Chapter 266: Public Response and the Original Command of the Five Mixed Fleets

Chairman.

The White Queen, who had been silently watching the elites passing through the light bridge, suddenly spoke:

"Analyzing the combat data provided by the Punishment Ship and estimating based on the enemy's territory being roughly three times ours, our side still has absolute strength to win."

Upon hearing that.

Sui Bian knew that the White Queen's analysis was a veiled inquiry into why he wanted to induce Mur and the elite to defect.

He then shifted slightly, looked at the White Queen and said, "Having absolute strength is true, but if we wage total war, how many colonies will be invaded by the enemy, and how many humans will die in this war?"

Therefore, sowing internal chaos in the enemy, with minimal loss and the fastest speed, is the way to strike them so they have no capacity to sustain the war.

Although I dislike kicking someone when they're down, I quite enjoy using it on enemies, especially alien races that hold explicit hostility toward humans.

Record this, White Queen.

"Understood, Chairman," the White Queen's pupils flashed a blue light, apparently storing Sui Bian's words.

The Red Queen did the same, only the light was red, and Sui Bian turned to her and asked, "Report the status of the Gryphon."

"It is expected to enter Harvest Star's gravitational sphere in 43 minutes," the Red Queen, after completing the storage, replied.

"Very well, also inform the attached engineers to quickly detach that enemy vessel the Punishment Ship calls a cockroach."

"Understood."

After briefing the Red Queen, Sui Bian finally ordered Shirley and Laura, "Supervisor BoKen, you will assist the archaeological team led by Kelaofu and continue researching this ruin."

"Rest assured (yes)," the two replied in unison.

Next.

Shirley and Laura's technical staff and the archaeological team stayed within the ruin, while Sui Bian and the others, through the return tunnel of the light bridge, prepared to head to the surface.

"Father..."

At this moment John, looking up at the tunnel, said, "Using that captain to destabilize the enemy's interior is one thing; actually, Father, you also seem to appreciate this species."

"That's true," Sui Bian did not deny.

He continued, "My perception tells me they revere martial arts, are stubborn yet repay kindness, keep their word, and disdain exploiting others' misfortune; they are pure warriors."

In a sense, they are more reliable than the IntiUnancha Clan (Iron Blood), and numerically they outnumber those eccentric hunters.

In future confrontations with other hostile alien races in the galaxy, even demons, I think they would make a fine ally.

"What about the other races, Father?" Leon interjected.

"Hmm..." Sui Bian seemed to hum thoughtfully, then continued to his two sons:

"Those wolf‑like scoundrels give me a pirate impression; looking at the combat logs from the Punishment Ship, it's clear their species is opportunistic, exploiting the weak and fearing the strong."

Those short ones (Gulu people) are also a… equally strange race; I can sense they greatly revere Captain Linmir's species.

As for those apes (Ghost‑Face Beasts)...

Even just from combat records, one can see they are at odds with Captain Linmir's species.

"Indeed," Leon nodded thoughtfully.

"Father, I think those jellyfish‑like engineers resembling long‑necked dragons seem to be good mechanics," John added.

"Exactly, later I'll have the White Queen try to converse with them," Sui Bian affirmed John's words.

He laughed lightly and said, "Of course, it's still too early to discuss these matters now; the war has just begun, children."

"And soon, you brothers will have to step into the spotlight, so be ready for the cameras."

"Understood."

———————

…

"The alien species labeled 'colonizers' by UEG and Umbrella—when and where did they invade humanity? Put down your pens, keep your hands off the desks, and let me see..."

In the classroom.

A female teacher dressed in a teal qipao, appearing to be just in her thirties, suddenly launched a surprise question at the students, scanning the class to pick a lucky one to answer.

Behind the teacher and the podium was a holographic blackboard filled with key points; in front of her sat over thirty students at their desks.

Wearing dark, fitted uniforms, the fifteen‑ or sixteen‑year‑old high schoolers, still with youthful faces, showed varied expressions.

Some were calm, some pretended confidence, others averted their eyes, unwilling to meet their history teacher's gaze.

