At noon, outside Dawn Starport, the flames of battle had just subsided.
What had been assessed as a high-casualty assault ended unexpectedly swiftly under Gu Qing’s precise coordination. In less than three hours, the monsters’ defensive lines were dismantled layer by layer. The starport was operational again; the outer energy shields rose, and the identification lights atop the main tower blinked, signaling that the Star Alliance had once more taken control of this battlefield.
Corpses littered the ground, smoke still curling from the ruins. Gu Qing walked among the debris with his soldiers. His expression remained composed, his white combat uniform almost radiant under the sunlight. His presence was steady as a mountain, though a subtle weight and suppression lingered beneath the surface.
He stopped in front of a half-destroyed building—the former command tower of the starport.
Stepping inside, a thick stench of blood and decayed dust hit him. The scorched walls bore the remnants of the shattered Star Alliance insignia. In a darkened corner, he saw Sairo.
Once a high-ranking Star Alliance commander commanding multiple species, Sairo now huddled beneath collapsed steel beams, cloak tattered, face disheveled. His hands wrapped around himself, trembling like a hypothermic, useless insect.
When he looked up and saw Gu Qing, his pupils contracted sharply, fear flashing across his gaze.
“I…” He tried to speak, voice dry and broken.
Gu Qing said nothing more, issuing a cold command: “Take him into custody.”
Soldiers quickly moved in, dragging him from the rubble and placing energy shackles on his wrists. Sairo cried out but was restrained to the ground before he could react. He did not resist, lowering his head, lips trembling, silently accepting this silent judgment.
Gu Qing’s gaze was indifferent. “How to deal with him will wait for Milton’s arrival.”
Sunlight poured across the metal decks as hundreds of warships pierced the clouds on the horizon. Their afterburners streaked like falling stars, shaking the battlefield.
Raen inhaled sharply. “That… that’s the military’s main fleet!”
Navien could hardly believe it. “Even the military’s strongest flagship division is deployed?”
At the fleet’s center, a black-and-silver flagship hovered like a king. Its prow bore the insectoid military emblem, wings outstretched, radiating the aura of a war god.
All eyes focused on the bridge of the flagship, which had just opened.
A figure stepped out steadily. Silver hair, violet eyes, uniform crisp, stride measured.
Milton Collins, the youngest admiral of the insectoid military, had finally arrived on the battlefield.
He lifted his gaze toward the high platform of the starport. Gu Qing stood there, calm and unflinching. Their eyes met, conveying a thousand unspoken words.
Milton’s lips moved slightly, voice low: “I’m here, Gu Qing.”
The sun angled across Dawn Starport’s control center as an emergency high-level meeting was convened.
Representatives of all species gathered. The once-empty conference table was now fully occupied. Faces were solemn; the atmosphere tense and oppressive.
The doors opened. Milton entered, posture rigid, aura like cold steel, eyes sweeping across the room before settling at the main seat.
His gaze fell on Sairo kneeling on the floor. His tone was sharp:
“According to battlefield records, since Dawn Starport fell, the Aris system has lost seventeen star cities. Five main fleets have been annihilated, with over four hundred thousand deaths.”
Faces darkened further; the air tightened.
“All of this is due to Sairo’s mismanagement—suppressing abnormal reports, refusing reinforcements, ignoring frontline warnings, delaying action, and seriously misjudging the enemy.”
Sairo suddenly raised his head, attempting to defend himself. “I—”
“Do you still have the face to speak?” Raen slammed the table in anger, rising violently. “Our starport fell because of your withdrawal order! I lost three hundred soldiers!”
Navien’s voice followed coldly: “Your refusal to respond to support requests, claiming ‘casualties are controllable,’ led to the annihilation of the entire fleet!”
The elder of the Silverwing species restrained his fury but spoke with lethal clarity: “You refused to investigate the monsters’ mutation when first reported. This is not negligence—it is a crime!”
Accusations erupted like a storm, rage sweeping through the hall.
Sairo’s face turned pale, sweat pouring from his brow, all pretense of luck gone—only fear and helplessness remained.
Milton declared in a low, commanding voice:
“Effective immediately, Sairo is relieved of his post as commander of the Star Alliance joint forces. He will be transferred to the High Court of the Star Alliance for trial under charges of gross dereliction. Until judgment, he will be held under military supervision aboard a detention vessel.”
Soldiers seized Sairo, restraining him heavily.
He erupted in a final, hoarse roar, venomous and laced with hatred:
“You fools! You think you can reclaim the Aris system relying on them alone? No matter how strong Bladé is, this war cannot be turned by one alone—you will fail, you will perish!”
He struggled wildly, eyes burning with rancor, as if he wanted to carve his hatred into everyone’s soul.
“You’ll regret this… I was right… I am—”
His words cut off abruptly as the chamber doors slowly closed, muffling all sound, leaving endless silence.
After Sairo was escorted away, the atmosphere in the room solidified. Representatives exchanged glances, understanding the crisis but daring not to falter.
To prevent such tragedy from repeating, all species quickly reached consensus—establishing a “Temporary Joint Wartime Command Committee” composed of representatives from each species.
The committee would serve as the highest cross-species coordination body. Any request for military redeployment or reinforcements must pass through voting or agreement, ensuring fairness and accountability.
Bladé, recognized for his outstanding battle achievements, was unanimously appointed as a committee member, representing the insectoid forces alongside Milton.
Milton would command the insectoid main forces, with substantial military authority, but cross-species deployment required committee coordination.
Though joint command was no longer centralized in a single individual, this system balanced oversight and maintained battlefield flexibility, mitigating the risk of negligence.
The meeting was tense yet filled with hope. Representatives exchanged determined glances. This grueling campaign might just be beginning.
Discussions continued late into the night, the lights casting solemn shadows on every face, the weight of war heavy, but determination and consensus burning brightly in their hearts.