After obtaining numerous classified details from Irina, Liu Hai felt like his head was about to split open.
From small fleet skirmishes to legion-level confrontations, and now to large-scale military standoffs—this had been the progression of tensions between both sides since Liu Hai's arrival in the Hera Star System.
Yet now, a single ambush by a sneaky adversary had the potential to ignite full-scale war across the First Spiral Arm—something Liu Hai had never anticipated. Just what had Butcher and his group of Pioneers done to trigger such a situation?
Under these impending full-scale hostilities, Cactus Sister's recruitment efforts became entirely understandable and even commendable.
Liu Hai suspected this veteran also subscribed to the philosophy of striking first to gain advantage, while hesitation led to disaster. She was likely seizing this opportunity to bloody the nose of the Katon Fleet, buying as much preparation time as possible.
Just as Liu Hai was contemplating his choices in the coming conflict, a sudden series of unexpected events rendered his deliberations unnecessary.
"What? The Brolly Star System was ambushed by a Katon Fleet?" Liu Hai was stunned when Igor's communication came through. How had their home been blindsided?
"Don't panic, boss. It's not as bad as it seems," Igor quickly explained. "Our detectors positioned fifty light-years away spotted them immediately. We just weren't sure if they were passing through or targeting us, so Commander Li Yali only raised alert levels and mobilized the fleet for combat readiness without directly engaging."
Liu Hai nodded. This was the right approach. With the enemy's destination unclear, it wouldn't be wise to risk their limited forces in direct confrontation.
"But after their subsequent warp jump, when their warp drive trajectory pointed directly at the Brolly Star System, Commander Li Yali immediately ordered the activation of space anchors to pull the Katon Fleet out of warp. They're currently still five light-years away, navigating near the 3-2 Star System while preparing to enter and dismantle the space anchor devices."
As he spoke, Igor transferred the latest surveillance footage to Liu Hai, pointing at the Katon Fleet. "This is them. When first detected, they had even more warships. Now they're down to four thousand vessels, with several hundred more scattered across neighboring star systems."
Liu Hai studied the projection intently. The enemy force was formidable—over seven hundred Battleships and five Motherships, their models appearing more advanced than those previously seen in the Stardust Star Region.
The sudden appearance of this fleet in the Brolly Starfield was puzzling. How had they traversed the middle sector of the Third Spiral Arm without any Pioneers spotting them?
With a thought, Liu Hai mentally linked into the Brolly Star System's virtual strategic command center. The hive-like facility buzzed with activity as hundreds of personnel worked frantically to secure all movable assets—especially in the Second Star System, which would soon become a battlefield. Every possible measure was being taken to minimize losses.
On every floor of the command hall, hundreds of staff officers formed small groups, rapidly formulating tactical plans and relaying them out while coordinating logistics to mobilize supplies, ready to provide material support to the fleet at any moment.
Personnel from nearby star systems were also being evacuated simultaneously, with all transport ships heading straight for the Brolly Star System—only this heavily fortified star system had the armament facilities capable of defending against the Legion's forces.
"Damn it, this full-scale consolidation is going to cost us at least ten billion Credit Points in losses!" Igor muttered grimly as he appeared beside Liu Hai.
Hearing this, Liu Hai nodded. The unexpected incident had indeed caused significant losses—numerous factory constructions were halted, precious resources were reclaimed, personnel were recalled, and resources were buried. A series of actions had been taken, especially concerning the military factories, which were now prepared for self-destruction at any moment. If they were detonated, the losses would be catastrophic.
Meanwhile, Li Yali had already led the main force of the Starsea Fleet toward the outer reaches of the second star system, though in the opposite direction of the Katon Fleet. With the second star system acting as a barrier to detection, they should remain undetected under the Blending with Dust System for now.
"Has the combat assessment of the enemy fleet been completed?" Liu Hai asked the staff officers below.
"It's ready. Uploading it to you now," a staff officer replied, tossing an assessment report toward Liu Hai.
With a wave of his hand, Liu Hai expanded the contents of the Katon Fleet's combat evaluation.
"Hmm? Their firepower intensity is five percentage points higher than the existing data on Katon warships?"
"And their defenses have increased by eight points. Still, it seems they stumbled in here by accident—they don't seem familiar with the Brolly Starfield. Otherwise, they wouldn't have dispersed their forces to scout the surroundings even after arriving here. They must have detected something and sent a reconnaissance fleet to investigate." Igor had his own judgment on the matter, and in this regard, he was no less capable than the staff officers—something Liu Hai had already known back on Kono Administrative Star.
After reviewing the data, Liu Hai silently watched the real-time feed without a word. He had no intention of interfering with Li Yali's command. This sudden crisis was also a test of the Starsea Fleet's capabilities over the past few years.
If the results fell below expectations, Liu Hai would have to consider maintaining or even reducing the scale of the Starsea Fleet. A fleet that couldn't improve its combat effectiveness would no longer keep up with the increasingly perilous state of interstellar affairs. Only the Angel Fleet in the Gemini Starfield still gave Liu Hai some sense of security—hence why he remained inside the Seed Ship without stepping out.
The Katon Fleet didn't linger long outside the second star system before entering it. At the same time, their corvettes scattered, deploying detectors and space mines around the area.
They were clearly preparing for a swift retreat if things went wrong. The space mines they laid would also provide cover for their escape—at least until the mines were cleared, pursuing fleets wouldn't be able to accelerate at full power, giving them a significant advantage in disengaging.
The Katon Fleet's movements were not only observed by Liu Hai but also seen clearly by Li Yali.
Her goal for this incursion was to annihilate the Katon Fleet entirely, ensuring no impact on the other star systems within the Brolly Starfield.
Though the two fleets had yet to engage directly, their strategic maneuvers had already begun—one charging into the star system at full speed while simultaneously preparing an escape route.
One who controlled the overall situation continuously adjusted their strategy in response to the opponent's moves, dispatching fleets one after another to maneuver beyond the star system, preparing to set up an interception net.
Within the star system, ordinary factories operated as usual, while military armament factories concealed their presence with camouflage devices. All defensive armaments were activated, and pre-positioned fighter jet storage sites silently opened. One after another, second-generation Sparrow Fighters, painted in black, flew toward their designated airspace.
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