The situation thus grew increasingly heated.
The important figures on the Azure Princess, and their families, naturally enjoyed the spectacle.
Since it was a performance match, much like ancient Roman gladiatorial contests, there had to be a battle of wits and courage, a back-and-forth of killing and counter-killing, to satisfy everyone.
At this point, all the excellent qualities a soldier should possess—strategy, adaptability, decisiveness, professionalism, and finally, courage—were on full display. Moreover, the battle was full of twists and turns, making it quite dramatic.
In any case, no matter who won or lost, everyone on both ships should have caught the eye of the important figures.
Feifei always felt she should be proud of Yu'er. However, for some reason, she felt a sense of unease, a restless feeling.
Fortunately, her composure was even more extraordinary than her beauty, and she continued to explain the battle situation to everyone with seriousness and vivacity. Besides the important figures on the Azure Princess, the hundreds of billions of viewers watching the live broadcast also remembered this beautiful, dignified, and brightly smiling young reserve officer.
In any case, before the Red Faction and Blue Faction crew members, who were fighting tooth and nail, and their captains became famous, Feifei already had.
Duke Fisu, who was observing the battle and listening to Feifei's explanation, suddenly said, "...Something's strange."
What new trick was this old man pulling now? Nishita Chairman sighed silently, turned to look at the Duke, and a smile once again appeared on his face.
"I just reviewed the profiles of these two young captains. One is a vanguard warrior who personally participated in boarding actions and direct combat, and the other is a tactical expert whose attacks are like fire. But this time, both seem a bit too cautious."
The Duke felt he really wasn't nitpicking. He himself was a carrier-based pilot and naturally looked forward to seeing fighter jets become the decisive trump card. However, as a seasoned general who had battled on the battlefield for many years, he also knew that since both sides had thought of the tactic of fighter jet sneak attacks, they must have also prepared countermeasures. Continuing to fight like this would truly turn into a protracted war.
Let's have some proper artillery battles or boarding actions. Such tactics lack flashiness, but they truly test a captain's judgment and decisiveness regarding the most subtle combat opportunities and situations, as well as the quality of the crew.
When a battle reached this stage, it truly needed to be fought this way to determine the victor.
"The previous battles were indeed exciting, reflecting the Wisdom and decisiveness of both captains, but in the end, it was merely a process of mutual probing. And this process was simply too long!"
"After all, it's a live broadcast in front of so many people; perhaps there's some psychological pressure," Krel Belmont, the Commonwealth trade representative next to him, said with a smile.
"Heh, psychological pressure means a lack of a soldier's true will and courage. I don't believe the Commonwealth's most outstanding young people would be so cowardly. Chairman, is that truly the case?" Duke Fisu said.
"Heh heh, when it comes to military affairs, I am merely an amateur; ultimately, I am just the logistics manager for all the Commonwealth's soldiers and officers. However, I never doubt the courage of young people. Your Excellency, the Duke, you are also an excellent soldier; you should understand that courage, only when paired with Wisdom, will not be called recklessness. I support all the choices of the young people." The Chairman continued to smile, practicing his 'cotton-hidden-needle' tai chi, and looking at President Nockham, who was still laughing happily in front, he suddenly felt a bit of resentment.
Are you thinking about the show you'll put on later, or are you thinking of your Miss Serena Mao?
Heartless people are truly happy! Those who do the work are truly suffering! The Chairman sighed.
At the same moment, in the central monitoring room of the Azure Princess, Wang Jingyang still had his Heaven's Eye Domain active, which was a wide-area spiritual energy user skill also known as the "Hostility Perception Domain." Within the coverage of his domain, he could detect the actions, physiological conditions, and even mental states of all living beings, making it one of the most powerful warning skills.
As a "Judge" of the Six Rings, Wang Jingyang had his own refined insights into this type of wide-area reconnaissance domain combat technique. He was confident that within this domain, not only ordinary people and extraordinary individuals weaker than him, but even opponents of the same rank, would absolutely not be able to escape his perception.
This was also why it was said that because of him, the dignitaries felt that the security here was foolproof.
Wang Jingyang looked at Brigadier General Morey, whose aura was growing increasingly gloomy, and instinctively felt a hint of danger. However, his Heaven's Eye Domain told him that the other party had no hostility, and his state of mind seemed very peaceful. Even more peaceful than most of the time.
Wang Jingyang cautiously lowered his guard, looking at the other party, whose eyes were sharp but whose face was grim, and mused, "General Schwartz has his problems."
This person's actions were truly too ruthless, and he had offended too many people. Now that he was in trouble, naturally, some people wanted to seize the opportunity to stomp him into the ground a hundred times, preferably until he was utterly crushed and could never rise again.
