Recaps

After the Oakes Empire’s defeat, the Io Federation and Human Federation divided the reclaimed territory, and the First Legion welcomed Sophia and promoted Li Cangqiong. The chapter ended with Sophia asking Li Cangqiong to help her prepare for a simulated battle, leaving the other commanders scandalized by her suggestive remark about their previous session.

• The Io Federation reclaimed Serbia and Seris, while the Human Federation added Kerfi and eight other Star Systems to its territory.
• Lin Fan introduced Sophia Duncan as the First Legion’s new Fifth Fleet commander during a remote conference.
• Lin Fan announced Li Cangqiong’s early promotion to colonel and appointment as acting commander of the Fourth Fleet.
• Li Cangqiong chose Emma for the required simulated battle, and Lin Fan scheduled it for the following morning.
• Sophia chose Lin Fan as her simulated-battle opponent, and Lin Fan agreed to face her after Li Cangqiong’s match.
• Sophia asked Li Cangqiong to visit her room and help her warm up, prompting the commanders to gossip after she mentioned that their last session had lasted only half an hour.

Lin Fan and Liang Xue visited Bai Zixuan to test the new Orca-class Battleship’s weapons. Its Plasma Cannon devastated a target ship’s shield, and the chapter ended as the Positron Cannon test began.

• Lin Fan and Liang Xue discussed Sophia’s challenge and then set out to test the new weapons with Bai Zixuan.
• Bai Zixuan introduced the Orca-class Battleship, whose specifications surpassed those of Lin Fan’s Uranus in several areas and required far fewer crew members.
• The Orca fired one Plasma Cannon shot at a shielded Snow Leopard-class Battlecruiser, reducing its shield integrity by 70 percent.
• After the target ship’s shield fully recharged, Bai Zixuan ordered the Orca to fire a single shot from its secondary cannon.

After testing a new Positron Cannon, Lin Fan proposed outsourcing the construction of Orca-class Battleship hulls to the Io Federation so humanity could rearm its two legions in three years. Lin Zhen and his advisers approved the plan and assigned Ed to negotiate with Queen Aierfei.

• Bai Zixuan tested a Positron Cannon and found it comparable to the main guns on a Snow Leopard-class Battlecruiser, then criticized Lin Fan for wanting to upgrade Uranus.
• Bai Zixuan suggested that Lin Fan commission an eight-million-ton flagship hull from the Io Federation and install human-made equipment later.
• Lin Fan realized the Io Federation could also contract-build Orca-class Battleship hulls, allowing humanity to produce 432,000 ships for its two legions within three years.
• Lin Fan submitted his proposal to Interstellar Fleet Headquarters, and Saunders forwarded it to President Lin Zhen.
• Lin Zhen and his advisers unanimously approved the proposal, then assigned Ed to negotiate with Queen Aierfei.

Li Cangqiong endured a grueling night with Sophia before arriving exhausted for a fleet-command simulation against Emma. He cautiously faced Emma’s apparent bait, while Lin Fan predicted that Emma would win.

• Sophia knocked Li Cangqiong down during their late-night sparring session, then made him stay in her room.
• Sophia used Li Cangqiong as a body pillow, leaving him sleepless and with dark circles the next morning.
• At First Legion headquarters, Li Cangqiong entered a fleet-command simulation against Emma.
• Emma hid her fleet in an asteroid belt and sent out numerous detached fleets, while Li Cangqiong suspected she was setting a trap.
• Lin Fan told Chris that Emma would win, and Li Cangqiong considered whether to exploit how thin Emma’s main base might be.

Lin Fan and Sophia fought a simulated void battle, where Lin Fan’s predictive and computational abilities gave him a decisive advantage. Sophia recognized that she would lose the artillery duel, but the battle had not yet ended.

