At this moment, Againire already felt a sense of belonging to the Glolo fleet.
At least the treatment here was far superior to Rusty's; combined with the fervor of a convert, he spoke openly and held nothing back.
Information spilled out of him like beans from a jar.
Simati also showered him with a long list of promises, causing Againire to lower his guard completely.
"Any more information?" Simati asked after listening for a while.
"That's everything. All of it. This data should be useful for our war effort, right?"
"Of course, it's immensely useful. I will recommend the Admiral give you high-status treatment later."
"Now that the war is starting, someone like you shouldn't be in danger. The Admiral wants you to stay in the far rear; there's no need to participate in the fighting and risk being hurt."
Hearing this, Againire was moved to tears of gratitude.
This was exactly what he wanted.
Death was terrifying.
He didn't want to come to Glolo only to be used as cannon fodder again.
"Please thank the Admiral for me. Long live the Glolo Star Nation!"
Shouting his slogans, Againire was ushered out of the room by Simati, only to run headlong into another Rusty traitor. He swaggered past the other man, who in turn strutted past him. It was a silent contest for favor, and neither had a kind look for the other.
As they passed, Againire spat in contempt.
"Unbelievable, anyone can be a traitor these days. Just a lowly Captain; how much intel could he possibly have?"
"Acting like he's on my level just because he flipped. He'd better hope he doesn't end up in my hands later."
His face twisted with malice.
Thinking of his own quarters, he quickened his pace.
Once physical needs are met, other desires follow.
Though he was never one for romance, the "little darling" Glolo had provided was exactly his type, not just handsome, but incredibly charming.
It had been far too long since he'd met someone who could provide such emotional fulfillment.
"My sweet thing, I'm here!"
He pushed the door open and stepped into his room, only to be met by several burly men.
A blast of white gas hit him in the face, and he collapsed instantly.
When he finally came to, he was strapped to an operating table.
He looked around in a panic, screaming, "Who are you? Do you have any idea who I am?"
He kept yelling.
Deep down, he already suspected the truth; he just didn't want to admit it.
A figure approached him, clad in white mecha, its face obscured by a helmet.
The figure held a surgical drill.
"Give it up. Just accept the memory extraction. Once we're done, my pet will have something to eat."
Though the figure didn't answer him directly, Againire had the answer he dreaded.
He shrieked in fury, "Is this how you Glolo treat those who surrender?"
"Damn you all to hell!"
The drill pressed against his skull and began to bite in.
BUZZZZZZ!!!
Bits of flesh and bone were cast aside, leaving a perfect hole in his head. Then, a needle was inserted.
The needle wasn't rigid; it was soft.
Once inside, it began to grow, branching out until it reached every neuron in his brain and throughout his nervous system.
Againire's curses gradually faded into helpless whimpers.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Simati opened several virtual screens before him.
Every screen displayed an identical scene.
He reported to Helens, who was on the opposite side: "From an emotional standpoint, there is no possibility that this group of people is intentionally feeding us false information."
"The next step is the analysis of their memories."
Memories were being uploaded onto the screens.
Complete memory segments appeared, encompassing the entire lives of several individuals.
These, of course, would not be screened by hand, but were left for the main server to filter.
For lives spanning tens of thousands of years, the server took only minutes to screen and select the most crucial data.
Simati reviewed them one by one.
Finally, he confirmed.
"Most of what they said is consistent; there were only a few omissions."
"Rusty is indeed experiencing significant issues. Many high-ranking officials have defected. This should only be the first wave; more will follow. Some even realize that seeking refuge with us might not end well and may intend to live incognito within the Star Nation."
"The most vital piece of information was provided by that Againire."
"Rusty has certain defensive gaps. These gaps were caused by detonated stars, leaving behind massive amounts of stellar matter. Consequently, Rusty believes it is impossible for us to enter from that direction."
It was an easy gap to imagine.
But without knowing for sure, they indeed would not have considered that route.
The particle streams caused by stellar explosions are too chaotic, and the area is filled with a vast amount of miscellaneous matter.
Under normal circumstances, they naturally wouldn't have any concerns.
But the key point is, the Rusty fleet is there.
This also means the Rusty fleet could utilize the matter in that area.
A single chain weapon could detonate all the matter there, inflicting massive casualties on a fleet, even the Golden Fleet couldn't withstand that.
Therefore, even though it sounded tempting and it was confirmed that no defenses existed there, Helens still rejected the idea entirely.
"We cannot go that way!"
"The risk is too high. Let's stick to the original plan."
Simati was the type to take desperate risks, but since Helens said so, he followed suit.
"The second point is much better. After all, Rusty hasn't had enough time to establish their defense grid, and their accumulated energy reserves aren't sufficient."
