Taking the Offensive

Wei Changkong walked out of the Quiet Chamber.

The Power of Laws at the Eighth-Order Late Stage surged within the passage.

The metal walls creaked under the strain, and fine cracks appeared on the surface of the Alloy plates.

Ten veterans quickly gathered around.

Old Wang stepped forward and punched Wei Changkong in the chest.

A dull thud rang out, and Old Wang was thrown back half a step by the recoil.

"Eighth-Order Late Stage. Done."

Old Wang's voice was hoarse, filled with barely concealed excitement.

Wei Changkong nodded, closing his eyes to feel the surging Power of Laws within his body.

For the past few centuries, he had been stuck at the Eighth-Level Mid Stage, unable to make any progress.

The former Garrison Envoy Zhao Xin Hong's greatest wish before his death was to help him find an opportunity for a breakthrough.

Now, this formidable barrier has been forcibly filled in.

He opened his eyes and forcefully suppressed the aura he was releasing back into his body. The oppressive feeling in the passage dissipated.

Wei Changkong turned around and faced the direction of the Command Center.

He lowered his head, carefully straightened his Battle Armor, wiped away the old bloodstains on his shoulder armor, and straightened the Battle Saber at his waist.

"Line up."

Wei Changkong said in a low voice.

The ten veterans quickly lined up in two rows, with Wei Changkong at the very front.

Eleven men strode forward. Their military boots clattered rhythmically on the Alloy floor.

The doors to the Command Center slid open automatically to both sides.

Chen Fan sat in the Commander's chair. He turned off the Holographic Light Screen in front of him and his gaze fell on the eleven people who walked in.

Wei Changkong strode to the steps. He stopped, bent his right leg, and slammed his knee heavily onto the Alloy floor.

"Bang."

The Alloy floorboards were smashed, leaving a shallow dent.

"Chen Zhenshou!"

Wei Changkong raised his head, his voice hoarse.

"Wei Changkong will never forget the kindness that saved him!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Ten veterans simultaneously slammed one knee into the ground, the resounding thuds echoing throughout the Command Center.

Chen Fan stood up, walked down the steps, and came to Wei Changkong.

He reached out and grasped Wei Changkong's arms, pulling upwards with force.

Wei Changkong stood up.

"Brother Wei, get up." Chen Fan said gently, "We are comrades-in-arms. The Human Race's territory cannot be defended by me alone. The Thirteen Nodes need you."

Chen Fan walked over to the other veterans and helped them up one by one.

"My cultivation level has stabilized."

Chen Fan looked at Wei Changkong.

"It's stable. We're ready for a fight to the death at any time." Wei Changkong straightened his back. "Garrison Envoy, what's our next move? Should we expand the patrol radius? Or reinforce the defensive formations around the node? With the Shadow Clan's two emperors falling recently, they'll surely send more scouts to investigate."

This is Wei Changkong's preconceived notion.

The Thirteenth Node's mission is to hold it at all costs.

For hundreds of years, every battle has been fought by the Shadow Clan, who fought desperately, exchanging their blood for a moment of peace.

Chen Fan turned around.

He walked to the porthole and looked at the cold, lifeless starry sky outside.

"Brother Wei, how many years have you been guarding this Thirteenth Node?" Chen Fan asked.

Three hundred and twenty-seven years.

Wei Changkong answered.

"For over three hundred years, we have been waiting."

Chen Fan turned around and looked at everyone.

"We'll wait for the enemy to assemble, wait for the enemy to attack, wait for them to bring the flames of war to our doorstep. We'll risk our lives to buy ourselves a little more time to survive."

Wei Changkong remained silent, and the veterans lowered their heads.

"The Shadow Clan treats this Star Domain as their hunting ground, and we are the prey."

Chen Fan walked back to the command console and pressed a button.

A massive Holographic Star Map lit up in the center of the Command Center.

On the Star Map, countless red dots are distributed around the Thirteenth Node.

"What's this?"

Wei Changkong stepped forward.

"Over the past two months, I've intercepted the Shadow Clan's communication frequencies and also used my Divine Thought to survey the surrounding Star Domain," Chen Fan said, pointing to the Star Map. "These red dots represent the Shadow Clan's resource points, outposts, and patrol routes."

The veterans gasped in shock.

They had been stationed here for hundreds of years and had never seen such a detailed enemy Star Map.

"They hold the initiative; they can fight when they want, and leave when they want." Chen Fan raised his head, his gaze sweeping over eleven faces. "That rule is null and void today."

Wei Changkong suddenly looked up.

"From today onwards, we will no longer defend."

"We will take the initiative."

The Command Center fell into dead silence.

"Take the initiative?"

Old Wang swallowed hard.

"Garrison Envoy, we only have twelve people. Leaving the protection of the node array and venturing deep into enemy territory alone, if we are surrounded by the Shadow Clan's main force..."

"Who said we were going to play as the main force?"

Chen Fan interrupted Old Wang, pointing his finger at a red dot on the edge of the Star Map.

"This is location A-7, a medium-sized resource extraction station of the Shadow Clan. It's three million kilometers away from us."

The magnified Star Map reveals the three-dimensional structure of the A-7 Mining Zone.

"The garrison has approximately three thousand troops, with the highest combat strength being at the Early Stage of Rank Eight."

Chen Fan looked at Wei Changkong.

"You're now in the Eighth-Order Late Stage. Take ten of them and take down this resource station."

Wei Changkong's eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.

"There are three layers of energy shields around the A-7 Mining Zone. Old Wang, you're an expert in formations, so you're responsible for cutting off their energy supply nodes. I've already marked the node locations on the Star Map." Chen Fan pointed to several bright spots on the Star Map. "Once the shields break, Brother Wei, you directly target that Early Stage of Rank Eight guard. Kill him within three moves."

"The rest of you, seal off all four exits of the mine. Don't let a single Shadow Clan escape," Chen Fan said coldly. "Bring back all resources. Destroy what you can't take."

Wei Changkong looked at the Holographic Star Map.

The red dots on the Star Map were no longer a threat to him, but rather mountains of resources.

"Garrison Envoy, what should we do with the resources we've recaptured? What about the Federation Quartermaster Department...?"

Wei Changkong raised a question.

"A general in the field may disobey some military orders. What we've reclaimed is the private property of our Thirteenth Node. It doesn't need to be handed over."

Chen Fan smiled calmly.

Old Wang's eyes lit up. "Understood!"

"The Shadow Clan thinks we're still the same Thirteenth Node. They think we've just been through a major battle and need to recuperate." Chen Fan leaned on the command platform. "We'll use this information gap to catch them off guard."

"Using war to sustain war."

Chen Fan looked directly into Wei Changkong's eyes.

"Seize their resources, arm ourselves, upgrade our warships, purchase high-level elixirs, and forge new Law Weapons. Until we wipe out the Shadow Clan from this Star Domain."

The Power of Law the Eighth-Order Late Stage laws within Wei Changkong's body began to boil.

The pent-up frustration of hundreds of years finally erupted at this moment.

In the past, they could only watch their comrades fall one by one and the Shadow Clan swagger around. Now, they have the strength to fight back and a commander who can strategize and plan.

Wei Changkong's eyes were bloodshot. He suddenly straightened his chest and slammed his right fist heavily into his left chest.

"Yes! I will obey the Garrison Envoy's orders!"

"I will obey the Garrison Envoy's orders!"

Ten veterans roared in unison, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens.

"Go. The warships are ready."

Chen Fan waved.

"I'll be here, waiting for your triumphant return."

Wei Changkong turned around and led ten veterans out of the Command Center. Their steps were more determined than when they arrived, and they exuded a strong killing intent.