193: Second Starfleet

Another five years passed.

On the edge of the F-81 Galaxy, the silent, deep void suddenly rippled violently.

The fabric of spacetime at this moment seemed like silk crumpled by a large hand, and accompanied by countless high-energy particle turbulences invisible to the naked eye, a massive fleet forcefully squeezed into the real universe.

This was not Ilya's lone Wanderer from over a decade ago.

This was the Human Federation's Second Interstellar Fleet.

For this expedition, the Human Federation had almost depleted the nascent Warp Engine production capacity of the time.

Hundreds of 'hercules-class' assault landing ships formed the main body of the fleet; their bulky and heavy hulls were not designed for space combat, but for delivering devastating ground forces within an atmosphere.

Around them, thousands of armed transport ships equipped with fusion missiles and particle cannons, along with escorting destroyers, guarded these behemoths laden with war machines, like a sky full of stars.

Inside the command tower of the flagship, the 'Atomic Power,' lights blazed.

Admiral Karl von Schneider stood before the holographic Star Map, his young face filled with ambition. He was only thirty-five years old, and in an era where the average lifespan was a hundred years, he was undeniably a young man.

Unlike the steady and cautious demeanor of General Li Zhenhua, the First Fleet's Commander-in-Chief, Karl was a product of the new era. He grew up during the golden age of the Human Federation's rapid expansion, witnessing every step of humanity's journey from Earth to the stars. His bones were etched with the arrogance and radicalism of "Human Supremacy."

"What a beautiful place."

Karl looked at the blue-green planet marked F-81-03A at the center of the Star Map, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"No traces of industrial pollution, no orbital debris to obstruct it, just like a ripe fruit waiting to be picked."

"Notify the entire fleet: all Warp Engines to shut down for cooling, conventional thrusters to activate, maintain Level One combat formation, target—F-81-03A orbit."

"Yes, Commander!"

The order was instantly transmitted to every warship via the tachyons communication network. Blue tail flames ignited in the darkness. This torrent of steel made no stop at the edge of this star system; they charged directly at the sheepfold like hungry wolves... As the fleet smoothly glided into the inner star system's navigation lanes, Karl did not forget Director Raven's special instructions before their departure.

"Connect me to Dr. Ilya's private line." Karl adjusted his collar. Although he wasn't particularly fond of the loli scientist, she was, after all, the Chief Scientist of the Human Federation and the earliest pioneer of this star region.

The communication was quickly connected.

The silver-haired, red-eyed girl's figure did not appear on the screen; only a simple audio waveform pulsed.

"This is Ilya." The voice was lazy and flat, as if she had just woken up, showing no interest in this large army that had traveled so far. "General Karl, you are three days later than expected."

"Gravitational turbulence during Warp Drive was more complex than anticipated, Doctor." Karl replied neither subserviently nor arrogantly. "We are here to fight a war, not to catch a train. Let's skip the pleasantries. I need all the intelligence you have on this planet."

"The data package has been sent. See for yourself."

Ilya's reply was blunt and direct.

A moment later, a massive data stream flooded the Atomic Power's main computer.

This included not only maps and atmospheric data but also detailed records of Mana Star's societal changes over the past decade.

Karl's fingers slid rapidly across the holographic screen, skipping over geographical and biological information, directly locking onto the section about "civilized forces."

"North Continent... Unified Empire... Gareth?"

Karl looked at the image on the screen of a man in silver armor holding a greatsword, and the army behind him equipped with primitive smoothbore guns and cannons, and couldn't help but let out a scoff.

"This is the military strength of this planet?"

The data showed that this indigenous leader named Gareth had created a miracle in the past decade, ending a thousand years of war, unifying a continent, and forcibly pushing this medieval civilization into the steam industrial age.

In the intelligence video, rows of smoke-belching factories were forging steel, steam trains raced on newly laid tracks, and line infantry equipped with muskets were conducting shooting drills.

For the natives of Mana Star, this was a world-changing progress, a miracle brought by their emperor.

But in Karl's eyes, it was like a group of ants learning to build stronger ant nests with blades of grass; while commendable for their biological instinctual evolution, it still made no difference in the face of human boots.

"Steam engines? Black powder? Solid shot?"

Karl shook his head, his disdain unconcealed.

"Dr. Ilya, I heard this native named Gareth was personally cultivated by you?" Karl teased through the communicator. "You taught him for over a decade, and all you got was a pile of scrap metal? I thought I'd at least see the popularization of electricity."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication.

"The development of civilization has its objective laws; forcing growth will only lead to deformity." Ilya's voice remained calm. "And for you, does it make a difference if they are monkeys wielding fire sticks or monkeys holding laser guns?"

"Indeed, no difference." Karl laughed. "They all have only one outcome: conquest."

"However..." Karl's tone suddenly shifted. "This Gareth seems to know we're coming? He's preparing for war? He's trying to resist the Interstellar Fleet with those laughable toys?"

"Yes." Ilya replied. "I told him."

"This is a leak, Doctor." Karl's eyes became dangerous. "Although you have privileges, revealing Federation military operations to hostile forces..."