• Emma defeated Li Cangqiong in a simulated battle, losing 7,000 warships while destroying 20,000 of his.
• Sophia challenged Lin Fan to a direct void battle, and they entered the simulation pods ten minutes later.
• Lin Fan and Sophia’s fleets closed to three million kilometers and began firing, with Lin Fan’s side achieving a battlecruiser exchange ratio of one to three.
• Sophia tested Lin Fan’s response to her orders and discovered that his ships evaded attacks in advance and fired on areas where her fleet was about to move.
• Sophia realized Lin Fan’s predictive and computational abilities would make her lose the artillery duel, and she resented being suppressed.

As Sophia forced the fleets into close combat, Lin Fan unveiled his Floating Cannon Tactics, splitting his remaining warships into 190 squads and directing them with extraordinary precision. Sophia and the observers watched in disbelief as the battle turned into a chaotic assault controlled entirely by Lin Fan.

• Sophia abandoned long-range combat and drove her fleet into a full-speed assault against Lin Fan's formation.
• Lin Fan divided his 19,000 remaining warships into 190 squads as the fleets made contact.
• Sophia's charge tore open Lin Fan's central formation, but Lin Fan announced his Floating Cannon Tactics and sent his squads maneuvering independently.
• Lin Fan issued rapid commands that coordinated the squads' movements, attacks, and evasions without collisions.
• Sophia and the observers were stunned by Lin Fan's control, while he knew he could command up to 300 squads at once.

Lin Fan defeated Sophia in a simulation, earning her recognition as her commander and explaining his Floating Cannon Tactics to the First Legion. Meanwhile, Ed arranged the Orca-class Battleship production with the Io Federation and advanced plans for customized command ships.

• Lin Fan defeated Sophia's 20,000 warships with 2,700 losses, and the simulation system declared him the victor.
• Lin Fan welcomed Sophia to the First Legion, and Sophia accepted him as her superior after recognizing his strength.
• Chris asked Lin Fan about the Floating Cannon Tactics, and Lin Fan explained how he could command up to 300 small fleets at once.
• Ed completed the Orca-class Battleship construction plan and secured Aierfei's agreement for the Io Federation to build 300,000 hulls.
• Ed arranged for customized heavy battleships for the Legion and Fleet Commanders, and Bai Zixuan completed their blueprints despite their unusual requests.

Lin Fan worried that the First Legion could not find capable commanders for seven new fleets in time, so he proposed selecting acting commanders from all field-grade officers regardless of rank. Saunders considered the political backlash but decided the Federation’s future justified Lin Fan’s plan.

• Lin Fan realized the Io Federation would finish the warships in two years and worried about finding commanders for the First Legion’s seven new fleets.
• Lin Fan proposed a selection trial open to field-grade officers, including generals at Interstellar Fleet Headquarters, to choose seven acting fleet commanders.
• Lin Fan sent his proposal to Marshal Saunders, who quickly contacted him and warned that it would offend many people.
• Lin Fan argued that capable officers should rise past rank restrictions and that the First Legion could not tolerate deadweight.
• Saunders agreed that internal corruption threatened the Federation and decided to support Lin Fan’s plan.

Lin Zhen and Sanders backed Lin Fan’s plan to select Fleet Commanders through competition, using the officer shortage to challenge the Establishment Faction. Richard reluctantly agreed to the selection, leaving his faction facing a test that could strip it of influence in the Federal Interstellar Fleet.

• Sanders decided to use Lin Fan’s proposal to purge entrenched corruption and discussed the plan with Lin Zhen for two hours.
• Lin Zhen convened a Presidential Palace meeting with Sanders, Richard, and his advisors to address the shortage of commanders for the two expanding legions.
• Richard claimed Interstellar Fleet Headquarters had enough capable generals, but Lin Zhen challenged their competence and proposed competitive selection for Fleet Commander positions.
• Lin Zhen expanded the selection to include Headquarters officers and proposed that all generals of brigadier general rank and above compete.
• After Lin Zhen warned that he would not let anyone endanger the Federation, Richard reluctantly agreed to the selection.

