Twenty-eight years had passed since the war with the Sand Python Civilization ended, and Tau Ceti had regained its former peace. All traces of human activity on its planets had been cleaned up, except for the secret bases inside planet three. They were Hu Yu's contingency plan, though he hoped they would never be needed. The bases had been carefully sealed, and unless a civilization several technological levels above humanity conducted a deep scan, it would not discover them. Moreover, planet three's stable environment would keep them safe for a million years.
The bases were fully equipped. If the fleet ever faced its darkest hour and had to scatter to break through, Hu Yu hoped the humans who escaped could return to Tau Ceti and start over on planet three. Of course, that would only happen as a last resort. Now that they had antimatter weapons, they should have little trouble protecting themselves as long as they were careful.
Apart from a few key projects, the analysis of the technology had only just begun. Fully analyzing the technology of four civilizations would take decades or even centuries. Hu Yu urgently needed to find a safe place to buy the scientists time to analyze as much of the Sand Python Civilization's technology, and that of the other three civilizations, as possible. The fleet still needed more technological support. Communications, for example, remained an unsolved problem: the fleet was still using electromagnetic communications, while quantum communications had completely broken down during warp travel.
Escorted by 600,000 Improved Hunter-Killers, the 300 Deep Blue ships entered warp once more. Their destination this time was Alpha Centauri, also known as Beta Centauri, 500 light-years away. Based on observations made over the years using the transit method and gravitational lensing, astronomers had determined that Alpha Centauri had at least two rocky planets. Its environment was extremely harsh, however, and advanced civilizations probably would not give it a second glance. The scientists had reached that conclusion from the physical condition of the Sand Python Civilization and the other three civilizations, as well as the information they had learned. Among known civilized species, civilizations had arisen in extremely harsh environments, but they were few and far between. Most civilized species preferred environments similar to humanity's.
Alpha Centauri's harsh environment meant the chances of a civilization existing there were extremely low, and ordinary civilizations would not even consider it worth mining. A place like that was just right for humanity at present. Other civilizations' lack of interest meant it was highly secure, and the fleet could develop there in peace for a time, until it reached the middle or late stage of a stellar-level civilization. Judging from the information provided by the Destroyers, the scientists believed that fully analyzing the fleet's current technological reserves should bring it to the Late Stellar-Level Civilization stage, or even the star system level. The fleet's size, however, was still only at the Early Stellar-Level Civilization stage.
The fleet soon vanished beyond Tau Ceti's sphere of influence. After a century of wandering, humanity was on the move again, heading toward Alpha Centauri at five times the speed of light. In a hundred years, the fleet would arrive and begin construction anew.
Less than a year after the fleet departed, a battered fleet gathered again more than fifty light-days from Tau Ceti. It was the surviving Sand Python fleet. After decades of fierce warfare, they had settled on a new leader, but their infighting had reduced the fleet to fewer than 20,000 ships, and their technology tree had regressed to the Early Stellar-Level Civilization stage. No longer a match for humanity, they lay quietly in the void, engaged in a heated discussion.
After eating one of his own people, the new leader, Ma Meng, decided to go to Tau Ceti and fight humanity to the death. Faced with the brutal new leader, none of the few remaining wise members of the Sand Python Civilization dared object. Just as Ma Meng was preparing to depart, an entirely silver, diamond-shaped spaceship appeared in front of the Sand Python fleet and blocked its path.
Although the ship itself was only 200 meters long, it could casually move at over a thousand times the speed of light, leaving the Sand Python fleet afraid to act rashly. The Sand Python Civilization's inhabitants were reckless, but they were not fools. They knew exactly what that speed meant.
"Who is the leader?" The silver ship intruded into the Sand Python fleet's systems and asked bluntly.
"My lord, I am Ma Meng, the new leader of the Sand Python Civilization," Ma Meng said humbly, splitting his great mouth wide to reveal rows of fangs in what he believed was the most respectful gesture.
"Very good. I am one of the Patrols from sector 98511 of the Milky Way."
"Honored Patrols, the Sand Python Civilization is at your service." Sand Pythons could slaughter weaker beings without mercy, yet before a powerful civilization, they could bow and scrape to the very core of their being.