"However, the exact nature of his situation is still being debated by the higher-ups," Wang Jingyang mused, then frankly said, "From my own observation, the so-called collusion with cults, terrorists, conspirators, and so on, are mostly just unsubstantiated suspicions. His current status is merely assisting with an investigation; no definitive conclusion has been reached. So, don't overthink it. Regardless, there will always be a way out."
"Some very extreme rumors have already appeared, and many soldiers are always unsettled by them. You know, the number of soldiers who have received General Schwartz's favor is not small."
Brigadier General Morey sighed deeply, a smile filled with exhaustion and grimness twisting his face: "I've been busy tracking down the traces of the Necromancer Cult and the Lumina Rebels on Earth while also applying to meet with General Schwartz. However, all my applications have fallen on deaf ears... Your Excellency, even I get tired."
He looked around: "I have indeed heard some rumors. They say he is... no longer with us..."
This is the so-called 'a rumor spreads with one mouth, and a thousand legs are broken trying to refute it.' I saw him half a month ago, Wang Jingyang thought helplessly.
The main reason was that this guy had done a lot of 'dirty work,' and some important figures at the top weren't entirely at ease, so he was secretly detained. But similarly, whether or not to let a distinguished General disappear or die in a 'hide-and-seek' accident was a decision even the highest-ranking figures in the Commonwealth dared not make.
It was precisely for this reason that they asked Wang Jingyang to have a brief talk with General Schwartz, who was currently under house arrest.
Wang Jingyang knew what the higher-ups meant: simply to use mystical means to ensure General Schwartz could no longer speak.
...Of course, not in the physical sense of being unable to speak. If a General truly died inexplicably, it would be a great trouble for the important figures.
This is truly disgusting! Wang Jingyang sighed. He suddenly realized that in just over a year on Earth, the mental pressure he had accumulated was more than what he had experienced during more than ten years of cultivation in the Void Realm with his two teachers and fellow disciples.
This is truly disgusting!
Wang Jingyang was not a man of many words, but he decided to earnestly comfort Morey a few words. But just then, he suddenly felt a sudden halo of light that instantly almost deprived him of his vision.
"I apologize, Your Excellency! You are actually a good person. Therefore, this is not a personal grudge!" Brigadier General Morey said in a chilling tone.
At this very moment, on the exercise battlefield, the four Ghost Fighters and twelve Griffin drones from both sides attacked the enemy warships almost simultaneously.
The difference was that Miss Martha Deacon's squadron attacked from the five o'clock direction, while Li Baolu attacked from the direct rear, the six o'clock direction.
Li Baolu's attack direction was the Blue Monarch's main sub-light engine, a tactical direction that had been decided from the beginning.
As for Martha's side...
"Captain, the enemy aircraft's target is approaching from the seven o'clock direction..." Zhi Xia paused: ""
"How did they know we made such a modification?" Liu Li asked.
Generally speaking, for a cruiser like the Censor, its energy core, commonly known as a super-large battery, is naturally placed separately. This is to prevent the enemy from destroying it all at once.
Typically, the Censor's backup energy core is located at the rear of the ship, primarily to ensure secondary power supply to the ship's shields and the secondary turrets' turbo-laser arrays.
Based on his experience from later generations, Yu Lian knew there were still certain safety hazards. So he simply had his three future tech-masters perform a "drastic" modification—in fact, it wasn't much engineering, just re-laying some pipelines and energy channels.
Although the three future tech giants hadn't yet fully matured, doing these basic "I reckon" type of modifications was no problem.
In short, after the modification, the energy core was moved to the middle-rear part of the hull. Although the energy conduction efficiency was slightly affected, surrounded by the armor of the middle-rear compartments, it was at least much safer.
If that spot were destroyed, the Red Tiger's shields probably wouldn't last many hits. In a space battlefield, this was equivalent to a soldier losing his armor; any attack could potentially take his life.
"I, my mistake, the other party didn't fall for it!" Ris connected to Yu Lian's communication, his tone full of frustration.
The engineering work Aisen and the others did on the Red Tiger was quite extensive, so it was naturally impossible to completely hide it from the Blue Faction. Therefore, Ris, roommate B, who was intent on being a double agent, gave false intelligence when responding to the other party's inquiries.
"I clearly told the other party that we placed the backup energy core in the front compartment! That's why I even deployed four more autonomous anti-aircraft robots near there! Why did this happen?" Ris said through gritted teeth, "Despicable Wien, how dare he scheme against me!"
