Chapter 62
In the communication channel, Magelyn said boldly, “The tactics have changed a lot, but the strategy remains just as cunning! First, we use the new detection system to scare the rebels into doubt and suspicion. Then, we deepen this fear to shake their morale, while also intercepting Donald’s supplies. In two consecutive battles, not only did we successfully intimidate and deplete Donald’s forces, but we also learned about their current level of capability!”
She sighed. “Fortunately, we’re on the same team as you.”
Pojun: “Miss Magelyn, ‘cunning’ means appearing kind on the surface but using deceitful schemes and intentions in secret. I don’t think this word applies to the General.”
Because of the polite address, Magelyn uncharacteristically showed humility. “Pojun, where do you think it doesn’t apply?”
Pojun: “The General doesn’t look kind on the surface.”
Magelyn laughed until she was almost out of breath. “Commander, you see, Pojun has a pair of wise eyes!”
Pojun was very polite. “Thank you for your praise, Miss Magelyn.”
Lu Fenghan realized that even the once innocent Pojun had been influenced by this group of people.
He couldn’t help but look at Qi Yan.
Qi Yan looked back in confusion, his eyes as clear as spring water.
Underneath the table, their fingers were still intertwined. Lu Fenghan thought to himself that he shouldn’t be greedy. After all, he still had Qi Yan, a pure sanctuary, by his side.
Amidst the continuous bickering in the communication channel, they still managed to stay focused on the task at hand.
After Pojun accurately detonated eight enemy ships attempting to self-destruct, the opposing side finally ceased their amateurish tactics.
Leading the charge, Duchamp greeted over the channel. “The vanguard of the rebels is too timid to come forward. Is there a magnet in their damn turtle shell, keeping them from sticking their heads out? Magelyn, let’s team up. I’ll go lure them out for a spin. The moment they peek out of their shells, you strike hard!”
Magelyn immediately agreed. “No problem!”
Long Xiyun: “Once you draw them out, I’ll lead a team to flank and cut off their retreat.”
Duchamp: “We’re all brothers here!”
Long Xiyun: “About the confiscated supplies—”
Duchamp: “Let’s not talk about supplies. We can still be brothers without them!”
Meanwhile, under the veil of space, Duchamp commanded the Jiangling to evade missiles flying past, ‘accidentally’ entering the firing range of the enemy vanguard. Then, pretending to be too slow to dodge, the ship’s stern was grazed by an incoming laser beam, leaving a charred mark on its outer armor layer.
In a somewhat embarrassing display, the Jiangling swiftly turned its bow and hurriedly retreated to the side. The entire fleet, including the escort and destroyers, moved in unison, bending their formation in an attempt to escape the firing range.
How could the rebel vanguard pass up such a golden opportunity? The fleet, cautious and withdrawn until now, suddenly swooped down like a hungry eagle, aiming its sharp beaks directly at the Jiangling!
In the blink of an eye, the Chanyuan, along with its escort ships, pushed their propulsion systems to the limit, charging forward like a sword being quenched in fire. With particle cannons clearing the path, the enemy ships trailing behind the Jiangling were instantly obliterated, leaving nothing but ashes. There was even a gap in the enemy formation, resembling an eagle with its head and neck severed.
Before the rebel forces could fully grasp the situation, Long Xiyun, leading a squadron of destroyers, arrived like a dazzling arrow of cold light, piercing straight into the heart of the enemy formation! Immediately, the bows of the ships turned 90 degrees backward, and laser cannons were fired relentlessly. After a series of silent explosions, only scattered debris remained.
On the rebel monitoring screens, the once eagle-shaped formation lost its ‘head’ and ‘torso’ in the blink of an eye, leaving only the wings and tail intact.
It all happened in the blink of an eye!
Donald stood up abruptly, his face turning ashen. “What’s going on?”
The reporting officer’s face paled. “Reporting! The Chanyuan fleet arrived too quickly, leaving us no time to retreat. The rear is blocked by a squadron of destroyers, preventing the vanguard from retreating, while the rear cannot advance to support!”
His voice grew softer toward the end.
What he didn’t dare say aloud was that the enemy’s morale was soaring, while theirs, to put it nicely, was being cautious. To put it bluntly, they were paralyzed by fear and unable to advance.
Seeing the fleet scattered without any sign of regrouping within half a minute, Donald accessed all communication channels and barked, “Anyone who dares to retreat without fighting will face immediate execution by firing squad!”
On the Dingyuan, Lu Fenghan gazed at the multi-dimensional starmap on the virtual screen and issued orders, “Duchamp and Magelyn, Wayne and Long Xiyun, form a V-shaped encirclement. Each group will surround the enemy’s flanks, activate missile boosters, and roast some chicken wings.”
Magelyn responded with a cheerful laugh, “Roger!”
Long Xiyun also acknowledged, “Roger!”
Lu Fenghan’s eyes reflected the virtual starlight on the starmap. “Seal off the encirclement tightly. Not a single enemy ship should escape.”
“No problem!” Duchamp inquired further, “Commander, will you handle Donald personally?”
“Yes, I’ll deal with him myself.”
