Chapter 517: Triumph_1

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In September of the year 20 in the Milky Way, Cao Yang's warship returned to the Blue Maiden Star, and the war against the Silicon Star People that lasted for sixty-one years finally ended.

This is interstellar warfare, it often lasts for centuries.

The brief chaos caused by the emergence of Paradise prolonged the war for a few more years.

Even now, there are still at least twelve small fleets of the Silicon Star People that have yet to be found, and after more than half a century on the run, they must be worn down.

They may have found a place to hide long ago, waiting to die out, having completely given up resistance.

Before entering the spaceport, Cao Yang, gazing at the dense Space City and the lights on the dark side of the Blue Maiden Star, exclaimed, "When I set off, they hadn't even finished building the base.

"Look at it now, where is this the wild star system? It's even busier than the Solar System."

Sitting opposite him, the Army Corps Commander Kakari said, "It looks like they want us to come back to retire!"

Cao Yang laughed, "With just that small number of enemy forces, using over fifty thousand warships to hunt them down is indeed an overkill.

"Besides, if we don't come back, the Wallfacer would probably start to worry about us."

Kakari sighed, "But really, all we wanted was to completely annihilate the enemy."

Cao Yang leaned back with his hands behind his head and looked leisurely at the scenery outside, "There are still more than six thousand warships continuing the search for the enemy. About five times the strength of the enemy, that should be enough."

Kakari sighed again, suddenly stripped of his military command, he always felt a bit resentful.

Cao Yang smiled and said, "Think positively, we're both getting on in years; it's time to make way for the younger generation.

"Old Cooper is about to retire, and I guess the Wallfacer called me back to take Cooper's place and hold the fort at the Blue Maiden Star.

"As for you, you can take your pick from the commanders of the fifteen provinces; you can go wherever you want."

Kakari was startled, "I still have the opportunity to take charge of a region?"

Unlike Cao Yang, who had a deep bond with the Wallfacer, Kakari felt that retirement was still a long way off for him and that he could still climb higher.

The warship began to enter the port, and Cao Yang, watching several new-style warships moored in the spaceport, said, "The technology boom is bound to retire many outdated warships in the next few decades.

"And the lifespan of a typical warship is now well over two hundred years. It would be too wasteful to break them down and start over; it's better to allocate them to the provincial garrisons!

"There are fifteen provinces, and the warships returning from the front lines to the New Continent Star System might not be enough.

"The obsolete warships from the Earth Corps might also be sent here to be put to further use.

"Who better to command the garrisons than us, the people who know these warships the best?"

Kakari nodded, realizing that it made sense.

Cao Yang continued, "As for the three corps under the jurisdiction of the Blue Maiden Star, they can also take this opportunity to re-equip and have the newcomers operate the new warships.

"This technological revolution might allow the three most capable corps to undergo a major blood transfusion.

"It's killing several birds with one stone, which Wallfacer is best at."

Kakari was taken aback again; he hadn't thought of that.

The warship successfully docked, and Cao Yang and his entourage disembarked from the spacecraft into the spaceport.

Upon entering the lobby, they first saw the grand welcome ceremony.

As they appeared, music and flowers were in full abundance.

And in the enthusiastic crowd, Cao Yang also spotted Wallfacer Jiang Yu.

The group hurried towards Jiang Yu to salute him.

Jiang Yu approached them, waving his hand to indicate there was no need for such formality.

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Standing before Cao Yang, Jiang Yu sized him up and said, "You seem to have aged."

Although the two had communicated frequently, the stereoscopic imaging system apparently hadn't fully captured Cao Yang's appearance.

Of course, Jiang Yu also felt that it might be his own perception, as Cao Yang had spent most of the past sixty-plus years traveling at the speed of light.

For Cao Yang, it seemed like only twenty or thirty years had passed, while Jiang Yu had never hibernated.

In Jiang Yu's mind, it felt as though Cao Yang had been away for many years.

Cao Yang smiled and responded, "I have aged a bit, but you don't seem to have aged at all."

The two men exchanged smiles and then embraced each other tightly.

Jiang Yu's personal arrival at Space City to welcome him moved Cao Yang's entourage greatly.

It indicated that the Wallfacer's attitude towards them was one of welcoming heroes back from their triumphant return.

At the same time, they also breathed a sigh of relief, as the camaraderie built between the Fleet Admiral and the Wallfacer during the New Continent campaign had not diminished, meaning they wouldn't have to worry about being sidelined.

...

Not long after the return of the Cao Yang Corps, the Wallfacer Office announced two events that garnered the attention of the entire population.

The first was the final public debate for the selection of the next generation of Wallfacers on October 1st.

The second was that in the following year, in Milky Way Year 21, Jiang Yu would board the Star Accelerator to visit Starship Earth.

Separated by 43.3 light-years between Blue Maiden Star and Starship Earth, this visit would take over eighty years, and Jiang Yu also planned to inspect several other worlds belonging to the Solar System State.

The entire trip would take a century and a half!

The perceptive had already guessed that by the time the new Wallfacer was chosen, he would stay on Blue Maiden Star to govern.

With one Wallfacer inside and another outside, they wouldn't have to worry about being unable to contact the Wallfacer when Jiang Yu entered warp flight should any matter require a decision.

Therefore, the public debate on October 1st drew the attention of nearly everyone.

The debate took place in the great hall of the Wallfacer Office Building, chaired by Jiang Yu himself, with all the bigwigs of the Solar System State in attendance. Even deputy minister-level officials didn't have seats; just being able to stand inside and listen was already quite an honor.

What was essentially a simple debate became one of the grandest events in the Solar System State in recent years.

By early eight o'clock, all those with the privilege to attend as observers had arrived.

At just past eight-fifty, Yun Tony and Shi Mingwei each led two assistants onto the presidium from different directions.

At nine o'clock sharp, Jiang Yu appeared on the presidium, and the hall immediately erupted into warm applause.

Those watching the live broadcast outside the venue clapped as well, albeit unconsciously.

This was the Wallfacer who had led the Solar System State to its present day, now an entity as integral and grand as the nation itself.

After the applause subsided, Jiang Yu gave a brief opening speech, "Fellow compatriots, human development is not achieved overnight but requires many generations to persist in their efforts.

"The Wallfacer is a personification of a state, representing the original intention of human advancement and the continuity of developmental planning.

"He is also a supervisor, ensuring that humanity's path is the right one.

"The selection of the Wallfacer is a major affair of the state, a significant event for humanity, which is why the final selection must be made transparent for all to see, to jointly witness the talent and wisdom of the Wallfacer!

"I now declare the start of this debate!"

He then gave the topic, "Discuss the plan and key points for humanity's development over the next fifty years."

According to the results of the draw, Shi Mingwei spoke first. He bowed to Jiang Yu and then addressed the assembly, "Ladies and gentlemen, the technological explosion is not a particularly fresh topic anymore.

"I believe that the focal point for development in the next half-century still lies in technology."