Chapter 290: Rallying the Remnant Troops

As long as the black stone Obelisk remains, we cannot contact the outside world.

Therefore our primary objective is to destroy the Obelisk.

Xisi stared at the Obelisk on the map and spoke, but he did not directly state that the black stone Obelisk still possessed a reverse‑amplification function.

Instead, he set the tone of destroying the Obelisk and contacting the outside world.

Beside him, Sakan and Danika wore solemn expressions, stood upright for a moment, then, instead of showing the ready vigilance expected of an Empire soldier, they exchanged a hesitant glance and responded to Xisi with silence.

Normally, when superiors issue a combat mission, the overwhelming majority of the Empire's troops should complete it at any cost.

But on Alert Star, which has been deep in enemy‑occupied territory for years, those warriors who would fight without regard to cost have long since perished.

Those who remain now cannot be called cowardly, yet they are certainly not the kind who blindly carry out suicide missions.

Thus Xisi finalized the objective, and Sakan and Danika gave no reply.

Facing their silence, Xisi didn't even lift his eyes; finally he stared silently at the densely packed, varying‑size black stone Obelisks on the map.

He then turned and directly signaled the few Battle Nuns behind him.

These Battle Nuns were far more fanatical than Danika; they hesitated hardly at all, turning and marching toward the densely packed refugee crowd.

Only at this point did Sakan and Danika muster the courage to step behind Xisi, and finally Sakan, who interacts more with mortals, spoke:

"Sir, the Dead Spirits have deployed a large ground force on Alert Star."

"Moreover, the black stone Obelisks across Alert Star, even according to intelligence from two years ago, number at least over a hundred."

"We not only lack sufficient soldiers and weapons, but we don't even have food."

"Launching an attack in this condition, even with the First Saint, we still......"

Sakan's voice was hoarse and his tone calm, without any hint of fear.

He merely looked at the shelter before him, now almost only women and children, and truly did not wish to waste lives on a goal he deemed impossible.

Xisi, with his back to Sakan, likewise surveyed the densely packed refugees.

Xisi certainly knows that charging straight into the black stone Obelisk under these circumstances is tantamount to courting death, but......

What else can be done?

Is staying put and continuously devouring our own kind a better path?

Xisi did not directly answer Sakan's pessimism about the situation; he simply watched the refugees and the men, women, and half‑grown boys recruited from them by the Battle Nuns.

Then, as those people looked at him with a mix of timidity, curiosity, excitement, and anxiety, he paused in silence and spoke plainly:

"There is no sacrifice so great that it cannot be accepted."

"Everyone must fight for the survival of humanity."

"...... including me."

After speaking, Xisi stepped forward, waved his hand casually, causing the golden blazing sun at the center to rise higher, barely illuminating the central area.

In the firelight, men and women formed an uneven line; they wore no uniforms, their clothing a mishmash of styles.

None bore weapons; usually three or four people had to share a single gun.

These formations placed men at the front, mature women behind them, and a half‑grown boy at the rear.

At this moment the holy fire shone; though their stomachs remained empty, at least the icy cold was driven from their bodies.

That chill was not only physical but also spiritual.

The living whose souls are expelled in the spirit‑driven death zone endure endless soul‑level cold before death.

Now, at least before departure, Xisi used the holy fire to give them a long‑awaited warmth.

Sakan's complexion turned the worst possible, and after Xisi finished that sentence, Sakan could no longer utter another word.

If anyone could still get excited at this moment, it would only be those Battle Nuns who have fought up to now.

Seeing that they would still follow Xisi and fight side by side left them with boundless fanaticism on their faces.

Also present were the surviving members of the Black Watch, Star Realm Army veterans, conscripted militia and other assorted battle‑hardened 'veterans', all assigned among these people as officers.

Looking at these people, even though Xisi was already mentally prepared, he couldn't help feeling a pang of reluctance.

Beyond the melancholy of such a team, it's also because these people, tracing back to their ancestors, all have some connection with Xisi.

Xisi now felt as if he were taking his own family—women and children—onto the battlefield.

And it was the kind of battlefield where, once you step onto it, the vast majority almost die instantly!

Watching this scene, Xisi held his breath for a while, and finally made a decision he had never made before.

He took a deep breath, and gently waved his hand at the team, mostly women and children:

"You stay; I'll take only the men out."

When Xisi spoke, Sakan behind him let out a huge sigh of relief, while Danika's complexion turned rather sour.

Because Xisi initially wanted to gather people, it was due to the vast Alert Star and the sheer number of black stone Obelisks; a small‑scale team alone could hardly make any impact.

Especially since Xisi's spiritual energy and divine power are heavily suppressed by the black stone.

Although taking refugees seems like a death march, even if it is, at least it can share some firepower with the legitimate combat forces, right?

This time Danika tried to persuade again, but Xisi simply raised his hand and offered another plan:

"The fifth expedition just ended; I saw many warship wreckage and escape pods falling down."

"We can go out and round up those remnants of soldiers."

After Xisi said this, he himself felt a bit insecure.

Danika's face turned completely sullen.

Not to mention how many remnants you could actually gather; the Dead Spirits cherish Alert Star so much and are determined to protect the Obelisks.

How could they possibly ignore the Empire's remnants on the ground?

Even without investigation, Danika knew that at this very moment, the Dead Spirits had already dispatched an unknown number of units to slaughter the remnants.

Even if there truly were remnants strong enough to hold off, Alert Star is so vast that you could locate them in just two tries?

Xisi's words were less a solution and more a comfort.

A comfort that lets people die at ease!

And as Xisi issued the order, the crowd before him retreated again by more than half; what remained, surprisingly, were still those who had fought to the end outside before.

At the same time, the number wasn't large—just a few hundred.

And looking at these few hundred, Xisi also felt helpless.

Because even if I lead them in a few battles, we would accumulate strong combat experience.

Even against the Dead Spirits' metal and Gauss, it's hard to gain a decisive advantage.

Not to mention the Dead Spirits also have an absolute numerical advantage.

"So it really is just as Danika thought: going out in this situation is really not much different from sending people to their deaths!"

And Xisi looked around; the only comfort he could finally give was to take a deep breath and speak calmly.

"Only if we reach the Obelisk."

"Everything will then get better."