"Don't try to pressure me with your military regulations, Karl." Ilya interrupted him, a hint of impatience in her voice. "They didn't even know of our existence before; how is that hostile? And this is just a sociological experiment. I wanted to see if despair could give birth to miracles."

"It seems a miracle has occurred, but it's still not enough."

"In that case," Karl shrugged, "I'll be responsible for ending this experiment. A mantis trying to stop a chariot, commendable courage, but that's all it is."

He closed the data page about Gareth, just like closing a boring game window.

"Doctor, I read Director Raven's plan. It mentioned the suggestion of 'courtesy before force.'" Karl said nonchalantly while looking at the Star Map. "Something about issuing a warning first, then persuading them to surrender, and finally resorting to force... Heh, that's the style of old-school military men like Li Zhenhua."

"In my opinion, that's a waste of time."

"Dealing with an indigenous civilization hundreds of years behind us in technology, do we still need diplomatic rhetoric? Do we need to give them time to think? That's an insult to the Federation's military might."

Karl turned around, facing hundreds of officers in the command hall awaiting orders, his voice suddenly rising, full of ruthlessness and dominance.

"We are not guests, nor are we babysitters."

"We are conquerors!"

"We don't need their approval, we don't need their understanding, only their obedience!"

"My plan is simple—"

Karl's palm chopped down hard on the projection of Mana Star.

"Skip all contact, no warnings, no negotiations."

"Upon reaching orbit, the fleet will directly initiate atmospheric entry procedures!"

"We will cleave their sky like thunder, and smash down on their heads like meteorites!"

"Use bombardment to destroy their will to resist, use mech legions to crush their steam armies, and use collars to lock their throats!"

"Those so-called kings, lords, heroes... all who refuse to submit will either be captured and sent to the Solar System or New Sun System as slave laborers, or they will be eradicated!"

"Within a week of landing, I want there to be no organized resistance left on this planet!"

These words left Ilya on the other end of the communicator silent for a long time.

"You are more radical than I imagined, Karl." Ilya said slowly. "Many people will die this way, many valuable samples."

"This is also a form of screening, Doctor." Karl responded coldly. "Director Raven asked me to secure a clean Mana Star; all forces that might hinder the new era must be eliminated... Our new era will absorb a large number of Mana Star's lower-class humans, but this does not mean we will show mercy to certain individuals because of their status or class."

"Suit yourself." Ilya's voice sounded a little tired. "But I have one request."

"Please speak."

"On this planet, besides the human kingdom on the North Continent, there are many other intelligent races and special ecological zones." Ilya sent a new list of coordinates. "For example, the Mermaid City-States of the Eastern Archipelago, the Hydra Lair in the Western Swamps, and several special magic energy convergence points."

"These places preserve Mana Star's unique biodiversity and primitive magical ecology, possessing extremely high scientific research value."

"I don't want your missiles to flatten these places as well."

"Designate them as ecological reserves or special research zones, prohibiting military entry."

Karl glanced at the list and didn't hesitate for too long. Although he was radical, he wasn't foolish; he knew the status of the scientific research department within the Federation.

"Understood." Karl nodded in agreement. "As long as there are no rebels hidden there, I can order the troops to bypass them."

"But, that Gareth..." Karl pointed to the North Continent. "And his so-called New Empire, must be destroyed."

"That's your business."

Ilya ended the communication.

The Wanderer remained quietly docked in deep space, like an indifferent eye, watching the impending tragedy.

The massive fleet, like a sky-darkening cloud, pressed down unreservedly towards that beautiful planet... Mana Star, North Continent, Angus Royal Palace.

Gareth stood on the terrace, looking down at the city that had been completely industrialized.

Although the air was polluted, it was the smell of power.

Suddenly, he felt a tremor in his chest. It was an intuition honed through countless brushes with death.

He abruptly looked up at the sky.

The previously clear sky suddenly darkened.

Not because of clouds, but because of stars.

Countless "stars" lit up in broad daylight; they grew larger and brighter, eventually forming an iron canopy that covered the heavens.

Although he had no astronomical telescope and knew nothing of thruster plumes.

He knew that was what he had been waiting for in his nightmares for over a decade.

"They've come..."

Gareth's hand gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles white.

He felt no fear, only the relief of a shoe finally dropping.

"Sound the alarm! All forces assemble!"

Gareth's voice echoed over the Royal Palace, his final roar as the planet's last guardian.

"Light the signal fires! Activate the steam core! Charge all magic cannons!"

"Tell everyone—"

"The end has come, we will fight to the death!"

Whoosh—whoosh—

The piercing sound of steam whistles resounded throughout Angus City, then spread across the entire North Continent.

Factories ceased operation, workers picked up rifles, farmers dropped their hoes and pushed primitive cannons to their positions, former knights donned bulletproof steel plates and rode armored warhorses to gather beneath the Royal Palace.

This was not just a war.

This was the most desperate roar of a civilization that had just learned to make fire, directed at the gods descending from the sky.

And outside the atmosphere.

Hundreds of 'hercules-class' assault landing ships had already opened their ventral hatches.

Countless landing pods, like black raindrops, were ejected, enveloped in scorching atmospheric reentry flames, hurtling towards major cities and military strongholds on the ground.

That was the iron fist of the Human Federation.

No mercy, no dialogue.

Only destruction and conquest.