The comm cut off abruptly here.
And just as General Zhao Ziying was finding the matter of Zhao Chen and his Owl Dragon Legion's sudden arrival beyond all comprehension, a bridge soldier beside him hastily reported, "Report — in the [redacted] direction, an unidentified interstellar legion fleet has appeared, its number estimated at around 3,000 ships!"
"Send out unmanned scout craft to have a look — just what are the origins of these interstellar warships!" General Zhao Ziying said in a low, grave voice.
Very soon, the answer came back.
It was a stretch of imagery filmed by an unmanned scout craft.
It was under a dim cosmic environment — for, being interstellar edge-space, there was very nearly no celestial light-source.
But within the imagery, one could see some glowing objects.
Those glowing objects were, too, drawing nearer without cease, and little by little the outlines of these objects grew clear.
They were, plain to see, interstellar warship upon interstellar warship!
And the glowing points were the starship engines of the interstellar warships in operation.
And, judging by their bulk, they were very nearly all T3-grade interstellar warships.
The number was exceedingly vast — a great black, teeming mass.
At the last, the imagery gave a close-up: it was the hull-crest portion of a crimson-red interstellar warship.
The crest of the Owl Dragon Legion fleet!
"That fellow — he's actually brought his own legion fleet to the Imperial Capital Star system? But how can this be… so vast an interstellar fleet, from the North Wind Star Region to the Starlight Central Star Region, and pushing, besides, into the star-system edge-space outside the Imperial Capital Star system…" General Zhao Ziying found this all too beyond comprehension.
And most crucial of all was that, half a month before, this Owl Dragon Legion fleet had only just fought a battle with the Third Prince fleet; and though the Third Prince fleet was defeated, in the matter of time…
Could it be that Zhao Chen had foreseen that Chu Changhe would run into just such an affair — that, having only just finished fighting a battle, he'd led his own Owl Dragon Legion fleet, without a sound or a whisper, to lurk over here?
This… this simply didn't add up…
"Report — the Owl Dragon Legion has issued us a warning: we are not to attack Governor Chu's fleet, and are to sail clear of the combat range. Otherwise, they'll launch an attack upon any interstellar warship that enters the attack range of their interstellar warships!" the adjutant reported.
Zhao Ziying's expression was overcast; he was an imperial four-star full general, and here he was, being threatened by such a brat!
And most crucial of all was that he'd, besides, come to feel the reality of this threat — that it was no empty word spoken into air.
The Owl Dragon Legion's combat power had already been clearly displayed in that one matter of the Third Prince fleet's utter annihilation.
"Tally up how many interstellar warships we have here, and how many interstellar fleets round about can arrive here within half an hour. And get in touch with the Second Prince's side besides — report the intelligence we have here up to them!" General Zhao Ziying said.
"Then as for the Owl Dragon Legion's demand…" the adjutant inquired.
General Zhao Ziying, his face overcast, said, "No interstellar warship is to open fire without my order; and at the same time… keep a safe distance from the Owl Dragon Legion fleet!"
"Yes."
…
The comm with Zhao Ziying had cut off, but the comm between Zhao Chen and Chu Changhe was, as before, still kept open.
"You brat — from what hole did you pop out? Instead of being a proper marquis in that Owl Dragon Star System of yours, what are you doing running over here?" Chu Changhe put on a sour face, for all the world as though upbraiding Zhao Chen.
But those Chu Family Shadow-Guard people beside him knew full well that this was no upbraiding at all — quite the contrary, Chu Changhe thought most highly of this Zhao Chen.
Chu Xiong and the others, too, let out a breath of relief at this point; the once-desperate straits had now, with the Owl Dragon Legion's coming, become for all the world like the parting of clouds to reveal the sun — hope had returned.
"And isn't it all on account of a certain old man who, instead of being a local emperor on his own turf, insisted on running off to another's turf to be a hostage? Now look — you very nearly left this half-in-the-grave frame of yours here. That you're willful, old man, I can let pass. But if that betrothed of mine should suffer some trauma of the heart over this matter — who am I to go to for justice?" Zhao Chen bantered.
"Slick-tongued, oily-mouthed brat." Chu Changhe laughed and scolded.
"Now's not the time for chatting. Once we're back in your Chu River Star Region, however you'd like to chat, I'll oblige you. The most important matter of the hour is to get you and these Chu family brothers out of here first," Zhao Chen said, his look turning grave.
Chu Changhe's face turned serious; he pointed at Chu Xiong beside him.
"This Chu Xiong is the supreme commander of this operation. Whatever matters there are, you may discuss them with him."
Zhao Chen looked toward Chu Xiong.
Of this man, Zhao Chen had heard something too: he was a favorite of the Imperial Capital Star, originally not surnamed Chu, a three-star lieutenant general, and there'd been rumors that he was, of late, exceedingly likely to be promoted to four-star full general.
He could be counted a great favorite of the royal house.
Never had Zhao Chen imagined that this would, of all things, be a hidden card Chu Changhe had planted in the Imperial Capital Star.
These hole cards of Chu Changhe's were truly beyond anyone's imagining.
No wonder Chu Changhe had gone to that Feast at Hong Gate with such perfect assurance.
"Young son-in-law, this humble general Chu Xiong awaits your command," Chu Xiong said respectfully.
Young son-in-law?
This form of address had a certain interest to it.
But it was right enough — for, after all, as everyone knew, Zhao Chen was Chu Xuan's betrothed, and so wasn't he the young son-in-law?
Add to that this drama of 1,000-li rescue, and the relationship between Zhao Chen and Chu Changhe was, all the more, nailed fast to the board.
Add to that, besides, the Owl Dragon Legion's making a name for itself in a single battle before — the utter annihilation of the Third Prince fleet — and who in the whole Starlight Empire could fail to know Zhao Chen's great name?
These military men held in reverence not persons of some standing, but rather men of Zhao Chen's sort, who dared to lead an interstellar legion into battle in person.
"There's nothing much to command, really; you all just rendezvous with us first, and then advance according to the flight-route we've arranged, and that'll be that. Should any problem whatever arise en route, you needn't concern yourselves with it. My interstellar fleet will handle it," Zhao Chen said.
"Yes," Chu Xiong answered.
Very soon, the two sides' interstellar fleets, under the gaze of a crowd of onlookers round about, rendezvoused together, and set off toward the direction from which the Owl Dragon Legion had come.
"General, the Owl Dragon Legion is about to leave!" the adjutant said with some anxiety.
General Zhao Ziying, too, was exceedingly anxious at this moment; he looked at the star-map radar before him, upon which were displayed the interstellar warships round about on their side.
At this moment, the interstellar warships gathered here numbered under 10,000, and the interstellar fleets that could reach here within half an hour came as well to under 10,000!
20,000 interstellar warships looked to be a great many.
But one mustn't forget.
Before this, the Owl Dragon Legion had been able, in the space of a few hours, to wholly annihilate the Third Prince fleet's 20,000 interstellar warships.
To truly bar the way of this powerful Owl Dragon Legion, one would need either to bring out an elite fleet legion of comparable strength, or else to bring out at the least twice its number of interstellar warships to encircle and wipe it out.
"Is there word from His Highness the Second Prince's side yet?" General Zhao Ziying inquired.
"For the moment… not yet."
General Zhao Ziying clenched his fists.
Without His Highness the Second Prince's order, he dared not take any rash action either; and at this moment his heart was, in truth, for all the world like an ant upon a hot pan!