134: Status and deification

On the AG-7 Agricultural Star, above the scorched earth, the setting sun was like blood.

The nearly ten billion survivors were like people jolted awake from a long and bloody nightmare...

They still carried the scent of smoke and blood, their eyes hollow, not yet fully recovered from the immense trauma of losing loved ones and their shattered homes.

As night fell, above the planet once shrouded in the clouds of death, the massive public holographic projection array struggled to light up, broadcasting the promotional film "Eternal Spark" produced by the Federation's Supreme Propaganda Department.

The footage began with the tragic scenes of civilizations like the Lorraine Federation and the Kaster Alliance being ruthlessly wiped out.

That familiar scene of destruction instantly stung the deepest scars in the hearts of all AG-7 survivors...

The sound of weeping rose softly among the crowd...

People supported each other, their bodies trembling from the memories of fear...

When the footage switched to the catastrophe suffered by the AG-7 Agricultural Star itself—orbital platforms annihilated, ground forces crushed, cities turned to scorched earth, children's songs abruptly silenced...

The suppressed grief finally erupted!!!

The entire survivor gathering place was enveloped in a wave of desperate sobbing and heart-wrenching cries...

On the edge of the crowd, a small, thin figure curled up beneath a half-burnt broken wall, looking particularly conspicuous.

It was a little girl who looked only five or six years old, wearing a small dress whose original color could no longer be discerned, stained with grime and dried blood spots.

She tightly clutched a dirty plush rabbit missing one ear, the only "relative" she had managed to dig out from the ruins of her home.

Her name was Yaya.

Since the war ended, she would always come to her unrecognizable old home and stare blankly by herself...

It wasn't just Yaya; all the people who had lost loved ones would spontaneously come to their former "homes"...

Their former "homes" seemed to hold everything they once had, and were now their only remaining thought...

The images of the catastrophe suffered by the AG-7 Agricultural Star flashing on the screen, especially the figures of children crying, running, and then disappearing amidst the gunfire, made Yaya's small body begin to tremble uncontrollably and violently.

She didn't wail like the adults; she just bit down hard on her already damaged lips, large teardrops rolling down silently...

The tears carved muddy tracks down her dust-covered face...

She remembered it very clearly.

That day, the sky suddenly turned black—not the black of night, but many, many hideous large iron blocks blocking out the sun.

Then, there was blinding light, deafening noise, and the house collapsed like building blocks... Mom had shielded her tightly underneath her, and warm liquid flowed all over her face...

When she was dug out from the ruins by the rescue team, Mom could no longer move or speak; her body was as cold and stiff as the broken bricks and stones!

She didn't understand why those "big ships" had come to attack them?

Why did those strangers have to destroy her home and take her mother away?

She only knew that she no longer had a mother...

No one would ever tell her stories before bed again...

No one would ever wipe away her tears with gentle hands again...

No one would ever lift her up high again...

"We... we almost ended up like them..." beside her, an old farmer who had lost all his loved ones muttered to himself, turbid tears sliding down his furrowed cheeks...

Yaya heard this, and hugged the plush "relative" in her arms even tighter...

As if it were her last support!

In those big eyes that should have been filled with innocence and curiosity, there was now only immense, incomprehensible fear and bone-deep sorrow.

For a child of this age, war was a word too heavy and cruel.

It brought not stories of heroes, but shattered homes, departed loved ones, and wounds on the Soul that could never heal...

However, when the tone of the promotional film shifted to hope, when Su Qing's voice rang out, and when those six figures like Incarnations of the star sea—the majestic images of Leader Yun Xi and the five Your Highnesses—appeared on the screen, the crowd's crying gradually ceased.

Yaya also raised her teary eyes, looking blankly at those figures composed of light and shadow, radiating an aura of warmth and serenity.

She didn't quite understand what Star Arm Level was, or what supreme martial power meant; she just instinctively felt that these "pretty big sisters and aunties" seemed to be here to help them, the people who made those bad "big iron ships" disappear.

As Su Qing's words deepened, and as Zhao Qiming emotionally recounted Ancestor Chen's key role in strategic decision-making, especially that sentence—

"When formulating the final battle plan, the only thing Ancestor Chen emphasized was 'destroy the enemy beyond our borders,' and 'we cannot let ordinary citizens endure the flames of war again.' He placed our safety above all else!"

This sentence, like a warm and powerful light, not only shone into the cold, desperate hearts of the adult AG-7 survivors but also felt like a faint warm breeze brushing against Yaya's young heart, which had been frozen by fear...

