Luna observed the long line, standing within it.
This wasn't Rusty star nation or the eternally democratic star nation, but the Matriarchy star nation within the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant.
The name derived from this star nation's rarity: it was one of the few where women held power.
The Federation also had many female leaders, but it wasn't female-dominated.
Female dominance means that the entire societal structure favors women. In this star nation's history, the number of female rulers far outnumbered male rulers; even at the lowest societal levels, women held an advantage.
The counterpart to female dominance is male dominance, relatively rare in modern human civilization.
Most societies maintain a relatively equal balance.
Even in extreme cases, the ratio of male or female rulers wouldn't exceed 35%.
This is due to the vastness of the sample size.
When comparing similar species, the larger the data set, the closer their statistics will be.
For example, lions and tigers.
Similarly, in a vast star nation like the Federation, the sheer number of humans prevents significant gender imbalances.
Star nations like Matriarchy are exceptionally rare. Another is the Deer Saint Forest star nation, which uses World Trees to orbit its star. This is based on technology from the ancient Cosmic Jungle star nation, which vanished into the river of time. One branch migrated to another sector to establish the Deer Saint Forest star nation.
This Matriarchy star nation was extremely radical; its entire population of 29.8 billion was female, reproducing through technology—a renowned Amazonian nation.
A female Warbeast soldier, clad in power armor, surveyed Luna and her group.
"Hurry up."
"What's the dawdling for?"
"Such weaklings."
She urged the crowd toward a ship.
It was a troop transport; she was recruiting soldiers.
This recruitment was compulsory.
Within human civilization, aside from the Federation, only a small number of star nations respected human rights. For most, people were expendable; depletion and replenishment were routine. Even childbirth lacked strong emotional ties because these nations primarily utilized robotic child-rearing.
Children were given to robots to raise.
Upon reaching adulthood, these children returned to their families, becoming tools for generating income.
Sentiments?
Did such things matter to those with eternal life?
Most star nations had bizarre social structures. They had the ability to manage individuals, but they refused, simply unconcerned.
Would a human care about the life or death of a mouse?
Only if the mouse were a pet would one care. But if someone one day decided they didn't want a mouse and preferred a snake, they would without hesitation toss the mouse to the snake, a thrilling hunt.
Human nature is complex; while natural, it contains much selfishness.
Without constraints, selfishness grows stronger, and natural attributes fade.
This isn't evident in short-lived beings because their brief lives require emotional attachments. However, immortal beings don't need these, or perhaps they've grown weary of them.
Luna consistently rejected immortality for Federation citizens, not only because it's a curse for most but also because escaping that curse leads to a larger one.
Like Luna herself.
She could launch wars and decide the fate of trillions.
Her justifications might seem sufficient: sacrificing a few for the many. But this is unjust to the few.
Luna would still do it; immortality has eroded her respect and empathy for life.
Sometimes Luna felt this was one reason she studied biology; she hoped to rediscover or maintain her fading compassion.
Seeing these immortal beings, Luna felt she was looking at countless versions of herself.
This forced conscription was no different from throwing countless people onto the battlefield.
She looked at the people around her.
Most were clones, yet they possessed independent personalities. The star nation wouldn't waste time or resources raising them; these clones cost less than a single Energy Credit.
Each clone had its own life, and their reactions were no different from ordinary people.
"I don't want to go to war. I don't want to go."
"Kill me, but don't send me to the battlefield."
"Let me go. I miss home…"
Cries of despair reached Luna's ears—the most fundamental instinct of life, the fear of death.
Even those who didn't cry were devastated; they simply knew it was useless.
Someone ran from the formation.
A bullet ripped through their body, tearing it into hundreds of pieces.
A robot quickly cleaned up the remains, the female soldiers showing no emotion.
Some didn't even bother using lasers on the deserters; bullets were more energy-efficient and allowed for resource recovery.
Besides, were they really soldiers?
They were merely mortals.
Yes, Luna considered these humanoids mortals because the difference between regular soldiers and ordinary people in this era was immense, like the difference between a Nascent Soul cultivator and an ordinary person in cultivation novels.
Of course, both Nascent Soul cultivators and ordinary people are equally vulnerable on a proper battlefield; the difference is only evident in ground warfare.
Luna boarded the ship; someone placed a small device, no bigger than a fingernail, on her head.
The moment the device was attached, she was instantly transported into a simulated world.
Simulated connections could now be established directly through an auxiliary brain, or even with quark robots lacking an auxiliary brain. This fingernail-sized device forced a connection to the simulated world.
Luna instantly found herself in a fighter cockpit.
These fighters were obsolete single-pilot combat machines, yet they were still used on the battlefield between the Federation and the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant. They carried large payloads of explosives to bombard enemy star cities.
Luna's fighter was a Matriarchy star nation Swift 7s-273, dark grey, semi-circular, and flat; 57 meters long, 91 meters wide, and 8.2 meters thick.
Before she could think further, the fighter was moved to the launchpad.
"Fighter launch commencing. Good luck, soldier!"
She was launched at 29,830 km/s. This fighter didn't carry a pilot; it was equipped for speed. This wasn't a problem since this was a simulated environment.
She quickly reached the battlefield, her grey fighter facing off against black fighters in a fierce engagement.
This wasn't a real battlefield; it was a simulated environment designed to acclimate recruits to combat.
