125: Iron Wall Defense Platform Group

Inside the “Bountiful Harvest Garden” in Bai Xi Palace, Pillar of Leaders.

At this moment, a small “Ladies' Tea Party” was being held here.

The main figure was naturally Madam Cui Hua, who currently held the greatest prestige and transcendent status.

Although she came from a farming Family, she had earned immense merit by giving birth to Chen Zhaojing's twin son and daughter.

Coupled with her simple, cheerful, and unpretentious personality, she was extremely popular among these hundred ladies.

“Sisters, hurry and try some! This is a special product from our planet, grown using Star Soil and Morning Dew. It's so sweet and sticky!”

Cui Hua's face glowed red with pride. Today, she had specially worn a dress, modified from “Newborn Nebula Silk,” that was both luxurious and retained a rustic charm, making her appear even more robust, plump, and in excellent health.

The massive circular hall was decorated like a miniature Agricultural Planet ecological park, emitting the fragrance of soil and ripe crops.

The long table was filled with various specialty products from AG-7 Agricultural Star:

“Star Grain Rice” cakes, crystal clear and containing faint stellar energy;

Plump and juicy “Blazing Flame Fruits,” resembling rubies;

And “Old Vat Pickled Cabbage,” uniquely flavored and pickled using Cui Hua's Family secret method... She was currently holding a piece of “Golden Sweet Potato,” grown personally by her father and specially nourished with Life Energy by the Academy of Sciences, enthusiastically showing it to the noble and varied ladies around her:

“Sisters, hurry and try this! Don't mind that it looks rustic, my dad grew this using an ancient method, without any high-tech fertilizer! He says it retains the most primitive vitality! Young Master Zhao Jing said it was great, and at night... er, his energy is as strong as... *cough, cough*!”

She stopped herself in time, but the knowing look of pride on her face caused several ladies to cover their mouths and chuckle, attracting more curious and envious glances.

A lady from an artistic Family elegantly took a small piece of sweet potato with a silver fork, put it in her mouth, and savored it. Her eyes immediately showed astonishment: “Mmm! It's truly refreshing and sweet, and the contained Life Energy is mild and abundant. Sister Cui Hua, your hometown is truly blessed with exceptional people and resources!”

“Yes, indeed,” another lady from a scientific Family pushed up her glasses and analyzed seriously, “The genetic sequence of this sweet potato seems to have been naturally optimized, which is very beneficial for energy replenishment during pregnancy. Sister Cui Hua, could my team study the growing environment?”

Hearing the sisters' praise, Cui Hua felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey, and her sense of glory reached its Peak.

She seemed to see the honest and proud smiles of her parents back home, and the respectful demeanor of the Planet Governor and other important figures toward the Old Li Family.

This was the glory she, a farmer's daughter, had brought to her Family and her hometown!

She even started planning whether, on her next visit home, she should persuade her parents to expand the Family farm several times over and grow more delicious things so that the sisters and children in the palace could all have a taste.

Just at this moment of harmonious atmosphere, laughter, and when Cui Hua's sense of life's glory reached its Peak—

A sudden change occurred!

“Buzz————————!!!”

An indescribable, terrifying tremor, like the coldest Universe cold current, instantly swept over her entire body!

The crystal-clear sweet potato she was about to hand over “plop”ped onto the polished floor, splashing juice everywhere.

The smile on her face instantly froze, and the color drained from her face at a visible speed, turning paper-white!

An extreme palpitation and panic, like countless icy hands, fiercely gripped her heart!

It was the highest level death warning and desperate plea for help, transmitted by the Family Encrypted Communicator specially made by the Federation, which was linked to her parents' vital signs and mental fluctuations!!!

“Dad... Mom...”

Cui Hua's lips trembled, and her pupils contracted from extreme fear.

She didn't even have time to explain to the astonished ladies around her. She spun around abruptly and, like a madwoman, stumbled and rushed out!

In her mind, only her parents' desperate cries and Old Man Li's heavily accented plea for help remained:

“Cui Hua! Cui Hua! Save your mom and dad! Save the planet! The Star Pirates... the Star Pirates are here again! So many! So many!!!”

The fear and helplessness in that voice pierced her Soul like billions of steel needles!

Glory?

Peak?

At this moment, everything turned to dust!

Only boundless fear and the chilling cold of falling into the abyss remained!

...AG-7 Agricultural Star.

