However, although the imperial fleet had stopped, it had not withdrawn. Instead, it began to form up in orderly ranks.
The Letalins and Bakvis, who had just fought a fierce battle against Bazan's fleet for several hours, were also slowly pulling away from the front line, retreating toward the imperial fleet.
Before long, the combined fleet of the Empire and its vassal states had formed two independent groups that could support each other, yet remained separate.
"So they know Yu's fleet is on its way, and they still don't plan to retreat?" Bazan said.
"If they retreated, they wouldn't be imperial bastards." Deng Zhengqing analyzed. "Maybe they think that even if Yu's fleet arrives, it'll still be four intact dreadnoughts against four exhausted, battered ones. They think they have the advantage?"
"Heh. Then what does that make us?" Bazan sneered.
Deng Zhengqing thought for a moment, then replied solemnly, "Extra seasoning?"
"Extra seasoning?!"
"Or perhaps we're the spices?" Deng Zhengqing added.
Well, he wasn't wrong, but it was undeniably a little insulting. So every member of the fleet, from Bazan on down, clenched their fists.
"Heh heh. We held off several waves of attacks from an enemy four times our size in half a day, and even took out one of their battlecruisers. Even if we're just extra seasoning, we're damn well the kind that'll knock out every last one of their teeth!" The old general shouted to his soldiers. Though nearly eighty, he acted like a rebellious teenager who feared nothing and no one.
But his men loved it. Though they'd already suffered thirty percent casualties and nearly everyone was wounded, they all whooped in response.
"So you're admitting you're just extra seasoning?" Bai Ziqi, the young lady known as Tai'a, said coldly as she rested aboard the carrier,