"I look only at results, not at how you got there. Anyone who doesn't complete the task I've given, when the time comes, will be held to account without exception! If a platoon slips up, I'll hold its company commander to account. If a company slips up, I'll hold its battalion commander to account. And if this combat task isn't done well, I'll go to His Majesty the Emperor myself and hand in my resignation! Do you all understand!"
"Understood!" every commander in the meeting channel said as one.
The demand was overbearing and unreasonable.
But they knew very well that only so could they drive themselves to the limit, with no road of retreat.
For in this combat task, their Phantom Scout ace legion fleet group's responsibility was vital, bearing on the victory or defeat of the whole campaign!
"I'll be waiting to celebrate your success." Zhong Xiaoxia's tone softened, and last of all she saluted everyone.
The final talk ended there.
What came next was the last hour of waiting.
The hour looked very short.
But for the commanders at every level on the Owl Dragon interstellar legion fleets' side, each minute dragged like a year.
Commanders at every level checked their own work again and again, making sure nothing would go wrong in this military operation.
After all, this was their first expedition across universes.
"The last ten minutes." Zhong Xiaoxia looked at her time, then said in a low voice, "Pass on my order: every interstellar stealth reconnaissance ship, start engines. Cross-universe space equipment, prepare to activate. Fleet, await the order to set out!"
The secretary-officer at once passed the order on.
In this space that had been so still, one ring of light after another lit up: the glow of starship engines, ship after ship.
At the same time, the White Jade, the cross-universe space device, was put out too, ready to activate!
And what came next was quiet waiting,
waiting for that far-off universe to send back the echo that called them.
Zhong Xiaoxia clenched her fists; she had already begun to grow tense.
For this too was where her Phantom Scout ace legion fleet group's duty lay.
As for this cross-universe high-frequency signal, it was in fact a device developed from an idea sparked by the waves the earlier universe-exploration equipment had given off.
What it did was switch on in a universe and then, like a lighthouse, shine back an echo,
to pilot a fleet in!
…………
The Devourer Civilization's universe
An industrial star system, spread with several starship plants.
This was among the Devourer Civilization's five largest starship-building industrial bases.
Here was supplied over 10% of the military equipment and interstellar warships of the Devourer Civilization's legion fleets in service.
And over the last half year,
this starship-building industrial base could be said to have worked overtime around the clock.
"Faster, all of you! Don't get careless with me; if anyone fails to finish their work on time, don't blame me for not going easy on you!" A department manager with an electric baton in his hand roared at the workers at their posts.
At the crackle of the current, the workers flinched.
And this department manager went on sitting comfortably at his post, eating and drinking with a few of his trusted men.
"Report: a worker at post B81 has collapsed from exhaustion," a voice came from the communication device.
The department manager frowned and said impatiently, "Not one of them has a decent body on him. If he's collapsed, drag him off, and put someone on his post at once; we can't hold up our schedule."
"Yes."
In his mouth, these workers were like parts on an assembly line, to be swapped at will.
"My lord, we're starting to run short of workers lately. On average a dozen-odd a day are worked to death or collapse; at this rate it'll be very hard to hire anyone more. And if it affects our schedule then, and those above come down on us……" one of his underlings beside him said with some worry.
But by his tone and expression, it was not the workers' health he worried about, but whether their schedule would suffer.
The department head showed some hesitation now, but said irritably, "What can I do about it? These last six months, those above have demanded our production efficiency go up by 5% a month on average! That's nearly 40% up on half a year ago, outright. Our industrial technology hasn't improved; to raise production efficiency, isn't the only way to work overtime and speed up the work as much as we can?"
"Sigh, it's all because of that campaign against the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's universe half a year ago. Who'd have thought an interstellar civilization nobody had ever heard of could destroy nearly half our interstellar warships in a few short months? It even destroyed seven of our star systems. Because of that, some interstellar civilizations that used to fear us have changed their attitude toward us these six months. When they trade with us, they even dare raise their prices," the cadre in charge of buying raw materials said helplessly beside them.
Hearing this, many might be surprised.
Anyone dared trade with the Devourer Civilization?