"It... it's Ancestor Chen..." the old farmer beside her suddenly raised his head, an unprecedented light erupting in his eyes, "It's Ancestor Chen... thinking of us ordinary people?!"

Yaya listened to the excited and choked discussions of the adults around her, vaguely catching the name "Ancestor Chen."

She didn't quite understand who Ancestor Chen was, but from the adults' tone filled with gratitude and hope, she vaguely sensed that this was a very, very good person...

A person... like Mom once said, a "big hero" who would protect little children...

And when Su Qing mentioned the "Benefit the People Project," mentioning Ancestor Chen's sigh that changed the fates of countless people at the bottom, the surrounding survivors felt it even more deeply.

At the end of the promotional film, Chen Jun's calm and profound face froze on the screen...

All the surviving AG-7 citizens, regardless of age, regardless of the severity of their injuries, spontaneously and devoutly bowed deeply toward the direction of the Pillar of Leaders!

Infected by this solemn atmosphere, Yaya also learned from the adults, holding her plush rabbit, and clumsily but earnestly bent her small body toward that direction.

Silent tears continued to stream down her face...

"Ancestor Chen... thank you! Thank you for saving us! Thank you for still remembering us lowly folk!" The old farmer covered his mouth tightly with his rough palms, but he couldn't suppress the trembling of his body.

Yaya raised her head, looking at Ancestor Chen's gentle image on the projection, and in a voice only she and the plush rabbit could hear, with a thick nasal tone, she whispered timidly, imitating them:

"Thank you... Grandpa Ancestor Chen..."

She paused, held the rabbit in her arms up to her eyes, looked at the rabbit's only remaining ear, and with a voice filled with endless grievance and longing, added softly:

"Rabbit... Grandpa Ancestor Chen... drove away the bad guys... Yaya... Yaya misses Mom..."

"Yaya... doesn't want... there to be any more wars..."

A fanatical faith, rooted in the soil and stemming from the most simple emotions, was being ignited like a spark upon this scarred, scorched earth, and it was rapidly spreading!

Ancestor Chen was no longer a high and distant symbol, but a living, benevolent guardian deity in the hearts of the AG-7 survivors, worthy of their devotion with everything they had!

...

The same promotional film was being shown on other planets of the Federation...

From the prosperous Capital Star to remote mining colonies, from military fortress stars to emerging eco-agricultural stars.

Countless Federation citizens, through "Eternal Spark," understood for the first time, so intuitively and profoundly, the cruelty of the "dark forest law," and the true reason why the Federation could stand tall and unyielding.

They felt compassion for the destroyed civilizations and felt heart-wrenching pain and lingering fear for the plight of AG-7.

They felt their blood boil and were filled with immense pride for the supreme power of the Leader and Your Highnesses.

But in the end, all emotions converged onto that figure sitting on the lounge chair with deep eyes—

Ancestor Chen!

It was he who set the iron-blooded strategy of "cutting weeds and eliminating roots," preventing any hidden dangers!

It was he who conceived the brilliant strategy of a "nation within a nation," building a precious security barrier for the Federation!

It was he who cared for the bottom-level citizens; a single sigh ignited the "Benefit the People Project" that benefited hundreds of trillions of citizens!

It was he who, in the highest decision-making, placed the "safety of ordinary citizens" above all else!

"I used to only think that Ancestor Chen held a revered status and was a symbol of the Federation; I didn't expect... he is the true helmsman behind the scenes! He is the Soul of the Federation!" a university professor on the Capital Star said excitedly to his students.

"I knew it! The Your Highnesses are so powerful, yet so gentle toward us; it turns out it's all because Ancestor Chen taught them well!" an uncle working in a factory who couldn't sit still wiped the corners of his eyes.

"Ancestor Chen... he is just like the grandfather of us all, silently protecting this home..." a young mother holding her child said softly, looking at Chen Jun's gentle image on the screen.

Public opinion, like the star sea energy accumulated over hundreds of millions of years, was completely detonated at this moment!

On the internet, the top ten trending searches on all social platforms were completely dominated by terms like "Ancestor Chen," "Eternal Light," and "Soul of the Federation"!

"On the Profound Influence of Ancestor Chen's Strategic Thinking on Federation Civilization"

"Viewing Ancestor Chen's Benevolence Through the People's Benefit Plan"

"Ancestor Chen — The Eternal Beacon Illuminating the Federation's Path Forward"

...Various analytical articles, tribute videos, and fan creations sprang up like bamboo shoots after a rain, with view counts soaring at a terrifying speed!

In reality, countless citizens spontaneously took to the streets, not to protest, nor to revel, but to conduct solemn yet fervent parades.