Lin Zhen and Saunders suppressed an Establishment Faction protest and held a selection to fill the First Legion’s command ranks. After the first round exposed overlooked military talents, Lin Fan learned that standout candidate Fujiwara Ayako had been labeled an Establishment Faction member because of her parents, though she hoped the selection would let her escape her family’s control.

• Two full generals organized a protest against the selection, but Lin Zhen and Saunders had armed personnel arrest them and the other gathered generals.
• Two months later, more than 1,200 officers assembled at Horton for the simulated-combat selection, where over 400 Establishment Faction officers were eliminated in the first round.
• Lin Fan discovered that Elio Reed and Xia Yu, along with several Star Military Academy officers, had shown exceptional command talent.
• Lin Fan reviewed Fujiwara Ayako’s file after she defeated a strong candidate and found that her parents’ faction ties had caused others to label her an Establishment Faction member.
• Fujiwara Ayako hoped to enter the First Legion so she could break free of her family and form her own views.

Lin Zhen ordered the remaining Establishment Faction officers eliminated from the commander selection, then arranged a powerless think tank for the 532 who were removed. The selection advanced to its final sixteen, including Fujiwara Ayako, Elio Reed, Xia Yu, and thirteen candidates favored by Lin Fan, who would compete for fleet command posts.

• After reviewing the first-round results, Lin Zhen decided to eliminate every Establishment Faction member except Fujiwara Ayako in the second round, and Saunders and Ed prepared plans for the aftermath.
• Lin Zhen told Lin Fan to arrange non-Establishment-Faction opponents for the remaining members, and three days later the second round eliminated them all except Fujiwara Ayako.
• The Federal Presidential Palace announced a new think tank with 532 officers from Interstellar Fleet Headquarters, which was recognized as a powerless retirement post for the eliminated Establishment Faction members.
• The commander selection continued, and by the end of the seventh round only sixteen participants remained, including Fujiwara Ayako, Elio Reed, Xia Yu, and thirteen candidates Lin Fan had favored.
• Lin Fan planned a half-month points competition among the sixteen, with the top seven appointed as commanders and the remaining nine assigned deputy and staff roles.

The Kabart Empire destroyed the Oakes Empire’s last fleet at Russell, then ordered 50,000 Energy Shield activation devices from the Human Federation. In Horton, Lin Fan’s commander selection concluded with seven new fleet commanders appointed and other candidates assigned to their fleets.

• Kabart warships attacked Russell from all four Star Paths and destroyed the Oakes Empire’s 1.2 million warships, losing 800,000 ships in the battle.
• Emperor Farhale and Hamid chose not to invade the Human Federation’s territory and ordered 50,000 Energy Shield activation devices from the humans.
• The points-ranking tournament ended in Horton, where Fujiwara Ayako, Carol Taylor, Dennis Linden, Elio Reed, Shangguan Yunting, Xia Yu, and Qin Tian were appointed commanders of the First Legion’s Sixth through Twelfth Fleets.
• Lin Fan assigned the nine finalists who had lost, along with other capable candidates, to executive and staff roles in the new fleets.
• Lin Fan said the new fleet commanders could select sub-fleet commanders and bridge teams from Star Military Academy and submit their choices for approval.

By Federation Year 70, Brain Development Potions had driven rapid growth in the Federation’s civilian technology, while its fleets standardized around Orca-class Battleships and retained mechs for ground operations. Genetic enhancement potions and high salaries let the Federation fully staff its two legions, and the chapter left it with enough recruits to potentially field four.

• The Federation’s ordinary technology advanced to levels comparable to a mid-to-late Level 3 Civilization, while key technologies remained closer to those of an early Level 4 Civilization.
• The Federation phased carrier warships out of its main fleets, distributed 300 mechs among each Orca-class Battleship, and increased planned Orca-class production to 480,000.
• The Federation used genetic enhancement potions to bring retired veterans back into service and gained enough personnel to staff its two major legions, with more recruits available.
• An interview about Angel girls preferring brave men sparked a surge of recruitment across Federation planets.

