Chapter 990: Chapter 990: They Will Never Be So Simple
(Today’s update is very early, that’s it!)
Launching an attack when both the Father God and Huron God King, these two super big shots, are guests in the Imperial District, I certainly dare to assert that this is not the intention of the Fallen Apostles. I can only say they were played the worst joke by fate: they really came at the wrong time.
The two big shots boarded the Imperial Admiral almost with a holiday mindset…
Lin Xue’s prophecy was quickly confirmed, as intelligence from the frontier worlds showed a massive appearance of high-concentration Abyss reactions almost simultaneously as the Royal Fleet and the largest Imperial First Legion set off.
It’s the army of the Fallen Apostles; they will arrive in twenty-four hours.
Time is sufficient; we have at least a dozen hours to set up a new defense line. The world on the Imperial Border already has heavy troops guarding it, and with the two ace armies of the Empire about to arrive, the defensive forces are more than enough to handle this crisis. But on the way to the front lines, I felt very uneasy.
Of course, I am not surprised by the Fallen Apostles’ assault; in fact, we have been prepared for a retaliatory strike ever since a successful raid on their three research worlds not long ago. Neither the Fallen Apostles nor the Xyrin Apostles could possibly turn a blind eye to such an attack. As long as Harlan regroups his forces, with support from other Fallen Apostles, the retaliatory strike is bound to come. Since both sides have already touched each other’s native lands, the most probable target of such a strike is the Imperial Zone Border.
In previous simulations, Sandora and experts at the Third Intelligence Core believed the most likely targets to be Universes numbered WNN-3 and WEN-116. These two worlds are on the Imperial border and the most likely to be already exposed to the enemy’s view, and as newly discovered worlds, they have only minimal barracks and three or four colonial planets with no significant strategic importance. Yet they are fitting stepping stones into a deeper Void, making them easy targets for the Fallen Apostles. Although they cannot severely damage the New Empire’s military strength, they can greatly slow down the New Empire’s territorial expansion. This should be the most excellent attack target. It was based on this simulation result that Sandora has been reallocating forces to strengthen the defenses of these worlds that have only numbers, not names.
However, according to the intelligence from the border, the Abyss reaction appeared outside another frontier world: XF-35-A.
According to the newly revised Imperial Naming Rules for Frontier Worlds, universes recently discovered or without colonization value won’t have official names (though local residents may give their universe a name). They are only assigned a code consisting of letters and numbers. The first part, the letters, indicates the Void Quadrant and Energy Level at the time of discovery (I still have only a vague understanding of what a Void Quadrant really is). The second part is the registration sequence number. Usually, worlds not given much importance are named with these two parts. However, under special circumstances, the sequence number of these frontier worlds has a third part: a letter, B, A, or S, representing their lack of intrinsic value but as a bridge leading to a world of significant value. Universes with the suffix B indicate they host World Gates to general directly administered worlds, like Mars Sanctuary or a Colonial Zone. Those with the suffix A lead to a military world, like Azeroth or the Vedis Empire. Currently, there are only two or three frontier universes with the suffix S, indicating they can directly connect to the Imperial Capital—usually places bordering the Star Domain Divine Realm.
XF-35-A is located at the border and as a stepping stone, it directly leads to the universe where the Pan-Galactic Civilization Community resides. It was dragged from the depths of the Void, meaning its entire world’s informational representation was altered to give it a new Void “coordinate”, a grand project, but worth the price. The reason to set up such a stepping stone is that the gigantic form and massive information disturbance caused by the Ghost Energy Death Star make each of its transmissions harmful to the surrounding space. The more urgent the action, the more remarkable the harm. Hence, we linked a stepping stone next to the closed universe where the Community resides. The Ghost Energy Death Star can first land in this nearby “stepping stone” with low energy level before unabashedly accelerating towards the battlefield. Anyway, XF-35-A is devoid of life, so we don’t have to worry about how many star systems get torn apart during the Celestial System Fleet’s forced jumps. Also, Sandora and I hope this world becomes a bridgehead for larger-scale military operations against the Fallen Apostles in the future—perhaps then it might have its own name.
Obviously, such a place has tightly knit defenses.
The fact that the Fallen Apostles attacked such a tough nut is what feels most abnormal—especially since this XF-35-A is also connected to an even tougher nut.
The universe where the Community resides has tight defenses and is heavily staked with not only the strongest oversized fleets of the Empire but also the fiercest Servant Army of the New Empire. You can imagine how strong its military forces must be. Even without considering the local Imperial Fleet’s presence, the Community Joint Fleet should indeed leave an impression on the Fallen Apostles as a formidable enemy. In the wilderness area between the Imperial Zone Border and the Fallen Apostles’ border, the Imperial Army has had many skirmishes with the Fallen Apostles’ fleet. Generally, it’s the kind of blitzkrieg where both sides are wiped out instantly upon encounter and then make a swift getaway. In such battles, the ferocious and brutal Community Fleet is almost as dangerous as the Imperial Regular Army. They possess the most advanced equipment supplied by the Empire (almost the good stuff used by the Xyrin Regular Army; those seasoned pilots who’ve fought those “Shepherd” battles for countless years adapt to these devices quickly). In addition, they have the most reckless Madman Pilots in the multi-universe besides the Xyrin Apostles. When the Fallen Apostles first encountered these Mortal fleets, they underestimated them, suffering significant losses under the Community Pilots’ “use up all ammo in one minute” eccentric tactics.
