Early the next morning.
Feng Mo activated his personal terminal and was greeted with a barrage of messages. General Gu had added him to a communications group with the commanders of the major fleets.
The messages recapped the losses from the recent incursions by the space bugs. Some fleets had faced heavy casualties, while others managed to destroy significant numbers of broodships.
On the main front, the space bugs had not launched a full-scale assault but had relied on small-scale skirmishes, stationing a vast number of broodships to prevent the three T5 fleets from providing flank support.
Each time the bugs attempted to bypass the Xuanwu Star Fortress, they would launch a major offensive against the fortress itself to keep its defenses occupied. Despite the heavy losses they incurred with each attack, a few broodships always slipped through, moving toward the Northern War Zone's second line of defense.
This was why Feng Mo and twelve other commanders were needed to guard thirteen defensive planets. Feng Mo's designated planet, Z043, was ideally situated to cover eight surrounding planets.
Within this radius, the radar system would detect any disturbances, and with the fleet's regular patrols, it was nearly impossible for any alien species to breach the line.
When dealing with space bug broodships, holding the defense line was critical. A breach would lead to an unstoppable flood, potentially collapsing the entire defense line.
Out in space near Planet Z043, Ai Er was overseeing a fleet cleaning up a minor skirmish. Only a few T3 broodships had appeared, which the patrolling fleet had destroyed with ease. It wasn't a significant event, but the increasing frequency of such encounters indicated growing pressure on the Xuanwu Fortress—a worrying trend.
"Alert! Radar system detects a significant energy signature from a large number of broodships up ahead!"
Just as Ai Er finished overseeing the cleanup, her deputy came to report.
"Is this the start of a large-scale engagement?" Ai Er murmured.
Meanwhile, Feng Mo's terminal buzzed continuously with updates. The space bugs had launched a massive assault on Xuanwu Fortress half a day earlier, and the fleets were being alerted to prevent any stragglers from slipping through.
Feng Mo had been ready for battle. Why else would he be on the battlefield? Unlike some of the other commanders, who looked grim, Feng Mo's demeanor held a touch of excitement.
He was set to earn both merit and star coins. While most fleets gained military merits from these skirmishes, Feng Mo also collected the corpses of space bugs, which were a treasure trove in his eyes. One battle's worth of bug corpses could easily bring him a billion star coins.
These resources were essential for sustaining the construction of his four star systems. With Han Peipei's help, Feng Mo suited up and then the two took a star shuttle to Starport One.
"Storm Fleet, assemble and prepare for launch! Support Ai Er!"
Feng Mo issued the command calmly. There was still some time before the broodships would reach Planet Z043, so there was no need to rush.
The two quasi-T5 flagships and 58 warships formed a standard carrier strike group, awaiting the arrival of the space bugs.
"Alert! Radar scan complete. Enemy starships detected: 4,339, including 74 T4 broodships, 370 T3 broodships, 1,518 T2 broodships, and 2,377 T1 broodships."
Hearing the report, Feng Mo was momentarily surprised. The pressure on the front line must be tremendous if this many ships had managed to slip through.
The three T5 fleets were apparently not enough, but the Northern War Zone's four empires had only nine T5 fleets, with one on a distant mission. Of the remaining eight, four were required to guard the empires.
With three T5 fleets guarding Xuanwu Fortress and one on standby, this was the optimal arrangement unless the empires decided to send their home defense fleets to the front line.
The scale of the assault on Planet Z043 was similar to the previous attack on Planet Z227. However, the Storm Fleet was no longer limited to just six warships.
Now, the Storm Fleet had seven types of warships, each perfectly complementing the others for maximum effectiveness.
In the command center of the Hurricane, Feng Mo sat in his captain's chair, facing the holoscreens displaying each captain's video feed. He outlined his battle strategy.
"Here's the plan. Melo, take four T4 Scorpions, cloak, and approach the broodship cluster. Launch the first wave of bombardment, targeting the T4 broodships!"
"Ai Er, deploy the star drones for three rounds of bombardment against the broodship cluster. No need to hold back on the drones; priority for industrial resupply goes to the Mastodon."
"All T4 Blade and Shield frigates, switch to defense mode, and align all close-in cannons toward the broodship cluster to intercept incoming threats."
"T4 Kangaroo and the Hurricane's main and secondary cannons, charge up and stand by for my command."
"Lastly, the two T3 Boxers, be prepared to engage the broodship cluster. No need to conserve ammunition. We're aiming for full fire coverage. Once again, I want to see all of you here a year from now."
"Yes, sir!"
The captains responded in unison, and Feng Mo's strategy was straightforward: destroy at least a tenth of the broodship cluster before they could even reach the Storm Fleet. Then, with a tactical advantage, they'd deliver a second wave, further decimating the enemy.
Only after that would the fleets engage directly, minimizing casualties and maximizing gains. Feng Mo was determined to protect the loyal crew members who had served him for so long. Talented, loyal individuals were irreplaceable.
Following orders, the captains sprang into action. First were the Melo sisters, commanding the four T4 Scorpions. The elder sister led Scorpions One and Two to cloak and approach the left flank of the broodship cluster, while the younger sister maneuvered Scorpions Three and Four to the right.
The sisters issued their commands simultaneously: "Radar, scan for all enemy T4 broodships. Auto-targeting systems, lock on. Operation commence!"
At their command, the four T4 Scorpions revealed themselves, each in pairs, their star shields at full power, unleashing relentless firepower with no restraint.
The four Scorpions were like silent assassins, slipping close to the broodships and delivering devastating strikes at the perfect moment. With their overwhelming firepower and superior speed, even as the bugs
detected them, they were helpless against the Scorpions' deadly onslaught.
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