The meeting began.
The commander distributed a test paper to all the colonial representatives attending!
That's right, a test paper with black ink on white paper, four sheets double-sided, all essay questions.
The commander stated that military resources were precious, earned with money and blood. Although everyone present was a leader of their respective colonies, they needed a certain level of theoretical knowledge to shoulder heavy responsibilities. Therefore, the test had to be completed within half an hour, and failure meant disqualification.
Jiang Ye was the only one who didn't receive a test paper, as he had already reached an agreement with the commander and did not need to undergo the assessment.
While others were taking the test, the commander had him walk back and forth in the room, acting as a proctor to prevent cheating.
This special treatment caused the other colonial representatives to cast frequent glances his way. Though unspoken, their eyes seemed to ask: Who is this proctor?
Jiang Ye was curious about the content of the test paper, so he peeked while proctoring. He discovered that they were all military and political questions, also involving economics and psychology. They were incredibly complex. Half of the candidates were scratching their heads in distress, while the other half stared blankly, resembling stupid pigs.
From the bottom of his heart, he thanked Li Nannan.
If it weren't for Li Nannan's arrangements, allowing him to enter and speak with the commander privately first, he would be diligently taking the test now. Given the difficulty of the questions on the test paper, he would have failed within minutes, and the militarization of the planet would have fallen through.
The papers were collected precisely half an hour later, and the commander personally reviewed them.
After reading all the papers, the commander called out ten names.
"Those ten who were just called, prepare yourselves well and come back next time," the commander announced coldly.
Sighs and sighs of relief arose simultaneously, and half of the people dejectedly walked out.
The door automatically locked, leaving only the commander and ten colonial representatives by the conference table.
The commander announced three plans to everyone, requiring them to make a choice within ten minutes.
After speaking, he rotated his chair to face the sun outside the window and remained silent.
Jiang Ye also looked at the sun idly. He had already made his choice and had nothing to do for the moment.
Ten minutes later, the commander turned back on time and asked the attendees to state their choices clockwise.
"Reporting, Commander, I choose Plan Three, military insurance!"
"Reporting, Commander, I choose Plan Three!"
"Plan Three!"
"Plan Three!"
The choices were reported around the table.
Surprisingly, everyone chose Plan Three!
Jiang Ye was astonished. It was understandable that no one chose Plan Two, but why did no one choose Plan One?
The commander nodded slightly, as if he had anticipated this outcome.
Finally, the commander's gaze fell on Jiang Ye.
"I'm not changing, Plan One," Jiang Ye insisted.
The commander nodded and surveyed everyone:
"Next, I will tell you some details and answer your questions.
I am generally aware of your situations. You are on different colonial planets, facing threats from alien creatures and rogue elements.
After this meeting, you will be granted the title of [Planetary General] by the military, becoming the highest military officer of your respective planets. You will have the power to establish your own armies.
You will need to spend money to build a signal station and launch a few communication satellites into orbit. Once this communication system is established, you can access the network of the M78 Nebula and post recruitment notices online, hiring people from other planets to come to yours.
Those who choose Plan Three will pay the insurance fees on time. As for military hardware, you can purchase it after accessing the network.
Those who choose Plan One, pay attention to the [Build Factory] function. As your base level increases, you can build various military factories without limit. Hire people to produce, and build your army yourself.
Do you have any questions?" The commander's gaze swept over everyone.
One general raised his hand, "How should I phrase the recruitment posts when hiring people online?"
"You figure that out yourself. Do I need to teach you how to hire people?" The commander did not answer directly, but he added, "I must remind you that citizens of the Galactic Empire are protected by the laws of the Galactic Empire and human laws, and you cannot act recklessly. Once interstellar immigration begins, you will no longer be colonies but will be upgraded to new planets."
Jiang Ye also raised his hand, "If I recruit people online and they are willing to come, what is the channel for them to arrive?"
