The greatest advantage of a low-tier civilization lies precisely here. The assembly and mobilization of the military were unexpectedly swift. Through coordinated joint operational planning, in just twelve Star Alliance standard hours, a combined fleet from over a thousand civilizations surged toward the Doko Federation. Each civilization dispatched, on average, a standard space fleet composed of fifty Tier-One warships, along with numerous auxiliary vessels and transports, bringing the total number of ships to over one hundred thousand.

As the vast fleet neared the Doko Federation’s star territory, roughly half the warships dispersed to secure the Federation's various mineral-rich planets, blockading all space lanes and jump channels within Doko territory. The Doko Federation’s forces were scarcely prepared in these sectors; all personnel had retreated to the Doko homeworld, and even the staff manning the space lighthouses near the jump channels had completely fled.

On the second day after their departure, the combined fleet encircled the Doko Federation’s homeworld. The Doko Federation’s assembled fleet took up a defensive posture, relying on the three natural satellites near the homeworld and over a dozen defensive fortresses. While their ground defense systems weren't outrageously powerful like the Yafik Kingdom’s, they were not to be underestimated. Coupled with twenty new model Motherships, over ten thousand Tier-One warships, numerous auxiliary ships converted into cannon fodder, and an unknown number of assault craft, this force was certainly capable of giving the combined fleet a significant headache.

Inside the command bridge of the Yafik Kingdom’s flagship, the Light of Yafik, Gu Xichen stood by the rail, gazing intently at the Doko Homeworld a million kilometers away, and the three moons orbiting it.

This flagship was an astonishing nine thousand meters in length. It was the flagship commissioned by the Yafik Kingdom at enormous cost from a six-star civilization. Traditionally, only the King of the Yafik Kingdom would travel aboard this behemoth, yet this time, Fu Yaming had assigned Gu Xichen to command it during the attack on the Doko Federation. The implications of this assignment caused many who understood the context to shatter their eyeglasses.

Ducat stood beside Gu Xichen, watching his back as he asked in a low voice, "Why aren't you commanding your own warship?"

Gently fanning himself, Gu Xichen smiled without turning around. "All robots aboard the Primordial-class warship have been sent for recycling. All electronic systems have been scrapped. Every instrument on the ship is undergoing a complete overhaul and refit by the Yafik National Research Center. Except for one crucial main cannon, every other component has been refurbished."

Ducat’s jaw dropped, and he stared blankly at Gu Xichen, utterly speechless.

Whirling around, Gu Xichen faced Ducat and smiled. "I don't wish to fight aboard a vessel where every robot has developed independent consciousness. That is far too dangerous. Wouldn't you agree?"

Swallowing hard, Ducat managed, his voice dry, "You know?"

Gu Xichen nodded seriously, lightly tapping a speck of dust clinging to Ducat’s tunic with his fan. He sighed softly. "For this intelligence, I gave that young fellow, Boluobolu, ten cubic meters of Starlight Silver. He earned it."

After a period of silence, Gu Xichen looked directly into Ducat’s eyes and spoke with sincerity. "If you wish to leave separately, I will authorize giving you this flagship we are on. You and Lily can use this ship to return to the Solar System. But be careful along the way. Do not lead anyone from the Star Alliance there. We are currently engaged in a war between two nations; I do not wish for it to escalate into a multi-party melee. That would benefit neither our Earth Federation nor your Roman people."

"I am not Roman!" Veins bulged on Ducat’s neck as he glared at Gu Xichen, a mixture of anger and shame coloring his expression. He angrily slammed a fist against the viewport.

After his secondary fusion, who knew how much power Ducat possessed. With a sharp crack, fine, spiderweb-like fissures instantly spread across the three-meter-thick transparent alloy viewport of the Light of Yafik's command bridge. The Yafik officers witnessing this were stunned into silence—was this the strength humans were capable of?

