launch failures just came in from several land-based weapon facilities! We can't crack the launch keys for the Land-based Defense Platforms!"

In the command center, Wei Lai still heard the news coming through his headset—the news he least wanted to hear.

Several Orbital Defense Platforms were shot down one by one within ten-odd minutes, and the Land-based Defense Platforms were also stuck on the final launch key.

This meant that, facing an enemy from space, they no longer had any means or strength for defense.

"Damn it..."

He muttered under his breath, then quickly dialed the communication signal for the command center in Liu Shi City, asking urgently:

"What's the word from that Sanatorium? Have they broken in? Have they caught that young master?"

First, a burst of static came from the other side, and it took a long time for someone to reply.

The person's voice was hoarse, with a hint of a sob:

"Sir! We are attacking with everything we've got..."

"The enemy has a large amount of fixed heavy firepower, and they've distributed many hidden bunkers on the high ground. Our casualties are heavy, and our ammunition is about to run out..."

"Our Commander has personally led the charge, but the front line is still suppressed at the foot of the mountain by a bunch of hidden fixed turrets!"

At the foot of the mountain... It's over—

Everything is over.

After the report finished, Wei Lai could no longer say anything.

About to lose his life here—did he regret it?

He didn't regret it; after all, he knew when he came that he might very likely die here.

Dying with so many workers—did he feel guilty?

Actually, thinking carefully, he didn't feel he was wrong.

After all, without this uprising, these workers would only have died one by one in misery under the rule of the Saint Blade Group, with the status of pigs and dogs—

At least, this uprising, regardless of success or failure, allowed them to reclaim the right to be human. Even if they died, they could die as a human—a warrior, with dignity.

After a long time, Wei Lai finally said to the other side:

"Thank you for your hard work—"

Then, he hung up the communication.

With trembling hands, he pulled a rough cigarette from his belt. From the wrinkled paper, one could see it was likely rolled with a wage IOU—

It was given to him by a fellow worker he met by chance when he first arrived.

That fellow had been pulled into a machine without safety equipment and died before the uprising.

"Cough, cough—cough, cough..."

He had just lit the cigarette and took a deep drag when he was hit by the choking pungency and a head-rushing dizziness, making him cough loudly.

But just then, a communicator suddenly broke the eerie silence in the room:

"Report! The ground radar station has captured a signal! Enemy ships have begun entering low Earth orbit!"

The orbital bombardment is about to begin!

Tossing the remaining half-cigarette aside, Wei Lai glanced at the center console, steadied his lungs, looked at the communicator, and said loudly:

"New orders! Prepare to relay to everyone!"

"Yes, sir!"

The signalman was in position in a second, and Wei Lai spoke straightforwardly:

"Everyone in the cities, quickly organize the civilians to enter nearby buildings that can serve as cover! Prioritize sturdy areas like administrative buildings, prisons, and banks!"

"All Aerospace Fighterss take off to engage the enemy! One last stand!"

After finishing, he let out a long breath.

He was no longer needed here.

Ultimately, they were just one corner of this great uprising—

This uprising directly involved over five thousand star systems, and the indirectly affected area reached an exaggerated nearly twenty thousand star systems.

You should know that among the six top civilizations, the smallest, the Democratic Alliance, only actually controlled about eight thousand star systems.

When it's all over, he would probably just be one of a string of numbers, right?

Or rather, one of the many names on a wall?

None of that mattered anymore.

"Sir, should we also head into the shelter?"

A standing Frigates walked over and stopped in front of Wei Lai.

Looking at the thin-faced young man before him, Wei Lai had a momentary daze, as if he saw himself from many years ago.

Seeing the motionless Wei Lai, the young Frigates spoke again:

"Sir, your work is finished. There will be a specialized Commander in charge of the air raid."

"Now, for your safety, let's hurry into the underground works."

The aerial formations would have more professional Commanders in charge of tactical command. His work here had indeed ended—

Had it really ended?

Wei Lai raised his hand and waved it, refusing the Frigates' request to enter the works.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"Reporting, sir! My name is Yu Xuan!"

"Yu Xuan... That's a truly uncommon name here. Did your parents give it to you?"

"No, I found it myself—I have no parents."

"...I'm sorry."

Wei Lai secretly regretted his quick tongue, but Yu Xuan seemed not to care.

"Don't call me 'sir' anymore," he looked at the young Frigates before him, "we are all brothers fighting for the same ideal."

"As for the works, you go yourself."

Yu Xuan was stunned and quickly asked:

"Then what about you?"

"Me?"

Wei Lai turned his head and walked out—the temporary command center was built on the airport's boarding bridge, and outside was the boarding gate.

He fell into a moment of hesitation—

There had always been a voice in his heart, shouting: Don't wait for death in the works! If you're going to die, die as a warrior on the path of the charge!

But there was another voice, chanting in a low tone: As command personnel, you shouldn't die here; you should live on, carrying the expectations and responsibilities of everyone.

—But is living on in disgrace really useful?

—True, sometimes, dying is a way to escape an unbearable reality.

—But in this situation, what can he do if he lives?

—To put it bluntly, everything he has done up to now was actually to place hope in those late-coming "reinforcements," all to buy time.

—In that case... they will either be wiped out or wait for the reinforcements at the very last moment. Simply put, the path ahead is almost nothing but death.

Since there is only death, then instead of dying miserably, why not die heroically?

He remembered something someone had said to him before:

Facing an invincible enemy, a true warrior will still choose to launch a charge—even if he knows that dying in battle is his only end.

But that weak charge contains infinitely powerful strength within: it is "resistance," and even more, "unyieldingness."

He understood.

Although in the eyes of the enemy, his strength is not worth mentioning and his resistance is laughably ridiculous,

But I don't give a damn about you! Even if I don't survive, I'll risk my life to bite off a piece of your flesh! I want you to know! Want to enslave me? Pay the price!

A soul that has regained freedom would rather die than repeat the same mistake!

He was once a slave too! He knew how arrogant and hateful these slave owners were!

Then—let's fight to the death!

So, ignoring the bewildered looks of the Staff Officers behind him, Wei Lai walked while saying in an unquestionable tone:

"I can fly an Aerospace Fighters too!"

"As a warrior! Even if I die! I will die on the path of the charge!"

"The overall command is handed over to the Chief of Staff!"

...