Mech: Shattering of the Galaxy Chapter 1510: 26: Countdown
Chapter 26: Countdown
“Precisely, Admiral Chu! The Revolution Army has plunged into the initial jump point and is presently transmitting their formation deployment blueprint. Would you care to examine it?”
The adjutant swiftly motioned for the soldiers to activate the central display, and an expansive star map, granting vision across immense distances, materialized before the two officers.
Depicted was a formidable congregation of warships, advancing in successive waves just beyond the jump point.
This tactical overview had been proactively supplied by the Revolution Army, effectively ceding operational command to the Federation Border Defense Fleet.
“And Archibald? Didn’t he just recently enter the starfield adjacent to the first jump point?”
Admiral Chu Tianhe, though sixty years of age, possessed the vigor of a middle-aged man. His short, neat hair, streaked with a touch of white, lent his presence a sharper, more commanding aura.
“General Archibald appears to have concurred. The fleet under his command is moving in unison with the Revolution Army.”
“And his personal involvement?”
“This…” The adjutant hesitated, unsure how to articulate the situation.
“Admiral Chu, I am currently in negotiations with the opposition, and their stipulation for joining our human defense perimeter is… I myself will duel Ke Qingshan! Regardless of the outcome, he will personally be at the forefront… Ha! Again!”
General Archibald’s voice suddenly boomed through, punctuated by several sharp exclamations.
It was evident he was embroiled in a fierce engagement at that very moment.
“Ke Qingshan himself is coming!?” Chu Tianhe’s eyes blazed with the intensity of a predator.
“He is directly before me,” Archibald’s voice responded.
“Remarkable! I had underestimated the Revolution Army; this young man who has remained in obscurity for a decade now exhibits echoes of the late General Ke Qilian’s formidable presence.” Chu Tianhe closed his eyes momentarily, absorbing the continuous updates provided beside him.
“The enemy has now passed through the primary jump point,”
“They have completed their initial spatial warp and entered the military exclusion zone. Shall we maintain our current readiness posture?”
Abruptly, Chu Tianhe raised his left hand with swift precision.
All sounds of respiration behind him ceased instantaneously.
“Clear the flank for the Revolution Army’s advance, tighten our defensive perimeter, reinforce the lines, and extend the intervals for rest.”
“Archibald, I shall place my trust in your plan one final time today.”
“Understood.”
The exchange between the two generals was concise and to the point, their brief dialogue efficiently orchestrating a massive joint operation involving tens of thousands of warships.
The swift arrival of the Revolution Army’s reinforcements actually outpaced the logistical support capabilities of the Capital Star military command.
This momentarily transported Chu Tianhe into a state of profound reflection.
In the preceding conflict at Capital Star, who had truly championed righteousness…?
“Chu Tianhe! My Iris Family elevated you to your current standing, and now you betray us from within; your subordinates allowed the murderer of Young Master Sigler to escape, and you personally sanctioned an alliance with mutineers.”
“I shall have you brought before a military tribunal!”
“I will petition the Family Head to revoke your rank and authority.”
A middle-aged man, clad in a distinguished wool coat, stormed onto the bridge, his face contorted with fury.
The nearby soldiers attempted to intercept him but were aggressively shoved aside. “Get out of my way, you cowards! How dare you attempt to impede me, Devod Palm! Have you lost all sense of fear!”
The affronted soldiers gritted their teeth but chose not to retaliate, allowing the irate man to push his way to the front.
Devod Palm glared at Chu Tianhe, who remained facing away, his rage intensifying. He strode forward, extending an open hand, apparently intending to physically seize the Federation Admiral.
However, the instant his palm neared, Chu Tianhe spun around with startling speed, clamping down on the man’s neck with a vice-like grip, pulling Devod Palm’s face close.
The seasoned general declared, each word delivered with deliberate weight, “That is a matter for another time! Here, on the defense line, my paramount responsibility is to this uniform and the millions of soldiers who stand behind me. I will provide an explanation, but not now! Therefore… do not speak to me of Iris Family matters here!”
“I am the supreme commander of the Border Defense Corps, not you!”
His chilling declaration instantly straightened the postures of the soldiers within the warship, as if they were suddenly infused with an inexhaustible supply of resolve.
“Chu! Tian! He!” Devod sputtered, his face flushed with indignation.
“Mr. Devod appears agitated; escort him to a place of rest.”
Chu Tianhe’s gaze lingered intensely on the middle-aged man before he released his grip, turning back to face the main screen, utterly disregarding the other.
At that moment, his eyes reflected the sight of overwhelming, dense waves of alien creatures, relentlessly advancing.
One could only truly comprehend the sheer terror these swarms inspired by witnessing them firsthand.
Confronted by such an unending tide, it was…
Utterly hopeless.
…
…
Over 150,000 energy signatures surged and bloomed behind them.
The energy map displayed on the bridge’s main screen was strikingly prominent.
Fatty and his companions observed in silence the flickering points of light on the colossal display.
“They have commenced their engagement.”
“The hostilities have not escalated; this is merely a duel between two mechas.”
“Gu Yunyou aims to conserve the Federation Fleet’s might. Any loss of a warship in the face of Zeg becomes a depletion of our living force.”
“The critical factor here is that Archibald concurs with Gu Yunyou’s strategy.”
A cacophony of voices interlaced in debate.
“Not everyone within the Federation Army is inherently corrupt…” Fatty mused, his voice laced with contemplation.
“Naturally, the army is but an instrument; it is the leaders who dictate its direction. While some leaders, like the Iris Family of Sigler Palm, harbor sinister motives, there are also commendable soldiers, such as Falcon Admiral and Instructor Ruan, who possess genuine patriotic hearts. It is unfair to paint them all with the same brush.”
An unmistakable admiration flickered in White Hair’s eyes; the Gu of old truly felt present once more, like his former comrade had returned.
Fifteen minutes after the Dawn Battleship had passed, as the carrier’s radar scan neared the edge of the combat zone, the energy map’s fluctuations abruptly ceased.
“Is it concluded?” A palpable tension could not be suppressed in everyone’s gaze.
Mercifully, mere seconds later, a voice, transmitted directly via the directional communication link, resonated within the cabin.
“Mu Fan, General Archibald is a soldier worthy of respect. I have fought your battle, and he must perform his duty as a soldier. Likewise, I, as a soldier, cannot shirk this mission either.”
“Await your return… May fortune favor you.”
The final two words, accompanied by a familiar, faint chuckle, gradually faded away.
Throughout the exchange, Gu Yunyou’s face remained unseen on the screen.
And Mu Fan, from beginning to end, remained still, his eyes fixed upon the display.
As Gu Yunyou’s message concluded, Mu Fan’s lips moved subtly…
“I shall assuredly return.”
The armaments on the Dawn Battleship retracted, and the vessel’s imposing demeanor softened.
Its sleek hull, coupled with its engines, already fully warmed, propelled the ship forward at incredible speed, carving a direct trajectory through space and plunging into the deep void.
As its velocity approached the critical point for warp jump, the vista outside the viewports began to warp and distort unnaturally.
All eyes were transfixed on the countdown displayed on the colossal central control screen.
The journey to Winter Tree Star in the Outer Domain Galaxy was estimated to take — four days!
…
Upon the Dawn Battleship’s departure from the Federation’s boundaries, the radar registered a fleeting, anomalous signal, which swiftly vanished.
At maximum velocity, Black Night registered it for mere seconds before dismissing it as insignificant.