Minutes earlier — T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber, Bridge.
Long before this battle began, the T3 Phantom Assassin had in fact lain in ambush in this region, while Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon Fleet feigned having only just sailed up. The idle chat with the enemy at the end had been solely to buy time — to let the T3 Phantom Assassin reach its optimal attack position smoothly. That optimal position was, naturally, right in the midst of those several T3 warships, so the Phantom Assassin could open on them all at once. Those T3 warships had thrust their star shields out early, toward the bow — but they were T3 warships, after all, and a T3 shield guarded only one face. So as long as the Phantom Assassin chose the right attack angle, it could work to marvelous effect.
Zhao Wan'er, a top student of Northstar Starship Military Academy, quickly picked the best attack spot against the enemy fleet's formation. "This is the position! Sail there!" Zhao Wan'er ordered.
The T3 Phantom Assassin began stealing along without a sound; through this run, the enemy fleet never dreamed that, right within their own array, right beneath their very eyes, a T3 warship lay hidden. Several times it even "brushed shoulders" with their ships, and they noticed nothing at all.
Soon the T3 Phantom Assassin reached its designated position. Watching the holographic battlefield, Zhao Wan'er began issuing attack-preparation orders one after another.
The Phantom Assassin's defining trait: do nothing, or, once it moves, open with all its firepower! In the shortest possible time, fire off as many of the interstellar missiles and interstellar torpedoes loaded aboard as it could; then, the kill-task done, break swiftly from the battlefield and make a clean, sweeping getaway. This was the combat style of an interstellar stealth bomber. So before the strike, Zhao Wan'er had to arrange every attack target, attack path, and attack method.
First into Zhao Wan'er's target list were the two T3 Arkhams! One of them happened to lie on the Phantom Assassin's flank, a touch too close; the blast wave of its explosion might reach the Phantom Assassin. But the effect would be minor. Besides these, locked as primary targets were three T3 Gargoyle-class Medium Interstellar Frigates and one T3 Porcupine-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer. There remained several secondary targets; which to strike would be judged by the situation at the time.
"To each of these two T3 Arkham-class Medium Interstellar Battleships and three T3 Gargoyle-class Medium Interstellar Frigates, allot 30 heavy short-range particle torpedoes, three short-range heavy cluster bombs, and three short-range heavy anti-ship missiles. And to this T3 Porcupine-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer, allot 20 interstellar torpedoes."
Zhao Wan'er had mapped out the fire strike to be delivered within the three minutes after the assault opened! Under this wave of attack, the Phantom Assassin's magazine would still hold 30 heavy short-range particle torpedoes, five short-range heavy anti-ship missiles, and five short-range heavy cluster bombs — along with the 10 optical-mimicry missiles used for slipping away. These remaining weapons Zhao Wan'er would deploy as the situation that followed demanded.
"Report! The attack paths for the two T3 Arkhams are set; ready to deliver fire at any moment!"
"Report! The attack paths for the three T3 Gargoyles are set; ready at any moment!"
"Report! The attack path for the one T3 Porcupine is set; ready at any moment!"
"Report — the vertical-launch missile silo and the torpedo tubes are ready!"
Department after department reported in. It meant that the T3 Phantom Assassin, that lurking assassin, was about to begin its hunting hour.
Zhao Wan'er pressed a hand to her chest and drew a deep breath. Calm as she was on the surface, it had to be said that carrying out this task truly sent her adrenaline surging; her palms were slick with sweat.
At the same time, this attack information was relayed, through the ultra-covert comm channel, back to the fleet flagship — the T3 Blizzard's bridge.
Zhao Chen, in comms with Han Tianwang and Zhang Haoran, let the corner of his mouth lift as he spoke those words to Zhang Haoran.
"In five seconds, deliver fire on all locked enemy targets!" Zhao Wan'er, after a moment's pause, gave the order.
Just then, Zhang Haoran was puzzling over Zhao Chen's words. His pupils suddenly dilated — he saw a warship appear "out of nothing" before his eyes. And then he watched, with his own eyes, as that warship loosed dozens of interstellar torpedoes and interstellar missiles at the T3 Arkham he was aboard.
"What's going on! How is there a warship right here—" Zhang Haoran was thrown into a panic. As captain, faced with this, the first thing he should have done was order the ship's interception system online and the star shield shifted at once to a defensive position. Even without the captain's command, those would happen anyway — but it would cost several seconds' delay. And it was exactly those few seconds that made Zhang Haoran pay the cruelest price.
First, 10 interstellar torpedoes struck the hull of Zhang Haoran's ship!
"Warning! Warning! Warning! Starboard armor under attack — starboard hull armor strength at 63%!"
Zhang Haoran felt the violent shaking of the bridge — but this was only the beginning. For that warship kept loosing interstellar torpedoes and missiles without pause, like a heavenly maiden scattering blossoms. And the warship Zhang Haoran was aboard was but one of its targets.
In mere seconds, another 10 torpedoes struck the same hull section as before.
"Warning! Warning! Warning! Starboard armor under attack — starboard hull armor strength at 35%!"
At the same time, several interstellar missiles followed hard behind. First to fall were three cluster bombs; on reaching the T3 Arkham's position, the bombs' casings burst apart, scattering into hundreds of small-volume bomblets strewn across every part of the Arkham's hull.
Boom, boom, boom.
Aboard the bridge, Zhang Haoran's ears were full of the sounds of hull armor under attack — grinding… shattering… ringing… The whole bridge's lighting had turned to flashing red; the crew around him fell into confusion, the command system a shambles.
"Warning! Multiple secondary-gun positions damaged!"
"Warning! Hull armor under attack in many places!"
"Warning! Interstellar missiles still inbound — our ship is locked!"
At this, a third volley of 10 interstellar torpedoes struck the same position again — this time tearing open the T3 Arkham's starboard armor outright, exposing the ship's compartments within. Could time have been frozen, one might have seen the terrified, panicked faces of the interstellar soldiers in those compartments. But that terror soon vanished — for their bodies were reduced to ash in the blast!
A vast flare of fire and smoke bloomed from this T3 Arkham's starboard side. This warship was gravely crippled now; though the star shield had been shifted to the correct position, it was of no use. For the last three short-range heavy anti-ship missiles had skirted the shield and come streaking straight for the ship's damaged section. At this moment Zhang Haoran's ears were full of the system's ceaseless warnings advising immediate evacuation of the ship. But now, all of it was too late.
Before every watching eye, this T3 Arkham-class Medium Interstellar Battleship went up in flames!
At the same time, several other T3 warships in this fleet's array had suffered the same sudden assault.
Han Tianwang shot up from his captain's chair, staring in disbelief at this scene in the display window — and at the image of the culprit behind it!
"This… is… a stealth bomber?" Han Tianwang couldn't believe it.