"Very good, very good. Where are you planning to go now?"
"My lord, we were going to attack a civilization called humanity, but now that you are here, your orders take precedence over everything."
"Attack human civilization with the strength you have left? That would be suicide. But humanity has already left Tau Ceti, so you have nowhere to go even if you want to throw your lives away."
"My lord, our mother civilization fought a war with humanity thirty years ago. Their fleet was no match for ours at first, but when we had destroyed most of it, those lunatics actually detonated Tau Ceti. The high-energy particle streams and gamma rays from the star's eruption were far beyond what a stellar-level civilization like ours could withstand. In moments, our fleet was almost completely wiped out, while the humans cunningly avoided it. Our former leader died in the energy storm, and the fleet fractured. I only reunited the Sand Python Civilization recently, but all that remains of our fleet is fewer than 20,000 defective ships, and our technology tree has been lost. With no other choice, we were preparing to go fight humanity to the death."
"Enough. I didn't come to listen to your nonsense. Tau Ceti is very safe now. I've spoken to the advanced civilizations within two hundred light-years, and they won't come here. So for the time being, you can develop in peace at Tau Ceti. As for your technology tree, I can restore it for you, and give you peak star system-level warp and weapons technology as well."
"Thank you, honored Patrols," Ma Meng said excitedly.
"Not so fast. I have conditions. I'll give you two hundred years. Within that time, you must assimilate all the technology, build a fleet, find humanity, and destroy them. If you can't do that, there will be no reason for you to exist."
"Yes, yes, honored Patrols. We will complete the task. But, honored Patrols, with your strength, you could easily destroy humanity yourself. Why rely on us?"
"Don't ask what you shouldn't know. I have my reasons for having you do it. As long as you do as I say, there will be more benefits for you in the future, provided you're worth cultivating. Otherwise..."
"I understand, I understand, my lord. The Sand Python Civilization and human civilization are mortal enemies. Even without your orders, we would have gone after them sooner or later. Now that we have the technology you're providing, we can certainly grow strong in a short time and destroy the damned human civilization."
"Good. Remember what I've told you."
With that, the Patrol piloted the ship away in an instant. The Sand Python fleet discovered a great deal of new material in its computers, including technology they had never seen or even heard of. Ma Meng looked in the direction the Patrol had departed and smiled cunningly. Humans, the time to destroy you is coming soon.
The Deep Blue ships were still traveling through the stars. Hu Yu did not know that a vast plot against humanity and every civilization in the Milky Way had begun to take shape. In the future, development would become extraordinarily difficult, especially for low-level civilizations, and most civilizations would perish in the plot. Of course, that lay in the future.
"Dad, I want to join the frontline fleet," Hu Yunhang said to Hu Yu one night aboard the fleet.
As Hu Yu's only son, Hu Yunhang had inherited his father's fighting blood and aptitude. During the battle with the Sand Python Civilization, he had still piloted a Hunter-Killer at the very front despite being a lieutenant colonel. He had destroyed two enemy warships and damaged five. Though that record was not particularly impressive, it was because the Sand Python warships not only held an absolute advantage ship for ship, but also outnumbered human warships four to one. Many human warships had to join forces with several others to defeat a single Sand Python ship.
After the battle, heavy personnel losses had prompted Hu Yu and a group of officers with the best combat skills to be transferred to the rear to train new recruits on an emergency basis. By the time the fleet set sail, several batches of recruits had entered the practical training stage and taken part in multiple combat drills aboard Hunter-Killer warships. Now that the fleet was underway, the Hunter-Killers could no longer be used for their drills, so the recruits' training consisted entirely of theory classes. Hu Yunhang found it hard to get used to.
"Son, isn't the rear a good place to be? It's safe, and your father and I don't have to worry." Before Hu Yu could speak, Xiao Xiao came over carrying fruit. Of the three of them, Hu Yu now looked to be in his forties; years of war and the pressure of leading the fleet had left him looking somewhat weathered. Xiao Xiao had used a genetic drug that fixed her age at over thirty, but the petite woman still looked to be only in her twenties, younger even than Hu Yu, whose age had been fixed at twenty-five.
"Mom, you don't understand. Besides, you really do worry about me, but Dad never has."
