Within a week of the small meetings of the new legions concluding, the thirteen small legions consolidated into two: one controlled by the veterans of Fia, named Phini; the other led by the grassroots of the uprising, named Overlord.

Stas poured over the new legion data sent by Colingal, his face still etched with worry.

Colingal’s sister, Colin, had always been an admirer and secret admirer of Stas, frequently maneuvering in front of him under the pretext of "visiting her brother."

Stas was long accustomed to this and paid it no mind.

However, the perceptive Colin noticed Stas was out of sorts. She took the initiative, playing the role of the coffee girl, personally preparing a rich cup of coffee and delivering it to Stas. The surface of the coffee was intentionally adorned with a pretty, heart-shaped foam.

Stas glanced at the coffee, his hand instinctively reaching for a cigarette. He preferred tobacco to coffee.

Colin nearly had her heart broken. This was a blatant disregard for her sentiments.

She desperately wanted to tell Stas to smoke less, but felt she lacked the standing to do so.

After a moment’s consideration, she ventured, half-jokingly, "I bring you coffee, and you’re going to repay me with secondhand smoke?"

Stas looked up at her, leaning back against the chair, "It’s a headache."

Colin guessed, "Is Fia the headache?"

Stas nodded, then immediately shook his head, "Not entirely."

Colin grew interested and sat up straighter, "Tell me about it."

Stas took a cigarette from its pack, holding it between his fingers, but firmly suppressed the urge to reach for his lighter. "The legions are trouble. The previous situation was one superpower against many strong powers. The numerous strong legions wanted to overthrow the super-strong legion, the Stellar Federation, which led to the Stellar Federation cooperating with Fia, sparking this war. In the war, the Stellar Federation didn't fall, but Fia did. Now, this situation…"

He had hoped that war would curb the development of the Stellar Federation, achieving a balance of power among the legions, thereby securing a century of peaceful development.

However, the war had not only failed to restrain the Stellar Federation but had also eliminated the possibility of any counterbalance against it.

A thought struck Colin, and she instantly understood.

If the Stellar Federation had collapsed in the war, it would have resulted in a standoff between strong powers, and the war might never have started. But since Fia fell, the situation where the Stellar Federation crushes the strong legions remained unchanged. The strong legions, aiming to become super-legions, would certainly try every means to seize Fia’s resources.

Thinking deeper, the deteriorating situation hadn't resolved the antagonism between the legions; instead, it had made the situation far more severe. Perhaps one day, they would clash over territory, leading to another bloodbath. Even if they didn't clash immediately, if the Stellar Federation absorbed the scattered small legions, it would become even stronger, and then no legion would be able to check its power.

Having just fought one war, no one could afford the damage another conflict would bring at this moment. The very purpose of the Unification Department was to maintain interstellar peace. No wonder Stas had a headache.

Colin pondered for a moment and offered a suggestion, "Dismantle the Stellar Federation?"

Stas chuckled softly, "On what grounds?"

Besides, how could the Stellar Federation be dismantled so easily? But… Following Colin’s train of thought, it wasn't entirely out of the question.

Stas decisively put down the legion data, stood up, and said to Colin, "Come on, let’s go get a few rounds in outside."

Colin was stunned for a moment before following Stas’s steps. After a few paces, she glanced back at the heart-shaped coffee still sitting there, a wave of sadness washing over her heart.

Fia’s new legions formed and broke apart, merged and separated, experiencing minor skirmishes daily and major ones every couple of days. Fortunately, these were all contained within Fia’s territory, localized disturbances that wouldn't immediately affect overall interstellar development.

Colin knew Stas was troubled by these matters. She kept track of the developments daily, hoping she could assist Stas.

As time passed, the unrest in Fia gradually subsided, and heroes capable of controlling the situation began to surface. Colin slowly felt relieved. If things continued this way, Phini and Overlord would surely sit down to negotiate soon. The situation would stabilize considerably then.

Colin checked the time; it was ten-thirty in the morning. Stas was usually in his office at this hour. Perhaps she could go see him?

Just as she was about to move, a bombshell dropped, stunning not only Colin but all the legions: Caru Amanite, leading his army, defected from the Stellar Federation and became the commander of the Overlord Legion!

In short: Caru had betrayed them!!! The entire world was stunned. Such a ruthless, absolute, and crippling move.

Colin was equally astonished. The Unification Department had received no prior warning. Was his action too swift, or had he hidden it too well?

Regardless, Caru had succeeded this time; he had successfully created a global uproar. The news reported that Caru took two-thirds of the Stellar Federation’s military might, one-third of its technical personnel, a quarter of its civil servants, and two of the corporate core structures. This would go down in interstellar history as the most magnificent and brutal display of undermining from within.

