Origin Chapter Twelve: Immense Sacrifice, Relocation of the Base, Reunion of Brothers

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The trembling lasted only a few seconds before calm returned once more.
Los turned, astonished, to look at Deputy Qin.
Qin raised his palm and gently pressed it downward, signaling Minister Los and Zagumo not to panic. He then said, “This shaking has occurred many times recently. Although we haven’t yet pinpointed the cause, nothing unusual has happened afterward. The matter of the increase in cosmic energy that Lian Ping previously mentioned may be related to this, but we must wait for more information from him.”
At this moment, Los recalled that both Lian Ping and Li Ji Mo had indeed mentioned the dramatic fluctuations in cosmic energy. Since there was no clear explanation for it now, it was best to let the General and Lian Ping investigate further before worrying. With that, he set aside his anxiety.
The banquet was held with great ceremony. All key leaders currently present at the base were in attendance.
A few crisp taps on a glass rang out above the low murmur of the gathering, instantly silencing the crowd. Everyone turned toward the source, the round platform at the center of the hall.
At that moment, some of the higher-ups found their eyes brimming with tears, emotion streaming down their faces.
The General stood upright in his military uniform, his bearing as resolute and upright as ever—the very image of the heroic figure they had seen days before. With a new body, his presence was even more robust than before, lacking the distinctive stubble he once bore, and appearing youthfully renewed. Aside from that, he had changed little.
In his left hand, the General held a wine glass, while his right hand tapped it lightly with a small spoon, the delicate chime ringing out again.
Suddenly, someone began to applaud. In the next instant, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall. Everyone’s hands reddened with excitement, expressing not only their deep respect but also their joyous welcome at the hero’s return. In those perilous days, they had nearly lost the very soul who had led them into a new era. The General’s desperate gamble had pushed risk to its utmost; not only was his own survival uncertain, but he had anticipated a terrible cost in civilian lives. This had made him hesitate long and hard over whether to proceed. Yet, for the sake of countless billions, he had steeled himself to make that sacrifice.
Had the General chosen to escape or disappear, the Empire’s nobility and treacherous officials would have hunted them with even greater ferocity and imposed even harsher martial law. More brutal political means would have been used to crush the General and his supporters, enforcing a reign of terror to maintain their grip on power.
A quick, sharp pain was better than a prolonged one. When the dust settled, he would find a way to make amends. At that moment, he made his decision. He strode resolutely to the execution ground, was sentenced and killed before the eyes of his supporters by the Empire’s villains. This act ignited the people’s fury, triggering a massacre in the Empire’s capital square that exceeded all predictions. The military and police crackdown and civilian casualties numbered tens of times more than anticipated. From the moment the General learned of these events, he had been tormented, his staff wracked with guilt. But the General bore the burden alone, comforting everyone, insisting that the plan be carried out and the sacrifice not be wasted.
Gradually, the applause faded, and at that moment, the General too, overcome with emotion and memories, could not help but shed tears.
When he heard the silence, the General handed the small spoon to a nearby officer, drew a handkerchief from his pocket, and gently wiped his eyes. Then, lifting his half-filled glass high, he looked around and declared, “This first toast I dedicate to those who bravely fell in the square. Let us observe a moment of silence for them.”
With that, he drained his glass, and everyone present did likewise, closing their eyes and standing in somber prayer for the dead and wounded.
The silence was neither short nor long. Custom dictated a certain form for such moments, but in the face of such massive loss, no one found it easy. None among them were cold-blooded killers. Even a hardened soldier like Chen Pi, who had felled countless foes, could not countenance slaughtering civilians.
The General was right: what’s done is done. There was no turning back. Only by completing the plan could they bring justice to the fallen. For the sake of freedom and to prevent greater bloodshed, they would grit their teeth and press forward, not wallow in self-pity.
“Friends, for our lofty dreams and aspirations, let us empty this glass as well…” The General poured himself another, raised it, and after a glance around, drank it down in one go.
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Everyone followed suit, raising their glasses and drinking the second toast.
…
Now the General raised a third glass, but this time he did not speak immediately. He looked at everyone with a grave expression, as if about to announce something of great importance.
“Lian Ping, come up here…”
He beckoned to Lian Ping, who stood not far away. Lian Ping, holding his glass, strode quickly to the General’s side and stepped up onto the dais.
“General, you should be the one to speak…” Lian Ping turned to him and raised his glass slightly.
The General considered for a moment, then said, “Very well, I’ll make the announcement.”