"There's a vulnerability at the 8 o'clock position of the star system's orbital plane. That area was the last to be built and has the least energy. Breaking through there will significantly reduce our casualties."
A star system is spherical; everyone knows that.
However, stars themselves are moving, so it's highly unlikely for planets to be directly in front of or behind the star's path of travel. They can only exist at the front or rear of the two sides; of course, most are located in the central section.
This is the stellar orbital plane.
Relative to the entire Milky Way's galactic plane, it is vertical. Of course, this isn't absolute; many stars move in a fluctuating pattern within the Milky Way plane, and some stellar planes are at the same angle as the galactic plane.
The Feuae star system has a vertical orbital plane. For a fleet using the Milky Way's plane to determine horizontal orientation, the 8 o'clock direction is an upward-slanting position.
"The strategic value here is viable."
"It sits right in the vacuum zone between two stars. If I were Rusty, I would certainly concentrate my fleet here."
Helens felt this was a good spot.
Simati replied, "Exactly. The Admiral is truly prescient."
"The Rusty fleet is indeed in the nearby 7 o'clock area. Although this deviates slightly, it bypasses the most difficult parts of the defense grid."
The matter wasn't decided just like that.
It was only a discussion.
Only after combining memories from other Rusty defectors did Helens present this part of the plan to the entire fleet.
The entire fleet coordinated and quickly completed the course change.
Everything had been proceeding smoothly, but who could have known that Onunan would come up with a malicious scheme.
He berated Helens, claiming she had been deceived.
"Those defectors are nothing but an enemy ruse."
"Their military maintains such strict oversight; how could they possibly allow so many deserters?"
Hearing those words, many felt their resolve waver.
Even Helens, because of this statement, began to wonder if he had been too reckless.
In truth, he already harbored such anxieties.
But with the clock ticking on the blitz, he didn't have the luxury of second-guessing.
Those Rusty defectors were the best sources of intel available. He had meticulously checked their memories for signs of tampering.
Faked content usually leaves disjointed gaps, but these memories were seamless and logical.
He didn't just compare the officers' accounts; he cross-referenced them with the memories of the soldiers who came with the ships. A single soldier might not have much value, but hundreds or thousands created a vast intelligence web.
To fabricate such a massive, consistent network was possible, but it would require an immense amount of time and effort, even servers aren't truly omnipotent.
This was why Helens had placed his trust in it.
Now, Onunan's words had effectively jolted him. He really shouldn't have trusted enemy-provided information so readily; the possibility of a trap couldn't be ruled out.
If the intel was compromised, then its value was less than a random strike at a chosen location.
However, after Onunan had been making a fuss all day, his final suggestion was what truly hit a nerve.
"In my opinion, we'd be better off charging straight into that dangerous 7 o'clock position. As they say, the most dangerous place is the safest."
...
Inside the command center.
Helens' face was dark.
"Relieve him of his duties temporarily. Make sure he doesn't have the chance to do anything extreme."
Simati went to carry out the order.
He returned with a message.
"Onunan says that since he's been dismissed, there's no need for him to risk his life with the fleet. He wants to be moved to logistics."
Helens let out a cold laugh.
"That crafty old man. He's probably just terrified of dying and used this commotion as an excuse to get me to transfer him to the rear."
Interstellar warfare has its own version of logistics.
It wasn't about transporting fuel, but staying behind to continue extracting energy from stars.
Many wars were long-term engagements that couldn't be settled quickly. Having a stable energy supply meant being able to outmaneuver the enemy and maintain the initiative.
To put it simply, Onunan wanted to retreat.
"Then what do we do?"
"I was wondering how to deal with him. Since he wants to leave, that's actually perfect. Give him a fighter and let him find his own way back."
Helens felt he had solved a nuisance.
Simati also agreed this was for the best.
He went to inform Onunan.
To his surprise, Onunan continued his tirade: "I was just saying that, and Helens actually wants to kick me out like a deserter!"
"There are limits to what I can endure! If he weren't the Admiral, I'd take a gun and beat him to death myself!"
Onunan put on a show of utter fury.
Yet, his body moved quite willingly toward the fighter. Even as he boarded, he kept up the cursing, but the moment he was inside, he decisively hit the ignition button as if terrified someone might change their mind.
Watching the fighter streak away, Simati couldn't help but chuckle.
"That old man!"
Back in the command center.
Helens asked, "He's gone?"
Simati recounted the incident. Helens wasn't particularly angry; people like Onunan were common within the Star Nation, a byproduct of political compromise.
Onunan was one of the ones without much of a network; there were others with vast connections who were the real headaches. This was exactly why Helens had never stepped foot into the political arena.
