Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 1703 - 831: Foundation Unleashed (Part 2)

Under these circumstances, the Dragon Spine Song Family—and indeed the entire Dragon Spine Dynasty—experienced massive shifts as time marched forward.

Naturally, the Song Family exerted every effort to mask these developments from the outside world. However, with family members stationed across every vital Star Domain within the dynasty’s two primary River Systems, maintaining such a facade was nearly impossible in the long term.

Furthermore, because the Song Family had a history of making critical strategic preparations ahead of major events, various factions within the Dragon Spine Dynasty were immediately put on high alert. For a period, every Torch Power within the dynasty’s borders began a frantic push to bolster their military might, including the massive stockpiling of essential war materials.

By the fiftieth year following the Song Family’s mobilization decree, the population of direct family members had surged from sixty billion to over one hundred billion, driven by deliberate family policies.

On this foundation, the number of newly Awakened family members continued to climb by the millions.

By the hundred and twentieth year, the direct lineage of the Song Family had surpassed one hundred and fifty billion, while the total count of Awakeners exceeded one billion.

Among their ranks, over ninety-eight percent consisted of Zero Rank and First Rank members. On a positive note, the number of Second Rank members had officially crossed the twenty million mark, Third Rank Cruiser Captains reached over one million, and core members at the Fourth Rank and above exceeded thirty thousand.

As the two-hundredth year arrived, the Song Family’s leadership had yet to rescind the aggressive birth policy. The population of direct family members had now shattered the three hundred billion milestone, featuring over twenty billion Awakened members and nearly three million Third Rank Cruiser Captains. Core members of the Fourth Rank and above now exceeded fifty thousand.

Furthermore, after Song Chi decided to contribute all the Sixth Rank Time Realm Fruits he had gathered over the past millennia, the number of family Annihilation Starship Captains officially reached forty this year.

...

"Xuanfeng, you’ve actually emerged from your seclusion? That is a rare sight indeed!"

High within the atmosphere of the Dragon Spine Continent, two Star-Annihilating Starships cruised side by side, both navigating toward the Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain.

Through the battleship’s magnetic wave communication group, Song Xuanfeng replied with a faint smile:

"Since the total war against the Corpse Emperor Clan River System Group is about to begin, I heard the family has changed significantly while I was away. As my Guidance Technique just reached a breakthrough, I felt it was time to come out and see for myself."

Hearing this, Song Xuancang, who had initiated the conversation, nodded with a smile and offered no disagreement.

Although the age gap between him and Song Xuanfeng was only a few hundred years, the duration it took for them to reach the rank of Annihilation Starship Captain was vastly different.

Song Xuanfeng was nearing the nine-thousand-year mark before he finally elevated his flagship to a Star-Annihilating Starship. To ensure he could break through his Guidance Technique before his lifespan reached its limit, he had even sought a True Immortal Breaking Pill from Song Chi.

Even so, he had remained in deep seclusion for the last few centuries, remaining largely ignorant of the family’s recent transformations.

As they chatted, the two Star-Annihilating Starships arrived swiftly at the Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain.

Upon entering the Dragon Whale Hall within the mountain, the pair discovered that a significant number of people had already gathered.

However, as the family’s Intermediate Rank members grew in number, the threshold for participating in the highest-level discussions within the Ancestral Hall had been raised to at least a Sixth Rank Fearless Ship Captain. Despite this restriction, more than two hundred figures were currently assembled in the hall.

After waiting for several more minutes until the attendance was complete, Song Yiming, positioned at the head of the hall, finally began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe everyone here has already guessed the reason for this summons."

"With the war against the Corpse Emperor Clan River System Group looming, it is necessary for the family to implement detailed strategic deployments in advance. Before we proceed, I must provide an updated report on our current status:"

"According to statistics from the Internal Affairs Hall as of three months ago, the total number of members under our jurisdiction has surpassed five hundred billion, including more than thirty billion successful Awakeners."

...

