Asteroid Belt, Sector 027, Uranus bridge.
"Report, the Fourth Fleet's main force has engaged the Oakes Empire fleet in Sector 016."
"Notify the fleet. Change heading to 070."
"Understood!"
"Send a message over encrypted channel seven. Tell them to rendezvous in Sector 019."
"Yes!"
Though he was somewhat puzzled, Sector 019 was precisely where their fleet would be headed after changing course. Could reinforcements be waiting there?
But since the Fleet Commander had not said anything, he knew better than to ask questions!
At that moment, on the main battlefield in Sector 016, the Fourth Fleet's 5,000 warships had formed a tight formation and were charging at high speed toward bearing 010.
This caught Cody, commander of the Oakes Empire's vanguard fleet, somewhat by surprise. He had heard that Liang Xingchen's daughter was being held aboard that vessel, and had assumed the humans would not dare focus their fire in that direction. Thus, he had deployed only 2,000 warships there, with the main fleet positioned directly in front of the Fourth Fleet.
While Cody was still hesitating over whether to redeploy ships to support the left formation, the assault fleet Liang Xingchen had dispatched had already opened fire.
The charge of 5,000 ships against 2,000 instantly cost the Oakes Empire more than 200 warships. Energy shells occasionally streaked past the Transport Ship fleeing at full speed.
The sight made Cody's heart skip a beat. If a stray shot hit it and caused the Ninth Prince's death, even if they wiped out humanity afterward, they would still be unable to escape execution at the Emperor's hands.
With no other choice, he dispatched 10,000 warships to reinforce the left flank and ordered the remaining ships of the original left formation to cover the Transport Ship's withdrawal from the battlefield toward Jupiter.
Several minutes later, the remaining 900-plus warships began slowly retreating while escorting the Transport Ship. The 10,000 warships sent from the center filled the gap and faced the five charging squadrons.
The entire battlefield had now been split into two sections. One was to the Fourth Fleet's front right, where five squadrons totaling roughly 4,700 warships faced 10,000 Oakes Empire warships.
The other was the central main battlefield, where the Fourth Fleet's main force of 10,000 warships faced 18,000 Oakes Empire warships.
"Order the assault ships to turn to heading 050 and make an arcing detour!"
"Yes!"
At the center, the two fleets had already begun a fierce exchange of fire. But victory could not be decided quickly. Liang Xingchen had never expected to win through a conventional bombardment. The key now was whether the enemy fleet to the front right would take the bait.
Upon receiving Liang Xingchen's order, the assault fleet immediately changed course and began flying in an arc toward heading 050.
This position was exceptionally favorable. Why? Because after completing the arc, they would pass right behind the 10,000 warships ahead—and behind the fleeing Transport Ship.
Once Cody noticed this, he immediately ordered the 10,000 warships on his left flank to turn around and pursue them, bite onto the human fleet's tail, and wipe them out completely.
"Report, the 10,000 enemy ships at bearing 010 have begun turning. It looks like they intend to latch onto the assault force's tail. If they catch them, the situation will become very bad."
"Mm, I know. Give the order: the main fleet is to abandon the enemy in front of us and turn to heading 050 as well. Get on their tail and hit them hard from behind."
When Cody saw the Fourth Fleet's main force move, he was utterly confused. What the hell was Liang Xingchen doing? Was he offering up his tail for Cody to bite?
Indeed, as Liang Xingchen latched onto the tail of the 10,000 warships to the front right, Cody's main fleet also turned left and chased after the Fourth Fleet's rear.
Yet what Cody had not expected was that when the 5,000 warships that had initially charged with the Fourth Fleet curved around behind the fleeing Transport Ship, they did not pursue it. Instead, they continued their arcing flight until they completed a wide loop and latched onto the tail of Cody's main fleet.
Thus, a bizarre scene emerged. The entire battlefield formed a circle, with four fleets from both sides chasing one another's tails.
The Fourth Fleet's assault force of 5,000 warships was chasing the 18,000 warships under Cody's command.
Cody's 18,000 warships were chasing the Fourth Fleet's main force of 10,000 warships under Liang Xingchen.
Liang Xingchen's Fourth Fleet main force of 10,000 warships was chasing the 10,000 warships that had originally intercepted the assault fleet.
And those final 10,000 Oakes warships were chasing the assault fleet's 5,000 warships.
The entire scene was like four snakes each biting the tail of the one in front, locked in a pure war of attrition.
"Commander, this has become a pure war of attrition, and we have fewer ships than the enemy. This is extremely unfavorable for us!"
"I understand. Keep it this way for now. I have my own plan!"
Jiang Hai truly could not understand why the Fleet Commander had turned things into a war of attrition. At this point, they could not even withdraw if they wanted to.
Of the four fleets chasing one another, whichever tried to pull out would inevitably expose its flank to the enemy fleet behind it while turning. In space warfare, what did exposing a fleet's flank mean? It meant suffering massive enemy casualties.
But if they simply maintained this war of attrition, although the Fourth Fleet would not lose immediately and could hold on for a long time—even dozens of hours—
their total number of warships was barely half the enemy's. In the end, they would still be whittled away by the enemy fleet. Even if they were not, after several dozen hours, the Oakes Empire's follow-up fleet would cross the Asteroid Belt and arrive at the battlefield. The Fourth Fleet would still be doomed to total annihilation.
"The trap has been set. Now it's up to you, Lin Fan!"
Liang Xingchen murmured softly again, in a voice only he could hear.
Without the Fourth Fleet in pursuit, the Transport Ship hijacked by Wood and its escort of nearly 900 warships flew unimpeded toward Jupiter.
"Your Highness, the Fourth Fleet has been blocked by the Empire's fleet. No one can pursue us anymore."
"Mm, Adams did well this time! You did well too. What reward do you want?"
"Your Highness, if possible, I want that woman!"
As he spoke, Wood pointed at Liang Xue, who remained tied up beside them.
"That woman? Fine, I'll grant her to you!"
Duolun glanced at Liang Xue twice and agreed without a second thought. Human appearances were utterly incompatible with the Oakes people's standards of beauty.
He even inwardly despised Wood for wasting his promise of a reward on nothing more than an ugly female creature.
Wood, however, looked at Liang Xue with a smug expression. Truth be told, he had coveted her for far more than a day or two; he had merely been holding himself back for the sake of the mission.
Hearing their conversation, Liang Xue glared at Wood with murderous eyes.
Yet the more Liang Xue acted this way, the more it seemed to satisfy Wood's twisted desires, and the smile on his face became even more sinister!
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