Chapter 109: The Silver Star Medal

On February 4th, the largest conference hall of the Pelan City Hall was packed to capacity. Representatives from various departments, schools, factories, and mining districts sat on both sides, while hundreds of soldiers sat upright in the center of the hall.

These soldiers all wore their dress uniforms, their expressions solemn.

Four or five days had passed since the battle. Some soldiers still bore injuries, with steel braces stabilizing their broken limbs, but this did not affect their military posture.

Naturally, in the front row of the military section, one figure stood out—David, dressed in a formal Federation suit.

When David arrived that morning, he had been directed to this seat. He was supposed to sit with the school representatives, but Lieutenant Eaton had insisted he sit in the front row of the military section.

Amidst thunderous applause, Lieutenant Eaton and Lieutenant Elmer from the military, along with Mayor Bernard, Deputy Mayor Jasper, and several other city officials, walked onto the stage.

Instead of sitting down with the other officials, Lieutenant Eaton walked to the podium at the front of the stage.

"Everyone! Pelan City has just survived the most severe Zerg invasion in twenty years. Through our resolute resistance and fierce counterattacks, Pelan City has successfully repulsed the Zerg!"

Lieutenant Eaton's voice, amplified by the microphone, echoed throughout the grand conference hall.

"Approved by the Planet Rock Military District and ratified by the Federation Command, rewards will be bestowed upon the military units and individuals who showed exceptional bravery in the defense of Pelan City!"

Warm applause filled the hall once again. In the Federation, military merit was valued above all else, as it was the swiftest path to advancement.

The Interstellar Federation had an immense population. Aside from a select few graduates from elite military academies who were commissioned as officers immediately, the vast majority of officers earned their rank through military merit.

Even academy-trained officers could not hope for further promotion without earning subsequent merits.

For ordinary citizens, earning military merit was the swiftest way to elevate their social standing.

"First, on behalf of the military, I want to thank the citizens who answered the call. Fifty-three civilian armored warriors were conscripted to fight in this battle. Thirty-nine laid down their lives. The Planet Rock Military District posthumously awards these thirty-nine civilian armored warriors the title of Soul of the Federation. Their children will receive free education until university graduation and hold priority admission to military academies!" Lieutenant Eaton said solemnly.

Although rumors had been circulating in Pelan City that the battle was brutal, no one expected the losses among the powerful armored warriors to be so severe. Thirty-nine civilian armored warriors had died—more than half of those who had answered the call.

In the minds of ordinary citizens, armored warriors clad in exoskeleton armor were the very definition of strength.

Following Lieutenant Eaton's announcement, staff members guided the weeping family members onto the stage to receive the honors on behalf of the thirty-nine fallen civilian armored warriors.

David searched his memories for the title "Soul of the Federation." It was almost identical to the title of martyr in his previous life, a designation reserved exclusively for those who died in battle.

Their families would receive monthly credits from the Federation to support themselves—the Federation's way of ensuring front-line soldiers had no worries about their families' well-being.

David knew, however, that these civilian armored warriors had played a very limited role. During the battle, they had only managed to distract a few Ripper Flies before falling under the influence of the Enthraller Brain-Worm, losing their combat capability entirely. Thirty-five of them had even been turned into the Brain-Worm's thralls.

Yet, the military had to honor the fallen; otherwise, it would be difficult to conscript civilian armored warriors in future crises.

David sat up straight, maintaining the same rigid posture as the soldiers beside him.

Awards were handed out one by one, from the fearless medics to the soldiers who had held the other city walls. However, David noticed that while posthumous awards were almost guaranteed, only the surviving soldiers with the most outstanding contributions received any recognition.

Furthermore, until the awards for the military armored warriors were announced, all the honors were standard military merits without actual medals.

David recalled a saying he had heard: the Interstellar Federation was extremely stingy when it came to awarding physical medals, to the point of being downright miserly.

