Alliance State Funeral

The funeral for the fallen soldiers was set for October 20th, Alliance Calendar. Half-mast flags were lowered in mourning across every star system in the Alliance.

Star Net broadcast the solemn funeral ceremony live in its entirety. Citizens throughout the Alliance—those working, studying, or training—stopped what they were doing, including those carrying out missions in secret bases.

Those deep in the sea of stars, underground, or traveling to other alliances all logged onto Star Net's livestream platform to see off the soldiers who had defended this starfield one last time.

Vivian gathered everyone from the Orphanage in the conference room, where they watched the State Funeral livestream together on the room's light screen.

The living had transported back every recoverable fragment of the soldiers' remains. Genetic identification took time before their names could be confirmed, and once their bodies had been prepared, they were transported together to the Sea of Souls, ten light-years beyond the Alliance's frontier.

The funeral would be held there. It was the final resting place of every soldier who had sacrificed themselves for the Alliance.

At three in the afternoon on Ningkui Star, the State Funeral livestream began.

Majestic military music rang out. It was the melody that had welcomed the soldiers when they first entered the military, and now, as they departed, it accompanied them on their journey to the Sea of Souls.

Next came the heavy, suffocating funeral march. As the music spread, tears shimmered at the corners of everyone's eyes.

These fallen soldiers had fought for the entire Alliance. They would not be forgotten.

The Central Brain recorded the names of every fallen soldier in its database. History would remember them forever.

Around the nebula of the Sea of Souls, coffins bearing the soldiers' remains floated in space. They were covered in flowers, reflecting the faint radiance of the nebula, forming a scene Xi Xiu would never forget.

At the command of Xu Jiusong, the Alliance's Supreme Commander, the fuses connected to the coffins were lit. The soldiers' remains turned to ashes in the Sea of Souls, and they would sleep forever within that nebula.

They would become a speck of dust in the universe.

Perhaps billions of years from now, a star or a planet would be born in the depths of this sea of stars.

No matter how time passed, they would remain with the universe.

Xi Xiu's tears had soaked her clothes.

The blazing flames were the Soul Extinguishing Fire.

Determination was written across the children's young faces. No matter how afraid they were, this was a path some of them were destined to take.

Their peace at this moment had been bought with those people's lives.

The entire venue remained silent as they watched the livestream. Vivian had not seen such a sight in many years. This was only the second State Funeral of her life, yet it pained her even more.

Since Shally and Corinne were comparatively younger, this was also their first time witnessing such a suffocating sight.

The footsteps were neat, solemn, and dignified.

The grief on the faces of the soldiers escorting the coffins could not be concealed. Inside those coffins lay their former schoolmates and roommates, later their comrades-in-arms, their brothers and sisters who had lived and died alongside them.

How could they not be heartbroken?

Xue Fanhui and Zhen also understood the true meaning of their present peace. It was because someone had stood at the forefront of this endless starry sky with nothing but flesh and blood.

After the funeral livestream ended, no one in the conference room left immediately. They observed fifteen minutes of silence for the departed soldiers. It was insignificant in their own way, perhaps, but at least it allowed their hearts a brief moment to breathe.

After the silence ended, Vivian slowly spoke. "Children, I won't say much today. I believe you can all feel the grief of the funeral we just witnessed.

"None of us wishes to see such a heart-stopping scene. It is painful.

"Yet the arrival of war has never been something we can decide. So I hope that no matter where you are, you will never forget your original aspirations, and never forget to strengthen yourselves.

"In the future, our Alliance may face even greater crises. When that time comes, the responsibility of protecting the Alliance will rest on you. Work hard, girls—and remember to return safely."

Everyone's gazes hardened. Yes, they could not be afraid. If the road ahead was fated, then they would carve their way through thorns and brambles—and return safely, just as Vivian hoped.

"Yes!" Their voices rang out, young but piercing straight into the heart.

Strength was the conviction in everyone's heart at that moment.

On the way back to the dormitory, the three of them were unusually quiet. Xue Fanhui was normally the most talkative of the three, yet at that moment, she did not even have the courage to speak.

That livestream on Star Net had truly been too overwhelming. This was the highest honor for fighting for the Alliance, wasn't it?

To die a worthy death?

She did not know. She only knew that if people were destined to die eventually, then this was the best resting place.

Xue Fanhui let out a long breath in her heart. She had to work hard and create all the weapons she had envisioned, so that the Alliance could become even stronger.

Xi Xiu was somewhat dispirited. She suddenly felt that her own thoughts had been too dreamy and naive.

After joining the military, whether she would even survive until the end of her service was another matter. If she died on the battlefield, her dream of roaming the stars would become nothing more than a bubble.

How was she supposed to balance this mindset? How was she supposed to face her future life with fighting spirit? She could no longer find her direction.

The person who could have guided her had now vanished into the sea of stars without a trace.

After returning to the dormitory, Xi Xiu threw herself onto the bed and buried herself beneath the covers. She had forced herself to grow stronger before, training so that if her identity was exposed one day, she would have the strength to stand against the Tang Family and the Ye Family.

As for military service, she had thought of it simply: serve ten years at the frontier, then retire and live her own life.

She had forgotten that war could break out anywhere here, and on the battlefield, there was no distinction between men and women.

Once war broke out, if she received military orders, she would have to rush to the front lines and truly take part in interstellar warfare. This was not a virtual game, but an incomparably real battle of fist against flesh.

Her mindset was not as steady as Xue Fanhui's. She knew it was wrong to be like this, but her heart was not made of steel...

The atmosphere throughout the Orphanage changed greatly after the funeral. Everyone became more diligent and filled with fighting spirit.

Vivian noticed Xi Xiu's low spirits. She called Xi Xiu into her office and poured her a cup of lightly sweet Sweet Dew Water.

Then she sat down beside Xi Xiu. "Tell me, what happened these past few days? Or are you unhappy enough that even mashed potatoes and snow beef can't cheer you up?"

Vivian stated it as a certainty. Xi Xiu gloomily voiced her thoughts. "Director An, I never imagined war could be this cruel. Ten years from now, I might die on the battlefield and never return."

Xi Xiu's answer took Vivian by surprise. "Why would you think that? War is terrifying, but compared to the Alliance's population, the soldiers who die are only a very, very small fraction."

"I don't know either. I just feel... I don't have the resolve to sacrifice everything for the Alliance like that. Is that... very selfish?" Xi Xiu found it difficult to say the words.

Vivian sighed. "Xi Xiu, no one is born with that kind of resolve. Many people make sacrifices because war is unavoidable, and because we are not strong enough."

Xi Xiu looked up at Vivian. Her tea-brown eyes were filled with gentle kindness.

"You don't think that thinking this way makes me selfish? That it's wrong?" Xi Xiu felt somewhat guilty, shame written across her face.

Vivian shook her head. "No, Xi Xiu. It's human nature."

Vivian then told Xi Xiu a long story. There were also three girls in the story, who had grown up in an Orphanage, in circumstances no different from Xi Xiu and the others now.

They too had felt fear in the face of war, and had even retreated from it.