Luna quickly adapted.
...
Luna was unfamiliar with operating a fighter, but fortunately, she adapted quickly.
The battlefield was a ten-minute journey away.
She carefully observed the battlefield and found no ships or warships; it was purely a fighter-to-fighter engagement.
Luna then received a message.
[Mission Briefing]
[Objective 1: Destroy over 10,000 enemy fighters.]
[Objective 2: Consecutively destroy over 100 enemy fighters.]
[Objective 3: Infiltrate enemy lines and destroy enemy fighter platforms.]
These three objectives were likely a test.
She probably needed to complete them to escape this simulated world.
The warship's maximum speed was 30,000 km/s. Luna first circled the battlefield in her fighter to assess the situation.
It was chaotic.
The opposing fighters were likely piloted by humans, not machines.
This might sound simple, but a single troop transport could carry hundreds of thousands of people. This wasn't a small-scale battle with dozens of players. Breaking through in a battle with hundreds of thousands was incredibly difficult.
Luna anticipated a respawn mechanic; destroyed fighters would respawn, meaning she would face millions of opponents.
The combat zone was confined, with extremely high fighter density—approximately 0.06 fighters per thousand cubic meters.
"To destroy enough fighters, a frontal assault is impossible; I need to exploit weaknesses in the battlefield."
These weaknesses were areas where friendly forces outnumbered enemies, creating gaps in their defenses. Because of the respawn mechanic, these gaps were fleeting, requiring exceptional timing.
Fortunately, this was Luna's forte.
She found a suitable location and sped towards a gap in the enemy lines, exploiting the momentary confusion of enemy pilots. Luna's fighter cut in, destroying several fighters before swiftly withdrawing to ensure her safety.
...
Meanwhile, outside.
The troop transport ships were launching, heading towards the battlefield.
Yoona was monitoring the simulated world's data. As captain, it was her job to identify outstanding combatants.
These outstanding combatants would receive vastly different treatment on the battlefield and wouldn't become cannon fodder.
She noticed Luna's attack method. Her deputy was astonished. "This person adapted to the battlefield incredibly quickly and made an excellent judgment."
Yoona snorted.
"Just a profiteer; things won't be so easy on a real battlefield."
She accessed Luna's file; just a standard clone with no significant history.
"Perhaps she just enjoys this type of game. I've seen many like her, but she'll quickly learn that warfare isn't so simple."
In the simulated world, Luna also noticed something.
The battlefield's space was compressing.
Fighter density was increasing, preventing further attacks using the previous tactics.
She had destroyed 32 fighters without a single death.
"Continuing like this, the combat effectiveness of a single fighter is limited. I need to gather other fighters and utilize tactics to achieve results."
Otherwise, no matter how skilled her piloting or battlefield awareness, she couldn't survive in a high-density combat zone.
She temporarily withdrew from the combat zone and used the loudspeaker. "Anyone want to join forces?"
Almost no one responded.
Everyone felt they had a better chance fighting alone and didn't want to waste time with Luna.
However, someone did respond.
"Me. Do you have a plan? As long as I can complete the mission."
Luna couldn't guarantee much; these were inexperienced recruits.
"I can help you complete the first objective quickly. The subsequent ones… I doubt it."
Everyone was new to the battlefield; no one had a significantly higher kill count. The 10,000-kill objective would take a long time.
Another person responded.
"How can I trust your abilities?"
Luna showed her combat record.
0 Deaths, 32 Kills
The others gasped. They had all died at least five times and destroyed only a dozen fighters.
Luna's stats were simply crushing.
Quickly, Luna assembled 27 fighters to join her. It was a small force, but enough.
"We don't need to be too close, nor too far apart. The ideal distance is 600 to 800 meters."
"I'll send you a flight path; just follow it."
The flight path resembled a constantly rotating vortex, but the vortex's center also moved outwards, creating a cyclical pattern.
This trajectory was designed to confuse the enemy.
Luna's opponents were all new recruits; they lacked tactical awareness and basic judgment, simply engaging in chaotic melee combat.
This simple fighter formation tactic proved highly effective.
"Maintain this formation. We won't directly attack; we'll lure the enemy in."
"In my area, we'll create a low-density zone, drawing enemies into our area."
"We need to make a section of our defense appear weak."
Luna explained her plan.
She ordered everyone to taunt the enemy.
"Bunch of losers, get out of the way! Let me handle this!"
"You useless trash! You're infuriating! Just mindless collisions!"
The constant insults angered the friendly forces. They moved back and forth in the area, taunting, preventing respawned fighters from returning to this location.
This wouldn't happen on a real battlefield, but this was a simulation, so Luna used simulated-world tactics.
Clearing an area ensured that even if fighters arrived, they couldn't fill the gap.
Enemy fighters noticed this weakness and swarmed the area like a school of fish.
"Now!"
Luna led the other fighters in a flanking attack. Their firepower was concentrated; the gap wasn't overwhelmed, and they quickly created a break in the enemy's front and rear lines.
Over a hundred fighters were instantly surrounded and destroyed by other friendly fighters.
Luna and her squadron quickly retreated, preventing the enemy from retaliating.
This tactic could be repeatedly used on the battlefield. Other friendly units, seeing this, would gather, reinforcing this gap.
