Chapter 00074: Fame Before Arrival
# Fame Before Arrival
Chapter 74
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 74: Fame Before Arrival
In the Human Corridor Defense Line, within the Hall of Merits.
Commander Hu Jiatian stood up, his voice heavy with emotion.
"This beast tide was far more formidable than any we've faced before. None of us, including myself, anticipated its scale. If it weren't for the timely arrival of our reinforcements from Huaxia, our defense line might still be embroiled in a desperate struggle, and the outcome would have been uncertain..."
Hearing this, all those who had rushed to support today instinctively straightened their backs.
They had witnessed the danger firsthand.
As the commander had said, had they not arrived in time, the consequences for the defense line would have been dire.
Fang Chong sensed that he might be awarded an international Star Protector rank, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
Commander Hu's voice continued, "However, our defense forces suffered heavy casualties this time. The number of officers and soldiers who lost their lives reached three thousand six hundred and twenty-one. They gave their lives for the Human Corridor Defense Line, and they did so with honor, both for humanity and for Earth. We will not forget them, nor will we forget their families. Now, let us observe ten minutes of silence for these brave souls who fell defending the Human Corridor Defense Line."
With that, Commander Hu removed his hat and bowed his head in silent tribute.
Everyone in the hall stood and followed suit, their heads bowed in solemn respect.
Though such moments of silence occurred every few days in the Human Corridor Defense Line, the weight of it never lessened.
Everyone knew that the next time, it could be them being mourned.
No one here took this lightly; each person sincerely bid farewell to their fallen comrades.
In their hearts, they hoped that when their time came, someone would honor them with the same sincerity.
After ten minutes, Commander Hu spoke again, his voice clear and strong.
"Please, everyone, take your seats."
Once everyone was seated, Commander Hu continued, "Because our brave defenders of the Human Corridor Defense Line face danger every day, we ensure that their merits are recognized without delay. If our heroes had to wait even a single night to receive their rewards, it would be a failure on our part as leaders. Now, I invite our First War Commander, Zheng Fang, to present the awards."
The hall erupted into enthusiastic applause.
On the battlefield, all achievements were recorded by monitoring equipment.
After the battle, an automated system would calculate the merits, and the results were almost always accurate, with only the slightest margin of error.
Zheng Fang stood up, his voice filled with passion.
"First, I want to say thank you. As the First War Commander, I have faced countless dangers on the Human Corridor Defense Line and fought against ferocious beasts more times than I can count. But today's situation was unlike anything I had ever encountered. At one point, I couldn't think of a better solution. Even if we had detonated a nuclear bomb, sacrificing ourselves along with the beasts, it wouldn't have solved the problem. If it weren't for the three hundred-plus elite warriors from Huaxia who came to our aid today, as Commander Hu said, our defense line would have been in grave danger. So, I want to thank not only all the defenders of the line but also the brave warriors who came to support us today."
With that, Zheng Fang bowed deeply, and the hall once again filled with thunderous applause.
When the applause subsided, Zheng Fang continued, "After expressing my gratitude, I must also express my joy and relief, for we have a new generation of heroes rising among us. Today, several young talents emerged on the front lines, turning the tide of battle and allowing us to repel the beast tide. Now, allow me to present these outstanding young individuals with the honors they have earned."
Everyone in the hall watched Zheng Fang with anticipation, eager to learn who these rising stars were.
"The top achiever in this beast tide defense is Qu Yi, from Yiling City, invited by the Security Bureau—" Zheng Fang deliberately drew out Qu Yi's name, causing the hall to erupt in excitement and applause.
"Qu Yi, in a short span of time, used her martial skills to slay four hundred and ninety-one gene-enhanced beasts and rescue three hundred and thirteen people. Her unstoppable assault led the charge in dismantling the gene beasts' plot, successfully defending the Human Corridor Defense Line. I hereby award Qu Yi the International Star Protector rank, two stars, along with three Qi Stones, one million Alliance credits, and a Star Steel Blade."
Hearing this, everyone's eyes filled with envy.
They didn't know who Qu Yi was, but the rewards were undeniably lavish.
One million Alliance credits was enough to achieve financial freedom—what couldn't you buy with that? Yet, it was the least valuable part of the reward.
Don't underestimate the two-star rank.
As of now, the highest rank in the Human Corridor Defense Line was four stars, held by only one person.
Most recipients held only one star.
The Star Protector rank was the hardest to obtain.
A two-star rank was priceless.
With a Star Protector rank, especially two stars, you could travel to any country without needing visas or passports.
In this era of rampant gene-enhanced beasts, such documents had lost much of their significance.
Anywhere in the world, regardless of the country, those with a Star Protector rank were given priority and treated with the utmost respect.