"Next comes the war!"
Onunan had been the last distraction.
Within the fleet, there were no longer any dissenting voices.
...
Deep space!
Having departed, Onunan disabled the small DataNode monitoring system within the fighter.
He then utilized a specialized beacon to transmit everything the Glolo fleet intended to do toward the Feuae star system.
"You'd better handle this well for me!"
"Win this war, and those fools in the Council will finally know who they should have trusted!"
Onunan, naturally, was not actually a fool.
Everyone else assumed he was transferred to the Star Nation's border because the military simply didn't want him around anymore.
In reality, it was because he had previously attempted to transition from the military into the political arena, but he lost that gamble. He failed to secure a seat in the Council and ended up tainted by the resulting scandal. He chose to act a bit unhinged, making everyone detest him so he could effectively marginalize himself and stay under the radar.
The few people who had supported him back then were all dead; he was the only one left standing.
His defection to Rusty was motivated by this history as well. Having offended so many within the Glolo Council, he knew he would never reach a high-ranking position in this lifetime.
Furthermore, even at the border, as Glolo became increasingly bloated and Sectors ceased to expand, his post had gradually become a lucrative target that others coveted.
One could even say this war with Rusty saved his life; otherwise, he would have been stripped of his rank long ago.
Of course, there was a core reason, just as he was about to be forced into retirement, a message from within the Council saved him.
And all of this happened after he had agreed to terms with the Rusty operative who had sought him out.
It was clear to him, Rusty's agents had already permeated that high office.
This proved that Glolo was truly rotten to the core.
If that was the case, why bother remaining loyal?
Driven by these various factors, he had consented, and he was truly, wholeheartedly working for Rusty.
Naturally, this was a double-sided insurance policy.
If Rusty lost, the war itself would force the bloated Glolo to streamline, and he could stabilize his current position. If Glolo lost, he would be their number one hero.
In truth, the idea of becoming a merchant was his own suggestion. He knew that as a traitor, he could never remain in the military or political spheres.
Even if they promised him a position now, he would eventually suffer a "sudden death" due to various excuses later. Being a merchant was a far better identity, free from such worries. He didn't even make any specific demands, such as money.
By keeping his profile sufficiently low, he would ultimately gain the most.
"Heh heh, I might be old, but I'm still sharp!"
After sending the transmission, Onunan headed straight for the rear; he wanted to secure his hold there. At this moment, no matter which side he faced, the more bargaining chips he held, the better.
The fighter flew toward the rear.
The fleet sailed toward the battlefield.
...
And Rusty was waiting for this feast.
Luna gazed out at the endless expanse of the cosmos. She spoke even before Soumia could fully enter the room. "The enemy has taken the bait, haven't they?"
Soumia froze, then gave a slow nod.
"Yes, they have."
Soumia couldn't fathom how Luna had figured it out, or how she had managed to prepare so comprehensively.
The conflict between Rusty and Glolo had seen very little actual friction; barely one or two thousand years had passed since it began.
With ships requiring six or seven hundred years for a single round trip, how could anyone have orchestrated so much in such a short window?
Why had so many people deserted earlier?
It was because those officers simply didn't believe Luna had any cards left to play.
In their minds, they could only perform a simple comparison of raw military power.
And no matter how many times they ran those numbers, Rusty was destined to lose.
Once that mindset took hold, betrayal became an inevitability.
The reason for forcing them to defect was entirely to prevent a mass desertion during the heat of battle, which would have caused the front lines to shatter.
No matter how you looked at it, Soumia felt that Luna was a person who moved according to miracles.
But through Luna's eyes, the situation looked quite different.
Most of it had been set in motion long ago, the moment she dispatched her clones. There were no miracles, only early-stage plotting and the tactical use of her unique privileges.
This clone of Luna had not been shy about using the authority granted by her status as a human leader during this war, though she had kept her direct influence to a minimum.
Everything was following a logical progression.
Yet, this was still a war between vastly different power levels. It was far too early to speak of victory.
"The enemy intends to launch a lightning strike at the 8 o'clock position. All our preparations are concentrated right there."
"To beat them at their own game, we've positioned a portion of our ships there as well, waiting for them to be destroyed."
"But... will this really not affect morale?"
The previous defections had already left the fleet's spirit shaken.
The soldiers were in the dark about the true sequence of events. They only knew their superiors had fled. Even if things were explained to them now, they wouldn't necessarily believe it.
At that point, internal chaos within the ships could break out, leading to a disastrous engagement.
The only advantage was that the number of soldiers on each ship was quite small, barely a few dozen.
Yet, because there were so few, each soldier's role was vital.
