Lu Xing hovered high in the sky, analyzing the intelligence relayed by his [Super Perception].
A formidable armada, numbering over thirty vessels—including two sky-faring dreadnoughts, two aircraft carriers, and four battlecruisers—prowled the vast expanse of the sea. Judging by the flamboyant color schemes and ornate hull decorations, they undoubtedly all belonged to Shenzhou.
Lu Xing had no intention of a direct confrontation.
This Shenzhou fleet was no ordinary navy. A mere glance at their design revealed a combat capability far exceeding the simplistic Australian ground forces he had previously encountered.
Two ultra-long-range teleports had already consumed a significant portion of Lu Xing's Honkai energy. Factoring in the need to shepherd the colossal Tide-class Honkai Beast in a strategic withdrawal, coupled with potential unforeseen risks, Lu Xing was compelled to conserve enough Honkai energy for contingencies.
His plan: fire one preemptive shot.
This would weaken the enemy's combat strength while simultaneously drawing the entire fleet's attention skyward. Then, he would dive into the ocean, collect the Tide-class, open a portal, and make his escape.
That, in essence, was Lu Xing's hastily devised strategy.
He had only one opportunity for a first strike.
Once Lu Xing unleashed a skill, his potent Honkai aura would be impossible to conceal. Faced with such a massive fleet, the only truly effective means of attack was likely…
[Atomic Breath].
Lu Xing had only attempted it once before. During his time in the Great Rift, even a minimum-output [Atomic Breath] had nearly caused the collapse of the subterranean space, which lacked the reinforcement of Honkai crystal formations.
Now, against an entire fleet, [Atomic Breath] was the perfect tool.
Unleashing the skill at full power would likely drain eighty to ninety percent of Lu Xing's energy reserves in a single blast.
However, at minimum output—approximately thirty percent—the [Atomic Breath]'s area of effect remained extraordinarily wide, though its destructive power would be considerably diminished.
This perfectly suited Lu Xing's requirements.
"Let's begin."
Kchk—!!
The Space-Time Ring, configured in its wing-like form, unfurled once more.
Sixteen translucent, obsidian-black crystals, threaded by rails of golden light, coalesced into a colossal ring, its radius exceeding that of its basic form by more than twentyfold.
Pshh!
Krak!
Crackle!
Azure-purple electrical energy danced and blazed across the ring.
Molten, lava-like fire and crystalline frost erupted simultaneously from opposite sides of the ring, then surged madly towards each other!
As the two torrents of light completely intertwined—
VWOOOOM!!!
A pillar of radiance pierced the heavens, a refulgence that caused the sun itself to pale in comparison!
BOOOOOM!!!!
"Main cannon energy charge complete."
On the bridge of the Sky-Dreadnought Taiqing, the Admiral of the "Xuanwu" Fleet continuously stroked his wispy Fu Manchu mustache, his gaze firmly fixed on the celestial cartosphere (radar). The Tide-class Honkai Beast and its retinue of aquatic Honkai Beasts, currently being besieged by his fleet, had been prowling and preying upon the waters of Southeast Asia for over two months, sending more than sixty merchant vessels of various types to their doom.
The "1st Fleet" had proven incapable of guaranteeing the safety of the shipping lanes.
Under duress from various powerful financial consortiums, they had been forced to request assistance from Shenzhou.
Shenzhou's sphere of influence was primarily concentrated on the Eurasian landmass; they had little strategic need for vast oceanic territories, and thus possessed a mere four fleets, each named after a "Sacred Beast"—
The "Qinglong" Fleet was responsible for Dongying and the Western Pacific region; the "Baihu" Fleet was permanently stationed in the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic coast; the "Xuanwu" Fleet coordinated the defense of coastal territories; and the "Zhuque" Fleet handled special operations.
By convention, this sortie should have fallen to the "Zhuque" Fleet.
However, with the induction of the "Xuanwu" Fleet's new flagship, the Taiqing-hao—both the naval command and Shenzhou proper were eager to test the capabilities of its improved Yao Guang-type main cannon, the "Sundial." This led to a last-minute alteration of the fleet's mission.