This planet, which had only recently been shrouded in the “Hero's Halo,” had now turned into a living hell.

The sky was no longer the familiar azure or brilliant starry night.

Instead, it was completely obscured by countless massive, hideous pirate warships painted with the Dripping Fang insignia!

They were like coalesced metallic black clouds, emitting the breath of death, layered and boundless!

The deep, terrifying roar of the warship engines sounded like the bellowing of an abyssal giant beast, shaking the very earth!

The dark red light emitted when the main cannons charged shimmered like countless devils' eyes within the “black clouds,” locking onto every valuable target on the planet.

Over two thousand Auras of Stellar-level Experts, mixed with bone-chilling killing intent, enveloped the entire planet like tangible shackles!

Under this pressure that surpassed imagination, all living beings below the Planetary Level were like insects frozen in amber!

Even thought became sluggish, leaving only the most primitive fear screaming in their Souls!

In low orbit, the “Iron Wall Type III” Defense Platform Cluster.

This was AG-7 Planet's strongest shield: twelve thousand Orbital Defense Platforms, like steel mountains, circularly guarding the homeland below.

Each platform was equipped with Super-Heavy Particle Cannons capable of tearing apart continental shelves and Gravity Distortion Generators. Thousands of meters of armor plating gleamed coldly under the Stellar light.

This was a Starry Sky Fortress garrisoned by over twelve million Federation Soldiers.

When the main fleet of the Blood Blade Pirate Group tore through space like a cloud of death and suddenly appeared in orbit, the shrill, highest-level battle alert instantly echoed through every corner of every platform.

“Detecting ultra-large-scale hostile targets! Number... impossible to estimate!”

“Energy Rank surpasses the threshold!!!”

“All units! Enter highest combat readiness! Maximum power output for shields! Weapon Systems unlocked!”

The Platform Commander-in-Chief, Major General Li, a man with graying hair and a resolute face, stood before the massive viewport of the Central Command Platform, gazing at the dense Star Pirate warships in the starry sky.

His fists clenched silently, his knuckles turning white from the force!

The disparity in strength between the enemy and them was despairingly vast!!!

But he took a deep breath, turned to face the pale-faced officers on the command platform, and his voice was broadcast across all twelve thousand platforms:

“Soldiers! I am Major General Li!”

“I know what you see! I know what you are thinking!”

“Yes, the enemy is strong—stronger than we can imagine!”

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a sense of desperate resolve, echoing within the silent command platform:

“But—!”

“Look behind you! Look at that green planet! Our parents are there! Our wives and children! Our friends!”

“...Everything we swore to protect with our lives is there!”

“We are Federation Soldiers! We are the defenders of AG-7! We are this planet's strongest defense line!”

“Today, perhaps we will die!”

“But! Our names will be carved onto the monuments, and our flesh and blood will merge into this Star Sea!”

“I ask you—”

General Li's voice was like a massive bell, deafeningly loud:

“Do we kneel and live like cowards! Or stand and die like warriors?!”

A brief silence.

Immediately, a tidal wave of response erupted through the communication channels from every defense platform and every battle station:

“Stand and die!!”

“For the Federation! For AG-7!!”

“We swear to live and die with our homeland!!!”

No hesitation!

No retreat!

Only the belief of facing death unflinchingly! Burning fiercely within the cold steel fortress!

“Very good!”

A flicker of tears appeared in General Li's eyes, but it was instantly replaced by an iron will.

“All platforms! Hear my command! Target the enemy's Vanguard Frigate Cluster! Saturation strike! Fire—!!”

“For the homeland!!”

“Fire—!!!”

The next second, twelve thousand “Iron Wall Type III” Orbital Defense Platforms spat forth AG-7 Planet's most determined roar!

Hundreds of millions of thick Energy Beams, like an angry Star River, tore through the vacuum, carrying an unstoppable Aura as they violently slammed into the Star Pirate fleet!

The light instantly illuminated the dark Universal space, and the concentrated energy intensity was enough to instantly vaporize a small planet!

This was a full volley condensing the will and lives of over ten million soldiers!!!

However—

When the destructive torrent, powerful enough to illuminate the Star Domain, struck the seemingly thin, pale blue Energy Shield of the Star Pirate fleet... it was like hitting an invisible, absolutely insurmountable Wall of Sighs!

There were no explosions... no impact... not even a decent ripple was stirred?!!!

That terrifying energy capable of tearing apart planets!