Clearly, while this had been a matter of life and death for Pelan City, to the Planet Rock Military District, it was merely a minor siege. Awarding too many medals for such a skirmish would be inappropriate.

"Next, I call upon Armored Warrior Lieutenant Elmer and Armored Warrior Sergeant Girard to the stage!" Lieutenant Eaton announced.

Lieutenant Elmer and Sergeant Girard walked up to the podium, turning to face the crowd.

"Thank you for your valor. On behalf of the military district, I award you the Iron Star Medal!" Lieutenant Eaton smiled at his two subordinates, took the Iron Star Medals from an assistant soldier, and pinned them onto their chests.

"Fight for the Federation, die for the Federation!" Lieutenant Elmer and Sergeant Girard shouted in unison. They saluted Lieutenant Eaton, then turned to salute the audience, proudly displaying the Iron Star Medals on their chests.

An even louder round of applause erupted. This was an honor Pelan City had not witnessed in years. Aside from when Hans arrived in Pelan City bearing the title of "National Pillar," this was the first time anyone in the city had received an actual physical medal.

"Everyone, as you all know, a hero emerged from this war in Pelan City. A sniper who, using a long-range sniper cannon, eliminated one hundred and twelve Rank 1 Zerg and three Rank 2 Zerg—including that nightmare itself, the Enthraller Brain-Worm! He saved Pelan City, and he saved millions of our citizens!" Eaton's voice grew louder and more impassioned with every word.

In the vast hall, everyone knew exactly who this hero was. Every gaze turned to David, who sat in the middle of the front row.

"Let us welcome Pelan City's hero, David Kerr, to the stage!" Lieutenant Eaton bellowed.

Everyone in the hall stood up. Even the highly disciplined soldiers rose in unison, applauding David.

In all of his two lives, David had never experienced anything like this. Taking two deep breaths to calm his racing heart, he stood up and walked onto the stage.

"David, on behalf of the military, thank you!" Lieutenant Eaton stepped forward and gave David a tight embrace, as if only a bear hug could convey the depth of his gratitude.

"Lieutenant Eaton, I only did what I had to do," David said, feeling a bit self-conscious.

"The Planet Rock Military District has authorized me to award you the Silver Star Medal and officially record your achievements in our military archives. The military welcomes you to join our ranks at any time after you graduate!" Lieutenant Eaton announced in a booming voice.

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

The Silver Star Medal! This was the highest decoration the Planet Rock Military District was authorized to bestow. Anything higher would require direct authorization from the Federation High Command.

Moreover, David was not even an active-duty soldier. Typically, the Silver Star was reserved exclusively for military personnel.

In truth, his status as a registered military reserve combatant had played a crucial role in the evaluation process. Unlike the temporarily conscripted civilian armored warriors, David was officially part of the military system, even if he was just a low-priority reservist. But reserve or active, he was on the books. This allowed the military to unanimously agree on awarding him a proper military decoration.

As for why it was a Silver Star, the primary reason was the Enthraller Brain-Worm. Killing an Enthraller Brain-Worm on a Battle Planet would earn anyone a massive reward, let alone doing so here on Planet Rock, situated on the very fringes of the war zone.

Another factor was David's sheer potential. A sniper who wasn't even an armored warrior yet, but could eliminate one hundred and twelve Rank 1 Zerg and three Rank 2 Zerg with a sniper cannon—and who, according to his records, possessed the aptitude to become an armored warrior. Such a promising genius naturally received extra consideration during the evaluation.

After pinning the gleaming Silver Star onto David's chest, Lieutenant Eaton patted him gently on the shoulder in encouragement.

David looked out at the audience. He saw Hans smiling with pride, Bertha standing beside him with the same expression, and little Edie, who was clapping enthusiastically despite looking a bit bewildered.

He saw Mrs. Henrietta from his school, along with several other teachers he knew only from his inherited memories.

He also spotted his friends: Myron, Jim, Daley, and DeQuincy.

David bowed to the crowd, then returned to his seat with the Silver Star Medal resting proudly on his chest.