Stabilize?
This period of stability was exactly what Giotto desired.
Another detachment had already quietly slipped into a different state.
According to the female officer's intel, not every Oraned state was leaning toward Glolo.
While their plan had successfully flipped the majority of the Oraned State-Chiefs, some had refused Glolo for deeper, more strategic reasons.
Some had no desire to be vassals; they were planning to take their states and leave the Lican Sector entirely, seeking to establish independent nations in a more remote region of space.
Others moved closer to Rusty; Rusty had previously lobbied them, so they naturally gravitated toward Rusty.
Additionally, due to the complex internal nature of the Oraned Federation, a segment of State-Chiefs began wavering back and forth.
The situation didn't resemble Giotto's initial predictions in the slightest.
Nearly half of the 48 states had not chosen Glolo.
This also allowed Giotto's subsequent plans to loosen up significantly.
Giotto was now heading toward an uncontrolled swing state.
Those states intending to leave would definitely be reluctant to engage with them, and might even betray them.
The states near Rusty were a bit too far away.
A swing state was the best choice.
The fleet was discovered almost immediately after entering the state.
This was intentional on Giotto's part; naturally, even without self-exposure, a massive fleet could not remain hidden for long.
This was precisely the primary reason Giotto came here.
The same was true for other states.
If they went directly to the enemy, they would likely be spotted first.
This was a place called Cthlmang, rumored to be extremely volatile and stubborn.
It was mainly because State-Chief Fuash was a staunch member of the Nationalist Party.
The Nationalist Party leaned toward no one; they hoped to preserve the Oraned Federation.
Of course, such an idea was actually the height of naivety.
Faced with two juggernauts, trying to stay neutral was laughable.
These kinds of states were the most obstinate.
Giotto was well-prepared this time.
After establishing contact with Fuash, Giotto spoke first, seizing the initiative.
"Your country certainly gave us quite a hard time back then, joining forces with Glolo to attack us."
"Is that really what you think? Don't forget, Glolo is still over 200 light-years away, while we, Rusty, can wipe you out directly."
He delivered a warning shot.
Terrified, Fuash hurriedly denied it: "Of course not! Those were the other states' own ideas; it had nothing to do with Cthlmang."
"Please, Director Giotto, see the truth of the matter!"
Giotto frowned.
"You know me?"
Fuash nodded, taking the opportunity to flatter him.
"Of course. When you were still His Majesty the King, Director, I was serving as an ambassador in Sheltondine. That's how our Star Nation works, ambassadors are rotated among State-Chiefs."
"I caught a glimpse of you from afar back then; it was a revelation. If you hadn't stabilized the home front, I, as a diplomat, would likely have been killed by the Flaorse virus."
As a diplomat, he certainly understood Giotto more than just a little.
This made things even easier.
"You say it had nothing to do with you, so you didn't side with Glolo?"
Fuash shook his head frantically, declaring his lofty ambitions and disdain for conspiring with the Glolo Star Nation, echoing the communication from that female officer.
"Since you want to preserve the Oraned Federation, I can give you a promise: as long as Rusty stands, your Oraned Federation will endure."
"You might have heard about the 28783 Star Nation incident."
"That was only because the Glolo fleet was hiding too deep; our hands were tied."
"Over in Yanli, Glolo turned that entire Sector into an electron cloud just to deal with us. A real pity."
Explaining was a gesture of intent.
Fuash could sense this attitude, especially with Giotto's concrete promise; the two factors made his resolve waver.
In reality, he had intended to play Giotto for a bit and then go back to fence-sitting, watching the two tigers fight from a safe distance.
But he was no fool. Now that Giotto had come knocking, putting on airs would be suicide.
Compared to the distant yet ferociously dominant Glolo, Rusty had only finished its expansion a millennium or two ago; it would likely take another ten or twenty thousand years to integrate its internal Sectors. Leaning toward Rusty was undoubtedly the better choice now.
"Since you put it that way, Director, how can I assist you?"
"If it's about joining the war, we don't have many ships or warships to spare."
His first sentence sounded full of confidence, but the next one immediately revealed his true colors.
Giotto didn't mind.
"It's fine. I don't need you to provide a massive fleet. The main thing is allowing my warships to enter other states undetected."
"This will require some mediation on your part. If you can pull it off, my promise stands."
Implicitly, if he failed, all deals were off.
Fuash knew full well that Rusty was not an easy entity to deal with.
The Oraned Federation sat right alongside the original four major Star Nations and had observed that past war closely.
On the surface, it seemed the Ynun Star Nation had rallied two other powers to attack Rusty, but any astute observer knew the truth: Rusty was simply too unstoppable. Its brilliance had begun to overshadow and threaten the neighboring Star Nations.