With the Kabart Empire’s delivery date approaching, the Federation prepared to use its vast resources and newly completed fleet to destroy the empire and open a route for expansion. Lin Fan briefed his commanders aboard the new Uranus and began outlining Operation Dawn.

• The Federation exchanged Energy Shield units for the Kabart Empire’s resources, using the resulting wealth to develop every planet in its territory.
• Lin Zhen arranged for the Federation to deliver the Kabart Empire’s fifty thousand Energy Shield units after three years, while the Federation secretly prepared 240,000 Orca-class Battleships.
• Lin Fan’s former Uranus was placed in the Federation Museum, and his new flagship retained its predecessor’s distinctive design.
• Lin Fan told his eleven Fleet Commanders that their fleet had completed a year of adaptation training and was ready for combat.
• Lin Fan explained that the Federation would attack the Kabart Empire, its only viable target for outward expansion, and named the operation Dawn.

Lin Fan launched the First Legion’s surprise campaign against the Kabart Empire, sending its fleets to attack targets across the former Oakes territory. The Kabart main force remained gathered at Vite, unaware that the assault had begun.

• Lin Fan briefed the commanders on the battle plan using detailed intelligence on the Kabart Empire, and Sophia objected to the unexciting sneak attack before agreeing to join.
• The First Legion prepared to depart from Horton, where 240,000 Orca-class Battleships assembled for combat.
• At Vite, Hamid rested his 3.8 million warships and began preparing fifty thousand battleships for Energy Shield installations expected to arrive in twelve days.
• Lin Fan confirmed the Kabart main force was concentrated at Vite and declared the first phase of Operation Dawn underway.
• The First Legion’s fleets warped out in sequence to strike targets across the former Oakes territory, leaving Vite untouched.

The Human Federation fleet arrived at Eldo and destroyed the Kabart Empire’s patrolling Guard Fleet. Fujiwara Ayako then ordered attacks on the orbital spaceports and airborne operations across the nine Life Planets, while the governor and other garrison personnel were away vacationing.

• A Kabart patrol detected 20,000 Human Federation battleships near Eldo, and its commander ordered the fleet not to provoke them after learning the Federation was a Level 4 Civilization.
• The Human Federation fleet fired two volleys and destroyed all 3,000 patrol ships before they could contact the governor.
• Fujiwara Ayako, aboard the HESTIA, learned that the remaining 7,000 Kabart ships were docked at spaceports around Eldo I and Eldo II, while most people were on the planets.
• Fujiwara Ayako ordered detachments to attack the spaceports and launch airborne operations on all nine Life Planets.
• The spaceport personnel panicked after discovering that the governor and the other garrison fleets were vacationing on the planets.

Fujiwara Ayako’s Sixth Fleet destroyed the Kabart Empire’s forces and starports across Eldo and launched airborne assaults on its planets. Twelve of the thirteen Kabart-held Star Systems in Oakes territory had fallen, while Hamid in Vite remained unaware of the attack.

• Abud learned that an unidentified fleet had destroyed the Third Garrison Fleet, recognized its emblem as belonging to the Human Federation, and ordered his forces not to resist.
• Fujiwara Ayako ignored Abud’s repeated communication requests and ordered the detachments to destroy the starports in orbit around Eldo I and Eldo II.
• The Second through Eleventh Detachment Fleets attacked the starports, while the Twelfth and Thirteenth Fleets deployed mechas to assault the planets.
• Abud watched mechas descend over Eldo I, and one fired a Beam Rifle at him, swallowing him in its beam.
• Fujiwara Ayako recalled the mechas after an hour and reported that phase one was complete, as twelve Kabart-occupied Star Systems had fallen.
• Hamid remained in Vite, still excited about the impending delivery of 50,000 sets of Energy Shields and unaware that the other systems had fallen.