Donald pondered whether to make a desperate attempt or retreat from the battlefield.
His adjutant stood by his side, gazing straight ahead, discreetly reminding him, “Commander, time is running out.”
The vanguard had been wiped out by the Expeditionary Force and the flanks were already surrounded. Donald, positioned at the rear, still had a brief moment to catch his breath. However, once he entered the range of the Expeditionary Force, he would become an obvious target.
Seeing him still hesitating, the adjutant continued to advise, “The outcome of the battle has been determined, but you can still make a comeback.”
He tactfully conveyed the message that defeat was inevitable.
Donald had his own concerns. “Everyone knows the fate of the previous commander. I am not a trusted confidant of the Sage.”
The adjutant understood his apprehensions.
Unlike the commanders of the 3rd Corps and the 6th Corps, who were deeply trusted by the Sage, Donald, despite having crossed the Lisbon star frontline in last year’s two major battles and successively captured Turin and York stars, still couldn’t offset his failures. He couldn’t bear the Sage’s wrath if they suffered a defeat.
He would die.
And not in a very dignified manner.
Despite the Sage often speaking of ‘God’s love for mankind’ and ‘God’s tolerance,’ Donald knew all too well that the Sage had no such thing as tolerance.
His adjutant, a trusted confidant of Donald, spoke in a hushed tone, “We don’t have to go back.”
Donald abruptly turned to look at him.
In that moment, Donald pondered many things. For instance, laying low for a while and later using the excuse of being caught in a temporal vortex to return, or perhaps striking a deal with space pirates…
He quickly made up his mind. “Rapidly retreat, disengage from the battlefield!”
His subordinate asked urgently, “Should we recall the remnants?”
Donald’s expression turned cold. “Time is of the essence. We can’t afford to wait for them. We’re leaving directly!”
His subordinate wanted to say something, but years of fear prevented him from opposing the commander’s orders, “Yes…”
Once the decision to retreat was made, Donald felt a slight relief from his anxiety.
“The fleets on the flanks can help us hold off the Expeditionary Force. If necessary, we can use the escort ships as human shields for cover. There shouldn’t be any problem with the main ship withdrawing from the battlefield.”
His adjutant nodded in agreement.
Just then, the entire monitoring screen lit up with a red glow, accompanied by a voice shouting, “Enemy attack! They’ve entered firing range!”
Donald’s voice tightened. “Is it the Dingyuan?”
“It’s not the Dingyuan, it’s a formation of medium-sized ships! They’re attacking from the rear flank, and there’s an asteroid belt in that area, which interfered with our radar detection!”
Donald breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Dingyuan didn’t arrive, as long as Lu Fenghan didn’t personally appear, he had a chance to escape!
He made up his mind. “Keep the escort ships at the rear, use missiles for counterattack, and cover the main ship’s retreat!”
After issuing the command, he realized something was amiss.
If the Chanyuan and Jiangling were attacking the left flank, and the Pingning and Feilian were attacking the right flank, then the Dingyuan, which was supposed to cover the rear, couldn’t possibly remain stationary.
Lu Fenghan had always been the one to charge at the forefront.
In other words, Lu Fenghan was definitely on his way!
His throat constricted, and he hoarsely shouted, “Double check! The Dingyuan might be among the medium-sized fleet!”
Before the command could be fully issued, the starship beneath his feet suddenly trembled!
“Reporting! The main ship has been hit by high-energy particle cannons! The right-wing turret is destroyed! Awaiting further instructions!”
“Reporting! We are under enemy fire, and cracks have appeared in our defenses! Awaiting further instructions!”
High-energy particle cannons?
Amidst the chaos, Donald’s brain strained to process.
Only main batttleships could be equipped with high-energy particle cannons. Medium-sized starships couldn’t withstand them, which meant—
“It’s Lu Fenghan! Reporting! The attack is coming from the Dingyuan! The escort ships have lost contact, and the stern is severely damaged! The propulsion system is affected! Awaiting further instructions!”
The moment the name ‘Lu Fenghan’ was shouted, the air seemed to freeze.
The dark-gray hull of the Dingyuan resembled a ferry drifting on the River Styx, and Lu Fenghan was the Grim Reaper who sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
No one would forget how the previous commander captured a rare mineral planet and ordered the massacre of all the miners. Within days, Lu Fenghan personally led the fleet, not only reclaiming ownership of the mineral planet but also forcing the former commander to flee in disgrace, devoid of ships and followers.
The former commander had attempted to negotiate with Lu Fenghan, arguing that the lives of a few thousand miners were insignificant and not worth a full-scale confrontation.
Lu Fenghan had calmly replied, “Every citizen of the Alliance is valuable. No one’s life is insignificant. Blood debts must be repaid with blood.”
It was also during that time that Lu Fenghan ordered the ‘cleansing’ of every enemy ship.
For a long time afterward, the name ‘Lu Fenghan’ was steeped in a deep crimson hue, so much so that even uttering it seemed to carry the scent of blood.
The video call forcefully connected aboard the ship.
In the footage, Lu Fenghan’s lips curled in a mocking smirk. “It’s been a year, yet Commander Donald hasn’t made any progress, still resorting to sacrificing others to save himself.”