At the time, even though the Oraned Federation sat behind the Saintees Star Nation, they still felt a chill, fearing Rusty would attack them to seize a colony.
Fortunately, the Ynun Star Nation struck first, pinning Rusty down.
A primordial beast like this was no benevolent entity. Having just undergone a rebirth through fire, and now experiencing a new cycle of campaigns, Rusty was at the height of its aggressive power. If negotiations soured, Fuash feared his state might be the next sacrifice.
The Oraned Federation was now internally fractured; the other states wouldn't lift a finger to help him.
What a disaster to be caught in!
He had intended to stay quietly in his corner, but being dragged into this mess only deepened Fuash's resentment toward the other State-Chiefs.
Fine then. Let Rusty clear those guys out; perhaps then he could have a real seat at the table.
Forty-eight member states were far too many.
A State-Chief like Fuash could rarely decide anything on his own.
In reality, the Oraned Federation was controlled by an internal coalition that held over half the voting power. For over ten thousand years, Fuash had seen no hope, forced to swallow his pride in silence.
But now, he could use this to seize more power.
At this thought, Fuash's heavy heart lightened considerably.
Of course, all of this depended on his ability to pull this off.
"Rusty wants to enter other states covertly, that's a bit tricky."
"Ang-State has already leaned toward Glolo, and Siway-II has even become a Glolo stronghold. Unless Rusty bypasses Ang-State's surveillance, unless..."
Fuash thought of a highly unlikely possibility.
But for some reason, he felt it was the truth.
If that were really the case, then his next move would simply be going with the flow.
"I can use this to my advantage. Surely those states that sided with Glolo are feeling a bit jittery right now. Entering their borders under that pretext should be doable."
The Oraned Federation was primarily controlled by three major states; the rest had combat capabilities similar to Ang-State, or even weaker.
Never mind facing Rusty's regulars; even their remnants would be enough to leave these small nations trembling.
But making others believe this plan would take some serious effort.
Fuash simultaneously reached out to the State-Chiefs of several member states, proposing the joint formation of a self-defense fleet.
Among these few states, only one had aligned with Glolo. No one turned down his offer; according to intelligence reports, everyone knew Rusty had breached the Oraned Federation, and a brutal clash was likely imminent.
Furthermore, since Fuash's own stance favored the Oraned Federation remaining independent, his move to establish this coalition made perfect sense to them.
The alliance came together rapidly.
Immediately after, he suggested deploying the fleet to other member states to establish a presence, merging their military assets into a single force.
Prior to making this suggestion public, he contacted Watate, the state that had sided with Glolo, privately. He explained the high stakes of the plan and offered to recommend that the joint fleet be stationed in Watate first.
With Rusty closing in, the ones most under threat were the states that had defected to the Glolo Star Nation.
The opponent, naturally, agreed.
When Fuash proposed this during the meeting, he nearly moved the other party to tears of gratitude.
However, this time, the call to action wasn't met with universal acclaim.
Everyone wanted to protect their own skin; who would willingly hand their fleet over to someone else?
Fuash, playing his part with intense dedication, retorted: "With our nation on the brink of ruin, you're still acting like every man for himself? You're being fools. What use is clinging to the measly forces you have in your hands?"
"Since I was the one to propose this, I will lead by example and deploy my fleet to Watate first."
And just like that, everything fell into place.
Whether the other states followed suit was secondary.
In less than a month, Fuash informed Giotto that the matter was settled: their fleet could proceed directly to Watate.
Fuash even handed Giotto intelligence regarding the Glolo Star Nation's fleet within Watate, which made Giotto see him in a new light.
This guy's efficiency was remarkably high!
Upon receiving the message, Giotto mobilized immediately.
As for the authenticity of the information, Giotto didn't bother investigating. He had already dispatched several warships and hundreds of ships to the heart of Cthlmang, a clear warning.
He didn't believe for a second that Fuash was a man of such noble character that he would risk his life to aid Glolo.
...
The fleet soared straight for Watate.
Most of the ships and warships remained hidden, leaving only a small fraction visible, accompanied by several ships Fuash had provided as camouflage.
Everything went perfectly; one could even describe the journey as smooth sailing.
By the time they reached Watate's Formluia Star City, no one in the state harbored any suspicion.
Unlike Ang-State, Watate was under Glolo's total control. As the state's capital, Formluia Star City had long since become a Glolo Star Nation hub, and State-Chief Fumali was merely a puppet who still retained a slight say in matters.
After all, to fully dominate the Oraned Federation, Glolo couldn't just strip a State-Chief of their title the moment they occupied Watate.
When the Tier 2 fleet arrived, the Glolo fleet paid it no mind.
They had already received word from Ang-State: the Rusty Star Nation's fleet had been shattered.
This was exactly the opening the Tier 2 fleet intended to exploit.
