"Hammer of Morning Star's" purification strike, which transcended conventional understanding, fully revealed its effects within minutes after the silvery-blue light swept across Jade Stone Star. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The Bug Race's bio-signals on the planet were completely erased from all detectors, along with the network of energy conduits deep within the crust, as if they never existed.

The geological structure of the planet remained stable, leaving only the physical scars of war.

Meanwhile, the main fleet of the Bug Race outside the Aisera Star System seemed to receive the signal that the core node was completely "erased."

After a brief chaotic moment, as if they had lost command, the dozen or so giant bio-ships resembling living asteroid began to slowly, yet uniformly, withdraw from contact with the United Fleet of the Star Alliance, retreating to the outer regions of the star system and even deeper into space.

Their retreat was not a rout but a coldly rational strategic contraction, leaving behind a battlefield full of wreckage and drifting debris.

The United Fleet of the Star Alliance did not pursue.

They too had suffered heavy losses, needing time to lick their wounds, evaluate the battle results, and redeploy defenses to guard against a possible resurgence of the Bug Race.

The crisis of the Aisera Star System was temporarily resolved in a manner that no one had anticipated.

With the retreat of the Bug Race fleet, the allied command and the participating teams began to consolidate battle results, tally losses, and conduct preliminary mission evaluations.

The evaluation group within the alliance quickly reached a preliminary opinion on the performance of the eight participating squads.

The Bauhinia Republic, Holy Silver Church Country, Flame Republic, and five other squads, despite encountering varying degrees of difficulty, basically completed their assigned core task objectives or achieved significant tactical results during the process.

Their scores varied but generally met expectations with little controversy.

Only the evaluation of the New Bauhinia Republic team sparked intense disagreement.

One viewpoint argued that the White Calamity Squad failed to independently destroy or successfully guide strikes to eliminate the "primary nest prototype" within the specified time frame as required by the mission.

Although they made great contributions in evacuating civilians early on, the core mission was eventually completed by leveraging ancient technology on the "Old Bell" satellite, which deviated significantly from the original evaluation framework.

Moreover, their activation of the relic was full of unknowns and irreproducibility, not meeting the Star Alliance's requirement for "assessable, verifiable" battle achievements.

According to established standards, their second phase mission might even be classified as "incomplete" or "completed with significant external aid beyond the timeframe."

The opposing viewpoint was equally confrontational.

They claimed that the White Calamity Squad faced threats vastly exceeding the mission briefing's estimates, even surpassing the Star Alliance's conventional strike capabilities.

Not only did they save millions of civilians in dire straits, but also at the desperate moment when conventional allied means failed and the entire star system faced downfall, they found the key to the predicament with their own abilities, ultimately resolving a world-annihilating threat that even the United Fleet was helpless against.

This adaptability, decisiveness, and strategic success are far more valuable than mere "task completion level."

They not only exceeded the task but arguably saved the entire Aisera Star System's operation.

"There's no point in continued debate," said the presiding commander of the alliance, the old general from the Steel Alliance, knocking on the table tiredly yet decisively.

"The performance of the New Bauhinia Squad... is too unique, beyond our current evaluation system. Compile all their combat records, including rescue operations on Jade Stone Star, reconnaissance reports on the primary nest, analysis of failed orbital strikes, and the complete process of activating ancient weapons on the 'Old Bell' satellite into a detailed, non-subjective report, along with our dispute opinions, and submit it to the Star Alliance's highest competition committee and security council. Let the Star Alliance's leadership decide the final evaluation."

This decision effectively threw the matter to the Star Alliance.

It avoided continued pointless arguing within the alliance and adhered to procedure.

When Catherine learned through the recorder channel about the internal alliance dispute regarding their score and the final processing of "submission to the Star Alliance decision," she reported it to Bai E.

Bai E was meditating in the rest cabin of "Dawn Light."

The continuous high-intensity battles and the enormous burden endured during the final activation of "Hammer of Morning Star" made him feel some mental fatigue.

After hearing Catherine's report, Bai E slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and unperturbed, yet a hint of understanding and indifference passed through him.

"Scoring... the Star Alliance's decision..." he repeated softly, shaking his head.

The civilians on Jade Stone Star, abandoned in shelters, watching their own forces withdraw...

The so-called "big picture" considerations that insisted on executing strike orders despite potential planetary disaster before evacuation was complete...

The "elite" squads, human like them but indifferent to assistance requests for evacuation...

And now, the rigid and calculating "evaluation standards" not forgotten even in assessing merits...

Is this the Star Alliance?

The most representative human coalition in the Milky Way?

It might be powerful, might possess the function of upholding Order and resisting external enemies.

But within its core logic, individual life, especially the lives of "civilians," are mere variables that can be weighed, sacrificed, or even ignored in the face of "strategy," "big picture," and "scoring standards."

It resembles a vast bureaucratic and military complex dominated by major powers, operating based on interests and rules, rather than the vaguely imagined altruistic organization protecting all humans and countering all threats.

Is joining such an organization truly meaningful?

Following its rules, competing for its scores, pursuing its recognition and status...

Then what?

Become a part of its vast machinery, and in the next crisis, watch it make similar decisions for the "big picture"?

No, that's not what he wants.

"Don't worry about their scoring and decisions," Bai E said to Catherine and the team gathering around, "We did what we believed was right, saved those we could save, eliminated threats that needed to be eliminated. That's enough. Recognition from the Star Alliance is no longer that important to us."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an unprecedented clarity and determination.

He gazed at the deep cosmic expanse beyond the window, where endless unknowns and challenges persisted.

"From now on, we'll develop our home in our own way, face our own threats. The Star Alliance... let it be a distant existence."