That had already happened before they set out.
Before the battle, mecha soldier Alen Wilson and His Highness Ryann were doing a final mecha test.
Jiang Jianming was sitting on the side, holding a light computer and calculating data related to the wormhole superposition plan.
Feeling tired after being mentally tense for a long time, he put down the light computer and went down to pick up a mecha to do a set of basic tests, just to relax.
Wilson glanced at the test results and fell silent. He had to admit that this Crown Princess truly had talent, but unfortunately was born as a disabled human…
As he was thinking these random thoughts, he couldn’t help but look again.
“Huh?”
At this time Ryann also came over. “Is there a problem?”
Wilson scratched his head. “This data, why does it look so familiar?”
“Oh, this subordinate remembers now, His Highness Jiang’s data is very similar in style and tendency to the data left by Commander Aslan. They might even be able to be superimposed.”
“Commander?”
Jiang Jianming’s eye twitched. He had been very sensitive to topics about this person lately.
The black-haired officer’s face turned pale as he rubbed his temples… How could he possibly have a control style similar to the Commander’s? Wouldn’t this just put more psychological pressure on him?
As he was thinking this, he saw His Highness Ryann reveal a thoughtful expression and ask. “By the way, what race was Commander Aslan?”
At these words, Wilson immediately showed a complicated expression.
“Your Highness must be joking. Although many records about the Commander have indeed been erased, in that era, uh…”
Wilson glanced awkwardly at Jiang Jianming, and still chose a more tactful way of saying it. “Cough, given the limitations of that time, it was almost impossible for a non-crystal person to achieve great deeds and establish merit.”
So, Ryann began to say seriously that manual operation would have a slower conduction rate than crystal bone operation. Considering this inherent disadvantage, Jiang’s level should be above Commander Aslan’s.
–However, Jiang Jianming himself, who was being praised, instantly felt his scalp go numb.
He had already been troubled by thoughts like “Could I also be one of the reasons for the Commander’s death”, “How ridiculous that a disabled human lover caused a rift in the relationship between monarch and subject”, “By this logic, wasn’t I a national scourge in my past life”… and other wild ideas.
Now His Highness was even putting others down to praise him, how could this be?
Jiang Jianming burst out on the spot, scolding the Little Highness harshly.
First he said how could you, as the heir apparent, joke about a meritorious hero like this, then he said that with his abilities, he would be fortunate to comprehend even one-tenth of Commander Aslan’s wisdom in his lifetime.
Ryann was completely bewildered, and in the end could only secretly note: It seems the founding Commander is Jiang’s idol, can’t talk carelessly about him.
At the end of that day, their topic of conversation veered to the mecha used by the Commander.
Jiang Jianming: “Come to think of it, I’ve never heard about the Commander’s favorite mecha. Doesn’t Dawn Aslan have an exclusive mecha passed down?”
Generally speaking, high-ranking generals or royalty would usually have their own exclusive mecha, similar to the treasured swords and horses of famous generals in ancient times, becoming a kind of symbol.
For example, Lin Ge’s L-Iron Rose, Old Marshal Chen’s L-Gyrfalcon, Xie Yuduo’s M-Tianshuhao… Recently people have also started to recognize his Snow Dove.
Wilson gave an unexpected answer.
“This subordinate has heard of a saying, Lieutenant General Jin mentioned that the Commander’s mecha was that L-Crown of Golden Dawn. Golden Dawn was once co-piloted by the Great Emperor and the Commander.”
“I suppose it was after the founding of the country when the Emperor and Commander fell out, the Commander was placed under house arrest in the rear and no longer participated in the frontlines, and the mecha permissions were also removed. That’s when the Crown of Golden Dawn truly became a royal mecha.”
**
In the underground of the Stele of Heroes, the space beneath the secret door had been completely illuminated by the radiance of the Crown of Golden Dawn.
The dim body of the Crown of Golden Dawn lit up inch by inch, its chest opened to switch cockpits.
The second cockpit congealed with dark blood sank down, and the long-sealed first cockpit was installed. The cabin door popped open automatically.
Pale golden spiritual connection tentacles swarmed towards the black-haired youth.
The tentacles wrapped around his arms, supporting his back, like countless tiny soft hyphae, cradling the battered body towards the direction of the cockpit.
The movement was so gentle, as if carrying some priceless heirloom. No one could have imagined that a mecha could be this tender.
Jiang Jianming stared blankly at Golden Dawn, watching the first cockpit getting closer and closer to him.
He heard the electronic voice from inside the mecha:
[First cockpit opened, initiating spiritual connection]
The tentacles responded to the command, spiritual feelers extended, adhering to his skin on a microscopic scale, sensing his neural currents.
A slight, almost negligible tremor passed through the back of his head. Jiang Jianming let out a soft groan as his sensory world changed.
He seemed to sink into an ocean of data, sinking deeper and deeper, until he became the master of everything here.
Until the mecha became part of his body, and he became part of the mecha.
He was sent into the cockpit, and the first thing he saw was the familiar manual control panel, not the connection touchscreen for crystal bone operation.