Outside the far‑left window, the evening view showed the metropolitan area of a massive colony.

The lightweight backpacks hanging on the backs of the chairs, and the lack of traditional paper and pens, meant the multifunctional screens on the desks replaced textbooks.

But pens were not entirely eliminated; each student owned a stylus of a different design so they could continue writing on the screens.

Although technology constantly advances, humans remain inexplicably stubborn in some respects, and writing with a pen activates the brain intensely.

After posing the question, the classroom fell into silence.

Until the teacher looked at a student who dared not meet her gaze, then broke the atmosphere, "Wilhelm, you speak up."

The boy called upon, whose physique far exceeded his peers, stood up helplessly, tried to recall, and finally sighed, "

"Forgot..."

"Copy the point thirty times later, and you'll remember it."

The teacher, also helpless, shook her head, gestured for the boy to sit, then in a gentle tone reminded the class:

"It is February 4, 2022, Pacific Time, in Elizabeth City, southern Africa on Earth. Remember, do not forget it's Pacific Time, otherwise two points will be deducted. This question is a mandatory part of the annual college entrance exam; be diligent."

"Understood, Teacher Yi," the students replied in unison.

But from the secretly relieved looks of some students, it was clear they hadn't taken the teacher's admonition to heart.

"Very well, next we will discuss..."

"Ding—~!"

A sudden shrill ringing interrupted the teacher's lesson.

?

The class had started less than ten minutes ago, so it couldn't be the dismissal bell, which left the teachers and students a bit confused.

The bell stopped ringing.

The speaker mounted above the automatic doors broadcast the principal's hoarse voice:

"All teachers and students, attention: suspend the lesson. All teachers, immediately switch your network settings and prepare to watch the government's press conference."

The principal's words fell silent;

"What press conference?"

"I don't know..."

"It might be related to Harvest Star; recent news has all been about Harvest Star."

The students began to guess curiously.

"Everyone, be quiet."

The female teacher first asked the students to stay quiet, then manipulated the podium screen to network the classroom blackboard and desk displays.

There was no need to search; as soon as the browser homepage opened, the official had placed the live stream link in the most prominent spot.

Seeing this.

The female teacher projected the live stream onto the blackboard so she and the students could watch together.

Staring at the blackboard image, which shifted from academic content to a city's central plaza, the teacher walked to the window, and the students instantly sat upright, watching intently.

It seemed that anything not a lesson could spark interest in this group of underage students.

In the upper right corner of the live feed, the caption read "PTZ (Pacific Time Zone) 2072/08/14/07:56".

However, the live scene was bathed in bright sunlight, appearing to be midday rather than the expected morning, indicating that the plaza was not on Earth.

Three flagpoles at the plaza's center bore the fluttering flags of UEG, Umbrella, and UNSC.

Legislators, officials, and commanders gathered on the plaza.

Besides these officials in various uniforms, there were a hundred members of the Honor Guard equipped with different styles of Terminator‑powered armor, and standing before each guard unit...

Ten OriginalBody.

Each wore custom military attire that was broadly similar but differed in details, displaying sculpted, imposing physiques, human‑like faces, and a resolute expression with fierce eyes.

Even when positioned toward the back, each stood over four meters tall on average, making them extremely conspicuous.

!!!

The students who saw the OriginalBody erupted in excitement, especially the group that loved military topics and constantly followed military forums.

The male student who had just been called upon pointed at the blackboard and shouted something like "The officials have confirmed it!"

"…"

This time, the female teacher didn't remind the students to stay quiet, because she hadn't expected that the super soldiers, which had sparked heated online debate, would appear at a government press conference.

Those ten OriginalBody gave her, a history buff, a strong sense of déjà vu as "demigods".

Soon.

A "middle‑aged" officer in a white navy uniform walked to the podium before the flagpole, and the camera zoomed until his face was clearly visible.

Then the officer, with a stern expression, said gravely, "Fellow compatriots, I am Admiral Zhanmu Si Ka Te.

