161: Chapter 161 First Ship Launched! Named "Lingxiao"
Time slipped away quietly for another twelve hours amidst the silent preparations for war.
"Guanghan Palace" Base, Dock No. 1. This was the most dazzling pearl on the crown of the entire lunar industry, the cradle where the "soaring heavens" was born and its current "refit station." It wasn't a water dock in the traditional sense, but a massive vacuum cavity formed by a natural crater, reinforced and enclosed through a super-engineering project. The curved rock walls, thousands of meters high, were divided into dozens of observation and operation platforms by reinforced glass and alloy frames. At this moment, every level was crowded with people from different countries and races.
Among them were engineers and workers from the "Guanghan Palace" base, their faces covered in grease but their spirits high; military attaches and observers in various uniforms representing GDC member states who had come to witness the event; war correspondents from major global media outlets who had been specially permitted to enter, their lenses greedily capturing every detail; and even more GDC officials, scientists, and ordinary citizen representatives from all over the world, connected remotely through internal lines.
Everyone's eyes were focused on the center of the dock.
There, the "soaring heavens" floated quietly in a zero-gravity environment. The newly installed "Joint Force Field Shield" adapter components draped a shimmering pale gold halo over it, complementing the silver-gray hull and appearing mysterious and majestic. A swarm of engineering drones from "Guanghan Palace," like a swarm of bees returning to their hive, were performing final exterior inspections and cleaning, appearing as small as dust against the massive hull.
On the side of the hull, the temporary code originally used for testing and internal identification had been removed. In its place were two large, vigorous square characters that seemed to contain infinite power, etched into the armor with a special energy glimmer, clearly visible even in the darkness of the vacuum—
soaring heavens!
Below these two Dragon Country characters was a slightly smaller but equally solemn Interstellar Common Language translation: "LINGXIAO."
This name was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. It originated from ancient Eastern mythology, signifying soaring straight into the nine heavens and surging through the universe. In the global naming vote launched by the GDC, this name won by an overwhelming margin. It represented not only humanity's longing for the sea of stars but also an unabashedly high-spirited fighting spirit and a declaration of counterattack in the face of the piercer's destructive "greeting."
Today was not a "launch" ceremony in the traditional sense—there is no water in space. Instead, it was a special "Naming and Commissioning Ceremony" for the "soaring heavens" before it completed its final combat readiness upgrades and headed to the battlefield.
On the main ceremonial platform at the highest point of the crater's inner wall, Old Chen stood in the center as the host and chairman of the GDC Scientific Advisory Group. Beside him were representatives from the Polar Bear Country, the European Union (which, despite internal disagreements, still sent a high-level representative), and dozens of small and medium-sized countries that had clearly joined the north heavenly gate project. Pretty Country's seat was empty, with only a solitary national flag hologram standing behind the table, appearing somewhat jarring and desolate.
There were no long speeches or complicated procedures. Old Chen simply looked around at the solemn crowd, his gaze sweeping over the giant ship that carried so many expectations, and then spoke into the microphone in a steady and clear voice:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow compatriots from Earth and the Moon."
"Today, we are not gathered to celebrate the birth of a ship. From the day its keel was laid, this ship was destined not to sail on calm seas, but to battle in the treacherous sea of stars. Its name, 'soaring heavens,' embodies the unyielding backbone and lofty aspirations of our civilization when facing the unknown and malice of deep space."
"At this very moment, outside our home, an alien creation called 'the piercer' is rushing toward our world with instructions for destruction. It regards us as 'unauthorized' weeds and obstacles that need to be 'cleared'."
Old Chen's voice suddenly rose, carrying a metallic resonance:
"Then, today, right here, we are going to formally tell it, and tell ourselves—"
He turned sideways and waved his arm forcefully toward the towering warship:
"This is our answer! This ship, and all the ships that will fight alongside it in the future, is our will! We may have been lost, divided, and confined to a small blue planet. But when darkness struck from the depths of the star sea, we chose unity, we chose to fight, and we chose to condense our technology, our courage, and our future into this sharp sword and sturdy shield pointed toward deep space!"