The safety belt of the pilot seat extended, automatically fastening around him.
By the light of the pale blue screen that lit up, Jiang Jianming saw the cold instruments beside his hand, two full rows of life support devices.
This was actually like a cockpit custom-made for a terminally ill disabled human.
The built-in electronic voice no longer came from his ears, but sounded directly in his mind:
[Spiritual connection complete]
[100% matching authority, Crown of Golden Dawn awaiting instructions]
Jiang Jianming half-closed his eyes, his lips trembling, his fingertips also trembling. At this moment, countless emotions rushed into his mind like a broken dam—
Why was Empress Lin Ge so kind to him, a commoner? Why did the empress look dejected every time he showed formal respect?
— What else could it be.
On that abandoned, barren, and harsh Blue Mother Star, it was Aslan who raised the orphan Lin Ge. If not a father figure, at least an older brother.
Why did Sylph, clearly the Empress Dowager, act like a kindly grandmother trying to match him with the Little Highness?
— What else could it be.
The Great Emperor had known the Commander since childhood, while Sylph only “married” in under the guise of a political union before the country’s founding. No matter how you looked at it, the Commander was first.
Why was the Great Emperor’s original consciousness so deeply in love with him? Why could a “dying little lover with chronic crystal disorder” directly lead to a rift between the Emperor and Commander? Why…
— Damn it! Jiang Jianming rarely cursed in his mind.
How could this be, how could this possibly be, wasn’t he just the most ordinary disabled human commoner military academy student!?
He gritted his teeth, quickly scanning the layout of the cockpit and the data displayed on the screen, while thinking to himself:
If he could make it back alive, he would bring the most sincere gifts to visit Old Instructor Du every Teachers’ Day in the future.
He would tell him, “You were right, this student regrets not listening to teacher’s words. Would you like a living joke about the country’s founding? The joke is me standing in front of you right now.”
Suddenly, Jiang Jianming’s gaze focused. Among the strange array of drugs beside him, he saw a tranquilizer!
In the mental control state, with just a thought, the configured mechanical arm gave him an injection.
Jiang Jianming finally let out a breath.
This was practically a lifesaver for him now, although judging from the fact that the first cockpit had been dormant for so many years, this tranquilizer was likely only first-generation, and more likely expired.
But at least he was no longer coughing up blood, and the various weaknesses and pains in his body stopped worsening.
Jiang Jianming didn’t stop there. He injected himself with all the drugs in the cockpit that he recognized and felt could be effective.
The effects were significant, and his perception clearly recovered.
Not knowing how long he could hold on, he had to hurry and do what needed to be done!
Hum!
A floating communication window appeared in front of Jiang Jianming’s right, reflecting the young man’s eyes, cold as iron.
****
Above the fortress.
As the wind blew, the smell of blood faded, and the sounds of weeping gradually subsided. But the killing was far from over.
The long night was not yet over, and the bones of alien creatures and human limbs and remains piled up beneath the high walls.
A trail of fire streaked across the sky as the crashing mecha M-Arhat tightly gripped an A-class alien creature with its mechanical arm, plummeting towards the ground in a stance of mutual destruction.
In the less than a second of falling time, crystal bones extended from the cockpit, thrusting with all their might, ending the alien creature’s life.
M-Arhat released the body that had almost split in two. The mecha was completely wrecked, falling along with countless droplets of blood.
Another mecha came rushing, accurately throwing out a mechanical claw over ten meters long at extreme speed, hooking onto that falling piece of scrap metal.
Crack… The enormous weight caused the mechanical claw to break after just one second. But the mechanical arm immediately embraced it again, and the two mechas crashed straight into a gun emplacement of the fortress, stopping amidst billowing smoke.
“Cough cough cough…pooh pooh.”
That rescue mecha was none other than the second half of mecha L-Gemini.
Wilson pushed open the cockpit door, waving his hand to fan away the thick smoke with a face covered in dirt and dust, and rushed to the M-Arhat.
Inside the broken mecha that had already shut down, Zheng Yue was slumped in the cockpit, panting heavily with a dejected expression.
Wilson took one look at his mecha and immediately became so angry that he kicked the mecha and jumped up and down. “Major Zheng, have you gone mad with killing? How can you pilot a mecha in this state? Why didn’t you go for a replacement!?”
Zheng Yue glanced at him weakly. “Oh, it’s you.”
Then he raised his arm to cover his face, letting out a bitter laugh, “What would a mecha soldier like you understand.”
Wilson was stunned, and instantly became even more furious, “What do I understand!? Hmph, at least I understand that it’s not time to give up the fight yet!”
His face and neck flushed red as he thumped his chest, “In this battle – in terms of strategy, tactics, material support, and the morale of the entire army, which aspect hasn’t our Imperial Army done to the extreme? Now we’ve just suffered a small setback, but we can definitely take back the fortress.”
“Oh, I know, His Highness Jiang died heroically, and you’re feeling bad as his subordinate, right? But at a time like this, we should inherit His Highness’s will. You’re a major officer here seeking death, what kind of man does that make you…”
“…”
— Directly declaring someone whose fate was unknown as having “died heroically”, that was just like him.
