The T4 Hunter-class Leviathan, though marked as a T4-grade creature, was in truth, in comprehensive combat power, only a quasi-T4. It possessed T4-grade defensive power, but its attack power, its speed, and its other factors had only the strength of around T3. Its role was somewhat like that of an interstellar battlecruiser. It excelled at charging into the fray and breaking lines, possessed a very strong bio-armor defense, and at the same time had a terrifying bio-plasma cannon besides, which could launch an attack on the enemy at mid-range. For, mind you, the flying hive-race units before this had all had a rather close attack range. One might say that the appearance of this hive-race breed greatly narrowed the swarm's disadvantage in range.
At this very moment, among the swarm on the battlefield, the T4 Hunter-class Leviathans that had appeared already numbered a few dozen in trace. But a still more massive figure, too, made its shining entrance. It came along with a terrifying bio-plasma cannon-shot! And that bio-plasma cannon-shot destroyed a T3 Cavalier-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer outright!
"That's… a T4 Colossus-class Leviathan!" Zhao Chen stared at this image and read out the name of the culprit. The T4 Colossus-class Leviathan, like the T4 Hunter-class Leviathan, was likewise a hive-race unit of the T4 Hive Mothership. Its bulk was several times the Hunter-class Leviathan's, but its speed of movement was slow; by comparison, the Colossus-class Leviathan's firepower output was the more terrifying, and its bio-armor the stronger. And its range, too, was several times the Hunter-class Leviathan's! It was the chief firepower output among the hive-race units under the T4 Hive Mothership!
"Now all that's missing is the T4 Guardian-class Leviathan," Zhao Chen said with something of a bitter smile. By what was shown in the T4 Hive Mothership's recorded data as it stood, it possessed, in all, three kinds of T4-grade hive-race unit — along, of course, with the vast T1 Flying-Bugs, T2 Thorny Serpents, T3 Self-Detonating Beetles, and T3 Corrupted Wyverns. Only, those three kinds of T4-grade hive-race unit were the T4 Hive Mothership's calling card! They were, respectively: the Hunter-class Leviathan, the Colossus-class Leviathan, and the Guardian-class Leviathan.
The three had a very clear division of labor. The Hunter-class Leviathan charged the fray and broke lines — the assault-and-breakthrough role, tearing open the enemy's defensive line. The Colossus-class Leviathan carried out long-range heavy-firepower output. And the Guardian-class Leviathan — which had not yet made its appearance — was responsible for protecting the T4 Hive Mothership, taking on the escort task. So unless a T4 Hive Mothership were discovered, Zhao Chen and the others would not see a Guardian-class Leviathan.
And it was, too, on account of possessing these three kinds of Leviathan hive-race breed that the T4 Hive Mothership had another name: the T4 Leviathan-class Hive Mothership!
"Commander, the Morton star gate now has five defensive lines constructed. But the second defensive line has already collapsed, and that commander has ordered the defending fleet to begin falling back to hold the third line. Our battle formation is fully deployed, and can lend support; if we don't support them soon, I fear they can't hold out even a single hour!" Charlotte reported.
As for the soundly beaten Morton defense fleet, its morale was indeed greatly dampened. Some of the T1 warships had even shown cases of flinching from battle; had the star gate not been under the Morton eldest son's control, leaving them nowhere to flee, they'd, by all estimates, have long since fled.
"Charlotte, whatever it takes, hold at least one more hour!" Zhao Chen said gravely.
"One hour is no problem at all. Commander, just set your mind at ease," Charlotte said with confidence.
"It's yours," Zhao Chen said.
Zhao Chen handed the command authority of the Owl Dragon Fleet over to Charlotte; this general of the white tiger would command the Owl Dragon Fleet in resisting the swarm!
"Order received." Charlotte's tiger-eyes went round and wide, and her voice was conveyed to every ship of the Owl Dragon Fleet. "T3 Phoenix and T2 Queen Bee, begin deploying all fighters and drones. Adopt the defensive-combat strategy from before — cover the defensive line, resist the hive-race units' assault, and that will do; on no account drive deep into the swarm!"
"Understood." Deputy captain Chitong, responsible for commanding the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship, had by now already begun launching T3 Phoenix-class fighter and drone swarms, one after another. That stretch of crimson bloomed open in the channels around the T3 Phoenix's hull. Seen from afar, it was for all the world like a blossoming flower of blazing flame. Set against the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship, the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier was genuinely, wholly a small sorcerer dwarfed beside a great one.
"T2 Black Rhinos, T2 Snow Mastiffs — enter the Morton defenders' third defensive line, and help to defend against the swarm's assault!" Charlotte said. Close to 50 T2 Owl Dragon ships charged into the battlefield.
T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship · bridge.
Shen Bing sat in the captain's chair, her mood worked up beyond measure. This was a feeling one simply could not experience within the academy; through her whole body her blood was swelling and surging, every one of her cells as though bursting into explosion. Though facing so terrifying a swarm, Shen Bing had not the least shred of fear — on the contrary, she was much thrilled!
That was right!
Her, Shen Bing's, place of belonging was the battlefield! Not that dull, tedious classroom!
"Fire!" Shen Bing's voice, brimming with battle-will, rang out on the bridge!
Charlotte went on giving orders. "T2 Lion Kings — according to the degree of the swarm's assault, give localized fire support! Captain Baixue! Remember… our need for firepower is critically scarce, so arrange all the interstellar missiles, as far as possible, to the places that most need them!"
T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship No.1 · bridge.
The wolf-girl Captain Baixue's mouth curved up, and she said with a trace of a morbid smile, "You and the Commander need only set your minds at ease; I'll most certainly let those bug-scum taste just what is called the art of explosion!"
The five T2 Lion Kings spread out in a line, their interstellar-missile silos all ready, one interstellar missile after another prepared to carry out its mission at any moment.
T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser No.1 · bridge.
Charlotte said gravely, "All T3 Blizzards, in trios, make ready for interpenetrating surprise-strike combat — annihilate the primary targets! The primary targets are the T4 hive-race breeds and the T3 Hive Motherships within the swarm. Remember! If an attack can't succeed, withdraw at once! On no account entangle with the swarm."
"Understood!" all the T3 Blizzard captains said with one voice!
At this moment, the Owl Dragon Fleet was about to face a brutal battle the likes of which it had never known before. Indeed, one might say — Zhao Chen himself knew perfectly well in his heart that, looking at the data before him alone, there was simply no possibility of him and his Owl Dragon Fleet holding the Morton star gate for five hours.
But!
He was Zhao Chen — and if he said it could be held, then held it would be!
"Fire!"
The five T2 Lion Kings' first round of firepower opened; one interstellar missile after another went screaming out, trailing tail-flame, sailing over the Morton defenders' third defensive line—
and set alight that swarm come screaming toward them!
The explosions of the interstellar missiles tore those swarms apart.