Chapter 661: Heroic Souls Return to Their Homeland: The Eternal Monument of the Kunlun Sacred Domain (Part 2)
Chapter 661 -389: Heroic Souls Return to Their Homeland: The Eternal Monument of the Kunlun Sacred Domain (Part 2)
At the end of the ceremony, one hundred thousand Profound Bird-7 fighters streaked across the sky in a formation that spelled “HEROES LIVE ON.” On the ground, hundreds of millions of soldiers and civilians fired their weapons in a simultaneous salute, the gunshots mingling with the tolling bells echoing through the mountains.
Li Xiang raised his hand and summoned the Star Pillar-Breaking Stick. He tapped the ground lightly with its tip, and in that instant, the Earth Veins trembled. Countless shimmering white motes of light rose from the monument, transforming into a Star River that flowed toward space—this was him using the authority of the Heart of the Earth to permanently brand the names of the fallen heroes onto the satellite constellations in low-earth orbit, ensuring their names would be seen twinkling among the stars every night.
Those satellites were used for surveillance, navigation, weather forecasting, scientific research, and more…
These were the fruits of Jiang Cai’Er’s labor in recent years. In addition to these numerous satellites, the Computing Satellite network of her Celestial Calculation Center was even more massive.
Such a momentous event naturally garnered global attention and heated discussion among netizens, with all major media outlets featuring it as their front-page headline or broadcasting it live.
For example, the front-page headline of Country C’s *New Era Daily* read, “Where Kunlun Cradles Heroes, the Starry Sea Guards Their Loyal Hearts,” accompanied by a panoramic photo of the monument.
Even the *Interstellar Observer*, a publication under the Free City States Alliance—which had yet to join Country C and was usually known for its cynicism and mockery—ran a rare editorial: “This sacrifice belongs to all of humanity. Arrogance and prejudice must give way to mourning.”
On social media: The hashtag #MyNameIsInTheStars exploded across the global network. Families of fallen soldiers uploaded photos of themselves with holographic projections of the monument and their loved ones’ belongings. Netizens in South Asia spontaneously organized virtual candlelight vigils. The Antarctic Research Station recorded the list of martyrs into its ice core archives, seeking to “preserve them for ten thousand years.”
Of course, wherever there are people, there will be conflict, and a few dissenting voices were inevitable.
For instance, a few scattered Underground Cities outside the Federation questioned, “Were fifty percent losses the result of a tactical error?”
‘Ignoring you on a normal day is one thing,’ she thought, ‘but to say something like this during a period of national mourning? Then I won’t be so polite!’
Jiang Cai’Er directly hacked into those few Underground Cities, paralyzing their networks and power stations. The masterminds behind the dissent then died under mysterious circumstances.
At the same time, Country C released the battlefield data logs and video footage of the armistice negotiations.
Anyone who wasn’t willfully blind could clearly understand: although Earth had sacrificed over one hundred and fifty million martyrs, the Space Exotic Beasts had suffered even greater losses. They had lost over twenty-eight billion of their kind, including two Planet Dominator Realm beasts and thirty-six Divine King Level beasts. This victory had bought Earth’s population of over nine billion people a three-hundred-year grace period.
In the face of such ironclad facts, the rumors and slander vanished.
After the cemetery’s completion, the C Country Federation passed a law designating the anniversary of the armistice signing as “Interstellar Heroes’ Day.” All Federation citizens were required to face the direction of Kunlun at noon and observe 137 seconds of silence (corresponding to the 137 main ethnic groups that participated in the war).
Jiang Cai’Er’s Supercomputing Center also developed a “Digital Life Archive of Heroic Souls,” allowing family members to use genetic codes to briefly reunite with the consciousness of the martyrs in a virtual world.
This cemetery, the largest of its kind in the world, not only became a physical testament to the survival of civilization but also transformed into a collective spiritual totem for humanity’s journey into deep space—just as Li Xiang had inscribed on the monument: “Wherever one looks to the sea of stars, that is the path of our people’s journey.”
The martyrs’ cemetery also became a popular tourist attraction, with countless visitors coming to pay their respects and commemorate the heroic souls.
The number of people who came to visit and pay tribute was countless, but not a single one felt fear. Coming here only brought a sense of peace.
These heroic souls were the superheroes who defended Earth, destined to be remembered for millennia.
After the memorial service, a ten-day holiday was declared, which could also be considered a celebration of the war’s victory.
The dead were gone, but the living had to carry on.
Of course, the ten-day holiday was limited to the C Country Federation. Whether the few Underground Cities and Shelters outside its jurisdiction followed suit was none of their concern.
Earth was now relatively safe. Aside from the deep mountains, old forests, and vast oceans where large numbers of Mutated Creatures still roamed (including some Space Exotic Beasts left behind on the planet), they were rarely seen in human-populated areas. The occasional stray Mutated Creature would be killed or driven off by Guardian patrols or squads of Extraordinary Beings out for training.
The colonization of Mars continued. This time, ten Divine King Level Stellar Mother Ships were dispatched, migrating one billion people in a single trip.