"There are various channels. You can build your own rocket launch sites and spaceship ports, and manufacture your own rockets and spaceships to transport personnel. You can also contact transportation companies online to assist. Even if you recruit some wealthy individuals, they might have their own spaceships," the commander explained.
Several generals spoke in turn, asking various detailed questions.
The meeting lasted for two hours. The commander was very patient and waited until no one had any more questions before announcing the adjournment.
The adjournment did not mean freedom.
All the generals were led to the adjacent room by Li Nannan to sign documents. Each person signed a large stack of agreements, their wrists almost breaking.
As each signature fell onto the paper, chains of responsibility were gradually placed upon each person, and at the same time, various solid powers were bestowed upon them!
After signing the agreements, they collectively went to process their identification cards.
The genuine Galactic Empire Citizen Identification Card!
This was not an era of equality for all. Not everyone was a citizen; only those who reached a certain social status or were born in specific regions could obtain Galactic Empire citizenship.
Jiang Ye sat in a chair as a professional hairstylist fussed over him for half an hour, though his hairstyle didn't seem to change much, only becoming slightly more refined. A makeup artist then worked on his face for another twenty minutes before taking photos.
The identification cards were printed quickly.
They were card-sized, made of some kind of metal.
The back displayed a map of the Milky Way's star distribution, showing each spiral arm.
The front contained a photo and personal information:
[Name: Jiang Ye]
[Race: Earthling (Medium Civilization Race, Non-Immortal, Non-High-Dimensional Being)]
[Rank: Upper Citizen]
[Remarks: Military Personnel, Planetary Administrator]
There were only these four items, no age or gender, and no identification number.
This card was merely a formality; it didn't need to be carried around. Identity verification was done through facial recognition. All personal information had been uploaded, and one's face was their identification.
The ceremony for awarding the title of General was held in the afternoon. It was a simple ceremony with a few officers giving speeches. The newly appointed Generals went on stage one by one to receive their General's badges.
The badges were made of pure gold, small in size, and not worth much money. However, what was truly valuable was the power and status behind the badge.
Holding the badge, Jiang Ye went into the restroom and sat on the toilet to relieve himself. While doing so, he couldn't help but shed tears.
He didn't know why he was crying, as it was clearly a very happy occasion.
Unknowingly, he finished the few sheets of toilet paper he had brought, wiping his tears and throwing them away.
Jiang Ye hesitated for a moment, then reached out and knocked on the partition, "Is anyone there?"
"What's up?" a muffled voice asked from the next stall.
"I'm out of paper," Jiang Ye said, mustering his courage.
"There's a remote control on the wall. Wave it a couple of times to wash your butt. Don't use paper, it can cause hemorrhoids," the voice from next door said.
Jiang Ye was greatly embarrassed. He waved his hand twice over the remote control, and indeed, a strong stream of water sprayed out. After washing, it automatically dried him.
In the evening, activities continued.
All the Generals took a group photo, had a friendly dinner, and were interviewed by reporters.
There weren't many reporters, just a few junior reporters from the military's propaganda department and editors from unknown small-town newspapers. The most prominent reporter was from the Basong City Television Station, who conducted a brief interview and left after taking a photo.
At nine o'clock in the evening, Jiang Ye finally left the military headquarters.
The night view of Basong City vividly illustrated the meaning of light pollution.
All the skyscrapers emitted yellow or purplish-red light. Towering beams of light were everywhere, billboards flashed in a riot of colors, streetlights were as bright as searchlights, and the streets were bathed in fire. The night sky had lost its blackness due to the city lights, turning a faint purplish-white. If viewed from high above, it would undoubtedly look like a fiercely burning land.
Standing at the intersection, surrounded by light from all directions, Jiang Ye let out a long sigh of relief.
For months, he had fought alone on a wild planet, foraging for food and water, mining, hunting, killing and robbing, enduring hunger and cold. Now, he had finally integrated into this era!