Tang Linyuan sat at the head of the table, tapping his fingers rhythmically against its surface. The crisp taps echoed through the spacious, domed conference room, each one landing precisely on the beat of everyone's heart.
The holographic projection's dim blue glow illuminated his profile. His gaze swept over the Cabinet dignitaries on the left side of the long table, passed the War Cabinet generals sitting ramrod straight on the right, and finally settled on the vast star map suspended in the center.
"One hundred years." Tang Linyuan stopped tapping and clasped his hands beneath his chin, his gaze fathomless.
"One hundred full cycles of sun and moon. We have rested and recuperated on Douluo Planet, built our foundations, and pushed both civilian development and our potential for war to the critical threshold."
He rose, planted both hands on the table, and looked down at all the Star Alliance's senior leaders present.
"We possess a fleet that towers above all others in this starfield, countless high-ranking Soul Masters, and exhaustive charts of the cosmos. For a hundred years, we have honed a single sword. Now, the sword is sharp!"
As those final words fell, the air in the conference room froze. Every general's breathing grew heavier. Yuan'en Yehui unconsciously clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking.
Tang Linyuan straightened, raised a hand toward the vast, unlit reaches of deep space on the holographic star map, and issued his final command.
"Relay my command. All forces of the Star Alliance-from this day forth, march into the stars!"
"Yes, sir!"
Mo Wu and Yuan'en Yehui rose simultaneously and struck their left breasts hard with their right fists, delivering regulation military salutes brimming with killing intent. Immediately afterward, everyone in the conference room stood in unison. Their thunderous response burst through the dome and