Him and their stars.

Chapter 2055 Shirley's judgment was actually correct.
Yu Lian calmly looked at the other party and naturally expressed his dissatisfaction with almost no fluctuation in his thoughts. Captain Nemo immediately broke out in a cold sweat and said that he would make immediate rectifications and would not delay the subsequent work.

So, at his command, the "Long Live" in the starry sky transformed into a colorful peony pattern, which lasted for a full half minute before gradually fading away.

Yu Lian felt a strong sense of déjà vu about the peony pattern, but worried that it was just excessive self-consciousness and felt he should ignore it.

"Oh, is that the horse seal that Zhixia designed for you? It seems to still be engraved on the bridge of the Fuxi." Feifei's voice rang out at just the right moment. Although she was just reading aloud, she still managed to convey a mischievous meaning, which was perfect.

Is that called a horse seal? Can that thing really be called a horse seal?
"Or rather, a family crest? A monogram? A coat of arms?"

Feifei truly deserves to be called a virtuous wife! Her virtue lies in the fact that she always gives me timely and insightful reminders, which, despite their sarcastic tone, always have the effect of probing my soul.

The sailors on the bridge, of course, didn't sense the commander's inner turmoil; they seemed genuinely moved by the magnificent scene, and raised their hands in cheers.

"Awesome, we succeeded! Long live Bifang 2.0! Long live the Silent One!"

Well, they certainly have the right to cheer for the warship's performance upgrade, and even Yu Lian has no right to object.

"So, Your Excellency, we really were just training in Bifang tactics." The captain quickly saluted and explained, "Thanks to you, we've mastered at least nine defensive tactics! At least nine!"

At this point, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride: "We've calculated that active shields will definitely have a gravitational neutralization and disruption effect. They can intercept energy projectiles and missiles, autonomously collide with proton torpedoes and antimatter bombs, and even interfere with enemy boarding maneuvers."

Yu Lian gazed meaningfully at the captain, then shook his hand with satisfaction: "Thank you for your hard work, Captain. Without you, I really don't know what I would have done. Perhaps I would just be a brute obsessed with violence?"

Captain Nemo was so comforted that when he left, he walked as if he were floating.

"To be honest, I would be even more pleased if he were to keep flattering me to the very end in a humble yet assertive manner," Yu Lian said, watching the busy captain.

"Then he's truly a treacherous villain disguised as a loyal subject. That doesn't quite fit Captain Nemo's racial traits." Fifi laughed. "At your current position, you'll eventually have to learn to judge people. Of course, they shouldn't really worry about you in that regard. So, open your eyes to the future, darling, stop being so sentimental."

Yu Lian had nothing to say.

Indeed, at this point, pretending to be confused and asking about "today's status" would just seem pretentious.

So, when the various teams exploring the planet returned to the fleet, they were greeted by a welcoming light show from Bifang 2.0. At this moment, everyone felt the glory and joy of victory, and their morale naturally soared. They all felt that since they had already casually taken photos with the Royal Tomb, the next step was naturally to visit the Heavenly Realm and Dragon Palace.

This is a matter of course.

When Yu Lian ordered the fleet to set sail urgently and arrive at Chaomen before the 18th, no one questioned it.

“If we go through the Chaomen Gate, we’ll be breaking through the Wanfan Star Sector. Before we knew it, we’d already fought our way here. We’re only two star sectors away from the Celestial Domain,” Eleanor remarked.

“Every step we take now is making history, trampling the imperial banner.” A strange light shone in Wayne’s eyes, as if it were a mixture of the joy of revenge and surging emotions.

Perhaps due to the influence of their own natural or supernatural powers, the entire army has gradually been enveloped in a martyr-like, irrational fanaticism.

This was never something he wanted to see.

Yu Lian told everyone, "I never thought we would perish together with Tianyu. Every step we take forward will inevitably involve sacrifices, but we will definitely reach the other side of victory. You all believe that as long as I live, I will be the highest banner and the brightest beacon against the empire."

“No, you are not a banner, but a mountain. You are not a beacon, but the sun,” Captain Nemo said.

"Please shut up, Captain," Feifei said with a smile.

"Understood. I'm sorry." The captain not only didn't feel offended, but even seemed to enjoy it and showed great respect. He even reached out and made a zipper-sealing motion over his mouth.

A faint burst of laughter erupted from the crowd, instantly lightening the atmosphere.

Yu Lian smiled and nodded gratefully to the captain before saying, "If I am a mountain, then you are the peaks; if I am the sun, then you are the stars. That is why you must remember that existence is everything, and everything is existence."

