From the Flower-Fairy Federal Tribes and the Stone Kingdom earlier, to the Luohe Principality now:
these were the trees Zhao Chen had planted one by one, which in future could shade the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire from sun and rain, while the fruit they bore could nourish the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire too.
Some might say that, planted like this, the enjoying of it would have to wait a long time.
Zhao Chen believed the saying: the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago; the next best is now.
So even knowing that the time when this rich harvest could truly be enjoyed would come long, long afterward, Zhao Chen would not hesitate in the least.
If only, before long, they could give the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire the least bit of help in its war with the Devourer Civilization, or even with Order,
it would mean nothing Zhao Chen was putting in now had been wasted.
"And after that, the second phase is due to be finished in half a year. The third phase is due to be finished in a year; the third-phase building plan extends somewhat on what was discussed before. And though we haven't signed a fourth-phase building plan yet, we've left room to work with on that front too. If it's needed in future, a fourth-phase building plan can be built," Lilith explained carefully.
Zhao Chen nodded with satisfaction, looking at a dragon-pattern dot marked on the star map of the Luohe Principality.
This was where the special development zone lay: a small star system near the Luohe capital star system, poor in resources and seldom visited,
yet very well suited for setting up a special development zone.
And control of this special development zone would be held directly by the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire; a cross-universe star gate would also be built here, linking straight to the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire.
"Then has the plan for the Luohe Principality's outward expansion been settled?" Zhao Chen looked at the two video windows beside him.
In the two video windows kept connected were Marshal Leona, supreme commander of the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion Fleet Group, and her deputy commander, Zhong Xiaoyun.
Marshal Leona said, "On my side things are going very smoothly. The Giant-Fang Siren Carefree King we're backing now has full control of the Giant-Fang Siren tribes, and is expanding outward with our help. Because the Carefree King had good connections to begin with, the policy is courtesy first, then force; though the powers to be shown 'courtesy' are picked out too, and those that aren't suitable naturally don't get that privilege. And basically the interstellar powers shown 'courtesy' all respect the Carefree King's character, and are willing to ally with him. The Carefree King has now set up an interstellar power called the 'Giant-Fang Federation,' controlling three star regions, and is sending troops against two more. We expect that within the next three months, the Giant-Fang Federation's territory will reach across ten star regions, a third of the whole Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe."
When Marshal Leona had finished,
Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun added at once, "The development plan we've drawn up for the Luohe Principality on our side leans more toward military conquest. After all, the Luohe Principality has only just been founded, and doesn't have the Carefree King's connections or the benefit of his public image. It can only make the interstellar powers around it submit through strong military force. Add to that, the Luohe Principality's own military strength is rather weak at present, and it needs a little time to develop. By our arrangements, within the next three months the territory the Luohe Principality controls will expand to three star regions. And at that point we'll make an opportunity for the Luohe Principality and the Carefree King's Giant-Fang Federation to join openly, announcing to the outside the founding of a North-South Alliance, which will then become the largest alliance power in the Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe. After that, expanding will be a good deal easier. We expect that within half a year at most we can control over nine-tenths of the Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe's interstellar territory!"
Marshal Leona nodded beside her, both their faces showing confidence.
Half a year.
That was a good deal shorter than Zhao Chen and Lilith had expected.
For of the three universes in Charlotte's charge, the Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe, with the largest territory and its peculiar civil strife besides, had seemed to them likely to take the most time of all.
They had never imagined that, under Marshal Leona and Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun, the time could be cut to half a year.
That was quite astonishing.
"Very good. After this I'll leave here to inspect the other universes. The affairs of the Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe are wholly in your two hands. If anything comes up, decide for yourselves; if you need support, find a way to get word to the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire; once we receive a call for help, we'll provide help in the shortest time!" Zhao Chen said.
"Yes," Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun answered.
Marshal Leona raised her head confidently and said, "Your Majesty, set your mind at rest. Half a year from now, I promise you: even if you want the whole Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe flying our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's Owl Dragon banner, it'll be no problem."
Seeing how confident Marshal Leona was,
Zhao Chen said, unable to keep from laughing, "Very well; I'll wait for your good news."
When the brief discussion was over,
Zhao Chen received a request for communication from the Luohe Principality's capital planet.
It took no thought to know it was from that Queen of Luohe.