They didn't need a feast; a simple soup was enough to fill them up.
And the other friendly units enjoyed it.
Luna's tactics would be instantly seen through on a real battlefield and exploited on subsequent attempts.
But in this simulated battlefield, Luna could maintain her advantage.
The enemy lacked any strategic oversight.
Their perspective was limited; they only sensed a gap, charged in, were surrounded, and died.
Their thinking was that simple—a common mistake for inexperienced combatants.
So Luna used incredibly simple tactics to exploit them, repeating them ten, twenty times.
Luna herself reaped the rewards, consistently achieving the highest kill count.
The 0 deaths, 100 kills objective was quickly completed. Luna's strategy attracted more participants; over 100 fighters soon gathered around her.
...
Outside, Yoona, who initially thought Luna was just playing around, once again paid attention to her.
"She completed the second mission too quickly. She's among the fastest."
The server retrieved some data.
"Not the fastest. Six others preceded her, but those six are veterans from the battlefield; they were already famous and commanded thousands of soldiers before completing the second mission."
This was astonishing.
The data retrieved wasn't from a single conscription but from hundreds of conscriptions across the Matriarchy star nation, totaling tens of billions of people.
To rank 7th in this data is simply extraordinary; a genius among geniuses.
"She doesn't have any background? Is she hiding something?"
Yoona didn't know the answer, but she didn't really care.
As long as this person was her recruit and performed well on the battlefield, that was enough. She didn't participate in the distribution of spoils; she was merely a recruiter and examiner.
Her deputy spoke, "She seems to have a new plan."
Yoona looked closer.
She saw Luna gathering all her fighters and attacking a different location.
What is she doing?
As she wondered, the fighters had already entered that area. They didn't attack upon entering but accelerated, passing through the enemy warships.
The surrounding black warships immediately fell into disarray, attacking the incoming fighters.
However, these fighters were extremely fast; most attacks missed their targets. It wasn't simply a matter of misses; these fighters changed directions, weaving through the dense black warships, causing friendly fire. They were essentially attacking each other.
"So that's it! She's making everyone focus on piloting; the enemy are all novices, unable to aim properly."
"All she needs to do is attract fire, and these novice pilots will kill each other."
A simple, yet effective strategy that quickly decimated the black fighters.
The grey fighters gained the upper hand, pushing back the black fighters.
When the density of black fighters fell below a certain threshold, Luna ordered hundreds of warships to form a tight formation, piercing deep into the black forces like a spear, repeating the previous tactic.
This time, the goal was to attract more black fighters, targeting the black fighter platforms.
"Intercept!"
"Intercept!"
The black forces deployed more fighters to defend, leaving other areas vulnerable.
The grey fighter army pressed their advantage, and the black forces completely collapsed.
However, Luna, having penetrated deep into the black forces, was overwhelmed; her fighter was pierced by numerous lasers, and the internal gases exploded.
"Destroyed!"
Her assistant spoke.
Yoona focused her gaze on the entire battlefield.
"Whether she died or not is irrelevant. For her, this battle was certainly a death sentence, but for the entire battlefield, it was a complete crushing victory."
"She didn't care about her own death."
"That's a huge difference from the veteran soldiers. I watched a video of a veteran; they also gathered people around them, but mostly sent those people to their deaths, completing the mission themselves."
"But did you notice?"
"This one is different. She charges ahead. She only survived because of her exceptional skill. In this last charge, she surely knew she would die, but she still led the charge."
"Although it's just a game, she undoubtedly knows she won't truly die. But in many judgments, she acted for the entire team, not just herself."
"This one… has great potential."
Yoona highly regarded Luna.
Of course, as she said, this was just a game. What this person would do on a real battlefield remained to be seen.
Intelligent people make intelligent decisions. On a real battlefield, fear of death would cause more casualties.
The more capable someone is, the more damage they can potentially inflict.
"But that's none of my concern. Her performance will determine her rank and the judgment of those on the front lines."
Yoona closed the monitor.
Because it wasn't necessary.
The grey forces had completely crushed the black forces. They would then slaughter the black fighter platforms until everyone reached 10,000 kills, at which point the platforms would be destroyed.
This battle also set a new record.
A decisive victory in just 28 days. Most of the grey forces left the simulated world, while the black forces continued fighting amongst themselves.
Hopefully, they'll learn something from this.
Luna opened her eyes and saw a Lightwings soldier approaching.
"The commander wants to see you."
Luna nodded and followed him.
Other participants leaving the simulated world greeted Luna, hoping to make an impression. Everyone knew she would likely become an officer.
Luna followed the Lightwings soldier to a small conference room where Yoona, a Lelera, was waiting.
Yoona wasn't entirely Lelera; she'd genetically modified herself to be half-human, half-Lelera.
This was common practice in the star nation. Many smaller, more delicate races would modify their bodies to be more agile and human-like while retaining their racial characteristics.
The Lelera looked like a combination of a spider and a mantis. Yoona, before Luna, retained the spider-like lower body, while her upper body was human. She still had a pair of small wings on her back, though they were non-functional, serving purely as ornamentation.
Her body was covered with a thick black exoskeleton, particularly over sensitive areas like her waist, chest, neck, and the crown of her head.
Yoona gestured for Luna to sit opposite her.
"I watched your battle; you were excellent."
