At the same time, the T4 Hive Mothership opposite, too, opened wide the abyssal maw it had readied for so long, and a green bio-plasma cannon fired forth. The swarm in the middle, between these two, could well be said to have met with calamity. The swarm that hadn't time to withdraw was destroyed like so much weed-grass. Sheet upon sheet of hive-race units were annihilated by the attacks of the two sides; by rough reckoning, this one wave alone destroyed at least several hundred thousand hapless hive-race units! Including, among them, several T4-grade Leviathan hive-race units. Only, because the T4 Boreas-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship's range was limited, it couldn't yet threaten the T4 Hive Mothership, and in the end the attack halted at a position still some distance from the T4 Hive Mothership.
Here, too, Zhao Chen at last saw the look of the T4 Guardian-class Leviathan. It was a bug creature second in volume only to the T4 Colossus-class Leviathan, and one could plainly see that its bio-armor was the thicker — while on its body, on the contrary, the attack modules were exceedingly few. There were only a small number of weapon modules resembling point-defense guns. Upon sensing the attack of the T4 Boreas's two bow giant cannons, dozens of T4 Guardian-class Leviathans had, well in advance, interposed themselves along the attack's path. Though this range couldn't reach their T4 Hive Mothership, the instinct of their duty made them do it all the same. In the end, they used their burning bodies to thoroughly "digest" the last threat of the T4 Boreas's two shots!
At the same time, the T4 Hive Mothership's bio-plasma cannon landed upon the shield of the T4 Boreas C09. The terrifying scene of the two colliding made even Zhao Chen, positioned to the rear, feel as though he'd seen a supernova. This scene lasted some dozens of seconds; at the last, the bio-plasma cannon dissipated, and the T4 Boreas C09 was still there — but one could plainly observe that the strength of that shield had been markedly weakened.
"How's that T4 Boreas of yours?" Zhao Chen asked the Chu Xuan on the other end of the video window.
Chu Xuan, too, had received the report sent back from the Boreas C09 at the first moment. "Shield energy value at 57% remaining. It has to be said, this T4 Hive Mothership's bio-plasma cannon is indeed exceedingly terrifying — and this is even with our Boreas having fired a certain quantity of energy-type interception missiles," Chu Xuan said gravely. The T4 Boreas's shield had, under this one shot, lost close to half its shield energy value. One could well imagine the terror of this power!
"Still, it's within a range we can accept — and now our route of advance is, on the contrary, the more convenient." Zhao Chen looked at the flight-lane "cleared out" by this exchange of fire. This was precisely the purpose of arranging for the T4 Boreas C09 to fire, though it couldn't reach the T4 Hive Mothership — it was to hasten their attack efficiency.
"Advance!" Zhao Chen said in earnest.
"There's no road back for us now," Chu Xuan said, firm and unwavering.
The Owl Dragon Fleet and the Chu family Third Fleet went on advancing toward that T4 Hive Mothership. Perhaps sensing the threat of this attacker, the T4 Hive Mothership began to muster more swarm to strike at this fleet, and at the same time began to make ready its next wave of attack! And more T4 Guardian-class Leviathans began to gather in this direction, to guard against the enemy's coming attack on its Hive Mothership.
Star-gate defender flagship · bridge.
Xu Yifan stared at the radar, at that one "flight-lane" that had appeared within the swarm — that was the channel the Owl Dragon Fleet and the Chu family Third Fleet had opened up. There remained two-thirds of the distance to the target T4 Hive Mothership! And over this stretch, the T4 Hive Mothership opposite had already fired its bio-plasma cannon at this joint fleet three times in succession! Though, seen on the ship radar, it hadn't dealt the joint fleet any substantial damage, he — who'd witnessed with his own eyes the terrifying power of the T4 Hive Mothership's bio-plasma cannon before — knew clearly the pressure the joint fleet was bearing. And because of the joint fleet's attack, the pressure on their own defensive line had lessened as well; one could well imagine why.
At this very moment, the star-gate defending fleet were, one and all, praying without cease. Longing for a miracle to occur! For this was their one and only hope. If it failed, then they'd truly be past all saving.
The tenth minute · T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship · bridge.
"Our drone losses have already exceeded 30%, and the average sortie count of both echelons of fighter pilots has reached 13! The logistics workers in our hangars are all operating past their full load," deputy captain Chitong said, somewhat tense just now. The T3 Phoenix, just now, could well be said to have reached 130% work efficiency; every department was like a nerve drawn taut, daring not the least slackening.
"As of now, everything's gone as Charlotte laid it out. What comes next rests on whether our attack can destroy that T4 Hive Mothership!" Zhao Chen clenched his fists.
Zhao Chen looked to the video windows on either side. "Are you all ready?"
"No problem on our end," Chu Xuan said.
Charlotte said, "All is ready."
Zhao Chen looked to deputy captain Chitong.
Deputy captain Chitong said, "We're ready too."
Zhao Chen rose from the captain's chair, raised a hand, and pointed toward the T4 Hive Mothership. "Then let's destroy this great stink-bug!"
"Yes!" Chu Xuan, Charlotte, and Chitong, in this moment, had but a single thought left in their minds. Annihilate this T4 Hive Mothership!
The core portion of this combat plan now, at last, truly began to run. Chitong called out over the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship's fighter command channel, "Execute the final combat plan!"
Within the hangar.
Pei Shengnan, having once more completed a round of resupply, tossed aside the energy drink in her hand, drew a deep breath, put her tactical helmet on, and sortied once more! A logistics worker beside her looked at this interstellar fighter, its body riddled all over with wounds. "Just how many sorties is this for her now?"
"The 20-first, or 20-second… I've lost count," the companion beside her said.
Just now, outside the T3 Phoenix — unlike before, the fighters and drone swarm didn't fight each on its own; at this point, instead, they formed a single flying formation. And it was the fighters on the outer ring, the drone swarm on the inner side.
"Whole fleet, full firepower — clear the region ahead!" Chu Xuan gave the order to the designated interstellar warships. The Third Fleet's T3 warships at the formation's fore all opened fire at full power; and aboard the T4 Boreas, besides their bow cannons, their other main guns and secondary guns too, without the least hesitation, poured out their firepower upon the swarm blocking the way ahead. This, in one stroke, cleared out a great swath of space before the joint fleet.
"Open the way!" Pei Shengnan gave the order. The T3 Phoenix-class fighters and T3 Fire Phoenix-class heavy interstellar stealth bombers took the very front, surrounding the drone swarm as they charged ahead. And at the same time, a special fleet broke away from the joint fleet of its own accord, following behind the fighter swarm. That was 20 T3 Blizzards and five T3 Phantom Assassins!
And that great swath of space just cleared out was soon shoved back in upon by the swarm.
"Blow these stink-bugs to death for this old lady!" Pei Shengnan, without the least ceremony, activated all the weapons of her interstellar fighter, blasting the bugs before her, one and all, to shredded powder.