The communication channel was silent for a moment. Double standards are human nature; we need to understand.
And just like that, similar conversations were unfolding on the bridge of the Blue Monarch.
“Hmph, despicable Yu Lian, he's indeed playing a double agent's game!” Horatio Wien gnashed his teeth.
“Thanks to you for seeing through it, Yahata!” Mikhail Kent laughed.
“They’re being too clever for their own good. It’s precisely because of the false intelligence he provided that Chester realized our current Tour Censor MK14 model indeed has safety hazards in its backup energy layout.” Autumn Mountain Yawata pushed up his glasses. Although his expression remained blank and his tone flat, everyone seemed to hear the triumph in his words.
Chester Rozes added, “But their modification work only took three days. Even the most elite engineering team would have limited scope for internal ship modifications… So, it could only be those few locations. Area B4, in the middle-to-rear section of the ship, is the most likely.”
His family were shipping and shipbuilding magnates in the Commonwealth, and his elders had even been in charge of managing the Glorious Shipyard, so they had a deep family tradition.
The Blue Faction elites on the bridge were about to gloat again when Kent poured another bucket of cold water on them: “However, in the end… the situation is still a stalemate. The enemy aircraft’s attack pattern also poses a great threat to us.”
“William has already gone personally! The four additional Thor robots we equipped are for times like this.”
“Victory and defeat are separated by a thin line. It’s not time to celebrate victory yet!” Wien took a deep breath, gritting his teeth and trying his best to suppress all his irrational emotions, and even a hint of tension and fear, deep in his heart.
All our efforts and schemes, gathering all the young elites of the Commonwealth, can only result in a draw with some “rabble” whose names you found casually and we’ve never even heard of?
But I still want to defeat you! I want the entire Universe to know that Central Defense University has more than just you, Yu Lian!
Thinking of this, he loudly ordered, “Simon! Continue the ultra-long-range bombardment of the enemy ship!”
The main gunner, called “Simon,” wore his aiming helmet and did not speak or turn back, but he gave everyone on the bridge a confident thumbs-up.
“Where did you find this expert? When you said you were going to give him the main gunner position, everyone was startled!” Rozes asked in a low voice.
“Simon’s family runs a chain of restaurants and cooperates with my family’s hotels. He showed his talent as a sensitive person at a very young age, but didn’t know how to cultivate or train it, so he came to my family for help.” Kent also lowered his voice, “Simon studied logistics support, but his gunnery and marksmanship were personally trained by my uncle. His reputation isn’t prominent now, but in the future, he will definitely become the best sniper and gunner in the galaxy!”
Wien on the side remained expressionless, but the triumph in his heart seemed to be overflowing along his constantly twitching eyebrow.
Hmph! Yu Lian, this is the big gift package I prepared for you! You never expected that we would have two spiritual energy users on our ship, did you!
Even in terms of extraordinary individuals, we have an advantage!
Autumn Mountain Yawata, who was nearby, glanced at the other party, sighed, and couldn't help but step back a few paces.
He pushed up his glasses, just about to complain, when he felt a tremor underfoot, almost losing his balance.
“Captain, main engine hit!” The tragic cry of a Blue Faction “elite” but unnamed chief engineer came from the bridge.
“…I understand!” Wien, holding the armrest of the captain’s chair, loudly responded, “What’s going on?”
“Enem—enemy fighters!”
“I know! I’m asking how they got here!”
Didn't I already send William to support?
Wien was about to curse again when Deng Zhengqing’s voice sounded in the communication channel: “Captain, the opponent used small strong-photon jamming bombs! The director’s judgment is that our autonomous defense robots have lost communication and power!”
“…Damn it,” Wien cursed in a low voice!
“I’m already rushing over! At this time, we can only use visual aiming!”
“…Alright, I’ll leave it to you and William.”
“I’ll do my best. Also, you should be mentally prepared… The opponent’s pilot, I feel, is absolutely no less skilled than Martha!”
“I understand.”
Horatio, who had cut off communication, felt like scratching his scalp. He really didn’t understand how Yu Lian had managed to find these people.
At the same moment, on the Red Tiger’s bridge.
“It seems we were too clever for our own good and fell into a trap!” Luo Ming sighed in the communication channel.
“Don’t worry, Yu… Captain, as long as we are alive, we will never let the backup core suffer any mishap!”
It’s just an exercise! Does it have to be so tragic! Yu Lian was about to complain when his two enthusiastic roommates cut off communication. He couldn’t help but look at Lu Ke, the only one still on the bridge. But this guy had been huddled in his position on the lowest level of the bridge, intently watching the radar screen, seemingly analyzing something.