The comrades seemed to understand. The commander was telling them that as long as the remaining fleet was still there, the Silent Ship was still there, and they, the veterans who had marched into the Sky Domain, were still there, the banner that was determined to overthrow the tyranny of the Tirelo people would never fall.

Everyone suddenly felt a profound sense of mission, and their fighting spirit and mental outlook were further enhanced. If there was a touch of self-destructive fervor like that of martyrs just now, there was now a sense of revolutionary romanticism and fervor.

Of course, Yu Lian wasn't just referring to the members of Yu's fleet, but to all the soldiers and civilians who refused to submit to the Empire's violence. This included the righteous soldiers within the Empire, the guerrillas in the occupied territories of the Community, and of course, the people of the New Divine Land who were always supporting the front lines.

Horatio Wayne said, "So, marching into the Celestial Realm and bombarding the Dragon Palace is also a way of retreating to advance?"

"No, it's about killing the emperor and then escaping cleanly and efficiently. The empire's peaceful paradise will be our smooth path."

The red-haired man glared at his (old) commander with a rather impolite look. If this were their student days, he would definitely have been quick to make sarcastic remarks, but he stood up and, with an unprecedentedly serious attitude, said in a deep voice, "Whether it's a smooth road or a mountain of knives, we will follow you to the end. My only hope is that you will not rely on your own strength and the capabilities of the Silent Ship and habitually put yourself in danger. Please believe in the exemplary and guiding role that heroes can play for the soldiers and civilians."

Yu Lian was so shocked that he almost lost his composure.

So, is this still the same lively red-haired guy?
Is it really true that the higher one's status, the more friendly and kind the people around them become?
Yu Lian genuinely missed the guy's previous unruly demeanor.

Sure enough, the way the old Lionheart members looked at their old classmate was quite subtle.

Kent was delighted, as if pleased with Wayne's progress. Deng Zhengqing and Banner, on the other hand, were horrified, as if they were already suspecting that the guy was possessed by some evil spirit.

Eleanor Bonaparte said, “We all remember your courage to face death, and now it is probably you who should remember this, isn’t it? Commander, you must believe that you are two hundred years younger than Emperor Elisher, the world is yours, and the future is yours.”

Is this something to be said? With a strange expression on Yu Lian's face, she said to everyone, "Then let's blow this place up before we leave!"

“JA!” Ina nodded, her face full of interest, like an old hunter preparing to deal with his prey.

Thus, the image of the terrorist leader who had left a deep impression on him on another timeline came back to mind.

Of course, she wasn't the amateur arms expert from the rebel organization in the previous timeline anymore; she was a high-ranking officer of the Blue Star Community with connections, and was even rumored to be pursuing correspondence courses online. If it weren't for the outbreak of war, she might have even obtained a university degree.

Now that she has culture and status, she wouldn't actually blow up the ancestral tombs of the Dawn Royal Family—after all, they are civilian buildings and cultural relics, and destroying them wouldn't have any military significance—but the few zero-element mines and alchemy workshops on the planet would be doomed.

Of course, because Ina had already planted the remote-controlled bombs, the fleet's departure schedule was not delayed at all. The entire fleet set sail immediately that day. When they left the Eight Great Kings system, the clock had not yet passed midnight.

However, just as the Silent Ship and its fleet arrived in the neighboring star system, the intelligence department received the latest emergency information from the Imperial intranet.

Lieutenant Hines confirmed that the First Guard Fleet, which had been stationed in the Sky Domain without moving, had finally left the Fist of Glory Fortress and was heading towards the Thousand Sails Sector.

From this perspective, Shirley's judgment was actually correct.

Yu Lian felt a slight blow. His judgment on the military situation had actually been outmaneuvered by Xia Li—what a humiliation!

Based on intelligence gathered from various sources, Deng Zhengqing offered a more definitive account: "They left the capital on March 5th. Those well-informed in the Tianyu region witnessed the Imperial Guard fleet firsthand. Given the Imperial Guard fleet's speed, they might indeed be able to traverse the Tianyu and Wanfan star sectors within two weeks and lock down the imperial gates."

“The Privy Council must have been questioning our direction of advance after confirming our ‘disappearance,’” Mihir Kent analyzed. “After ruling out the impossible, entering the dragon’s lair was the only possibility.”

“What do you want to say, Lieutenant Colonel?” Eleanor Bonaparte asked.

“The Imperial Guard should have started operations much earlier,” he said.