Gently waving his fan, Gu Xichen extended his right hand toward Ducat with a gentle demeanor. "If you refuse to admit you are Roman, then Ducat, I believe we are, in fact, the same kind of being. Don't rush to deny it. Remember our journey to Yafik Star? You and I, and Miaohua. Though we appear different, we are kin!"

Gu Xichen watched Ducat’s flickering eyes and said with a smile, "If you are unwilling to leave now, I promise that when we return to Earth, we will first make a trip to Mars."

Ducat visibly flinched, stepping back in alarm as he looked at Gu Xichen, exclaiming, "Why go to Mars?"

Staring intently into Ducat’s eyes, Gu Xichen spoke kindly, "To bring your mother back to Earth. You must understand how vital the concept of 'fallen leaves returning to their roots' is to us Qinhua people."

Ducat’s mouth twitched, displaying a strange expression that mingled the urge to cry and laugh. He stared blankly at Gu Xichen, and after a long moment, he sneered, "Do you know how strong the defenses on Mars are? Forget you; even if all the powerhouses of the Earth Dark Alliance were mobilized, they might not even breach Mars’ fortifications."

Gu Xichen took a step closer, raising his hand. "Since I said this, I naturally have my confidence. If I told you that I possess a power millions of times greater than all the powerhouses of the Earth Dark Alliance combined, would you believe me?" Gu Xichen extended his hand forward until it nearly brushed Ducat’s body.

Looking at Gu Xichen with disbelief, the cold, emotionless glow of electronic light flickered in Ducat’s eyes once more. His brain was analyzing Gu Xichen’s expression, movements, and tone—information saturated with meaning—with the speed of a supercomputer.

After complex calculation and analysis, Ducat was forced to concede that what Gu Xichen said was very likely true; his words possessed at least a ninety-nine percent credibility factor! But how could he possess a power greater than the entire Earth Dark Alliance power base?

Yet, Gu Xichen’s eyes were clear, untainted by any impurity! They were so warm, so benevolent, almost exactly like the eyes of the mother in Ducat’s memory.

"What a joke. This man whose hands are stained with blood... his eyes..." Ducat's face contorted, but unconsciously, his hand reached out and grasped Gu Xichen’s.

Looking resentfully at the smiling Gu Xichen, Ducat said in a low voice, "I... tentatively believe you."

Gu Xichen warmly squeezed Ducat's hand, then forcefully bumped his chest against his. Standing on tiptoe to manage, he slung an arm around Ducat's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Then it's settled. Once we welcome your mother back to Earth, you are my brother. Hmm, you don't look very old; you should call me Big Brother from now on!"

Ducat roared back in exasperation, "Nonsense! I am definitely older than you! Look at your face, then look at mine. Do you honestly think you could be older than me?"

Gu Xichen frowned, glancing at his own fair, smooth, almost translucent complexion reflected in the viewport. He frowned helplessly. "This isn't my fault! It’s due to my cultivation method. The deeper my power grows, the younger I look. But I feel like I should be much older than you? Hmm, what year were you born?"

Ducat shot Gu Xichen a glare, exhaled forcefully, and stated bluntly, "I won't tell you!" As he let out the breath, Ducat suddenly felt a weight lift from his chest, as if a heavy burden he’d carried since birth had completely dissolved. The feeling of boundless freedom—like a bird soaring high or a fish swimming in the wide sea—gave him a dreamlike sensation.

He didn't know why he believed Gu Xichen, but this feeling infuriated him! Why should I trust you? On what basis should I call you Big Brother? Look at you—how could you be older than me?

Lily sat chuckling in the corner of the command bridge. Initially, she had watched Gu Xichen and Ducat with worry, but gradually, she began to smile happily.

A similar sense of lighthearted freedom washed over her. Lily propped her chin in her hands. The thought that she would never again have to face the terrifying Polpot and those equally terrifying Roman Lords made her want to sing. Unconsciously, Lily began humming a slow, melodious little tune. Several small, pale green birds fluttered out from her palm, circling her joyfully.