"Hiss... is that true? Five hundred billion?"

The hall was suddenly filled with sounds of shock. Among the two hundred attendees, many like Song Xuanfeng—who had been in total seclusion for centuries—were completely unaware of these developments. Hearing Song Yiming announce such staggering numbers caused many to instinctively question the reality of it.

"Thirty billion Awakeners? I recall the total family population was only sixty billion before I entered seclusion, wasn’t it?"

"Silence, everyone let Yiming finish!"

A sharp rebuke from the Great Sun Throne above silenced the chatter, allowing Family Head Song Yiming to continue:

"Currently, among these thirty billion Awakened members, those at Zero Rank (Spectral Shuttle) and First Rank (Spectral Airship) exceed twenty-nine billion."

"We have more than ninety million Second Rank Escort Captains and over eight million Third Rank Cruiser Captains. Furthermore, Fourth Rank Zhulu Warship Captains exceed seventy thousand, Fifth Rank Battleship Captains are over five thousand, Sixth Rank Fearless Ship Captains are nearing three hundred, and there are forty-six Star-Annihilating Starship Captains...."

Once Song Yiming finished disclosing the data, the crowd could no longer restrain themselves, and the hall erupted in exclamations.

Even those who had suspected the family was growing were left in a state of profound shock.

In a mere three hundred years, how could the family’s strength have more than doubled?

It could be said that compared to the thin foundation of three centuries ago, the Dragon Spine Song Family finally possessed a foundation barely sufficient to establish the Fifth Torch Empire.

While these gains were achieved by nearly draining the family’s thousand-year accumulation, everyone present understood that as long as the war against the Corpse Emperor Clan River System Group was successful, the resources spent over these three hundred years could be recovered tenfold or even a hundredfold.

Stopping the discussion before it went too long, Song Yiming spoke for the third time:

"Per the conclusions reached by the family ancestors, the family will mobilize over four hundred billion members for the upcoming war. This includes more than twenty billion Awakened members. The remaining ordinary members will be tasked with operating the Truth Mechanical Battle Stars, the Titan II Sky Fortress, and the Truth Mechanical Giant Beasts, as well as supporting operations with Moruo Space-Escape Mechs and Hellfire Mechs."

"Furthermore, our ally, the Big Dipper Seven Stars Hall, will provide a fleet of several hundred billion. Together, we will form the Fifth Expeditionary Fleet Group."

...

Song Yiming’s detailed briefing covered nearly every aspect of the coming war deployment.

To this, the two hundred core members in the hall offered no objections.

"Since there are no concerns, the assembly is dismissed. Everyone, ensure that the mobilization orders are quickly sent down to the grassroots of every branch. I expect no incidents during the fleet’s expedition ceremony in twenty years."

Song Yiming’s voice resonated through the Dragon Whale Hall, his words landing with the weight of a heavy hammer in the hearts of his listeners.

The core members wore grave expressions, yet their eyes burned with a fierce desire for battle.

The expedition ceremony in twenty years would be the Dragon Spine Song Family’s first major appearance on the stage of Torch Human Civilization since they were caught in a storm of public scrutiny; it was a matter of family honor.

After all, the Royal Fleets of the Four Great Empires would be in attendance, along with elite fleets from every major power under their rule. Whether the Song Family could display enough power during this ceremony to justify the founding of the Fifth Torch Empire was of paramount importance.

With that, Song Yiming concluded the meeting without further delay.

As the family members began to depart, Song Chi’s projection remained behind.

He stood in a corner of the hall, watching the others leave as a deep light flickered in his eyes.

At that moment, Song Xuanfeng walked over:

"Little Chi, regarding the trials for that new batch of carriers..."

"Follow me." Without wasting words, Song Chi swept his hand, tearing open a rift in space.

The two of them stepped through the rift and vanished.

When they reappeared, they were inside the Dragon Spine Secret Realm.

Floating in the sky of the secret realm were five massive mechanical carriers.

Explorer-class Deep Space Carrier