Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 63

After Tang Yunzhen worked overtime to finish the news report titled “Thieves’ Delusions of Statehood, Ultimately Burned by Flames of Justice,” Pei An immediately had it sent out. To maximize its impact, various military units even used their official accounts, which they hadn’t updated in eons, to repost it.

Besides the official reposts, many influential individuals and media outlets also shared the report, causing a sensation throughout the Lyte Empire.

The report was not only eloquent but also included on-site photos and even videos. The videos were edited by professionals, selecting the best angles and clearest footage, then set to stirring music that instantly ignited the public’s passion.

Suddenly, there was an influx of people signing up for the military and willing to donate supplies to the front lines. However, as their enthusiasm met reality, they discovered a significant problem: the Empire had not established any channels for this support.

If the Empire did not want to mobilize the public’s power, someone should have explained. But since the Parliament Speaker’s previous announcement about sending a negotiation team to the front lines, there had been no further updates.

The silence was deafening.

In such still waters, any ripple became noticeable.

With growing suspicion, the public began leaving comments under official accounts and sending private messages, but there was no response from the authorities.

As the second report of a front-line victory arrived, the public was ecstatic.

Why were the front-line troops fighting fiercely against the rebels, while there was no movement in the central star?

Wasn’t the army following orders to resist the enemy? Why hadn’t the central star released any related information, and why was the news as dead as a graveyard?

The longer time passed, the more the public’s lingering doubts turned into outright conflict.

The central star’s citizens went on strike and boycotted classes. Some gathered in front of the Parliament building, others in front of the palace, the military headquarters, and various administrative departments. Everywhere, there were demonstrators.

The old marshal at the military headquarters didn’t let it become a massive traffic jam; he stepped out to address the crowd.

“Everyone, please rest assured that the military is intensifying its plans. Trust the military; we will definitely block the rebels at the front lines and reclaim our territories.”

This was the old marshal’s assurance to the public. As for other people and departments, he remained silent.

The crowd in front of the military headquarters dispersed to continue their protests elsewhere. The largest gatherings were in front of the Parliament and the palace.

At this time, the Finance Minister, well-prepared, gave a public speech at the Finance Ministry’s entrance, asking for support for the front lines and announcing a nationwide campaign to collect supplies for the front lines.

The Finance Minister’s public speech was like a torch setting the water boiling. If the military and the Finance Ministry had made statements, what about the Parliament and the royal family?

The Parliament building was surrounded by citizens, making it impossible to enter or leave unless the protesters were forcibly removed. But clearly, if the citizens were driven away now, their discontent would peak, which wasn’t good news.

Some parliamentarians, trapped in the Parliament building with no way home, couldn’t help but envy those who had stormed out of previous meetings, slamming the table and leaving.

However, there was one young parliamentarian whose words were particularly harsh. At the time, he arrogantly looked around at all the parliamentarians, including the Speaker, and crudely said, “A normal brain has gray matter and white matter, but your brains are filled with shit.”

This young parliamentarian couldn’t agree with the others on any issue. Knowing he couldn’t change these self-serving idiots, he chose to distance himself from them.

Along with the young parliamentarian, about a dozen others also left, ignoring the Speaker’s and colleagues’ pleas, walking out of the Parliament building with heads held high.

The young parliamentarian even took his wealth and boarded a private spaceship, heading straight to the front lines, never to work with these corrupt colleagues again.

He had endured long enough.

At the time, many mocked those who left, but now, trapped in the Parliament building with scarce food, they envied those who had left.

Had the citizens not surrounded the Parliament building, these high-ranking officials wouldn’t have thought of the departed parliamentarians. Even if they did, it would be only to ridicule them while sipping freshly brewed coffee, saying, “How foolish they were.”

As citizens persistently surrounded the Parliament building and the palace day and night, someone finally came out to give a public speech. It was a prince, dressed in exquisite, expensive formal wear, who delivered a speech that provoked public anger.

In his speech, he first criticized the front-line troops for detaining the negotiation team sent by the central star to negotiate with the rebels, forbidding any talks.

“This is a destructive act against peace!” The prince righteously denounced the front-line commanders.

