Duanmu Huai went to sleep in a huff. After waking up, he immediately held a meeting with the Stellar Federation generals. The meeting had only one focus—
—how to fight the Terminus Systems.
At this point, it was necessary to talk about the level of technology on the Stellar Federation's side.
Whether it was the Stellar Federation or the Citadel races, their warships actually did not possess subspace navigation capabilities like those of the Human Empire. Strictly speaking, they did not have long-range fleet projection technology at all. To put it more simply, they didn't even have the ability to travel between star systems.
So how did they end up gathering together?
The reason was simple: a miraculous construct known as the Mass Relay.
This was something that appeared in various star systems, with no one knowing who built it or how it was made. Its function was similar to the Stargate Duanmu Huai possessed: it could open a passage in a short amount of time and send ships to distant star systems. However, its range was not as vast as a Stargate's, and because of that, mass relays were generally limited to one per system.
If one compared Human Empire or Old One subspace travel to airplanes, then mass relays were more like old green train cars—fast, but not as fast as airplanes, and requiring passage through multiple stations…
Roughly speaking, they were a low-quality knockoff of the Webway.
Mass relays generally came in two types: primary relays and secondary relays. Primary relays had extremely long projection ranges and could even span tens of thousands of light-years to reach another spiral arm. Secondary relays had shorter ranges, but unlike primary relays, their projection paths were much more flexible, allowing free back-and-forth travel.
To put it this way: primary relays were like trains—each train could only travel between fixed stations along its tracks. Secondary relays were more like highways—you could go forward, backward, turn around, or even drive the wrong way…
It was precisely because of these mass relays that the Citadel Council and Citadel races came into existence. However, after the Citadel developed, in order to prevent accidents, they strictly prohibited other races from activating mass relays without authorization.
After all, mass relays were scattered all over the galaxy. If you accidentally activated one that led to some terrifying star system and attracted a horde of monstrous horrors, you'd be completely screwed.
This was also the reason behind the original conflict between the Turians and humanity. Back when the Stellar Federation had just stepped into the stars, they discovered an inactive mass relay. Out of curiosity, they wanted to touch it and study it a bit. Unfortunately, the Turian fleet spotted them.
The Turian fleet saw this and thought, Holy shit, someone dares to ignore Citadel bans and activate a mass relay without permission? This is outrageous!
So they slapped humanity right across the face.
And humanity was left utterly confused.
I was just minding my own business and doing research here—who the hell are you? Why are you hitting me?
And so, the two sides started fighting.
The Terminus Systems also had a secondary mass relay. The distance wasn't great, but as mentioned earlier, secondary relays had shorter ranges yet allowed free back-and-forth travel.
That was why the criminals of the Terminus Systems could repeatedly hop in and out of Stellar Federation territory.
Hey, I'm back.
Hey, I'm here again.
Hey, I'm back again.
Hey, I'm here again—come hit me if you can?
Enough to drive the Stellar Federation absolutely insane.
Therefore, strictly speaking, civilizations in this region did not possess interstellar-system travel capabilities. At best, they could only travel faster than light. Wandering around within their own star system was fine, but crossing into another system or traveling to another spiral arm…
They simply didn't have that ability.
As for who built the mass relays…
Later on, players dug up that they were created by the Reapers. One had to admit, even artificial idiots had some scheming minds. Such a convenient tool—any civilization that stepped into space would naturally use it and praise it. And once you had something that convenient, there was no longer any motivation to develop your own interstellar travel technology.
Then, when the Reapers arrived, they'd just seal the mass relays—and that civilization would become a turtle trapped in a jar, unable to escape, only waiting to be harvested.
So the sky never drops free pies.
Because of mass relays, even science-loving races like the Salarians completely abandoned the long-range travel technology tree. Other races were no exception. This was perfectly normal—there was no R&D motivation without demand. Who would bother reinventing horse-drawn carriages when high-speed rail already existed?
This was also why, when Duanmu Huai's Inquisition fleet appeared directly inside the Batarian fleet, everyone else looked utterly dumbfounded.
Because they hadn't unlocked that tech tree at all!
Naturally, they lacked the ability to conduct long-distance travel anytime, anywhere!
So it never occurred to them that without using a mass relay, an entire fleet could be silently deployed directly among them without detection!
But Duanmu Huai could.
Thus, centered around mass relays, there were now two strategic approaches.