Zheng Yue’s temple throbbed, suppressing the urge to punch someone. He angrily said in a low voice, “What, you think I’ve lost hope and abandoned my soldiers to die together with the alien creatures?”
“Isn’t that… the case?”
Major Zheng turned his head, wearily looking towards the distant sky still flashing with artillery fire. “No, I was separated from my unit.”
“Haven’t you noticed, mecha soldier? Everything is in chaos now.”
After all, Zheng Yue had the talent to climb from a commoner background to the rank of major in the Golden Sun Wheel. While his insight might not be exceptional, he still had the ability to assess the situation by looking at the battle map.
The current battlefield was divided into three parts: space was one, the high-altitude area was another, and the low-altitude and surface area within the fortress defense system range was the third.
The entire army should at least be able to coordinate with each other, respond to one another, and always leave room for maneuver and outflanking. Only then could a complete tactical concept be realized.
However, the Crystal Cult’s fighting style, which aimed only at causing crystal disorder deaths among enemy troops even at the cost of mutual destruction, had destroyed all concepts of warfare.
To avoid crystal disorder, soldiers had to fight scattered, making it impossible to form formations, let alone execute orders.
In this situation, commanders could no longer do much. Now it was just disorderly mutual slaughter, with both armies continuously being depleted. Whatever was left at the end would be the result.
“Major General Xie is still holding on, still issuing orders, trying to find order for our army amid the chaos.”
Zheng Yue smiled bitterly, “But look, I’m already like this with just a few thousand mecha troops. How can we reintegrate tens of thousands of scattered troops? How?”
Wilson was speechless, he knew nothing about these matters.
“There’s a lot you don’t understand.”
Zheng Yue panted as he crawled out of the wrecked mecha, “You haven’t been in the capital’s environment, and you can’t think about the political layer – do you know that millions of eyes in the Empire are watching the front lines?”
“Now that the Silver Big Dipper has lost so many people, we can’t take the fortress, and even the two royal highnesses…”
“What will those pleasure-seeking noble lords say? What will the commoners think, huh?”
“Not everyone has an unwavering will and isn’t afraid of extinction. We can’t possibly use a defeat to announce the truth about crystal particles to the public, and even a pyrrhic victory with heavy casualties won’t do!”
“Do you understand? We’re already fighting with our backs against the wall. If we can’t win this battle, what’s the next step? There is no next step!!”
But in the current situation, everyone was helplessly watching the battle situation deteriorate step by step.
The imperial rear was providing full support, the two Silver Big Dipper fortresses had almost emptied out, so many comrades had sacrificed themselves, hundreds of severely wounded soldiers had taken their own lives to avoid becoming burdens, and even the two esteemed royal highnesses were willing to risk their lives for a chance at victory.
Bearing such heavy expectations and sacrifices, they had indeed succeeded in pressing the enemy step by step.
But the Crystal Cult’s variables kept coming one after another, and there was still no breakthrough point to turn the tide.
How could they not be anxious and desperate?
Regret and unwillingness were mixed on Major Zheng’s face. His eyes were bloodshot as he murmured, “If the Little Excellency were still here, perhaps there would be a way…”
Wilson didn’t know how to comfort him. After pondering for a long time, he could only open his own mecha cockpit door, preparing to take Zheng Yue to change mechas.
However, in the next moment, he suddenly saw a window pop up abruptly on the mecha screen in front of him!
Zheng Yue, who was walking towards him, also had his wrist device suddenly start flashing, displaying the same window.
What the two didn’t know was that at this very moment, among the hundreds of thousands of Imperial soldiers in the Alpha Star Zone—
From General Xie Yuduo down to every single soldier—the same window had popped up in front of everyone!
Inside the starship Tianshuhao, the light was dim.
Xie Yuduo remained silent, and the projections of the officers behind him were also silent.
Since receiving that final message from Raymond, many had become dejected, as if drained of all spirit.
But this silence was broken by a sudden communication.
Because the communication contained a voice. It sounded extremely weak and hoarse, but was very calm, to the extent that it gave people a sense of reassurance and confidence.
“To all Imperial officers and soldiers on the battlefield of the Alpha Alien Star Zone.”
That voice said calmly, “I am Imperial Military Colonel Jiang Jianming.”
At this moment, tens of thousands of people suddenly raised their heads.
Inside the Tianshuhao starship, Xie Yuduo’s pupils suddenly contracted, a surge of joy rushing to his heart: It really was the Little Excellency! Was he safe? What about His Highness Ryann?
In any case, it at least proved that Little Excellency Jiang had obtained means of communication. Whether for rescue or anything else, many things would be much easier to handle now…
Behind him, Major Liu Rita suddenly cried out in shock. “Major General, this, this communication source authority!?”
Xie Yuduo instinctively glanced over and immediately felt dizzy.
Good heavens, unbelievable! Where did the Little Excellency find this means of communication, why did the source authority displayed—
“Dawn Aslan”!?
