Chapter 21: The Virus Rampages
Three months had passed since the explosion of the ambassadorial ship.
During this time, Li Mingze had constructed far more ships than his empire's maintenance capacity could support. Countless destroyers and corvettes rolled out of the shipyards like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, one after another.
Today was an important day—not only because it marked the outbreak of the super-virus but also because it was the day the Empire would declare war on the Parker League.
Dressed in his general's uniform, Li Mingze stood before the camera, addressing the citizens of the Empire to announce the commencement of wartime status.
"Because the Parker League shamelessly attacked our ambassadorial ship, several brave Imperial Navy officers will never return home! We must make these foolish Alliance citizens pay the price! Long live the Empire!" Li Mingze shouted, raising his right arm.
"Long live the Empire!"
No matter where they were—on Sith, Haven, or even at the farthest frontier mining station—countless citizens stood up and raised their right hands toward the screens in unison.
At this moment, the blood of the Empire's people boiled with fervor. They had been suppressed for too long. They had long yearned for war! The word "war" was engraved in the very genes of the Empire's people! Through prolonged exposure to the virtual war simulation game Phantom, their thirst for battle had finally found release in this moment.
People eagerly brought their metal statues, kitchenware, and other household items to the Empire's metal recycling centers, where they were broken down into raw materials and converted into mineral points to fuel the construction of new warships.
The Empire was roaring in unison. Recruitment centers across the nation were overwhelmed with people—both the young and the old—eager to dedicate their brief lives to the cause.
Meanwhile, Li Mingze's remote-controlled avatar awoke aboard the Imperial flagship. After tidying himself up, he stepped onto the bridge, surrounded by his officers.
Standing in front of the command chair at the center of the bridge, Li Mingze exuded confidence. Today would mark the Empire's first true step toward extending its claws across the stars.
"All ships, heed my command! Prepare for departure in five hours! No ship shall retreat on the battlefield! Ready yourselves for battle!"
When the five-hour countdown ended, a fleet consisting of 300 light cruisers and 100 destroyers activated their blue-tinted hyperspace drives, vanishing into the void toward the Parker League.
It was a day off. Mafta and his wife were planning to enjoy a romantic evening together.
However, after his wife entered the bathroom, an hour passed with no sound, no movement.
"Honey, are you okay? Say something! You didn't fall in, did you?" Concerned, Mafta pushed open the bathroom door.
The sight before him made his hair stand on end.
The entire bathroom was covered in dark green blood. His wife lay lifeless on the edge of the bathtub.
She was not alone. Within minutes, tens of thousands of similar cases erupted across the Parker Alliance. In response, the Alliance government immediately shut down all hyperspace travel between colonies and member states. Every top forensic expert, biologist, and high-ranking detective was mobilized to investigate the catastrophe.
After ten hours of rigorous analysis—during which another 500,000 people perished—it was confirmed that an undetectable super-virus was the cause!
Efforts to develop detection equipment for the virus were underway, but it was already too late! The super-virus had spread throughout the entire Alliance!
Panic engulfed the Alliance, as if the apocalypse had arrived. People barricaded themselves indoors, refusing to engage in social activities. Soldiers hesitated to return to their units, fearing the tightly packed military barracks.
In the face of disaster, the Alliance's democratic system crumbled into disorder. Officers and generals, who once commanded fleets, now hesitated even to step outside, clinging to their lives with desperate caution.
But even as they isolated themselves, the deaths continued to mount. The three-month incubation period had ensured the virus had already infected an overwhelming portion of the population.
Finally, the Parker Alliance realized the truth.
The virus's outbreak pattern and timeline left no doubt—it was the work of the Sith Empire! Every single first-wave victim had resided in the capital city of Andorra three months ago—precisely when the Imperial ambassadorial ship had exploded!
It was clear as day: the Empire had deployed biological weapons via the ship's debris, allowing the virus to infiltrate the city. Its long incubation period had then ensured that the natural movement of people spread it across the entire Alliance!
What an insidious, ruthless plan!
The Alliance had pieced together most of the truth. However, they failed to realize that the virus was incurable, so they poured all their resources into medical treatment and quarantine efforts instead of considering alternative countermeasures. As a result, their economy came to a standstill.
At the League's border, blue hyperspace ripples signaled the arrival of the Sith Empire's fleet.
"Deploy ten corvettes to harass ten different border star systems. Use inflatable warship decoys to create the illusion of a massive fleet presence on the enemy's outer perimeter. Force their remaining main forces to spread thin." Li Mingze commanded.
"Understood."
Ten special corvettes, each towing enormous cargo containers, departed the main fleet and entered hyperspace toward their assigned targets.
Parker Alliance Supreme Command Center.
The atmosphere was heavy with despair. Every officer in the command center wore protective suits, slumping lifelessly in their seats. Nobody knew if they were already infected. Nobody knew if they would suddenly collapse, vomiting blood. The fear of the unknown was mentally and emotionally crushing.
"Bad news, Commander! We've detected large enemy fleets in ten border systems!" A frantic intelligence officer burst into the command room.
"Oh? How many ships in the main fleet can still take off?" A weary officer asked, forcing himself to sit up. His prolonged exhaustion had drained him to the core.
"Commander, in the First, Second, and Third Fleets, less than half of the warships are still operational—and even those aren't at full capacity! A large number of officers and soldiers have already died at their posts! Moreover, many troops and officers have outright refused to follow orders and have abandoned their units to return home!" A data analyst reported grimly.
"Split the First and Second Fleets into ten smaller fleets! The Third Fleet will remain in the capital system!"
"Additionally, instruct all member states' independent fleets to assist us in defending against the invaders!"
"Understood!"
Across various spaceports, what remained of the Parker League's First and Second Fleets ignited their reactors. Fragmented into ten smaller units, they engaged their hyperspace drives, vanishing toward their designated defense points.