Chapter 349: Ambitions of Earth and the Stars

On Earth, traditional military doctrines revolve around the integration of land, sea, air, and space—a feat only a few major powers on Earth can claim. Most nations are lucky to even have a combined land, sea, and air force.

It isn’t as simple as merging conventional military theories with new technologies to create an effective doctrine.

A comprehensive system must embody countless scientific insights and military fundamentals. Remember, space warfare unfolds in a full 360-degree sphere.

Even setting up a coordinate system is a head-scratcher, let alone strategizing effective combat in such an environment.

These past few months have been the most intense period of study in Rin Feng’s life.

Faced with groundbreaking space combat theories, he admired his boss even as he voraciously absorbed every detail, ultimately excelling in the final assessment to become the commander of the First Main Fleet Division, responsible for leading ten flagship vessels.

Today, Dream Technology’s space fleet is organized into 11 tactical groups, each consisting of ten flagship vessels.

At that moment, upon hearing Du Qiu ask, his heart skipped a beat. “Report, sir. I’m frustrated with those nations and individuals throwing the blame onto our company, but I’m also genuinely worried that if aliens ever show up, they might just surrender.”

Because if that happens, those traitors could be exploited by the aliens, turning into collaborators who would mercilessly massacre the brave defenders of Earth—what a tragedy that would be.

“Not bad, you’ve got foresight. Time is short, so I won’t waste any more words. Effective immediately, you are no longer the commander of our Flagship Division.”

“What?”

“What do you mean? With your foresight, I’m all for letting you put your ideas into practice,” Du Qiu replied with a warm smile, glancing at Rin Feng’s astonished face.

Du Qiu’s smile deepened as he continued, clearly enjoying the moment.

Rin Feng, startled, thought, “Commander, are you really…”

“That’s right. From now on, you will serve as the Commander of Earth’s Defense Fleet, leading ten escort vessels on missions to eradicate any nation or individual opposing our company. You will establish a favorable public image for Dream Technology and ensure that the narrative remains firmly in our hands!”

Du Qiu laid out some ideas he’d previously discussed with Song Yuanting.

The more Rin Feng listened, the broader his smile grew—what a considerate commander indeed.

With a crisp salute, Rin Feng declared, “Commander, I promise to complete every task you assign, forging an impregnable rear base for our company!”

Narrowing his eyes, Du Qiu asked, “Don’t you feel slighted? You’ve gone from commanding ten flagships to leading ten escort vessels.”

Rin Feng replied, “Report, Commander, not at all! Using escort vessels against these traitorous scum is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Honestly, a fleet of 100 Wyvern Fighters would suffice.”

Du Qiu glared at him, retorting, “Don’t get complacent. Remember, we’ve already provided these nations with our ground weapon technology. Losing even a few Wyvern Fighters could be costly.”

A chill ran down Rin Feng’s spine as he quickly responded, “Your wisdom is unparalleled, Commander. I admit my oversight. I promise that our operations on Earth will be meticulously planned and executed—we won’t drop the ball.”

“Excellent. I look forward to your triumphant return!”

Then Rin Feng suddenly asked, “Commander, about the propaganda department’s review system—who exactly am I supposed to coordinate with there?”

Du Qiu replied, “I recall your famous wife established a media company aboard Heaven Realm II. I’m giving you full authority to set up the propaganda arm for Earth’s Defense Fleet—you know exactly what to do.”

Rin Feng hesitated, then asked, “Commander, if I appoint my wife as the head of the propaganda department, wouldn’t that look like we’re running a nepotistic operation?”

Du Qiu answered, “I’ve already handed over the power to you. How you manage it is your business—I only care about the results. By the way, as Heaven Realm II is about to depart from the Solar System, you might want to consider if you’d prefer your wife to stay behind and work with you.”

Before Rin Feng could fully process the information, Du Qiu had already ushered him out of the office.

