"Spatial reaction ahead, spatial bubble neutralized! Antimatter fuel ignited! Torpedo #1 self-destructing!
"Torpedo #2 self-destructing!"
"Number three, missed target!"
"Number four… confirmed destroyed!"
The reconnaissance technical officers' reports echoed through the Imperial Navy bridge, their voices seemingly tinged with an unbelievable dread. Slowly, the dread solidified into panic, gradually creating an overly heavy and oppressive atmosphere on the Imperial Navy bridge.
This was not their fault. Any normal person encountering a situation beyond their imagination would react this way.
However, putting aside the Bakerville who had turned into stunned birds, the Imperial Army officers on board were all elites and quickly offered their assessment: "…That, that is a Spatial Quake Bomb!"
"Nonsense! How could it be a Quake Bomb!" The chief gunnery officer at the front of the bridge slammed a keyboard, letting out an exasperated roar.
The technical content of a Spatial Quake Bomb was certainly not low, but it was still just a common, ordinary weapon. Yet, it had directly neutralized the most powerful effect of the spatial torpedo, turning their long-awaited trump card into nothingness.
Normal people found it too difficult to accept.
Even Odgar only accepted the fact after three seconds. After a long, rough exhale, a hint of appreciative smile squeezed out onto his twitching cheek: "…Ah, what a headache! I never thought Earthlings would come up with this method, creating a spatial quake isolation zone for defense! A weapon that the Engineering Department spent at least billions of gold dragons annually to develop. A single weapon costing at least five million gold dragons, blocked by a Spatial Quake Bomb that costs at most ten thousand?"
He felt as if he were a seasoned Star Realm Knight Commander who, after enduring countless hardships and near-death experiences, had finally acquired an Atomic Light Spear crafted by a Royal Grandmaster himself, and received the Emperor's approval, learning the indomitable Myriad Dragon Instant Slash from the Unification Institute.
The Star Realm Knight Commander was full of ambition, eager to achieve glorious feats. But in the very first battle, he was killed by a shut-in who had practiced dagger techniques for half an hour, using a cleaver.
The Star Realm Knight Commander certainly became a laughingstock, but what about those "cheering" them on? What about the entire Empire?
At this thought, First Officer Wolfgang, and the surrounding Imperial Army officers, felt dispirited and speechless. The more emotional Bakerville even felt a bit like crying.
…Of course, they didn't actually cry. If they did, they would surely be picked up and made into roasted chicken wings by the enraged Empire. These birdmen, skilled in trade, had all taken emotional intelligence classes and probably believed that this feeling of wanting to cry but being unable to was the most appropriate.
Just as this sorrowful and oppressive atmosphere was about to turn into an avalanche, Odgar spoke again.
"However, this isn't a problem with the weapon… Spatial Quake Bombs also use the principle of antimatter, and they do indeed cause spatial vibrations, but these vibrations are uncontrollable. Our spatial bubble generator, however, is controllable and can adjust the dimensional frequency band of the spatial bubble. So, theoretically, with more delicate and reliable adjustments, we should be able to avoid the Quake Bomb." At this point, the Marquis sighed: "It's just that I really didn't expect Earthlings to come up with such a method. Even if I had received intelligence from Ke'ermo, that foolish mantis, such an ingenious idea is still worthy of admiration, enough to be my lifelong enemy!"
The officers were slightly stunned. Although they didn't quite understand, they realized that the Marquis was telling them that it wasn't a problem with the weapon's design, nor was it their lack of effort, but rather that Earthlings had a great… a great person?
This explanation was indeed very reasonable! At least it proved that they were not incompetent, and the Empire was not foolish. Everyone's mood immediately improved significantly.
First Officer Wolfgang, standing nearby, also listened with reverence, thinking that the Marquis was indeed an elite Star Realm Knight, accomplished in both military and civil arts, even understanding weapon technology so well. It was truly correct for the elders to ask him to inherit the family business. However, was it the wrong time to be giving a science lecture?
"Your Excellency, what should we do now…"
Odgar ordered expressionlessly: "Main engines ignite, enter second assault speed!"
"Understood! Main engines, ignite! Entering second assault speed!" Wolfgang quickly repeated the Marquis's order loudly.
Immediately following, the Marquis's next command caused him a momentary hesitation.
"Launch Lainong's fighter squadron! Prepare for breakout escort!"
"Your Excellency…" First Officer Wolfgang wanted to ask what "breakout escort" meant. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the Marquis turn his head slightly, looking directly into his eyes, his gaze sharp as a blade.
The First Officer, left with no choice, quickly relayed the order. But after that, he still lowered his voice and offered his opinion: "Your Excellency, we still have four spatial torpedoes! We can still…"
"The previous four were useless, so the current four will be useful? Don't forget, we have another enemy sub-fleet behind us."
The First Officer had nothing to say.
"My original plan was to have this small Earthling fleet die here completely, and incidentally tear that singing boy to shreds and throw him into the antimatter fuel depot. But now that's impossible… So, let's at least maintain some dignity. I am, after all, an Imperial Knight. Now that a technical problem with the spatial torpedoes has been discovered, this information must be immediately transmitted back home."
First Officer Wolfgang knew, however, that when someone had mocked them to this extent, and they couldn't retaliate face-to-face, no matter what, as a glorious Imperial Sword Noble, they couldn't maintain dignity.