At the same time, he profoundly explained that the empire was a peace-loving nation, not one that admired war. Therefore, they would still strive to negotiate with the Free Empire and proposed the idea of “stabilizing the internal before repelling the external.” He argued that the rebels were not a threat to the empire; it was the frontline generals holding their own forces that posed a threat. These generals should be recalled, or they would be charged with treason.

This speech pushed the public’s anger to a peak.

Countless free media outlets condemned the public speech hosted by this prince, criticizing the royal family vehemently.

Many people were watching the parliament’s reaction, knowing that the Lyte Empire was a balance of the royal family, parliament, and the military. The royal family’s actions should prompt a response from the parliament.

The parliament remained silent as a mouse.

The news reached the frontline, and Xie Yu directly shared the ridiculous news with everyone during a meeting. He had no intention of hiding it.

The hot-tempered officers were infuriated. They were fighting hard on the frontlines, only to be labeled as a threat to the empire. This accusation was laughable, even to the point of making an old lady’s dentures fall out, and now they were being accused of treason.

If the rebels gained the upper hand, the Lyte Empire would cease to exist. What talk of treason would there be then?

“From this, it seems we won’t get any support from the Central Star,” Han Jingshan frowned. “Without support from the Central Star, this war will be tough to fight.”

The rebels weren’t just a bunch of brutes. They now occupied ten star systems and could use them as bases to develop slowly. The empire’s forces couldn’t just drop missiles on the ground since there were many ordinary civilians there whose lives they needed to protect.

As long as the rebels stayed like turtles, they couldn’t retake these ten star systems in the short term. Besides, these systems had been under rebel control for years, so they must have some preparations.

The rebels wanted to drag out the war as long as possible. The longer it dragged on, the more pressure the empire’s forces would face, and the more opportunities the rebels would have to develop.

“If we can’t get support from the Central Star, then we don’t need it,” Pei An, the only person at the meeting without a military rank, expressed his view under the gazes of several officers. “Relying on the Central Star is less reliable than relying on the people.”

The people are the creators of history. The Lyte Empire has billions of citizens. Why should they fear losing this just war to defend the country?

“If the Central Star has no intention of supporting us against the enemy, then we no longer need to consider the Central Star’s reputation,” Pei An wrote “Lyte Empire Royal Guard” on the screen and drew a huge cross over it.

“Gentlemen, I believe that for the sake of the billions of people, we need a new designation,” Pei An looked at the officers calmly.

The royal family had shown itself to be unworthy of ruling this country, so why should they support it?

The military was not the royal family’s guard but the people’s guard.

Pei An’s action was shocking. Not everyone had the courage to take this step.

Xie Yu was the first to raise his hand in support, followed by Gu Fan, who had just arrived at the frontlines and was pulled into the meeting.

With the leaders of the First and Third Corps showing support, more people gradually expressed their agreement.

“Mr. Pei, do you have any good ideas?” asked Mr. Chi Song, the councilor who, after cursing in parliament, brought all his assets to the frontline.

Pei An nodded slightly, greeted Chi Song, and then wrote a new designation on the screen: Lyte Independence Army.

The word “independence” had two meanings: first, this army was independent of the empire’s jurisdiction, unrestrained and solely focused on fighting the rebels; second, after the war, this army would not revert to its original state—the designation “Independence Army” would remain.

Pei An thought he might need to put into practice the theory that political power comes from the barrel of a gun.

The frontline army couldn’t stay in space indefinitely, as it was a huge burden on resources. Thus, they requested a nearby planet from the administrative office of the Gallia Star System to set up a more comprehensive frontline command center.

The administrative officer of the Gallia Star System understood the big picture. Not only did he agree to allocate a base for the army, but he also mobilized the local populace to participate in the resistance, which proved highly effective. In a short time, a large amount of resources and supplies was gathered and sent to the army.

This administrative officer even handed over his own armed forces, the Gallia Star System’s security force, to the military’s unified command, without harboring any resentment over his reduced power.

Pei An felt complex emotions when receiving the Gallia Star System’s security force. He had inspected this security force and found them brave and eager to go to the frontline to fight the rebels and protect their homes. In contrast, the security force of the Loshui Star System had fled in panic to save their lives, a stark difference.

Despite having received a civilian spaceship’s distress call, the captain of that security force chose to ignore it, leading to severe punishment and imprisonment. The others were demoted or left the security force altogether.

