Some students were already sobbing quietly.

Seeing these young children, the middle-aged man felt a pang of pity, but he steeled himself and said coldly, "There is also a small escape ship on the warship. It is very fast. As long as it flies out of this star system, it can request assistance from the nearest Federation fleet and be rescued."

Seeing the hopeful expressions on the faces of the weeping students, he closed his eyes and commanded himself to continue, coldly stating, "Once the spaceship escapes, those warships will pursue us, and then no one will be able to escape. Therefore!" he shouted, "we need to leave people on the warships to block the enemy ships' path with artillery fire, so that the spaceship can return to the Federation!"

He didn't say much, but everyone understood that anyone who stayed on the warship to face all the enemy ships would really die.

They were still just teenagers in the academy, and even though they had long been mentally prepared to die for the Federation one day, their faces still turned pale.

The middle-aged teacher clearly had no interest in asking who wanted to stay on the warship to die. Pointing to the sweating navigator beside him, he said, "You take the spaceship and the students away. I'll stay. And Field, Roland, Karls..."

He called out names one by one, and saw Shen Wangshu, Luo Li, and Kerry, whose lips were tightly pursed, slowly walk out. He gave the three of them a deep look, knowing that these three students from prestigious Federation families could not be spared even if everyone else died. He slowly lowered his gaze and said, "You are the most outstanding students, assisting in the spaceship's navigation and restraining your companions."

"I refuse." Before he could finish speaking, a soft, girlish voice rang out.

The blonde girl stood in the center of her astonished companions, tilting her head back to reveal a faint, gentle smile, as if she were facing a leisurely afternoon.

"I request to remain on the warship."

"What?!" The middle-aged man was stunned.

She smiled slightly, as beautiful as an angel, yet with an unwavering determination.

“In the name of my father and brothers, there are only those who die in battle, not cowards who abandon their comrades and run away.” She paused, then smiled and said, “Never back down.”