They held up portraits of Chen Jun—the official standard portrait, full of majesty and kindness—chanting slogans like "Long live Ancestor Chen for eons upon eons" and "Long live the Federation for eons upon eons."

In the central squares of many cities, people gathered spontaneously, lighting star lamps symbolizing hope and remembrance, silently praying for the blessings of Ancestor Chen and for the future of the Federation.

In schools, teachers used the deeds of Ancestor Chen as the most vivid teaching material, instructing children to remember history, strive for self-improvement, and live up to the expectations and protection of Ancestor Chen.

At this moment, Chen Jun's status in the hearts of the Federation's citizens had completely transcended the category of "guardian of civilization," reaching a height bordering on "faith"!

He is wisdom!

He is benevolence!

He is the guidance behind power!

He is the... national Soul that makes the Federation what it is!

...Across the Federation's major war zones and military bases...

The promotional film "Spark of Eternal Glory" was played simultaneously at all military gathering points...

When they saw the 12 million compatriots of the AG-7 Agricultural Star orbital garrison wiped out like bubbles in the face of an absolute technological generation gap, countless iron-blooded soldiers clenched their fists, their nails digging deep into their palms, their fierce eyes filled with tears!

That was the pain of empathy, of feeling the same sorrow!

It was the hatred born of insufficient strength!

When they saw the Leader and the various Your Highnesses turn the tide with supreme power, wiping out the powerful invaders in the snap of a finger, the earth-shaking cheers and shouts almost tore the roof off the base!

That was the ecstasy of sharing in the honor!

It was awe and yearning for absolute power!

However, when Dr. Zhao Qiming said that sentence:

"The only thing Ancestor Chen emphasized was 'to destroy the enemy outside our territory,' and that 'we must not let ordinary citizens suffer the flames of war again'!"

The entire base instantly fell into a deathly silence!

Immediately, an even more fervent, even deeper emotion erupted in the hearts of all the soldiers!

Who were they?

They were the soldiers of the Federation!

They were the shield guarding the citizens, the spear piercing the enemy!

They did not fear sacrifice, but what they feared most was being unable to protect the people behind them whom they wanted to protect!

This sentence from Ancestor Chen was like a thunderbolt, splitting through the haze and powerlessness that had shrouded their hearts since the AG-7 Agricultural Star tragedy!

So, the highest level of the Federation had never regarded them as pawns to be sacrificed at will!

So, Ancestor Chen had always been thinking about how to avoid unnecessary casualties for ordinary citizens and front-line soldiers!

"The Commander... understands us!"

An old general, battle-hardened, spoke with a hoarse voice, his eyes shimmering with tears of excitement.

He turned around, facing all the soldiers under his command, and roared with all his might:

"Did you all hear that?! Ancestor Chen cares about the life of every one of us! He cares about every single citizen we are protecting behind us!"

"We swear allegiance to the Federation! And Ancestor Chen is the symbol of the Federation! He is the Soul of the Federation!"

"From this day on!" The old general's voice was like a great bell, resounding throughout the base.

"All officers and soldiers of my Seventh Fleet are willing to be the sword in Ancestor Chen's hand! Wherever the sword points, we shall go! Even if we are shattered to pieces, we will not refuse to die ten thousand times!!!"

"Willing to be the sword in Ancestor Chen's hand! We will not refuse to die ten thousand times!!!"

The mountain-shaking, sea-roaring oath echoed throughout all military bases!

The loyalty of soldiers is pure and extreme.

Once they have identified an object worthy of allegiance, they will dedicate all their hot blood and lives without reservation!

Ancestor Chen's benevolence and wisdom, and his regard for the lives of soldiers, completely won the hearts of all the Federation's military personnel!

Their morale, their cohesion, and their fighting will climbed to an unprecedented Peak at this moment!

...Outside a top-secret energy laboratory at the Federation Academy of Sciences...

Hundreds of veteran powerhouses, limited by their Aptitude and trapped at the Planetary Level Peak for hundreds or even thousands of years, were nervously staring at the core energy reactor inside the laboratory.

They all possessed the Acquired Star Body Aptitude upgraded from an Innate Martial Body, having walked to this day relying on effort and resources, yet they had never been able to cross that final chasm to achieve the Stellar Level.

In their eyes, there was longing, nervousness, and even more... a sense of resentment and unwillingness toward fate that had been suppressed for too long.

They had naturally watched the promotional film "Spark of Eternal Glory."

They felt Ancestor Chen's greatness deeply.

But what really made their hearts surge, and even caused their whole bodies to tremble, was something not explicitly stated in the promotional film but which they had already learned through internal channels... origin crystals!

