The adjutant stood at attention and replied loudly.
"Yes!"
The order was swiftly relayed.
Rockwell's gaze fell upon the communications officer.
"Communications officer."
"Here."
"Send a message to the Ares Fleet and the Pandora Fleet."
He took a slow breath, enunciating each word clearly.
"The L-7 and N-12 Warp Points have been targeted by four Federation Joint Fleets."
"You must..."
His voice grew slightly heavier.
"Warp to the Z-78 and S-22 Warp Points."
The communications officer's fingers danced rapidly across the control console, encrypting and sending the command.
The bridge fell silent.
Only the low hum of operating instruments remained.
Rockwell slowly turned and walked to the viewport.
Outside, the starry expanse of the Savannah Star System lay peacefully.
In the direction of those four warp points, nothing was visible.
A long time passed.
His lips moved slightly.
He uttered a whisper so faint it was almost inaudible.
"I've done all I can..."
"What remains..."
"Depends on your luck."
Meanwhile.
Bridge of the Kunlun Mountain - Modified Battleship.
On the small screen before Qin Beiwang, a line of text slowly appeared.
His gaze settled on that line.
[Reply from the Army Breaker Fleet]
"If you are truly a genius in command, prove it to me!"
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
[Currently, the four Joint Fleets are proceeding to the L-7 and N-12 Warp Points as per your instructions!]
[And quantum communications have been transmitted toward the airspace in the direction of these two warp points!]
Qin Beiwang lightly tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair.
Transmitting quantum communications?
This was not part of his plan.
He had originally only requested that they attack those two warp points to draw the attention of the Imperial Fleet.
But this Admiral Chen Song had clearly thought further ahead.
[Looking forward to our victory.]
[Commander of the Army Breaker Fleet, Admiral Chen Song.]
Qin Beiwang stared at the final line of the signature, silent for a few seconds.
Then he smiled.
The smile was faint, yet carried an indescribable meaning.
"What an interesting admiral."
He said softly.
Zhuang Zhixuan, standing behind him, was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this.
"Commander?"
Qin Beiwang did not turn around.
He simply continued staring at the screen, as if savoring every word in that reply.
"Originally, I was worried..."
He paused, then continued.
"...whether the other side would follow the instructions of a Senior Colonel."
Zhuang Zhixuan said nothing.
She knew this was the truth.
A Senior Colonel, commanding an Admiral.
Such a thing would be considered a fantasy in any military.
Qin Beiwang went on.
"I never expected..."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Not only did he comply, but he further refined the plan on top of my foundation."
Zhuang Zhixuan walked to his side and looked at the screen.
She had also seen that reply earlier.
But she hadn't grasped its deeper implication.
Chief of Staff Qi Xiangbei, standing nearby, seemed to notice her confusion and explained quietly.
"Transmitting quantum communications toward those two warp points..."
"The Imperial Fleet's gravitational wave directional harmonic analyzer will detect it."
Zhuang Zhixuan's eyes lit up.
"They'll think..."
Qin Beiwang took over her words.
"They'll think there are Federation Fleets lying in ambush in the L-7 and N-12 directions."
"They'll become even more convinced..."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"That the Federation's main attack direction is L-7 and N-12."
Zhuang Zhixuan's breathing quickened slightly.
"Then..."
Qi Xiangbei smiled faintly and picked up the thread.
"Then, they'll relax their guard against Z-78 and S-22."
Qin Beiwang leaned back gently in his chair.
The bridge fell silent for a few seconds.
Then he spoke, his voice carrying a rare, relaxed tone.
"As expected..."
He paused.
"It's more comfortable dealing with intelligent people."
Immediately after, Qin Beiwang's gaze fixed on the system star chart, unmoving.
In that vast starry expanse, two massive fleets were slowly moving at that moment.
Their course was precisely toward Jump Point Z-78 and Jump Point S-22.
Qin Beiwang's pupils contracted slightly.
Those red dots were densely packed, almost filling the airspace in those two directions.
He quickly estimated the numbers.
Eight thousand.
At least eight thousand vessels.
Even divided between the two warp points, each direction had nearly four thousand ships.
Four thousand.
And he only had three hundred damaged ships in hand.
Qin Beiwang's breath halted for an instant.
His mind rapidly flashed through various possible data simulations.
The enemy's possible formations, possible firepower configurations, possible tactical responses...
Yet the next second.
Lines of analysis results popped up on the system star chart.
Qin Beiwang's gaze fell upon them.
Then he froze.
He almost laughed out loud.
[Enemy Ship Type Analysis:]
[Z-78 Direction: 237 interstellar passenger ships, 189 fuel barges, 312 mining barges...]
Qin Beiwang's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair.
The corners of his mouth began to curl upward.
[S-22 Direction: 451 civilian cargo ships, 203 standard passenger ships, 176 heavy tugs...]
Line after line of data scrolled before his eyes.
All civilian starships.
All those civilian-converted military starships hastily assembled to make up numbers.
Qin Beiwang stared at that data, silent for three seconds.
Then he let out a soft chuckle.
The laugh wasn't loud, but it was particularly clear in the quiet bridge.
Zhuang Zhixuan turned her head, looking at him.
"Commander?"
Qin Beiwang didn't answer immediately.
He just stared at that screen, stared at those red dots moving toward Z-78 and S-22, his face wearing an indescribable expression.
After a few seconds, he finally spoke.
His voice carried a rare, relaxed tone.
"It seems the commander of the Savannah Star System is also an intelligent person!"
If it were any other commander, seeing 8,000 starships, they'd probably give up on attacking the Z-78 and S-22 Jump Points.
But before Qin Beiwang's system cheat, all disguises would be laid bare. This act of putting on a brave face only further confirmed the Empire's weakness.
To muster so many starships in such a short time.
Their firepower configuration must surely be lacking.
The combat effectiveness they could likely muster probably wouldn't even match some old Tier 1 or Tier 2 warships.
Those 8,000 civilian starships slowly sailed into the Z-78 and S-22 Jump Points.
Their speed wasn't fast, their posture clumsy, their formation loose like a herd of driven sheep.
Qin Bei Wang stared at the system star chart, motionless.
Those red dots vanished one by one into the glow of the warp points.
Until the last one disappeared as well.
Then new dots began to emerge.
From two warp points, they sailed out one after another.
This time, it was different.
The moment his gaze fell upon them, the system's analysis results began to pop up.
[Enemy Ship Type Analysis——]
[T5 Emperor-class Battleship: 191 confirmed]
[T4 Knight-class Heavy Cruiser: 576 confirmed]
[T5 Monarch-class Interstellar Carrier: 15 confirmed]
[...
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