117: The Statue of Liberty's planning

"June 11, 3638 of the freedom calendar, the Cataclysm-level Disaster Zone 'The Great Millstone' was successfully cleared under the command of Mr. Zhang Huaiyuan, Chief Researcher of the Star Alliance Research Institute..."

"The recovery of the Vanguard Galaxy is in sight, and reconstruction work is proceeding intensively..."

"Mr. Zhang Huaiyuan has gratuitously donated two precious patents, valued at 170 billion credits, to serve as startup funds for the reconstruction zone..."

"His Excellency, the Star Alliance Head, has issued a directive to build a Star Fortress at any cost..."

"..."

"One of the three major Disaster Zones that has long plagued the Star Alliance has been resolved. The dawn of victory is near. We believe that with an excellent Scholar like Mr. Zhang Huaiyuan, the Star Alliance will sooner or later be able to restore its former peace."

"That concludes the entire content of the Star Alliance Monthly Times. We will see you next time."

While Zhang Huaiyuan was in seclusion studying, the Statue of Liberty had already quietly begun its layout.

In the broadcast information released across various regions and on various media platforms, the relevant news was played repeatedly.

Zhang Huaiyuan's name began to rise to fame.

The Free Star Alliance possesses a territory of eight million light-years, and the daily information is incredibly chaotic.

Almost all departments need to rely on the Statue of Liberty to extract and summarize information before they can resolve issues.

This is also one of the important reasons why the three major forces each prioritized the development of powerful artificial intelligence.

However, one of the consequences is that if this intelligence were to lose control, all departments would be like those in 'The Truman Show,' where all the information they could receive would be exactly what the other party wanted them to see.

Just like now, the broadcasts seen by the Star Alliance high command are all praising their wise decisions and promoting their correct guidance.

But in reality, the entire public opinion and popular sentiment are slowly changing.

At this moment, in a certain edge galaxy of the Star Alliance, there was a life planet located within a medium-sized Disaster Zone.

The blue spatial defense system was already on the verge of collapse.

Countless Galaxy Beasts were battering the shield, causing cracks to appear.

Below, apart from a garrison unit of only a few hundred equipped with standard-issue mechs, there were only ordinary guards who were not even equipped with exoskeletons.

Even with the wealth of the Free Star Alliance, it is impossible to equip every planet with a fleet.

They each clutched their kinetic machine guns with nervous expressions, waiting only for the defense system to shatter, at which point they would have to go up and fight to the death.

Even the sheriff, the highest-ranking commander on the surface of this planet, personally donned a combat suit and rushed to the front line.

They all understood in their hearts that among those monsters, there were plenty of A-Class and even Double A-Class ones; standard-issue mechs without heavy firepower were simply no match for them.

But there was no other choice.

For a trivial planet like this, it was ranked after the ten-millionth position in the entire Star Alliance rescue sequence; it simply could not hold out until that day.

Ordinary citizens were hiding in their homes, praying in despair, or quietly writing their last wills, waiting for the arrival of death.

Some even began to harbor thoughts they would never dare to have in ordinary times, becoming increasingly frantic.

"Will anyone come to save us?"

"No, we have all been abandoned."

The network connecting the entire Star Alliance had long since lost its signal due to the influence of the Disaster Zone, but the planet's internal forum could still barely be used.

Messages of curses and accusations scrolled by, the speed exceeding the limit of the naked eye to discern.

One could only vaguely make out that it was filled with two words: Helplessness.

Bang!

Bang!

The violent pounding coming from the dome felt like a death warrant, striking into everyone's heart and bringing fear.

Boom!

Finally, one of the space stations constructing the defense system could not withstand the continuous strikes and exploded with a roar.

Just like dominoes being pushed over, the other space stations were destroyed one after another, and the entire defense system collapsed in that instant!

"Roar... Hiss..."

Amidst the fierce and terrifying roars, a large number of Galaxy Beasts that had previously been blocked outside surged into the atmosphere in an instant.

The backward defensive weapons equipped on this edge planet emitted a weak roar; their only contribution was to blow up some weak Galaxy Beasts below B-Class.

The hundreds of soldiers wearing mechs frantically poured out the firepower of their kinetic guns, blasting the few A-Class monsters charging at the front into pieces, but it was merely a drop in the bucket.

"Defense Network No. 1 damaged..."

"Modified fighters completely wiped out..."

"17 kilometers from the ground..."

A series of piercing alarms rang out.

The entire sky was obscured, leaving only sporadic light. Through their tactical helmets, they could clearly see the hideous mouthparts and sharp claws of those monsters.

"I am Sheriff Rick. This planet has reached a moment of life and death. All fellow citizens, take up your weapons and fight to the very last moment."

"I will lead the charge."

After saying this, he activated the thrusters at his feet and flew straight toward the sky.

"Sir, we are willing to charge with you!"

The remaining soldiers gritted their teeth and followed suit, flying up as well.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

"Die, you monsters!"

"I'm pissed off now!"

The incessant muzzle flashes became the last beam of light on the planet at this moment, attracting a large number of Galaxy Beasts.

15 kilometers... 10 kilometers... 5 kilometers...

Courage cannot bring about miracles.

A Double A-Class Galaxy Beast that had been supervising the battle from the rear seemed to lose patience; it opened its mouth and unleashed a stream of fire, instantly clearing the rain of bullets and forcing the mech unit to scatter and dodge.

It opened its hideous, giant maw and crossed a distance of several thousand meters in an instant, intending to swallow this entire unit whole.

"Damn beast, activate the self-destruct device!"

Sheriff Rick did not retreat but advanced instead, closing his eyes and shouting his final command.

A dazzling blue-white light lit up on the mech, and the nuclear reactor in its chest began to spin violently.

One second... two seconds... three seconds...

The pain he imagined did not arrive.

Instead, a mechanized electronic voice sounded:

"Self-destruct sequence terminated..."

"What's going on..."

Before he could react from his astonishment, he saw crimson blood pouring down like a waterfall before his eyes.

That formerly unbridled Double A-Class Galaxy Beast was blasted into smithereens.

At the same time, brilliant cluster rays flashed from the herd of beasts in the sky.

In an instant, flesh and corpses filled the sky, falling like a torrential rain.

Everyone looked toward the starting point of the beam—a small fleet composed of twenty-seven starships had appeared on the horizon at some unknown time.

Judging by their design, they were exactly one of the Star Alliance's main battle starship series, the "Navigator" series.

Suddenly, they opened their hatches, and countless elite combat robots swarmed out, charging into the herd of beasts.

This Galaxy Beast herd, with a maximum strength of only Double A-Class, could not stop the attacks of the Level 7 starships and main battle mechs.

In a crushing defeat, they were all reduced to ashes.

Meanwhile, the communication integration devices of everyone that had lost signal suddenly lit up, and a voice that was indifferent, yet felt incredibly warm at this moment, sounded:

"I am the Statue of Liberty."

"The intelligent aid legion 'Wings of Freedom,' personally designed by His Excellency Zhang Huaiyuan, Chief Researcher of the Star Alliance Research Institute, is currently executing a mission. All monsters on life planet number B73201 are being cleared. All citizens, please do not go out casually and seek suitable shelter to hide..."

"Cleanup complete... Mission accomplished."

"Life planet number B73201 is now safe."