Duanmu Huai's idea was to copy the Reapers outright: seal the mass relay, and the entire Terminus Systems would become a turtle trapped in a jar. Then they could grab those bastards and beat them to death!
Consider it a rehearsal before the Reapers arrive!
The younger Shepard, however, believed that if the mass relay were sealed, the various factions of the Terminus Systems would fight desperately once their escape routes were cut off. At that point, the pressure on them would be enormous. He suggested proceeding step by step—apply maximum pressure to prevent unity among the Terminus factions, then defeat them one by one.
To be honest, Duanmu Huai understood the younger Shepard's thinking. It was like a siege: you leave defenders a retreat route, and they won't fight as desperately. Block that route, and they'll fight to the death. That would make the battle harder and more time-consuming.
Instead, if they ran, resistance would weaken, and the fight would become much easier.
But…
Duanmu Huai did not adopt the younger Shepard's plan.
The reason was simple.
On one hand, he needed to vent his anger—
—his stream had been banned again, and he couldn't hold it in anymore.
On the other hand…
Who the hell do those barbarian trash of the Terminus Systems think they are, to deserve a way out?
Leaving a way out in a siege was meant for enemies who could inflict serious losses when cornered.
But…
Those Terminus bandits?
Even if they went all out, could they possibly break through the Inquisition's defenses?
Besides, Duanmu Huai didn't like this approach for another reason.
Even if this method weakened resistance, the problem was—
If these cockroaches escaped the Terminus Systems, where would they go?
Wouldn't it still be the Stellar Federation?
And in the past, they were like the Huns—raid a bit, then retreat.
But if their nest was destroyed and they became homeless…
Wouldn't they turn into roaming criminals?
The Stellar Federation's territory was huge. If so many cockroaches scattered inside and settled down, wouldn't that be an even bigger problem?
Moreover, Duanmu Huai knew very well what the Terminus Systems were really like. It wasn't just a slum and bandit den. All kinds of criminal syndicates were mixed together—Batarians, Asari, Salarians, Turians, Krogan, even humans…
Basically every Citadel-listed race had black-market bases there. And behind these criminals stood their respective civilizations' ruling powers, sometimes even helping them do dirty work they didn't want to handle themselves!
So these weren't just ordinary criminal groups—they were accomplices of major civilizations!
The previous attacks on Stellar Federation colonies might very well have involved Citadel Council races pulling strings behind the scenes, deliberately distracting the Stellar Federation and forcing them to retreat due to overstretch.
Such a place was a ticking time bomb.
Since the Citadel pretended to be deaf and blind, then fine—he'd put in the effort and clean it all up himself!
Conveniently, the Stellar Federation hadn't yet joined the Citadel Council. That was why Duanmu Huai chose this moment to attack the Terminus Systems. The entire operation was almost completely confidential. Aside from him, the participating Stellar Federation soldiers, and President Li Longcheng, no one else knew.
This was to prevent interference from the Citadel Council.
Once he rushed in and sealed the mass relay, it would be too late for the Council to find excuses!
The elder Shepard supported this plan. Duanmu Huai made the final call, and the younger Shepard said nothing more.
After all, it wasn't that he didn't want to fight—it was just a personality difference.
For example, his sister liked charging headfirst just like Duanmu Huai, so as her younger brother, he was already used to cleaning up after her…
One more time didn't make much difference.
"Very well. Then let's act!"
After confirming the strategy, Duanmu Huai wasted no time. With a single order, the Inquisition warships and Stellar Federation fleets transformed into streaks of light and vanished into the vast starry void.
In the next instant, they appeared silently beside the mass relay of the Terminus Systems.
Naturally, several warships were patrolling around the relay.
Every mass relay was an invaluable asset to a star system. Only through it could they travel to other systems. If someone with ill intent secretly blew it up, everyone else would be trapped forever!
Thus, even in a lawless hell like the Terminus Systems, even with multiple rival gangs at odds with one another, they still invested heavily in guarding the mass relay.
Otherwise, if some idiot destroyed it, they'd all be doomed.
Of course, in most people's minds, no one would be stupid enough to do something like that.
So when Duanmu Huai's Inquisition fleet appeared, the ships guarding the mass relay didn't even react in time. They stared blankly at the bizarre Inquisition fleet, unsure of what to do.
But soon, they didn't need to do anything at all.
Because Duanmu Huai had already issued the order.
"Free fire."
(End of Chapter)