His deep blue Senior Colonel service uniform was impeccably straight, as if cut by a blade, and beneath the brim of his military cap, his gaze calmly looked straight ahead.
Facing the roaring crowds and cameras, his face showed no trace of excitement or nervousness, only a quiet composure tempered by the fires of war.
Sunlight fell upon the star insignia on his shoulders and the ribbons on his chest, reflecting a cold yet glorious light.
Behind his vehicle, several slightly smaller hover platform vehicles of the same model were lined up in sequence.
Standing on them were the core officers of the "Pluto" Fleet who had come to receive collective commendation.
Deputy Commander Zhuang ZhiXuan, as well as the commanders of each sub-fleet and distinguished department heads.
They too were dressed in military uniforms, standing tall and proud.
Though not as eye-catching as Qin Bei Wang, their faces—some young, some mature, yet all bearing the marks of battlefield hardships—similarly embodied undeniable strength and honor.
The cheers of the crowd reached an unprecedented crescendo.
"Lieutenant Colonel Qin! Look! It's Lieutenant Colonel Qin!"
"Those behind him must be his officers, right? They're all outstanding!"
"This grandeur! So impressive! This is how our Federation's heroes should be!"
Amidst the fluttering confetti and the lingering echoes of deafening salutes, the hover platform vehicle carrying Qin Bei Wang came to a steady halt directly in front of the ceremonial stage.
He raised his right hand and gave a standard, crisp military salute—to the general on the stage, to his colleagues around him, and to the countless excited citizens in the square.
Qin Bei Wang, Zhuang ZhiXuan, and the other core officers, under the focus of countless eyes and cameras, steadily ascended the ceremonial stage and stood solemnly in a row at their designated positions.
Behind them stood the silent hero's monument; before them, the seething, ocean-like crowd.
The navy general with six stars on his shoulders returned to the microphone, and the waves of sound in the square gradually subsided, leaving only excited breaths and expectant silence.
The general's gaze slowly swept across the stage before finally settling on Qin Bei Wang's young yet resolute face.
He cleared his throat, and his voice spread to every corner of the square through the amplification system:
"In recognition of the indisputable and outstanding merits established by Lieutenant Colonel Qin Bei Wang and the 'Pluto' Fleet under his command during the Savannah Campaign.
Upon submission by the Wanshi Star Sector Theater Command, deliberation by the Federal Joint Staff, and final approval by the Supreme Command—"
He paused slightly, creating a solemn suspense.
"Qin Bei Wang is hereby formally promoted to the military rank of Senior Colonel in the Federal Navy."
"And appointed as the inaugural commander of the Pluto Rapid Maneuver Strike Group (Mothership Fleet Structure)."
A wave of applause, anticipated yet still awe-inspiring, erupted from below the stage.
A twenty-two-year-old carrier fleet commander had already broken Federation historical records.
But the general was not finished.
He raised his hand slightly, signaling for quiet, his expression growing even more solemn.
"However, the aforementioned promotion and appointment are still insufficient to fully match the glorious military achievements accomplished by Senior Colonel Qin Bei Wang—achievements significant enough to influence the strategic landscape."
His voice suddenly rose, each word ringing like the clash of metal and stone.
"By unanimous resolution of the Federal Supreme Command's special session..."
"Senior Colonel Qin Bei Wang is hereby awarded one of the Federation's highest military honors..."
"The Planetary Medal!"
"Whoosh—!!!"
If the previous applause was like waves, then what erupted from every corner of the square at this moment was a completely uncontrollable tsunami!
Countless people instantly widened their eyes, gaped, their expressions frozen in utter shock and disbelief.
The Planetary Medal!
It was one of the symbols at the very pinnacle of the Federation's military honor system!
Its rarity even surpassed what many military stars could hope to achieve in a lifetime of struggle!
It represented not only supreme glory but also an astonishing, tangible privilege!
According to the Federation's "Interstellar Expansion and Meritorious Service Compensation Act," any Federal citizen (typically only military personnel) awarded the "Planetary Medal" would have priority in selecting and obtaining permanent ownership of a natural planet (or a planetary body of equivalent volume and mass) in any new star system explored and confirmed safe by the Federation in the future!
That was an entire planet!
Even the smallest, relatively resource-poor rocky planet.
Its intrinsic value, combined with its potential for mining, colonization, and scientific research, was often valued in the Federation's assessment system at tens or even hundreds of billions of Star Credits!
Moreover, it was a genuine strategic asset—something that could not necessarily be bought with money!
Historically, recipients of this medal were invariably Marshals or Generals who had performed unparalleled feats in grand wars that decided the fate of the Federation.
Or legendary explorers who had made immense sacrifices to discover and explore crucial new star domains for the Federation.
When they received the medal, they were often already accomplished and gray-haired.
But now, it was being awarded to a twenty-two-year-old youth!
A young officer who had graduated from the military academy just a few months ago!
"The... Planetary Medal?
Did I hear that right?!"
"Has the Supreme Command gone mad?
How old is he?!"
"A planet... My heavens... Does that mean Senior Colonel Qin will become... a planetary lord from now on?!"
"The youngest recipient before this was probably Marshal Kalon over three hundred years ago, and he was nearly fifty when he received the medal!
Twenty-two years old... This..."
Awe, ecstasy, envy, disbelief... a tumult of complex emotions spread and collided wildly among the crowd.
Media recording platforms frantically adjusted their focus, zooming in on Qin Bei Wang's face.
Everyone wanted to see the reaction of this youngest-ever recipient of the "Planetary Medal," who was about to own his own planet.
Even Qin Bei Wang himself experienced a momentary blank in his mind the instant he heard the words "Planetary Medal."
He had anticipated the promotion, the fleet expansion, and even the possibility of a high-level military merit medal.
According to Federation conventions, something like the "Meteorite Medal" was already an extremely high honor.
But he never expected the Supreme Command to make such a grand gesture, bypassing all intermediate steps.
They had placed this "Planetary Medal," representing the ultimate dream and tangible benefit for a soldier, directly upon his head.
A planet...
Even with his steady temperament and life-and-death experiences, his heart skipped a beat at this moment. A surge of emotions—a mix of absurdity, shock, and a hidden, burning intensity—rose uncontrollably within him.
It meant unimaginable wealth, resources, independence... and responsibility.
Beside him, Zhuang Zhixuan, usually composed and aloof, couldn't hide her astonishment. She instinctively turned her head to look at Qin Beiwang.
The other officers behind them were almost petrified, their eyes vacant, as if unable to believe what they had just heard.
Just as Qin Beiwang's mind was still slightly unsettled by the weight of the Planetary Medal, not yet fully composed—
The admiral on the stage did not immediately conclude the ceremony.
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