It’s normal for people to fear death. It’s precisely because humans naturally fear death that courage in the face of death is incredibly precious. However, the Loshui Star System security force captain’s order to flee still warranted punishment because standing in a dangerous position meant they could never retreat.

Pei An did not stop the Gallia Star System security force from wanting to go to the frontline, but now was not the right time. The royal family had publicly criticized the frontline forces, and the frontline command had responded in kind, leaving no face for the royal family. After all, it was the royal family that had first shown no regard for those fighting on the frontline.

Meanwhile, Pei An was hastily planning the new designation for the Independence Army. Not only did they need a new designation, but they also needed a new flag. The flag representing the royal family, Augsberg, was no longer necessary.

At the frontline, Pei An, who had transitioned from being the chief technical officer of the 258th Corps to the chief technical officer of the entire frontline, had mobilized manpower and military equipment, and provided a large sum of money for the frontline. He was widely revered and thus chosen as the secretary-general of the Independence Army.

This was a man who, having experienced the pain of losing his son during the Anmo Star incident, had not yet healed his wounds before throwing himself into his work. He was a man worthy of respect.

As for where Pei An got so much manpower, military equipment, and a large sum of money, did it matter? No one on the frontline cared about this issue because, in the face of the nation, these were trivial matters.

Pei An hurriedly selected a new flag design and called everyone together for input.

The new flag design had a red background, symbolizing the blood of the innocent millions who perished in the Loshui Star System, the victims slaughtered on that ship, and the warriors who bled and sacrificed in the rebel-occupied star systems.

The red background featured a golden kapok flower in the center, shining brightly in the light.

The kapok flower is the flower of heroes, and they were a heroic army.

The kapok flower flag received unanimous praise, so it was decided that the Lyte Independence Army’s flag would feature a red background with a golden kapok flower.

The Independence Army would be formally announced at the right time. In addition to establishing the Independence Army, Pei An also drafted a “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens,” not just the rebels who issued daily notices.

The “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens” was drafted by Pei An and Tang Yunzhen after a full day and night of deliberation. It called on all citizens to join the fight against the rebels.

**”Since the beginning of the interstellar era, humanity has remained steadfast in prioritizing the survival and development of our race, working diligently towards this goal. However, there are always malevolent forces attempting to undermine this core mission. The rebels have been engaging in reactionary activities since the founding of the nation, disturbing the lives of the people and committing countless crimes that cannot be enumerated… Now, these reactionary forces have occupied our top ten star systems and audaciously declared the establishment of their own nation, slaughtering innocent civilians. Such evil deeds should be punished by everyone!”**

Pei An detailed the atrocities committed by interstellar pirates, including trafficking people for labor and more heinous crimes involving biochemical weapons. All these were documented in the “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens.”

The reactionary forces had never ceased their evil deeds, never stopped destroying peace, and never stopped trampling on human dignity.

**”The war was started by the reactionary forces. From now on, the entire nation, regardless of region, gender, or age, should all embrace the spirit of defending the country. In this critical time, the entire nation should remain serious and composed, and work together to fight the reactionary forces and maintain national unity!”**

As the establishment of the Lyte Independence Army and the “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens” were announced, this proclamation was also released.

Major media outlets rushed to reprint it, and various forces responded continuously.

This made the passive actions of the royal family and parliament seem like a huge joke.

Particularly, someone compared the previous remarks by the Speaker of Parliament, who had referred to the rebels as the Free Empire side, with the “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens” calling the rebels reactionary forces. This comparison was widely circulated on the star network, making it difficult to distinguish who truly represented the Lyte Empire Parliament.

In addition to announcing the establishment of the Lyte Independence Army and releasing the “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens,” Pei An, in his capacity as the Secretary-General of the Independent Military Affairs Office, attended a press conference held by the media of the Gallia Star System.

Also attending the press conference were Xie Yu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Lyte Independence Army, and Gu Fan, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

Xie Yu and Gu Fan were undoubtedly young among the generals, but older generals had to admit that young leaders often carried an aura of credibility with the public.

“Look, our commanders are so young, and they’ve already taken on significant responsibilities.”

Of course, the pressure they had to endure was immense.

But it was okay; they could withstand the pressure from all directions.

