In the Star Sea, a fleet of more than a dozen starships hung motionless.
The starships had clearly just been through battle. Many still bore signs of damage, and mech technicians were scrambling to repair them, welding lights flashing now and then.
Inside one of the starships, the main hall was in disarray, with sparks still flickering from some of the instruments.
Many stations had no operators at all. A dozen or so operators sat listlessly, their eyes dull and lifeless. From time to time, a female operator let out a sob.
Gu Jing stood in the command hall. His face was marked with wounds that had been hastily stitched, blood still seeping from them. His right arm was wrapped in bandages, blood staining the gauze. His expression was dark with grief and indignation as he stared fixedly at a point of light among the stars—a planet.
That was Zhiyuan Star.
Elder Zhong was dead, and the Nine Great Alliances had been forced into open conflict. He had wanted to seize the base.
But the Mechanical Empire had reacted swiftly and had its defenses thoroughly prepared. It had also established an independent defensive system, with Level 5 Liquid Metal Warriors inside the base and powerful starships hidden in the Star Sea.
The Mechanical Empire had never truly trusted the Thirteen Alliances.
When the fighting broke out, he had been defeated quickly. The Mechanical Empire had blockaded Zhiyuan Star, attacked the alliance forces, and destroyed Starship Port.
Thankfully, he had escaped. The only ones who had escaped with him were these dozen or so starships. The alliance's forces on Zhiyuan Star had been all but wiped out.
He let out a faint sigh.
"I wonder how things are with the alliance now?"
"Has the Mechanical Empire withdrawn? Can we go back?"