Zhao Chen's communication with Saint Cana ended.
"She did not agree?" Lilith asked beside him.
Zhao Chen smiled faintly. "She will agree sooner or later; only her pride at present, and that stubborn cast of her thinking, do not yet permit her to make the choice. But I believe the Holy Radiance Empire's present condition will bring her to a wise one."
Lilith nodded; she thought so too.
"And that business I set you to — how does it stand? Have you found that damnable Doctor?" Zhao Chen's expression turned grave.
Though the hive-race disaster that had broken out in the Holy Radiance Empire was, upon the face of it, declared by the Holy Radiance Empire to have arisen from an experimental accident at some interstellar laboratory.
By what Zhao Chen had learned, it was this Doctor working mischief behind it.
"The threads we have obtained are very few. As you conjectured earlier, after leaving the Snow-Swallow Star Region the Doctor fled to the Holy Radiance Empire. And upon the Holy Radiance Empire's side, the Disciple family had been in contact with the Doctor as far back as the Starlight Empire's civil war, and most warmly welcomed a Doctor with deep research into hive-race technology to come to the Holy Radiance Empire. And afterward furnished that Doctor an interstellar research institute. But presumably the Disciple family themselves never imagined that what they had invited in was a time bomb. Though as of now we are still not certain why the Doctor should have produced this Grade-5 permanent cosmic bug-nest; and at the same time his own whereabouts are unknown, and whether he lives or is dead we cannot say. The last reliable record is of his appearing within that interstellar research institute," Lilith answered.
Zhao Chen was silent a long while.
Concerning this mysterious Doctor, from the Starlight Empire's civil war down to the present.
He had become a hidden trouble in Zhao Chen's heart; until this fellow was made clear, Zhao Chen would not rest easy.
To have thrown the Holy Radiance Empire into its present crisis by his own strength alone — who knew what further means he had in hand.
Beep beep beep beep beep.
And just at this moment Zhao Chen's handheld terminal flashed with the light of highest urgency, and thereafter a video window appeared before Zhao Chen.
Charlotte.
"Commander-in-Chief, this is bad. On the Dragon-folk tribe's side, Princess Blanche has notified us that a body of their fleets has defied orders and left the frontier of the Dragon-folk tribe's northern territory, to attack the station of that Demon Race interstellar fleet which fought the Dragon Emperor!" Charlotte reported urgently.
Zhao Chen knit his brows. "How has this come about? By our earlier discussion, were we not to make defense our chief business?"
"It is because a part of the Dragon-folk tribe hold that cooperating with us is a betrayal of the Dragon-folk tribe's interests. Which has produced the present result. For the particulars, Princess Blanche wishes to contact you directly," Charlotte explained.
Sometimes one fears not an opponent like a god, but a teammate like a pig.
"I understand. Put her through," Zhao Chen permitted.
Soon another video window opened; opposite was Princess Blanche, her face anxious.
"Princess Blanche, I hope there is a reasonable explanation for your side's acting on its own authority this time and wrecking our alliance's operational plan!" Zhao Chen demanded outright.
Blanche had foreseen this too, and said straight out, "For this I am exceedingly sorry. Afterward I shall make corresponding compensation for it. But now I hope Your Excellency may help us handle this business."
"You mean you would have me wipe your backside for you!" Zhao Chen demanded.
Blanche chose not to dwell further upon that, but set it out directly. "My elder sister, Princess Leona, is leading in person 200,000 Dragon-folk interstellar warships, and near 100,000 interstellar warships of other subordinate tribes. 300,000 interstellar warships in all, to strike the Demon Race interstellar fleet. Judging by the timing, the two sides should by now have made contact. If these 300,000 interstellar warships suffer grievous losses, it will leave the frontier of our Dragon-folk northern territory without defensive fleets enough to garrison it! So I beg the Owl Dragon lord to set aside his anger for the present, and settle the matter at hand first. Once the business is settled, I shall assuredly give you an answer to your satisfaction."
Zhao Chen regarded her coldly.
He knew too that to go on rebuking her now would be of no great use.
Were it not for that annual task, and that rich reward, he might well have given up this stretch of the Dragon-folk northern territory and placed the line of resistance against the Demon Race invasion elsewhere.
But there was nothing to be done, with that annual task standing.
This Leona was truly one to make trouble where none was needed; once he had her in hand, he must give her a few slaps.
"So how would you have me act with you?" Zhao Chen asked.
Blanche, hearing some softening in his tone, was easier in her heart, and said at once, "I hope your side may furnish us T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ships; that alone will serve. Upon learning of my sister's rash action I attempted to contact her, but she has cut off all communication with us. And to hasten there now, I fear there will not be time. So as to reduce the losses among those 300,000 interstellar warships my sister Leona has taken away, I hope we may use your T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ships to carry us directly to the target battlefield. So long as we can dissuade Leona in time, that will suffice!"
This was indeed the most effective method at hand.
Though Zhao Chen had another calculation in his heart besides.
Since someone had opened this business, then perhaps that Princess Leona was already fighting the Demon Race fleet — and it happened that this would serve to sound out the Demon Race fleet's depth.
For he had besides that T5 Mall privilege task, which required precisely the annihilation of Demon Race interstellar warships.
"I agree to your scheme. But I require that in this rescue operation my Owl Dragon Legion take the chief part, and that all your movements obey my command." Zhao Chen said it in a low voice.
"You mean… your Owl Dragon Legion will go along as well?" Blanche said, with some glad surprise.
She had thought earlier of requesting the Owl Dragon Legion's support, but on reflection had truly been too ashamed to open her mouth.
Now that Zhao Chen was willing of himself, nothing could be better.
"Is there a problem?" Zhao Chen said.
"No! No problem."
"Very well. Arrange for your fleets to assemble at this position and stand by. I shall detail T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ships over. In three hours we set out in support," Zhao Chen said.
"Very well."
The communication ended.
Zhao Chen looked to Charlotte. "Charlotte, go and make the arrangements. The Owl Dragon First Legion moves out; the other Owl Dragon legions and the Owl Dragon special fleets enter first-grade war readiness, and all accompanying T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ships are to stand ready to support at any moment."
Charlotte nodded. "Understood."
Every disposition was complete.
And Zhao Chen found himself rather looking forward to how this first meeting with the Demon Race fleet — brought forward as it was — might go.