"Release the engine speed limit and continue accelerating to match Storm's speed!"
Moxue made a swift decision, but Wang Chongsheng went one step further, immediately issuing the command to override the engine restrictions.
The deputy captains of the two T3 White Eagle-class destroyers were taken aback, nervously voicing their concerns, "Removing the speed limit and sustaining this acceleration puts a tremendous strain on the engines. There's a high risk of failure."
"It's an order. Remove the restrictions!" Wang Chongsheng insisted firmly.
"Yes, sir! Engine speed limit removed! Maintaining acceleration... speed at 170... 180... 190 stars!"
As for Xiaomeng, there was no need to convince her. She had eagerly overridden her own ship's speed restrictions as soon as the plan was laid out.
Every starship's engine comes equipped with a speed limit, calibrated for optimal operation and engine longevity. Exceeding this speed may drastically shorten the engine's lifespan. These limits are password-protected, and only the captain or a senior officer can authorize their removal.
"Report! Engines are overloading! Power systems are under extreme strain! Speed now at 197 stars!"
The self-destructing and corrosive insects guarding the T2 Hive Mothership sensed the incoming threat and transformed into a dense black swarm, moving to intercept Feng Mo's fleet. Meanwhile, nearly a dozen Hive Motherships began charging their bioplasma cannons, glowing with an ominous green light.
Under Feng Mo's lead, the fleet charged headlong into the Zerg forces!
From Director Lui and Captain Yu Minghao's perspective, it looked as if the four starships were fearlessly plunging into the heart of the insect swarm. The fleet's extreme speed and protective Star Shields allowed them to crash into the Zerg ships with devastating force.
The resulting impact was catastrophic for the T2 Hive Motherships. As colossal bodies collided at high velocity, the enemy ships were shredded, scattering chunks of flesh and alien matter into the void. Feng Mo's strategy exploited the enemy's lack of Star Shields, but it was a brutal experience for his own fleet.
The Storm's bridge was filled with the sound of constant, bone-rattling thuds, and the entire ship shook violently from the collisions.
"Report! Star Shield energy at 52%... 44%... 36%..."
The crew kept announcing the Star Shield's energy depletion.
"Prepare to fire all main and auxiliary cannons! Don't bother aiming, just blast everything ahead!" Feng Mo commanded. He needed to cut a path through the Zerg fleet. Their charge had split the enemy formation, isolating the Hive Motherships for easier elimination. If the Motherships were allowed to regroup, the cadets would have a much harder time scoring any significant victories.
Some might call Feng Mo's actions reckless, as his bold strategy would benefit his classmates by opening up opportunities for them to pick off weakened enemies. But he didn't mind. On the battlefield, small ambitions could be set aside. With great power came great responsibility, and all he cared about was maximizing his gains in battle merits.
At his command, the three starships unleashed eight massive energy beams, while nearly two hundred close-defense laser cannons roared to life. The concentrated fire obliterated three Hive Motherships, clearing the way for the fleet to charge through.
Storm's Star Shield was now critically depleted, its energy reserves down to single digits. Destruction was imminent if they didn't break through soon.
Finally, the black swarm parted, and the fleet burst out into open space, emerging from the darkness!
"That was like a soaring dragon! I like his spirit. Sure, it's a bit reckless, but young people should be daring. No use being gloomy and cautious!" Yu Minghao roared with laughter.
His deputy joked, "Of course you'd like a wild daredevil who loves ramming starships, you brute."
Yu Minghao's eyes flared with mock anger. "You little...!" He nearly burst out, remembering an ancient nursery rhyme unearthed over a thousand years ago during an archaeological dig.
Feng Mo had his reasons for choosing such aggressive tactics. Storm was a battleship, one of the sturdiest vessels in its class, second only to armor-plated heavy frigates. With a top speed of 200 stars, Storm could become a high-speed projectile, turning collisions into devastating attacks against unshielded Hive Motherships.
Supported by the firepower of the White Eagle-class destroyers and Xiao Meng's relentless drone assault, they carved through the Zerg formation. But without the Star Shield, another charge would risk critical damage to Storm's hull.
"Report! Star Shield energy depleted. Front armor sustained 8% damage!"
Eight percent hull damage was considerable. The ship's armor bore visible dents and scorched marks from the impacts. Parts of the hull were mangled, and Zerg corpses and pools of acidic bile covered the exterior. Cleaning up this mess would be a grim task.
"All right, let's change tactics," Feng Mo decided. "Pursue at high speed but maintain a safe distance. Target their Motherships with precision strikes. Xiao Meng, deploy every drone you've got. Don't worry about losses; I'll cover the replacements after the battle!"
Feng Mo's strategy was simple: when armored, go all out; when unarmored, play it safe.
Thanks to Storm's T3-grade turbo laser cannon and his luck-boosting ability, every shot landed with devastating precision. It took time for the cannons to cool between volleys, though: five minutes for the main cannon and three minutes for the auxiliary cannons, due to the extreme heat generated.
Some might wonder why cooling was an issue in the vacuum of space, which hovers around absolute zero. But the problem lay in heat transfer. Space has no medium for conduction or convection, so heat dissipation relies solely on radiation, which is highly inefficient—much like a thermos bottle. Even in the freezing void, high-tech weapons still required time to cool.
The battle turned into a one-sided pursuit. The cadets chased down the remaining Hive Motherships, relentlessly pounding them until Director Lui called for them to regroup.
Back on the Storm's bridge, Feng Mo and Wang Chongsheng slumped into their captain's chairs, utterly exhausted. Meanwhile, Moxue and Xiao Meng bounced around excitedly, seemingly brimming with energy.
Both men could only marvel at the mystery of women's stamina. Despite complaining about minor exertions in peacetime, they could outlast anyone when it really mattered.
During the journey back, Feng Mo reviewed their performance. Initially, with Xiao Meng's drone support, they had destroyed five T2 Hive Motherships. The subsequent flanking charge added four more kills. And finally, they managed to finish off seven more during the pursuit, though it had cost over a hundred drones.
In total, they had destroyed sixteen T2 Hive Motherships. According to Director Lui's military merit report, each Mothership was worth 100 merit points and 100 military credits.
Military merits were crucial for promotions and noble titles, while military credits could b
e exchanged for valuable resources from the military's internal reserves.