Once outside, Rin Feng began to appreciate the opportunity—this was a clear sign of his boss’s trust. The solution was simple: both he and his wife would stay and tackle the challenge together.

After all, the Commander was still posted at the Mars Base.

+++++++

Under a gray, murky sky on Earth, the sun was nowhere to be seen—whether it was day or night.

Australia, once a sparsely populated land in the vast Pacific Ocean, is now bursting at the seams.

The first wave of immigrants consisted of wealthy individuals from Japan, whose island was sinking, followed by affluent figures from Central America.

These two groups injected immeasurable wealth into Australia, catapulting its economy into one of the brightest spots during the turbulent year of 2022.

In 2023, however, an American civil war drove wealthy Americans here, and soon after, Yellowstone erupted, leading to the downfall of the United States.

A flood of American refugees poured into Australia, and they were not all wealthy anymore.

Not all of these newcomers were Caucasian; after all, America is a melting pot of ethnicities.

Then, following the second tectonic fracture eastward, people from islands such as Yindi and Papua New Guinea began arriving by boat, soaring Australia’s population to over 100 million—quadruple its original count.

Around this time, Earth began sliding into a new ice age. The increasingly erratic climate led to a sharp drop in food production, and Australia’s leadership regretted taking in so many refugees.

To make matters worse, Dream Technology sounded the alarm over an impending alien invasion. The world soon descended into a state of frantic preparations—digging trenches, hoarding grain, and mobilizing every citizen for war.

Since 70% of Australia’s territory is arid or semi-arid, and most of the central region is uninhabitable, the new immigrants initially settled in the Midwest. As the climate worsened, they naturally started moving eastward.

This mass migration inevitably threatened the interests of Australia’s original residents, sparking fierce conflicts between the old and the new.

In an attempt to quell the unrest, the Australian government instructed the media to shift the blame onto Dream Technology.

This only intensified the backlash against Asians, especially those of Chinese descent.

Tang Zheng, a Chinese-Australian who had immigrated years earlier, lived with his family in Kubbo—a rare haven with abundant water, located about 200 kilometers from a large lake in Australia’s south-central region.

However, a massive influx of white immigrants had now arrived. Initially, they followed the rules, but as the climate deteriorated, their behavior turned unbearably unruly.

Many Asians in the area began to face discrimination and gradually adopted violent tendencies.

Fueled by the relentless blame-game spun by the media, the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

One afternoon, Tang Zheng heard the roaring engines of numerous vehicles outside. Peering through his window, he saw at least seven or eight different vehicles barreling toward his home, arriving in the blink of an eye.

Acting quickly, Tang Zheng grabbed a double-barreled shotgun and called on his wife to keep an eye on the children—today, it seemed, trouble was imminent!

Soon, a throng of armed individuals emerged from the vehicles. Some even fired shots skyward while others bellowed, “Hey, you monkeys in the house, come out! This is our territory—scram immediately!”

His wife, brandishing a handgun and edging closer to the window, worriedly asked, “Honey, what do we do? There are so many of them and all armed. Should we just give in to them?”

Tang Zheng gripped his weapon tighter and replied, “Let’s see first. I’m afraid they want more than just this place. You call the other Asian families in town—we have to stand together.”

Before he could finish, gunfire erupted once more outside, followed by the sound of shattering glass. It was clear the attackers had begun shooting at the house.

Inside the living room, two children under ten screamed in terror while Tang Zheng’s wife hurried to comfort them.

After the gunfire subsided slightly, a burly, bearded man stepped forward to about ten meters from the door and shouted, “You have one minute to get out of the house, or else we’ll storm in and leave no one behind!”

Tang Zheng paused, then shouted back, “Friends, hold on! What exactly do you want from us?”

The man retorted, “My buddy made it clear—this is our turf. Get out now, or we won’t be so polite!”

Tang Zheng roared, “But this is my home! What you’re doing is illegal!”