At this thought, this rough and fierce warrior, like a bipedal giant wolf, wanted to cry even more than those pretentious Bakerville.
"What's the status of the source matter wave communication? Can we connect to the homeland?" the Marquis asked.
"Interference is a bit severe, attempting to connect…" The communications officer replied loudly, feeling helpless.
This was a binary brown dwarf system, and with the ongoing battle, interference would naturally be severe! Moreover, this was the Far Shore Nebula, right at the edge of the Empire's galactic source matter wave hub!
Fortunately, Odgar was not a very demanding superior. He changed his approach: "…Can we connect to Kerna City?"
"…Your subordinate, your subordinate will continue to connect."
"Your Excellency…" Wolfgang advised in a low voice.
"I understand. However, the ship's damage is not light, and attempting to return through the Far Shore Nebula is too risky. We must first go to Kerna City for repairs and resupply," the Marquis said.
The First Officer also sighed, having to admit once again that the Marquis always spoke with great reason.
"Energy core allocation changed, fifty percent for this ship's shields!"
"Energy core allocation, fifty percent for this ship's shields, increase power!" The First Officer repeated his lord's command. His voice was louder and more forceful, but if one listened closely, it seemed to carry a hint of grief.
Odgar's judgment was correct and timely. Just as the shields finished powering up, several shells from the zenith already slammed down.
Just now, when the Quake Bombs and spatial torpedoes created a spatial entanglement, the Earth fleet did not stand by idly. They re-formed into a bombardment formation, crawling upwards into the space above, finally crossing the barrier formed by ice crystal meteorites. From their elevated position, they unleashed all their available firepower.
At this point, how could the Earthlings possibly allow the enemy to leave?
Test Unit 24 took over a dozen orbital shells and seven or eight direct hits from ion beams and positron torrents within a mere minute.
Yet, even after enduring so much saturation attack, her shields barely reached their limit. The armor on her left side was scratched, but very shallowly. A secondary gun turret on the foredeck was sheared off, and the estimated casualties would not reach double digits.
However, the enemy's counterattack followed swiftly. After a barrage, Corsica and Luoyang were both damaged.
Despite having seized the initiative, this round of artillery combat could only be considered a draw between the two sides.
"Damn sunspots, the Empire's ship is really tough!" Lieutenant Colonel Rapone swore.
Of course, in addition to the two cruisers, the destroyer group also launched a considerable number of proton torpedoes from a greater distance. However, the one at the helm on the other side was clearly an experienced and skilled veteran driver, maneuvering such a massive vessel with surprising agility. It weaved left and right through the chaotic Asteroid Belt, and although it couldn't avoid some minor scrapes with large icebergs, it still managed to evade the slower torpedoes.
"Good heavens, the Empire can really drive!" Lieutenant Colonel Kong Qingyu couldn't help but show a look of admiration.
Only another veteran driver, whose driving skills were far superior to his own, could impress a veteran driver.
"This also shows that this ship has excellent maneuverability! If it were our country's active-duty County-class heavy cruiser, even if Mikhail or Zhengqing personally controlled it, such beautiful warship movements would be impossible," Autumn Mountain Yawata said.
"Good, what a good ship, I want it!" Elinore's eyes glowed, her face full of desire. Her gaze was so aggressive; other ordinary girls might only look at a set of Vanmeiler jewelry with such intensity.
I really want it too! You know, the Clear Sky-class is also a divine ship that has been in service for fifty years! It's not that the Empire doesn't have money to replace it, but rather that it's simply too perfect, Yu Lian thought.
However, one still had to consider the method of attack, and certainly not force the Empire on board into a desperate fight. Yu Lian forced his eyes to stop glowing, concentrating on maneuvering the ship to dodge the enemy's counterattack, while also pondering a way to break the stalemate.
If he remembered correctly, the Clear Sky-class's initial design was not entirely without flaws. No, or rather, this Imperial warship's defense was virtually perfect, but the protective measures for some special equipment were not done too well. However, this could not be blamed on the Empire's designers; All-Galaxy warship designs had this kind of flaw, and it wasn't until thirty years later that there was a significant improvement.
Yu Lian simulated a Clear Sky-class warship model in his mind and began to make calculations.
As for the others on the bridge, while they were filled with admiration for this warship and the Empire crew members inside, they were even more determined to keep the enemy here.
Thus, another hot-headed destroyer captain proposed a close-range torpedo attack tactic.
This was not strange. After all, the greatest damage inflicted on the enemy ship so far was the close-range torpedo attack by centurion 927 "before its demise." It was understandable for a somewhat reckless warrior to propose this tactic.
Elinore bit her lip, played with her braid, and then quickly rejected the suggestion.
"Of course, I want to keep the enemy here completely, but it's clear that the enemy ship has put most of its power into shields and close-range defense! And in this environment, it's not so easy for a destroyer to get close; it's too easy for the enemy ship to seize an interception opportunity! I don't believe that the dignified Imperial Navy would fall into the same trap twice."
In fact, if the ordinary crew members inside the ship were also well-trained Imperial Navy soldiers, it would have been difficult to fall into the trap even the first time.
"…But, sir, there's still a possibility of success!" The destroyer captain added.
"The possibility of success is completely disproportionate to the casualties that will be incurred!" Elinore rejected him again with a firm attitude: "There's no need to display such a desperate resolve! This is just a small skirmish with one enemy ship. I, Elinore Bonaparte, have not fallen to the point of making you act as suicide squads!"