Lin Fan completed the First Legion’s campaign across twelve star systems and began the second phase of Operation Dawn, launching the First Fleet toward Vite to ambush the Kabart Empire’s 3.8 million main-force warships. At Vite, Supreme Commander Hamid mistook the arriving fleet for new Human Federation warships and accepted its communication request.

• Liang Xue reported that the planets had been cleared and the other fleets were heading to Reo, where Lin Fan waited for the First Legion to assemble.
• After all eleven fleets arrived, Lin Fan outlined the raid on Vite and assigned Sophia’s Fifth Fleet and the Fourth Fleet to intercept enemy forces at the Cecil Star Path entrance.
• Lin Fan ordered the First Fleet to warp toward Vite ahead of the other fleets.
• Hamid received an alert about an unknown fleet near Witt III, then learned from Faris that its unfamiliar ships bore the Human Federation emblem.
• Hamid connected the fleet’s communication request, and Lin Fan greeted him.

Lin Fan used CODE.71, a hidden backdoor in the Energy Shields sold to the Kabart Empire, to sabotage its warships while the Human Federation attacked the starports. The chapter ended with every ship in the Vanguard Fleet struggling to stop its shields from overloading.

• Hamid recognized Lin Fan, who said he had arrived ahead of the cargo fleet, and ordered Kabart forces to stay clear of the trade zone.
• After scanning the system, Liang Xue confirmed that the Kabart warships were dispersed and began the second phase of the operation.
• Lin Fan's First Fleet joined nine arriving fleets and attacked the Vite III starports as Liang Xue transmitted CODE.71.
• Hamid ordered the eighty thousand Assault Battleships in the fortress to sortie and sent Shuttlecraft to evacuate personnel from the planet.
• Lin Fan ordered the overload operation once the Kabart warships activated, and CODE.71 forced their Energy Shields into overload.

Lin Fan’s attack crippled the Kabart Vanguard Fleet and devastated the fortress at Vite III, forcing Hamid to order the Empire’s remaining fleets to withdraw toward the Star Path in Cecil’s direction. At the Star Path, Sophia and Li Cangqiong’s fleets intercepted two Kabart Legions, and Sophia took command as the battle began.

• Lin Fan’s backdoor program overloaded the Energy Shields on eighty thousand Kabart warships, destroying them and severely damaging the fortress at Vite III.
• Hamid learned the Vanguard Fleet was gone and ordered the remaining Kabart fleets to abandon Vite and withdraw toward the Star Path in Cecil’s direction.
• Lin Fan’s fleet bombarded the starport cluster as Kabart crew members attempted to reach their docked warships.
• Sophia and Li Cangqiong’s forty thousand battleships appeared at the Star Path entrance to intercept two Kabart Legions totaling seven hundred thousand warships.
• Sophia took overall command of the interception and ordered the Fifth Fleet to deploy in the center, with the Fourth Fleet split across its flanks.

Sophia led the Fourth and Fifth Fleets into battle against the Kabart Empire’s seven hundred thousand warships at the entrance to the Cecil Star Path. The Fifth Fleet broke into the enemy formation while the Fourth Fleet covered its flanks, leaving Sophia to attack the surrounded Kabart ships.

• Sophia positioned the Fifth Fleet in a forward triangular formation and split the Fourth Fleet into two columns to cover its flanks.
• The human fleets opened fire as the Kabart Empire advanced, and their Orca-class Battleships outmatched the enemy ships that could fire at long range.
• Sophia ordered the Fourth Fleet’s columns to direct crossfire into the Kabart formation while the Fifth Fleet charged its center.
• The Fifth Fleet plunged into the enemy formation, where Kabart ships struggled to fire without hitting one another.
• Sophia told the Fourth Fleet to pin down the enemy flanks and led the Fifth Fleet in firing toward the surrounding Kabart warships.

