The Angel Race possessed a long history and an advanced technological civilization.
Among the starship technologies known at present, they held the technology of two classes of T5-grade interstellar warship, and it was rumored they were researching a new T5-grade interstellar warship besides.
The Angel Race had an exceedingly strict system of rank.
The Angel Race was ruled by three Angel Kings in common.
Below these were the Angel Guards, six in all; each Angel King would cultivate two Angel Guards.
Below the Angel Guards were the high-order angels.
Strictly speaking, the Angel Guards in fact belonged to the high-order angels as well — only that they were high-order angels chosen out from among them by the Angel Kings and cultivated with particular attention.
Below the high-order angels were the middle-order and low-order angels.
The Angel Race in the main practiced a whole people under arms.
All of the Angel Race, upon coming of age, would serve and become interstellar warriors.
And here there was a certain difference.
This interstellar warrior was a broad category; some interstellar warriors of particular gifts might take up scientific research, technical study, interstellar industry, interstellar trade and the like.
But they still called themselves warriors of the Angel Race.
"Tilia is an Angel Guard?" Zhao Chen listened in some astonishment to this news the succubus Ludy told him.
He had guessed that Tilia's standing might well be very particular.
But he had never thought she was a figure standing near the very peak of the Angel Race's pyramid.
Six Angel Guards, and she one of them.
"Tilia is the Angel Guard of Angelia the Holy Angel, one of the three Angel Kings. An Angel Guard possesses the power to move an angel legion directly," the succubus Ludy explained.
At the mention of the Angel Race's military.
Zhao Chen asked, "How many fleets does the Angel Race possess? What of the fleets' scale, and their system?"
"The Angel Race possesses 23 angel legions, of which three are Angel King legion fleets — the name tells it, the personal guard legions of the three Angel Kings. The remaining 20 legion fleets are in the charge of appointed high-order angels, among whom every Angel Guard possesses the capacity to command an angel legion fleet. And these angel legions are likewise made up of independent fleets of 3,000 hulls each.
"But the scale of the angel legions has no uniform number laid down. Different angel legions possess different numbers of interstellar warships. The largest angel legion can reach near 200,000 interstellar warships, surpassing even the scale of an Angel King legion fleet. The smallest angel legion may have only 10,000 interstellar warships, made up of a scant few legion fleets."
At these words of the succubus Ludy's.
There was a slight astonishment in Zhao Chen's eyes.
A deployment of this kind meant either that the military system was in disorder, or that the military system had developed to the point where every single legion fleet had its own particular direction of development.
The former was for the most part impossible; were it truly so, the Angel Race could not have held the Demon Race down and beaten them all this while before.
Then there remained only the latter possibility.
"How many interstellar warships does the Angel Race possess in all, and how many T5 interstellar warships among them?" Zhao Chen asked.
The succubus Ludy said, "The total number of interstellar warships the Angel Race possesses is projected at somewhere between 2 million and 3 million. As for the number of T5 interstellar warships, it cannot be made definite; the Angel Race's grade of secrecy upon this figure is very high. What I have inferred at present is that they possess 100 T5 interstellar warships at the least. Every angel legion possesses at the least one to three T5 interstellar warships to serve as flagship and deputy flagship."
At the least 100 T5 Angel-line interstellar warships.
This figure was somewhat terrible.
Though upon thinking it over it was so.
The Demon Race's fleets were of so vast a scale, and they had now grasped that evil starship technology besides; that the Angel Race could still resist stubbornly to this day under such conditions had its reasons.
Thereafter the succubus Ludy told Zhao Chen certain other intelligence she had gathered.
Taken as a whole.
The Angel Race was very strong, but was now being held down and beaten by the Demon Race; and if no means were found to break the deadlock, the scale would tilt more and more gravely, and they were fated to be broken through by the Demon Race.
Which had led besides to the appearance of instability in the Angel Race's system of rule.
……
Over on the other side.
The Angel Tilia too was hearing the angel Tabitha's report upon the Owl Dragon.
"So you hold that the Owl Dragon's potential is very great? And that if we do not ally with them, it may even come to constitute a threat to ourselves." The Angel Tilia's brows drew slightly together.
The angel Tabitha nodded. "If we do not ally with the Owl Dragon, then in the present case, so long as there is no conflict of interest between our two sides, things may yet be steady. But once a conflict of interest, or even an enmity, arises between us. The consequence cannot be imagined.
"Look only at the Owl Dragon's history of development these five years past. Any enemy who has attempted to obstruct, to interfere with, or to invade the Owl Dragon has in the main come to no good end.
"The interstellar powers in that stretch of the former Galactic Alliance are now under the Owl Dragon's control; that man has already established an interstellar power called the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group. It looks to be merely an interstellar trade organization, but in fact it has already put out its tentacles into the very foundations of the three empires. Given time, this will be a new Galactic Alliance.
"No! It will be a thing far surpassing the former Galactic Alliance — stronger and more terrible.
"And their military strength is beyond all question besides. Not long ago they ambushed 300,000 hulls of the Red Demon Legion's fleets, and at the price of 10,000 interstellar warships of their own, annihilated the enemy entire. They destroyed two T5 Terror-Blade-class Medium Interstellar Battlecruisers besides!
"Though the Red Demon Legion is not to be reckoned among the stronger of the Demon Race's legions. But ask yourself honestly: were we to face the Red Demon Legion's 300,000 interstellar warships. How many interstellar warships should we need to make ready, and at what loss, before we could annihilate those 300,000!"
So saying, the angel Tabitha looked gravely at Tilia. "My lady, come what may, we must handle our relations with the Owl Dragon well. In the Angel Race's present situation. Alliance is the best means. And even if we cannot ally. We must not make an enemy of the Owl Dragon!"
Tilia showed a thinking look, and waved a hand. "I understand. Withdraw for now; then set down this intelligence you have gathered, and your own advice besides, and I shall report it upward afterward."
"Yes." The angel Tabitha knew her own responsibility ended here; as for the decision to come, that rested with the intent of those above.
The angel Tabitha walked out of the room.
And Tilia paced back and forth within it.
After thinking a long while.
She sent out a communication request.
And before long a holographic projection appeared before her eyes.
That was a beauty beyond compare — skin pure white, feathers pure white, and eyes of gold.
Though both were angels, and there was not much difference between Tilia's looks and hers, in aura the two were far apart indeed.
"Lord Angel King, I would report to you upon the matter of the Owl Dragon." Tilia knelt upon one knee and said it with all respect.