Queen Leng Yun had warmly invited the Owl Dragon Emperor to this banquet before too.
But Zhao Chen had declined; since he had chosen to keep a low profile and not show himself in public for now, there was no need at all for Zhao Chen to attend.
Had he gone, the two who knew who he was would have been ill at ease too.
Better to stay here himself and not disturb their feast.
"Put it through." Thinking this, Zhao Chen spoke.
The video window opened.
On the other side was a room, with two people in the video window:
Queen Leng Yun and Marshal Leng Qian.
"Congratulations, both of you," Zhao Chen said with a smile.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." The two bowed respectfully together.
Zhao Chen nodded slightly; these two were still very clever, and knew their place.
They were neither restless nor puffed up; they knew very well how they had come by all they had now.
"I didn't attend your banquet, but I still congratulate you here on founding the Luohe Principality anew. I believe that in the not-distant future your Luohe Principality will grow stronger and stronger," Zhao Chen said with a smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Nor will we forget the help the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire and you gave our Luohe Principality when it needed it most. Our Luohe Principality will forever be the most loyal ally and partner of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire and of you," Queen Leng Yun said solemnly.
Zhao Chen nodded slightly, and said nothing more to this.
Promises like this were things to hear and no more; what mattered most afterward was what the people concerned actually did.
Zhao Chen did not mind either way; if this proxy proved unsuitable, at worst he would simply change her for another when the time came.
"As for the direction and affairs of the Luohe Principality's future development, I trust Secretary-Officer Lilith and Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun have already sent you the relevant documents. I'll be leaving here shortly. In matters here, Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun will represent me with full authority. She'll help you carry out these plans," Zhao Chen said.
When Queen Leng Yun and Marshal Leng Qian heard the Owl Dragon Emperor was leaving, they were somewhat surprised, yet at the same time somewhat relieved; their feelings were very mixed.
Personally, they naturally hoped the great Owl Dragon Emperor could stay here a while longer.
The Owl Dragon Emperor was a man of great personal charm.
But from where they stood, if someone like the Owl Dragon Emperor, standing at the top of the pyramid, stayed in the Luohe Principality all the time,
the pressure on them would be very great.
They knew the Luohe Principality now followed the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire, but the Owl Dragon Emperor staying here long would mean his control over them would deepen.
That was what they did not want to see.
Anyone, naturally, hoped to be a little "freer."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. We'll work with Lieutenant General Zhong Xiaoyun to carry out the development plans quickly. We'll never drag on the Owl Dragon legion fleets!" Queen Leng Yun promised.
Marshal Leng Qian said seriously, "Our Luohe Principality will always welcome the Owl Dragon Emperor's visits, now or in future. Whenever Your Majesty the Owl Dragon Emperor has need, I, Leng Qian, am willing to lead the Luohe legion fleets across the rivers and seas of stars to your side, to become a sharp sword in your hand and fight for you!"
Zhao Chen nodded with a smile.
After a few more pleasantries, the call ended.
And Zhao Chen began preparing for his journey to inspect the next universe.
He took a last look at this Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe, and at the Luohe Principality.
When he came back here again in future,
it would most likely be another scene entirely!
Galactic Star Calendar 3039, year's end
It was the eve of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's third anniversary,
and nearly five months since the end of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's first campaign against the Devourer Civilization.
These five months had brought the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire a precious time to rest and refit.
Zhao Chen and the others had thought this time would last three months at most; they had not expected it to drag on all the way to five, with no move at all from the Devourer Civilization.
And word from the hidden watchers the Holy Elf Empire had placed was that the Devourer Civilization, apart from refitting its legion fleets without pause, had made no movements at all.
That puzzled Zhao Chen and the others all the more.
By rights, the Devourer Civilization, with its mighty industrial base, could, once it started its war machine, make good the interstellar warships it had lost in the first campaign in a very short time.
Three months was enough to restore half.
That was enough to launch a second offensive against the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire.
For anyone with eyes could see that the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire was growing at an astonishing speed; it could not be allowed to drag things out.
The longer it was dragged out, the less even a war machine like the Devourer Civilization could keep pace with the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's growth.
Puzzled as they were, none of the leads, intelligence or evidence they had obtained had made clear just what game the Devourer Civilization was playing.
They could only meet every change by holding still, and prepare for every possibility.