By the time the entire concealed fleet of ships and warships materialized above Formluia Star City, everyone was stunned. Lasers rained down, leaving absolutely no time for a counterattack. After five days and five nights of continuous bombardment, Formluia Star City was unrecognizable. No one knew how many had perished or how many survivors remained.
Once the objective was secured, Giotto ordered the Tier 2 fleet to pivot toward the next target.
News of the attack had likely spread by now, given the five-day duration.
However, Fuash came through with more good news.
"Director, I've roped in another member state. This one also defected to Glolo; they have over 1,000 Glolo Star Nation ships stationed inside."
As it turned out, Fuash wasn't satisfied with merely wiping out Watate; he wanted to turn this into a long-term enterprise.
While the Tier 2 fleet was busy attacking, he was off scamming other member states into joining his "coalition."
Talent, it seemed, was never in short supply.
"But word about Watate has likely spread by now," Giotto countered, feeling the risk was too great and inclined to refuse.
But Fuash knew the Oraned Federation better than anyone.
"The Oraned Federation claims to be a single Star Nation, but internally, the member states are fiercely autonomous. Aside from State-Chiefs communicating with one another, everyone else has to rely on standard networks."
"And right now, I haven't received a peep from Fumali, which means the other State-Chiefs likely haven't either."
"As for rumors among the public, they're easily drowned out with misinformation. Besides, I can provide personal guarantees to convince others that nothing is amiss in Watate."
Fuash was brimming with confidence.
Giotto considered it. If he could use this scoundrel Fuash, the speed at which they neutralized the enemy would increase exponentially.
He agreed to give it a shot.
Using Cthlmang's name once more, they moved on to Tiaawwang, a fresh recruit to the coalition.
The battle was again a complete success, and the Tier 2 fleet didn't lose so much as a single ship.
Things proceeded smoothly until the Tier 2 fleet had systematically dismantled thirteen member states. Only then did complications arise.
But by that point, the mission was largely accomplished.
In the Oraned Federation, only three major states and one minor state remained unresolved.
Behind the scenes, Fuash had made a fortune.
Taking advantage of the vacuum left by the Tier 2 fleet's sweep, he hurriedly dispatched his own troops to seize control. His current territory now even eclipsed that of the three major states.
Consequently, Fuash also earned the "honor" of a bounty from Glolo: one billion credits.
...
"Hahaha, looks like my bounty just went up again, reached 1.2 billion. My head is certainly worth a pretty penny!"
Fuash was quite enjoying himself back in his own state.
He had long since fortified this place into an iron stronghold, and short of a thousand-ship fleet, it was practically impregnable. And to a fleet of that scale, what was 1.2 billion credits? That was why he could afford to laugh now, wallowing in the decadence of his palace.
In his high spirits, he asked the woman beside him, "Has the Rusty fleet left?" This had been the only thorn in his side these past years. Rusty's three warships loomed nearby, keeping him on pins and needles, fearing they would find him useless and wipe him out on a whim.
The woman was part of his decadent entourage, peerlessly beautiful. The Star Nations in this region preferred modifying themselves to resemble humans, so she fit the human aesthetic perfectly, looking something like a beast-girl. She had climbed to a high position through Fuash, serving as a sort of Female Prime Minister within the state.
"They left yesterday, my Lord. You can rest easy!"
The last trace of gloom vanished from Fuash's face.
"Now, we just sit back and watch how Rusty and Glolo tear into each other. Hmph, those fools thought they could hide behind Glolo, never realizing that when the city gates burn, the fish in the moat suffer too. When two behemoths clash, how can ants in the dust hope to intervene?"
"No matter how the fight between Rusty and Glolo goes, the three major states will be crippled. That will be my moment to step in and take over everything."
The woman gave a coy laugh and threw herself into Fuash's arms.
...
The main battlefield.
The three major states of the Oraned Federation, Westerk, Yhenanng, and Mahonan, had deployed 34,000 ships plus 110 warships to the front lines to face off against the Tier 2 fleet.
These three had once been the masters of this Sector. They had fought for three or four thousand years, but seeing the stalemate and the growth of other nearby Star Nations, they united with several smaller surrounding forces to form the Oraned Federation Star Nation.
"Oraned" referred to Yhenanng and Mahonan. Westerk was chosen as the "big guy" from the relatively inferior Star Nations, brought in by Yhenanng and Mahonan for balance.
The logic was that a tripod stance would last longer, as the two primary Star Nations still couldn't stomach yielding to each other.
Westerk had also accepted its lot. Previously, because it was slightly larger, it had been relentlessly hammered by the other two. If not for its own competence and a constant stream of internal talent, it would have been dismantled long ago.
Westerk had stood for over 36,000 years, seen over 20 kings, and had long desired stability, so the merger was a natural fit.
