This conference came to its end.
In the end, upon Zhao Chen's order, the Owl Dragon First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Legions, together with the two special operations fleets, would make for the two frontier systems of the Dragon-folk tribe's northern territory.
While the Owl Dragon Sixth Legion would take charge of the defensive tasks in the several present regions.
"Are we to be driven off just so?" Zhao Wan'er put both hands behind her back and looked, pouting, at Zhao Chen as he declared the conference ended.
Zhao Chen was taken aback, then laughed. "What — did you mean to cadge a meal off me besides?"
Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes and took her own brother's arm affectionately. "Our Owl Dragon's first T5-grade interstellar warship in service. Are we truly not to be let aboard for a look?"
Zhao Chen noticed that Charlotte and the rest wore looks of expectation as well.
And so it was — who could fail to be interested in a T5 interstellar warship?
The more so as, owing to the tense fighting earlier, they had seen the T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought only in pictures and imagery.
"Go and contact Xue Xiaoxiao directly. She is at present the T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought's acting captain." Zhao Chen shrugged.
"Come! Let us go and see this fabled T5 interstellar warship." The moment she had Zhao Chen's consent, Zhao Wan'er at once took several of them by the arm and walked toward the outside.
Because Xue Xiaoxiao was not at present a legion fleet commander, she had not attended this conference.
But to her, conference or no conference — what could matter beside her own darling Hades? Of late she had even been eating, drinking and sleeping upon the Hades's bridge.
The feeling of it was for all the world like a newly wedded pair who will not come down from the bed for seven days and seven nights.
"Are you not going?" Zhao Chen noticed that Chitong had not left.
A thread of expectation flickered in Chitong's eyes, but she said thereafter, "I have a matter to report to you, Commander-in-Chief."
"The business of the Demon Race?" Zhao Chen recalled it.
Chitong nodded.
"Speak," Zhao Chen said.
Chitong began to recount the news of the Demon Race she had obtained over this stretch by contacting the elders upon the planet where her people now dwelt.
It appeared that Chitong's line had been a great line among the Demon Race as well; and it was precisely because of the development of a certain evil technology that Chitong's parents' generation had chosen to leave their homeland far behind.
They had crossed Machine Race territory and fled to the Galactic Alliance.
And at the last, upon a remote planet, had lived a life as of hermits withdrawn from the world, down to the present day.
"My father was not himself a witness to that business either; he learned of it from my grandfather's mouth. At the stage when that technology was being developed, for the sake of secrecy. Besides the portion of the 'living energy' that was slaves seized from other races… the shortfall was in fact made up by secretly seizing certain of the Demon Race's own lowly common people, and performing living experiments upon them. Indeed several unimportant planets were expressly found for it… to serve as breeding worlds. My grandfather at the time opposed the development of this technology, holding it too evil, and that in future it would assuredly turn and devour the Demon Race itself. But the other Demon Race line-leaders were besotted with that technology's future prospects. And because their principles diverged, my grandfather's line began to suffer oppression as well. My grandfather perceived that something was wrong, and judged that if it went on so, his own people would assuredly be persecuted. But among the Demon Race's upper ranks at the time, those supporting the development of that technology held the overwhelming majority; there was no chance in resistance. The remaining choice was flight." Chitong finished.
Zhao Chen knit his brows slightly. "How long ago was this, roughly?"
"A hundred years and more, near enough. My grandfather is gone now, so only certain elders within the clan know these things. And what they know is not much either," Chitong answered.
A hundred years ago…
Which was to say that they did not know either to what degree the Demon Race had developed by now.
But to know something was better than to know nothing.
"Then a hundred years ago, how many fleets had the Demon Race? What of their military strength, their industrial strength, the extent of their territory? And what is their polity?" Zhao Chen asked.
Chitong had evidently put this question to the clan elders as well, and gave the answer quickly.
"By what the clan elders say, at the time we fled the Demon Race. The highest in standing among the Demon Race was the Demon King; and beneath the Demon King's hand were 12 Demon Marshals — which amounts, I suppose, to the standing of the Starlight Empire's five-star marshals, dukes, and star-region governors. The whole Demon Race possessed 36 star regions; their total territorial extent was equal to half the Galactic Alliance. And at the time the Demon Race claimed to possess 6 million demon warships; their industrial strength was exceedingly great, and a hundred years ago they already possessed great numbers of T4-grade interstellar warships they could manufacture," Chitong answered.
A hundred years does not look very long; but for a civilized race that has grasped a subversive new technology, a hundred years suffices to change a great deal.
6 million interstellar warships… were they truly to launch an expedition against this quarter, the Owl Dragon as it now stood could not possibly hold them off.
"Though there is one piece of good news: on the far side of Machine Race territory. The Demon Race have warred with the Angel Race for many years — the two have carried on an interstellar war lasting a thousand years. So in the short term they should not launch a large-scale expedition against this quarter." Chitong added the further piece of news.
The Angel Race?
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
This was indeed good news. As the common saying has it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
This Angel Race might well be, for Zhao Chen at present, an opening for solving the Demon Race threat.
Even if it could not solve that threat thoroughly, it could at the least buy him time to develop the Owl Dragon.
Once Zhao Chen had thoroughly unlocked the T5 series mall and built T5-grade interstellar warships in sufficient number, then however many T4 demon interstellar warships the Demon Race possessed, they would not be worth fearing.
"This intelligence of yours is exceedingly important to us." Zhao Chen clapped Chitong's shoulder encouragingly.
Chitong showed a thread of a happy smile.
"Besides — concerning my transferring you back to the Starlight…" Zhao Chen raised the matter in passing, and was cut off by Chitong.
"I am not going back." Chitong said it unshakably.
Zhao Chen looked at Chitong.
Chitong said in earnest, "I understand the Commander-in-Chief's concern for me. I come of the Demon Race; but setting aside that my people fled the Demon Race long ago, in the Demon Race's own eyes we are traitors. And I am now a commander of the Owl Dragon Legion. From the moment I first formally set foot upon an Owl Dragon interstellar warship, I have fought for it alone. And the Owl Dragon Second Legion has been under my command throughout; no one knows them better than I. At such a time, how could I let them face the threat alone while I played the tortoise with its head drawn in? I ask the Commander-in-Chief to permit me to go on commanding the Owl Dragon Second Legion in battle!"
As Chitong said it, she raised a fist and struck it against the Owl Dragon crest upon the breast of her uniform.
Zhao Chen looked at Chitong with satisfaction. "I understand. I shall not require you to return to the Starlight. Take your Owl Dragon Second Legion and go to the fighting."
"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief." Chitong said it with enthusiasm.
"If the planet your people now live upon is not a good one, you might consider having them move to the Owl Dragon star system. I can arrange a habitable planet for them. Of course, this is only my suggestion, not a compulsion." Zhao Chen looked at Chitong and said it suddenly.
Chitong was taken aback, and then looked at the Commander-in-Chief in gratitude. "I shall convey the Commander-in-Chief's words to my people!"