Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 1769: 863: Bai Mei's Identity and External Forces

Taking a sharp breath, Song Chi tapped the hovering star chart on his primary control console several times. The star trails marking the boundaries of the Laniakea River System Cluster ignited with light immediately:

“Relay my commands: the Third, Seventh, and Ninth Fleets must abandon their current defensive sectors at once. They are to carry every seized strategic resource and over ninety percent of the High Rank Torch Captains back immediately. Their objective—reinforce the Chaos God Land [Torch Human Emperor City].”

“Lord Greedy Wolf,” the adjutant spoke, his voice laced with uncertainty.

“These three fleets represent our primary strength for suppressing the recently conquered Dark Star Clan. Their withdrawal could trigger a massive upheaval within the Laniakea River System Cluster.”

“Upheaval?”

Song Chi’s expression grew freezing cold.

“If [Human Emperor City] is lost, the Ancestral Domain will be left entirely vulnerable to the gaze of various Transcendent Forces. While most of those Transcenders, Eleventh Rank, or even Tenth Rank Mythical Alien Races are unable to invade the Shattered Starry Sea directly, the number of beings reaching the Myth rank in this age is significant. It is certainly not a burden our Torch Civilization can carry alone. If that happens, not just the Laniakea River System Cluster, but our very Torch Humanity Ancestral Domain will collapse!”

“Furthermore, never forget that [Human Emperor City] holds more than forty percent of all Super Rank Enhancement and promotion resources for the Torch Civilization. Without it, do you believe our Torch Humanity can sustain this incredible rate of expansion?”

“[Human Emperor City] cannot be allowed to fall!”

The weight in Song Chi’s voice was unprecedented. The glow from his console highlighted his rigid jaw, emphasizing the absolute resolve he felt in this moment.

[Human Emperor City] represented the final line of defense for the entire Torch Humanity Civilization.

He was well aware of the adjutant's perspective. This officer from the Akelmon Royal Family of the Holy Hall Federation had only recently attained the rank of Superdimensional Captain.

From the adjutant's point of view, the Torch Civilization had produced two Mythical Ship Captains in a mere ten thousand years. This should be an era of rapid growth and territorial gain. If [Human Emperor City] proved impossible to defend, why not simply retreat for a time?

The logic was that once the Torch Civilization finished absorbing the riches from its expansion, it could simply reclaim or build a new Chaos City later. These seemed like reasonable alternatives.

However, to Song Chi and the elite Torch Human Emperors at the peak of the civilization, such thinking was a catastrophic error.

Had the Chaos Demon Ape Clan not fallen into decline, or if the events surrounding the [Heaven-Fighting Relic – High-dimensional Sea] thousands of years in the future weren't a factor, that might have been a viable path.

But that was not the reality.

With multiple Transcendent Forces and countless Peak Clans launching a coordinated invasion, combined with the impending appearance of the [Chaos Wonders – High-dimensional Sea], the Heavenly Ape Star Realm was destined for extreme instability for tens of thousands, perhaps even a million years. The only way out would be for the Torch Civilization to abandon the Chaos Divine Land for an entire millennium.

Such a retreat was unthinkable. The Torch Civilization itself had only existed for slightly more than 300,000 years.

…

The adjutant’s face turned deathly pale on the communication screen. He looked as if he wanted to voice further objections, but he withered under the intensity of Song Chi’s stare.

“Carry out the order.” Song Chi’s voice was quiet, yet it resonated like a heavy blow in the hearts of everyone in the group transmission.

“I expect the three fleets to be regrouped and returning to the Ancestral Domain via the super-distance space teleportation star gate within seventy-two hours.”

Straightening his posture, the adjutant balled his right hand into a fist and pressed it against his left chest—the most formal military salute used by the Holy Hall Federation:

“By your command, Lord Greedy Wolf.”

Once the adjutant departed, Song Chi turned his attention back to the star chart.

The flickering lights of the Laniakea River System Cluster danced before him. Those systems that had only just begun to fly the Torch Flag were now at risk of being lost once again.

Because of the chaos near the Origin Divine Land, this expeditionary force hadn't been particularly massive to begin with. If three of its elite fleets were pulled away, even a minor disturbance in the Laniakea River System Cluster might strip away the expedition's formidable facade.

“Have you truly made up your mind?”

A soft woman's voice drifted through a separate private channel.

Song Chi didn't need to guess the caller's identity—it was Bai Mei, a member of the [Shaking Light Star Tower].

Or more accurately, Ying Jing, the daughter of the Xian Qin Divine Dynasty’s top commander within the expedition, the Eldest Princess of the Xian Qin Divine Dynasty, and the younger sister of Ying Yi, Ying Li.

Song Chi had harbored many suspicions regarding the true identity of Bai Mei, or Ying Jing, but he had only confirmed the truth a few centuries ago.

While he was initially startled to learn she was the legitimate daughter of the Xian Qin Eldest Princess, the shock was fleeting, as he had already prepared himself for such a revelation.

Faced with Bai Mei’s question, he answered without hesitation:

“There is no other path to take.”

Song Chi’s fingers traced the screen, plotting the withdrawal paths for the three fleets.

“The most recent reports from the Chaos Divine Land indicate that the Sand Spirit Clan has breached the Seventh Line of Defense.”

A thoughtful glint appeared in Bai Mei’s eyes.

“But you realize that even if those three fleets return to help, facing six Transcendence Armies is still…”

“A drop in the ocean.” Song Chi finished her sentence with a faint, bitter smile.

“I am well aware. However, some things cannot be decided by the probability of success alone.”

“Besides, it isn't as if we are completely without options to break this stalemate…”

Bai Mei’s eyes widened with intense interest at his words, but Song Chi offered no further explanation. Instead, he began barking out a series of new commands.

“All ship captains are to engage maximum authority immediately. Every non-combat vessel is to be repurposed as a resource transport. I want the defensive fortifications of [Human Emperor City] to be reinforced tenfold within the next century!”