As for the other member states, they weren't even considered Star Nations, just a bunch of speculators profiting from war. Even after the Oraned Federation was established, the three major states viewed the others with contempt. Those states only existed to manage Sectors and gather energy, like modern-day sharecroppers.
But this time, no one expected an ambitious wolf to emerge from the flock of sheep.
Surprisingly, he assisted the Tier 2 fleet in occupying a vast portion of the Sector.
The three major states were beyond furious, thus issuing a bounty.
But none of the three major states were willing to part with their money, so the bounty amount was quite low.
The Oraned Federation's total assets only amounted to between 20 and 30 trillion, most of which were fixed assets, and having 1 trillion in liquid capital was considered impressive. Now, with a war to fund, 1.2 billion was truly scraping the bottom of the barrel.
After all, he was just one person, not an entire faction. To put it bluntly, the bounty was merely a statement of their stance, rather than a genuine attempt to kill Fuash.
Yet they had to consider that setting the bounty too high might actually drive someone to desperation. Killing Fuash just to collect the reward would only lead to more complications.
1.2 billion, not too high, not too low.
Inside the three-state conference room.
The three State-Chiefs had just finished adjusting the bounty on Fuash, and were immediately plagued by a massive headache.
They had to weigh the pressure brought by the Tier 2 fleet.
Their defection to Glolo was real.
But now, the Glolo fleets in their region were being dismantled one by one. The remaining fleet within the three major states totaled barely 40,000 ships and 160 warships, a world away from the Tier 2 fleet's overwhelming momentum.
Consequently, Glolo demanded that they push their own fleets forward, creating the current stalemate.
"Even if we win the next round, our fleet will likely be gone."
"When Glolo takes over the Oraned Federation, we won't have any bargaining capital left."
Their current headache was whether Glolo would actually honor its promises.
What was a promise worth in this era?
Practically worthless.
At least the Federation had the Boundary God to monitor justice, allowing it to remain in an age of contracts.
But here in the Star Nations, everything revolved around maximizing interests.
Once the fleet was destroyed, their value would plummet. Any future negotiations wouldn't yield the same treatment, and they'd likely end up as nothing more than impoverished socialites in Glolo.
Better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
The three of them were lost in a daze.
Thinking back, they felt as if they'd been possessed when they decided to side with Glolo.
Actually, it wasn't possession.
Glolo had stationed heavy forces in the Oraned Federation, originally exceeding 100,000 ships and 400 warships. There was even the Ice Crystal Fleet over at the Yanli Independence Star Nation.
Honestly, crushing the Tier 2 fleet had initially seemed like child's play.
The Ice Crystal Fleet alone should have been enough for the Tier 2 fleet to handle.
Unexpectedly, in the clash with the Ice Crystal Fleet, the Tier 2 fleet only lost about 10,000 ships.
Their subsequent entry into the Oraned Federation was even more devastating, leveraging information superiority to crush everything in their path with almost no losses.
Now, the Tier 2 fleet, still maintaining its formidable combat power, was not something the remnants of the Glolo fleet could stop.
It can only be said that man proposes, but fate disposes.
"What else can we do? Surely not defy Houxin."
At the mention of Houxin's name, the several leaders shivered.
The fleet stationed here in the Oraned Federation was known as the Black Cloud Fleet, a Silver Fleet. Strategos Houxin, much like Dumu, boasted a long list of illustrious military achievements. While he didn't hold a title like Spear of Nation, he was absolutely ruthless on the battlefield, crushing numerous enemies with a history of endless slaughter.
Two hundred light-years away might seem distant for a warship, but in terms of information, it was practically next door, as news was hardly suppressed.
They had all heard of those wars, and Houxin's name was not one they had first encountered just today.
"Houxin enjoys tormenting people, unlike the Spear of Nation who kills directly. Falling into his hands is a fate worse than death."
"But, once we lose our value, can we truly find a place in Glolo?"
"If Glolo truly killed us, no one would ever defect to them again. So, I believe we should still be fine."
The three of them debated back and forth, and the final result was yet another compromise. They resigned themselves to the presumably miserable future awaiting them in Glolo.
Suddenly, someone whispered.
"What if, we defect to Rusty?"
The other two immediately shot him a dangerous look.
Glolo's technology was top-tier, and there was no telling if their conversation was being monitored. Saying such things was suicidal.
"We've already cast our lot with one side. Don't speak of switching again."
"I may not be the most loyal, but if one lacks even basic credibility, they won't survive anywhere."
"I was just speaking out loud. I have no such intentions."
They quickly ended the transmission shortly after.
...
Black Cloud Fleet.
Currently monitoring the battlefield from a star system adjacent to the Mahonan state.
They were not far from the main front, at most six light-years away. If the tide of battle shifted, they could mobilize and arrive in short order.