Donald gripped the armrest of his seat, feeling frustrated.
This man’s intentions were too obvious.
Did he think a single sentence could incite mutiny among his ranks?
But as he turned his gaze, he found his subordinates all bowing their heads, avoiding eye contact, their expressions unreadable.
Lu Fenghan wasted no more words. “I’ve said it before, blood debts must be repaid with blood. When you ambushed us at the jump point, you should have been prepared for me to seek revenge.”
His eyes were as deep as ancient wells, his tone casual as he commanded, “Fire.”
Three seconds later, the Dingyuan, concealed behind the medium-sized ships, calibrated its cannons through the central control system and fired two consecutive shots of high-energy particle cannons, plummeting towards the enemy command ship like comets!
One shot completely shattered the defenses and armor.
The other turned the entire starship into ash.
A silent explosion.
Layers of flames reflected off the dark gray hull of the Dingyuan, resembling both the glow of a setting sun and the light of a rising dawn.
The dust settled.
Several minutes later, on the communication channel, Magelyn faced the camera, her back straight as a rod. “Commander, mission accomplished!”
Meanwhile, Long Xiyun, Wayne, and Duchamp also reported completing their tasks.
The debris from the explosion floated silently in space.
Lu Fenghan ordered across all channels, “Expeditionary Force, assemble!”
Countless starships maneuvered through smoke and debris, forming ranks amidst the silence, resembling an impenetrable shield.
Erich, on the command ship, reported, “Weiss Chadwick and seventeen others who betrayed the Alliance and leaked classified information have all been eliminated.”
In the vast expanse of the starry sea, with darkness as the backdrop and distant, unnamed stars as embellishments, every starship of the Expeditionary Force bore the scars of battle, a testament to the fierce conflict they had just endured.
The still-warm barrels of cannons rose in succession.
With a single command, countless missiles soared into the sky.
The blaze was blinding.
Lu Fenghan’s voice resonated deeply as he commanded, “Salute!”
Above the fleet, countless individuals, clad in white military uniforms, clicked their boots together and straightened their fingers in unison.
Among the stars, they paid tribute to the fallen heroes, washing away the shame of past defeats with the blood of victory.
Rest in peace.
After settling into their base, Lu Fenghan requested a tally of the fallen and a report on the casualties.
“The Jiangling suffered damage to its propulsion system. It has been reported to the Technical Department. We’ve lost six escort ships, three medium-sized ships, four reconnaissance ships, and eleven destroyers. Slightly damaged starships not included.”
“The Chanyuan has suffered 25% damage to its bow, lost four escort ships, and three destroyers…”
“The Pingning’s main ship is intact, but we’ve lost escort ships…”
“The Feilian… has lost twenty-seven destroyers.”
Finally, Lu Fenghan spoke, “The Dingyuan’s main ship is intact. We’ve lost two escort ships, three medium-sized ships, and nine destroyers.”
After the report, Magelyn rubbed her nose, “Well, when we get back, we’ll definitely get the cold shoulder from Lorenz again. Coward or not, I’ve decided to avoid the Technical Department for at least half a month!”
Duchamp sighed. “Same here. In times of trouble, we stick together. Let’s avoid them together.”
After a moment of silence, Magelyn suddenly spoke again, “This kind of battle is still the most comfortable. Once we get the order, we just charge forward with all our might, straight into the fight. Because we know, whether it’s our left, right, or back, there’s always someone covering us. There’s no way we’ll get hit from behind halfway through the charge.”
Lu Fenghan knew she was referring to the situation after the major defeat.
Wayne: “Who wouldn’t like it? I know how to fight, but I can’t handle playing mind games. During those times, you couldn’t tell friend from foe, anyone could stab you in the back. Long Xiyun even made me act alongside Weiss. Commander, you know, the First Military Academy never taught us acting!”
Long Xiyun: “Was it really that hard playing a mute?”
Magelyn burst into laughter without mercy.
After communicating with Erich, who remained on the command ship, and arranging the latest defenses, Lu Fenghan closed the communication channel and loosened a button on his collar.
He then glanced at the sofa, where Qi Yan had been sitting. During the time Lu Fenghan was handling post-battle matters, Qi Yan’s personal terminal’s virtual screen was still lit, but he had already fallen asleep, wearing noise-canceling earplugs.
Even though he knew Qi Yan couldn’t hear him, Lu Fenghan still treaded lightly. Kneeling beside the sofa, he leaned in close and caught a faint whiff of a crisp, snowy night scent.
At that moment, Qi Yan woke up.
Half-opening his eyes, he pulled Lu Fenghan’s hand under his cheek to use as a pillow, his speech slightly unclear. “Is it time to go to class at Turan?”
A faint smile flickered in the corner of Lu Fenghan’s eyes. He wanted to say, “You remembered it wrong again,” but then thought, even if just for this moment, he wanted to spare Qi Yan from remembering the past of separation and farewell.
Placing his rough hand over Qi Yan’s eyes, Lu Fenghan murmured softly, “Go to sleep, I’m here with you.”
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