That was right; there were indeed some.
Give enough gain, and any deal could be struck:
buying raw materials, say, or even the slave trade and the like.
It could not even be ruled out that some interstellar civilizations' upper ranks were directly involved; give them enough gain, and they would dare take the risk.
And what tipped the balance of this trade had to do with how things stood in the universe at the moment.
When the Devourer Civilization was strong, the other interstellar civilizations dared not ask high prices in their dealings with it.
And when the Devourer Civilization was weak, those interstellar civilizations naturally had the nerve to ask high prices.
And as it happened, the Devourer Civilization's demand for interstellar warship production had risen greatly of late, which had sent the price of raw materials inside the Devourer Civilization's borders soaring in this short half year.
Some special raw materials had even gone up several times over!
But though building costs had risen, for a war civilization like the Devourer Civilization, building interstellar warships was a necessity.
"Oh, right, what do you all think? It's been over half a year; will the three Sovereigns launch another expedition against the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire?" someone muttered curiously.
"Marching against and invading the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire is bound to happen. The Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire made us take a heavy loss; never mind the mood of us in the middle and lower ranks, the three Sovereigns' tempers alone won't let them swallow it. But when the attack comes isn't certain. Judging from the earlier invasion of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire, the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's fighting power is quite astonishing. And they won't have been idle these six months either; they're bound to be building up their forces for war. And for a second strike to go well, the interstellar warships committed are bound to be more than the first time. And at the same time we have to guard against the means the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire used to strike back and raid us before; that mysterious weapon that can destroy a star system will surely need tighter guard; such a thing will never be allowed to happen a second time. So the forces we commit must be at least twice last time's, or even, ideally, three times."
"Three times? Three times would mean committing at least nearly sixty million interstellar warships, wouldn't it? Counting the interstellar warships that didn't get sent to the enemy battlefield in time too, it would have to be a hundred million interstellar warships at least. Right now our Devourer Civilization, all told, doesn't have a hundred million interstellar warships," someone said in great surprise.
"So I'd guess there won't be a second invasion of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire any time soon. However fast, it'll have to wait until the end of the year."
Someone spoke up now: "What do you think the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's side is doing all this time? If their leader could drive back the three Sovereigns' first attack, he's surely no fool. He's bound to think the Devourer Civilization will attack again."
At this question,
they thought, and each gave his own idea.
"Surely building up their forces for war in a big way, doing everything they can to turn out interstellar warships, same as us. Wasn't there a rumor a while back that the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire had a quasi-T7-grade interstellar warship come off the line and enter service? I wonder whether its fighting power is real or not; has it really reached quasi-T7 grade?"
"The first time, it was because we knew too little intelligence about the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire that our Devourer Civilization's interstellar legion fleets took a loss. In this second operation we're bound to be very careful. So on their own, they're bound to be unable to hold off our attack. If I were their leader, right now I'd be finding a way to rope in allies. In the first campaign they called in the Holy Elf Empire's reinforcements, who sent nearly fifteen million interstellar warships all told. That counted as putting no small pressure on us. If it hadn't been for the Holy Elf Empire's legion fleets helping, the final result might not have been what it is now."
"Do you think… the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire might strike first, and attack our Devourer Civilization's universe ahead of us?" someone, no one knew who, came out with the idea.
The place fell silent a moment, then suddenly laughter broke out.
The department head rapped the young cadre on the head outright and sneered, "What are you thinking? How could that be? Give the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire all the nerve in the world, it still couldn't attack our Devourer Civilization's universe."
The young cadre who had been hit clutched his head and said carefully, "But didn't they attack our home universe before? And destroyed ten million of our interstellar warships and seven star systems at one go."
"That was because we knew too little intelligence about them. That's how it came to happen; if it comes to fighting again, how could our generals and commanders above make such a mistake again? So if the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire dares attack us first, it's seeking its own death. In the first campaign, one of their advantages was fighting on home ground, able to move legion fleets and combat resources fast. Once they give up those advantages and choose to fight on our home ground, what advantage will they have left? That's seeking death!"