Captain Houxin was a human, which was a most rare sight.
Because humans thrived within the Federation, very few ever migrated to the Star Nations.
It was estimated that there were only a few dozen trillion humans in the Star Nations. To rise to such a position with those numbers suggested extraordinary capability.
While those in the Star Nations were accustomed to modifying their genes to match the human form, it didn't mean they were free of prejudice.
Racial and inter-species conflicts were certainly not as high as in the old Federation era, but if one candidate was of their own species and the other was an outsider, most would still choose their own kind.
Although authority in the Star Nations wasn't determined by a voting system, having more supporters meant more power backing you, which increased the odds of ascending to high office.
Approximately 7% of the Black Cloud Fleet was comprised of humans.
Houxin waited in the command center, contemplating strategies alongside his various Captain-Commanders.
"We're currently the weaker party. Swallowing an enemy nearly four times our size is too difficult."
"The enemy has learned from our mistakes. Previous attempts to split them up failed, and it's even harder now. They stay clustered together, giving us no opening."
"If this continues, the Oraned Federation will likely be overrun, and our position here will be exposed."
"A reckless breakthrough will definitely be used against us later. Naminko will surely dump all the blame on our shoulders."
A crowd of people babbled on, while only Houxin remained silent.
He was very tall, nearly three meters, and though not exactly bulky, he was by no means frail. His hair was thick and wild, like a lion's mane, and his face possessed a rugged beauty, exuding a strong, masculine aura. Yet everyone present knew that Houxin was famously devious and ruthless.
Fortunately, that was reserved for the enemy. As for his subordinates, those in the room couldn't help but offer a few words of praise.
After over an hour of discussion, the voices gradually dimmed, and they all looked toward Houxin.
Houxin had his eyes closed, as if resting.
After another half hour, he opened them and said, "You're all wrong. We still hold the absolute initiative."
He wasn't worried about their current situation.
His words left the group looking at each other in confusion.
Soon, someone had an epiphany.
"Right. Actually, we don't need to hurry. Rusty is the one who should be anxious."
"We only need to stall the Rusty fleet. Once the rear is fully prepared, what does it matter how strong they are?"
Why did Glolo halt the war previously?
It was because they had mobilized without a valid pretext.
In recent years, they had been lording over these minor Star Nations. Firstly, these small nations were easy to handle and served as outposts to contain Rusty. However, they couldn't remain there indefinitely, so they had to manipulate these minor Star Nations into causing trouble for Rusty, thereby distancing Glolo from direct involvement.
Though everyone knew exactly what was going on, no one could prove a thing.
The Yanli Independence Star Nation and the 28783 Star Nation were actually expendable. Why did Houxin scatter his fleet? How could he not know how dangerous that was on a battlefield like this?
But he had to do it. Only by controlling the entire Oraned Federation in this way could he begin a campaign under the Federation's name.
Those dispatched fleets were registered under the names of the State-Chiefs, both to maintain a cover and to exert control.
Initially, Houxin hoped to use Ang-State to throw the Rusty fleet into chaos. Even if he couldn't wipe them out in one go, he could at least force them back or shatter their formation. Then, everything would be easy.
But that first step failed. Instead, because Fuash defected to Rusty, they suffered heavy losses.
Fortunately, they still had plenty of ships and warships. Combined with the three major states, they could still pin the Rusty fleet down here.
"Rusty mobilized 200,000 ships this time. According to our intelligence, that's essentially half their combat power."
"The remaining half couldn't possibly maintain stability across their vast borders. We are still in a winning position."
The reason for this meeting was the growing unease within the fleet. Houxin used the session to provide them with much-needed reassurance.
Allowing internal panic before the enemy even moved was unacceptable.
He knew his subordinates' temperament. They only operated at 100% capacity when facing a war they were certain to win.
In truth, the situation wasn't necessarily as rosy as he painted it.
The enemy was no pushover, and their warships weren't slow either.
If they wanted to harass them effectively, they would have to close the distance to within 500 AU.
But doing so meant the battle could shift unpredictably at any moment.
This required more careful consideration.
Houxin's expression turned somewhat sinister.
This conflict had already evolved into something on par with the famous wars that made his name. To win now, they would need a bit of luck.
Or rather, they would have to risk it all!
And that was exactly what he excelled at.
He had reached his current position by being a dog that wasn't afraid to die.
Naminko liked dogs like that, and so did the rest of Glolo's high command. As long as he could bite, he would keep rising.
He didn't really have grand dreams. He had simply started a small faction that slowly expanded until it was absorbed by Glolo to become the Black Cloud Fleet. By the time he realized it, there was no way out.
He was being swept along by the current, as everyone wanted him to move forward.
Perhaps this was an opportunity. He hoped it was!
...
The Tier 2 fleet.
