Chapter 1378: Celebration Methods on Other Planets of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance (2)

Hephaestus, a planet enveloped by a dense atmosphere, its surface covered in sulfur vents and toxic gas swamps.

This planet is not suitable for Human habitation, but the Fengqi can barely survive here.

This is a Class 2 resource planet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, inhabited by approximately thirty million Fengqi miners who work sixteen hours a day to extract a precious mineral called "Star Ember Ore."

The extraction conditions for Star Ember Ore are extremely harsh; the mines reach thousands of meters underground, temperatures soar to fifty degrees, and the air is filled with toxic gases, requiring the use of breathing masks to work.

Even for the Fengqi, who have a relatively strong adaptability to harsh environments, they do not live past twenty years here.

Hephaestus has no cities, no plazas, only one mining area after another, surrounded by mountains of black slag and gray tailings ponds.

The living area of the main mining zone is a stretch of low-lying tin shacks; occasionally, a few Fengqi walk along the paths between the houses.

They have no smiles, no conversations, just walking from here to there with their heads bowed.

An elderly Fengqi sits at the doorway of a tin shack, his three eyes cloudy, his skin a sickly blue-gray from long-term exposure to toxic gases.

He has worked in this mining field for half a year, which, for a Fengqi, is already a long time.

His name is Geleiwusi, and he was once a teacher who taught for decades.

A young Fengqi walks out of the tin shack next door, thin and gaunt, his three eyes filled with exhaustion.

His name is Weiliao, and he has been assigned to Hephaestus for less than three months.

Weiliao holds a bowl of thin porridge in his hands and squats down next to Geleiwusi.

The porridge is very thin, clear enough to see one's reflection, with a few unknown vegetable leaves floating inside.

"Geleiwusi, do you know what day it is today?"

Geleiwusi does not look at him.

"What day?"

Weiliao lowers his head.

"The third anniversary of the founding of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance; I heard it from the guards."

Geleiwusi remains in Silence for a long time.

"So what?"

Weiliao looks up, a faint light flickering in his three eyes.

"I heard the Capital Star of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance is celebrating; it's very lively. The Emperor will attend, and the Primarchs will attend too. There are military parades, fireworks, and banquets. Those Humans, they are very happy."

Geleiwusi finally turns his head to look at him.

"Weiliao, what are you trying to say?"

Weiliao shakes his head.

"I just... think it's unfair."

Geleiwusi says.

"Unfair? We were once conquerors too. Under the banner of the Feng Qi Xing Alliance, how many Humans did our fleets enslave? Now that it's our turn to be enslaved, what is unfair about that?"

Weiliao looks at him.

"But we didn't do those things. I was just a student; I was only fifteen when the war started. I never fought in a war, never killed anyone, never enslaved anyone. Why must I suffer here? Digging in a mine for my whole life?"

Weiliao's voice grows lower and lower; Geleiwusi reaches out and pats his shoulder.

"Child, this is fate. Our Star Alliance lost, so we must pay the price. Humans will not pity us, they do not need our complaints, nor do they care what we are thinking. All we can do is live. By living, perhaps one day, the situation will change."

Geleiwusi stands up, his hand bracing against the door frame.

His back can no longer straighten completely.

Weiliao watches his back.

"Geleiwusi, do you regret it? Regret not leaving the Feng Qi Xing Alliance before the war started?"

Geleiwusi does not look back.

"There are no 'ifs'; let's go, time to work."

Weiliao finishes the porridge in the bowl, stands up, and follows Geleiwusi toward the mine.

The mining area's broadcast system transmits a notice from the guards.

"Today is the third anniversary of the founding of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance; the mining area is granted a half-day holiday. The canteen will provide extra food, with an extra portion of meat for everyone."

Weiliao stops in his tracks.

Extra food? An extra portion of meat?

He smiles bitterly.

Geleiwusi beside him does not even stop his pace, his hunched back slowly walking up the slag mountain, leaving a trail of uneven footprints behind him.

The broadcast continues to repeat the good news; a few Fengqi between the tin shacks look up toward the loudspeaker, then lower their heads again.

In the distant mine, the machines are still roaring.

Southwest quadrant of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance territory, Palma.

The land on this planet accounts for only three percent; the vast ocean contains rich fishery resources, but the resources here were basically monopolized by the Feng Qi Xing Alliance.

Two hundred million Human slaves labored on fishing boats, struggling amidst storms and giant waves.

A year and a half ago, the fleet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance judged the administrators of the Feng Qi Xing Alliance, and the fishing boats were returned to the fishermen.

Now, the seafood from Palma supplies several surrounding planets.

The docks of Sea Breeze City, the capital of Palma, are filled with fishing boats, with the flags of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance hanging from the masts.

The fishermen are holding a unique celebration.

A fishing boat parade.

Dozens of fishing boats line up, departing from the harbor and sailing slowly along the coastline.

The boats are covered in colorful flags, and the fishermen stand on the decks, waving the hats in their hands.

The shore is crowded with people—the elderly, women, children, and fishermen who rushed over from other fishing villages.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

A little girl stood on the pier, waving toward a fishing boat.

The man on the boat was her father, a middle-aged man whose skin had been roughened by the sea breeze and whose hands were covered in calluses.

Hearing his daughter's shouts, he waved back vigorously.

The fleet circled around and returned to the harbor; the fishermen jumped onto the shore and embraced their families tightly.

On the pier, an old fisherman sat by the edge of the jetty, holding a fishing rod in his hand with a pot of wine placed beside him.

"Laoyutou, not drinking today?"

A middle-aged woman walked over, carrying a plate of fried fish in her hands.

The old fisherman took the plate.

"Drinking, why wouldn't I drink?"

He poured a cup of wine and took a light sip.

"Who could have imagined we would still have a day like this? The fishing boat is our own, the catch is our own, and the money from the sales is also our own."

The middle-aged woman sat down beside him.

"Laoyutou, I heard the Emperor likes to eat fish? Is that true?"

The old fisherman was stunned.

"I don't know what the Emperor likes to eat, but I know that the Emperor has allowed us to have fish to eat."

As he spoke, he raised his wine cup.

"Long live the Emperor."

The sea breeze blew, and the waves lapped against the pier.