“Everyone, you’re all aware of the many unusual events at the base recently. The main cause is the increasing instability of energy fluctuations. According to Elder Li and the research department, our base is likely to face even greater problems in the near future. The research department has already conducted assessments and analyses. There is a high probability of an energy collapse in the short term, and they have made recommendations. These will be distributed to all departments—there’s no need to go into detail now. But I must inform you of an important decision: based on the above findings and Lian Ping’s significant discovery, we have just convened an emergency meeting of the highest level. The decision is as follows: all department heads must read the analysis report thoroughly within five hours. In five hours, a plenary session will be held to coordinate the organization of each department and their cooperation in the base relocation plan. In fifteen days, preparations for relocation must be complete. After that, most of the base’s infrastructure will be moved to the ancient starship base discovered by Lian Ping. At the same time, the implementation of the Empire’s Light Project will be accelerated. Orders will soon be issued by the command.”
After the General finished speaking, Lian Ping supplemented the orders: “Everyone, our time is short. We must split our forces. The Special Operations Division and the Department of Transformation are to begin preliminary planning immediately.”
He glanced at the heads of those two departments and continued, “Director Kuang and Minister Tang, orders for you will come from me. Please accompany me to command after this to receive your specific directives.”
Upon hearing this, both Director Kuang and Minister Tang saluted Lian Ping and replied in unison, “Yes, sir!”
…
Lian Ping now looked around and finally saw Minister Los. He instinctively nudged the General in the side.
The General, prompted by this, looked in the direction Lian Ping indicated and saw Minister Los and Deputy Qin standing at a distance, smiling at them. The General smiled in return, nodded slightly to Minister Los, and beckoned for them to come over.
Minister Los and Deputy Qin, seeing the General’s invitation, excused themselves from the others and made their way to his side.
The General pulled Minister Los up onto the dais, then tapped his glass again. The crowd, who had been quietly chatting in the aftermath of his earlier speech, fell silent and looked up. Some now noticed a new face beside the General—few recognized Minister Los.
“Everyone, standing beside me is my benefactor, Mr. Los. I won’t go into detail for now, but he is a man I deeply respect, like an elder brother. Very soon, Mr. Los will join us in our struggle to create a new world of freedom and peace.”
The General smiled at Minister Los and continued, “It’s a pity I can’t answer more of your questions tonight. For other matters, let Director Kuang explain them to you at a more appropriate time.”
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With that, the General turned back to the others. “In fact, tonight’s banquet is also a farewell for Mr. Los. We look forward to his return. Let’s give him a warm send-off…”
As soon as his words fell, the hall erupted into enthusiastic applause.
Minister Los nodded in gratitude to all directions and simply said, “Thank you, everyone!”
He understood that the General had deliberately refrained from revealing his identity. At the same time, he knew it was not the time to say more. The base was facing enormous changes, and everyone had urgent matters to attend to. He, too, needed to return to the Empire’s Central Star to assist in the next phase of the plan. Though he did not yet know how he would fit into these plans, he understood that this was the greatest and most righteous undertaking of his life.
After signaling for everyone to move about freely, the General took Minister Los by the hand and slowly led him to a quieter corner. As they walked, the General apologized, “Old friend Los, forgive me for not being a better host. There’s so much I can’t share with you yet, including the matter of that family on Konai. I’ll explain it to you another time.”
Los, feeling deeply transformed by what he had just experienced, responded with the open-heartedness of his younger days. He laughed aloud, “Ha! There’s no need to say more now—I understand a great deal already. I’ll do all I can to support the coming plans. Let’s work together to give the people a new world of freedom and peace!”
After this bold declaration, Los suddenly looked at the General with deep affection, then patted his shoulder. “My child, at this point, if I’m not mistaken, the family on Konai is your own, and you are the brother I’ve missed day and night—Jiajun, isn’t that so?”
Before he finished, tears welled up in Minister Los’s eyes. He no longer cared whether the General would confirm it. He had worried about this family for decades, unable to confide in anyone, bearing the weight in silence into his twilight years.
The General, hearing Los’s words, stood rooted to the spot, silent. He tilted his head back, took a long, deep breath, then suddenly embraced Minister Los, tears streaming down his face. “Brother, forgive me for not recognizing you sooner…”
Los did not press the General for the hardships he had endured—there was no need to reopen old wounds. Now that the brothers were reunited, nothing else mattered.
(What had happened on Konai?
Why was it that even such powerful figures as the General and Minister Los dared not reveal the secret?)
Deputy Qin, having witnessed the reunion, was moved and quietly withdrew, dismissing those nearby to give the brothers privacy.
Lian Ping, who had intended to ask the General for leave, was stopped by Deputy Qin and, after hearing his explanation, left with a smile—genuinely happy for the General.
Everything was being prepared in a flurry of activity. What awaited was not merely a storm, but the hope of clear skies after the rain.
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