As the main drafter and advocate of the “Proclamation to Fellow Citizens,” Pei An was the media’s primary interview target.

At the press conference, Secretary-General Pei An first gave a report, assuring the public that no matter how long the war with the rebels might last, they would persevere until the rebels were defeated and the ten star systems were liberated.

After Pei An’s speech, he faced questions from the media.

“Respected Secretary-General Pei, I am a reporter from the Gallia Daily. I would like to ask you, what gives you the confidence to continue this war?”

Pei An, who did not appear to be from a noble background, lacked the typical noble manners. His movements were simple yet powerful, and it was noted that Pei An had thick calluses on his hands.

This suggested that Pei An came from a commoner background.

It was indeed strange why the Independence Army would select someone with no background as their Secretary-General.

“That reporter lady, I believe the greatest confidence I have in continuing this war comes from the fact that behind our Independent Army is the support of countless people,” Pei An said. He didn’t boast about his own achievements but attributed all the credit to the public. “After we issued the ‘Proclamation to Fellow Citizens,’ the nationwide response was enthusiastic. Even the frontline troops have already received supplies from the Gallia Star System, including many cans, dried meats, and dehydrated vegetables.”

Pei An stood up, bowing sincerely toward the flashing cameras. “On behalf of all the soldiers in the Independent Army, I express our heartfelt gratitude.”

The media present temporarily set aside their cameras and virtual screens, applauding.

While they couldn’t donate aircraft or missiles, which they didn’t have, they could contribute food. The Gallia Star System’s residents cleared out all their supermarkets and convenience stores, sending everything they could stockpile to the Independent Army, including rice, flour, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Fighting a war requires a full stomach, and everything the Gallia Star System did would never be forgotten by the Independent Army.

“Forgive me for asking another question, Secretary-General,” the same reporter continued. “Can you share what your background is?”

Pei An smiled. “Of course.”

“In the Independent Army, in addition to being the Secretary-General of the Military Affairs Office, I also hold the position of Chief Technical Officer. Naturally, I’m not omnipotent, but my main focus is on weapons research, although I also have some involvement in other areas.”

Weapons research!

This piqued the media’s interest. Since warfare requires weapons, if the Secretary-General of the Independent Army is focused on weapon research, it might mean the Independent Army could use more advanced weapons against the rebels.

This was undoubtedly excellent news.

“Secretary-General Pei, could you tell us what weapons research成果 you have achieved so far?” Some media were eager to see how impressive Pei An really was.

“The current research results cover main battleships, fighter jets, missiles, and more. However, these are military secrets and cannot be disclosed at this time,” Pei An said. The press conference was being recorded for later broadcast on the star network, so he wouldn’t reveal details about their weaponry just yet.

After this battle, he could no longer operate in the shadows. Anyone who had known Pei Ruoyu would now come forward because of his face, which closely resembled Pei Ruoyu’s. Among them were friends as well as enemies.

For example—Mr. Clovis Mondrei , head of the Mondrei  family, who had conspired with the rebels and led them to attack the Bright Goddess.

No matter, Pei An was not afraid of storms.

“I would like to ask General Xie a question,” a reporter focused on military matters raised his hand.

Xie Yu: “Please go ahead.”

“I’d like to know if the Independent Army will recruit new soldiers from the civilian population or if it will only be composed of personnel from the original Imperial Army?”

Xie Yu first invited the reporter to sit down, then answered, “The Independent Army will recruit from the entire nation, seeking anyone willing to enlist, including not only combat soldiers but also technical personnel, doctors, and others. We must understand that achieving victory in war can never rely solely on the military.”

The military can fight battles but cannot repair damaged warships during combat, which requires specialized technicians. Technicians can repair ships but cannot tend to injured soldiers, which requires medical personnel. Medical personnel can save lives but cannot handle intelligence tasks like surveillance and collection…

It’s a simple and ancient truth that many hands make Lyte work.

“We welcome all capable individuals to join the Independent Army and fight the enemy with us,” Pei An said with a smile. “Don’t worry, I will ensure that everyone’s salary is paid on time every month.”

This lighthearted yet responsible comment garnered Pei An considerable support through this press conference.

People believed that with someone like him leading, the Independent Army would surely defeat the rebels.