Lilith, having heard the Commander out, thought a while, and then said, "It is those latent dangers that trouble you, Commander."
Zhao Chen nodded.
Ever since learning something of the business upon the Gate of Gaia's side, Zhao Chen's mind has in this stretch of time been upon little else.
Especially as the whole shape of these threats is not clear to him; and the unknown is the more terrible existence.
"Commander, if I may say a thing beyond my place. Do you hold that your being here. Is of any help to this campaign upon the Demon Castle star system?" Lilith asked all of a sudden.
Zhao Chen was checked.
Thereafter he caught the meaning within Lilith's words.
To speak truly, Zhao Chen's help to Owl Dragon lies in great part in those starship technologies he can bring out, and in the system missions that appear from time to time.
Beyond that, in any one particular capacity Zhao Chen is in fact no match for these subordinates of his.
And Zhao Chen has at present a great many task points and System points; but so that he may, the moment the T6 shop's permissions are opened, exchange for T6-grade technologies at the first instant.
Zhao Chen has therefore resolved not to spend these task points and System points for the present.
And to open the T6 shop's permissions there remains at present one last condition.
Which is to pass through the Gate of Gaia.
Having thought it round, Zhao Chen found that he truly seems to be of no great help to this present campaign against the Demon Race.
Upon the side of the fighting there is Lilith in charge, with the Dragon Emperor's artificial intelligence the Little Dragon Girl to assist her; and upon the side of logistics Lilith holds the whole in hand.
Upon the side of the interstellar warship production plans and the industrial sphere, Annie and the other two chief engineers are in charge.
And at present the Demon Race's remnant, upon the face of it, are all within the Demon Castle star system, and can raise no waves.
If any threat is to be spoken of, it is those two hidden industrial bases that have not been found to this day.
But with only two industrial bases, there should assuredly be no very great threat.
"If I were to leave… could you settle matters here?" Zhao Chen looked at Lilith, and asked it gravely.
Lilith rolled her eyes. "Commander, if I may say a thing I ought not. Have the times been so few when you played the hands-off proprietor?"
Zhao Chen gave a "heh heh" laugh; that is a fact, indeed.
"It is naturally well when you are here, Commander; you are our Owl Dragon's mainstay, and Owl Dragon's banner. But if there be some other matter of greater weight that wants your doing. Then I hold that you may go and do it, and be bold and easy about it. Matters here, I, and Charlotte, and the other commanders, will see to them well! We are, after all, the people you chose yourself." Lilith raised her head with confidence.
Zhao Chen drew a deep breath; he had at this moment made his decision.
"Get in touch with Charlotte; there are things I must give over to her before I leave," Zhao Chen charged her.
"Yes."
Very soon Charlotte's holographic projection appeared before Zhao Chen.
And Zhao Chen set out his plan to Charlotte as well: that he made ready to go to the far side of the Gate of Gaia, to search out the danger hidden within this universe, and more of its secrets besides.
"I may need to take some interstellar warships away with me. Do you consider how many it would be fitting for me to take, without affecting the fighting upon your side," Zhao Chen inquired.
Charlotte said without the least hesitation, "That you should go to the far side of the Gate of Gaia, I have no objection. But I ask that you take the whole Owl Dragon Guard Fleet away with you."
"The whole of it?" Zhao Chen drew his brows together. "The Owl Dragon Guard Fleet is not great in number, but all five hundred are T5-grade interstellar warships. They make up at present a third of every T5-grade interstellar warship our Owl Dragon Legion has; and if I take them all away…"
Charlotte lifted her head and squared her breast. "The Commander need not trouble. Without those five hundred T5 interstellar warships we can still hold the case firm, and complete the combat tasks you have given. If you do not take the Owl Dragon Guard Fleet, then I do not consent to your going to the far side of the Gate of Gaia!"
Charlotte, having said it, of all things looked at Zhao Chen besides with a challenging eye.
This big white cat, her haughtiness has grown by no little in this stretch of time.
Zhao Chen knows within that this is Charlotte's fear for his safety.
"Very well, I agree," said Zhao Chen.
"The T5 Dragon Emperor may be left behind; do you change your flagship to the T5 Hades," Charlotte added.
The T5 Dragon Emperor is the better suited to the command of campaigns upon the great scale.
Whereas the T5 Hades is the better suited to combat tasks, as, for instance, this time, when the Commander is to go to a mysterious universe.
Though some danger truly exist, at the least, with that special class of interstellar warship the T5 Hades, the Commander's safety is the greater.
"Good." Zhao Chen agreed to this too. "Have you any other requirement?"
"None." Charlotte shook her head.
Thereafter came everything Zhao Chen had to give over to Charlotte.
Chiefly certain core questions, as, for instance, if some case beyond control should arise; or if the Demon Race, or the Mechanical Divine Church, should have some further card in hand.
Everything is to be governed by preserving the military strength of the Owl Dragon Legion, and of the Angel Race and the Machine Race.
The Demon Race territories taken may be given up; let everything wait upon his return to be discussed.
In a word, everything must be done with care and caution.
"Then the matters here are given over to you. You and Lilith represent me with full powers, and hold the supreme command of the Owl Dragon Legion." Zhao Chen gave Charlotte and Lilith this authority.
Charlotte and Lilith nodded silently.
Thereafter came a train of preparations.
For Zhao Chen is to go to another unknown universe; and by the word he had before, once the Gate of Gaia has opened, one must wait a month and more before it opens again.
So, to guard against such fighting as might arise.
Combat-type interstellar warships alone are naturally not enough; some auxiliary-type interstellar warships must be taken besides.
Very soon the full array of the Owl Dragon Guard Fleet that was to go with Zhao Chen this time was settled.
Beyond the array of T5 starships, enlarged from the original three hundred to five hundred.
There were three hundred auxiliary-type interstellar warships.
Thirty T5 Phantasm-class Light Interstellar Stealth Multi-Function Field Scouts,[1] fifty T5 Stellar-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships, one hundred and fifty T5 Ark-class Heavy Interstellar Supply Ships, and seventy T5 Star-Kun-class Super-Heavy Interstellar Transports.
With these T5 auxiliary-type interstellar warships in company,
the fighting capacity of this Owl Dragon Guard Fleet will be raised to a higher degree still.
"You have resolved to go to the Gate of Gaia?" Ah-Yin looked at Zhao Chen with some surprise.
She had supposed that the lord Zhao Chen would go to the far side of the Gate of Gaia only after this war upon the Demon Race was ended.
"Yes. You said before that the nearest opening of the Gate of Gaia would be three days from now. Can you make the arrangements for us?" Zhao Chen asked.
Ah-Yin gazed at Zhao Chen; and after some several breaths, she nodded. "It can be done."
And from this, Zhao Chen was to go to the far side of the Gate of Gaia, and search out more of its secrets!