Luna remained modest.
"Thank you, Commander, for your encouragement."
Yoona carefully observed Luna from head to toe. "Pure humans are rare in the star nation."
"On the battlefield, you might be admired… or you might not be."
"I called you here for a simple reason: investment."
"Your future achievements might be significant, or you might die on the battlefield. I like to gamble—on your intelligence to keep you alive."
Yoona spoke directly; there was nothing to hide.
This was a transaction; only sincerity could move each other.
"I have no confidence; games and reality are different."
Yoona smiled.
"The fact that you realize this increases your chances of survival significantly."
She had previously feared Luna might cause many deaths, but she still sought her out because preserving such talent increased the chance of survival and subsequent promotion on the real battlefield.
"I won't give you Energy Credits; they're useless on the battlefield."
"I also don't have any mechs; you'll receive those on the battlefield."
"The only thing I can offer is intelligence."
"And that's probably what you need most."
Luna hadn't interacted with someone like this in a long time, reminding her of the past.
Though it wasn't quite the same.
She actually looked forward to this war.
"Indeed, I accept your investment. What do you hope I'll return?"
Investment necessitates a return; Yoona certainly had something in mind.
Yoona said, "The return is that when you have the power, you bring me back to the star nation. I don't want to continue shuttling between battlefields."
A weary expression crossed her face.
She'd had enough of this life. She hadn't enjoyed peace for 4000 years. Even as a commander, her income was good, but what good was income?
As an immortal, no one cared about their time; instead, it was a constraint.
As long as the war continued, she would forever be deploying troops.
"That's all?" Luna asked.
Yoona nodded. "That's all."
Luna agreed to Yoona's request; it wasn't a significant commitment, and she didn't need Yoona's information; she could access it herself.
She was simply enjoying the exchange.
After receiving Luna's confirmation, Yoona began briefing her on the battlefield.
"Your destination is the hc23 war zone, one of the core front-line zones. Once you arrive, you can request a transfer to another zone, depending on your performance."
"The best zones are gw10 and jo02, considered retirement zones; they're essentially guard duty."
"The war zones are built around small star cities, containing markets where you can purchase valuable equipment."
"Our main combat method is ground warfare, so it's best to choose individual combat equipment: good mechs, good gene pools—these will help you survive."
"The most useful equipment isn't powerful weaponry but bombs; they're highly effective on the battlefield."
"Of course, you can also purchase drone eggs and cultivate them; the Swarm's kills will be added to your account."
"Upon reaching the front lines, you'll be implanted with a statistical chip to track your kills. Each enemy is worth one point. Officers receive more rewards. At the front, these points can be exchanged for good equipment; among them, something you might want…"
Yoona possessed a wealth of information, incredibly valuable to ordinary soldiers.
But Luna found her explanation overly verbose.
"You could have simply given me the data."
Luna checked the time; Yoona had spoken for two hours.
Yoona chuckled lightly. "If I did, you wouldn't consider this transaction so valuable."
Her actual intention was to spend more time with Luna; longer interactions create a deeper impression.
If Yoona had simply given Luna the data, he might have forgotten her instantly.
"That's true."
Luna enjoyed the conversation as well. She'd spent an eternity alone with Ayla.
But millennia had left her and Ayla with little to say. Even if there was, their telepathy meant they knew what the other was thinking.
This state was comfortable, yet undeniably monotonous.
Luna left; Yoona returned to the control room, hoping her investment would pay off. Each trip to the battlefield carried the risk of ambushes.
She might die in an ambush; the star nation didn't have the Federation's reincarnation system; she only had one life.
The ship continued its journey.
The flight was long; it would take 60 years to reach their destination.
During this time, the soldiers would enter cryosleep, not returning to the simulated world.
Prolonged exposure to the simulated world dulled the new recruits; they treated training as a game and would likely panic on the real battlefield.
It was better to capitalize on their initial enthusiasm, making combat seem easy, a simple initiation.
Luna also slept for 60 years, awakening only upon arrival.
She looked out the ship's window; they were outside a star system. Their course wasn't directly into the system but a planned orbit around it.
The front lines, naturally, couldn't be located in space; there were no energy supplies.
Nor could they be within the star system; that would be strategically disadvantageous.
All war zones were built on the periphery of the star system. In the distance, Luna spotted a 100,000-meter-class warship and a circular star city beside it.
The star city was smaller than the warship; this was probably only seen here.
The ship approached the star city but stopped at a distance, hovering above a platform. For safety, they would disembark and take another ship to the star city.
Luna disembarked, unlike the others, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Luna always possessed great curiosity about new things.
Although she had handled numerous affairs in the Federation, it was mostly theoretical; she rarely experienced them firsthand.
She had always been in a position of authority, and while she had attempted to become an "ordinary person," it was only for fleeting moments, and her experiences were limited.
There were many things in the Federation she hadn't experienced, such as being a soldier on the battlefield.
Moreover, she wasn't in the Federation now, but on the opposite side.
Standing on the platform, Luna could see countless people.
She sensed a trend within the star nation: humanization.
The smaller Lightwings, Shore Tribe, Ice Tribe, and Lelera, among others, naturally possessed weaker bodies. They sought to enlarge themselves but not excessively. Therefore, some, like Yoona, modified themselves to resemble humans.