They piloted the ships, analyzed data, repaired malfunctions... While they primarily served in a supportive role to the DataNode that handled the main flight operations, their contributions were indispensable.
"The action just needs to be swift."
"Once they see the enemy warships and ships being destroyed, their confidence will return."
Based on Onunan's intel, Luna calculated the enemy's current distance from the star system's interior.
The interior of the Feuae star system spanned a range of 80 to 100 AU around the stars.
The variation was due to the elliptical orbits.
The 8 o'clock position happened to be at the far end, with a thickness of roughly 91 AU.
The Glolo fleet was approximately 5,300 AU away from entry. According to previously gathered data, the slowest speed of the Glolo Silver Fleet should be around 119,000 km/s. This meant the enemy could arrive in about two and a half months.
"The timing is perfect. Activate the projections."
The projections Luna referred to were those located in the 7 o'clock sector of the Feuae star system, the area mentioned in the intel as the most heavily defended, and where the Rusty fleet was supposedly concentrated.
Luna had executed a very simple deception: she caused the view of space seen by all the officers to shift. These officers never left their warships or ships, and since those vessels didn't have glass windows, their only view was through external cameras.
Utilizing her authority, she distorted these projections, leading every officer to believe they were positioned in the 7 o'clock sector.
Even now, the information she provided to everyone was false: the enemy would attack the 7 o'clock sector, not the 8 o'clock sector.
If one was going to deceive, the deception had to be thorough.
Soumia left to carry out the order to activate the projections.
Luna also issued a command for the entire fleet to enter evasion status shortly after, timing it perfectly.
Of course, decoys were essential. To avoid inciting resentment among the soldiers, she had already evacuated them from those specific ships, leaving them to be operated primarily by DataNode programs.
...
The Golden Fleet.
After months of travel, they finally entered the heliosheath of the Feuae star system.
The heliosheath was currently experiencing a period of intense stellar wind, with temperatures exceeding 100,000 degrees Celsius, high enough to block ordinary radio signals.
This was caused by the volatile nature of the red dwarfs themselves. Both red dwarfs in the Feuae star system were currently in an active eruption phase.
"Prepare for combat!"
The Golden Fleet and the two flanking Silver Fleets simultaneously entered combat status. Every weapon was aimed directly inward.
Shortly after they breached the heliosheath, laser fire erupted. From their flanks, the shadowy forms of ships could be seen weaving through space. They would launch a quick strike and then vanish just as rapidly, as elusive as ghosts.
The Golden Fleet wavered briefly before stabilizing, meticulously calculating the Void ships' trajectories until a pattern emerged.
In truth, for a Void ship to be truly ghost-like, it had to constantly perform sequences of acceleration and deceleration, which was incredibly energy-intensive. Currently, Void ships had less energy storage than standard vessels, making such maneuvers difficult to sustain.
A lock-on was achieved!
BOOM!!!
The first ship was obliterated.
Then, the floodgates opened.
"Advance toward the 7 o'clock sector."
Helens peered through the long-range telescope, seeing the incredibly complex defense grid in the 7 o'clock sector, and felt a wave of relief. If they hadn't obtained the intel beforehand, they might have blundered right into it. Circling around from the 8 o'clock position would allow them to bypass the most densely defended area.
There, rows of ships were powering up, seemingly wanting to flee, yet appearing somewhat hesitant.
"What's the distance?"
Simati returned to Helens' side.
"22 AU!"
That wouldn't take long. Less than eight hours.
However, with enemy interceptions and numerous obstacles ahead, the arrival would likely be delayed until the twelve-hour mark. Still, it was a remarkably short timeframe.
"All forces, advance."
Possessing overwhelming military superiority meant there was no need for elaborate schemes; simply pressing the advantage was the best tactic. At this moment, Helens ceased second-guessing. He couldn't conceive of any other counterattacks the enemy might have left.
"The explosion beams should arrive in six hours, faster than we anticipated."
"Fine. The explosion beams will throw the enemy's formation into chaos. We'll also commence the full assault in six hours."
The Golden Fleet had launched the explosion beams long ago; after all, as reflected attacks, they required a significant amount of time to travel.
In deep space, 22 AU would be considered an incredibly close distance.
But this was inside a star system.
At 22 AU, there were many more factors to consider.
Such as!
BANG!!!
Helens' body suddenly lurched. The flagship he commanded had been struck by an attack from a main battery.
"Destroy the enemy fortresses immediately! How can the defenses here be this fierce!"
A flagship was typically deep within layers of protection; hitting it, especially with a main battery, should have been nearly impossible.
Unless, of course, the enemy's covering fire reached a certain level of density.
"How many ships have we lost?"