All hotels worldwide offered free stays to Star Protector rank holders, and medical institutions were required to provide free treatment, prioritizing them over others.
These were just the material benefits.
The true privilege was the high status that came with the rank.
A Star Protector rank wasn't just a pass—it was a mark of honor, earning respect wherever you went.
Then there were the Qi Stones.
These were items that money couldn't buy.
Unless you were willing to pay several times their value, you might have a chance to acquire a few.
As for the Star Steel Blade, this weapon was crafted from a material synthesized after Earth's environment underwent drastic changes.
The process of forging a single blade was incredibly complex.
Those in the know understood that Star Steel wasn't produced using Earth's traditional methods but rather through extraterrestrial techniques.
A Star Steel Blade could cut through iron like butter—no exaggeration.
Qu Yi's achievements might not have fully warranted a two-star International Star Protector rank, but Zheng Fang's decision to award her was meant to inspire the younger generation.
"Qu Yi, please come forward to receive your honors," Wang Qiusheng said excitedly.
Qu Yi had brought great pride to the Security Bureau.
Her performance in this battle had put the Huaxia Security Bureau on the global map.
Yes, they had to bring Qu Yi into the Security Bureau, perhaps even appoint her as a regional bureau chief.
Wang Qiusheng was already considering promoting the injured Zong Han to the headquarters and having Qu Yi take over as the chief of the Puhai Security Bureau.
In this era, seniority mattered little—what counted was ability.
Under the gaze of everyone in the hall, Qu Yi walked forward, slightly nervous.
After the intense battle against the gene-enhanced beasts, she had matured significantly.
She was no longer the girl who panicked at the slightest trouble.
"Is that her? I know her—she participated in the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' entrance exam," someone whispered.
"Yeah, I remember her too..."
As Qu Yi stepped forward, those who recognized her began to murmur.
"She's amazing. Logically, she should be older than us, but she looks younger," Fang Chong couldn't help but comment.
"She *is* younger than you," Guo Qingrong replied with a sigh.
When he had been called to provide information about Fang Chong, Ai Xi, and others, Wang Qiusheng had also mentioned Qu Yi.
"Thank you. Thank you for coming to the Human Corridor Defense Line and contributing to the protection of humanity. Now, we invite you, as a representative of the support team, to say a few words," Zheng Fang said, clearly holding Qu Yi in high regard.
After presenting her with the rank insignia and rewards, he gave her a formal military salute and stepped aside.
Qu Yi took the rewards and medal, then stood before the microphone.
Unsure of what to say, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"I want to thank my mentor, Ding Huan. Without him, there would be no Qu Yi, nor would I have achieved what I have today. I have only one request: I hope the Gene Alliance will revoke the bounty on my mentor. Otherwise, I will leave here and go to the Gene Alliance headquarters to... discuss the matter with them."
With that, Qu Yi calmly returned to her seat.
She meant every word.
If the Gene Alliance continued to pursue Ding Huan, she would go to their headquarters and use her Wind Blade technique to "discuss" the matter.
Today's battle had shown her just how powerful the skills Ding Huan had taught her were, and it had given her the confidence to stand her ground.
"Well said," Zheng Fang took the microphone and uttered a single word of approval before falling silent.
After a full minute, he continued, "I've heard that Ding Huan has also trained three students who ranked in the top five of the Blue Star Top Ten Academies' entrance exam. I can only imagine how remarkable a person Ding Huan must be. And yet, such a person is being hunted. Today, on behalf of all the officers and defenders of the Human Corridor Defense Line, I declare to those who have placed a bounty on Ding Huan: if you do not revoke it, you will be considered enemies of the entire Human Corridor Defense Line."
The hall erupted in applause once more.
Though Zheng Fang didn't name names, everyone knew he was referring to the Gene Alliance.
There were members of the Gene Alliance present in the hall, including some who had come to support the defense line.
Hearing Zheng Fang's words, they could only remain silent.
"Fang Chong, is Qu Yi also a student of Mentor Ding Huan?" Lü Zi, sitting behind Fang Chong, leaned forward to ask.
"I don't know either. It seems like Qu Yi is our senior sister," Fang Chong replied.
"Or maybe she's our junior sister," Lü Zi argued.
Fang Chong chuckled.
"Can you beat Qu Yi in a fight? If not, she's the senior sister."
Lü Zi was momentarily speechless.
Fortunately, Zheng Fang's voice interrupted their banter.
"Next, I invite Fang Chong and Ai Xi to come forward to receive their awards. Fang Chong and Ai Xi, working in tandem with Qu Yi, also played a crucial role in thwarting the beasts' plot. Together, they slew three hundred and twenty-one beasts and saved two hundred and one lives..."
(End of Chapter)