"Humans always think they are powerful, but over the years, arrogance has disappeared from our bones. We have to accept that we are just an insignificant person among the countless living beings, far from being worthy of the position of the protagonist. The pride we take is only meaningful in our eyes." - Speech by the imperial representative at the peace ceremony.

Fireworks once again appeared in human sight, and the imitation works bloomed with brilliant light. The fireworks in the night sky even obscured the light of the satellite fortress. Behind the double-layered glass, a middle-aged man sat on a simple bench, facing the dimly lit city outside the window. His face, as if carved by a knife and an axe, was full of fatigue, with a faint smile. On the light screen on the right, an announcement was the only luminous object in the room: "The war is over." There was an emotion in his deep eyes that was difficult for ordinary people to understand.

"Click." A faint firelight lit up in the darkness, and the man lit a cigarette for himself. This was done by a friend of his. Because the friend strictly forbade him to smoke too much, he rarely smoked, and he cherished it very much.

"Cough, cough, cough." It was hard to imagine that a Level 7 Connector, the Imperial Marshal, could actually choke. He took two puffs before regaining the familiar feeling and exhaled a puff of thick smoke. For the first time in a long time, he narrowed his eyes, revealing an expression of enjoyment.

Before he knew it, he had finished smoking. He frowned, but then smiled and took out the second one: "I can finally let go today." He first put it to his nose and took a deep sniff.

"Bang!" Suddenly there was a loud noise from outside the door. He did not stop his hands, but lit the cigarette for himself and put it in his lips. Then he took out a photo from the drawer. The photo was very worn and covered with wrinkles. In the photo was a couple and a little boy. The faces of the three people could no longer be seen clearly, but the man still stroked the photo affectionately: "It's over." As if he was talking to himself, but also as if he was talking to someone. The background of the photo was his hometown, that beautiful, rich and peaceful place.

The pistol wasn't heavy, but the pounding outside grew heavier. Even the special metal door, like the wall, gradually succumbed to the overwhelming force. The muzzle of the gun pressed against his head, but the man didn't fire immediately. He watched silently as the door swung open. A flaming mechanical arm grasped the remains of the door and tore it apart. The metal melted in the heat. A voice rang from outside: "Stop!" The cold words couldn't express the emotion behind them.

The man smiled, and under the cold gaze, he gently said two words - "Goodbye".

The blood flower bloomed.

The universe was always so quiet and yet so noisy. A mass of constantly shifting and changing matter suddenly stopped. It seemed to be caught between illusion and reality, with only a core that remained unchanged. After it stopped, the creatures surrounding it and the several warships following it all stopped and sent inquiries to it, but it ignored them. After a long time, it continued to pursue the insects ahead. At the same time, Li He's mental network transmitted a message countless times: "He kept his promise."

The warlords of Lih then withdrew from the human galaxy.

"This is the end of his story, and the beginning of the next era," said a white-haired man from the Imperial Crisis Committee, humanity's highest body. He rubbed his brows, "This is also the beginning of our troubles." The committee members present shared the same expression. Though the marshal was dead, his legacy was far from over. He held a reputation, his fleet, and the vacancy he left behind.

Near the capital, there's a stellar fortress, humanity's most important training base. Graduates there are all trainee admirals (fleet commanders or local garrison leaders). In past wars, countless generals and marshals have launched from here, and the war is no exception. If anything, it's the end of the war. This isn't good news, as personnel are scarce. In fact, this class of trainee admirals is arguably the worst ever. They were drafted on short notice, some even coming from slums, and their training period is only six months, meaning they haven't even experienced combat exercises. The committee is also struggling with their placement. After all, they graduated from training camps and are indeed trainee admirals, but their qualifications don't allow them to handle the most demanding positions.

Graduation from the training camp was imminent, and naturally, there were no restrictions on the trainees' movements. At this moment, two people walked side by side in the garden leading from the training building to the dormitory. A slender and handsome boy excitedly said something to a more ordinary-looking boy beside him: "...Chen Jing, I heard that the starting ships for our graduates this time are elite ones selected from the Marshal's fleet!"

Chen Jing frowned. "You heard it again. Last time you said I would be expelled because of my academic performance, but half a month later nothing happened."

The handsome boy scratched his head awkwardly. "That's different. Last time it was just a guess, but this time my dad told me himself, and the selection is based on academic performance! There are quite a few war heroes among them!"

"The instructor is also a war hero. Besides, it's not my turn as the last one anyway." Chen Jing thought to himself, but did not say it out loud, because the guy in front of him happened to be the first one, and his father was the secretary of the committee and held a high position of power.

Chen Jing's little thoughts did not escape Wang Mingke's eyes. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, as the first one, I can indeed choose the strongest one, and the one you choose may not be the weakest. As far as I know, some warships with bad personalities are not very popular. At worst, I can switch with you then." His words attracted Chen Jing's suspicious gaze.

Wang Mingke raised his eyebrows. "My family has prepared for me the latest warship that is still in the experimental stage. I don't like this old version."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!