The largest holographic screen on the command bridge flashed brightly, and Dagor appeared, clad in scarlet uniform, his face unnaturally ruddy. After a string of nervous, giggling laughter, Dagor pointed at Gu Xichen, all the fleet commanders, and the envoys from every nation on the screen. "You! It is you people who claim to be the messengers of justice, attempting to punish our Doko Federation?"

The envoys from other nations remained silent. The core issue lay between the Yafik Kingdom and the Doko Federation; this direct confrontation should be handled by Gu Xichen, the supreme commander of the Yafik forces here. All attention turned to Gu Xichen. All warships split their screens in half, displaying the images of Gu Xichen and Dagor, respectively.

Waving his large fan, Gu Xichen smiled. "I apologize, I have never considered myself righteous."

Dagor paused, then suddenly threw his head back and roared with laughter. "You aren't righteous? Hahaha! You ignorant fools, did you hear that?"

Gu Xichen stated plainly, "It’s just that you provoked me, so I am dealing with you. It’s that simple! The weak are prey to the strong. If I am strong and you are weak, I consume you. Justice and evil? Perhaps such things exist. But after the Doko Federation is destroyed, who will care who was righteous and who was wicked?"

Miaohua, who had been sitting in the corner of the command bridge smoking amidst a scattering of seven or eight overturned automated cleaning robots, slowly stood up. He pointed at Dagor on the screen and sneered wildly, "Hey, little fellow, don't be so arrogant! Once we squash the Doko Federation, we’ll write the history textbooks. Dictator Dagor had three thousand wives and forty thousand illegitimate children because he raped hundreds of thousands of female citizens of the Doko Federation. Thus, the citizens rebelled, and facing violent suppression from the Doko Federation, the Doko people invited the righteous multinational coalition to seek justice on their behalf and overthrow the Doko Federation."

Gu Xichen covered his mouth with his fan, emitting a muffled chuckle.

Ducat looked strangely at Miaohua. This fellow was truly too malicious.

Dagor pointed frantically at Miaohua, his mouth opening and closing, unable to speak for a long time. When a politician encounters a hooligan—especially a hooligan who fears nothing and possesses formidable strength—it must be the most suffocating experience imaginable.

Miaohua counted on his fingers. "Ah, President Dagor is clearly a product of perversion, that is undeniable. But what is the nature of this perversion? That requires careful study. Hmm, President Dagor grew up on his family’s ranch, so starting at the age of eleven, he sexually assaulted the female livestock on the farm—there’s video evidence for that! Furthermore, because his courtship was rejected by his homeroom teacher—who was over two hundred and seventy years old—when he was at the Star Alliance Military Academy, President Dagor developed the habit of stealing male underwear. The 'Underwear Thief' of the Star Military Academy—that was him!"

Miaohua sighed deeply, the starlight glimmering in his eyes. "President Dagor, although love is sacred, regardless of background, age, or species, and can even transcend gender! Still, your homeroom teacher was over two hundred and seventy years old, and he was a sexless silicon-based lifeform. For you to attempt to rape him... that is simply going too far!"

The envoys from all nations recoiled in horror, looking at Miaohua as if he were a ghost! This barrage of vile accusations against Dagor—it meant he couldn't rest in peace!

Dagor stared blankly at Miaohua on the screen, suddenly spitting out a mouthful of blood that splattered far away. He jumped up, pointing at Miaohua, and roared, "You are dead! I swear by the great Sun God, you are dead! You despicable villains, the Doko Federation will fight to the last man! Even if we all perish, our great deities will avenge us!"

Click. Dagor shut down the communication. The routine pre-battle dialogue between the two sides was concluded.

The command bridge fell silent. Miaohua contentedly pulled a cigar from his boxer shorts pocket and looked quizzically at the quiet Yafik officers. "What’s wrong with you all?"