For instance, a luminous being passed Luna; it had Lightwings wings and more than twenty tentacle-like arms forming flexible appendages. Its head lacked facial features, resembling its original form—an upright oval.
The Lightwings' skin was its respiratory organ, which this being had retained.
Larger beings, like Warbeasts, found navigating confined spaces difficult and sought to shrink themselves, also aiming for a human-like appearance.
The Federation had never seen such a biological diversity; everyone maintained tradition—or, to put it bluntly, conservatism.
Once a societal model matures, conservative forces inevitably prevail; people are comfortable in their established routines and unwilling to change.
As the strongest power among human civilizations, the Federation was no exception.
Although Luna had established many regulations, fundamentally altering such a large entity was impossible.
Luna had even considered reverting humans to the 100-year lifespan of Earth's past, rejuvenating the Federation.
A larger younger population would weaken conservative forces.
Obviously, this was an extreme idea.
Many factors needed to be considered, such as the Federation's need for interstellar exploration. Luna and Ayla had considered decentralization for at least 100,000 years, transferring more power to ordinary citizens.
A 100-year lifespan would confine more people to their planets, transforming the Federation back into a centralized civilization.
"That's why diversity is necessary."
Luna observed the diverse crowd with satisfaction.
Her plan was a success.
The diversity of human civilization had been unleashed. Her emphasis on flexibility wasn't empty rhetoric but a tangible reality.
As a leader, she would always pay attention to the Federation's flaws and correct them.
But this doesn't mean the Federation, or human civilization as a whole, is flawed or decaying. The societal structures of various civilizations remain advanced, progressing rapidly.
Luna followed the crowd onto another ship.
Calling it a ship is perhaps an overstatement.
It wasn't because it was small, but because it was essentially a detachable section of the platform. Once full, it separated and moved towards Star City.
There weren't any seats.
Of course, they weren't needed.
Everyone possessed exceptional physical fitness; standing for a lifetime wouldn't be a problem.
Thinking about this, Luna checked the last time a biological illness occurred in human civilization.
6293 years ago.
There was only one case.
An explorer visited an unknown star system, exited her ship, and was exposed to cosmic radiation for an extended period, causing genetic mutations. 283 Energy Credits were spent on gene therapy, equivalent to half a month's salary.
Further investigation into the past 10,000 years revealed that the Federation had eradicated all diseases, leaving only injuries.
Even allergies and skin irritations, chronic ailments prevalent among 21st-century humans, were nonexistent. Everyone was healthy, without the slightest discomfort.
No fatigue, no illness, and long lifespans meant there was no frustration.
The reason she thought about this was that the platform's speed was indeed slow, approximately 10 km/s, taking 52 hours to reach Star City.
A 21st-century individual would have been furious after only two hours.
Upon arriving at Star City, the platform docked, and everyone orderly entered.
The moment she entered Star City, Luna received a notification.
[Soldier Luna, you have entered Combat Zone hc23. You are assigned to the 276th Bugle Corps. Report to the corps within ten hours!]
Luna observed the reactions of those around her; everyone seemed to have received the message.
In her vision, a slender beam of light appeared in the distance, piercing the sky.
This was a guide; that was the location of the 276th Bugle Corps.
Luna didn't rush but wandered through Star City.
The city consisted primarily of low-rise buildings, none exceeding 100 meters. There were no residential areas; the entire city was essentially a network of roads.
Although called Star City, it was a massive military market.
Its purpose was simple: to satisfy soldiers.
When soldiers returned from the front lines, selling their spoils brought satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, motivating them in future battles.
Gamification of war—that was the trend.
Relying solely on death to control the battlefield would drive people mad.
This war wasn't a clash between civilizations where defeat meant annihilation.
Although the Federation and the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant sometimes violated the rules on the battlefield, it was rare; prisoners of war were generally taken.
Therefore, many soldiers were relaxed. Perhaps 5% or 3% needed positive reinforcement, and gamification was the perfect solution.
While termed gamification, this system existed before, it just wasn't prominent.
These comprehensive regulations previously existed only in games, thus the term "gamification."
It has many advantages and almost no disadvantages; both the star nation and the Federation adopted it.
This system was supported by the points mentioned by Yoona.
Points were awarded for killing enemies on the battlefield or completing similarly dangerous tasks; they were valuable. One point could be exchanged for 60 to 65 Energy Credits.
The conscripted soldier had earned 100 points on the battlefield. Yoona suggested using these points to buy things.
Conscripted soldiers had little Energy Credit.
They did have some, but the star nation lacked the Federation's tightly controlled system. Each star system's network was separate; money from one star system couldn't be used in another unless first exchanged for physical Energy Credits and then transferred.
And those conscripted had no time to get money.
Conscription was more like press-ganging; anyone seen was shoved onto a ship. Want to escape? Then die!
Luna didn't worry about this; her authority allowed her to generate assets anywhere in human civilization: 10 Energy Credits, 10 billion, or 10 trillion.
The underlying infrastructure of the star nation's machinery and computing systems was still the Federation's, so Luna retained her authority here. She hadn't lost her access because this was the star nation.
Over tens of thousands of years, some factions within the star nation attempted to develop a new system, but all failed.
Creating a system capable of managing a vast number of star systems was incredibly difficult; it required both software and hardware support.