"Shut up. Don't call me Mom. You make me sound old." Although Xiao Xiao was already over a hundred and still looked like a petite young woman, she remained rather averse to being over a hundred.
"All right, all right, all right. I'll call you Sis from now on. Happy?"
"Will you two give it a rest and let my ears have some peace?" Hu Yu said helplessly.
"Dad, you still haven't answered me. Can I go or not?"
"Can you? Like hell you can. What's the point of asking me? You should ask your commanding officer. You don't report to me. Besides, have you finished your training assignment? The fleet urgently needs large numbers of military personnel. Once we reach Alpha Centauri, the number of ships will increase severalfold, or even more than tenfold, and we'll need even more reserves to make up for wartime losses. An Improved Hunter-Killer only needs two crew members, but the 600,000 ships we have now have taken up almost all our experienced personnel. They have to wait ages for a turn to go back to the Deep Blue ships on leave. And at a time like this, all you can think about is having your own fun showing off. You have no sense of the bigger picture. I'd say lieutenant colonel is as far as you're going to get." Hu Yu was somewhat frustrated that his son had not lived up to his expectations. Hu Yunhang was already outstanding, but he had a general for a father, one who led the fleet.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop. I get it, Dad. Have some fruit." Others might have been somewhat intimidated by the powerful Hu Yu, but Hu Yunhang had been bold enough to shit and piss while riding on his shoulders since childhood.
"You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear," Hu Yu scolded irritably.
"Brother Yu, our son is doing quite well. You shouldn't talk about him like that."
"Yunhang, it's not that I won't let you go to the front. I know you're afraid people in the rear will gossip, saying you get to stay back there safe because you're the general's son."
"Yes, Dad, I admit that's part of it. But mostly, I just can't get used to all the trivial work in the rear," Hu Yunhang said seriously.
"That's why you always charge out in front. You really don't need to think that way. Every military order follows strict procedures. You won't get preferential treatment just because I'm a general. That's fundamental to the fleet's survival. As a mid-level leader, you need to see the bigger picture. Charging into battle yourself doesn't automatically make you outstanding. What you need to do is properly fulfill the duties expected of a frontline fleet leader. Don't pay too much attention to what other people say. Never mind. You'll come to understand in time."
"All right, all right, we're at home. Even food can't keep the two of you quiet. Honestly," Xiao Xiao cut in.
"You too, Xiao'er. Our son is grown up, and you're still defending him. You've spoiled him so badly he can't even make up his own mind. The slightest thing someone else thinks can sway him. I'd say lieutenant colonel is as far as he'll get."
"How did this get turned on me again? What's wrong with our son? Don't expect everyone to be like you. Didn't you work your way up from a low-ranking soldier yourself? Who's born a general? Back then, you even pretended to be sick just to come see me. How embarrassing."
When Hu Yu was still a lieutenant, he had once been injured in an accident and admitted to the hospital, where Xiao Xiao had been a nurse. Afterward, Hu Yu often pretended to be sick and went to see the doctor, though he was really there to see the nurse. Later still, he married Xiao Xiao.
"Embarrassing? Was it? If I hadn't embarrassed myself, where would I have gotten a wife? All right, all right, you two enjoy the fruit. I have an important meeting in a little while, so I'm off."
"A meeting this late?" Xiao Xiao asked with concern.
"Yes. The fleet is going through an extraordinary period. We could face all kinds of dangers at any moment, so we have to make contingency plans and preparations in advance. I'm going." Hu Yu stood up, straightened his uniform, put on his military cap, and walked out.
"Brother Yu, come back early," the petite Xiao Xiao called after him. Watching the man's retreating figure, she felt her heart fill with love and admiration.
"Come on, Mom. You've been married forever, and you're still swooning over him," Hu Yunhang said with a laugh, taking a bite of fruit.
"What do you know? Back then, your father..." Xiao Xiao's face glowed as she recalled those happy memories.
"Enough, enough, Sis. I've heard your romantic history eighteen thousand three hundred times already. Go on swooning all you like. I can't take any more. I'm going to give those green recruits a lesson." Hu Yunhang grinned mischievously, grabbed an extra apple, and walked out as well.