Chapter 224 The Nightmare of Galan's Defeat
“We interrupt this program for an urgent news flash!”
In the bustling New Hope foreign exchange trading hall, everyone's attention was drawn to a news report that popped up on their mobile phones and other portable devices.
“Our station has received insider information that a large-scale fleet decisive battle has just broken out in the Li Star System at the end of the navigation channel!
“Everyone should remember that less than a month ago, the Galan Third Fleet assembled in New Hope. After departing, they rendezvoused with three Apollo warships to form an even larger fleet, heading straight for the Li Star System, planning to ‘punish the unruly barbarians’ there!”
“But in reality, the essence of the operation was just a very common invasion!” an old expert arranged by Anya interjected, standing next to the host.
“Yes, Mr. Expert! But later, this punishment operation took a dramatic turn, didn't it?”
The old expert nodded: “Yes. Later, we all knew that the opponent this combined fleet was going to challenge was actually Cangyuan Future Technology! Tsk, tsk, tsk, if that's true, then they're in for it. It's like ants trying to ‘punish’ giants, completely overestimating themselves!”
The hostess said: “Yes! When this news broke that day, it immediately caused considerable fluctuations in the foreign exchange market. Although the Galan Commonwealth used various methods to try to recover from the impact of the unfavorable news, the Galan currency was still severely hit that day!”
The old expert tapped his head.
“If you ask me, those who bought Galan currency at the bottom are simply brain-damaged and not worthy of sympathy! How dare you believe the words of a government as habitually lying as Galan? Losing everything is what they deserve!”
The hostess: “Haha, the expert's remarks only represent his personal opinion, everyone please discern! But speaking of which, did the Galan government, in addition to launching a propaganda offensive to protect its exchange rate, make any tactical adjustments to the Third Fleet that was already on its way?”
“How could they adjust?” The old expert spread his hands.
“Even if they were truly unsure, they couldn't adjust! There were no superluminal communication base stations on the expeditionary fleet. Until the moment before the battle, it was impossible for them to know how terrifying their opponent was! They were probably still dreaming of bullying barbarians!”
The hostess looked at the camera and gave a playful wink.
“Indeed! So, what was the outcome of this battle? Come on! Let's first watch a clip!”
“Holy crap!”
The trading hall was filled with curses.
“Broadcast it quickly! You damn TV station! What clip!”
The traders, representing various political forces and interstellar enterprises, were all on tenterhooks, their appetites thoroughly whetted.
For a moment, no one even paid attention to the trading market.
In fact, the entire news production team had been bribed by Anya in advance and was now broadcasting according to the script she provided.
The reason for slowing down the pace was precisely to whet people's appetites, and also to give time to introduce the background of the event to those who were not yet fully aware of it.
Only by attracting a sufficiently high level of attention would the subsequent shocking news have the greatest emotional impact on the market.
A few minutes later, the screen finally cut back to the studio.
The hostess feigned mystery.
“Now, I solemnly and exclusively disclose this news to you! The magnificent combined fleet formed by Apollo and the Galan Commonwealth was completely annihilated! All of them! Not a single warship escaped the battlefield! All were destroyed by Cangyuan!”
“Ah!?”
“What did you say!?”
“Impossible!” The traders were all dumbfounded.
Many felt their hearts almost stop. They clenched their fists due to extreme tension, anxiously waiting for confirmation of the news. “Annihilated! Impossible!”
Even the old expert invited by Anya was greatly surprised at this moment.
Anya had only told him in advance that Cangyuan had won this battle, but had not disclosed the details of the losses.
“That's right, the news is accurate! And Mr. Expert, from what you said earlier, you didn't have high hopes for this Punishment Fleet, did you?”
“I didn't have high hopes, but according to my judgment, they would at most lose two or three warships, and then the rest would be heavily damaged and flee in disgrace. That was, after all, a considerable-sized warp fleet! Annihilated, oh my goodness!”
“You can't just say such things! Do you have evidence?”
