This game of chess in the Black Tiger Star Region had, under the Owl Dragon Legion's lightning war, been settled in a single move.
As for those relief fleets outside the Black Tiger Star Region, Zhao Chen cared nothing for them.
Though the strategic resources on hand were not many, Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon Legion still had the strength for a fight.
The only thing to be dealt with was the matter immediately at hand: the 50,000 interstellar warships, headed by that Dragon-folk fleet group, which had already reached the Black Tiger Star Region's First Star System.
By rights, to destroy them all would be a very simple matter.
Only it would certainly consume enormous strategic resources.
Zhao Chen rubbed at his chin, and an idea came into his head.
He called Lilith over beside him.
"Lilith, how do you think we ought to deal with these 50,000 interstellar warships that have blundered in? Their position now is very delicate: the star gate they came in by has already been destroyed by us. Their only choice now is to fight us head-on, which for them is a road to death. The other choice is to rely on warp navigation to withdraw from this system. But I would rather not let them go so easily. Yet if we fight now… our grain in store is not plentiful." Zhao Chen folded his arms across his chest and looked at Lilith.
"Since you say all this, you must already have a notion of your own." Lilith saw through Commander-in-Chief Zhao Chen's intent.
Zhao Chen showed a faintly wicked smile; he leaned to Lilith's ear and set out his plan.
Having heard him out, Lilith considered a while.
And said gravely, "There is no difficulty in carrying this plan of yours out. And by it we can besides play for time with the Dragon-folk tribe, and win ourselves more time to make up our subsequent combat resources."
"Then this business I leave to you." Zhao Chen clapped his hands.
"I think in fact that person is better suited to this business." Lilith suddenly pointed at Chieftainess Hu Ya in the VIP spectators' gallery.
Zhao Chen looked at Lilith in surprise, not knowing why she should suddenly recommend Chieftainess Hu Ya to him.
"Though the time I have been in contact with Chieftainess Hu Ya has not been long— I find that the fox race's racial gift truly is very fine. They may not be skilled at fighting, but at matters of counsel and planning behind the scenes they are exceedingly skilled. In fact over this stretch, within the leave you allowed me, I gave them some simple tasks, and they completed them all to perfection. In some work, indeed, they have ability surpassing our succubus race's. You may know too that with the Owl Dragon Legion's expansion, the officer corps can be enlarged by combat experience and by the military academy's training. But posts of the secretary and staff-officer type in fact demand a great deal of natural gift. I think you might try taking this race in, and hasten the speed of their integration. It could greatly strengthen our Owl Dragon's all-round power." Lilith set out her thinking.
Zhao Chen nodded; he knew too that this housekeeper of his had had a very great workload over this stretch.
Those succubi she had brought with her at the outset now held important posts in one department and another, near enough every one of them — one might say one succubus was being used as 10.
There truly did need to be people to share their work.
"Very well; I shall go and talk with them. As it happens I wish to talk with that person as well." With that, Zhao Chen walked over toward the VIP spectators' gallery of his own accord.
Those guests in the VIP spectators' gallery, gaping long since like fledglings waiting to be fed, saw that the Owl Dragon lord had at last remembered them.
And were excited past all bearing, one and all.
Having witnessed this campaign in the Black Tiger Star Region, they had a new understanding of the Owl Dragon Legion's strength.
"Have you time? Let us go somewhere quiet and talk." Zhao Chen ignored that crowd and walked straight up before Chieftainess Hu Ya.
To either side of Chieftainess Hu Ya sat, respectively, her daughter Hu Xin'er, and that guest in the veil and black robe.
"Very well." Chieftainess Hu Ya rose.
"If these two do not mind, they may come along as well." Though Zhao Chen's mouth said these two, his gaze rested upon the veiled figure in black.
Chieftainess Hu Ya looked at the veiled figure in black with some hesitation; she knew that if the other were unwilling, all her own persuasion would be labor lost.
"Very well." The hoarse voice came.
The veiled figure in black rose.
Under the envious gaze of that whole crowd in the VIP spectators' gallery.
The Owl Dragon lord took these people into a separate private room next door.
The four of them took their seats.
"Considering the circumstances earlier, I can accept your concealing your identity. But this is now a private meeting. I would rather no one hid their head and tail before me. Is that not so, Your Excellency the Fox Clan Empress." Zhao Chen's tone was mild, but the point of his words was aimed straight at one of those present.
Which set Chieftainess Hu Ya's heart hanging in the air again.
She was truly anxious that this sister of hers might let that stubborn temper of hers come up at this moment.
Zhao Chen's gaze went toward that person as well.
Above that person's head a line of figures could be seen.
Fox Clan Empress: win-over index 86%
This was a figure Zhao Chen had not anticipated. He had known that the special guest Chieftainess Hu Ya had invited was someone of consequence.
Only he had not thought her win-over index would be so high.
He had supposed he would need to spend a good deal of effort yet.
Whether it was because she had already had a mind to submit to the Owl Dragon Legion, or because of the terrible combat power the Owl Dragon Legion had displayed in this war, there was no telling.
But the remaining 14% was a considerable barrier too.
With a clever race of this kind, communication was very easy; but by the same token they were the sort who do not loose the hawk until they see the hare.
"Forgive me. Because the circumstances were exceptional— I had no choice but to disguise my identity, and I hope the Owl Dragon lord will excuse it."
The hoarse voice of the veiled figure in black underwent an enormous change at this point; before it had been a voice in which male and female could not be distinguished.
Now it was a woman's voice, exceedingly pleasant to hear.
Merely to hear that voice, Zhao Chen could catch a scent of allure in the air.
And when he looked at the woman who had taken off her hat and veil—
a peerless beauty.
If the legendary Su Daji of his former life had been like this, he could understand King Zhou.
Above her head was a pair of white-and-pink ears, and that look in her eyes seemed able to draw the very soul out of a man.
Perhaps because a black outer garment had to be worn over it, what she wore beneath was a relatively simple close-fitting leather jacket and short skirt, and no little fair skin could be seen.
And more striking still were the nine white-and-pink tails hidden beneath that loose black robe.
That soft, furred quality made a thought rise in Zhao Chen without his willing it: he wondered how those tails would feel to the hand.
"Let me make the introduction. She is the empress of the Fox-folk tribe, Su Yaya. Being of the nine-tailed fox line within the Fox-folk tribe, she possesses nine tails."
So saying, Chieftainess Hu Ya expressly let her own black, furred tail show from beneath the hem of her skirt.
How is it their tails all look so very strokable?
Zhao Chen looked at the two women's tails and muttered it inwardly.