The Nancy Empress said nothing; she seemed not even to notice Zhao Chen leaving.
She only looked at the food on the table, then raised her head to look at the pitch-black universe, then turned to look at that beautiful planet.
She ate the delicious food on the table; it truly tasted good.
Maybe Nannan would like it.
Outside at this moment, Secretary Officer Barbara fell in beside Zhao Chen.
"She's already guessed a great deal. Do we need to intervene?" Secretary Officer Barbara asked.
"Intervene? Why would we intervene?" Zhao Chen shrugged and laughed. "For someone as clever as she is, it would be abnormal not to think of these things. There are even people on Dragon Star who've already made the connection; aren't there works about it, novels saying I'm a transmigrator[1] and such? It's fine; let them guess. So long as we have enough strength, they'll only guess, and then go on doing their work step by step. Isn't Empress Nancy doing her work very well? You're very satisfied with how she's handling the affairs of the Dragon Star Alliance's countries too. That being so, why break this balance? So long as the paper over the window stays unpierced, it's good for everyone," Zhao Chen said with a faint smile.
"Yes." Secretary Officer Barbara nodded.
"How are the sentinel devices deployed at the edge of the star system?" Zhao Chen asked, putting away his smile.
"We've launched the fifth. As soon as a high-energy reaction appears at the edge of the star system, they'll alert us at once. At the same time we've found that the Frey civilization has launched devices of this kind too; everyone is guarding against the appearance of that Dax Empire civilization," Secretary Officer Barbara said.
"A year now. A year ago the Dax civilization was already a T2 interstellar civilization, and may have had half a foot in T3. In a year, holding two star systems or even several, just what stage have they reached? No one knows. I can only hope they give us a little more time," Zhao Chen said earnestly.
——————
In the middle period of their development, Zhao Chen and the Lord of Frey would also hold some talks, to learn how well prepared the other was.
Zhao Chen looked at the Lord of Frey on the other side of the video window.
"How is your development coming along? How many interstellar warships have you prepared?" Zhao Chen asked straight out.
The Lord of Frey said nothing.
"Our civilization can now build T2 interstellar warships. We have thirty T2 interstellar warships in service, and nearly a hundred T1 interstellar warships." Zhao Chen laid the cards in his hand straight down on the table.
Then he said calmly, "Right now we're grasshoppers on one string. You and I are about evenly matched in strength. But that other Trial civilization is another matter. If you and I don't stand together and help each other through this crisis, the two of us will only end up like the Trial civilization that sent the cosmic broadcast, eliminated."
Hearing these words from Zhao Chen,
the Lord of Frey was silent a moment, then said, "At present we have a hundred T1-grade interstellar warships, and thirty T2 interstellar warships."
"It's been a year since that cosmic broadcast. That Dax Empire civilization could move against us at any moment. Our most urgent task is to keep raising our own strength. But I think we can't be wholly passive either. I've developed a probe that can transmit signals across star systems. I mean to send it into the neighboring star system, tap into the local network, and then send back the intelligence it finds."
"Aren't you worried it will expose our coordinates?" the Lord of Frey asked with a frown.
"This probe won't be sent in a straight line. I'll first send it off in any direction around us, then turn it at some random point, and then head for the target star system. That way, even if the Dax Empire discovers this probe of ours, they can't use it to find our star system's coordinates. And it's already been a year. You should know it too. In two more years at the latest, the Dax Empire civilization may find our star system's position. So rather than wait, better first to find out just how strong our enemy is, and when they'll attack! That way, perhaps we can still prepare a little!"
Hearing this idea of Zhao Chen's,
the Lord of Frey thought a moment and nodded in agreement: "Workable."
"Besides that, in the time to come, I think our two civilizations should set up a rapid-response mechanism. First of all, on intelligence about this Dax Empire civilization, we should share with each other. After all, it's our common enemy. Until we defeat this enemy, at least we're not enemies. Isn't that right?"
"I have no objection."
"We could even set up a trade network. Though before this we agreed on the star as the border, sometimes there are bound to be resources we have on our side that you don't, or that you have on your side and we don't. So, so that we can develop fast, I think we need to set up a trade channel."
"No problem there." On this point the Lord of Frey did not deliberate much, and agreed outright.
The talks after that basically went without great difficulty either.
They were both clever people and knew what had to be done now.
——————
Another half year and more passed.
The several probes launched sent back word one after another.
Once decrypted, this information was laid before Zhao Chen and the assembled Fierce Dragon officers.
In it there was good news, and there was bad news.
The good news was that these probes had reached their target star systems and found valuable leads of intelligence.
And the bad news was that the Dax Empire civilization had already scanned the position of their star system,
and was expected to attack the star system they were in within six months.
And according to what the probes reported back,
the Dax Empire civilization had prepared three hundred interstellar warships just for invading their star system.
And that was only what they knew of.
What they did not know of, there was no telling.
"That's the intelligence. Three hundred interstellar warships, at least fifty of them T2-grade interstellar warships. And we can't rule out that this may be only their advance force." Zhao Chen looked at the assembled Fierce Dragon officers before him.
Marshal Chu Xuan thought for a while and asked, "Can the technical department determine where the enemy starships will drop out after warp travel? Or else guide where these interstellar warships drop out?"
"You want to use warp-interception devices and fight an ambush?" Marshal Medusa guessed Marshal Chu Xuan's idea at once.
Warp interception was a tactic often used in the age of warp travel,
and a very effective one.
And the only way to guard against this way of fighting was to spread the fleet out, send a scout fleet ahead to the target star system first, and only after confirming it safe have the main fleet set out.
