Chapter 262: People After the War (Part 3)_1

The Asian Fleet was the only one that Jiang Yu found to be somewhat satisfactory.

Despite looking exhausted, Vice Commander Zheng Wencheng, who was left in charge of the Asian Fleet's fortress, still maintained the demeanor befitting a soldier.

And unlike others who immediately asked Jiang Yu what to do, he inquired of Jiang Yu, "May I ask, what brings you here from afar?"

Jiang Yu told the truth, "I've come to take over the Asian Fleet, and then immediately organize manpower to bring back the survivors from the Uranus Battlefield."

The colonies built on the moons of Uranus were not large; the combined populations of two Solar System State colonies were just more than two hundred thousand, and the smaller colonies of the other three fleets totaled only a little over one hundred thousand.

It's said that there are about five hundred thousand survivors from this battle, far exceeding the capacity of these colonies, so they must be brought back quickly, otherwise, there will definitely be non-combat losses.

Zheng Wencheng shook his head, "It's shameful to say, but only a small number of people in the fortress still obey my commands. If I order them to board the ships, I estimate very few will follow this order. Everyone..."

He sighed heavily, "Everyone's been terrified by 'The Waterdrop'."

Jiang Yu nodded and said, "Let me persuade them. Perhaps some will be willing to board the ships."

"That would be good," Zheng Wencheng said. "Maybe they will listen to you.

"But after your fleet docks, it must be under our control. According to the previous agreement, although you are the Commander-in-chief, you don't have the right to interfere with the internal affairs of the Asian Fleet!"

Jiang Yu laughed heartily, "That's the only reasonable thing I've heard in days."

More than an hour later, as the fleet landed at the fortress, the mobile troopers controlled the fortress very systematically under the command of officers dressed in J75 uniforms.

This process faced virtually no resistance; although Zheng Wencheng objected, he could only watch as the fortress was taken over since none of his subordinates would obey his orders.

Although Jiang Yu had agreed to Zheng Wencheng that he would submit to the control of the Asian Fleet, they had no power to enforce it, and thus they had only themselves to blame.

Left with no other choice, Zheng Wencheng decided to greet Jiang Yu on the docks as if he still owned the fortress. Upon meeting, he shook Jiang Yu's hand and said,

"I must apologize on behalf of the Asian Fleet, for the suspicion and cold treatment you received earlier in the fortress."

Jiang Yu smiled and said, "That sounds much better! Since you sincerely apologized, I'll forgive you."

Finally, after so many days, he encountered someone who felt remorse!

The group walked briskly forward, and as they neared the command room, Jiang Yu saw a soldier slumped in despair along the corridor.

He approached and commanded, "Stand up!"

The soldier looked up at Jiang Yu and then lowered his head again, showing no intention of getting up.

Jiang Yu then told two Solar System State warriors behind him, "Go take a look around, and if you find others like this, lock them in a room and let them go hungry for two days."

Zheng Wencheng stopped them, "Wallfacer, while I admire your foresight and am willing to follow your command in these chaotic times, that's no reason for you to mistreat my soldiers!"

"They're too pampered!" Jiang Yu explained, "Let them go hungry for two days. Once they feel physical pain, they won't put on such pitiable faces anymore."

In reality, the willpower of the soldiers from the three major fleets was not so weak, but the elite and strong had all gone to the frontlines.

Most of those left in the fortress were new recruits and non-combat personnel who, lacking long-term training and testing, were at best only slightly better than the average citizen.

The situation inside the fortresses of the three fleets was not much different from that of their colonial cities; it's just that Jiang Yu didn't have the time to deal with the colonies of the three fleets right now.

The entire human world was now in a state of decline, with only the Solar System State still managing to operate somewhat normally.

...

Mars, Yinghuo City.

The entire city was broadcasting the mobilization order that Jiang Yu had signed, "Everyone has withstood the test of time and are truly courageous people among humanity! You are also truly worthy of the Wallfacer's trust!"

"Come to Jupiter, the Wallfacer needs you to realize his grand plan, needs you to lead those wavering people, and fight to the death against the Trisolarans!..."

Sitting in the back seat of the car, the little girl Bernice looked at the people by the road who were often bursting into hearty laughter, feeling that the atmosphere in Yinghuo City was very strange.

Hadn't they just lost a battle, and a million soldiers died? How could everyone still laugh?

Her father, sitting in the front, said, "I told you, following the Wallfacer is definitely the right choice!

"Now look, I've been promoted three levels straight to district head of Jupiter, and from now on, our family is going to be rich."

The mother sighed, "What a pity for Peter's Family, they moved away just last year, sigh..."

"They brought it upon themselves!" the father added, "I advised them many times, and they were ungrateful, even cursing us on their way out, saying we'd be waiting here to die."

Yet the mother still seemed concerned, "I heard about 'The Waterdrop'..."

"Hey!" the father interrupted her again, "Hasn't the city hall explained it all already?

"The Wallfacer said it already, 'The Waterdrop' only attacks interstellar ships, our ships to Jupiter are planetary-level ships, 'The Waterdrop' won't bother with us."

When they passed through the park, Bernice suddenly said, "Dad, stop for a moment."

Her father smiled, "I know you like the parks in Yinghuo City. Once we get to Jupiter, you'll definitely like the parks there too, I've heard they're even bigger! And prettier."

Bernice leaned against the car window, "Can I run a lap in the park again?"

"Sure!" her father was very indulgent, "But be quick, the ship leaves in just over an hour!"

Bernice got out of the car, trotted to a bench in the park, and said, "Is the test you mentioned before over? What happens to those who didn't pass the test?"

Bernice was the little girl who had talked with Jiang Yu in this park over a year ago. She always felt that something was amiss with the current situation in the Solar System State.

But she couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong.

The bench was empty, naturally, no one answered Bernice's question.

Disappointed, Bernice returned to the car and followed her father to take up his post on Jupiter.

Before 'The Waterdrop' was intercepted, Jiang Yu had already had Number Three organize a group of administrative personnel to arrive in Jupiter City early in the guise of tourists.

However, 'The Waterdrop' had dealt a thorough blow to the public's confidence, and those administrative personnel barely managed to get control of Jupiter City while other colonies were already showing signs of chaos.

With limited resources at hand, Jiang Yu had no choice but to once again mobilize a group from Yinghuo City, Guanghan City, and Earth, and rush them to Jupiter to provide support as quickly as possible.

...

Watching the relief fleet depart, escorted mainly by merchant ships and passenger ships with three small military vessels, Jiang Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Those who had escaped from the battlefield with their lives were now the most precious assets of the Solar System State!

Twelve days after the end of the war, it was still uncertain whether the Uranus colonies could hold out until the batch of supplies from Jupiter arrived.

Eight days ago, Number Three had already led a fleet composed of the Solar System State's merchant and passenger ships, departing ahead of schedule.

The fleet that had just departed consisted of ships conscripted from the top three fleets by Jiang Yu.

These two fleets should be able to bring back all the surviving officers at once, greatly relieving pressure on Uranus.

Additionally, Jiang Yu had received news that Gu Cheng and several other high-ranking officials were still alive and returning to Jupiter aboard ships from Uranus.