Developing a system different from the Federation's would mean abandoning existing software and hardware and starting from scratch. The investment would be astronomical.
Building an outdated system would be vulnerable; pirates could easily hack it with their auxiliary brains, wreaking havoc on the star nation.
Therefore, these star nations had no choice but to use the Federation's original system and purchase Federation computing hardware.
And it wasn't only about Energy Credits.
Luna herself possessed an immense database, allowing her to assess the value of goods and services, like a protagonist with a discerning eye from a novel.
She wandered the bustling streets, but didn't buy anything.
She enjoyed the atmosphere; everyone was seriously searching for items they desired, hoping these items would increase their chances of survival in the next battle.
Luna herself needed some things.
She could die on the battlefield.
But she didn't need to buy anything here.
Luna already possessed the Federation's best mecha and Tier 1 gene pool enhancements.
The only thing she needed to upgrade was her fighter.
And military equipment like fighters had to be obtained from the military.
From a distance, a hostile gaze fell upon her; Luna didn't practice any cultivation techniques, so she couldn't sense it.
Far away, a Kate soldier wore a displeased expression.
"What is it?"
The soldier beside him noticed his unusual behavior.
Following the soldier's gaze, they saw Luna.
"Your enemy?"
Simali shook his head.
"No."
"I just feel some aversion."
"That person doesn't fit in; she seems less like a soldier and more like a tourist from somewhere else."
Simali felt that person was sightseeing.
That person's movements conveyed this information.
Her eyes were devoid of any emotion.
Curiosity, longing, anxiety, exploration, doubt… none of these were visible in his gaze.
"Maybe it's just a simulated bio-humanoid?" a companion observed.
"No, simulated bio-humanoids wouldn't look around like that."
Simali's gaze was precise, a fact that had saved his life many times.
Sometimes in war, you don't just face the enemy; you also face your comrades.
For survival, some comrades might abandon you, even push you into the fire.
"Then it's probably a naive rookie. There are people like that, who've never experienced war and treat it like a game."
"I once had a teammate like that. I didn't dislike him, because in dangerous situations, he always rushed to his death, buying us time."
One of them said.
His words were tactful; they would call such a person bait.
Used properly, they provide assistance, but they also sometimes attract danger.
Simali disliked this type of person; they lacked any sense of urgency and often became liabilities on the battlefield.
"The military needs to adjust its recruitment standards. If they keep sending this kind of unqualified personnel to the war zone, the star nation will eventually perish."
Simali and the others headed towards their respective regiments.
This Star City wasn't without rest areas, but they were within the regiments themselves; that's where they usually stayed.
They'd rested for a year and were about to return to the battlefield, causing considerable anxiety among them.
"Hopefully the new recruits perform better this time. The last batch was completely wiped out."
The group quickly reached their regiment. A 3D projection on the regiment's high-rise building displayed: [276th Corp].
Simali entered the building, noticing something amiss. Everyone seemed to be gathered in one place.
Looking towards the deepest interior, he saw a Shore Tribe member standing there, wearing military-issue power armor. On the chest of the armor were two white rhombus-shaped badges—his rank insignia.
Matriarchy star nation ranks are: Reserve, Regular, Sergeant, Lieutenant Colonel, Legion Commander, Ship Captain, Commander, and finally, Admiral.
Reserves have no rank insignia, only a silver horizontal line on their armor.
Regulars and Sergeants have triangular badges, usually black, engraved with a warship—the Matriarchy star nation's primary warship, the Deep Cloud.
The number of badges indicates rank; Regulars have one, Sergeants have two.
Lieutenant Colonels have white rhombus-shaped badges engraved with the Matriarchy star nation's capital, Lovie 9 star system. One badge is for a Lieutenant Colonel; two indicate a Legion Commander.
Ship Captains have light blue star-shaped badges inlaid with a precious gem created by the Matriarchy star nation. The gem originally possessed radioactivity, but this is removed before being inlaid. One badge denotes a Ship Captain; two, a Commander; three, an Admiral.
The individual in the regiment clearly held a higher rank: Legion Commander.
They quickly arrived and formed ranks.
Then, they saw someone approach and stand beside the Legion Commander.
"Your previous Lieutenant Colonel was killed in action. Please accept our condolences. We haven't found a suitable replacement until now, so we delayed the announcement."
"This individual will be your new Lieutenant Colonel!"
Simali's eyes widened in disbelief.
Wasn't this the "new recruit" he'd found so distasteful just moments ago?
...
After arriving at the 276th Corp, Luna expected, at best, a Sergeant's position, given her relatively impressive performance in the ship simulation.
Unexpectedly, she was directly appointed Lieutenant Colonel.
This wasn't due to any behind-the-scenes manipulation but a natural outcome.
The Legion Commander presented Luna's simulated combat record.
"Don't underestimate her."
"In simulated combat, Luna, commanding the Grey Faction, achieved complete victory in 28 days with overwhelming dominance, dying only once."
"I admire her and believe she can lead you to even more dazzling victories on the battlefield."
This announcement caused a stir.
Seeing Luna's uniform, they knew she was a rookie. Unbelievable.
A rookie leading them? What a joke!
This wasn't a game; it was a real battlefield, where carelessness could cost lives.
And those achievements—who considers simulation results meaningful?
This decision was absurd.