[ Calculating: The Saiunrian Silver Fleet has lost 2,383 ships; the Manro Silver Fleet has lost 1,837 ships; the Kestor Silver Fleet has lost 3,311 ships and 2 warships; the Golden Fleet has lost 37 warships. ]
"What?"
Simati was momentarily stunned.
"We've lost that many ships in such a short time? We even lost warships!"
"The flank defense grid is this powerful? It's hard to imagine how intense the 7 o'clock sector must be."
He felt somewhat fortunate.
However, hearing those words, Helens had another moment of realization.
"Wait, how did Rusty have the time to build such massive defensive structures?"
"Server, how many laser strikes are we currently being subjected to?"
[ Analyzing... ]
[ Since the start of the engagement, a total of 283,289 laser strikes have been encountered. 62,311 originated from enemy ships; 220,978 originated from the enemy defense grid. ]
[ Please note: Analysis indicates the number of enemy defense fortresses may exceed 30,000! ]
30,000 fortresses!
A fortress was no small thing.
The power of an energy beam fired by a fortress was comparable to that of a ship's beam.
This meant that behind every single fortress lay a massive energy supply system. Building 30,000 fortresses was, in reality, no simpler than producing several thousand ships.
A network exceeding 10,000 fortresses was already considered a mature defense grid.
Let alone 30,000.
Hearing that number, Simati was completely dumbfounded.
"How is that possible? 30,000!"
"If there are 30,000 here, then wouldn't the 7 o'clock sector have over 100,000 fortresses?"
Helens felt like smacking him.
"Use your head for once! 30,000 fortresses is the absolute limit of Rusty's construction capacity. Every single fortress they have is right here."
"We've been played."
"Those defectors were just tools to feed us that false intel."
Even now, Helens found it hard to believe.
He had verified that information repeatedly.
The intel felt absolutely genuine, yet here they were in a trap.
Simati's expression shifted.
"If this is a trap, there's bound to be more than just this."
"Could the enemy warships in the 7 o'clock sector be fake as well?"
There was no doubt about that.
Helens recalled the previous war between Rusty and Binom.
"Notify the entire fleet: full power to energy shields. Course change, exit this sector immediately."
They had to leave.
If they stayed to destroy all 30,000 fortresses, they would suffer heavy losses.
They were here to deplete the enemy, not to let the enemy deplete them. These fortresses were practically useless once they were outside their firing range.
Just as Helens issued the command, the server reported:
[ A large number of enemy ships detected on the fleet's flank, commencing attack! ]
[ Coordinates (2, 78), distance 16 AU. ]
Positioned roughly at 2 degrees longitude and 78 degrees latitude relative to their heading.
Essentially, directly to their left.
Simati immediately issued an order: "Veer right! Shake off the enemy fleet!"
Helens cut his transmission off instantly.
"Who authorized you to give orders without my command?"
He glared at Simati.
Then, using his own authority, he issued a different order:
"Maintain course. The fleet on the left is a decoy. The enemy fleet will undoubtedly appear in the center of our formation, not on the periphery."
Helens had studied those ships; he knew that aside from their stealth, Void-class ships were inferior in every way. On a direct battlefield, they couldn't hold a candle to standard ships.
Just like the ambush upon entering the heliosheath, those ships had been swiftly eliminated.
Therefore, the Void-class ships certainly wouldn't appear on the front lines.
Simati immediately realized his haste had led to a mistake. After all, the enemy was too close. If they had followed his initial impulse to veer right, they would have blundered into another of Rusty's traps.
Cold sweat broke out on his brow.
"Forgive me, Admiral. It won't happen again!"
He apologized to Helens, but Helens had no time to respond.
He was currently facing an unprecedented threat. This assault had truly rattled him, and he was tempted to fall back on old habits.
The greatest sin on a battlefield is using the same plan twice. Isn't that just asking for trouble?
He had been too overconfident.
With a combined force exceeding 400,000 ships and 20,000 warships, there was no way they should be faltering here.
"Wait... if we trade blows with them, even if we suffer heavy losses, we can take out more of their ships and neutralize the threat Rusty poses."
A daring thought rose in Helens' mind.
The idea tempted him like a demon.
Yet, he managed to suppress it.
"If the enemy dares to do this, they must have a countermeasure. There's no need to take the risk."
Helens was a conservative strategist; he only struck when the opportunity was absolute. Onunan had emphasized this point to Luna.
Therefore, Helens would never gamble.
If presented with a perceived threat, he would only become more entrenched in his initial decision.
Human nature always has its flaws.
Luna was betting that what Onunan told her was correct, and that Helens would act exactly as predicted.
Thus, she positioned her fleet precisely where Helens would seek to escape.