The situation described by the expert was also the “worst-case” scenario that most Star Alliance forces, enterprises, and independent think tanks could imagine.
In other words, if the outcome of the war was even more exaggerated than this, it would break many people's psychological bottom lines and stop-loss lines, and would have an immediate and substantive impact on diplomatic and financial policies.
“Of course, there is evidence. Come, everyone, please look at this video sent via superluminal communication! A word of caution: some of the images may cause you physiological discomfort.”
At this time, the viewership of this breaking news segment had soared to 26 times what it was at the beginning.
Not only residents of New Hope were watching; through the superluminal signal broadcast network, countless Star Alliance citizens also witnessed the disastrous defeat of the combined Punishment Fleet.
This included the Galan Commonwealth's home planet—the planet Bartra.
However, all media outlets within Galan that rebroadcast this news were forcibly cut off by the government just after the video began to play.
Other viewers saw the brand-new Galan warships explode from a single shot, saw Galan Sailors being thrown out of the disintegrating warships like trash, clutching their throats and dying in agony…
Meanwhile, on Cangyuan's side, those two previously unseen, monstrous warships remained completely unharmed from beginning to end.
It wasn't because of sheer luck that they dodged all the gunfire, but because they simply couldn't be penetrated!
They were terrifyingly strong!
“In short, that's the situation—”
The hostess looked at the camera again, her expression now very serious.
“It's not hard to see that Cangyuan's fleet achieved a complete military and technological Rolling, winning effortlessly.
“Our program will later invite more experts to discuss the military and tactical details in more detail.
Please remember to tune in then.”
Before she had even finished speaking, the trading hall had already completely erupted.
Some people rushed to the trading windows, others picked up phones, confirming with their respective bosses in almost screaming tones.
Among them, in addition to traders, there were actually many intelligence agents planted by various forces.
“The one in the video is Galan's newest White Ox, recently bought from Paradise Island for a high price of 3.5 billion credit points!
Yes, it has been confirmed sunk. No, there's no possibility of salvage or repair! It was completely shattered, and all four sunken warships are like that. The scene was like hell…”
“Mr. President, Galan's Vice Admiral Sige has been captured. Do you think we should—Yes, I can confirm it's him. Although it was only a fleeting shot, I wouldn't mistake him—Good, good! Understood! I'll do as you say immediately!”
“Galan is finished! They've finally hit a wall this time! No, you can't be so stubborn, please listen to me. The Galan currency has no chance of bouncing back. We must stop our losses as soon as possible and issue a public statement!”
“Damn it! I want your President Nadi to talk to me, that useless, liar, scoundrel, scum of scums! Excrement of maggots! Make him come see us!”
Immediately, the Galan currency experienced a panic-driven, trampling sell-off.
In terms of interpreting political situations, especially the economic impact of war outcomes, these professionals in the exchange were far more sensitive than ordinary Star Alliance citizens.
They immediately realized that this was not just a military setback!
Apollo's so-called “punishment” could arguably be called “reclaiming lost territory.”
They could barely claim to have a just cause, and the conflict between them and Cangyuan was a struggle resulting from overlapping spheres of influence, still leaving room for peaceful negotiations.
But Galan, ho ho ho…
Galan was a completely shameless aggressor. Their sphere of influence was far from Cangyuan's, and they had no grievances, yet they sent troops without any reason, declaring war without warning.
Greedy and arrogant to the point of being nauseating.
Originally, if they had won, it would have been fine, but now they were utterly defeated…
Therefore, with the military strength Cangyuan had displayed, it was unlikely they would let Galan off lightly. They would surely make this force, which had previously accumulated vast wealth through plunder, bleed profusely to establish their prestige.
And those smaller forces that Galan had previously bullied, especially the Free Trade Alliance, would they side with Cangyuan in the future? Anyone with a brain could figure that out.
One hundred percent yes!
Galan's national destiny, due to this reckless military action, has probably reached a turning point!