Zhao Chen first praised the Hive Princess's performance.
The Hive Princess very often behaved like a little child, so timely praise was the best thing.
The Hive Princess's face, too, beamed with an excited, proud smile, and she threw out her chest.
But she noticed that in the eyes of the other marshals and commanders at the meeting, something like envy seemed to flash.
"One interruption. Before we discuss the strategy ahead, I have something to announce," Zhao Chen said suddenly, gravely.
Everyone's eyes fell on Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen said solemnly, "By my decision: the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire formally establishes the Owl Dragon hive-race fleet group, with the Hive Princess as its supreme commander, and confers on her the rank of four-star marshal. Further, the Owl Dragon hive-race fleet group is a specially constituted fleet group, with no fixed number, answering directly to me. Because we are in the midst of war, the matter of the attendant honors will be seen to after the war."
With that, Zhao Chen looked to the Hive Princess, whose face was all astonishment.
"Little Bug, what do you think?"
"I… I…" The Hive Princess was all at once at a loss; she had never thought she would be decorated, and with the rank of four-star marshal at that.
So far as she knew, among the ranks of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire now.
It was second only to five-star marshal.
And so far the only five-star marshals were Big Sister Charlotte and Big Sister Lilith.
The honor and the recognition of it brought a warmth to the Hive Princess's eyes.
She stood straight and said loudly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the honor. The Hive Princess swears she will be loyal to the Empire. To fight for the Emperor!"
The little lass was so earnest.
It was as though she had left behind her standing as hive-race and truly become one of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire.
That was in fact what Zhao Chen had in mind.
The Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire now was chiefly human, but it already held many other interstellar races; it was an interstellar empire of many races.
If it could have those interstellar races,
why could it not have an interstellar hive-race?
So long as this Owl Dragon hive-race did not threaten the lives of the Empire's other subjects, and fought for the Empire.
Then was it not simply one more interstellar race within the Empire, differing from the others perhaps only in outward form and in language?
Differences of that kind could be called the commonest thing in the universe.
The other marshals and commanders all gave the Hive Princess looks of encouragement.
They had all had more or less to do with the Hive Princess.
And now they had seen the Owl Dragon hive-race fleet, which should now be called the Owl Dragon hive-race fleet group,
fighting for the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire, for the Angel Line, for the Angel City Fortress.
Those who fought shoulder to shoulder with them were comrades-in-arms who shared their life and death!
"Then let us go on with our battle plan. This operation runs from now until it ends before the end of July. The objectives: the two Hive Nests, and all of the Order hive-race. The main forces mobilized are you three imperial fleet groups[1], the ace fleet groups, and the Emperor's Guard Fleet. Leaving aside the Owl Dragon hive-race fleet group, Owl Dragon-series interstellar warships alone will come to about 350,000 in all. Among them are thirty-odd T6 interstellar warships and five thousand-odd T5 interstellar warships; the rest are T4 and T3 interstellar warships, half and half."
Zhao Chen first laid out the forces in their hands.
"As for our opponent. What was known before was a hundred million Order hive-race. Now, after a round of fighting, fewer than 50,000,000 of that part of the Order hive-race remain. Of them, 20,000,000 are between the northern hive line and the Angel City Fortress. The remaining 30,000,000 are outside the Angel City Fortress. Beyond that, we do not know how many Order hive-race remain in the two Hive Nests. So, our battle plan from here. On the one hand, the northern hive line and the Angel City Fortress will pin down that part of the Order hive-race, the 20,000,000. At the same time, we must annihilate the 30,000,000 Order hive-race before us, fight our way to the two Hive Nests, and destroy them. In this whole plan, the outcome we foresee, in the worst case, suppose the enemy can still bring out another hundred million Order hive-race, we still have even odds of winning, only…"
Zhao Chen paused and said gravely, "We may pay no small price. If the trump cards the enemy is hiding exceed that hundred million… then we will face the worst. But we have a trump card in hand too. That is the T6 Supernova Ultimate Bombs being built. By the original plan, at the start of July we will first get two T6 Supernova Ultimate Bombs. At the end of July, we will get the last two. These are the only four we have for now.[2] By the original production plan, to get any new T6 Supernova Ultimate Bomb after that, we will have to wait until early next year. And by the results of our first use of the T6 Supernova Ultimate Bomb, one such bomb is enough to destroy a star system. And so far as we know, a Hive Nest covers about as much as a star system. So, if the plan goes smoothly, two T6 Supernova Ultimate Bombs, never mind destroying the two Hive Nests outright, can at the least cripple them, no problem."
The marshals and commanders present all nodded in agreement.
The top ranks of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire had all received the data on the T6 Supernova Ultimate Bomb's real combat effect.
They naturally knew how terrible it was.
Besides, Chu Xuan and some others among them had been there in person for its first real use.
"This is a detailed battle plan Grand Marshal Charlotte settled earlier. Look it over, all of you. If there are no problems, we will deploy in detail by this battle plan of Grand Marshal Charlotte's!" Zhao Chen brought out a battle plan his senior wife had prepared.
It had to be said: when one was away from home.
That senior wife of his was quite reliable.
She had not come in person, but she had still thought of everything for Zhao Chen.
The battle plan was soon passed round among them all.
In the end everyone judged Grand Marshal Charlotte's battle plan very good.
The broad direction was right.
Only some details needed changing a little.
Beyond that, there was no other problem.
At last, Zhao Chen looked at the final plan now settled before him.
He nodded, satisfied.
He looked at all the marshals and commanders present.
"Our home, this universe of ours, the last crisis remaining to it is these Order hive-race before us. Let us clear them out, utterly and entirely! And give our Empire back a peaceful future!"