However, before the fleet made its appearance, there was one more surprise.
From the depths of space, a laser beam struck a warship within the Golden Fleet. The terrifying explosion caused the vessel's energy shields to shudder.
Immediately after, more beams streaked toward them.
While the warships could still withstand the onslaught, for the smaller ships, it was an absolute catastrophe.
In just one short hour, the fleet lost thousands more ships and dozens of warships.
"What is happening?"
Everyone was stunned.
They knew all too well where these beams originated from.
Why were the beams they had fired hitting themselves?
Weren't they supposed to reach the 7 o'clock sector?
Helens realized a possibility: "Our entire plan has been laid bare to the enemy. There is a traitor among us!"
He found it bizarre.
Why was everything so perfectly timed?
"Who is it?"
Helens took great pleasure in deploying various spies to ensure his campaigns were flawless; he never imagined a day would come where a spy existed right by his side.
He truly couldn't fathom why.
Given the vast disparity in power, why would a traitor even exist?
Even if Rusty managed to plant a mole, how could they have attained such a high position?
Every officer in the Golden Fleet had held their rank for thousands, even tens of thousands of years; it was impossible for them to be sleepers.
Could it be a replacement?
Helens felt a headache brewing; this wasn't something that could be uncovered in an instant.
As he pondered, the server suddenly displayed an image.
In the heart of the fleet, ships were abruptly appearing, sailing alongside them.
They were Rusty's Void-class ships!
...
Two and a half months felt like a mere heartbeat to Luna.
She disliked the evasion state; it robbed her of too many things.
But sometimes, actions aren't determined by personal likes or dislikes.
So, she simply used it.
When her consciousness re-awakened, she saw the warships and ships outside.
It was Glolo.
Their first true close-quarters engagement.
"Fire!"
She felt as though she could almost see the enemy's ferocity.
Countless lasers streaked toward the Tier 1 fleet.
The enemy had been prepared.
But so were they.
Upon entering the evasion state, except for the ships' inertial motion, the physical states related to the four fundamental forces remained unchanged.
This was because inertia itself is not one of the four fundamental forces and is not suppressed by the evasion state.
The fact that other physical states remained unchanged meant that when the Tier 1 fleet appeared, it did so in full defensive and offensive postures.
"Fire!"
This command was actually given by Luna.
However, even before the transmission could spread, the ships within the fleet had already opened fire.
Because she had prepared so thoroughly, every Captain and Shipmaster knew exactly what their duty was.
These attacks, in truth, seemed somewhat futile.
After all, they were just ships.
And evasion-type ships at that.
Their weaponry was less powerful than that of standard vessels.
If the enemy were prepared, it would be impossible to inflict massive casualties.
Furthermore, their defensive capabilities were weaker; if struck by the enemy, they would suffer heavy losses.
They were burdened with every possible disadvantage.
But Luna, naturally, had her own tactics to circumvent these drawbacks.
"Evasion!"
Real evasion.
Again, before her transmission even cleared, ship after ship and warship after warship re-entered the evasion state.
Everything happened with incredible speed.
During the process, they even adjusted their headings.
After predicting the arrival of the enemy's counterattack, an hour later, the ships reappeared and launched another salvo.
...
The Golden Fleet.
The first wave of attacks arrived.
Blinding white light flickered across the warships' energy shields, relentless.
Yet, the energy shields remained unyielding.
"This is the difference!"
"The difference between a warship and a ship!"
"The failure in the Binom war was due to a lack of understanding of these new evasion-type ships. But I understand them."
Seeing those weak attacks, a smile returned to Helens' face.
For a moment, he had believed the enemy was incredibly powerful.
But he had overlooked a fundamental issue.
It was merely a scheme, not the enemy's inherent strength. No matter how many tricks a child plays, their punch against an adult remains weak.
Helens knew he didn't need to rush.
"Now, we just have to surround those ships and strike. They've truly walked right into a trap."
All that worry for nothing.
That individual called Luna indeed had some talent.
If the disparity hadn't been so vast, he might have actually faltered this time.
But there are no "ifs." To the victor go the spoils.
As Helens indulged in these thoughts, he once again queried the server regarding the state of the battle.
"What are our losses? What are the enemy's? What is the estimated time until the war ends?"
[ Our losses: 1,024 ships, 0 warships. Enemy losses: 0 ships, 0 warships. Estimated time of conclusion: Cannot be determined! ]
"What?"
The calm Helens had managed to regain vanished instantly upon hearing the report.
"How can they have zero losses?"
[ The enemy re-enters the evasion state immediately after launching an attack. We cannot affect them. Only black hole weapons would be effective, but since they are within our fleet formation, we cannot deploy them. ]
Re-entering the evasion state!
