"Report! At the edge region of our T3 Phoenix's radar scanning range, we've captured a T4 Hive Mothership's energy signal!" the radar-department crew reported.
Zhao Chen stared fixedly at this Hive Mothership before him — one he'd before seen only in the data and imagery material back at the academy! And an existence so terrifying that, in all the history within the Starlight Empire's territory, the number that had appeared, to this very day, did not exceed 30!
T4!
Though this was but a biological interstellar warship, it likewise represented the combat power of T4-grade biological technology.
"Mobilize all the observation equipment aboard the T3 Phoenix; scan and compute this T4 Hive Mothership's combat data!" Zhao Chen at once gave the order. Though there was some official Starlight Empire data, because the number that had appeared was rather small, the data and intelligence on such matters was likewise very scarce. To annihilate a T4 Hive Mothership, one simply had to grasp more of the enemy ship's intelligence.
Deputy captain Chitong understood Zhao Chen's meaning; she at once arranged for a department aboard the ship to be specially responsible for computing this T4 Hive Mothership's relevant data.
"Report — by our observation and tally: the range of the bio-plasma cannon mounted upon this T4 Hive Mothership has already reached the ultra-long-range standard of the Galactic Alliance's warship ranges! But as the distance increases, the power correspondingly decreases too. Its strongest power ought to be in that stretch of distance between mid-range and long-range! The power is exceedingly terrifying! As it stands, not one of our Owl Dragon Fleet's warships, any model of them, can independently withstand the frontal attack of this cannon-shot! But perhaps on account of the hull being far too vast, its speed of voyage is very slow." the crew reported.
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes.
Slow of speed, far of range, high in damage.
This was the equal of a moving war fortress!
Zhao Chen clenched his fists. Though he very much wanted to destroy a T4 Hive Mothership, the reality was that, relying on the combat power of the Owl Dragon Fleet now in his hands, there was simply no way to accomplish this.
"Report — the third defensive line likely can't hold any longer; at most 10 minutes and it'll collapse. I'm making ready for the next stage of combat deployment," Charlotte reported to Commander Zhao Chen at this point. The appearance of the T4 Hive Mothership had not only torn a gap in the star gate's third defensive line, but had, moreover, dealt the star-gate defense fleet an enormous blow to morale. So terrifying an interstellar behemoth — it couldn't help but make them doubt: did they truly have any need to hold this star gate? For this thing… simply could not be held!
"Happily, its speed of voyage isn't fast. And a bio-plasma cannon of this power ought, likewise, to be unable to be used multiple times in a short span. Charlotte, go on carrying out your combat deployment; the other matters I'll arrange! But bear this in mind — you absolutely must watch out for the assault of that enemy T4 Hive Mothership. Should any of our warships fall into crisis, take protecting the crew's safety as the foremost task; and at a moment of necessity, you may choose to abandon ship!" Zhao Chen said with resolve.
On this tenet, Zhao Chen was firm and unwavering! Warships were, to be sure, precious — but here with Zhao Chen, the crew mattered more. For those were the elite crew he'd spent time and energy cultivating. Perhaps in the eyes of those lord-fleet commanders, or of the second- and third-line Empire-military commanders, crew were merely consumables — gone, and one simply recruited more. But Zhao Chen did not think so. The strength or weakness of a fleet — the warships themselves were, to be sure, important, but the crew, too, were an indispensable link! Even if you had ever so fine a car, if the fuel you filled it with was of shoddy quality, then how far could you run? How fast?
"Understood." Charlotte's lovely eyes looked at the Commander; though it was across a video window, she could feel the resolve with which the Commander spoke these words.
Charlotte stared at the battlefield before her, and decisively gave the order. "10 minutes from now, the whole fleet withdraws from the third-line battlefield, and falls back to hold the fourth defensive line! I repeat — 10 minutes from now, the whole fleet withdraws from the third-line battlefield and falls back to hold the fourth defensive line!"
Over here, Zhao Chen got in touch with the Morton eldest son.
"Your Excellency Commander Zhao Chen." The Morton eldest son's state was plainly none too good; one could see there was still, in his two eyes, a terror not yet dispersed. He too had witnessed with his own eyes the terrifying combat power of that T4 Hive Mothership.
"The third defensive line has reached its limit. 10 minutes from now, my fleet will all fall back to hold the fourth defensive line. I need you to order your defending fleet, at this same point in time, to all retreat as well — to follow my fleet in withdrawing to the fourth defensive line, and there to re-form the ranks!" Zhao Chen said.
"Retreating is no problem… but do we not leave a portion of the fleet to cover the withdrawal?" the Morton eldest son asked, puzzled. If the third defensive line withdrew in full, that was, beyond doubt, handing the fleet's back over to that swarm — which could all too easily lead to an exceedingly wretched and bloody result.
"On this point, please set your mind at ease; I've already made the relevant arrangement over here. I ask you to trust me, to trust my fleet." Zhao Chen already had his deployment; if the other side pressed him on it, he'd give an explanation too.
"I trust in Your Excellency the Commander." The Morton eldest son, though, chose to trust Zhao Chen unconditionally. The combat power of this man's fleet a moment ago — he'd seen it all. Without this fleet, come like divine troops descending from heaven — never mind his third defensive line being able to hold for close to an hour's time — by all estimates the star gate would have fallen by now. Since the man had come here to fight shoulder to shoulder with him at the risk of death, then he would trust the other side completely!
Zhao Chen came to admire this Morton eldest son all the more; it did, at least, spare him the breath of explaining.
10 minutes later, almost in a single instant, all the warships on the third defensive line began to withdraw.
And those swarms, freed of the restraint of firepower, naturally couldn't possibly let this chance slip; all at once they came sweeping in like a black tidal wave. That momentum was for all the world like a fleet of ships upon a planet's sea, being chased by a heaven-drowning wave 100 meters high, and on the very verge of being swallowed.
"Phantom Assassin squad — sortie!" Charlotte called out over the command system.
"This young miss has been waiting a good long while!" Zhao Wan'er, upon the bridge of T3 Phantom Assassin No.1, wore a confident smile on her face. At the same time, the five T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bombers, plain to see, revealed themselves from their state of stealth, appearing behind the former third defensive line. Their position just now was, precisely, planted between the withdrawing interstellar fleet and the swarm come to attack.
Seeing this scene, the Morton eldest son was given a fright. Five interstellar warships, right under his very nose, and he'd, of all things, not detected them at all.
"Interstellar stealth bombers? An interstellar ship-type this obscure, of all things. But relying on these five warships alone, how could they possibly cover the retreat?" the Morton eldest son wondered. If the withdrawing warships couldn't reach the position of the fourth defensive line and re-form their battle formation, then it would be for all the world like a collapsing dam — the whole star-gate defensive line would crumble!
And the scene that came next made him withdraw his own doubt. And pushed that man onto a pedestal within his heart!
The five T3 Phantom Assassins, in an extremely short span of time, fired out all the interstellar bombs, interstellar torpedoes, and interstellar missiles mounted aboard their ships. And set alight that whole stretch of swarm come to attack. It was as though they'd turned this "tidal wave" of before into a "sea of fire"!