After more than ten minutes of repeated analysis of the data, they finally reached a conclusion—but it was practically a death sentence for Garian.
The anomaly was indeed spreading, and it was expanding in every direction at a speed of nearly 200 Standard Black Hole Units per year.
Against the third-generation Black Hole Engine's speed of less than 100 Black Hole Units per year, they would be caught within a year. They would not even have enough time to reach the nearest Fault Channel. There was no way to escape.
"Damn it, why wasn't it discovered until it was within 100 Black Hole Units? What about the reconnaissance ships? Were they all asleep?"
"Well... three years ago, there were reconnaissance ships. The original plan was to cover the surrounding 300 Black Hole Units as thoroughly as possible, but..."
"But what?"
"But Legion Commander, you believed that 100 Black Hole Units was already sufficient and that there was no need to waste manpower monitoring an area spanning 300 Black Hole Units!"
Hearing this, Garian froze for a moment before remembering.
There really had been such a matter. It was just that...
The person who had proposed that plan three years ago was Montero. And whenever Montero made a suggestion, Garian had always rejected it outright, so...
Garian regretted it now, but it was already too late.
"What are you standing around for? Order every fleet to run!"
"Ah, yes, Legion Commander!"
Ten days later.
More than twenty thousand Standard Black Hole Units away, within the audience chamber of the Imperial Palace on the Tailo Empire's Imperial Capital Star.
At that moment, Emperor Valeri had gathered all the Empire's core upper echelon, including the five Grand Dukes, the Minister of Military Affairs, and the Minister of Intelligence.
Over the past few