"They're actually using such a shameless 'hit-and-run' tactic?"
If that was the case, the enemy truly could achieve zero casualties.
In fact, they could maintain zero casualties indefinitely.
And while their own losses weren't significant yet, a few thousand ships out of a fleet of hundreds of thousands was practically negligible, if the attacks continued frequently enough, those losses would mount.
If the enemy remained at zero casualties, he would still be losing this war.
"Is there really no way?"
[ Server calculating! ]
[ Plan generated: Disperse the fleet to create a larger buffer zone for black hole attacks. ]
[ Plan generated: Change course to outmaneuver the enemy's evasion-type ships. ]
[ Plan generated... ]
A series of plans were generated, but none offered the result Helens desired.
He was somewhat tempted by the first plan, but he immediately lost heart as the enemy's second wave of attacks arrived.
Another blinding flash.
[ Our losses: 1,733 ships, 0 warships. Enemy losses: 0 ships, 0 warships. ]
"Why are the losses so much higher?"
[ Significant energy was depleted while engaging the enemy fortresses earlier. ]
Their original plan was a blitzkrieg, so they hadn't properly considered energy sustainability. After that initial outburst of fire, the Silver Fleet's energy reserves had dropped below 15%.
The Golden Fleet fared slightly better, sitting at around 22%.
"With energy reserves this low, the Silver Fleet's casualties will only continue to mount. Soon, they'll exceed 10,000 vessels."
Helens could not bear such losses.
War is the act of burning money.
The loss of these ships was equivalent to burning money.
If the cost of a war became too high, it was essentially no different from a defeat.
The server's first plan was unfeasible; the enemy's attack frequency was too high, leaving them no time to pull their formation apart.
Helens realized to his horror that even with the enemy right before them, they could only defend!
This was too ridiculous!
This conflict was turning into an absolute joke of a war!
Simati returned to the command center after receiving the latest reports. He, too, had previously believed the war was over. He hadn't expected the enemy to employ such a shameless tactic. How was this any different from exploiting a glitch in a game?
"Admiral, I believe the best course of action now is to withdraw."
He offered his perspective.
Helens refused instantly.
While a retreat aligned with his naturally cautious style, leaving now would be a formal admission of failure in the war.
In the first engagement, the enemy had merely avoided a direct fight. Although he had been toyed with, on paper, he was the victor.
But this time, it was an absolute defeat.
Helens shook his head. "Entering the evasion state also consumes a ship's energy. We will wait for the enemy's assault to end!"
"They have to leave eventually. Once they do, our original plan remains viable."
It was a gamble.
But upon reflection, they hadn't suffered fatal damage yet.
The Rusty fleet couldn't sustain this many attacks indefinitely.
To secure victory now, this was the only way forward.
Simati looked at Helens with growing concern.
They had fallen into the enemy's trap.
First it was a hidden scheme, and now it was an open play. It seemed the enemy had anticipated every move Helens would make, and their previous decisions were the same, had there been even the slightest deviation, the enemy fleet would never have appeared in their midst.
He felt as though a pair of eyes were watching them from the shadows.
Helens seemed to sense Simati's unease.
"I know. Even so, we cannot abandon our defense."
"Since the opponent dared to pull this off, and with a spy in our ranks, they must have prepared many contingencies."
"If necessary, a slightly higher casualty rate is acceptable. The battlefield is not politics; our only concern is victory or defeat."
The usually mild-mannered Helens now had a flicker of ruthlessness in his eyes.
He then turned to Simati and said, "Go and get some rest. I will take direct command of the battlefield from here on."
"That is an order!"
The moment he heard those words, Simati understood why Helens was acting this way.
Helens no longer trusted him.
With the enemy's decisions being this flawless, a spy must exist within the fleet's upper echelons, perhaps even at the very top.
And he, Simati, was the prime suspect.
If he were to interfere now, Helens would undoubtedly brand him a traitor.
Suppressing the urge to insist he didn't need rest, Simati saluted Helens.
"Understood, Admiral. I follow your command!"
With that, he withdrew.
Once Simati had left, Helens accessed the server.
"Transfer command of all ships and warships to me."
"Tag every high-ranking officer, Commander rank and above!"
"What is the current frequency of the enemy's attacks?"
"Report our latest casualties!"
[ Command authority transferred. ]
[ All personnel rank Commander and above have been tagged. Their every action will be strictly monitored. ]
[ Enemy attack frequency is irregular, typically appearing once every 1 to 2 hours. ]
[ Total losses: 24,289 ships, 1 warship. Enemy losses: 6 ships, 0 warships. ]
The enemy had suffered losses too.
