Earlier, Wen Jifei had told Yao Yue: if bad news returned from the expeditionary force, plunging the world into panic, despair, and chaos, stay safely with your family at the Stream Blades base, and wait.
Those words had left something unsaid, giving Yao Yue the illusion—or perhaps a deliberate misdirection—that no matter what happened, she should never lose hope, and simply wait for their return.
Yet what Wen Jifei had actually meant had nothing to do with their own return.
He only hoped Yao Yue could hold onto that belief and live on resolutely in a world altered beyond recognition, until one day in the future, the outcome of humanity's final gamble was revealed.
This meant that long before Yang Qingbai and He Tangtang had voiced their questions, Wen Jifei had already pieced together the coalition military's troop allocations and choices, discerning the most secretive dual plan held by Azure's highest echelons and deducing the ultimate trump card they kept stashed in their drawer.
Because this trump card could not be considered hope in any true sense, it had been deliberately concealed lest it undermine the resolve of those flinging themselves into despair to fight.
Even Xu Xiaohong had not explained it directly to them. Perhaps he had hinted at it once, and Wen Jifei had finally understood a year later.
Looking back this way, General Jiang Longchi being permitted to return and join the expedition was likely a choice Xu Xiaohong had made on his own authority (logically speaking, a super-expert like General Jiang was vital to that final contingency); as for Master Dosang Gyatso boarding at the final hour, that was probably Xu Xiaohong's unspoken personal sentiment and affection.
After working through every piece of the puzzle, one would feel a flash of irritation and mixed emotions at first, though not genuine fury or rage... Gradually, it even reversed into a strange sense of relief and joy, simply because human civilization, at the end of its rope, still had a card left to play.
From Azure's perspective of coordinating the future of all humankind, the dual plan itself was beyond reproach. Moreover, when it came to this expedition, they had in fact wagered heavily.
Humanity had gambled Han Qingyu.
As the chip cast once again onto the wheel of fortune by this world, this species, and this civilization, Han Qingyu himself did not mind.
Whether it had been talent, effort, or an ironic twist of fate over the years, he had ultimately reached this point.
Standing where he now stood in relation to civilization, many matters, in the end, were no longer about someone scheming for him to do them, begging him to do them, or hoping he would do them. Rather, they were things he ought to do, things he could not turn away from doing.
Because there was still so much he cared about, he could not choose retreat. He had to keep moving forward, keep fighting, until death—or victory.
"Please be seated. Everyone, return to your seats and strap in tight. The ship's launch involves immense g-force. To certain noobs: fasten your seatbelts, hold onto the grab rails, and try not to cry."
The internal broadcast delivered by He Tangtang was unmistakably aimed at mocking certain people.
October 28, 1996, 8:42 PM, local Mexico time.
The heavy dead iron hatch of the Doomsday Great Wall began slowly closing.
Across the wasteland-like launch grounds, the hatches of all sixty-six source energy vessels, large and small, were shutting in unison...
The broadcast transmitted by The Refusers was silent, barely discernible amid the dim, mottled shadows.
Yet those twenty seconds plunged the entire human world into a simultaneous grip of tension and solemn tragedy. Amid the tangle of complex emotions, a silent shock and surging fervor hammered against every heart.
Then came the low, ceaseless hum of the source energy vessels powering up.
Finally, at exactly 9:00 PM, the moment the second hand locked into place—*Boom!* A tremendous blast of force kicked up clouds of dirt and dust into the sky.
Following the on-site directive issued by the Azure Staff Department, the Doomsday Great Wall took off first, leading ahead of the flagship Mechanical Cradle carrying General Yergana.
Under Yang Qingbai's piloting, it pulled up vertically, surging roughly five hundred meters in a single second before hovering in midair.
*Rumble, rumble, rumble...*
Amid a majestic roar, the mothership Mechanical Cradle, the Defector, Zenith Blade, and designations B17, F64, A09... all sixty-six human source energy vessels embarking on the expedition completed their vertical ascents and hovered in place.
At last, the scene surrounding the launch grounds came into view beneath the overhead camera.
People. Circling the entire launch grounds, in every direction, stretched kilometers of dense crowds seeing them off. It seemed nearly all of Mexico City had turned out tonight, along with those who had traveled from across the globe specifically to bid them farewell—families and loved ones of some of the expeditionary soldiers, and perhaps residents from neighboring cities as well.
Boss Dao stood waving in the crowd with dozens of his men, though he knew full well that neither the people aboard the City of Sin's ship nor those aboard the Doomsday Great Wall could possibly see him now.
The crowd had remained silent until this moment, when every arm rose to wave and every shout and parting plea tore from their throats amid streaming tears.
The high-altitude broadcast remained silent. To this point, The Refusers had added no commentary to the departure footage, nor had they contacted the expeditionary fleet to solicit any sentimental farewells.
