NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43: Meteor
"Both sides are fighting for the rise and fall of their nations, the survival of their peoples, so there's no point in discussing appearances."
Cledo said indifferently:
"It's just that the Temple's approach is particularly nauseating—shouting about the advancement of civilization while spewing Social Darwinist rhetoric when their own interests are at stake. They even have the audacity to claim 'hitting you is for your own good.' Our imperialists at least don't disguise their actions."
"We must take necessary military actions against Leoz, the Baizhu Regime, and Azure Star!"
At this point, a representative from a pro-Temple civilization stood up to speak:
"Strength is not a mistake, nor is weakness an excuse. If you foolishly kick a strong man's crotch, don't blame him when he punches you in the face."
"Revoke Leoz's Layer Abyss Hero title! Launch a full aerial assault on Azure Star! Exterminate the indigenous people of Azure Star!"
"They just repelled an invasion by the Society, yet a few senators are being deified into legends."
"Return Azure Star to the Maxwell Consortium! That's the homeland they chose two thousand years ago."
The whole room was filled with righteous indignation. Some even projected the Maxwell Consortium's national flag onto the wall, as if the Consortium had become the most pitiable nation in the Layer Abyss.
Things developed so magically that in just under a two-hour meeting, people were completely convinced of the Maxwell Consortium's tragic tale.
For some reason, people always believe a myth: wealthy families must always be generous and gentlemanly, because with strength and a good education, they certainly wouldn't covet their own patch of land.
It's not that the civilized side is always correct, but that only the strong are entitled to civilization.
"Currently, the disputes are too contentious and will be temporarily shelved. We urge both parties to cooperate amicably; the Star Union is willing to act as mediator, elucidate the conflicts, and resolve the disputes."
The Temple ambassador rang a bell with a calm demeanor and said:
"The agenda is concluded, moving on to the next item."
No sanctions were passed, no arbitration was agreed upon, not even Leoz's title was stripped.
Yet everyone knew that when a strong man and a child fight, not reacting at all is effectively siding with the strong man.
The representative for the Maxwell Consortium stood up straight, barely suppressing a smile at the corners of his mouth.
Success.
Now the Empire Commonwealth had completely lost control over this topic. As the meeting had just begun, the Great Shepherd Shalon had already announced partial mobilization, preparing for further assault operations against Azure Star.
Although it's unclear how Leoz managed to cut open a battle planet, the five Iota Rank Life Sparks remain and have not perished.
Most likely, they simply fell into the cosmic void and haven't been retrieved yet, but they should soon return to the Mother Star to report.
This time, the Maxwell Consortium will learn from the past, using overwhelming force to turn the entire Azure Star into scorched earth.
They deliberately concealed the issue with Lord Entropy, and the Empire Commonwealth clearly did the same, seeming to protect the weak—but in the end, it was all for their own selfish desires.
Indeed, everyone is the same; there is never any true fairness or morality in this world.
"Look at the Empire Commonwealth people, they're already silent," chuckled the assistant. "They used to voice opposition constantly, now the entire civilized world is on our side. Look at those Empire Commonwealth people—they have no friends, merely a herd of wild beasts."
"The weak will collapse, be slaughtered, and erased from history, while the strong, whether good or bad, will survive. The strong are respected, they have allies, and ultimately peace belongs to them."
Maxwell Consortium's representative, Hazama Qingsu, said leisurely:
"This victory will make us more valuable in front of the Temple. In future conflicts, we will no longer be a mere pawn. Remember, child, weakness is the original sin. Once you become a supreme force, people will sing your praises."
"I can't help but admire your diplomatic wisdom, Hazama," allies on the Temple side chimed in amiably. "It seems our previous collaboration can resume."
"Are you referring to the Baghra Star mines or the Radonuo Farm?"
"All of them, you deserve it all, Mr. Hazama."
The fungal mat slowly spread out, and Hazama and others, smiling all the way, were about to leave the conference room via the fungal mat beneath their feet.
Just as they were about to exit the room, a female voice suddenly rang out:
"I am the Baizhu Star Secretary of State, Dialan. We now announce the public release of the conflict video footage between Lord Leoz and the Maxwell Consortium."
"This action was solely the behavior of the Azure Star people and former President Leoz Dominet, and has nothing to do with our Baizhu Star."
"We call for restraint on both sides and strive to win peace through dialogue."
Startled, Hazama and others instinctively looked back, but being fungal creatures, their reaction speed was slow. By the time they faced the conference room, Dialan had already started playing the projection:
A huge planet, completely covered with various plants, came into view. Its size was about five times that of the Sun.
This planet seemed alive, continuously spewing spores outward, forming new structures and small planets, apparently aiming to construct a complete small stellar system.
Hazama and others exclaimed in astonishment:
"This is our Mother Star System Tran! The great consciousness Bahara, constructing the solar system Wudice..."
But why show footage of the Mother Star?
The next moment, under the watchful eyes of Hazama and others, the dark starry curtain was suddenly dotted with bright spots.
Then, as time passed, these spots traced brilliant trajectories in the sky, forming a dense, dazzling meteor shower, falling directly onto the Maxwell Consortium's Mother Star!
"A meteor shower? No—those aren't rocks."
When the representatives from the Layer Abyss identified what lay beneath those 'meteors,' they were all stunned:
"They're rockets! The rockets carry mecha, humans, and tanks."
"By the Starry Abyss! Are these forces from Azure Star? Aren't they a bit too outdated..."
"Azure Star doesn't possess starships, so they simply used missiles and gravitational slingshot effects to accelerate to this point? No wonder it took so long to arrive. Such small entities couldn't be detected."
The High Elf girl, surprised, also expressed doubt:
"How do they plan to return? Azure Star lacks interstellar navigation technology, and Baizhu Star hasn't declared war, so they can't possibly have a fleet."
"...They never intended to return."
Cledo held his pocket watch, lifted his head to look at the projection, his gaze solemn:
"The sole purpose of these Azure Star People is to descend upon the Maxwell Consortium's Mother Star. As long as they can incite fear, that will suffice."
"But they'll all die, won't they?"
"Are they even afraid of dying?"
Cledo ambiguously replied:
"In their war against Lord Entropy, Azure Star has already lost five-eighths of its population. Now, they likely have nothing left to fear. Death is the least significant fear on Azure Star."
"They became meteors, undertaking a long-distance raid, with no intention of returning alive."
"After witnessing the light of hope, no one longs to return to the darkness sealed by Lord Entropy."