Upon hearing this, Helens ordered: "Observe the enemy's next emergence time. This time, their stay in the evasion state will definitely exceed three hours."
"That means we'll only have one or two opportunities."
His prediction held true.
Three hours later.
[ The enemy remained in the evasion state for 3 hours and 42 minutes this time. ]
Slightly longer than Helens had anticipated.
"Once the enemy re-enters the evasion state again, activate the black hole weapons!"
"All forces, decelerate!"
...
Rusty's Tier 1 fleet emerged from the evasion state once more.
Soumia felt she could almost see the enemy's panic.
More tangible, however, was the palpable excitement among the soldiers and officers aboard the warships.
"This plan is flawless! We can shatter the enemy's confidence with practically zero casualties."
"So what if they have more warships and ships? They're still being led in circles by us."
"The Strategos' plan is simply groundbreaking. Why did I never think evasion-type ships could be used this way?"
The cheers filled Soumia with a rush of excitement.
Their casualty count hadn't even reached double digits yet, while the enemy had already lost over ten thousand ships.
Even if such numbers didn't cripple the enemy's massive force, if this continued indefinitely...
"We've taken out another 3,000 enemy ships! Haha! Lost two of our own this time; what bad luck."
"But the energy is running low. We'll probably have to retreat after one or two more rounds. Everyone, stay alert; don't make any mistakes."
"As long as we don't let the enemy see our retreat heading or speed, we're golden. Brilliant idea, and so simple."
"Quick, quick, quick! Enter the evasion state!"
Soumia heard the soldiers' calls.
Even their shouts were filled with exhilaration.
His own heart raced with excitement.
However, during the last few transitions out of the evasion state, he noticed the Strategos didn't look pleased. She seemed to be agonizing over something.
In a situation like this, what was there to agonize over?
Just as they were about to re-enter the evasion state, Soumia recalled something the Strategos had told him.
"Everyone is too caught up in the excitement. They've forgotten the enemy is a legendary figure who anchors a high-ranking Star Nation—Helens!"
In an instant.
For those entering the evasion state, it truly was just an instant.
They emerged from the evasion state once more.
They were met with the violent shuddering of their warships and ships.
Soumia accessed the warship's external cameras and looked out into space.
All he saw were the shattered husks of ships.
And in the distance.
Starlight was being warped.
"That's..."
Black holes!
Another officer shrieked, "How is that possible? Why would the enemy deploy black hole weapons within their own fleet?"
Soumia looked toward the flanks of their formation; not a single enemy ship was in sight. Instead, far to the rear, the silhouettes of the enemy fleet were rapidly receding.
They were wrong.
The enemy had one more option.
Stop, then deploy black hole weapons.
It was foolproof.
Soumia raced toward Luna's office, but she wasn't there. He then ran to the command center, and as expected, Luna was there.
However, the look of agonizing indecision was gone from Luna's face.
Seeing him, Luna spoke: "The enemy deployed black hole weapons after all."
"Our plan was inherently an attempt for the small to defeat the great; how could it be without flaws? In fact, the flaw itself was so simple it was almost laughable."
"Earlier, I was speculating exactly when Helens would choose to activate the black hole weapons."
"As expected of a conservative man, he chose the most conservative moment."
Soumia looked at the virtual screen calculating their remaining ship count.
182,983.
They had started with 203,189.
This meant they had lost over 20,000 ships in a single blow.
Their losses now matched the enemy's.
Yet, Luna's expression seemed to suggest this was expected.
"Then... hasn't our entire plan yielded nothing?" he asked, confused.
After all that preparation, they had still suffered massive losses. The enemy's goal was to inflict damage upon them, and they had succeeded.
"Glolo never anticipated suffering such heavy casualties from the start. The fortresses and our fleet combined have cost them nearly 40,000 ships. That's a significant blow to them."
"Furthermore, our goal was never to annihilate the enemy. That would be preposterous."
200,000 ships taking down 20,000 warships and 400,000 ships? A fairy tale.
Soumia suddenly remembered.
It was true.
From the very beginning, Luna's plan had been one of harassment and delay.
However, after such detailed combat planning, Soumia and many others had forgotten that core objective.
The enemy's casualties were heavy enough, and their energy consumption was high. It was highly unlikely they would continue the pursuit now. This meant they had successfully bought themselves several more years.
"But... the Feuae star system!"
They had already flown out of the Feuae star system. If the enemy seized it, what would they do next?
"They won't."
"There are still 30,000 fortresses there."
"To extract energy from the stars, their massive fleet would have to remain stationary. They'd be sitting ducks."
"Helens won't allow his losses to escalate any further!"