154: Both internal and external approaches

Simultaneous internal and external action! Externally, a magnificent intergalactic colonial expedition to sow the seeds of civilization into deep space. Internally, a cold and ruthless Great Purge to ensure the absolute purity and unity of the homeland.

"This will be the boldest expansion in our civilization's history, and the most thorough purification." Han Zhe looked around at everyone; the risks and opportunities were unprecedented. But the path of the Human Federation was destined to be so. We are not responsible for the past, only for pioneering the future.

"Operation Star-Sea Sowing and Operation Pure Domain, initiate immediately! All departments, execute at full capacity according to the contingency plans!"

The command was like a thunderclap, exploding in every corner of the Human Federation's massive body.

Operation Pure Domain, a silent liquidation.

In every corner of the Human Federation's controlled zones, a smokeless but even more cruel purification quietly unfolded.

In the newly annexed Forge Worlds of the Segmentum Obscurus, those Tech-Priests who retained ancient Adeptus Mechanicus customs and privately worshipped the Machine God instead of the Human Federation's order were secretly arrested and sent to recycling stations for reclamation.

On remote resource planets, several Mutant tribes that had been hiding for decades—whose appearances differed slightly from normal humans due to genetic mutations—were discovered by drone scouts. After receiving precise coordinates from the adjudicators, the local garrison deployed rapidly. There were no warnings, no negotiations, only efficient and thorough elimination. The tribal ruins were scorched into glass by Flame Purifiers.

In the lower levels of some ancient Hive Cities left over from the Imperial era, remnant secret cults that believed in long-forgotten local minor deities or performed certain unholy rituals were raided by Purifier units. Resisters were shot on the spot, believers were taken away, and their meeting places were razed to the ground and sealed off.

Even in some star systems occupied early by the Human Federation, museums or private collectors who had been missed by the Nirvana Project or had retained parts of non-human cultural artifacts and literature for various reasons received final ultimatums to surrender or destroy them. Refusal to comply was regarded as betraying the Human Federation, facing the same treatment as non-humans.

"The adjudicators have identified potential heterogeneous targets with startling efficiency through big data comparison and behavioral pattern analysis," the Director General of Social Integration reported the progress, his tone calm and steady. "The sweeping operation is progressing smoothly, and the social purity index is steadily rising. It is expected that 98% of the surface impurities in the controlled zones can be cleared before the fleet departs. Deep-seated lurkers will require more time."

This was a brutal pruning of the civilization's genes, aimed at leaving the great tree of the Human Federation with only two healthiest and most unified branches: pure humanity and absolute order.

Meanwhile, within the giant shipyards of the Ark World and the major keystones, an unprecedented fleet assembly was taking place. Newly launched titan-class iii behemoths with sharper lines and armor shimmering with dark gold and biomass luster; Skysurvey Class colonial motherships specially reinforced with larger ecological pods and resource processing modules; and countless engineering, transport, and escort vessels converged like a hundred rivers into the sea, forming an endless forest of steel.

Five hundred million selected qualified citizens, mostly of the young G-5 and G-6 generations, had no reluctance for their homeland in their eyes, only determination to execute orders and Pioneer new lands, along with a sense of glory at being chosen. They carried not just personal belongings, but the complete Human Federation social template, education system, technical database, and an optimized human gene bank.

"The Expeditionary Pioneer Fleet Group has finished assembling. Flagship: Pioneer (titan-class iii). Commander-in-Chief: Admiral Xu Ke (who will personally lead the first fleet to arrive at The Other Shore-1, then hand over the colonial ships to his deputy and lead the warships further in)." Alpha-01 looked at the unprecedentedly large fleet, a hint of complexity in his voice. "They will take away nearly one-sixth of our best engineers and scientists."

"This is a necessary investment." Han Zhe's gaze seemed to pierce through the void, seeing the darkness waiting to be conquered in the Extragalactic space. "The Extragalactic region will be the second heart of our civilization's future. The resources, space, and potentially more advanced technology found there will ensure that even if the Human Federation suffers setbacks in future galactic wars, we will have a foundation to stage a comeback and grow even stronger."

"May Order guide them," Alpha-01 whispered.

"May Order be with us all," Han Zhe slowly responded.

The day of departure.

In the core of the Human Federation's controlled zone, in the void surrounding the Ark World, an unprecedented spectacle took place.

The massive Expeditionary Pioneer Fleet Group's engines roared in unison, their dark gold trails like countless sharp Blades piercing the darkness. They slowly adjusted their formation, heading toward the preset jump coordinates. Behind the observation windows of the colonial ships were countless young and calm faces.

And behind them was the Human Federation territory, which had just undergone a silent purification and appeared even more orderly and solemn. Every keystone and patrol ship there seemed to silently proclaim: This is the domain of pure humanity, the territory of absolute order.

The Star-Sea Sowing Fleet, like an ark carrying the hope of civilization, sailed into the unfathomable Extragalactic darkness.

"Operation Pure Domain, phase one complete," the Director General of Social Integration reported after the fleet's silhouette disappeared into the light of the jump.

"adjudicator report," providence's voice rang out. "The Star-Sea Sowing Fleet has successfully initiated its first collective jump, heading for The Other Shore-1. Estimated time of arrival: forty-seven standard days."

Han Zhe stood before the observation window of the Supreme Command Center, gazing at the starry sky that had returned to tranquility but contained startling power, remaining silent for a long time.

"The seeds have been sown; the home has been purified," he finally whispered to himself, his voice audible only to him.

"Next is waiting for the harvest, and dealing with any storms that dare to interfere with our growth."

In the darkness of the Extragalactic galaxy, the largest-scale visitors from the Milky Way in history were welcomed. Meanwhile, within the Milky Way, the Human Federation's territory, after removing all impurities, shone like a polished Blade with a cold and pure light, waiting for the next target that needed to be purified or conquered.