Giotto oversaw the standoff against the combined forces of the three major Oraned Federation states.
In his eyes, these state fleets were nothing but a disorganized rabble.
Not only were their numbers small, but they belonged to three different factions. Their coordination was nonexistent; a bit of clever maneuvering on his part could send the entire force fleeing in chaos.
But he remained in the standoff solely because of the nearby Glolo fleet.
Launching an attack would mean giving the enemy an opening.
Giotto had no intention of exposing any weaknesses.
However, he also had no intention of wasting time indefinitely.
The long wait was, naturally, for something truly worth waiting for.
Dudley entered the command center after a month-long absence.
With excitement, Dudley informed Giotto, "The three major states held a meeting earlier. The State-Chief of Yhenanng probed the other two for us. While they spoke with righteous indignation during the meeting, they are actually terrified to the core."
"The Strategos's foresight is truly divine. If we throw them a few carrots now, they will likely defect."
Before the standoff had even begun, Giotto had already considered demanding their surrender or recruiting them.
After all, everyone understood the current situation.
The attrition was mounting; the Tier 2 fleet was struggling, the Glolo fleet was faring no better, and were the three major states any more at ease?
This standoff served as a source of constant pressure, forcing these individuals to make a choice.
This was his moment to strike.
However, a carrot?
"Dudley, go tell them to attack the Glolo fleet. Otherwise, I will wipe them out within a year."
"At the same time, issue some warnings and activate the sleeper agents we have stationed near them."
Giotto would not offer these people any incentives; instead, he chose to threaten them.
Dudley's expression became somewhat strained.
"Strategos, aren't you afraid they will still side with Glolo out of spite?"
If neither side offered anything but demands, Dudley felt he would simply choose to maintain the status quo.
And the status quo for the three major states was their alignment with Glolo.
Giotto laughed.
"We are the stronger force. By helping us finish off the Glolo fleet, they gain the room they need to breathe."
Dudley's eyes instantly lit up.
How had he missed that? While it looked like a heavy stick coming down, it actually provided the three major states with exactly the incentive they needed, even if the sweetness came with a bitter aftertaste.
"I'll get right on it!"
...
Giotto was well-prepared.
It was only natural for the three major states to defect after being treated as disposable pawns by Glolo.
The three State-Chiefs had no reason to refuse, nor did they have the courage to do so.
When Giotto slapped the negotiation details right in their faces, they instantly realized that one of their own had already sold them out.
On one side, their future was already written in stone; on the other, while the outcome was uncertain, there was at least room for maneuvering. They chose the latter without hesitation.
This was why Giotto dared to use the stick.
The fleets of the three member states then decisively turned around, entering a standoff with the Black Cloud Fleet.
This infuriated Houxin.
He had previously considered the possibility of the three major states defecting, but he had talked himself out of it.
After all, defecting meant facing pressure from Glolo. Even if they had failed against Rusty before, this theater was just a minor skirmish for Glolo; its power still loomed over the surrounding Sectors.
Under such circumstances, how could a tiny, low-tier Star Nation dare to rebel?
This was an absolute provocation to Glolo.
Yet, that is exactly what the three major states did.
The point he missed was actually quite simple.
Since they were destined to be second-class citizens in Glolo anyway, the three State-Chiefs decided to take a gamble. Even if the three major states were destroyed and they were left alone, they could still flee to other Sectors. They might still be second-class citizens, but there were levels to that status.
Between arriving as surrendered subjects and joining a Star Nation as free agents, the latter offered a slightly higher standing.
To put it plainly, the terms Glolo offered had become the absolute baseline for all their decisions.
If they still chose that baseline, wouldn't they be complete idiots?
Previously, they had no choice, but now Giotto had given them one, and they naturally defected.
With the situation changed, the Tier 2 fleet gained more freedom.
Giotto led the Tier 2 fleet directly toward the Black Cloud Fleet, intent on forcing a close-quarters engagement.
The Black Cloud Fleet's hardware was slightly superior to the Tier 2 fleet's, but not by much. Given the vast disparity in numbers, Houxin naturally refused a direct confrontation and kept his distance.
The war turned into a chase.
Giotto, however, did not enjoy this process.
He was constantly checking the time.
"According to previous estimates, the Tier 1 fleet should have entered Glolo's core region. The war will break out within these ten years."
He was somewhat anxious.
Although the battle here wasn't settled, of the five Star Nations, two were destroyed, one was basically conquered, and the remaining two couldn't cause much of a stir.
After all, for Glolo's tactics to truly work, they needed a stable home front.
If Glolo's homeland also ran into trouble, the progress of their plans here would slow down significantly.
Dudley had observed Giotto's anxiety over the years.
He couldn't help but say, "This is a fleet personally led by the CEO; there won't be any problem!"
Everyone in Rusty had an inexplicable confidence in Luna.
