Zhao Chen sighed with a smile, "If we'd met a few years earlier, we'd surely be the closest of friends."
"Out with it: what is it? Or do you mean to keep it hidden still?" The Flame Elf Queen leaned her back against the viewport and looked at Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen raised his hand and glanced at the time on his handheld terminal.
Then, gazing at the magnificent World Tree in the distance, he suddenly asked, "Tell me: do gods really exist? Or can a life form like Order in fact be called a god, in a way? Like the saying that's always gone round among ordinary people: at the end of science, in fact, lies the occult."
The Flame Elf Queen was silent a while, then said, "I'm an elf, and I believe in the Elf God too. But compared with others, in fact, my awe of the Elf God isn't so strong. Perhaps because I've been through so many interstellar wars; next to some faint and distant god, I trust more in the interstellar fleets in my hands. So to tell the truth, I don't think gods exist; it's more something that gives us strength of spirit. Unless I can see it with my own eyes. Otherwise I'll never wholly believe."
"Ha, ha, ha; telling me that. If it got out, you, an Elf Queen, would have no few people questioning you," Zhao Chen teased.
Salaman, the Flame Elf Queen, shrugged and said, "Because that's what I truly think. Of course, in the High Council, before the other Elf Sovereigns, even before my subordinates, I'd never say such a thing. But isn't it just as you said: we count as the closest of friends. So I'm willing to speak my heart to you."
Hearing Salaman, the Flame Elf Queen, speak so frankly,
the smile left Zhao Chen's face, and a grave air took its place.
"I don't care whether gods exist in this world or not. If they leave us alone as well water leaves river water alone, then each of us can be at peace. But if Order is a god, then I, Zhao Chen, am willing to be the one who slays gods. Any being that threatens me, and everything I guard, I'll find a way to destroy, by every means. Even if I have to bear curses and doubt!"
Zhao Chen spoke the purpose of his journey: "Salaman, you guessed right before: I've come to the Holy Elf Empire this time for another purpose too. At this moment, within my Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's borders, my Owl Dragon legion fleet groups are preparing to march. Within ten hours, they're expected to launch a lightning-war attack plan against the Devourer Civilization's home universe. We've named it Operation Avenger. The Devourer Civilization invaded our universe; so we'll repay them in their own coin, and this time it's our turn to attack their universe."
Zhao Chen looked at the Flame Elf Queen. "I've appeared here to ask you, and the Holy Elf Empire behind you, whether you're willing to set foot with me on this road of killing gods!"
The Moon-God Planet
In a conference room that had held only five chairs, today, quite unexpectedly, a sixth chair had been set out.
And sitting in this sixth chair was the Owl Dragon Emperor, come from afar.
Zhao Chen wore a uniform now, and sitting there he carried a presence of his own.
Zhao Chen glanced at the four places before him already filled.
Sitting on either side of Zhao Chen were Salaman, the Flame Elf Queen, and Marietis, the Bluewater Elf Queen.
Besides them, the other two were Mansfield, the Emerald Elf King, and Gustav, the Radiant Elf King.
Footsteps sounded behind them, as the last of the Elf Sovereigns arrived late:
Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, took his seat.
A beam of light shone down, lighting up the conference table in the middle and the six present.
"No need for pleasantries. I've called this all-hands meeting of the Elf Sovereigns urgently this time. Before it, I already told you the purpose of this meeting," the Flame Elf Queen spoke first.
For this emergency meeting had been called with her own authority.
A meeting of this kind was very special; only Elf Sovereigns had the authority, and an Elf Sovereign could use this authority only on meeting some matter of very high priority,
urgently calling every Elf Sovereign to the meeting; any who could arrive within six hours had to attend in person.
This time they were rather lucky: four of the Elf Sovereigns were on the Moon-God Planet, and the only one absent, Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, had arrived in time too.
For once there was a meeting with every member truly present in person.
The Flame Elf Queen glanced at Zhao Chen and went on, "The Owl Dragon Emperor has come in person to the Holy Elf Empire this time to inform us that the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire will launch an invasion campaign against the Devourer Civilization."
"There are five hours left before we launch the attack," Zhao Chen put in.
The Flame Elf Queen paused, then went on, "The Owl Dragon Emperor, as our ally, hopes we can take part in this offensive. Because of the special nature of the matter, I called this meeting urgently. I hope we can all decide here in the shortest time."
