The Owl Dragon Military Base.
A vast interstellar warship, like a castle, hung here; and because its shape was wholly unlike other interstellar warships, it stood out exceedingly.
Above all at its topmost point, where there were several structures after the fashion of dragons' heads.
At the hull's most prominent place was the golden Owl Dragon blazon, and behind it three great characters: Dragon Emperor.
This was the second "limited edition" T5 interstellar warship Zhao Chen had produced.
Zhao Chen sat upon a comfortable sofa and cast his eyes round the bridge.
Taken broadly, this interstellar warship's bridge seemed to differ little from other bridges.
But looked at closely, one would find that the proportion of this bridge to the ship far surpassed that of any other!
Put plainly: this interstellar warship possessed a super brain.
Quantum transmission of multiple human bodies in progress.
A prompt box appeared before Zhao Chen, and thereafter pillars of light opened out before him.
And then one figure after another appeared out of thin air before Zhao Chen.
"Wow — so we really were sent straight across? Let me see quick whether I am missing an arm or a leg." Xue Xiaoxiao felt herself over in her excitement, and only when she had made certain nothing anywhere was gone did she grow somewhat easier.
"A certain place looks to have got a little smaller." The snake-woman Qingman beside her put in a jibe.
Following the snake-woman Qingman's eyes, Xue Xiaoxiao's fell upon the place in question, and at once, without thinking, she felt it.
"Where is it smaller! You are the small one — your whole family is small!" Xue Xiaoxiao glared at the snake-woman Qingman.
The snake-woman Qingman folded her arms lightly and gave Xue Xiaoxiao a sidelong glance.
Xue Xiaoxiao stared at the place and spat, "Pah. As though anyone cared."
The Dragon-Emperor quantum transmission the T5 Dragon Emperor Interstellar Command Ship possesses can transmit personnel carrying a coordinate device straight aboard the Dragon Emperor.
The build cost of that coordinate device is rather high, and the number at present is small, though more than enough for the high commanders.
So that now, it wanted but one order, so long as the starship in question lay within the compass of the Dragon Emperor's technology.
And these Owl Dragon commanders could come straight before Zhao Chen.
"Commander, the several legion commanders of the Owl Dragon Legion are all in position," the secretary Lilith reported, standing at Zhao Chen's side.
At this everyone stood straight, and looked toward Commander Zhao Chen upon the sofa.
Zhao Chen's eyes swept over these women generals of his.
Owl Dragon First Legion commander, Charlotte;
Second Legion, Chitong;
Third Legion, Shen Bing;
Fourth Legion, Su Lan;
Fifth Legion, Chu Xuan;
Medusa, Wei Shishi, Ye Xiaotong, the snake-woman Qingman, Pei Shengnan;
And the commander of the Owl Dragon interstellar missile ship special fleet, the wolf-girl Baixue;
The commander of the Owl Dragon interstellar stealth bomber special fleet, Zhao Wan'er;
And the T5 Hades' captain, Xue Xiaoxiao.
"My lords. A million demon interstellar warships lie but three hours' sailing from our military base's line of defense. Among them are near 10 T5 interstellar warships, near 100,000 T4 interstellar warships, and the rest without exception T3-grade. In mere numbers it is plain that we stand at a disadvantage. Some may think that we have besides 400,000 angel legion hulls beside us in support. But there are times when to rest upon others is worse than to rest upon oneself. We cannot set all our hope upon others. Behind us is our home; we must make ready for the worst. But I do not wish to see the worst result." Zhao Chen rose, and fixed his eyes upon them all.
He paused, and said, "At the fighting of battles I am not your equal. So I shall wait here for news of your triumph. And then I shall have good wine and good food ready, to hold your victory feast!"
So saying, Zhao Chen made a military salute, his look grave.
The several commanders present returned the salute.
"Let the Commander set his mind at rest — we shall assuredly win!"
"We shall assuredly win!"
After these bold words, they all returned to their own ships by the T5 Dragon Emperor's quantum transmission.
One alone remained here.
Charlotte.
"It is all arranged, I take it." Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte as she came up.
Charlotte nodded, and glanced round this Dragon Emperor's bridge. "It is arranged. This Dragon Emperor's command system is patched directly through to me. And through this stretch of time I picked out early a body of capable people and formed a General Staff expressly for the Owl Dragon. They will work with me at the analysis, the deployment, the adjustment and the rest of the fighting."
This Dragon Emperor was the brain of the whole Owl Dragon Legion; Zhao Chen had known it long before she was built.
And had charged Charlotte expressly to make her preparations of personnel.
"Very well; then I shall wait here for your good news." Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte.
Charlotte stood straight and pledged it with the most solemn assurance. "Let the Commander set his mind at rest. I guarantee the demon legions shall not cross this line by a single step!"
So saying, Charlotte's figure turned to particles and returned to her post.
And Zhao Chen sat down upon the sofa again, and watched the bridge at its work.
Of this Dragon Emperor Zhao Chen was now the captain in name, but he would not interfere in the running of the place, for Charlotte had long since deployed the divided work of every staff department.
Zhao Chen's part was more likely that of a mascot.
At which Zhao Chen did not mind in the least.
Leave the professional business to the professionals.
That had always been Zhao Chen's principle; though at times he would put forward some advice, he would never interfere by force.
And the second person here was Lilith.
As the Owl Dragon Legion's mistress of the household, the logistics and supply and the transport of materials she managed were bound up with the Owl Dragon Legion at every point.
The people of the General Staff too must work closely with Lilith's secretariat.
Which came to being the Owl Dragon Legion's left brain and right brain.
"Lilith, is all ready?" Zhao Chen looked toward Lilith at his side.
"Ready and in order; every legion fleet stands ready to open battle at any moment!" said Lilith.
Zhao Chen drew a deep breath, and fixed his eyes upon a holographic war sand table before him.
The core district within it was this Owl Dragon Military Base.
Ten T3 Tempest-Fortress-class Large Starports, several hundred interstellar war fortresses, and above a thousand defensive works made up this military base's defensive position.
Within it were besides the Owl Dragon Legion's 10 legion fleets, 65,000 combat-type interstellar warships, and near 5,000 field-auxiliary interstellar warships.
Together with one T4 Voyager-class Medium Star Gate and two T4 Rambler-class Small Star Gates.
All was ready and in order.
They waited only upon the wild wind and driving rain to come.
At the position where the angel legion fleets were stationed not far off.
"Are this crew truly minded to bear the strong attack of a million demon interstellar warships on their own?" The high-order angel Berkeley frowned; he found it something past belief.
"My lady, what shall we do now?" The high-order angel Jessie looked toward Tilia, who was a high-order angel like themselves but held the standing of Angel Guard besides.
The angel Tilia weighed it a moment, and said in a low voice, "Order every interstellar warship to make ready for battle. The Owl Dragon is very important to us; the capacity for industrial production they have shown can ease the pressure of our front line's want of interstellar warships."