Considering the various issues encountered during the Taixu Warship's engagements—particularly its Achilles' heel of high offense but low defense—the newly improved "Sundial" main cannon boasted significantly enhanced adaptability.
Beyond its function as an ultra-long-range strike weapon, the Sundial could also channel its energy into defense, generating a spherical energy shield around the vessel with no blind spots. This defensive field could seamlessly adjust its operational parameters to counter high or low-velocity kinetic impacts, as well as thermal or light-based energy weaponry, ensuring the security of the exorbitantly priced sky-faring dreadnought.
"High-energy particle stream reaction detected!"
"High-energy particle stream reaction detected!"
"Hm?"
The admiral with the Fu Manchu mustache possessed a somewhat lean physique.
Yet, this seemingly delicate frame was not stooped, and his faintly stern expression remained utterly unchanged by the sudden, blaring warnings.
"Raise shields. Brace for impact."
"Raise shields! Brace for impact!"
Amidst the communications officer's resounding cry, the admiral had already gripped the bridge handrail. His adjutant promptly moved forward, assisting him in securely fastening his safety harness to a structural support bar.
BOOOOOM!!!!
The explosion thundered through the heavens!
Facing the assault descending from diagonally above, the Sundial concentrated its entire energy output into defense!
A terrifying mushroom cloud billowed skyward. The fearsome shockwave and the violent gales, born from the extreme and abrupt temperature fluctuations, blasted the Taiqing back over a kilometer through the air!
The energy fluctuations, rippling outwards along the shield's perimeter, whipped the sea's surface into mountainous waves!
Three minutes passed, then five…
The alarms finally ceased their clamor on the bridge.
"Scan."
Patting down his admiral's uniform, the old gentleman with the Fu Manchu mustache slowly rose to his feet, aided by his adjutant. Although the maneuver had consumed ninety-one percent of its energy reserves, the "Sundial" had, true to expectations, successfully repelled an attack potent enough to have downed the Taiqing.
"Full-power, wide-area search initiated!"
Swiftly, the celestial cartosphere relayed the corresponding intelligence—
"Residual spatial fluctuations detected."
"High concentration of residual Honkai energy detected."
"Corresponding target not found in surveyed air or sea space."
"Locked target has disengaged! We've lost the Tide-class's trail!"
The urgent yet orderly voices converged, flooding the admiral's ears as streams of information.
"A Honkai Beast…"
"That creature actually had accomplices."
The Honkai Beast itself wasn't the primary concern, but the ability to unleash such a devastating attack… If the main target of that blast hadn't been the Taiqing, but had instead been aimed at the heart of the "Xuanwu" Fleet, he would already be contemplating retirement.
"No."
His mind traced the attack's trajectory.
"If the Taiqing hadn't successfully defended, then the epicenter of that blast—"
"Hmph."
The admiral emitted a light snort.
"Such audacious ambition, to think of annihilating the entire fleet in a single stroke!"
Certain matters lay beyond the grasp of his solitary perception.
The Tide-class's confederate, a potential Honkai Beast legion; or perhaps, the Tide-class was mere bait, dangled by some shadowy hand aiming to obliterate the Xuanwu Fleet.
Furthermore, since the emergence of the Herrscher of Flame, the world had witnessed a terrifying surge in the scale and prevalence of Honkai Sickness—
"Turbulent times, truly turbulent times!"
"Cough! Cough—"
The moment the admiral's cough began, his adjutant was already behind him, gently patting the old gentleman's back, his right hand instantly proffering a "sugar pill"-like medicinal pellet.
Half a minute later.
"Notify the fleet. Weigh anchor and return to port."
On the old admiral's already grave countenance, the deep furrows forming a '川' (chuan) character between his brows seemed to etch themselves even deeper. His gaze was already distant, fixed upon the northern lands of Shenzhou.
"A Yu."
"Master."
Hearing his name, the adjutant, who had momentarily retreated, quickly strode forward.
"The Heavenly Works and Divine Machine Institutes… I'll trouble you to pay them a visit on my behalf."
"As for this old man…"
"I fear I must make a trip to the Privy Council."