Never lost a battle!
Whether in business or on the battlefield.
Giotto's anxiety wasn't actually about Luna, but the massive disparity in combat power between the two sides.
After all, it was a high-tier Star Nation.
Glolo could casually deploy a fleet of two or three hundred thousand ships here; their strength was immensely deep.
According to the intelligence.
Glolo's regular army possessed around 2.2 million ships, while Rusty had what? 500,000 in total?
Not to mention the Tier 1 fleet on this mission was only just over 200,000.
Nearly a tenfold gap!
Could a single Luna bridge that void?
...
Abandnda Sector.
Glolo high-tier Star Nation.
Core region: Aurora Great Stellar Ring.
This was a massive ring structure encompassing 18 star systems, 25 stars, and 85 Star Cities.
It spanned 22 light-years in diameter, though it shrank at a rate of 0.1 light-years every 100 years; in roughly 10,000 years, the diameter would be only 12 light-years.
It was highly developed.
At the current stage, whether it is a Star Nation or the Federation, they are no longer satisfied with a location containing only one or a few stars.
But the Federation is too vast, and the progress of this plan is slow.
The Star Nation, though not large, lacks such formidable strength; at the current stage, they have only just begun about ten thousand years ago.
The Federation's plan for 260,000 A.D. is to implement multi-star system mergers.
Objectively speaking, the Star Nation side is still slightly faster.
But all of this, to a truly powerful civilization, is a drop in the bucket.
After all, the stellar density in the Galactic Center reaches 300,000 stars per cubic light-year.
With such density, even without things like wormholes, a massive interstellar city ring could be built; traveling one light-year from north to south, even for a Federation ship, would only be about a three-year journey.
According to observations, the Galactic Center has about 12 billion stars.
It is still unknown how many top-tier and near-top-tier civilizations are inside; even if there were thirty, each civilization would average over 400 million stars.
Such density and such a staggering number of stars create a gap as wide as the heavens.
"If Human Civilization could have been born 100 million years earlier, perhaps it could have become one of the overlords of the Galactic Center."
Luna thought this immediately upon seeing the Aurora Great Stellar Ring after the Void Fleet exited evasion.
She had not returned to the Federation in a long time, staying in this remote Sector for tens of thousands of years; with information cut off here, she had no idea what the Federation had evolved into.
But surely, it must be more advanced than Glolo.
Aurora Great Stellar Ring: hundreds of interstellar lanes snaking through the distance, millions of ships and starships constantly shuttling, and the bright surrounding stars covered by massive shadows, this is the true demeanor of a high-tier Star Nation.
The gap in military strength between Rusty and Glolo can reach tenfold, and in economic development, it is even further, perhaps 20 or even 30 times over.
Luna's sentiment lasted only a moment.
Because war broke out!
In the core region of the Glolo Star Nation, a fleet suddenly appeared. Even if it was not overly dense or crowded here, the surrounding space contained an excessive number of detectors; these detectors were like surveillance from the planetary surface era, saturating the entire Sector, not missing a single inch.
Every 10 million detectors covered a 0.8 cubic light-year area, and they were also equipped with a simplified version of a Tachyon communicator.
In recent years, the energy required for Tachyon communicators has decreased significantly from the original levels. Since the New Federation, Tachyon communicators have developed rapidly, allowing them to be carried on every warship unit without consuming too much of the warship's energy; furthermore, the transmitted information is more extensive, with higher resolution image transmission methods.
The simplified version of the Tachyon communicator is like a 2030 device doing the work of a pager; the energy required is pitifully low, and this kind of early warning only needs the total energy of two or three ships.
The Glolo Star Nation, wealthy and powerful, established over a thousand such Tachyon communication devices within the Aurora Great Stellar Ring.
Their ambitions are actually quite vast.
Twenty-five stars are just the beginning; ten thousand years later, they can proceed to the second phase of the plan, bringing in another ten stars. Likewise, the goal is set for 260,000 A.D., by which time the Aurora Great Stellar Ring could possess over fifty stars.
This is already equivalent to the total number of stars in a relatively small, low-tier Star Nation.
A place like the 28783 Star Nation doesn't even have that many.
However, that would also be the limit; they wouldn't be able to handle such chaotic gravitational forces.
The Galactic Center has such high density because the black hole balances it, but here, the presence of too many stars in one area would create mutual gravitational interference, seriously affecting the movement of celestial bodies and disrupting detectors.
Most importantly, managing the movement of these stars would be a significant expense.
Back to the battlefield.
After those detectors transmitted information through the Tachyon communicators, the nearest star system was less than two light-years away; with the information traveling back and forth, the process was completed in 13 hours.
Surrounding interstellar guards began to mobilize.