“What about close-in defenses?”
“Already activated!”
Yu Lian looked at the images transmitted from the monitor and saw only the mid-ship’s turbo laser array pouring fire in the direction of the enemy aircraft. The crimson laser beams disappeared into the void, passing through the gaps between the enemy aircraft, but could no longer be seen clearly.
However, facing such dense firepower, Martha Deacon and her teammates moved like dancing butterflies, coming and going freely. They only lost two drones before they had already approached the Red Tiger’s position and dropped neutron armor-piercing shells, clearly targeting the armor in the mid-to-rear section of the ship with specific preparations.
Of course, Martha’s ability was indeed astonishing. Just by her dazzling evasion maneuvers and decisive bombing actions, she was undeniably an ace pilot, absolutely no less skilled than Li Baolu, the future “Eagle of Advance,” with whom she was currently having a flirtation.
Yu Lian had never heard of such a person in later generations. Thinking about it carefully, it was inexplicably regrettable!
Who knows how many heroes were buried by the tide of history. Yu Lian, you must not become complacent just because of a little knowledge of future history!
The Red Tiger swayed automatically, this was the simulated hit effect from the exercise computer core.
“Rear side armor damaged, director team judgment: shield power reduced by 24%, D4 compartment damaged! 7 crew members killed in action! Turbo laser arrays B7, B19 temporarily locked down! Port side barrage team leader Luo Ming killed in action! Second armaments officer Ris killed in action!”
…Rest in peace! Roommate A and Roommate B! I will avenge you! Yu Lian was filled with grief and indignation, and his fighting spirit immediately soared.
“Rear side armor damaged! Bai Ziya’s damage control team is in place and has started work!”
“Tell them to restore the turbo laser arrays as quickly as possible! Daina, you take over command of the port side barrage!” Yu Lian commanded, sighing inwardly.
…Everyone did their best. Manual operation is just this efficient! The most I could do was install a temporary fire control system for everyone!
Fortunately, on the other side, Li Baolu and his companions had also broken through the Blue Faction’s close-in defenses and began close-range attacks.
The Blue Monarch opposite should have been hit in the rear, as the engine area was on fire.
But just then, Martha Deacon’s fighter once again delivered a heavy blow to the Red Tiger’s waist. She finally lost a comrade, but this time, the proton bomb she personally dropped penetrated a gap in the armor plate and exploded inside the ship’s hull.
Of course, all the above scenarios were judgments made by the exercise director’s office. In reality, this meant that all the exploded compartments were shut down, and all pipelines passing through them ceased to function.
“Aisen, Xiaobai, re-lay the pipelines! The overall operational functionality of the entire ship cannot fall below eighty percent, that’s my bottom line!” Yu Lian said in a deep voice.
“Ho-how could this be…” Xiaobai protested weakly.
“Yu Lian, you’re too harsh!” Liuli also felt a little unbearable.
Yu Lian, however, was completely unfazed, and said bluntly: “Aisen, can it be done? You are the Red Tiger’s chief technical officer! I only need your judgment! And I will respect your judgment!”
Seconds later, Aisen replied with an equally decisive and powerful voice: “No problem, Captain!”
The girls on the ship all felt that the big, chubby Mr. Aisen Franchi was already very handsome today, but at this moment, it was his most handsome moment, almost catching up to the Captain.
The chief engineer and the technical personnel began their work, and at this moment, the voice of another officer sounded in the communication channel.
“Captain, do you need me to sortie?” It was none other than the assault team leader, Miss Gongsun Qing’s voice.
Everyone found it a bit comical; if it weren't for the tense situation, someone might have burst out laughing.
The so-called assault team leader, as the name suggests, is for boarding assaults! But right now, both sides were still bombarding each other from tens of thousands of kilometers away. How could she sortie?
However, Yu Lian only thought for half a second before guessing what the other party wanted to do.
“Are you confident?” Yu Lian asked.
“I’ve never tried it, but it’s certainly worth a try… I think I can make the situation better.” Gongsun Qing said unconvincing words with a confident tone.
“Besides, even if it doesn’t succeed, there’s no loss, right?”
This was indeed very reasonable, and everyone found it hard to refute.
“Don’t worry, Captain, even if I suffer a little internal injury, it won’t affect the subsequent boarding assault!” Her tone was very natural, pure, and frank, as if the Marine Corps on the Blue Faction ship opposite were nothing but rabble.
Everyone felt that if this statement were directly transmitted to the other side, it would certainly serve as a war taunt.
Before anyone else could object, Yu Lian had already smiled and directly ordered: “Then, go ahead and try.”