However, the crimson 'Zerg Swarm' from the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship was like a tiny splash compared to the truly monstrous Zerg Horde on the other side.
In just this short amount of time.
The Zerg units deployed from those Zerg Nest Starships were a vast, overwhelming force, like a black sandstorm in the cosmos!
On the Starship Radar of Zhao Chen's T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship, densely packed energy signals of Zerg units were already displayed.
It was a good thing that the Starship Radar and system algorithms of Zhao Chen's T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship were powerful enough; otherwise, such a massive amount of data would have likely triggered a system alarm.
Zhao Chen stared at the data panel before him.
The number of ships in the Hive Fleet remained unchanged.
But other things were climbing at an astonishing rate.
This was especially true for the number of T1 Flying Insects, which went from tens of thousands at the beginning to hundreds of thousands in the blink of an eye!
And this number was still constantly increasing.
In just one minute, it had soared to ten million!
At this point, it was still rising, but the rate of increase had clearly slowed down.
However, these T1 Flying Insects were the cannon fodder of cannon fodder.
The main combat units of the Hive Fleet were still the T2 Spiked Serpents, and their numbers were also continuously increasing.
From a few hundred... to a few thousand... and then to tens of thousands...
Zhao Chen stared at the fluctuating numbers. In truth, he had already speculated about the quantity of these Zerg units before.
The T1 Flying Insects would very likely reach fifteen million, and the number of T2 Spiked Serpents would exceed one hundred thousand.
The remaining T3 Corrupted Wyverns numbered nearly five thousand, and there were also close to a thousand T3 Self-detonating Beetles!
Tens of millions of Zerg units!
The sight alone was enough to make one's scalp tingle!
The Hive Motherships that deployed these flying Zerg units still used the same unchanging battle tactics, leaving only a very small portion of Zergs to guard their own motherships.
The remaining Zerg units swarmed in a single wave toward the Fierce Dragon Fleet blocking their path!
However, for the Fierce Dragon Fleet.
This battle was different from the past.
The starfighters and Interstellar Drone Swarms of the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship did not take the initiative to seize Interstellar Air Superiority above the Enemy Fleet.
Because how much capability would it take to contest Interstellar Air Superiority with the Hive Fleet?
Even Zhao Chen's T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship could not afford such a massive expenditure.
Therefore, changing from past tactics, the 300 T3 Phoenix-class Starfighters and 3,000 T3 Black Phoenix-class Medium Star Drones of the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship were primarily executing a Fleet Defense Counterattack Operation.
They would coordinate with the T2 Black Rhino-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigates around the Fierce Dragon Fleet to annihilate all the invading Zerg units!
And the T3 Fire Phoenix-class Heavy Star Stealth Bombers were not to penetrate deep into the enemy ranks to assassinate enemy ship commanders.
Instead, they locked onto the general locations of the T3 Corrupted Wyverns and T3 Self-detonating Beetles and dropped Stellar Bombs.
Stellar Bombs were area-of-effect attacks. Not only could they kill these T3 Corrupted Wyverns and T3 Self-detonating Beetles, but they could also inflict immense damage on the surrounding Zerg units, slowing the Zerg advance.
"T3 Phantom Stinger Squad and T2 Lion King Squad, execute your combat mission!" Zhao Chen ordered.
On the bridge of the T3 Phantom Stinger-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber No. 1.
Not long ago, Zhao Wan'er had refused her older brother Zhao Chen's offer to assign her a T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser as her Flagship, resolutely insisting on continuing to serve as the T3 Phantom Stinger Captain.
At this moment, having received her brother's command, she had been eagerly staring at the dozens of Hive Motherships right before her eyes for a long time. She issued the long-awaited order.
"Phantom Stinger Squad! Move out!"
At the same time.
On the bridge of the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship No. 1.
Bai Xue, who had been waiting for Commander Zhao Chen's order, was already restless with impatience. She undid a few buttons on her military uniform jacket.
The instant she heard the commander's order, she practically 'howled' the command: "Lion King Squad! Fire! Fire! Fire!"
All the Stellar Missiles from the five T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships.
That's right!
All of them.
Because the Swarm was coming on strong, dense, and massive, there was simply not much opportunity for maneuvering.
It was better to just come out swinging with ferocious power.
The five T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships, with a total of 2,500 Lion King-class interstellar missiles, began to fire nonstop.
One after another, the Stellar Missiles roared out, trailing Exhaust Plumes.
In just three short minutes, the five T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships had launched all 2,500 of their Lion King-class interstellar missiles.
In this kind of battle, the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship was often the first to attack and also the fastest to finish and withdraw from the battlefield.
Fast and fierce was its middle name!
Bai Xue's eyes were bloodshot as she stared at the image window from the deep-space telescope. Her breathing seemed to stop at this moment.
As a 'sea of red flowers' bloomed on the screen, her face flushed, her ears perked up, and the tail behind her wagged incessantly, a dazed smile on her lips.
This scene... was too beautiful!
And beneath this extremely beautiful scene, tens of thousands of Zerg units were being devoured by the terrifying explosions!
At the same time, the five T3 Phantom Stinger-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bombers also revealed their hidden fangs.
Short-range heavy anti-ship missiles! Short-range heavy cluster bombs! Heavy short-range particle torpedoes!
All were launched, rushing toward the prey they had long since locked onto.
Four T3 Hive Motherships and several T2 Hive Motherships.
These Hive Motherships probably never expected five starships to appear out of thin air so close to them. They immediately began to defend, ordering their escorting flying Zerg units to attack these starships and intercept the incoming attacks.
But in such a rush, there was simply no time.
The four T3 Hive Motherships were almost instantly engulfed by the dense explosive firepower. No matter how strong their Biological Armor was, taking such an attack at such close range, they were beyond saving!
On the T3 Phoenix Bridge, Zhao Chen didn't even need to look at the battlefield.
He only needed to look at his System Interface.
Watching the numbers on the mission objective for killing T3 Hive Motherships tick upwards one by one, he knew the result.
The number '19' jumped, becoming '20'.
It jumped again, going directly from '20' to '22'.
Then, it settled at '23'.
The corners of Zhao Chen's mouth lifted. This was the heaven-defying power of the T3 Phantom Stinger-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber. With less than five minutes of firepower output, they had taken down the four strongest T3 Hive Motherships of the Hive Fleet!
"Phantom Stinger Squad has completed its combat mission and requests to withdraw from the battlefield," Zhao Wan'er's voice sounded in Zhao Chen's ear.
"Withdrawal approved." Zhao Chen looked toward the team responsible for the 'cleanup' next.
The twenty T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruisers led by Charlotte!
"Charge!" Charlotte, aboard the T3 Blizzard No. 1 Ship, gave the order to attack.
The slaughter began