It was common knowledge that the Empire and the Commonwealth were "friendly neighbors" who occasionally had minor skirmishes along their borders. But the skirmishes that affected relations between the two countries had almost always taken place in their home territories. Though their colonies on the New Continent were physically close, they had generally managed to coexist peacefully, and the two countries had even engaged in quite a bit of trade.
The Empire was keen on the high-grade dried spices, rare high-energy gases, and various precious metals produced on New Jade Gate. It also liked the fine, rare timber from New Lushun. The Commonwealth, meanwhile, needed the inexpensive, high-quality grain supplied by the agricultural worlds of the Empire's Glory Governorate.
After all, grain was a cheap commodity traded in bulk, and the cost of shipping it from the Empire was even lower than importing it from the Commonwealth's home territory.
All in all, setting aside the small details of where the rebel Sandfolk had obtained all those heavy weapons during the New Jade Gate Incident two years ago, and how exactly the Katai warships had entered the area, the colonial governorates of the two countries on the New Continent could still be considered close trading partners.
So it seemed perfectly reasonable for a grain transport to be traveling along the New Continent Route.
"We've already cleared the route. Continue toward New Jade Gate, and you shouldn't encounter any more danger along the way. You can set off without worry," Eleanor reassured the other party.
Yu Lian glanced at his senior sister, who wore an utterly businesslike expression, and said nothing.
After bidding farewell to the transport captain, who thanked them profusely, the Thirteenth Fleet encountered a swarm of wandering space floaters halfway along the route. These animals, which looked like enormous