And in these five months, close to half a year,
the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire had grown astonishingly, both inside and out.
This was the inner-cycle and outer-cycle development of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire that Zhao Chen and the others had set out before; with these two paths of development,
walking on two feet was far faster than walking on one.
And the results were plain to see.
One after another, the Flower-Fairy Federal Tribes and the Stone Kingdom had fallen into Zhao Chen's grasp.
And the Cancer Interstellar Civilization Universe was as good as certain too.
The Mohadis Star Empire and the Fire-Sigil Interstellar Alliance, under Charlotte, were also going forward step by step in order.
And as it happened, the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's third anniversary had now arrived, and Zhao Chen had some matters to announce.
So he simply compressed everything into one point in time.
For this, Zhao Chen had specially recalled the senior figures stationed in several interstellar universes, Charlotte, Leona and others.
Zhao Chen had even secretly invited several senior figures of allied powers:
the Bailan Interstellar Trade Group's two golden flowers, Huaya Lanlan and Huaya Nini, who now held a weighty place among the Flower-Fairy Federal Tribes;
the Stone Kingdom's envoy; and the Luohe Principality's Queen and grand marshal, among others.
Because none of these had yet made their alliance with the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire public, they had all come under false identities at the invitation,
and would not appear at any public occasion, to make sure their identities were not exposed.
Some public banquets they would naturally not attend either.
But Zhao Chen would not neglect them; he had specially arranged for people to take them touring the Owl Dragon Star System, to let them feel the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's might for themselves.
This would stamp the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire deeper into their minds.
Afterward, a private reception banquet would also be held for them, to discuss some related matters as well.
In short,
Lilith had already presented Zhao Chen with a schedule that could be said to arrange the Owl Dragon Emperor's year's-end time neatly to the last minute.
"This much?" Zhao Chen looked at the schedule, almost as tall as he was, and said, at a loss for words.
And beside him were three children playing happily.
More than half a year had passed, and the three little children had grown a good deal; they could stand on the floor and play by themselves.
Zhao Chen had found a rare bit of time to spend with them.
It had to be said that what Zhao Chen felt he owed was these children.
Not only could he not be at their side for long; one could even say that, because of his own orders, they had not been near their own mother for nearly half a year.
"Can't this schedule be compressed a little more? So we can free up more time to be with the children?" Zhao Chen put his arm round Lilith's slender waist and said earnestly.
"The children are watching; keep your hands to yourself." Lilith glared at Zhao Chen.
In private, Lilith had a little less of the awe due the Owl Dragon Emperor, and more of a wife's feeling for her husband.
The longer it went on, the deeper that feeling grew.
"Don't you want to spend more time with the children too?" Zhao Chen looked at Lilith teasingly.
Lilith was lost for words for a moment.
To say she did not want to spend more time with them would be a lie, plainly.
The three children were at an innocent, carefree age; being at their side was naturally the best thing there was.
But now… for now……
Lilith drew a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I've already set aside time each month for us to be with the three children. And Charlotte will be back soon; she hasn't seen the children for nearly half a year. In the time ahead, Charlotte can perfectly well be with the children. And we have our own work to do!"
Zhao Chen clutched his head, looking thoroughly fed up.
Had that fellow Order appeared before Zhao Chen just then, Zhao Chen would surely have shown it why the flowers bloom so red!
All because of that damned existence, which had shattered his fine life and put off his retirement plan indefinitely.
Damned bastard!
Just then his eldest daughter, Zhao Baier, came over, tugged at the hem of Zhao Chen's clothes with her tender little hand, and said in a milky little voice, "Daddy, you go… go do your things. Baier will look after little brother and little sister. Mommy said Daddy is a very, very busy person, with very great things to do. When these things are done, Daddy can rest and be with us. We won't hold Daddy and Mommy back. Daddy and Mommy just go and do what you have to do."
Zhao Chen looked in astonishment at the little girl saying these words in her tender voice, scarcely able to believe it.
He crouched down and looked his eldest daughter in the eye.
His eldest daughter was trying to put on a brave face, but Zhao Chen still saw the sadness she was trying to hide in the depths of her eyes.
"Baier, who taught you to say this?" Zhao Chen asked.
He knew his children were clever, but some things, if no one taught her, she could not have come to understand so fast.