Lin Fan reviewed Sophia and Li Cangqiong’s battle at the Cecil Star Path, realized Sophia had planned around his arrival, and deployed fleets to support her and intercept the Kabart reinforcements. At the Star Path, the Kabart commander tried to stall the human fleets until the rest of his forces could arrive and escape.

• Lin Fan watched the tactical replay and recognized that Sophia had turned the interception into an annihilation battle while counting on his support against the approaching reinforcements.
• Lin Fan ordered Carol, Dennis, and Elio to attack the Kabart fleet from behind, sent several other fleets to intercept its reinforcements, and left Xia Yu and Qin Tian to clear Vite III’s orbit.
• The Kabart fleet destroyed an Orca-class Battleship with a concentrated barrage of secondary-gun fire, but its commander judged that this tactic could not save the fleet from destruction.
• The Kabart commander learned that 60,000 human warships had appeared behind his fleet and ordered 200,000 ships to turn around and hold them off while the rest kept the other human fleet occupied.
• The Kabart commander hoped his forces could delay the human fleets until the remaining Kabart fleets arrived and opened a path to escape.

Lin Fan’s forces trapped the Kabart Empire’s fleet in crossfire as it tried to reach the Star Path, steadily cutting down its numbers while the human fleet near the entrance continued attacking. The Kabart fleet was still pressing forward, but the battle had become increasingly costly for the Empire.

• The Kabart commander learned that 60,000 human warships were pursuing his fleet and ordered 100,000 ships to hold them off while the rest charged toward the Star Path.
• Lin Fan explained to Liang Xue that he planned to weaken the enemy gradually while giving it false hope, then ordered the First and Second Fleets to open a route and fire on the Kabart fleet’s exposed flanks.
• The Kabart commander chose to charge through the crossfire rather than stop to fight, and the fleet began losing warships rapidly.
• Emma, Fujiwara Ayako, and Shangguan Yunting’s 60,000 warships broke through the Kabart rear guard and attacked the main fleet from behind.
• Near the Star Path entrance, Sophia’s Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Fleets pressed the Kabart forces, while she sought to prevent them from escaping into the Star Path.

Sophia led the human fleets in repeatedly cutting apart the Kabart formation, while Lin Fan’s forces inflicted heavy losses on another enemy fleet. After shattering the forces near Star Path, Sophia left Li Cangqiong and Carol to finish them off and headed toward the approaching Kabart fleet with Dennis and Elio.

• Sophia proposed an Infinite Segmentation Tactic, and Carol, Dennis, and Elio agreed to attack and divide the Kabart formation from multiple directions.
• Sophia, Carol, Dennis, and Elio repeatedly charged through the Kabart fleet, splitting it into sections and destroying its ability to form a defense.
• Lin Fan, Chris, Emma, Fujiwara Ayako, and Shangguan Yunting inflicted heavy losses on another Kabart fleet as it raced toward Star Path.
• After fewer than three hundred thousand enemy ships remained near him, Li Cangqiong agreed to handle them while Sophia went to join the battle elsewhere.
• Dennis and Elio accompanied Sophia as their fleets formed a triangular attack formation and charged toward the approaching Kabart fleet.

Lin Fan’s fleets trapped and battered the Kabart Empire fleet, leaving it close to collapse. Teteria, a scout from the Level 5 Xitria Empire, discovered the humans and decided they were a promising early Level 4 civilization to support against the Babawi Empire.

• Lin Fan ordered Emma and Fujiwara Ayako to flank the Kabart fleet, while Sophia’s three fleets attacked its front.
• Emma and Fujiwara Ayako’s fleets overtook the Kabart formation while firing their secondary guns, then joined together to block its route to the Star Path.
• Sophia repeatedly charged through the Kabart formation as human fleets attacked from several directions and broke the enemy into sections.
• Teteria observed the battle aboard a hidden Xitria Empire reconnaissance ship and identified the humans as a recently established Level 4 civilization.
• Teteria welcomed the discovery as a better candidate for Xitria’s plan to challenge the Babawi Empire’s control of the Orion Arm.