It was just silently and completely absorbed by that layer of pale blue light film?!!!

Like a stone sinking into the ocean... On the defense command platform, the expressions of all the officers froze!

In the communication channel, the earth-shattering roar abruptly stopped, leaving only the humming of energy overload and a deathly silence... Despair, like the cold vacuum of the Universe!

Instantly seized the heart of every person!!!

“No... impossible...” A young Radar Officer slumped in his chair, muttering distractedly.

Just then, the attacked Star Pirate frigate didn't even change course. Only an inconspicuous Point-Defense Turret on its broadside, like a startled viper, casually turned its direction.

The muzzle locked onto one of the “Iron Wall Type III” platforms that had just completed its full volley, its shield briefly fluctuating due to excessive energy output.

A slender, inconspicuous crimson beam shot out silently.

Its speed surpassed light, surpassed perception.

In the billionth of a second before the platform sensors could capture the energy reaction, the red beam precisely pierced the thickest core armor belt of the “Iron Wall Type III”!

It struck the violently operating Energy Reactor inside!

Instantly—!

A deafening explosion!

Shrapnel flying everywhere!

The flash of secondary detonation!

...In the reflection on the Central Command Platform's massive viewport, General Li watched helplessly as—

Armor, cannon barrels, corridors, cabins... and the thousand lives inside who had just roared in shared hatred... everything was completely decomposed and vaporized by unimaginable high temperatures and power within one-hundredth of a second!

General Li opened his mouth... but no sound came out!

The color instantly drained from his wrinkled face, leaving only boundless shock and chilling despair!!!

The communication channel was silent for a moment, then instantly overwhelmed by uncontrollable, choked gasps and desperate shouts!

“Defense Platform Nine-Seventeen!!!”

“General Li! Signal from Platform Nine-Seventeen... completely gone!!”

“How is that possible?... A thousand people!... In an instant!...”

However, the Star Pirates' “cleanup” did not stop.

Like a chain reaction, several more slender red beams shot out from various Star Pirate warships!!!

Like the fingertips of the God of Death, casually pointing at the other eleven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Iron Wall Defense Platforms... “Quick! Evasive maneuvers! Maximum power Deflection Shields!” General Li awoke from his immense grief and issued a hoarse command.

But everything was futile!!!

In the face of an absolute Technological Generation Gap!

Any tactic!

Any courage!

Any sacrifice!

Had lost all meaning... A red beam pierced Iron Wall One, which was attempting to evade... Another one wiped out Iron Wall Two, which was fully charging for a final stand... Three... Four... Twelve Thousand!!!

Outside the viewport, the steel fortresses that once symbolized AG-7 Planet's military might and hope... continuously disintegrated and vanished into the cold starry sky, like snowmen melting under the sun... The disappearance of every platform meant the sacrifice of another thousand Federation Soldiers!

They didn't even have a chance to leave a final message!!!

Inside the command platform, alarm lights flickered wildly, and the red glow reflected on every face etched with despair, anger, and unwillingness!!!

General Li slowly straightened his body... He adjusted his slightly disheveled general's uniform, smoothing the General's Star on his collar... He watched through the viewport as the last vessel—the Central Command Platform he personally commanded—was being hit by the red beam... collapsing and vanishing like a sandcastle at the edges... In the communication channel, only static and the final, chaotic shouts before the distant platforms detonated remained... He took a deep breath, as if pulling this final moment, along with his infinite attachment to the planet below, into his lungs!!!

Then, this old general, who had guarded AG-7 Planet for thousands of years, used his last ounce of strength to broadcast the final farewell of the AG-7 Orbital Garrison into the public channel, which perhaps no one was left to receive:

“This is... the 'Iron Wall Defense Command Center'...”

“We... have fulfilled our duty...”

“Long live the Leader...!”

“Long live the Human Federation...!!!”

His voice was hoarse, trembling, and “calm,” yet it carried a power that pierced the Soul!

In the next microsecond, the crimson light of death engulfed the core of the command platform... The massive viewport disintegrated like a shattered dream under General Li's resolute gaze... The light swallowed everything!!!

Twelve thousand “Iron Wall Type III” Orbital Defense Platforms, along with the twelve million Federation Soldiers stationed on them, were completely erased from AG-7's orbit in less than ten seconds!!!

The starry sky returned to silence... Only the deep roar of the Star Pirate fleet engines, like a funeral dirge, propagated silently through the vacuum...