Rusty has no such position, nor does the Ynun Star Nation, and most small to medium Star Nations do not either, but high-tier Star Nations do. Because they are so large, they need internal stability; eventually, Rusty will have them too.
Interstellar guards are not manned; to maintain absolute fairness and justice, they are entirely mechanical.
Each interstellar guard unit is composed of 100 ships.
The ships are mostly decommissioned from the military; to increase their deterrent power, the military weaponry on them has not been dismantled.
A mere three days after the Void Fleet exited evasion, they were attacked by over 5,000 ships from a distance.
"Observation shows another 718 ships are approaching. What should we do?"
Toma K, acting as the adjutant, was the first to ask.
"Ignore them; they're just some outdated ships."
"But don't be careless. We are likely within the striking range of their super-range weapons."
The reason Luna was relatively tense now was precisely because of the super-range weapons.
Hearing Luna's concern, Toma K's expression also tightened.
Most super-range weapons can exert 95% of their power within 1,000 light-years; in terms of precision, 50 light-years is enough to make an attack on a large target meaningful.
Previously, Glolo's use of super-range weapons to attack the Supernova Technology Corporation headquarters failed. One reason was the distance; another was that the headquarters did not count as a large target. Large targets are generally defined with gas giant planets as the basic unit, with a diameter of 100,000 kilometers.
Diameters of 100,000 kilometers or more are considered large targets; 1 million kilometers or more are huge targets; 10 million kilometers are super targets.
Generally, huge targets refer to stars, while super targets refer to giant stars or supergiant stars.
The most famous supergiant star in the Milky Way is none other than UY Scuti, with a diameter approaching 2.38 billion kilometers; Betelgeuse also has a diameter of over 1.2 billion kilometers. These are basically not recorded as targets for super-range weapons and are calculated as huge targets, but it's estimated that Glolo's super-range weapons cannot inflict substantial damage on these supergiants.
But at this moment, they were too close.
They were within the 10-light-year range of most super-range weapons, and at this range, the accuracy of super-range weapons is terrifyingly high.
Even if super-range weapons were just standard lasers, their beam diameters would be terrifying. Additionally, some super-range weapons are capable of preset detonation strikes.
By setting an attack target at approximately one light-year, the blast would detonate at that distance, scattering in all directions and covering a range of 1 to 5 AU.
Beyond that, super-range weapons are typically integrated within star systems.
Star systems house powerful Star City mainframes, which possess a level of processing power that mothership servers cannot hope to match.
This computational superiority allows super-range weapons to maintain a 30% hit rate against warship units within a 10-light-year radius. This accuracy is staggering, considering the attack must travel for over ten years.
Theoretically, after a super-range weapon fires, it must accurately predict the warship's trajectory for the next decade. This level of calculation is effectively precognition.
But Toma K knew this was merely standard procedure for a Star City mainframe.
Never mind Glolo's mainframes; even Rusty's could achieve this.
There was once an experiment where a Star City mainframe predicted the actions of over 10 billion citizens over the next 100 years with 97.1% accuracy. This wasn't a list of possibilities where one might be right; the mainframe submitted a single data file at the start, and 97.1% of the population followed those predicted actions perfectly for a century.
This demonstrated the absolute terror of a Star City mainframe.
While human behavior seems unpredictable, that is only due to a lack of computing power and limited imagination. For a civilization as powerful as the Human Civilization, the impossible becomes possible.
It could be said that the challenges they faced now were even greater than Giotto had anticipated.
"We're heading to Feuae. According to the intelligence provided by Hua'a, that is the weak point of the entire defensive network."
"But we can't take it at face value. It could be a fabrication by Hua'a, or there might be something there that even Hua'a doesn't know about."
Since Luna dared to come here, she naturally had a plan.
Over a thousand years, the money she spent had to yield value.
Hua'a provided a wealth of intriguing intelligence that supported this operation.
Feuae star system.
A trinary star system composed of three red dwarfs.
They were very close to each other; while they didn't provide much energy, they were easy to move, leading Glolo to incorporate them into the Aurora Great Stellar Ring.
Luna's decision to trust the intel was partly based on this: their energy output was low.
"Once we occupy this location, we can radiate toward the two surrounding star systems. Those two don't have super-range weapons, so we can take them first."
Securing a stable foothold was Luna's primary objective.
In such a vast Sector, there was no such thing as a "blitzkrieg."
They had to prepare for a protracted conflict.
Furthermore, once these three star systems were seized, Glolo wouldn't be able to activate its super-range weapons. Given the stellar density and the fact that this was Glolo's core, they would hesitate.
Of course, most importantly, Glolo was not an autocracy. Naminko faced many constraints, and these star systems were tied to the interests of various factions.
Luna admitted this was a gamble.
But for a small force to lead a fleet into the heart of a high-tier Star Nation was, in itself, the ultimate wager.