40: Chapter 40 Global Preparations

When Chen Mu posted his Twitter update to the internet, it was dusk in New York.

Within thirty seconds, the Twitter servers were flooded with four million replies, turning the comment section into an emergency room for human civilization.

[Hamminglius: "A rabble? Mr. Chen, I think you've got one thing wrong.]

[In 480 BC, three hundred Spartans held off a massive Persian army of three hundred thousand at Thermopylae; they were also called a rabble. In 1940, Londoners hid in subway tunnels during the Blitz, and Churchill called them the nation that had never been conquered.]

[You actually openly threaten a species with two million years of history using a seven-day countdown, and one thing we have learned over those two million years is this: we do not fear any threat.]

[P.S.: I made the Ultraman video, thanks for the like.]

[I am an astrophysicist. Our equipment has just observed that the fleet that had been parked in the Kuiper Belt has begun to move, with its target set directly on Blue Star! Repeating, target set directly on Blue Star!!!]

[NASA: Our Perseverance rover on Mars has received new instructions: If no signal is received from Blue Star within seven days, it will automatically initiate the 'Mars Declaration of Independence' broadcast program. Mars belongs to humanity, now and in the future.]

[KFC: Given the current interstellar situation, the company announces: For the next seven days, all stores will supply the 'Resistance Combo' family bucket with Mars mashed potatoes. Use the code 'Down with Gugu Gaga' to receive a free portion of popcorn chicken. We will not be ruled, but we will be conquered by delicious food.]

[Hollywood: Seven days is enough to film a season. We announce the launch of the documentary 'The Last Seven Days: An Interstellar Empire of a Vagabond,' which will be narrated by Maya Rodriguez.]

As space observation agencies across various countries successively observed the accelerating movement of the alien fleet in space, they also announced that their nations had entered the highest level of combat readiness.

[President Trump: "The United States has immediately entered the highest state of combat readiness. All armed forces are raised to DEFCON 2. The National Guard is mobilizing nationwide, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command has entered twenty-four-hour combat duty."]

["The Russian Federation armed forces have entered a special combat readiness state. The Strategic Rocket Forces, Aerospace Forces, and Navy have fully activated emergency plans."]

["All war zones in the East have entered Level 1 combat readiness. The Rocket Force, Navy, Air Force, and Strategic Support Force have all entered combat duty. The space surveillance system has initiated twenty-four-hour uninterrupted tracking."]

["For any behavior that threatens the sovereignty, security, and development interests of the East, the people and the military of the East will resolutely fight back."]

[This move by the Guga Civilization will surely result in them lifting a rock only to drop it on their own feet.]

[The armed forces of the United Kingdom of John have been raised to the highest alert level. The Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and ground forces have all entered a state of combat readiness. The Trident nuclear deterrent force has activated its response protocol.]

[The armed forces of France have entered the highest state of alert. The Strategic Air Force and naval nuclear forces have been fully activated, and the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group is returning to the Mediterranean.]

[The armed forces of India have entered the highest state of combat readiness, and Agni missiles have entered launch preparation. The space research organization has initiated deep space monitoring.]

Japan, South Korea, Australia... with the exception of countries without militaries, the entire world has launched large-scale military mobilizations. The entire Blue Star is filled with the scent of gunpowder, as if a great war could break out at any moment.

——

At night, the parades outside the window had dispersed.

After all, no matter how passionate the slogans, they couldn't withstand a drop in blood sugar, and no matter how firm the will, it couldn't overcome the fatigue of sleepiness.

Only sporadic cleaners were left on the streets, driving roaring sweepers to sweep the placards reading "Humanity Wont Kneel," "Mars Is Ours," and "Thompson Is Right" along with cigarette butts and soda cans into the vehicle compartments.

When Maya pushed a silver food cart in, Chen Mu was leaning against the window, watching the sweeper move back and forth.

