Word of how the Owl Dragon Legion, working with the angel legion fleets come from afar, had beaten the Demon Race's million-hull expeditionary fleets and annihilated 800,000 of them.
Very soon ran through the high command of all three great empires.
But before they had rejoiced in it any while.
The three empires' high commands sent down a war emergency mobilization order of the highest grade.
Which left the several families and lordly powers somewhat at a loss.
And within the information they were given were but a few key terms.
Permanent Grade-5 cosmic bug-nest… swarm surge… mobilize with all strength…
And there was besides the vast movement of the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group's own emergency mobilization; from all which the business was in the main a nail driven into the board.
Which cast them at a stroke from their joy at the war's victory back down into the valley.
The Demon Race had been beaten back; how was it the interstellar hive-race now sprang up!
As to the requirements within these war emergency mobilization orders, the great majority, once they understood the case in detail, made their arrangements at the first moment and went unconditionally to the Owl Dragon's aid.
The holders of power in most families, lordships and the like knew very well.
Set against the Demon Race.
Were they overrun, they might yet be prisoners; and those who managed it well might even become the Demon Race's claws and teeth.
But the interstellar hive-race was another matter entirely!
In the eyes of those creatures from another world they were only food, and every star system the hive-race invaded fell into a state like hell.
They had no choice!
Still more when the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group had offered terms: that once this war against the interstellar hive-race was over, all requisitioned military stores and raw materials would be compensated, and might even be exchanged for Owl Dragon-line goods at a discount.
In such a case they of course made their choice very quickly.
Though there were certain families of small compass who merely made a show of bringing out some little portion of their resources, thinking to keep a little back — that if the war were truly lost, they might yet run.
Little knowing that these powers of divided heart were every one set down upon a list by the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group's intelligence organization.
And very soon these powers would all be cleared away by the several empires, by one means or another.
A plain road was given you to choose. You will not choose it?
Then I can only see you upon your way.
He who will not drink the wine of courtesy shall drink the wine of punishment.
This was Zhao Chen's thought.
And this time the legion fleets of the several powers were requisitioned as well.
The Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom's Hundred Beasts Legion of 200,000, the Great Dragon Legion of 200,000, the Dragon-Tiger Legion of 100,000.
Even the Federal Kingdom Legion of 200,000, which answers for the home defense and is the weakest of the Warhammer's three great legions, had 100,000 drawn out of it to hasten to the Holy Radiance Empire's relief.
The Starlight Empire's side was no more grudging.
They sent near 600,000 interstellar warships outright, among them the elite Chu family legion fleets, the former princess's royal fleet, and the rest.
Beyond the strength needed to watch that permanent Grade-4 cosmic bug-nest, it was very nearly the whole army sent out.
At the same time, upon the Holy Radiance Empire's side, being the chief field of the war.
The Empress Saint Cana, having Zhao Chen's word, gave urgent order that five star-region fleet groups, 500,000 interstellar warships in all, should go to the relief entire.
And at the same time she led 300,000 of the Holy Light Empress fleet groups to the field herself.
The whole number of interstellar warships, first and last, taken together.
Came, by estimate, to a full 2 million interstellar warships thrown in by this emergency mobilization!
All hastening toward a single set of coordinates.
The permanent Grade-5 cosmic bug-nest!
And all of it because of one man's order.
There was a time when none could have imagined that at one man's order the military strength of three great empires might be moved.
——————
The Owl Dragon Star System · industrial base.
"Apart from the starship production lines now in production, every other line is to be turned wholly to producing interstellar missiles and other military stores! And those interstellar warships now in building, once finished and off the line, are likewise to be turned at once to producing interstellar missiles! The interstellar missiles and military stores produced go by emergency procedure, straight to the Holy Radiance Empire." Chief Engineer Nana swiftly adjusted every production task.
This was the order the secretary Lilith had passed down.
To deal with the interstellar hive-race and to deal with the Demon Race are two wholly different notions.
In very nearly every textbook upon fighting the interstellar hive-race, one sentence is written plain.
In fighting the interstellar hive-race, as often as not it is not the line that is first swept away, but the shells and the energy that are first spent!
The key to fighting the interstellar hive-race is to guarantee that the starships' supply of shells and energy is in place.
Because fighting these bugs truly eats up shells and energy!
For which.
The secretary Lilith had besides established a transport route outright, with a fleet of interstellar transports set expressly to it, loading interstellar missiles and other military stores here in the Owl Dragon Star System and going straight to the front-line field in the Holy Radiance Empire.
Every star gate they passed through midway they passed at the highest speed without exception.
It may be put thus.
Every star gate within the three great empires, great and small, now stood under control; the Owl Dragon Galactic Interstellar Group's interstellar warships held the highest right of passage, and after them those squadrons of interstellar warships hastening to the field.
This emergency mobilization set all three great empires beneath an air of oppression.
——————
The Holy Radiance Empire · No. 1 Line Command Base at the cosmic bug-nest.
A vast interstellar warship hung here.
The brain of the Owl Dragon Legion now — the T5 Dragon Emperor Interstellar Command Ship!
"The three great empires are all in emergency mobilization at present. Within 10 days at the most every combat-type interstellar warship can be in position. Once the combat-type warships are in position, every star gate route will give priority of passage to the interstellar transports answering for supplying the front-line field with raw materials and stores. And further, every military starport and industrial base already stands in readiness, able at any moment to receive interstellar warships damaged in the fighting." The secretary Lilith reported these matters to Zhao Chen one by one.
Having heard the secretary Lilith out, Zhao Chen nodded, and after charging her with certain things.
Zhao Chen walked toward the command hall ahead.
And there stood the most advanced interstellar field-data sand table in the universe as it is now known.
"Commander."
"My lord Commander."
"Commander brother."
Charlotte, Saint Cana and Little Dragon Girl were all here.
"How stands it?" Zhao Chen looked at the interstellar war sand table before him.
One could see within it a great stretch of red region, and military bases and defensive positions set here and there, and interstellar warships already in place.
"There is one greatest trouble at present. Namely that besides this district where the cosmic bug-nest lies. There are these three star regions here besides. Because of one thing and another before, the interstellar hive-race there could never be cleared away entirely, and at present they hold part of the star systems within these three star regions. We fear that once the swarm surge begins hereafter. The interstellar hive-race in these star regions will make us no small trouble." Charlotte pointed at the red areas within the three star regions.
Saint Cana beside her wore a heavy expression.
The interstellar hive-race in these three star regions had all along been Saint Cana's disease of the heart.
And Zhao Chen remembered them too, but with so much business before, there had never been time to deal with them.
And now it was well indeed.
Everything had crowded together at once.
And now, within the task frame before Zhao Chen's eyes, that countdown.
Time to the Swarm Surge's beginning: 73 hours 35 minutes