章 150: Chapter 150: The Swarm Tactic
Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine, also known as 61 Cygni, is the second identified target for attack. It is a binary star system with two stars of similar size and mass, approximately 0.7 and 0.63 solar masses, respectively. Both stars are classified as orange dwarfs, with a spectrum closer to red dwarfs than yellow dwarfs. Smaller stars often have longer lifespans, and orange dwarfs typically last between 150 to 300 billion years. Red dwarfs have even longer lifespans, with the smallest ones surviving for thousands of billions of years. As a result, no naturally destroyed red dwarfs exist in the current universe.
The Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine system contains no planets, and its star cities are built upon asteroids. While the Civilization Federation has the technology to construct star cities, Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine was developed relatively early, and its infrastructure has remained unchanged for over 20,000 years. This poses a problem within the Civilization Federation. The rapid development of the federation has led to most resources being allocated to new regions, neglecting the maintenance of older areas. As a result, Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine is impoverished, considered a poverty-stricken area within the federation. Individuals here can only consume organic produce like vegetables and fruits, and their protein sources are limited to common animals, such as the domesticated pigs that are now bred within the Civilization Federation.
These pigs differ from those in the 21st century, as they can grow to over 5 tons, with some exceeding 10 tons. While this diet may seem incredibly healthy to 21st-century standards, it introduces excess impurities into the body, affecting life expectancy. Therefore, all food in the Civilization Federation is artificially created, including meat, which is synthesized rather than natural. These synthetic meats are indistinguishable from real meat in taste but have a simpler composition, making them easier to digest.
With a human lifespan of 260 years, individuals in more affluent regions can expect to live to the full 260 years. However, in impoverished areas like Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine, where natural resources are consumed, the average lifespan is around 240 years.
The leader of Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine feels helpless, unlike the leader of Tian Yuan Four, who remains calm.
"What should we do?" he asks.
"We don't have many fleets, and our internal defense network is inadequate. We are no match for the civilization's battleships."
He is both anxious and desperate. Although they have received the information, it travels at the speed of light, while spaceships can travel faster. The rescue ships are still on their way, and by the time they arrive, it will be too late.
"The order from above is to hold out for as long as we can. It seems they've already decided to abandon us."
Through the glass, a district leader looks out at the streets, which are in complete disarray. The wealthy have already fled, leaving the poor to face their fate. At this moment, not a single company in the entire star system is operational. Fear grips the citizens, driving them to loot and vandalize as a means of venting their emotions.
Zero-cost shopping?
No, the citizens outside are not shopping; they are mindlessly smashing whatever they can get their hands on, regardless of its value. This chaos and madness are causing headaches for the management.
"Leader, aren't you going to escape?" the district leader asks.
He Ming leans against a wall and shakes his head. "The people still need us."
"And what would we gain by running away? Even if we avoid judgment, how could we face staying in our current positions?"
"But you're not running away either."
The meeting room is empty except for the two of them because everyone else has fled. At this point, escaping would not be criticized, as it is a battle they cannot win. However, convincing oneself to stay is another matter.
After a moment of silence, they both look away, lost for words.
At this time, they have not contacted the military because they, too, have fled. Perhaps some remain, but they are of little help.
A long, mournful whistle echoes throughout the star city, or rather, all the star cities of Tianjin Zeng Twenty-Nine. The chaotic citizens suddenly freeze in their tracks, gazing into the starry sky, though they can see nothing. They stand there as if time has stopped, awaiting their impending doom.
From within the star system, countless beams of light, like meteors, shoot outward. The battle has begun, but they cannot see it. The beams are bound and do not emit any photons, making them invisible to detection.
Some citizens feel their star city moving, and they witness other star cities doing the same, not in a uniform direction but towards each other.
"Bang!"
The sound of impact reverberates.
Countless explosions erupt.
The gas constraint devices in the star cities malfunction, causing all living beings to feel a sense of suffocation. The next moment, the temperature control systems are damaged by the impact, and the absolute cold of space invades. The citizens wearing organic armor find their bodies instantly covered in a layer of mechanical armor.
However, their joy is short-lived as they soon sink into sadness. Most citizens do not have mechanical armor, and their time is truly frozen. The next second, they, too, succumb to an invisible attack sweeping through the star city, which is then completely disintegrated into particles, with no fragment larger than 1 micrometer. The star city and everything in it vanish.
He Ming receives news of several star cities being destroyed, but he can only mourn.
"Wait," he says.
Wait for what? Wait to die.
"They will kill us, and we will take them with us."
"The Civilization Federation is inviolable. How many interstellar and civil wars have we endured throughout our history? Not once have we fallen, and we will not fall this time."
He takes out a piece of chocolate from his pocket. This chocolate is not made from cocoa beans but synthesized from chemical elements with no side effects. It tastes no different from the chocolate on Earth, having passed Yan Xia's strict quality control. This is one of the most popular snacks in the Civilization Federation, thanks to its retro label.
New attacks arrive, and more star cities are destroyed.
Below them, some citizens cannot bear the pressure and commit suicide.
"We would rather kill ourselves than be killed by those damn bastards!"
Lives are lost one after another, and the sense of despair is palpable, almost visible to the naked eye.
At that moment, a shadow appears on the far side of the star, seemingly minuscule due to the distance. However, according to scans, the object's diameter exceeds 1000 kilometers.
"What is that?"
Before the citizens can react, a cloud-like object detaches from the massive sphere and speeds into deep space.
Then, the cloud explodes into countless explosions.
"It's the rescue fleet!"
Hope rekindles among the citizens in the star cities.
He Ming steps away from the wall and summons his virtual panel, staring at it intently.
"It is the rescue fleet, but how did they get here so fast?"
The nearest star system to them would take at least a year and three months to send a fleet, and this arrival is too swift.
He Ming breathes a sigh of relief. "It seems we are saved..."
Both He Ming and the district leader feel a sense of relief. With the rescue fleet's arrival, they are confident they can defeat the enemy.
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