Edge of the Asteroid Belt, Sector 016.
Aside from the warships out on missions, the Fourth Fleet's remaining 15,000 warships had all assembled here.
The Transport Ship hijacked by Wood was right before them, yet the Fourth Fleet had no choice but to halt.
Because at that moment, the Oakes fleet concealed within the Asteroid Belt had revealed itself and blocked the Fourth Fleet's path.
A full 30,000 warships had passed through the Asteroid Belt without Mars Base noticing anything. One had to know that the Federation side of the Asteroid Belt had deployed a vast number of detectors.
"The Scott Family."
Inside the Fourth Fleet's flagship, Liang Xingchen gritted his teeth and said hatefully.
For such an enormous fleet to evade every Federation detector in the Asteroid Belt—Liang Xingchen would not believe there was no traitor even if he were beaten to death. Coupled with Wood's rescue of Duolun, it was easy to conclude that the Scott Family had interfered.
"Commander, we're still outside the Asteroid Belt. If we fight the Oakes Empire's 30,000 warships here, our odds of winning aren't high!"
Liang Xingchen's adjutant, Jiang Hai, spoke with some concern.
"I know. But at this point, this is no longer about interception or rescue. If we can't defeat them here, the Oakes Empire will be able to send reinforcements over without end. Then the Federation will truly be finished."
Liang Xingchen saw the situation clearly. Although he still did not know how Scott had tampered with things, the fact that the Oakes Empire had sent only 30,000 warships meant the Scott Family's interference was not enough to let the entire Oakes Imperial fleet pass through the Asteroid Belt undetected. Thirty thousand was probably the limit of what they could secretly deploy here.
Even so, the Oakes Empire's fleet was no longer hiding. Their follow-up fleets could now pass through the Asteroid Belt without any reservations to provide support.
Based on the Oakes Empire fleet's travel speed and the current distance between Jupiter and Mars, Liang Xingchen immediately calculated that the enemy's follow-up fleet would arrive in forty-two hours.
In other words, the Fourth Fleet had to defeat the fleet before them within thirty hours in order to have enough time to enter the depths of the Asteroid Belt and set up an ambush, fighting for a slim chance at survival!
If they had been inside the Asteroid Belt right now, Liang Xingchen would have been quite confident about defeating the Oakes Empire's 30,000-ship fleet within thirty hours.
But in their current position, just as Jiang Hai had said, their odds of victory were not high. Even if they won, his fleet would be crippled. There would be no question of intercepting the enemy's reinforcements.
But could he retreat? Obviously not. Once humanity lost the Asteroid Belt, there would be no defensible position left. The Federation would face nothing but destruction.
It had to be said that Adams had played this move beautifully. One operation, two gains: not only could he rescue the Ninth Prince, but he could also break through this front line that had been deadlocked for seven years.
"Jiang Hai, have the First through Fifth subfleets form an assault formation and turn toward Sector 010! Break through with everything we've got!"
"Commander, but that direction is—"
Jiang Hai's eyes widened as he stared at Liang Xingchen in disbelief. What was in that direction? It was where Wood's Transport Ship was.
As Liang Xingchen's adjutant, he knew that the commander's precious daughter was aboard that Transport Ship. With 5,000 warships breaking through at full force, it would be difficult to guarantee that the Transport Ship would not be hit.
"Enough. Is this the time to worry about my daughter? Carry out the order!"
"Yes!"
After saying that, Liang Xingchen closed his eyes in pain and murmured in a voice only he could hear.
"I hope the Ninth Prince truly is that important."
This was a desperate gamble. But for Liang Xingchen, which war against the Oakes Empire had not been a desperate gamble?
Their equipment was inferior, their numbers were inferior. Every time, they could only rely on the Asteroid Belt and use every tactic available, giving everything they had to overcome the strong with the weak!
Earth Federation Presidential Palace. The sudden incident at Mars Base had also reached Lin Zhen.
Smack!
Inside the office, Lin Zhen slammed his palm heavily onto the desk!
He had thought the Scott Family's infiltration of the Fourth Fleet was merely an attempt to seize greater power. But now?
"Ed, arrest every member of the Scott Family immediately. We must find out within thirty hours exactly what they tampered with to let the Oakes Empire bypass all our arrangements and pass through the Asteroid Belt."
"I'll go right away!"
"Remember, any means are permitted. The sooner we make them talk, the better our chances of surviving this crisis."
"Understood!"
Watching Ed leave, Lin Zhen sank into thought. There were still many suspicious points in this entire affair.
What puzzled Lin Zhen most was this: since they had acted, why were the Scott Family's core members still on Earth? Waiting for him to arrest them?
It seemed he would only learn the answer after bringing them in and prying open their mouths.
However, Lin Zhen did not know that the Scott Family was already in complete chaos.
Clearly, with their immense influence in the military, they had also received the relevant intelligence.
But they had merely arranged for Wood and several trusted men to create an opportunity for Duolun to escape, then planned to pin the blame on Liang Xingchen and ultimately remove him from office in favor of someone from their own faction.
How had things turned into Wood personally rescuing Duolun, then fleeing together with him?
And the sabotage the family had arranged for the Asteroid Belt detectors had been purely to ensure Duolun could escape smoothly. Since when had it become betraying the Federation and guiding the Oakes Empire in?
"Could it have been Wood?"
Harvey Scott, the head of the Scott Family, finally thought of the key point. The entire plan had been proposed by Wood and placed under Wood's responsibility.
Then Harvey thought of another incident from seven years ago, and an even more terrifying suspicion surfaced in his mind.
"So that's how it is, Wood. Hahahaha! I never imagined the Scott Family would be destroyed by my own son! Hahahaha!"
Bang!
Just as everyone stared at their suddenly crazed, laughing patriarch in confusion, the gates of the Trister Family estate were smashed open!
"Raise your hands! Nobody move!"
A large number of fully armed personnel stormed in and quickly brought every member of the Scott Family under control.
"Harvey, look what you've done!"
After entering, Ed immediately punched Harvey!
"Ed. If you believed I did this, would I still be here waiting for you to arrest me? I wanted to fight for power, but I would never betray the Federation or humanity!"
"Are you saying Wood rescuing Duolun, kidnapping Liang Xue, and leading the Oakes Empire fleet into an invasion were all fake?"
"No. I'll tell you everything now. I hope it isn't too late."
"Hm?"
Ten minutes later.
"That was the entire course of events. I concealed nothing!"
"Then how do you explain Wood's actions? And how do you explain the Oakes fleet using your arrangements to send 30,000 troops directly to our side?"
"I only figured that out just now as well! Do you remember how Wood returned to the Scott Family back then?"
Hearing Harvey's words, Ed's eyes suddenly widened, and a chill rose up his back!
"Could it be that what happened seven years ago was actually—?"
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