"The enemy's technology is developing very fast now. So I reckon they won't be very cautious; most likely they'll charge straight in at one go. If we can use warp interception to intercept and destroy these three hundred interstellar warships, even if they're only part of the Dax Empire civilization's interstellar warships, it'll still win us more time!"
Zhao Chen nodded and said, "I'll have the staff department and the technical department check whether this operation is workable. If it is, we'll go by this plan."
In the meetings that followed,
everyone discussed every kind of combat situation.
A warp-interception ambush was undoubtedly the best fit; in a combat setting like this, it could greatly lessen the disadvantage of their having too few starships,
and also greatly cut their fleet's casualties.
After one meeting ended,
Zhao Chen contacted the Lord of Frey and shared this intelligence with him,
and told him they meant to meet the enemy by warp interception.
"If it's warp interception, our Frey civilization may have a way," the Lord of Frey spoke up.
Zhao Chen was somewhat surprised.
The Lord of Frey went on, "Our Frey civilization has reached the T2 technology stage too. A technological device we've developed can lure enemy warp travel. It works on a principle something like a black hole. Starships traveling at warp that appear within this area will be drawn automatically toward it. And without alarming the enemy," the Lord of Frey said.
Zhao Chen's eyes lit up: "That's good. Then once we've checked the feasibility of this plan, if it works, we'll cooperate and ambush the Dax Empire civilization's interstellar fleet at the edge of our star system together!"
The Lord of Frey nodded.
The meeting ended.
The Lord of Frey leaned back in his chair, his gaze somewhat complicated.
"Master, are we really going to keep cooperating with this Fierce Dragon civilization? By our observation, the Fierce Dragon civilization is developing very fast. Though for now it's only a T2 technological civilization, the T2 interstellar warships they've built have extremely high fighting strength. A single interstellar warship's fighting strength may even be above ours! Once we've beaten back the Dax Empire civilization, we're bound to have a war with the Fierce Dragon civilization! Are we really not going to make some preparations?" a subordinate beside him asked.
The Lord of Frey thought for a while and said, "The most urgent thing is to deal with the Dax Empire civilization. As for the Fierce Dragon civilization… though it's a threat, we have to get past the trial before us first. Once past it, then we'll talk of what comes after. If we can't even get past the trial before us, how can we speak of a war with the Fierce Dragon civilization?"
The subordinate said no more.
The Lord of Frey asked, "How is construction of those altars going?"
"The construction of the altars has all been finished on schedule. That T3 altar among them has been completed, and its warship finished too," the subordinate said.
"T3…" The Lord of Frey's face was none too good.
This T3 altar was naturally for blood-forging a T3-grade interstellar warship.
But the price of blood-forging a T3 interstellar warship was very high: at least a hundred Frey, and the blood of a billion people besides.
The blood of a billion people was one thing; though it was a tenth of the population of this planet before him,
in his eyes it was nothing more than consumables.
The biggest problem was the hundred Frey.
And to raise the success rate, the number of Frey had specially been raised to three hundred.
It must be understood that there were only ten thousand in all in the Trial.
At one stroke that would cost 3% of them; it was killing the hen for its eggs. How could the Lord of Frey not feel the pain of it?
"Besides that, thirty T2 starship altars and a hundred T1 starship altars are all ready. At a single word from you, the blood-sacrifice ritual can be completed within a day!" the subordinate said.
"Without my order, the blood-sacrifice ritual is not to begin," the Lord of Frey said gravely.
"Yes!"
Unless it came to the critical moment, he truly did not want to spend his people's lives.
…………
On the Frey Star,
nearly every resident here now went expressionless and did everything very conscientiously.
All around there were great numbers of police robots.
No one at all dared break any law.
For the laws here were very strict.
A young man came home with his backpack; the moment he shut the door, he looked at his home, every curtain already drawn, not a chink of light showing.
He shut the door,
walked to another door beside it, and knocked.
The door slowly opened.
Inside was a woman.
"You're back?"
"I'm back; I've brought you some food to go." The man handed her the food he had brought home.
The woman took the food and went back into the room.
In this room there were no windows and no electronics of any kind.
Not even an electric socket or a lamp.
Not even a bed:
only bedding laid on the floor.
The man shut the door, crouched down and looked at the woman.
"You didn't lose any points today, did you?" The woman raised her head with concern and looked at a badge on the man's chest.
On the badge was written 85.
The same as yesterday; she let out a breath of relief.
"No," the man said with a smile.
He looked at the badge on the woman's chest; the number on it was 63.
"Was anyone taken from your company today?" the woman asked.
The man's expression froze.
"Who was it? Old Zhang? Or Little Li?" the woman asked.
"It was Old Zhang." The man sat on the floor and said helplessly, "He swore once today and lost points. When he was warned, he got into it with the robot; he lost control and smashed the robot outright. In the end his points fell below sixty, and he was taken away on the spot."
The woman lowered her head, fear in her eyes.
"Tell me, are we going to live like this all our lives? Those who were taken away were never seen again. I feel there are people watching us everywhere around us." The woman's whole body was trembling.
The man, helpless, closed his eyes.
After the Frey Empire unified this planet, at first everything had been all right.
But later the laws had been strengthened, and every lawbreaker was dealt with as harshly as possible.
Those who could originally have been sentenced to life were all sentenced to death.
Some who could have been sentenced to thirty years were sentenced straight to death too.
Under such strict laws, no one thought much about it.
After all, those who broke laws at that level were not people anyone would much pity.
And later it grew worse and worse.
The crimes were made heavier and heavier.