Time passed bit by bit.
With two hours still to go of the five,
the universe-space dynamics monitoring department sent the latest news:
abnormal spatial ripples found in several places.
"Can the positions of the abnormal spatial ripples be marked!" Zhao Chen at once looked at the interstellar war holo-table.
"We have positions." Lilith at once entered some coordinates.
Seven red circles appeared one after another.
These seven coordinates were all very familiar to Zhao Chen,
for they matched exactly the seven battlefield areas where the Devourer Civilization's interstellar fleets were surrounded right now!
Zhao Chen glanced at Lilith.
Lilith understood without a word and at once sent Charlotte a message, telling her to have the interstellar legion fleets on these seven battlefields pull off the battlefields at once and withdraw to safe areas!
Because they had been ready for this long before, pulling out of the fighting now was no problem at all.
Charlotte carried out the order the moment she received it.
The interstellar legion fleets on the seven battlefields at once began breaking off and withdrawing; luckily, because the enemy had spent these days under attack from both the Owl Dragon legion fleets and the Sacred Elf legion fleet groups,
they were long since somewhat worn out.
Seeing these Owl Dragon legion fleets and Sacred Elf legion fleet groups withdraw now, they naturally had no intention of pursuing at all.
They simply watched "obediently" as the Owl Dragon legion fleet groups and the Sacred Elf legion fleet groups pulled off the battlefields,
which let them breathe a sigh of relief themselves too.
On a good many interstellar warships the commanders and bridge NCOs now looked like men who had come through a disaster alive; there were even some interstellar warships that could hardly have held out any longer and were about to be destroyed.
Now, one after another, they wept for joy.
"Bring up the video surveillance of the seven battlefields now," Zhao Chen said.
Lilith set about it at once, and very soon seven video windows appeared before Zhao Chen, each recording the footage of one of the seven battlefields.
Zhao Chen watched these seven battlefields closely, his eyes sweeping over them now and then.
Since the Devourer Civilization had spatial ripples only in these seven star systems for now, it meant they might have given up any idea of attacking other areas of the Owl Dragon Empire.
Most likely their ability and resources to build universe star-gate passages of this kind were limited.
After all, in less than three months from first to last,
they had used up the resources to build fourteen star-gate jump passages; even for the Devourer Civilization that was likely an enormous drain.
So what had to be watched now was whether, through these seven restarted universe-space jump points, the Devourer Civilization would send more interstellar legion fleets to launch a new round of revenge attacks on the Owl Dragon Empire.
If so, the Owl Dragon Empire would have to grit its teeth and hold on.
Time passed bit by bit.
In the video windows, space could be seen blurring.
That was the sign that a space jump point was about to be set up.
Before long these space jump points appeared one after another.
As before, they were like rotten black caverns, unpleasant to the eye.
And very soon a body of interstellar warships began pouring out of these black caverns.
As ever, they were the Devourer Civilization's interstellar fleets.
Lilith's brows began to knit slightly.
What the appearance of these Devourer Civilization interstellar fleets meant, they knew very well in their hearts; it was the very thing they least wanted to see!
But if it had happened, they would not shrink from it either!
"Look here." Lilith suddenly pointed at one video window and cried out.
Zhao Chen looked over; it was the relay footage of one of the battlefields.
What had made Lilith cry out was that some rather different interstellar warships had appeared from those black caverns.
These interstellar warships had larger hulls, and were somewhat different too from the interstellar warships in active service in the Devourer Civilization's fleets before.
"These all look like T6-grade interstellar warships!" Lilith noticed carefully.
"Not just T6-grade interstellar warships. Look at the interstellar warship in the very middle." Zhao Chen stared at the interstellar warship at the center of this fleet.
This interstellar warship's form was, first of all, more enormous than the other interstellar warships, and its outline looked majestic beyond compare; merely hovering there, it gave off a piercing killing intent.
"It seems we have distinguished guests at the door," Zhao Chen said in a deep voice.
Just then a video communication window came in.
It was the Flame Elf Queen!
The Flame Elf Queen's face was full of alarm now!
"Did you see that fleet!"
"It seems you know it." Zhao Chen looked at the Flame Elf Queen.