The corner of Gu Xichen's mouth curved. He nodded to Miaohua. "Senior Brother, you are truly formidable... I believe that from now on, no one in the entire Star Alliance will dare oppose you."

After a few dry laughs, Gu Xichen firmly squeezed Ducat’s shoulder. "Ducat, I leave the Doko Federation's fleet to you? Hmm, can you control that many warships?"

Ducat smiled confidently. He said calmly, "If I were not required to imbue them with life, merely controlling them like the Primordial-class warships, my limit is one hundred thousand units! The number of electronic lives I can currently create is one hundred thousand... the number of super-brains I can control is also one hundred thousand!"

Gu Xichen nodded firmly, lightly waving his fan.

Miaohua took a surprised drag from his cigar. He stared blankly at Ducat, who was turning to leave the command bridge, and muttered under his breath, "Monster! One hundred thousand Tier-One warships? Damn, this kid could crack military super-brains? What about the account management super-brain at the Earth Federation Central Bank? Bypassing a few million for me to play with shouldn't be a problem, right?"

A small hatch on the Light of Yafik opened. Ducat, covered in thick armor and sporting three pairs of metal wings on his back, blasted plasma fire from beneath his feet and shot forward like a streak of lightning.

His speed continuously increased, accelerating to three thousand kilometers per second in just a few blinks of an eye, and his velocity continued to climb.

The Doko Federation had no reaction to such a small target as Ducat. Within minutes, he easily infiltrated one of the Doko Federation’s natural satellites.

A deluge of complex signals spread through the Doko Federation’s combat network without alerting anyone. The various firewalls and monitoring systems within the network remained completely unresponsive. In the span of a few breaths, Ducat’s will had traversed the entire Doko Federation via this massive network.

Gu Xichen remained in the command bridge. After about twenty minutes, he connected the communication channels to all participating national envoys.

"Esteemed delegates, it seems the Doko Federation intends to resist stubbornly. We Yafik will absolutely not let them off lightly. I will launch an assault on the Doko Federation in three minutes. What are your opinions, sirs?" Gu Xichen’s expression was grave. He spoke with righteous indignation, "No matter the cost or sacrifice, I must destroy the Doko Federation."

Duke Shenwu and the other national envoys looked at each other, speaking tentatively. "Shouldn't we use our fleets to sweep away the Doko Federation's defense systems first?"

Gu Xichen gave a noncommittal shake of his head, stating indifferently, "Taking calculated risks, engaging in a space battle first before launching ground warfare? That method is obsolete! Gentlemen, the Yafik Kingdom's fleet will forcibly land near the Doko Federation's capital."

Glancing at the dumbfounded envoys, Gu Xichen smiled. "Gentlemen, do not forget our agreement. I am off to seize military merit."

Without waiting for Duke Shenwu and the others to speak, the fifty Tier-One warships, led by the flagship, and over three hundred auxiliary vessels of the Yafik Kingdom began accelerating. Soon, this smaller fleet reached its maximum assault speed and rapidly headed toward the Doko Federation.

The Doko Federation’s defense systems began firing, unleashing torrential rains of light beams, but as if protected by divine spirits, all high-energy beams grazed past the warship commanded by Gu Xichen; not a single beam connected. In just over ten minutes, the fleet commanded by Gu Xichen broke through the sniping range of the Doko Federation’s space defense system and forcibly entered the atmosphere of the Doko Homeworld.

Duke Shenwu was stunned, then suddenly shrieked, "There must be a problem with the Doko Federation's defense system! I knew it! Their hastily constructed defense system, even their warships are newly purchased—how can they have any fighting capability? Full attack! Full attack! We must not let the Yafik Kingdom take all the glory!"

Whoosh! The fleet of the Thunder Martial Kingdom suddenly accelerated, rocketing toward the Doko Homeworld. The fleets of the thousand-plus nations behind them seemed to wake from a deep sleep and hurriedly followed. For future developments, please log on to the [Character] chapters for more content and support.