Meanwhile, Ceres, Jupiter’s Moons I, II, III, and IV, and Saturn’s Moons Six, Five, and Eight were also being colonized, with large-scale base construction underway.
Jiang Cai’Er’s Supercomputing Centers were also fully established there.
These celestial bodies were quite large and contained abundant mineral resources. Jiang Cai’Er organized a vast number of mining robots, robotic spiders, and robotic wolves to mine them extensively, converting the raw materials into various resources usable by humanity.
The population on these few celestial bodies totaled around three hundred million. Combined with the one billion people who had migrated to Mars, this amounted to nearly 13% of Earth’s population, making it the largest migration in human history.
Besides the large-scale ceremonies, Li Xiang also held a small, private victory banquet. He gathered his core subordinates and confidants in City No. 03 to strengthen their bonds and bestow various rewards.
Needless to say, Yao Yao and the other women were rewarded handsomely. Their personal wealth alone was incalculable—the kind you could never finish spending.
Worldly wealth was no longer that important to them.
…
With the war paused, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, the four Jupiter’s Moons, and the three Saturn’s Moons all entered a phase of major development. Meanwhile, Yao Yao and the other women could finally relax and focus on preparing for pregnancy.
Erin had always wanted ten children. She had only given birth to four so far, so she still had six to go. At a rate of one every two years, it would only take another decade or so.
Needless to say, any child they had would be born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They could have as many as they wanted without ever worrying about being unable to support them.
Yao Yao and the others, however, didn’t want to have that many. They would feel satisfied with two or three children each.
Before long, Erin, Yao Yao, Zhao Xueqing, Lei Xiaohui, and the Twin Gouyu were all pregnant. Only Chiba Yuki didn’t want any more children. Naturally, such matters were left to their own wishes.
Luo Feifei, however, had her own little plan.
She wanted to take Li Xiang to a distant Exotic Realm to perform Refinement on the Fixed Star there. That Fixed Star was five or six times larger than their Sun. Because it was located in such a desolate and remote region, it had never been discovered and was thus ownerless. If he could fuse with that Fixed Star, his power would ascend to an unbelievable level. Then, even if the King of Exotic Beasts succeeded in its Fusion within the Solar System, Li Xiang would not necessarily lose in a one-on-one fight, even with the beast’s home-field advantage.
Li Xiang suggested Luo Feifei go instead, but she said, “I’m of the Water and Ice Elements, so I’m not really suited to become a Fixed Star Lord. Wouldn’t it be better if you became a Fixed Star, and I could just revolve around you every day?”
Her words made Li Xiang’s heart melt.
And so, they set off. Jiang Cai’Er and the others agreed because it was the only viable option.
Moreover, the flow of time in that unfamiliar, desolate Star Realm was faster than in the Solar System; a few decades there was only a few years here. This was another advantage. Perhaps by the time Li Xiang became a Master of Fixed Stars, the beast on their side might not even have completed its Fusion.
Besides, Li Xiang still had Achievement Points he could use to reduce the time needed for the Fusion.
…
Li Xiang and Luo Feifei traveled to the depths of space, stealthily approaching the Sun. They wanted to see if there was a chance to launch a sneak attack on the few Planet Dominator Realm beasts inside. However, not only were there several powerful Planet Dominator Realm beasts entrenched within the Sun, but there were also seven or eight Guardians on its perimeter. In other words, there was basically no chance.
Besides, the armistice was still in effect. It wouldn’t be wise to tear it up without absolute certainty of success.
Thus, the two of them quietly retreated.
Luo Feifei opened the Star Map. The Space-Time Anchor on her brow glinted with a spiritual light as she locked onto the coordinates. Then, using the Frost Splintering Sky Stab, she tore open a Space Passage, leading Li Xiang to a Teleportation Array on the Ancient Starry Sky Road.
This was the closest Teleportation Array to the Solar System, hidden within an ancient city in a Meteorite Belt. The city wasn’t large, and its mottled exterior exuded an endless desolation and ancient air, as if it had existed since time immemorial.
And outside the Meteorite Belt, a Divine Level Stellar Mother Ship was parked. A research team of about three hundred people was stationed there, their main task being to study the Inscriptions on the Teleportation Array.
The small Profound Bird fighters on the Stellar Mother Ship served as their transportation.
Li Xiang had brought this Divine Level Stellar Mother Ship here previously using his Otherworldly Warehouse. A ship of this size could normally hold twenty to thirty million people, but alas, his warehouse couldn’t store living things, so he could only bring the ship itself.
The three hundred or so research personnel had arrived later.
The Stellar Mother Ship was stocked with a massive amount of supplies, more than enough for these three hundred-plus people to last a lifetime.
Of course, they wouldn’t be on this mission for their entire lives; people would come to relieve them on a regular basis.
Luo Feifei had shared the Star Map and some of the secrets of the Teleportation Array. After analyzing the data, Jiang Cai’Er had already figured out how to safely reach this particular array.