"The night shift chef in the United Nations kitchen has gone off duty," Maya pushed the cart to the center of the room. "I'm the only one who knows how to use that stove."

Chen Mu glanced at the dining table, understanding that this was just an excuse the chef made because he didn't want to cook for an alien like him.

She lifted the two stainless steel lids, revealing ribeye steaks about two fingers thick, the charred layer a uniform dark brown, with grease still sizzling at the edges.

The side dishes were roasted asparagus and a whole head of halved garlic, pan-fried in butter until golden.

She magically pulled two wine glasses and a bottle of Bordeaux red wine from the lower level of the cart. Chen Mu didn't recognize the winery, but when he saw the vintage, his eyebrows twitched.

"This bottle of wine has been lying in the White House cellar for forty years," Maya opened the wine. "Advisor Cole asked me to tell you not to let this bottle of wine be buried with humanity."

Chen Mu walked over from the window and sat down. Maya poured two glasses and pushed one in front of Chen Mu.

Chen Mu picked up his knife and fork, took a bite, and praised: "I really couldn't tell you had a talent for cooking."

Maya also cut a piece and smiled: "It's all because of that glutton Mary, crying every day to eat something delicious. After so many years, I've practiced some cooking skills. One day I'll make you my specialty stew."

Chen Mu nodded.

Just then, the sweeper outside the window turned back. The driver had probably found that there were too many placards and the hopper was full, so he was grumbling as he stepped on the compactor plate.

Chen Mu glanced out the window: "It seems no matter how big the Mars issue is, it's not as important as the stomach right now."

Maya followed his gaze; the sweeper was reversing, emitting an urgent beeping sound.

"They will come again tomorrow."

"I know."

After a moment of silence, Maya ate a few pieces of steak and asked with a grave expression: "Chen Mu."

"Hmm?"

"What is the deterrence plan you mentioned on Twitter today? Can you tell me?"

Chen Mu's fork paused. He chewed the piece of steak in his mouth, swallowed, and then wiped the grease from the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

He sighed and began to perform: "Ever since the negotiations broke down, the hardliners in the fleet have gained the upper hand."

He put down his fork: "Do you remember that Commander I told you about? The one who advocates forcing talks through fighting?"

Maya nodded. During their garden walk, Chen Mu had mentioned him to her; this was the first key piece of intelligence she had obtained about the Guga Planet people.

Chen Mu took a sip of red wine: "His voice is louder than mine now. After the United Nations voting results were transmitted back to the fleet, many high-level officials in the fleet believed that the 'observational civilization' route I proposed had failed."

"If the Blue Star species refuses peaceful observation, then we have no choice but to take another path."

"What path?"

"Show of force, let the other side give up on their own in the face of absolute power."

Maya's knife and fork stopped: "What do you mean by show of force?"

"It means exactly what it says." He made a fist with his hand: "Displaying, not opening fire directly—at least, the Commander's current plan hasn't reached that step yet."

"But now they don't ask for my opinion anymore. The wording of today's tweet was decided by them; I was just responsible for posting it."

"You didn't want to post it?"

"Whether I post it or not is the same. The fleet is already on its way, and my influence within the fleet," he used his thumb and forefinger to indicate an increasingly narrow gap, "is fading rapidly."

Maya looked at him, silently committing this intelligence to memory: "So you don't know what will happen after seven days either?"

Chen Mu picked up his wine glass and swirled it: "I don't know now, but they will notify me in advance when the time comes."

"However, since the peace plan I proposed failed, the Commander might report it to the Emperor."

"I might be required to stay on Blue Star as a mouthpiece, or I might be picked up by the fleet and taken back to the home planet to face trial. It all depends on how the Emperor rules."

After hearing this, Maya asked nervously: "Then how will your Emperor rule?"

"The Emperor doesn't say much." Chen Mu took a sip of wine: "That is also the most terrifying thing about him."

Because he was made up by Chen Mu, a person who didn't exist, so of course, he didn't say much.