Children stood before their television sets, waving at the fleet on screen.
*Tick.*
*Tick.*
At the final second of the sixty-second hover and farewell, as the second hand ticked forward, the massive mothership Doomsday Great Wall was once again the first to move within the nearly motionless fleet. It rocked swiftly from side to side in midair, and then, with a sharp whoosh, shot diagonally upward, blasting toward the distant night sky.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*
All sixty-six human source energy vessels of the Mars Expeditionary Fleet rocked from side to side in batches, completing their farewell to their home planet and the human world.
Then, they blasted into the distant sky.
Because The Refusers' cameras were positioned at high altitude, for a moment, the departing fleet and those human source energy vessels appeared closer, larger, and far clearer on screen.
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...* Ship after ship flew above the camera, flanking it on both sides, streaking past the gaze of six billion humans, carving tangible trails across the night sky.
Then, accelerating.
Soon, the entire expeditionary fleet and every vessel within it vanished into the night canopy.
The night sky over the outskirts of Mexico City soon returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened.
The crowd on the ground gradually fell quiet.
Everyone before their televisions fell quiet.
The Refusers' broadcast did not end there. It continued to display that now-empty night sky and the desolate launch grounds beneath it before the eyes of all humankind.
It was said this image would remain on The Refusers' channel from tonight through tomorrow, into the next night and the next day...
Until visual records of that fleet and the Martian battlefield were transmitted back from afar.
*Clack, clack-clack...* At last, sound emerged from the broadcast for the first time—the calm, distinct clacking of an old typewriter.
Across different nations, in different languages, the same passage appeared on screen:
[Humanity's first extraterrestrial war in history. Target battlefield: Mars.
The expedition has begun; they have departed, bearing the despair and hope of all humankind.
Now, let us begin our wait.]
...
Compared to the shock, tragedy, anxiety, and anticipation the fleet's departure ceremony left with the world and all humankind, the soldiers embarking on this extraterrestrial voyage did not harbor overly somber or complex emotions.
After all, practically every one of them was an old warhorse who had skirted death multiple times, and long before arriving here, they had already moved past the psychological phases of processing what lay ahead.
In their own words: "Damn it all, we're going to the galaxy, going to Mars to fight! The first time in all human history, and we retired old bastards got dibs on it, haha!"
Setting fate aside, it was truly a novel, exhilarating journey worthy of pride.
Day three of the fleet's voyage, day four, day five...
While humanity back on the Blue Star remained steeped in solemn sorrow and worry, the old hands in the expeditionary fleet were already growing tired of looking at the sky, space, and star rivers beyond the dome.
"They've started drinking and playing cards."
The fleet's internal command comms relayed an officer's report from the Mechanical Cradle, which reached Wen Jifei's ears as well.
"I don't think that's much of an issue. What does Second Lieutenant Wen think?" Old General Yergana's deep, steady voice sounded.
"Yeah, I think we should just let them play," Wen Jifei said with a smile. "The voyage takes over a month; we can't let people go stir-crazy."
According to scientific calculations, even at full speed, the distance from the Blue Star to Mars would take a little over a month for these modified source energy vessels.
"Indeed, over a month. During this month, who knows what will happen there, or how much will change." General Yergana's tone grew anxious.
"Yeah." Wen Jifei nodded, his brow equally furrowed.
As things stood, Pegmont had lost contact, and it was known that he couldn't do anything further... So, if during this month the Great Spikes on Mars completed another tow, or even a higher-tier tow...
If, upon the fleet's arrival, they were greeted by a Puda'er...
At that thought, Wen Jifei couldn't help thinking of Qingzi. If Mars truly had a Puda'er, right now... he a hundred percent couldn't hold it back. Yet, it would still fall solely on him to hold it.
"Where's Qingzi?" Stepping out of the conference room, eager to see Han Qingyu, Wen Jifei grabbed the first Huaxia veteran on guard duty and asked.
Having grown thoroughly familiar with everyone over these days, the old hand didn't even salute, merely pointing a finger. "Looks like he jumped into the river."
"Jumped into the river?!" Wen Jifei blinked.
"The river of stars! Isn't that what you guys call it? Talking about rivers of stars and the universe."
"Oh." Wen Jifei understood. When he ran over, the modified small aft hatch of the Doomsday Great Wall was open, and Qingzi stood at the threshold.
The others, including Wu Xu, Rusty Sister, and He Tangtang, stood watching from a distance. Meanwhile, Ashleia, tethered around the waist by a steel cable held by Ivan, stood to one side holding her camera, poised to follow him out at any moment.
"What are you doing, Qingzi? Thinking of ending it all without clearing it with your commander first?" Wen Jifei joked.
Han Qingyu glanced back at him. "I'm trying to get used to it."
His meaning was simple enough—he wanted to get used to fighting suspended in mid-vacuum—but... this was something quite difficult for others to grasp or imagine.
