Within a certain mechanical palace.
The two mechanical beauties looked at the little girl before them.
"Master, that Zhao Chen is unwilling to join, and yet puts forward such a request. Why did you agree to him? If this business should be learned by them…" The two mechanical beauties spoke it together.
The little girl sat upon her high-legged chair, swinging both legs. "Because in this business I think the advantage ours. We cannot permit the Demon Race to grow strong, and we cannot directly interfere in the war between the Angel Race and the Demon Race. And now this Zhao Chen is willing to help the Angel Race — nothing could be better. At the same time we may see just how much this man we have chosen weighs. Whether he truly has value. As for that crew you are anxious about… hee hee hee. Though these years that crew have indeed come by some capacity. Yet at the least, in this stretch of country… to make certain that the three star gates the Owl Dragon builds run as they should — that much capacity I have still."
Perhaps because the talk had turned to a crew she disliked, an unhappy look showed upon the little girl's face.
"Zhao Chen, Zhao Chen. I hope you will not disappoint me. Better still, make as great a muddle of it all as you can! Hee hee hee."
——————
Galactic Star Calendar 3035, the beginning of April.
The Angel Race were fighting the Demon Race still, and upon the front-line fields the Owl Dragon-built T3 Radiance-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer was already in use.
……
The star gate route between the Holy Radiance Empire and the Angel Race was under building; all four star gates had been begun at nearly the same time, and were projected to be finished before the end of May.
By which time the second batch of military-order interstellar warships could be shipped straight to Angel Race territory by this star gate route, saving a very great deal of time.
……
At the same time an angel legion fleet on a scale of 400,000 hulls had come to the Holy Radiance Empire, and, attended by an Owl Dragon Legion fleet, was hastening to the Warhammer front.
They would render the Owl Dragon military aid for a term of three months.
……
The industrial zone within the Owl Dragon Star System was producing interstellar warships in a blaze of activity.
Within that T5 Galaxy-class Large Interstellar Industrial Base, the three interstellar warships that had taken up most of the building berths were quietly gone.
And in their place were the keel frames of certain interstellar warships under building.
……
The T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought · bridge.
Zhao Chen sat upon the sofa, his brows somewhat drawn, as though anxious about something.
"Commander, is there some trouble?" the deputy secretary Nancy asked, standing there in some tension.
"Eh? It is nothing; I was only thinking of other matters just now." Zhao Chen waved a hand.
Several days of April had gone by now.
But the System's quarterly mission had not yet refreshed.
Which left Zhao Chen with a very uneasy feeling, as though some great thing were about to happen.
By the System's habit, at such a time a quarterly mission long unannounced generally meant that some event was to follow.
Hearing that it was no fault of hers, Secretary Nancy let out a breath.
And at this time the highest secretary Lilith came up before Zhao Chen; Secretary Nancy, having just made her report, bowed slightly and withdrew.
Because Secretary Nancy's showing under Zhao Chen had been good.
And because Lilith's work was heavy now, so that she could not remain always at the Commander's side handling every kind of business, Lilith had simply appointed Nancy deputy secretary of this interstellar warship, to handle its several internal affairs.
"The latest case: the Demon Race's million-hull army is projected, at their present rate of sailing, to reach the Owl Dragon Military Base we have built at the mouth of the demon lane in 15 days," Lilith said, her voice low.
"Fifteen days?" Zhao Chen's brows drew together.
That was to say half a month yet — some few days later than projected.
They were, after all, a million interstellar warships; that is no such simple matter as moving a few tens of thousands.
And with the warning of what went before, this demon army advanced with the utmost caution.
In such a case, for the Owl Dragon Legion to try any small stratagem again was next to impossible.
There was nothing for it but to wait for the head-on decisive battle with the enemy.
"How stand our own preparations?" Zhao Chen inquired.
"The third-phase building works of the Owl Dragon Military Base are wholly complete," Lilith answered.
Zhao Chen nodded in satisfaction. "And how stand our legion fleets now?"
Lilith raised a hand, and 10 windows floated up before Zhao Chen.
Those stood for the Owl Dragon's 10 legions.
And upon them were the portraits of the 10 highest commanders.
"In the three months and more past we have expanded by near 35,000 interstellar warships! At present we hold in all above 65,000 combat-type interstellar warships. Of these, 17 are T5-grade interstellar warships. T4-grade interstellar warships above 6,000. The rest are all T3-grade," Lilith set out.
Three months' time, and an expansion of above 35,000.
And in fact some of that capacity had gone to producing that T5 Galaxy-class Large Interstellar Industrial Base.
Otherwise more interstellar warships could have been produced.
But there was no help for it: the T5 Galaxy-class Large Interstellar Industrial Base was of the utmost importance to the Owl Dragon; it had to be built, and the earlier it was finished the better!
Of course, in the present situation with the demon army bearing down, that had been a hazardous move.
"And the first-phase expansion of each legion fleet?" Zhao Chen inquired.
Before the year turned, Zhao Chen had put forward a plan to carry the Owl Dragon's 10 legions through a two-phase expansion this year.
The first phase, from the original 3,000 hulls to 10,000.
The second phase, from 10,000 to 30,000!
"Of the 10 Owl Dragon legions, the first five have completed the first-phase expansion task, each holding 10,000 interstellar warships. And the latter five Owl Dragon legions keep their establishment of 3,000 interstellar warships still. Because the gap in fighting power between the two is vast. So General Charlotte advises dividing the two into main-force legion fleets and auxiliary legion fleets," said Lilith.
"Do as Charlotte says. Every business in the military may be Charlotte's charge — act first and report after," said Zhao Chen.
"Yes."
"Beyond this, there stand ready for war upon the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom's side the Dragon-Tiger Legion's 100,000 starships, the Great Dragon Legion's 200,000, the Hundred Beasts Legion's 200,000, and the Federal Kingdom Legion's 200,000. Within the Holy Radiance Empire, on account of the interstellar hive-race, the Empress Saint Cana says she can provide no aid. Upon the Starlight Empire's side, the Empress Qin says every interstellar warship within her borders may be moved at will," said Lilith.
Zhao Chen nodded slightly. "Tell them I take their goodwill kindly. As to whether we shall want their help hereafter, we shall speak of it later."
What the interstellar warships under their hands were worth, how should Zhao Chen not know?
Most of them were the Owl Dragon Legion's cast-offs, sold them by Zhao Chen himself.
Fighting power they had; but set against the Demon Race's legion fleets, that fighting power was no match at all — they were simply cannon fodder.
By the time their interstellar fleets were wanted, that would likely be the hour of this stretch of the universe struggling beneath the Demon Race's iron hooves.
"Are the Angel Race's 400,000 interstellar warships in place?" Zhao Chen asked.
"They can reach the Owl Dragon Military Base within five days. Though several angel commanders have already applied to meet with you," said Lilith.
"Arrange it. They have come a long way to help, when all is said." Zhao Chen gave the order.
Though these reinforcements had been press-ganged by Zhao Chen, reinforcements they were at the least, and the proper bearing was to be shown all the same.