Previously, any small reconnaissance teams sent by the Fallen Apostles to gather intelligence would encounter these wolves near XF-35-A. Therefore, they should be aware that these extraordinarily combative Servant Armies are stationed around XF-35-A, and that such special Servant Armies would surely have the Imperial Regular Army Corps garrisoned nearby. It’s like seeing a pack of hunting dogs in a forest, you would assume there’s a group of Hunters with guns nearby. Where the Community Fleet frequently roams is certainly a place where an Imperial Fleet is permanently garrisoned. So even if they don’t know the location of the Community universe, the Fallen Apostles shouldn’t attack XF-35-A recklessly.
“The ship will arrive at the target in thirty minutes.”
The broadcast from the ship’s mainframe interrupted my thoughts. Unbeknownst to me, the fleet was already near its destination. Sandora, who was reviewing the battle report up front, noticed my return from a Divine Travel State and waved me over.
“The enemy is coming openly, not launching a sneak attack.”
Sandora pointed at the battle report and said, “Abyss reactions on the enemy troops are uncamouflaged, and their fleet hasn’t attempted deceptive multiple jump maneuvers. You could say they are coming straight on. Currently, a large number of signals have gathered outside the World Barrier of this universe, and their numbers are rapidly increasing, but we don’t know how many ships they have amassed. This is a frontal assault; they intend to directly strike down XF-35-A as a stepping stone.”
“Why a frontal assault?” Qianqian lay on my arm, full of confusion, “Doesn’t that mean they’re asking to be surrounded?”
“Is the idea that they wouldn’t be surrounded if they didn’t do a frontal assault?” I shrugged, and Qianqian promptly bit her tongue, “Let’s not forget, we have a prophet here. They should have known long ago, so there’s simply no possibility of them launching a sneak attack, right?”
The Big Sister immediately lifted her chin in triumph, while Qianqian, clutching her mouth, glared at me.
“I just feel uneasy,” my sister looked at the holographic projection with worry, where more and more zones are being marked as potential breakthrough points, “XF-35-A is not an easy target. The Fallen Apostles have hit nails here several times before; they cannot possibly ignore the heavy fortifications present.”
It seems I am not the only one thinking this. After Big Sister finished speaking, Sandora nodded in agreement. However, who can say for sure about the Fallen Apostles’ actions?
At this time, all fleets arriving to reinforce the defensive line had reached their marked positions. The ship’s mainframe opened the external observation equipment of the Imperial Admiral, and the scene in outer space was directly transmitted to the giant holographic projection in the command hall.
What unfolds before us is a field of iron-gray chaos: Within the XF-35-A space, many areas are filled with aerosol clouds composed of heavy metals and unstable compounds. These clouds often span billions of light-years, and they form the primary celestial body system of this universe, which is the iron-gray area now permeating outside the fleet. Due to differences in certain physical constants, solid-form planets in this universe are exceedingly rare, and they often cannot maintain stable orbits for long. The entire outer space appears like a thin, cold broth. Deep within the iron-gray mist before us, some purplish-red cracks are slowly widening. The radar system marks these cracks with prominent colors and texts, identifying them as dissolving world barriers. The early warning radar is spot on; the main break points of the Fallen Apostle Fleet have been detected.
Watching those cracks expand, we aren’t just idle. Although attacking the enemy fleet in the void isn’t cost-effective, we can pre-emptively place space dark mines at these openings. While these mines may not effectively target the enemy’s larger units, they are practically lethal to the lightly armored Raider Fleet.
“Leaving World Garden is online. Ninety-nine percent of this universe is now under complete surveillance,” Sandora whispered, “They’ll be exposed no matter where they come from.”
“Just say the word if you need help,” Hila patted my shoulder, “Xingchen and I haven’t been in action for years.”
“Just watch,” Sandora said, “It’s our own battle, and we’ll handle it.”
“The barrier is shattered, a massive body is forming in the space.” The ship host issued an alert, interrupting their conversation. The bridge instantly flickered with red lights, entering combat mode. Immediately, the largest spatial crack on the holographic screen was covered by continuous explosions. It was the space dark mines being activated—enemy advance units had entered the material plane, and what greeted them first were high-yield bombs.
“They’re really going for a strong assault.” Big Sister grinned, watching the small black dots that continuously emerged from the lingering light of the explosions; they were the Raider Fleet breaking through the blockade. Behind them, from within the iron-gray mist and bright explosion light clusters, larger black shadows were gradually emerging.
“The second wave of space dark mines has been placed,” a Commander reported over the communication link, “More enemy ships are forming.”
“Fire the fortress missiles. Don’t hold back on firepower; this time they’re not afraid of combat losses.” Sandora immediately ordered the launch of giant warheads designed for Mother Ships, as radar indicated that enemy Mother Ship formations closely followed the Raider Fleet, resembling a full-scale army push tactic.
