32: The purifying flames

The rule stopped in mid-air.

The colossal hull gave off an incredibly powerful sense of oppression.

Its shadow fell over the viewing platform, and almost everyone held their breath—

As if humanity's fleet had returned to that era where it blotted out the sky.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

Several side hatches slowly opened.

Numerous small remote-controlled drones flew out, unfolding and projecting in mid-air.

Four omnidirectional light screens then appeared in the air.

“Today marks the fourth time the rule has appeared in the center of all humanity—Order Seat V01.01—since the civilization's restart!”

“The first time, witnessing unity!”

“The second time, bringing good news!”

“The third time, delivering victory reports!”

“And this time, what she brings—”

“Is majesty!”

“The majesty of humanity!”

The director's tone unconsciously grew fanatical.

At the same time, the four light screens lit up with images—twisted limbs, deformed bodies, ugly faces in steel cages—

“It's the aliens!”

“Today, we will be here,”

“To witness an execution of the aliens!”

The director's voice resonated again with the images.

Dense crowds of alien creatures, dressed in old, even blood-stained gray numbered prisoner uniforms, huddled together like livestock ready for slaughter.

Only the hatred and resentment flashing in their eyes could prove that,

These filthy, foul-smelling creatures were intelligent beings.

“Whenever humanity briefly falls into chaos,”

“There are constantly vile alien creatures attempting to covet our supreme territory!”

“Even defiling humanity's pure genes!”

“And these creatures, who call themselves the 'Yurick Civilization,' are the most egregious among them!”

Another voice took over the microphone.

Unlike the previous fanaticism,

The new tone was steady, firm, masculine,

And carried a faint killing intent.

Just listening to it,

Gave a sense of urgency like being chased by hyenas, a suffocating feeling like being entwined by a python, an adhesive feeling like a tender catgirl (not really)... “What is laudable is that,”

“More than eight hundred years ago, when humanity was at its lowest point,”

“The Garrison Military Alliance's defense line remained impregnable.”

“Their numerous large-scale attacks all ended in failure!”

“However…”

The voice from the loudspeaker suddenly shifted, changing from impassioned to calm as still water.

“The alien thieves' ambition never died,”

“And they continued to accumulate strength.”

“Approaching the 800th anniversary of the restart,”

“Two months ago,”

“They launched another large-scale invasion.”

The voice slowly grew louder, the tone gradually rising.

“But how can a mere few thousand years of accumulation contend with tens of thousands of years of civilizational heritage?”

“The Garrison Military Alliance not only stabilized the defense line,”

“But also launched counterattacks from multiple fronts behind enemy lines.”

“They pushed the front line forward by three Star Clusters in one fell swoop, reclaiming vast amounts of ancestral land!”

“We captured alien fleets in organized units and systematically destroyed alien industries!”

At this point, the voice paused for a tiny second.

Then, a deafening roar erupted:

“This battle was a great victory!”

The universe was silent.

However, amidst the dense magnetic confinement fireworks exploding in mid-air,

One could glimpse how jubilant the people in this starfield were at this moment.

“We captured the mastermind of this enemy invasion alive,”

“And brought them to this place symbolizing human order!”

“They will face the judgment of all humanity, witnessed by the standard cesium atomic clock stand, symbolizing the home planet!”

“Bring out the war criminal!”

In the screen's image, a group of Military Alliance soldiers in iron-gray powered armor suddenly burst in.

They roughly opened the cage, dragged out an alien creature, and escorted it to a hastily erected high platform.

The creature looked somewhat bizarre, with four short, thick legs and four short, thick arms.

It was short and stout, with pale purple skin. Its facial features were similar to humans, but its skull was shaped like an upright rugby ball, pointed at the top.

“Member of the Yurick intelligent civilization, do you admit your side's surprise attack in the direction of the Celestial Barrier Constellation V11.03~V21.07?”

“Member of the Yurick intelligent civilization, do you admit your side's surprise attack in the direction of the Celestial Barrier Constellation V11.03~V21.07?”

“Wuwu! Wu! Wuwuwu!”