"From today on, 'soaring heavens' is no longer just a name or a code! It will be the first battle flag of the Human Civilization Guardian Alliance (GDA)! It is the sharp edge that will pierce all invading enemies! It is the first 'North Heaven Gate' protecting our home!"
"Now, on behalf of all members of the GDC, I officially bestow the name upon this ship! May the ambition of 'soaring heavens' pierce through the sea of stars! May the fire of human civilization shine forever in the firmament!"
As his voice fell, Old Chen pressed a simple button in front of him.
Buzz—!
Inside the dock, a resonance device connected to the "soaring heavens" quantum network was activated. A low, magnificent sound wave of a special frequency, seemingly from ancient times yet pointing toward the future, spread out from the "soaring heavens" as its core. It wasn't a sound, but a field resonance acting directly on consciousness—solemn, majestic, and full of power.
At the same time, the characters for "soaring heavens" on the hull of the "soaring heavens" suddenly lit up, turning from a glimmer into a brilliant starlight-like glow, as if a soul had been injected into them! At the bow, a holographic image of a large GDA flag emblem (newly designed pattern) with a deep blue Earth as the base, surrounded by olive branches and stars, slowly unfurled and fluttered silently in the vacuum.
The entire dock, whether on-site or at the countless remote viewing points, erupted into long-lasting, thunderous applause and cheers! Many people had tears in their eyes, placing their hands on their chests or foreheads, expressing their excitement and blessings in their own ways.
Immediately after, the holographic image on the main ceremonial platform switched to the bridge of the "soaring heavens."
Long Zhantian wore a crisp deep blue captain's uniform, the general's stars on his shoulder tabs and the GDA emblem shining brightly. He stood before the captain's seat, his posture as upright as a pine tree. Facing the camera, he didn't say any unnecessary words; he simply raised his hand and gave a sharp, clean military salute to all the observers, to Earth, and to the Moon.
Behind him stood the Vice Captain, department heads, and key combat station officers, all standing just as solemnly. Every face was written with determination, and every pair of eyes burned with the will to fight. They had already merged with this ship; they were the soul of "soaring heavens," the fist that was about to face "the piercer."
The salute ended. Long Zhantian's voice traveled clearly to every corner via quantum communication:
"All crew members of the 'soaring heavens' are ready. Our ship will leave the dock as planned in two hours and enter the designated interception position. Our mission is clear and singular: intercept 'the piercer' and defend our home."
"For Earth, for civilization."
"soaring heavens, set out!"
There were no grand words, only a short "set out," yet it was more powerful than any slogan. All the officers on the bridge repeated in unison: "For Earth, for civilization! Set out!"
The screen switched, and finally, Lin Mo's image appeared. He was still in the laboratory of the "Bright Dawn" base, with a flickering data stream in the background. He didn't appear at the bustling ceremony, but no one was surprised. His presence there was like a stabilizing force.
"I am Lin Mo." He spoke, his voice calm yet containing the power to soothe all agitation. "As for technology, we have done our best. As for courage and determination, I have seen them in every soldier on the 'soaring heavens.' The rest, we leave to the sea of stars, to fate, and to the never-yielding spirit of humanity."
His gaze seemed to penetrate the screen, looking at Long Zhantian and all those about to join the battle:
"Regardless of victory or defeat, the name of 'soaring heavens' is etched into the annals of human history today. What you are heading toward is not just a battlefield, but the first cry of our species in the endless dark forest to fight for our right to survive and our dignity."
"I wish you great success in battle."
"'soaring heavens,' ahead factor four."
The last sentence was an interstellar navigation term, meaning maximum combat speed.
The ceremony came to an abrupt end. All live broadcast signals were cut.
Inside the dock, the applause and cheers gradually subsided, replaced by a more solemn and intense expectation. People looked at the giant ship that had been officially given a name and seemed to have come to life in an instant, looking at the glowing characters for "soaring heavens" on its hull, their hearts filled with unspeakable emotions.
Two hours later, under the gaze and prayers of countless people, the "zhurong engine" at the rear of the "soaring heavens" spewed out faint blue plasma flames, and the massive hull steadily and resolutely sailed out of Dock No. 1, disappearing into the endless darkness of the starry sky on the far side of the Moon.