Yu Lian understood what the other party meant. The Imperial Guard fleet's movements were so slow; something was definitely amiss. And if something was amiss, then there was potential danger.

As for what the specific danger might be, he wasn't a prophet and couldn't guess.

Very well, that fits my stereotype of Mihir Kent. Yu Lian has always known that this boy is a suspicious person, so he is an excellent chief of staff and a first-rate military and political organizer, but not necessarily a first-rate commander.

Upon closer examination, he played a similar role during the Volunteer Army era on another timeline.

Of course, Kent's suspicions were never unfounded.

"So, your suggestion?"

“March 18th is already a bit late. We need to do it at least 3 hours earlier. Given the fleet’s current condition, we should be able to manage it,” Kent said solemnly.

Yu Lian was very satisfied.

Despite his suspicious nature, he was able to offer solutions and was decisive in his actions. It was truly remarkable to have such an outstanding comrade by my side.
At this moment, Deng Zhengqing hesitated for a moment, then produced another report, which turned out to be information obtained by the intelligence department in late February. At the time of this incident, the fleet had just passed through the Twilight Gate and entered the Dragon's Nest.

"On February 25, a strike and riot broke out in Steel City in the Torristan system, and worker representatives took to the streets to petition for an end to the war."

This is such a familiar yet long-lost place name! Yu Lian couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

The Torristan system, located next to the Celestial Realm, can be considered one of the gateways to the capital. While it lacks naturally habitable planets, its four terrestrial-like planets, dense asteroid belt, and over twenty solid moons all contain considerable mineral resources.

Thus, even in the early days of interstellar exploration, this place was the Galactic Empire's most important mining and metallurgical base. The ore refineries and steel mills built in orbit formed a cosmic industrial landscape that perfectly suited Yu Lian's aesthetic.

Speaking of which, on that virtual timeline, when I was besieging the Heavenly Domain and commanding that "flower wine battle" where we ate hotpot, sang songs, and watched our enemies self-destruct, I set up my headquarters in the Toristan system.

In that battle, he experienced for the first time the life of a monarch.

The saying "drunk and asleep, then waking up and striking" perfectly describes this situation. Any normal man who hasn't had his dopamine levels cut off will surely cherish those glorious years.

However, upon closer reflection, it's not difficult to achieve the same level of attainment once I return to the real world.

However, all of that is in the past. Yu Lian sighed and cast aside all those unpleasant memories.

The main point now is that if riots can occur in the Torristan system, it will likely affect the capital.

“Unrest is common, and uprisings are not uncommon; this should not have any impact on the empire,” Michael Kent pondered.

His meaning was quite clear.

The gun-wielding Tyrells weren't as fussy as the abacus-wielding Nefi rich; they were brutal yet efficient. If they encountered troublemakers who refused to work, they wouldn't hesitate to use weapons. Even if a riot broke out in Toristan, the Empire would certainly deliver a swift and decisive blow.

Let alone six batons per second, firing less than six thousand shells per second to bombard the ground would be considered a sign of a demoralized counterinsurgency force.

They will restore security in the capital and factory production as quickly as possible.

“However, the ones who led the strike were the director and chief engineer of the No. 1 steel plant in Torristan, both of whom were nobles. The strike was organized by the main technical staff of the No. 1 and No. 3 steel plants, who were all citizens,” Deng Zhengqing said.

This certainly couldn't be the guidance of the International Students Association. According to Mota, the International Students Association has long since ceased to exist, and it's almost impossible for them to still have any members in Tianyu.

Of course, it wouldn't be remotely guided by the Pioneer Party. Even the most capable intelligence agency couldn't possibly infiltrate the Heavenly Domain.

However, this did indeed happen.

Therefore, this is clearly a spontaneous and righteous act by the conscientious working class of the empire.

Deng Zhengqing added, "Viscount Ocho, a senior elder of the Imperial Senate and the editor-in-chief of the National Unity Daily, was arrested on March 2nd. Twenty-one other elders from the same camp were also arrested at the same time."

“They are also your old friends.” Fei Fei glanced at the briefing that Deng Zhengqing had brought over: “The elders who were arrested along with the Viscount were all members of the Yuanlun Research Association.”

Yu Lian was immediately shocked: "There's actually such a straightforward organization as the Primitive Theory Research Society in the Imperial Senate?"

"Externally, we call ourselves the Class Society Research Association," Deng Zhengqing quickly explained.

Isn't that more straightforward? The empire has only taken action today, which shows that it really has a lot of confidence in its system.

(End of this chapter)