The creature, whose vocal organs were blocked, couldn't speak, but it stared at the surrounding soldiers with bloodshot eyes, as if it wanted to devour them alive.

Unfortunately, glares couldn't kill; its angry gaze only earned it two resounding punches from the soldier.

Before this,

It was the Deputy Commander of the Ria Defense Line (what the Military Alliance called the Celestial Barrier Constellation) of the Yurick Civilization.

When it was captured, it was handling the deployment and rotation of border fleets.

Stamping documents and singing songs, when humanity suddenly attacked.

Didn't it just let a few Frigates cross the border for a little probe?

These guys don't play fair!

They chased it directly to its home!

Later, it found out that,

These humans, upon seeing those few suddenly appearing Frigates,

Directly boarded them and seized them in minutes.

Then, using mind transfer techniques, they stuffed the consciousnesses of several crew members into Yurick bodies.

They drove the Frigates directly into the Yurick Civilization's controlled territory.

The large fleet that followed pursued them everywhere under the guise of “hunting down invaders.”

They managed to carve out three Star Clusters!

Even now, it still couldn't understand where this seemingly crumbling civilization found the determination and courage,

To launch such a large-scale offensive?

The audio connection had just been switched to the “temporary court” in the screen,

And the sound of judgment came from it.

“Silence means consent.”

“You and your people will pay the price for your acts of war.”

“Now, this court, witnessed by the sacred human civilization,”

“Will pass judgment on your acts of war!”

“Execution by fire, to be carried out immediately!”

“Take it away!”

Several powered armor suits moved again, lifting the creature they were dragging and throwing it back into the iron cage.

The Deputy Commander's head slammed hard onto the ground.

However, the cloth strip blocking its vocal organs was also dislodged at the same time.

It could speak!

“You beasts!”

“You are the true war criminals!”

Its mouth reacted faster than its mind.

It lay on the ground, shouting with all its might—

“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!”

Its response was three shots to the body and two to the head.

Its last words were undoubtedly broadcast in full,

But they served no purpose other than to deepen people's anger—

On the live broadcast, the comments of “Immediate execution!” instantly flooded the screen.

In some third-class viewing platforms where tickets were sold to the public, there were even shouts of “Aliens die!” in unison.

Meanwhile, on the first-class, or main, viewing platform,

Stood the Military Alliance's representative—Admiral Lagrange Koradilon.

He watched expressionlessly as on the screen—

The alien creature that had just screamed now completely lacked any sign of life.

Lagrange snorted disdainfully.

“Hmph,”

“What war criminal?”

“Didn't I win?”

His gaze turned towards the window.

The iron cage was moved to the engine's nozzle, and the aliens inside were instantly exposed to the vacuum.

They struggled and twisted in agony—organic bodies cannot survive in a vacuum for even a minute.

But thankfully, they weren't given that much time.

“Boom——————!”

The giant engine roared to life, and scorching hot plasma surged out.

Like the final judgment in Zoroastrianism,

The Yurick people, who had committed heinous crimes in the eyes of humanity, achieved the most thorough evolution in the sacred flames—

They transformed into the primordial forms of life: hydrogen, helium, and even iron, gold, and so on.

These elements from the universe,

After countless years of confinement, were once again scattered into the boundless starry sky,

Beginning their second eternal interstellar journey.

(In human terms: burned to ashes and scattered)

Lagrange Koradilon retracted his gaze, looking back at the chatting and laughing dignitaries.

The war he participated in as a “soldier” had achieved initial victory.

Next was his battlefield as a “diplomat.”

(PS: Astronomical system units from smallest to largest)

(Planetary System)

(Stellar System)

(Star Cluster: A group of stars gravitationally bound, often born from the same giant molecular cloud)

(Galaxy: A massive gravitationally bound system composed of numerous stars, Star Clusters, nebulae, interstellar matter, etc.)

(Galaxy Group and Galaxy Cluster: Groups of galaxies bound together by gravity)

(Supercluster/Galaxy Filament: The largest gravitationally bound structure currently known to humanity, a giant fibrous structure composed of multiple Galaxy Groups and clusters)