Three days ago, the self‑styled Covenant Multi‑race United Empire declared war on humanity with an extermination stance and dispatched a fleet attempting to burn Harvest Star.

As a result, the entire crew of the Paris‑class escort ship Punishment declared to the Covenant Empire and the whole galaxy that humanity is not a weak, exploitable race!

To friends who cherish peace, we humans will welcome them with applause; to aggressors, humanity will vow to defend its rights to the death!

As the ancients said, to have peace one must always be ready for war!

Thus today, Harvest Star has gathered five legions and twenty‑five fleets, which will soon form five unprecedentedly massive combined fleets, sailing toward unknown space to strike back at the Covenant Empire!

The overall commander will be me, and the supreme commander of each combined fleet is the legion‑leading OriginalBody, namely Robert, John, Shengjilesi, Rus, and Angelong.

I know my compatriots are puzzled about what OriginalBody are, who the giants behind me are, and whether they are the super soldiers rumored online.

I think these should be left to more professional people to answer our compatriots, Representative Sui, please."

Admiral Zhanmu Si Ka Te's words faded, and the camera began to pan slowly left.

Sui Bian, dressed in a black suit with red‑white buttons at the collar, adjusted his attire and walked away from the cluster of legislators.

The camera followed Sui Bian closely.

Until Sui Bian reached the side of Ka Te, the two shook hands, and the camera steadied again.

Then Ka Te walked out of the frame, and Sui Bian smiled lightly, saying, "I am one of the Umbrella board members and also a UEG legislator; my surname is Sui, given name Bian. It is my honor to clarify matters for our compatriots.

Indeed, super soldiers truly exist; our compatriots should already know this, and their official designation is Astate. The ten OriginalBody behind me lead them in secret battles for humanity."

Sui Bian, as he spoke, gradually softened his smile: "The main cause of the super soldiers' emergence is that Umbrella and the predecessor governments of UEG learned, as early as last century, that the galaxy is populated by alien races. For humanity's survival, we must prepare in advance for an interstellar war.

Everyone, please watch this ancient video footage."

At that point, the blackboard screen automatically switched, showing the raider civilization's scout fleet passing Deimos.

Nearly a thousand insect‑like living vessels escorted a mother ship ten kilometers long.

!!

With Deimos as a reference, the teachers and students could truly feel the overwhelming pressure of the raider fleet.

As the footage continued, the three human Eagle‑class escort ships then engaged the raider fleet, launching assaults until combat teams boarded the mother ship for a boarding action.

The teachers and students who witnessed this, along with the live‑stream viewers, realized that while they enjoyed a stable life, the war had never truly ceased.

The video ended.

The feed returned to the live stream.

Sui Bian continued, "The outbreak of that battle over sixty years ago deepened cooperation between Umbrella and various governments, directly leading to the formation of UEG and UNSC.

At the same time, that battle made us realize that for humanity to endure, we must have warriors who transcend limits."

When we pray to those so-called deities, hoping for their protection, where are those deities?!

Speaking simultaneously.

The camera's view began to pull back, and ten OriginalBodies stepped forward, standing respectively to Sui Bian's left and right.

He also, taking the opportunity, spread his hands and said: "Now! We have OriginalBodies, Astates, brave soldiers, and all our compatriots fighting together, so…"

Let those so-called deities see how we humans rely on ourselves to live a strong and prosperous life in this galaxy surrounded by powerful enemies!

"Humanity will win!" The ten OriginalBodies responded in unison to their father.

Inside the classroom.

"Humanity will win!" The students also couldn't help but echo in unison.

Although their faces were youthful, they were filled with a determined demeanor and an extremely confident gaze.

Even the female teacher standing by the window was deeply infected by the fervent atmosphere, whispering "Humanity will win."

Next.

Sui Bian also announced that Umbrella would release more detailed information about the Astates on its official website, and then have his eldest son Robert, representing all OriginalBodies, continue the explanation.

The official public response to the war first provoked by the Star Alliance also brought the OriginalBodies and Astates completely into the open.

(End of chapter)