While Liu Hai was busy expanding his industrial chain to cope with the increasing armament orders, the situation in the Hera Star System had already reached the brink of transformation.
January 23, 5041, Pioneering Era of the Star River Federation.
In the central region of the Hera Star System, nearly 300,000 Pioneers gathered together. A video conference led by Reserve Lord Hera Kles and attended by 35 Reserve Lords commenced.
The meeting deliberated on the recent abnormal activities of the Katon Civilization. To safeguard the Pioneers' absolute right to explore in the Hera Star System, it was unanimously decided to launch a joint military operation to eliminate all Kadon Explorer Fleets daring to conduct military actions against the Pioneers.
The military alliance proposal was approved. Led by the 35 Reserve Lords, the forces of 300,000 Pioneers—totaling 862 Legions—would be divided among the Reserve Lords, each leading an assault on a Kadon Explorer stronghold. The forces would eventually converge in the military defense star region of the Katon Civilization.
After the meeting concluded, vast amounts of resources began to gather. For the first time in history, the massive warp zones experienced traffic congestion.
Once the Legions were fully assembled, they set out under the command of renowned officers, heading straight for their respective targets.
In just half a year, hundreds of Legions had completed their preparations and embarked on their missions. Like 35 arrows, they traced elegant arcs across the star systems housing the Kadon Explorer strongholds.
The war erupted abruptly, its intensity rivaling that of a full-scale military offensive. The sheer might of tens of millions of warships forced the typically aggressive Katon Civilization to repeatedly retreat. Before the battles even began, the Katon side had abandoned nearly 30% of their outlying bases, and even military outposts had to fall back to avoid confrontation.
As operations commenced in the central region, Pioneers across the three spiral arms erupted in cheers. Without hesitation, they formed impromptu alliances and launched counterattacks against the Katon Fleet.
Liu Hai watched the grand mobilization ceremony of the Pioneer forces in the central region. In the pitch-black void, hundreds of thousands of Pioneers, glowing softly, were scattered across the expanse, encircling the 35 Reserve Lords at the center, who shone like brilliant stars, delivering their final rallying cry.
"For a millennium, the Federation has stagnated in the Hera Star System. The development of the Living Star Territory has increased by fewer than a hundred systems compared to a thousand years ago. And how many Pioneers have fallen in that time?"
"Fifty-one thousand, six hundred thirty-one!"
"That is the number of Pioneers who have perished in exploration since the last Civilization War a thousand years ago."
"And what of their crew members? Their support staff?"
"A total of one hundred twenty-six million, five hundred thirteen thousand, six hundred ninety-eight."
"The Lords of the Federation face many enemies. The Federation's military is not invincible across the star clusters. The military has many concerns, prioritizing the survival of the Federation above all else, with the expansion of civilization's living space coming second."
"This is precisely why we Pioneers exist. Our purpose is to fill the gap in the Lords' lower-tier military strength and to secure the vital living space the Federation desperately needs."
"And now, the Katon Civilization has repeatedly provoked conflicts. The recent sharp rise in casualties has reached a point where we can no longer remain passive!"
"Gentlemen, do you still remember the oath we took when we received our Pioneer Authority?"
"Glory belongs to us, victory belongs to the Federation!"
"Let us fight! It is merely another test of courage and perseverance! What our predecessors achieved, we can still accomplish!"
"Let us seize the glory that is rightfully ours, and let the banner of the Federation's victory wave proudly!"
Hundreds of thousands roared in unison: "Glory belongs to us, victory belongs to the Federation!"
"Fight! As long as we live, we shall never cease to fight!"
At this moment, the hundreds of thousands of Pioneers seemed to see their predecessors who had led fleets into battle one after another during the first Civilization War. Back then, the Battleships they piloted were inferior in performance to today's Cruisers—yet were they ever afraid?
No.
The first Civilization War ended with the Federation's victory, demarcating the current three-thousand-light-year core region and radiating fifty thousand light-years as its boundary.
It was also during that time that three Lords were promoted. Sadly, out of over a million pioneering predecessors, fewer than one-tenth survived, and today, those still alive likely number fewer than ten thousand.
Now it is their turn to fight for the Federation. They are all Pioneers, and the new generation is no less capable than the old. They firmly believe they can forge a new future for the Federation!
After watching the footage, Liu Hai remained unsettled for a long time. This was one of the reasons the Federation had stood firm against the onslaught of four alien civilizations.
The Lords were powerful, but their enemies were equally formidable. To rely on just a few dozen Lords to hold back the forces of three civilizations and sustain the Federation's prosperity to this day was already extraordinary.
Yet they were still not strong enough, which was why the Pioneer system was born. The Lords hoped to foster more companions to strengthen the Federation's power—and they succeeded. Since the inception of the Pioneer system, five Pioneers have ascended to Lordship, each presiding over a Star Region, expanding the Federation's territory and shielding it from storms.
Now, the Pioneers of the Hera Star System, after enduring repeated provocations from the Katon Civilization and over a decade of conflict, have finally erupted in full-scale war!
Hundreds of thousands of Pioneers have sworn to march into battle, determined to uphold their predecessors' will, fortify their resolve, and prove their own worth.
If the Katon Civilization wants a fight, then let it be a fight!
When the brave meet on a narrow path, victory goes to the bold!
The Pioneer forces in the central region advanced with unstoppable momentum, pressing straight toward the Katon Explorers' second line of defense in the Star Region. Meanwhile, the Pioneers from the three spiral arms mobilized all their resources, relentlessly engaging the Katon Fleets there to prevent any reinforcements from reaching the defensive lines.
Particularly on the first and Second Spiral Arms, the already battle-crazed Pioneers, now bolstered by newfound confidence, played their symphony of madness to its crescendo.
Every casualty report in the comm channels sent shivers down the spines of the newly minted Pioneers who could not yet participate. Countless scions of noble families urgently sought their clans' support—they wanted more warships, more manpower, greater firepower. They, too, wanted to prove their title—Pioneers!
Just as Liu Hai hesitated over whether to send Li Yali and her fleet into the fray, an unexpected twist occurred.
"Are you... Cactus Sister?"
Liu Hai stared blankly at the dozen or so Female Pioneers projected before him. Among them, one with a graceful figure, dressed in bright red bridal attire and sporting waist-length jet-black hair, introduced herself as Cactus Sister.
With her youthful, collagen-rich face showing no signs of her thousand-year age, Cactus Sister nodded with a smile. "It's true. I was specifically instructed to come find you."
"Find me for what?" Liu Hai asked in confusion.