Fortress Missiles, currently in the Imperial Army arsenal, specifically refer to two models of Jump Missiles. One is the “X3-Grave Digger,” a super heavy jump missile several hundred meters in length that can space jump near its target, followed by terminal guidance. Its warhead houses a high-density “plasma” Ghost Energy sphere, producing a raw and effective direct strike through Ghost Energy explosion. The second is the recently manufactured “X4-Funeral Bell,” an advanced missile with composite lethal capabilities. Its delivery mechanism mirrors the Grave Digger, but its warhead generates a broad range mathematical disruption in addition to Ghost Energy explosions, causing the intensities of strong and weak interactions in the target area to scramble or momentarily vanish, triggering spatial collapses or even dimensional breakdowns. For entities with substance, its destructive effect is virtually limitless: the Ghost Energy explosion first destroys any potential Ghost Energy shields, then mathematical laws tear into the enemy’s armor and hull. This stunning effect originates from a “Mathematical Law Distortion Device,” developed from reverse engineering the War Song. When Taville attempted to clone the War Song’s Law Weapon, this “miniaturized” device was created. However, due to technical deficiencies, it cannot operate stably for long after activation—functional for only a minute. Initially thought of as a dud, it was soon recognized by those resourceful scientists as perfect for heavy missile warheads, which only need a few seconds in combat roles.
Thus, the “X4-Funeral Bell” was born.
However, due to the requirement for direct oversight and adjustment by a Xyrin Host during production, War Factories capable of manufacturing the “X4-Funeral Bell” are currently all centered at Capital World. This limited-production fortress missile is only equipped by the Royal Fleet and First Legion, while frontier Defense Armies cannot afford it. The “X3-Grave Digger” remains the backbone of the Empire’s Jump Missile family.
Like a Sky Tower, the enormous and super heavy missiles were launched from silos in dazzling blue light clusters, tearing ripples in the air, and a few seconds later hitting enemy formations still tens of millions of kilometers away. Follow-up missiles swarmed toward their target, ensuring a continuous barrage: Mother Ships have thick skins and fast shield recharge rates, making sustained fire essential to deal damage, otherwise, it would just be a scratch.
At the same time, the Galaxy began charging, awaiting an optimal moment for a comprehensive bombardment: when enemy Fortress Ships were taken out by those super heavy warheads.
The Local Defense Army has already closed in from the flanks on those world cracks, trailed by an even larger Community Joint Fleet. The wolf pack is poised to strike. When the Fallen Apostle’s fleet has no choice but to face the Royal Fleet head-on, these wolves will tear into the enemy from behind. So far, everything seems to be under control. A straightforward offense combined with a well-prepared defense results in a relatively dull situation—both sides have limited tricks to play. When it comes to the Mother Ship formations facing off directly, it’s down to raw and simple firepower confrontation. Of course, the defense is expected to be more flexible: after all, we have Space Fortresses and positional cannons to provide support, and the Local Defense Army and Servant Army are agile forces.
“More enemy ships are entering this world,” Sandora’s expression grew serious, “But they’re not from Harlan’s army… Look at these images from the front lines, these markings are another Fallen Emperor’s insignia.”
“I’m feeling unwell,” Lin Xue suddenly murmured, holding her head, “It seems like they’re trying to interfere with me. Do those fleets… have strong interference sources inside?”
Sandora quickly searched, and moments later found something, exclaiming, “Here it is! A never-before-seen battleship with astonishing energy readings!”
The image showed an extraordinarily ugly grotesque object; calling it a battleship was grasping for words, as it looked like half a rotten tomato, pitted and dotted with protrusions crackling with lightning. When the radar focused on this monstrosity, the image was very unstable, and scan results showed its energy readings exceeded any main battlecruiser. However, this thing seemed to lack attack power. Besides continuously emitting chaotic information pulses and Ghost Energy radiations, it nestled calmly among countless Mother Ship escorts, not engaging in combat.
“The image is getting blurry… take this thing down!” Miss tightly clutched her head, trying to concentrate, “It’s interfering with me!”
“But first, we have to wipe out the hundreds of Eternal Level ships blocking the way,” Sandora realized something might be amiss, but that grotesque object was heavily guarded, making it impossible to harm it in a short time, “Leaving World Garden, see if you can pull it out!”
Leaving World Garden possesses the power to manipulate segments of another universe across the Void, which includes altering space coordinates, like causing two Constant Star Systems in the Otherworld to collide. Under the influence of Leaving World Garden, that rotten tomato-like thing momentarily disappeared, but just when we thought it would fall into the Imperial Army’s crossfire, it reappeared in its original location.
“All right, space anchor, multi-layered false coordinates,” Sandora slammed her fist on the table, “Lin Xue, how are you?”
“Headache, dizziness, blurred vision when looking into the future,” Lin Xue took a few deep breaths, “But it’s okay after I stop using the Prediction Ability. They sure came prepared, specifically creating such a thing to counter me.”
“I’m more concerned about one thing right now,” Sandora furrowed her brows, “What are they trying to do by blocking the Prophet’s sight!?” (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian () to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)