Chapter 112: The Beginning of Chaos

While Feng Mo and Ai Er were racking their brains on how to weaken the Demon Star System, far away in the buffer zone between the Federation's eastern frontier and the interstellar Beastman tribe, a series of brutal incidents unfolded. Within a short span of three months, several planets inhabited by both humans and Beastmen saw their Beastman populations wiped out.

Enraged, the Beastman tribe retaliated, launching a series of attacks that annihilated entire human populations on three planets. This tit-for-tat continued, with each side exacting revenge, leading to rising tensions. The two species had long harbored friction, and after a recent major conflict, another war seemed inevitable.

Federation Calendar, November 7, 7494.

The Eastern War Zone issued orders for a full-scale war against the Beastman tribe. The Federation's five eastern empires mobilized entirely, calling upon capable individuals to join the battlefield and resist these foreign invaders alongside the military.

With the renewed conflict between humans and the Beastmen, suspicion fell heavily upon the half-Beastman population within the Federation. This group, caught between humans and Beastmen, faced alienation—like the saying, "a pig caught in a mirror, neither here nor there."

Feng Mo, far off in the Storm Star System, seized the opportunity presented by the ongoing war. He instructed half-Beastmen like the Mellow sisters to enter the StarNet, actively recruiting half-Beastmen to come and work in the Storm System.

To attract talent, he offered generous terms: covering travel expenses, providing salaries 5-10% higher than market rates, and granting homes, vehicles, and resettlement benefits for those who signed a thirty-year contract. This campaign saw a mass migration of half-Beastmen westward, and in just six months, nearly five billion people had moved to the Storm System. Meanwhile, Feng Mo, with no other immediate ideas on weakening the Demon Star System, began a second large-scale starship construction initiative.

This phase primarily focused on expanding the Storm Fleet. Destroyers would be increased to twenty vessels, and escort ships to sixty. Two new T4 Hurricane-class battleships would serve as flagships for the Explorer and Elf Fleets. Additionally, a large number of transport ships would be built—vital starships for managing the increasing number of resource planets under Feng Mo's command. The plan was to expand to one hundred T3 Reindeer-class interstellar transports.

All the raw materials for shipbuilding were to be supplied by the Chen family, with Feng Mo trading T2 and T1 resources in exchange. During these six months, Feng Mo also aggressively invested in education. He established 100,000 schools on the Storm and White Elm Stars, offering education from primary school to university. Through connections with the Glorious Chu family and the Yunshan royal family, he even attracted elite teachers and founded the first Military Academy in the Storm System, personally attending its ribbon-cutting ceremony.

For half a year, Feng Mo did not step outside the Storm System, thwarting the plans of Qiao Senior and Lawrence, who sought to lure him out for an ambush. But amidst these developments came fantastic news: the T4-grade Stargate, which had taken two and a half years to construct, was finally complete. This Stargate provided access to any star system within the Federation, though it technically belonged to the Federation and was guarded by a T4 fleet dispatched by the military. However, Feng Mo's territory now benefited from the Stargate's revenue, receiving a 30% share of the toll fees, paid annually without delay.

Federation Calendar, May 13, 7495.

On this day, the Northern War Zone's Xuanwu Fortress came under large-scale attack from the interstellar Zerg. Four empires in the northern region escalated to Level 1 combat readiness, and even Feng Mo made a contribution, donating a small T3 fleet to the Yunshan Empire via the Storm Starship Trading Company.

Federation Calendar, May 22, 7495.

On this day, the interstellar Mechanical Tribe began a series of small-scale incursions along the southern border, prompting three empires in the Southern War Zone to raise their defenses to Level 2 readiness. They concentrated troops at the interstellar fortress, ready to engage the Mechanical Tribe at a moment's notice.

These two years saw the Federation plunged into turmoil. With external threats from three alien species and internal disruptions from various religious factions, it felt as though a storm was on the horizon. The resurgent New Human Church had been wreaking havoc on populated planets across the major empires since the previous year. Though the Federation's timely response led to large-scale crackdowns, the Church was like a malignant curse, lying dormant until it was ready to emerge, with followers who turned on their own in horrific acts of violence.

In short, these two years marked the beginning of chaos. Feng Mo, however, stayed safely within the Storm System, focused on strengthening his domain. Now boasting over three billion inhabitants, comprehensive infrastructure, a T4 Stargate, and a T4 fleet, the Storm System had grown comparable to a duchy of any empire.

It was time to turn attention back to the Demon Star System. This time, Feng Mo summoned Chu Yunjian from the Glorious System to discuss the matter.

After a passionate three-day reunion, confined to the eight-meter-wide bed in his bedroom, Feng Mo finally gathered with Ai Er, Kylan, and Chu Yunjian in his office. He also called in Feng Tianyi, Silia, and the Mellow sisters.

Addressing the group, Feng Mo said, "The Demon Star System is now the sworn enemy of the Storm System. Over the past six months, Ai Er has led our fleet in intercepting and destroying numerous reconnaissance ships sent by the Demon System. It's time to end this once and for all."

Before he could continue, his smart terminal beeped. It was a video call request from Hua Yucheng. Feng Mo accepted the call, and Hua Yucheng opened with:

"Lord Feng Mo, it's been half a year, and you look as distinguished as ever. I've learned of your plans to go to war with the Demon Star System. Over the past six months, I have used the Empire's Intelligence Department to infiltrate the Demon System, and we have uncovered a crucial piece of information."

Intrigued, Feng Mo prompted him to continue.

"Six months ago, the Qiao family secretly dispatched a T4 fleet to the Demon Star System. The Qiao family's chief steward is currently in the Demon System, and the two forces are collaborating to devise a plan to lure you out of the Storm System so they can overwhelm the Storm Fleet and take your life."

"To lure me out and then ambush the fleet? Not a bad strategy," Feng Mo mused aloud.

Everyone in the room understood Feng Mo's implications, and Hua Yucheng continued:

"That's exactly my thought, Lord Feng Mo. To that end, the Hua family is prepared to send a T4 fleet. Together with the Storm Fleet and the Chu family's fleet, we'll have enough firepower to completely dismantle the Demon Star System. With its seven habitable planets, the Demon System would make an ideal foundation for your nation."

Hua Yucheng's words were precisely what Feng Mo had hoped to hear—like rain after a long drought, offering timely support. Without this, Feng Mo's plans to destroy the Demon Star System would likely have taken much longer to realize.

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