Zhao Baier went on in her milky voice, "Mommy said some things to me before. She said she had to do some very great things for Daddy, and for more than half a year she might not be able to be with us. She said I'm the biggest child, and I have to take on looking after little brother and little sister. Mommy said you're very busy now so that later you can be with us all the time. So little brother and little sister and I are willing to wait at home for Daddy and Mommy and Godmother to come back. We'll be very good, very obedient, and never make the aunties cross."
Seeing her so understanding at so young an age,
Zhao Chen felt his heart pierced through by countless thorns.
He was not a responsible father, nor even a responsible husband,
not even giving his children the most basic company.
Zhao Chen stepped forward and swept Zhao Baier into his arms.
Seeing this, Zhao Hu and Zhao Liler, beside them, though they did not understand what was happening, still opened their arms, asking Daddy for a hug.[1]
"All right; it's time to go and do what we have to do." Lilith patted Zhao Chen on the shoulder; she could not bear doing this either.
But there was no avoiding it.
It was something they had to face now.
Zhao Chen took a look at the three children.
Zhao Baier, holding a child by each hand, smiled at Zhao Chen, but her small eyes held mixed feelings.
Zhao Chen drew a deep breath, turned and left.
Seeing Zhao Chen leave, the youngest daughter, Zhao Liler, reached out without thinking to catch hold of her father.
"Daddy… Daddy……" Tender sounds came from her mouth.
At the sound of the call, Zhao Chen paused, then quickened his steps again.
Zhao Baier went over and hugged her little sister, comforting her: "Daddy and your mommy are going to do important things; when they've done them, they'll be with us."
Zhao Hu, beside them, clenched his fists, but tears were already running from the corners of his eyes.
"Mommy said I'm a man, and a man can't cry. I can't cry……"
……
Zhao Chen did not know what happened behind him, nor did he dare to look.
Leaving the mansion, Zhao Chen and Lilith boarded the shuttle that had long been waiting and flew away from the planet.
This planet was a habitable world specially remade, prepared for dependents of the Owl Dragon Legion like Zhao Baier.
The shuttle lifted off.
Zhao Chen looked at this beautiful planet; there were many beautiful buildings on it, but little trace of technology to be seen.
That was because Zhao Chen wanted these children, in their early years, to be in touch more with nature, and to have this memory, so rare in the interstellar age.
The shuttle left the surface and entered space.
There the Dragon Emperor Interstellar Command Ship had long been waiting.
He went back to the bridge of the Dragon Emperor Interstellar Command Ship.
When Zhao Chen sat down in the captain's chair, he was back in his working state.
He opened his schedule; it covered close to a month of work,
from this year's end to the beginning of next year.
First came a summing-up of the development and present state of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire this year, and of the interstellar universes' powers the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire now controlled, and the setting of the direction of development for the coming year, and so on.
At the same time, Zhao Chen would for the first time receive the proxies from other interstellar civilizations' universes and powers whom the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire had backed.
All told, this would take about five days.
After that came the third-anniversary celebration at year's end, grander than the second anniversary had been.
The celebration was mainly in three parts.
The first part was honoring the officers, scientists and civil staff who had distinguished themselves in the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire over the past year.
The second part was the whole New Year ceremony; besides the New Year rites, Zhao Chen, as Owl Dragon Emperor, would also make a five-day tour of inspection this time, visiting every part of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire.
The third part was, at the beginning of next January, formally starting the new year's development plans, while Zhao Chen, with his ability in technology, wrote the coming year's direction and outline of development for the Imperial Military Industry Research Institute.
The time for this part was not yet fixed.
That was roughly the three stages.
Having read it through,
Zhao Chen scratched his head and could not help sighing that being an Emperor truly was not easy; even with his skill at leaving things to others honed to perfection, there was still no small amount of work he had to handle himself.
There was no escaping it.
"Can't it be cut down a bit more?" Zhao Chen looked at Lilith beside him.
Lilith shrugged and said calmly, "This is the schedule drawn up after the Secretariat cut it down as far as it possibly could. Otherwise, with anyone else in your place, it wouldn't take one month. All told, it would likely take three months to deal with everything."
Zhao Chen covered his face helplessly.
Since he knew there was no avoiding it,
Zhao Chen could only resign himself and say, "Then we'll go by this schedule."