Chapter 6: Colonial Mobilization

Twenty marines clad in power armor stormed into the shipyard, which had been sealed for who knows how long.

"This is Alpha One, forward takeoff zone secure, no threats detected."

"This is Alpha Five, loading area secure, no threats detected."

"This is..."

After confirming the area was safe, dozens of researchers and scientists also entered the shipyard to see if they could uncover any valuable information or technology.

Unfortunately, after more than fifty hours of detailed searching, they found nothing useful. The passage of time had reduced everything to dust.

However, in the machine room, they did discover a mysterious metallic sphere preserved within the mainframe. This sphere was composed of an unknown metal, extremely hard and impervious to cutting, with occasional flickers of electricity dancing across its surface.

Scientists speculated that it might be a supercomputer from an ancient alien civilization. Further research at the Imperial Academy of Sciences would be required to determine its true nature.

The next day, the Empire's morning news broadcast declared:

"Under the leadership of our great Emperor, our fleet has defeated the ancient civilization's guardians, successfully rescued the surviving scientists, and conquered an ancient civilization's shipyard—all without a single casualty! Under the leadership of our great Emperor, the Empire will surely flourish!"

"Not bad. The editor who wrote this news article deserves a promotion and a raise! Let's make him my official news spokesperson—what a talent!" Lying on a sofa in the lounge, Emperor Li Mingze sipped his last mouthful of porridge as he was attended by several maids.

"Hmm, I need to have the royal chefs experiment with pickled vegetables. Only then will congee made from royal-grade rice reach perfection."

The AI Tianyi, which managed the Empire's affairs, appeared silently behind him once again.

"Your Majesty, you need to stop lounging around. Today is the day you deliver the Colonial Mobilization Speech. The entire Empire has already enacted a communication lockdown—we're only waiting for you to speak!"

Tianyi, could you stop creeping up behind me like that? One day, you're going to scare me into a heart attack."

As he spoke, Li Mingze walked toward a dressing room, where several maids swiftly removed his robe and dressed him in his ceremonial attire.

Adjusting his stylishly combed hair, he stepped onto a balcony 30 meters above the central square. Below him, the plaza was packed with a massive crowd, and towering screens on either side displayed his image.

"Citizens of the Empire! It took us five thousand years to advance from a primitive society to the Industrial Age. It took another three hundred years to step into space. And now—"

"We are about to spread the flames of our Empire to a second planet!"

"Today is only the beginning. We will conquer the stars! Beta-2 will be the starting point of our celestial journey!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the crowd. Pausing for a moment, Li Mingze continued.

"I hereby declare Beta-2 officially renamed: New Homeland! Long live the Empire!"

Raising his right fist, he shouted the declaration.

"Long live His Majesty! Long live the Empire!" The roar of the crowd was deafening. Even those watching the broadcast at home instinctively stood up, raised their fists, and joined in the chant.

Li Mingze was satisfied. Only through national unity could his empire remain undefeated in the darkness of space. A divided civilization had no chance of survival in the cosmos.

Across the Empire, recruitment centers for colonization were overwhelmed. People fought to enlist, eager to contribute to the expansion of imperial territory.

In a duplex apartment in the capital city:

"Son, when you arrive on New Homeland, work hard. Don't let the Empire down, and don't disappoint our great Emperor. Oh, and if you can bring back a grandchild or two, that'd be even better."

"Got it, Mom. You're so naggy."

The mother wiped away a tear as she packed her son's luggage. She had always known that one day he would leave, but she never expected it to be so soon. Still, for the Empire, she had no choice but to endure the pain. She had personally signed him up for colonization—because no matter how great their family was, nothing was greater than the Empire. Everything must be for the prosperity of their homeland.

(Thanks to technological advancements, the average human lifespan had reached 200 years. Youth lasted until age 50, middle age until 100, and old age began at 150.)

Similar scenes played out across the Empire. Countless parents personally signed their children up for the colonization effort, hoping they would carve out a new future for the Empire.

In the Empire's industrial zones, transport ships constantly lifted off, ferrying supplies to the colony ship launch sites. There, the ships would be loaded with both resources and settlers before heading to New Homeland.

Li Mingze had built five colony ships. He didn't want to develop the planet from scratch at a snail's pace.

Time was too valuable to waste. He planned to deliver a massive population and resource influx to the colony all at once, accelerating its growth.

Before this, he had already dispatched large numbers of scientists to survey New Homeland. Construction ships had completed nearly half of the necessary infrastructure. As soon as the colonists arrived, they could immediately start working—building power stations, mines, research centers, and factories.

One Month Later—Colony Ship Launch Site, Imperial Capital

Five massive colony ships, each 1,000 meters long, 300 meters wide, and 80 meters high, sat in the launch port. Their hulls gleamed white, with the Empire's black-and-red insignia boldly displayed at their centers.

Because the colony ships needed to land on a planet, they were equipped with enormous anti-gravity engines. Thanks to these engines, they could take off directly from the Empire's homeworld instead of launching from space.

Though the journey would only take forty days, the colonists were put into hibernation to maximize the number of people and cargo that could be transported. Their pods were stacked tightly together, and they would only be awakened upon arrival.

Li Mingze personally attended the launch (in a clone body, of course). After delivering a moving speech filled with patriotic fervor, he finally gave the long-awaited command:

"Launch the ships!"

"Understood! All vessels igniting engines. Increasing anti-gravity output to 90%!"

The five enormous ships roared to life, lifting off slowly. Their engines blew the launch platform completely dust-free.

"Engine output at 85%! Leaving the atmosphere in two seconds! Goodbye Sith.

The pilot of one of the colony ships wiped away imaginary tears. It was his first time leaving his homeworld—he couldn't help but feel emotional. Gritting his teeth, he pressed the throttle.

With a sudden acceleration, the five ships became five brilliant streaks of light, vanishing into the sky.

As they passed Sith One Space Station, the station fired several celebratory fireworks into space. The pilots could almost see people waving from the station windows.

After ten days of flight, the colony fleet reached Sith III, the outermost gas giant of the Sith system. The ships accelerated, skimming the planet's edge before vanishing in flashes of blue light—entering hyperspace.