The Stellar Federation became a laughingstock. It withstood the containment from other legions and survived the damage of the war, only to be felled by one of its own. With two-thirds of its forces gone, the remaining strength of the Stellar Federation might not even surpass that of the Angelic Domain. This was a historic moment!

The instant the news broke, countless legions dispatched intelligence agents into the Overlord Legion’s star systems, countless reporters rushed to the Stellar Federation, and even more people watched the live broadcast, murmuring, "This world has gone mad."

Yes, the world had gone mad, but the people hadn't.

Stas sat in his office, intently watching the interstellar news. This was the first time since taking office that he had focused so completely on the news. After the broadcast ended, he replayed it once, twice, then a third time. After the third viewing, a smile spread across his face. Someone delivering a pillow just when he needed to sleep?

Stas felt nothing could have made him happier than this moment. Caru’s crippling strike had severely wounded the Stellar Federation; they certainly wouldn't return to super-legion status within ten years. Other capable legions would strive during this period, and the Stellar Federation would fundamentally be unable to recover its former hegemony. Caru took two-thirds of the forces, but lacked popular support; establishing the legion truly would take him eight or ten years. This meant that for the next decade, no legion would dare initiate a war. In ten years, the strength of the legions would be comparable, making any mutually destructive conflict unlikely. The spring of peaceful development for the legions had arrived…

The reason for Caru’s betrayal no longer mattered; what was important was that the policy of "restraint and balance" he desired could finally be implemented. Stas took a cigarette from the pack and placed it between his lips, gazing out at the tranquil firmament above the space station. "Caru, oh Caru, I really want to award you the Best Traitor prize."

Immediately after announcing his defection, Caru led his troops to occupy the Overlord Legion's territory.

The name Overlord Legion, to many of the major legions, carried the deep fantasy of a low-life rising against fate. After Caru took command, many observant individuals realized that Caru had harbored rebellious intentions long ago, secretly contacting everyone he could to collectively break away from the Stellar Federation while cooperating with Illyia. Illyia’s failure meant Caru couldn't secure aid for the rebellion. After her downfall, Caru decisively seized the opportunity, sending his subordinates disguised as pirates to seize Fia’s prosperous and wealthy star systems. The Overlord Legion was not a grassroots pirate uprising; it was Caru’s most magnificent strategic maneuver.

For the past month, all interstellar headlines and news had revolved around Overlord. Overlord's strength was gradually revealed to the public. It was more powerful than the Wolf’s Den was in its early days. Its army, the best indicator of a legion's might, instantly ranked among the top twenty globally, encompassing a thousand warships. It possessed high-quality technical talent; within three days of its formation, all departments and posts were staffed. It was also extremely wealthy, having diverted one-third of the Stellar Federation’s treasury…

In the initial few days, everyone laughed at how the Stellar Federation was turned against by Caru, but it was only brief amusement. The interstellar community did not sympathize with the weak. The weakened Stellar Federation merely became fodder for casual conversation. Everyone’s true focus shifted to the Overlord Legion. Its emergence was overwhelmingly impactful. Everyone wanted to witness the extent of its capabilities.

The Overlord Legion’s capital system, Overlord Star System, received over ten million visitors daily, ranking first globally. In almost every sector, the Stellar Federation lost more than half its traffic share to Overlord.

No one knew that on the day the news broke, the President of the Stellar Federation fainted in his office. No one knew that Bai Lanxue immediately dispatched hackers and assassins. But Caru remained alive and well.

It was as if even heaven favored Caru. One month after Caru took command of the Overlord Legion, the Unification Department convened a legion assembly, where over four-fifths of the legions formally recognized Overlord’s legitimate status. The Stellar Federation nearly went insane!

This day held historical significance for the vast majority of legions. First, Fia: its chaotic history was officially declared over. The reasons for Fia’s rapid collapse were documented in the Unification Department’s legion history, which was issued to every legion as a warning against excessive chaos. Second, the legions that seized Fia’s star systems—Tangmen, Angelic Domain, Moke Legion, etc.—had their acquired territories legitimized; it was too easy. Third, after the Teutonic Legion, this was the optimal period for development. Under the overwhelming aura of Overlord, they appeared comparatively insignificant, drawing little external scrutiny. As a legion transitioning from a mercenary group, they needed to temporarily retreat from the public eye until they became a true legion. Fourth, the Wolf’s Den seized one star system during Fia’s turmoil, but due to its remote location and difficulty in management, Wolf’s Den sold it directly to the Huaxia Legion for fifty trillion credits, significantly boosting their post-war recovery funds. In short, from now on, Zi Ye would never worry about running out of money!