"Five hours left before the attack, and only now we're told. I'd say you don't trust us." Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, folded his arms and said haughtily.
Zhao Chen said frankly, "The Nightglow Elf King's guess is in fact right. To keep this military operation of ours secret, no one but our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's military leadership knew the details of this operation before ten hours ago. Everyone else is only learning of this military operational plan now, one after another. It isn't that I don't trust you all; I believe that if any of you here had been preparing such a military operation, you'd have made the same decision as me. Of course, so that you can all trust us, I've come here on behalf of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire specially, to tell you all in person of our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's plan for this military operation. I think this arrangement should be enough to show our sincerity."
When Zhao Chen had finished, he looked again at Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, across from him.
Seeing Zhao Chen rebut him outright, Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, darkened and meant to say something.
But Gustav, the Radiant Elf King, cut him off directly and looked at Zhao Chen: "Your Majesty the Owl Dragon Emperor, can you tell us now the detailed attack plan of this military operation of yours? And its force of attack, its time of attack, and the campaign aims it means to achieve in the end."
Zhao Chen nodded and went on, "Our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire doesn't have the strength to wipe out all the Devourer Civilization's military power in one stroke. But as everyone knows, the Devourer Civilization now has its eye on our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire, and may attack our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire at any moment. We very much dislike this feeling of being watched all the time. So after discussion, our Owl Dragon military department decided unanimously to strike first. Placing this battlefield in the Devourer Civilization's home universe can also lessen the effect on our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's universe. As for the campaign aim, it's to destroy as many of the Devourer Civilization's main high-value strategic targets as possible, above all places to do with war, like military-industrial bases and resource sites. And at the same time to destroy as much of the enemy's present military strength as possible, to make sure the Devourer Civilization won't attack us again for the next three to five years. Put simply, we mean to pull the sharp teeth and claws of this jackal, the Devourer Civilization, that's been watching us from the dark all along!"
There was killing intent in Zhao Chen's eyes.
"A lightning war? Then how many interstellar legion fleets do you mean to commit? And how will you control the time of the operation?" Gustav, the Radiant Elf King, went on asking.
"It is indeed a lightning war. Our Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire will move every front-line main interstellar legion fleet, at least six million interstellar warships. The time of the operation will be kept within a month. Once the month is up, whether the campaign aims are reached or not, we'll withdraw every main fleet from the Devourer Civilization's home universe in full, and end this stage of the offensive." Zhao Chen set out his plan.
"A month? What can you do in a short month?" Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, demanded with a frown.
Zhao Chen smiled faintly and said calmly, "In a month we can do a great deal. Mind you, before this, in a short single day, we destroyed seven of the Devourer Civilization's star systems and nearly ten million interstellar warships! A month is time enough for us to do a great many things."
Onias, the Nightglow Elf King, was lost for words for a moment, with nothing at all to say in rebuttal.
For what Zhao Chen said was indeed true.
And the Owl Dragon legion fleets did have such a record set out before them, and were not boasting to the skies.
Had it been any other interstellar civilization's legion fleets saying they would deal a T6 interstellar civilization's universe a heavy blow within a month,
most likely not one of the Elf Sovereigns present would have believed it.
In ordinary cross-universe fighting, a month might not even achieve one small strategic target.
But with the Owl Dragon Emperor saying it, they had no doubt at all.
"Then suppose we were willing to help: what help would you, the Owl Dragon, need us to give?" Gustav, the Radiant Elf King, fixed his eyes on Zhao Chen and asked.
Zhao Chen said, "The more interstellar warships the better. If the Holy Elf Empire's side could commit its whole forces as we do, then this time we'd surely deal the Devourer Civilization's universe a very heavy blow, and greatly shorten the time to truly destroying the Devourer Civilization!"
At these words, the Elf Sovereigns all fell silent.
Elf Sovereigns ever so cautious naturally could not make a decision of this weight so easily and so quickly.
Salaman, the Flame Elf Queen, put in beside him to soften it: "I've studied the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's plan of attack. We don't need to send our whole forces; sending only fifteen million interstellar warships would be enough to raise the chance of success in this military operation greatly, and deal the Devourer Civilization a heavy blow!"