Dean Mo Heng had already officially announced that, based on the more than 20,000 Stellar Level Star Pirates captured by Ancestor Chen, the Federation would launch an unprecedented "Origin Crystal Project"!

A Stellar Level Elementary Mine Slave could condense one standard origin crystal a year!

A Stellar Level Peak, with higher efficiency, produced better quality!

What did this mean?!

It meant a continuous supply of top-tier resources sufficient to help Planetary Level Peak powerhouses break through the Stellar Level barrier!

And all of this stemmed from Ancestor Chen!

It was Ancestor Chen who brought these precious "Mine Slaves"!

It was Ancestor Chen who decided the allocation direction of these resources!

Since Ancestor Chen cared about the grassroots citizens, he would never ignore them, the backbone forces who had fought for the Federation for many years!

Just then, the laboratory door slowly opened.

Mo Heng's figure appeared at the doorway, holding a jade box in his hands that emitted a soft yet majestic halo of energy.

The breathing of all the Planetary Level Peak powerhouses instantly became heavy!

Their gazes were fixed firmly on that jade box!

Mo Heng's gaze swept over the crowd, a hint of a smile on his face, and his voice clearly reached everyone's ears:

"With the approval of Ancestor Chen, the first quota of the 'Origin Crystal Project' has been issued."

He opened the jade box, and inside were neatly arranged crystals that were crystal clear, with nebulae seemingly flowing within them—these were the origin crystals!

"Based on a comprehensive assessment of contribution, potential evaluation, and years of service, the following personnel have obtained the qualification for the first batch of origin crystal-assisted cultivation!"

Mo Heng began to read out the names one by one.

Every Planetary Level Peak powerhouse whose name was called felt their body jolt, their faces revealing unbelievable ecstasy, which then turned into incomparable, determined excitement!

They knew that this was not just resources, but more importantly... hope!

It was the hope bestowed upon them by Ancestor Chen to break through the shackles of life and step onto a higher level!

"Li Zhenhe!"

An old man with graying hair and an aura as deep as an abyss stepped forward abruptly. He was a veteran general under Emperor Shi Yue who had achieved great military feats but had been stuck at the Planetary Level Peak for three thousand years due to his Aptitude.

His hands trembled slightly as he took the origin crystal, which felt as heavy as a mountain, from Mo Heng.

Feeling the majestic energy and subtle Law fragments contained within, the old general Li Zhenhe's eyes instantly turned red.

He turned abruptly, facing the direction of the Pillar of Leaders, knelt on one knee, and held the origin crystal high. His voice choked with emotion but roared like an oath:

"Subordinate Li Zhenhe! Having received this grace from Ancestor Chen, I have obtained this Opportunity! This life and this fate belong entirely to Ancestor Chen! To the Federation! I will not fail the high expectations, I will break through the barrier, and for Ancestor Chen, for the Federation, I will die in service!!!"

"We will not fail the high expectations! We will die in service!!!"

The other Planetary Level Peak powerhouses who had obtained the qualifications also knelt down in unison, issuing earth-shaking oaths!

The gratitude in their hearts toward Ancestor Chen could no longer be described in words!

To them, Ancestor Chen was a... deity who had granted them a new life!

...Pillar of Leaders, Chen Jun Manor...

The night breeze was gentle, bringing the fragrance of the distant garden.

Chen Jun was still sprawled on his Wanxiang Eternal lounge chair, holding a great-granddaughter who had already fallen asleep in his arms; the little girl was smacking her lips, sleeping soundly...

Lin Wei sat to the side, gently fanning him, a gentle and satisfied smile on her face.

Chen Jun gently adjusted his posture to let the great-granddaughter in his arms sleep more comfortably, his gaze cast toward the brilliant starry sky.

On the star map, that red area that originally belonged to the Blood Blade Pirate Group, like a festering sore, was being slowly covered and transformed by the blue of the Federation.

He did not know that a casual thought of his had already been interpreted by the entire Federation as a magnificent strategy of "foundations for ten thousand generations."

He knew even less that a promotional film titled "Spark of Eternal Glory" had already made him a god in the hearts of hundreds of millions of Federation citizens, iron-blooded soldiers, and struggling powerhouses!

Becoming the embodiment of wisdom, benevolence, and power, becoming the Federation's—national Soul, guardian deity, and god!

He did not know that the outside world had already set off a storm of faith that was sweeping across the entire Federation...

He only needed to sit peacefully in the courtyard...

Lying down... was the only... eternal core of this vast Human Race Federation!