But military orders were non-negotiable. The Legion Commander turned to Luna. "Very well, Lieutenant Colonel. I'm entrusting the 276th Corp to you."
"Everyone here is under your command. I hope you won't disappoint us."
He produced a rhombus-shaped medal.
"You can use this medal to obtain your uniform and battle armor."
"As for other matters, I trust you'll handle them quickly. I have other things to attend to; farewell!"
With that, the Legion Commander left, giving Luna no chance to speak.
Luna looked at the medal in her hand, somewhat dazed.
Just like that?
This felt incredibly arbitrary.
But she was a battle-hardened veteran. She looked at the group of rookies below and said, "Sergeants, stay. Everyone else, dismissed."
Only a few remained.
Their gazes were fixed on her, devoid of respect, only silence.
Luna didn't mind. She asked, "Where is everyone else?"
"From what I understand, each Corp should have 20 battalions."
Sergeants commanded battalions. In the Matriarchy star nation's military structure, each battalion had 300 soldiers. Theoretically, a Corp had 6000; clearly, they were understaffed here.
No one answered.
Luna pointed to one Sergeant. "You, report."
The Sergeant reluctantly responded, "Reporting, Lieutenant Colonel. Most are aboard their warships; they didn't come to Star City."
Warships were the basic combat units.
Each warship had a ship captain, a minimum of ten legions, and each legion had 10 to 15 Corps. Theoretically, a single warship could hold up to 900,000 soldiers.
Commanding 6000 soldiers might seem significant, but this is the space age.
Enemy attacks could vaporize 60,000 soldiers in an instant, let alone 6000.
In the old Federation, due to the withdrawal of fighters from the battlefield, most soldiers aboard warships weren't involved in direct combat. Their roles were construction and tasks machines couldn't perform.
Think of a human body with numerous cells; white blood cells eliminate viruses and bacteria.
Soldiers are the warships' white blood cells.
When a warship stops, such as to build defenses within a star system, soldiers would deploy to perform construction tasks.
With the war between the Federation and the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant, these soldiers have become true combatants, not just "engineers."
Therefore, the current warfare is vastly different from Luna's previous experiences.
In the old Federation wars, she wouldn't have needed to manage these soldiers.
But now, she must.
They are about to engage in real combat.
"You have contact information for the Sergeants, right? Call them all in." Luna stated.
Yet, no one moved; these soldiers were subtly rebelling.
Naïve.
Luna glanced at each soldier. "If all 20 Sergeants aren't here within two hours, then all 6000 soldiers in this Corp will run 100 laps around Star City."
100 laps wouldn't be physically impossible for modern humans, but the punishment wasn't about exhaustion; it was about humiliation.
A hint of anger appeared on the soldiers' faces.
Luna, however, couldn't see their expressions; racial differences prevented her from seeing their features, as some races lacked facial features entirely.
Still, she sensed their anger.
After her pronouncement, the Sergeants remained motionless.
Luna donned her battle armor, sat down, and waited.
She wasn't anxious.
Two hours passed, and the Sergeants remained immobile.
Luna stood. "Alright, two hours are up. Assemble the entire Corp, and run!"
The Sergeants looked down on Luna with contempt.
They wouldn't obey a rookie. A new recruit trying to command them was ludicrous.
Not only would they disobey, but the entire Corp would refuse.
Many soldiers in the building were eavesdropping, enjoying the spectacle.
Simali, upon hearing Luna's order, chuckled. "Even if she's a Lieutenant Colonel, she'll still be sidelined here."
"Who wants to be led by a rookie? We're in the HC23 war zone, the heart of the conflict; we risk our lives every moment. A rookie leading us? We're practically walking into a death trap."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Just wait until she realizes who's really in charge. Things will calm down."
"The Legion Commander will see her incompetence and remove her."
Almost everyone felt this way.
But Luna wasn't going to be controlled by these few.
She looked at the Sergeants and said slowly, "Do you realize you're disobeying orders?"
A blatant challenge!
The Sergeants sneered.
They wouldn't comply; what could she do?
Seeing their continued indifference, Luna sighed. "I gave you a chance, but you showed no respect."
"According to Matriarchy star nation military law, disobeying orders during wartime is punishable by death."
"There's no military court present. According to supplementary military law, in the absence of a court, an officer can execute the sentence."
"Therefore, by the authority vested in me by star nation military law, I sentence you to death."
The entire building erupted in laughter.
This rookie still hadn't grasped the situation.
But the next moment, everyone's expressions froze. The bodies of the Sergeants standing before Luna instantly turned to dust, vanishing in a blink.
Dead!
Everyone knew they were dead. Their bodies had been disintegrated at the atomic level.
Did she actually dare to kill them?
Everyone was incredulous. Newly appointed officers usually build rapport with their subordinates first.
Few dared to be so uncompromising, let alone kill people so decisively; it was unheard of.
"Do you know the consequences of your actions?" a soldier in the hall shouted at Luna.
Those Sergeants had been kind to them, like brothers.
To die like this… it was incomprehensible.
"I know the consequences of my actions, but you don't know the consequences of yours."
"Regardless of your feelings, in two hours, I expect to see everyone in this Corp."
Luna's voice was calm.
The military absolutely forbids insubordination. Even if genuinely dissatisfied, one shouldn't openly display it.
This open defiance was tantamount to mutiny.