"The Black-God Sovereign, one of the Devourer Civilization's Three Sovereigns. That's the Black-God Legion fleet under him. It has only 3,000 interstellar warships, but those 3,000 interstellar warships are T6-grade interstellar warships, every one. And then there's his own flagship, a quasi-T7 interstellar warship beyond the Troll Monarch Interstellar Fortress Ship! Its fighting power is stronger than the Troll Monarch Interstellar Fortress Ship's by no small margin! And rumor has it that in the Black-God Legion fleet[1] the flagship of every small fleet is a refitted interstellar warship too, with strength all but on a par with a quasi-T7 interstellar warship! A fleet of 3,000 like this has easily defeated ordinary fleets of 100,000 in battles before!" When the Flame Elf Queen said this, even her voice was trembling.
3,000 T6 interstellar warships.
Such wealth to throw around.
The Owl Dragon Empire now, counting every last one, did not have 3,000 T6 interstellar warships.
And under this Black-God Sovereign a single fleet like this had 3,000 T6 interstellar warships; its strength truly was terrifying.
"The Black-God Legion fleet hasn't left the Devourer Civilization's universe for decades. Its appearance in the Owl Dragon Empire's universe this time bodes no good. You must be very careful!" the Flame Elf Queen did not forget to warn him.
"Whether this visitor bodes good or not, breaking into someone else's home without an invitation is rather rude, after all. Rude people naturally need putting in their place. Otherwise they won't even recognize you as the master of the house," Zhao Chen said calmly.
He knew the strength of this Black-God Legion fleet opposite was great, but there was no use saying more now.
There was only fighting!
"Lilith, tell Charlotte about this Black-God Legion fleet, and remind her to watch out," Zhao Chen said.
"Mm." Lilith nodded.
"In a moment I'll have someone contact the Sacred Elf Empire's side and call up more interstellar legion fleets. Even…… even if the High Council won't agree, I'll bring my own guard legion fleet over to support the fighting," the Flame Elf Queen said, clenching her fists.
Zhao Chen, without a change of expression, watched the imposing Black-God Legion fleet in the video window.
For some reason he had an instinct that the other side had not come to fight him.
For if he were them, this was not how they would be standing now.
After so many years of war, Zhao Chen might not match Charlotte, but at least the moment two fleets came face to face he could feel what was in the air.
At least for now, he felt no breath of battle from the Black-God Legion fleet opposite.
"Report: a communication request has come in from the other side's legion fleet. Note: Commander of the Black-God Legion fleet · Black God."
Black God?
This Black God naturally meant that Black-God Sovereign.
What would he be contacting him for at a time like this?
Both Lilith and the Flame Elf Queen, who had heard the news too on the far side of the video window, looked surprised.
They could not make sense of the other side's move.
"Put it through," Zhao Chen said calmly.
"Yes."
The NCO in charge of communications at once put this unusual communication through.
A video window appeared before Zhao Chen.
The background on the other side was rather dim, but a pitch-black figure could still be seen sitting on a throne.
The figure wore black full-body armor, and because of the helm, its face could not be seen clearly.
But from the gloomy air wreathing it, it could be seen that this was the legendary head of the Three Sovereigns, the Black-God Sovereign.
"So you're the Owl Dragon Empire's Owl Dragon Emperor." The voice came eerily, as though echoing in a canyon.
Imposing without anger.
Anyone without some strength of mind would, just hearing this voice, feel as though a mountain pressed on their shoulders,
crushing the breath out of them.
As for Zhao Chen, of course, it had no effect at all.
"It's me. And what brings the Lord Black God so far?" Zhao Chen said with a light laugh.
Perhaps finding the man's attitude somewhat interesting, he slowly raised his head.
Those eyes still could not be seen clearly, but Zhao Chen could feel that the fellow was surely looking him up and down now.
"Interesting, interesting. Able to fight our Devourer Civilization like this, able to make that fellow Troll take such a beating. You're a fine opponent. I'll give you a chance; think it over. Join us. From now on, the Devourer Civilization will have Four Sovereigns," the Black-God Sovereign said eerily.
At these words,
Secretary-Officer Lilith's expression did not change, but the Flame Elf Queen's heart, on the far side of the other video window, leaped into her throat.
She did not think Zhao Chen would surrender, but it had to be said the terms the Black-God Sovereign had offered were very good.
Zhao Chen joining the Devourer Civilization would not mean becoming an ant, but one of the Four Sovereigns.
That was certainly a great temptation.
It made the Flame Elf Queen worry in spite of herself whether Zhao Chen could resist it.
"Ha ha ha ha ha…… ha ha ha ha……"
But at this point Zhao Chen actually doubled over with laughter, laughing so wildly that it seemed he would laugh himself to tears.
After laughing for several minutes,
the Black-God Sovereign truly could not hold it in, and asked, "What are you laughing at?"