While scolding him, Xiao Xiao brought out several delicious side dishes, which the father and son devoured like wolves reincarnated, to show that Xiao Xiao was very good at cooking. Hu Yu both loved and feared this woman. Normally, Xiao Xiao was very understanding and supportive of Hu Yu and his son Hu Yunhang's work, but once she lost her temper, she would throw away all her usual politeness.
As it turned out, silence was the best way to deal with Xiao Xiao. The two of them had long since figured out Xiao Xiao's temperament. Except when eating, they kept quiet and waited for the fire to slowly die down.
Sure enough, before they had even finished their meal, the two of them felt much better.
" Yunhang, are you tired from work lately?" Xiao Xiao seemed to have regained her usual virtuousness, and reason returned to her mind.
"It's alright, just routine training. By the way, Dad, now that the entire fleet can be controlled holographically, why do we still need to operate the ships?"
"Are you going to pour another bottle of oil on the fire that was just put out?"
"Oh, oh, oh, I forgot, I forgot."
"Alright, you two talk it out. I'm not an unreasonable person. I'm going to clean up the dishes; I can't be bothered with you."
"I knew it! Mother is the best."
" Yunhang, do you think we can just give up boarding the ship just because we have holographic control? What if this connection is severed by some civilization or the holographic system is destroyed in the future? Will we just stop fighting?"
"I've considered that too, but it's a waste of resources to train batch after batch of crew members who can't actually go to the battlefield."
"How can you call it a waste? These crew members will always be an asset to our fleet. Moreover, and most importantly, we are soldiers and we must have courage, especially now that the fleet is primarily focused on military matters. We should uphold the image of soldiers so that if a situation arises in the future where crew members are needed on board, we won't be caught off guard."
"Yes, that's true."
"Since we're on the topic, there's a mission that shouldn't be discussed at home, but command has already finalized it and will issue the order to you later. I'll inform you now: in ten days, you will personally lead ten thousand Wind Master warships to a location 3,800 light-years away to search for a Star System-Level Civilization. The exact coordinates will be given to you tomorrow when the official mission order is issued. This civilization may be in conflict with the Wind Star Civilization. Originally, this intelligence could have been confirmed in three years, but if we wait until the information is confirmed before going to find them, it will be too late, so we need to act ahead of schedule."
The civilization that Old Li mentioned had a conflict with the Wind Star Civilization was 2,000 light-years away from Wind Star Civilization Fengxing civilization, while Human Civilization was 4,000 light-years away from the Wind Star Civilization. However, the three were not on a straight line, but rather formed a giant triangle, so Human Civilization was actually closer to that civilization.
"Sending an unmanned vessel would be fine; I wouldn't need to make the trip myself. A round trip like that would take eight or nine years."
"Are you out of your mind? We know absolutely nothing about this civilization. Sending unmanned ships is like handing over warships to them. Holographic control technology is a secret of our fleet. Even the Wind Star Civilization hasn't mastered this fourth-dimensional communication method. Sending unmanned ships would be like openly telling them, 'We have ultra-long-distance communication technology here, come and take it!' During battle, as long as the enemy doesn't capture our warships, our secrets won't be leaked. Besides, sending people directly would increase the credibility of the information they provide."
"Oh, I see. And then?"
"If Old Li's intelligence is wrong three years later, you should return the way you came. If the intelligence is accurate, you should continue forward and make sure to find this civilization. Try your best to persuade them to mobilize a fleet to cooperate with our attack on the Wind Star Civilization. Even if they are unwilling to attack, get them to prepare for battle and help us hold off the Wind Star fleet. If the civilization you find does not conflict with the Wind Star Civilization, then you may have looked in the wrong place. You should quickly disengage and search again."
"Clear."
"Also, avoid any conflict with other civilizations. Our warships are already at the speed limit for Star System-Level Civilization; disengaging is easy, unless you encounter Small Star Sector Civilization."
"What if we find them, and they do indeed have a conflict with the Wind Star Civilization, but they're unwilling to cooperate with our attack? Or what if their strength isn't enough to muster a fleet? Also, what if the news leaks and they tell the Wind Star Civilization? The Wind Star Civilization will definitely be on guard against us."
"Hmm, not bad, you did think of that. However, you overlooked one point. By the time you arrive, we will be only a thousand light-years away from the Wind Star Civilization. If Old Li's intelligence is accurate, the Wind Star fleet will also have left the territory a thousand light-years away in four years. If this civilization insists on abandoning past grievances or has grievances against our Human Civilization, it will definitely pass the message to the Wind Star Civilization. The time spent on this round trip, plus the time you wasted searching, will mean that the Wind Star Civilization's fleet will not have time to return. Of course, it would be best if the Wind Star Civilization's fleet did not return, otherwise the war might not go too smoothly."
"Understood, I will complete the mission. Dad, why was I chosen for this mission? Let me clarify, I'm not afraid, I'm just asking casually."
"Because this mission is long-distance and involves a small team operation, and you are someone who came from the Earth era with rich combat experience, that's enough. This is your first time leaving the fleet for a long-range raid, and you may encounter all sorts of situations. Academician Zeng and I will keep in touch with you at all times to assist you in handling emergencies. If communication is interrupted, you must also be adaptable. After completing the mission, catch up with Earth Two as soon as possible. At home, I hope you prioritize safety; at the fleet, I hope you prioritize the mission."
"I understand, Dad, don't worry."
"Yes, I believe in your abilities, and the command also thinks you are the most suitable candidate. You'll be away for a long time this time, so have a good talk with your mother."
"Hey, why don't you go and say it? Wouldn't it be suicide for me to go and say it?"
"You brat, just go when I tell you to? Do I really need to get involved in something this trivial?!"
"Okay, I'll go. If you're afraid of your wife, just say so. It's not shameful at home..."
"Stop talking nonsense and go now."
Hu Yunhang had no choice but to reluctantly explain the situation to Xiao Xiao. However, Hu Yunhang lied and only said that he needed to return to Tau Ceti to find the third planet of Tau Ceti, where there was an important thing that he needed to retrieve.
Xiao Xiao also knew that Tau Ceti no longer existed, and the original planets had long since flown away to unknown places. Xiao Xiao did not explode during this long voyage, not only because his brain had returned to a smart and rational state, but also because the fleet had made rapid progress in recent years, and the warships were powerful. It might take several years to find the third planet of Tau Ceti, but safety was not a major issue. However, Xiao Xiao did not realize why he directly dispatched unmanned warships, since robots could also complete the task of retrieving things.
Knock, knock, knock—there was a knock on the door.
Hu Yunhang got up and opened the door.
"Oh, it's Uncle Zhonghua! Dad, Uncle Zhonghua's here!"