These soldiers didn't understand the gravity of the situation.
Perhaps the Matriarchy star nation's military regulations were too lax, lacking strictness. These soldiers were conscripted and had only experienced a few battles; they weren't regular troops.
The Federation's standard for regular troops requires 50 years of military training before becoming an official soldier, but even then, they are only official reservists.
They undergo another 50 years of training as reservists before becoming basic soldiers in the regular army.
100 years of professional training instills strict discipline and unquestioning obedience. These soldiers are vastly different from those Luna faced.
Frankly, such soldiers sent to fight the Federation are practically cannon fodder.
Luna decided to break their arrogance.
Untrained soldiers had no reason for pride.
Despite their resentment, the remaining soldiers, upon hearing Luna's words, sent messages to summon others from the warships.
Two hours passed.
Still insufficient.
Many hadn't grasped that Luna possessed the authority to kill them.
In the past, many weren't killed simply because their lives weren't worth the effort, not because they couldn't be killed.
"I am the newly appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 276th Corp, Luna."
"The current headcount is 5726. According to my records, the 276th Corp has 5852 soldiers. Subtracting the seven who disobeyed orders, that leaves 129 unaccounted for."
"Those 129 are not needed."
"Who would want to be led by a rookie? We're in the HC23 war zone, a high-risk area. A rookie leading us? We're as good as dead."
The others agreed.
"Let's wait; she'll soon realize who's actually in charge."
"Then the Legion Commander will see her incompetence and dismiss her."
Nearly everyone shared this sentiment.
But Luna wouldn't be controlled so easily.
She looked at the Sergeants and said slowly, "Do you realize you are disobeying a direct order?"
The Sergeants scoffed.
They would refuse; what could she do?
Seeing their continued defiance, Luna sighed. "I gave you a chance, but you wasted it."
"According to Matriarchy star nation military law, disobeying orders in wartime is punishable by death."
"There's no military court here. Therefore, by the authority vested in me, I sentence you to death."
The entire building laughed. This rookie clearly didn't understand the situation.
But their laughter died as the bodies of the Sergeants before Luna disintegrated into dust.
The soldiers were stunned. This was a bizarre justification.
However, aware of the Sergeants' fate, they were forced to comply; no one wanted to be next.
Then, Star City witnessed a peculiar sight: soldiers running laps for training in this era.
Even the most thick-skinned soldiers felt humiliated under countless gazes.
Meanwhile, Luna received a communication within the building.
"Luna, can you explain what happened?"
It was the Legion Commander.
Luna responded, "Just a minor disciplinary action, Legion Commander. You shouldn't expect your troops to be completely obedient under pressure."
"A bit of ridicule is better than death on the battlefield."
"I'll handle it."
The military certainly had its internal conflicts, but Sergeants were low-ranking officers, barely worth notice.
Killing a few Sergeants wouldn't anger the Legion Commander; he wouldn't demote Luna so quickly, as that would damage his own reputation.
Reputation was crucial; losing face meant being looked down upon and losing influence, which was most important for high-ranking officers.
The Legion Commander wasn't truly reprimanding Luna; he was simply expressing his disapproval, hoping she wouldn't repeat such actions. He realized she was a headache.
In short, the matter ended there. No one cared about the Sergeants' deaths, especially since they were insubordinate.
Perhaps the other soldiers cared, but they couldn't do anything about it.
...
Simali followed the retreating troops, head down.
He still couldn't believe his Sergeant was dead.
Not on the battlefield, not in combat, but during a silent act of defiance.
He felt a sense of injustice.
As an ordinary soldier, he could only see Luna's killing spree.
He knew the Sergeants' actions were wrong, but he also thought they were right.
A common soldier wouldn't consider military discipline.
What truly shocked Simali was the ruthlessness and decisiveness of the person he had dismissed as a naive recruit, a tourist in Star City.
At that moment, it seemed like just two people.
"Hey, Sergeant, what do we do next?" someone asked the remaining Sergeants.
Those Sergeants were still stunned, unsure what had happened.
Their close comrades, with whom they'd chatted just days ago, were now dead, killed without understanding why. Their minds were blank.
Resist?
They'd likely share the same fate.
Obediently follow?
Their hearts were filled with resentment.
A difficult choice.
All they could do was resent the fact that the others hadn't called them; they could have at least discussed it and found a better way forward instead of being forced into this passive situation.
At least, the dead couldn't resent them anymore.
After 100 laps, everyone obeyed. Whether it was genuine obedience or feigned compliance, Luna had established her authority.
Luna also learned some things.
For example, the 276th Corp would soon be deploying to the front lines. The reason she was appointed Lieutenant Colonel was simply because no one else wanted the job.
After all, the HC23 war zone was a critical area; casualties exceeded 70% in each battle, and many corps were completely annihilated.
Since no one else wanted to go, they'd just send a relatively successful recruit.
It was just a minor Lieutenant Colonel position; death was a likely outcome.
As expected, there were no easy victories.
Luna addressed the troops: "We have two months. During this time, you will undergo intensive training. No laziness will be tolerated."
The troops, naturally, had no intention of slacking off.
After all, Luna didn't want to die.
Although she had been divided into millions, each was an independent individual.
Even if she couldn't truly die, she didn't want to die now.
So she needed to maximize her safety.