He was going to jump out?!
Yes, he jumped.
Having spoken, Han Qingyu didn't wait for his commander's approval; he leaned his upper body forward and fell.
Below lay the river of stars, endless blue-black and distant constellations.
And in the distance, the same.
Ahead, behind, to the sides—the boundless blue-black and distant stars enveloped everything with vast depth, so much so that without paying close attention, one could barely tell the ship was constantly moving forward.
"Whoa!" Even knowing the man was Major The Qing, the moment he leapt out, a low gasp broke out from the crowd.
Then came another gasp.
Because Ashleia, tethered by the cable, threw herself forward with head down... poking the upper part of her body out through the hatch.
She had just captured the frame of Major Qing leaping into the cosmic star river. The angle was fantastic, and she felt thoroughly pleased with it. But for an outstanding war correspondent and rabid Major Qing fangirl like her—who hadn't unfanned when Azure announced Han Qingyu and the others were guilty prison-breakers and instead wrote articles in their defense; who hadn't unfanned when he asked "Who are you?" and told her "Don't come near me"; who hadn't unfanned when the whole world buzzed that he was cold-blooded and a straight-laced block of dead iron; and who still hadn't unfanned even now when Major Qing supposedly had a fiancée—a single photo was clearly not enough.
"..." Lying at the hatch threshold, Ashleia found herself wanting to cry out in awe, yet no sound came, because the sight before her eyes was simply too breathtaking, too cool, too wondrous—even magnificent.
Amid boundless deep blue and black, surrounded by the dazzling brilliance of a distant river of stars, Major Qing was walking.
He wasn't even wearing a dead iron respirator. Just like that, clad in Stream Blades combat gear, the badge on his chest a deep crimson, carrying the lone dead iron long saber he wore daily on his back, he took step after step across that cosmic expanse.
A human being, walking in the emptiness of the cosmos.
As he moved, Major Qing glanced down beneath his feet, tilted his head to look into the distance, and practiced letting the dead iron warblade leap from behind his shoulder, then shoot back into his hand...
Throughout this, his pace showed not the slightest haste. Which meant he wasn't running; he was truly, simply walking.
Wen Jifei stood further back, unable to see outside. What made him realize something might be amiss was suddenly noticing the dead iron protective casing on Ashleia's camera.
"Wait, did the ship just decelerate?" Wen Jifei asked anxiously, thinking to himself: *We're doomed. Qingzi didn't just get left behind in space, did he?*
"No, why?" Yang Qingbai replied, puzzled, over the comms.
That meant the Doomsday Great Wall was still flying at full speed. Which meant Qingzi... Damn it, they hadn't even reached the Martian battlefield, and the expeditionary force had already lost its commander-in-chief!
How would they ever find him if they turned back?
"I'm fine," Han Qingyu's amused voice came over the core channel, slightly muffled as his hand cupped the mic. "I can keep up... I'm walking in the slipstream of the ship."
"Whoa!" Another commotion broke out.
"I want to go too! Can you take me out for a walk?" Rusty Sister asked, excited and expectant. It was the first time in all these days that she had actively spoken to Han Qingyu.
Over the next few days, Qingzi took Wu Xu, Rusty Sister, He Tangtang, and the others out of the warship one by one, letting them familiarize themselves with spacewalking and the source energy circulation required.
Wu Xu had no real trouble walking on his own, but Han Qingyu still accompanied him each time, even gripping his combat uniform the entire way.
Later, Han Qingyu even took Master Dosang Gyatso out for two walks. Of all the top-tier combatants aboard the ship, the only one he dared not take out under any circumstances was General Jiang Longchi.
...
A month and two days later, on November 29, 1996, Wen Jifei and the others were abruptly woken from sleep.
"Report! We have approached Mars. The fleet has temporarily halted its advance in accordance with the contingency plan!" an Azure officer reported loudly.
Drowsy and bleary-eyed, everyone sat up in bewilderment.
It was a strange feeling. You knew you were going to a distant place and, barring any accidents, would eventually arrive. Yet because it was so utterly foreign and far away, surpassing all prior cognition and imagination, when it finally materialized before your eyes, an inexplicable sensation made it seem unreal.
Through the viewports of the Doomsday Great Wall, the red, dead planet appeared vivid and clear in their sights.
They had arrived. Truly arrived.
That was Mars.
The next battlefield of fate about to unfold for their species and civilization.
There were enemies there—a massive force of Great Spikes of unknown numbers.
There was also a human there, though only one.
Doing just so-so.
"A place where an old friend has lived for over a year shouldn't count as completely foreign, by rights," Wen Jifei cracked a joke as the crushing weight descended, chuckling.
"Yeah, let's just treat it as coming to visit him," Rusty Sister said.
"Hello, Peg," Han Qingyu said, and couldn't help smiling.
Chapter 904