Chapter 287: Surprise

The massive fleet of the Iron Curtain Civilization jumped out of hyperspace.

When fifty million black warships, like a deathly surge rising from hell, appeared at the outskirts of the Zeta Star System,

The Grand Marshal stood on the bridge of his flagship Iron Throne, a cruel and satisfied smile spreading across his face.

He had already seen the scene: the Zeta Civilization's fleet, before his steel torrent, being easily ground to dust.

He heard the desperate wails coming from the Zeta people's homeworld.

"All forces, deploy into attack formation."

The Grand Marshal issued the order in his emotionless voice.

"Target, the Zeta homeworld's orbital defense fleet."

"Finish the battle within ten minutes."

However, just as his fleet had finished forming up and was preparing to launch the all-out attack,

His radar officer suddenly let out a cry filled with confusion and incomprehension!

"Report, Grand Marshal! The…… the energy response of the target fleet is showing an anomaly!"

"Anomaly?"

The Grand Marshal's brow furrowed slightly.

"Yes, Grand Marshal!" the radar officer's voice carried a hint of disbelief, "Their energy intensity has increased…… at least a hundredfold in just a few hours!"

"Their warship shields have shifted from standard Energy Shields to…… space-folding shields!"

"Their weapons systems have also…… undergone a qualitative change! We detected massive energy fluctuations from phase-disintegration cannons!"

"What?!"

The Grand Marshal's pupils contracted sharply.

Space-folding shields?

Phase-disintegration cannons?

"This…… this isn't a technology possessed only by the Biteen Empire and Third-level Civilizations, is it?"

"How could the Zeta Civilization, a Second-level Civilization that hasn't even fully mastered warp navigation, possibly have these things?"

"Could the intelligence be wrong?"

"No, impossible."

Just as the Grand Marshal felt puzzled and bewildered,

an anomaly occurred again.

On the flank of his fleet, in the void that seemed empty, a golden fleet of roughly ten thousand ships appeared without any warning.

This fleet appeared so abruptly, so ostentatiously.

It saw no need to conceal its presence.

They simply hovered there, with a lofty, overbearing posture, coldly observing the Iron Curtain Civilization's massive fleet.

When the image of this golden fleet was transmitted to the bridge of the Iron Throne,

the Grand Marshal's body jerked violently.

In his hawk-like sharp eyes, a look of horror appeared for the first time.

"It's the Biteen Empire!"

He forced the name out through clenched teeth.

"As one of the Kelor Empire's most powerful lackeys, how could he not recognize this enemy fleet that has opposed them for millions of years!"

"But they…… how could they appear here?!"

"Could it be……?"

A chilling thought rose in his mind.

"Could it be that the Zeta Civilization, this seemingly weak and harmless Second-level Civilization, has actually secretly allied with the Biteen Empire?"

"Are they a hidden pawn planted by the Biteen Empire in the western border of the Kelor Empire?"

"And has my own operation been a trap from the very beginning?"

"A massive trap aimed at his Iron Curtain Civilization, and even at the entire Kelor Empire?"

That thought drenched the Grand Marshal's back in cold sweat instantly.

If his guess is correct, then what he faces today will no longer be an easy hunt.

but a fierce battle capable of annihilating his entire massive fleet!

"Retreat! Retreat immediately!"

The Grand Marshal hesitated not at all, decisively issuing the retreat order.

When facing an opponent of equal or greater strength, any hesitation or wishful thinking will be fatal.

However, his order came a step too late.

At the very moment he issued the retreat command,

that gentle yet arrogant voice echoed across the battlefield via the public channel.

"Guests who have come from afar, since you're here, why rush to leave?"

"As the Yanhuang Civilization says, 'Having come, you should settle in.'"

AI Bilong's holographic image appeared on the bridge of the Iron Throne.

He looked at the already somewhat disorganized Iron Curtain Civilization Grand Marshal, his face breaking into a cat-toying-with-mouse smile.

"I, on behalf of the great Biteen Empire, welcome your arrival."

"At the same time, I have prepared a little 'surprise' for you."

As his words fell,

The Zeta civilization's Guardian Fleet, which had just completed the Bird Gun to Cannon upgrade, moved.

One hundred thousand warships equipped with phase decomposition cannons and space folding shields, amid the vengeful roar of their leader, advanced toward the vast fleet of the Iron Curtain Civilization.

For Zeta's freedom!

Fire!

Tens of thousands of phase decomposition attacks, capable of easily shredding the shields of a Third-level Civilization warship, sliced through the dark void like swords, striking into the Iron Curtain Fleet's formation that had not yet fully deployed.

Hiss—hiss—hiss—!

Grating sounds of shields disintegrating and armor melting echoed across the battlefield.

The Iron Curtain Civilization's warships, although they were also top-notch among Third-level Civilizations,

But their technology proved utterly ineffectual when faced with this kind of near-dimension‑striking weapon.

Their shields, before the phase decomposition attack, were as easily pierced as paper.

Their sturdy hulls began an irreversible atomic‑level disintegration the moment they came into contact with the attack.

In just a single salvo.

The vanguard of the Iron Curtain Fleet alone lost several thousand warships, which silently turned to cosmic dust.

This sight filled all Iron Curtain soldiers with deep fear and despair.

Their proud steel torrent, before the enemy's 'divine weapon,' could not even withstand a single salvo?

And this was merely the beginning.

Just as the Iron Curtain Fleet fell into chaos after its vanguard's defeat,

The gold phantom fleet that had lain silent on the flank also finally revealed its deadly fangs.

Activate the space resonance wave.

AI Bi Long issued the cold order.

The prows of ten thousand phantom warships simultaneously emitted a silent, invisible ripple.

This ripple, in a way that could neither be detected nor defended against, instantly enveloped the Iron Curtain Fleet's densest core region.

The next second.

An eerily bizarre scene unfolded.

Within that region, tens of thousands of Iron Curtain warships

From bow to stern, from armor to engine, they silently turned into countless specks of the finest dust.

Then they vanished.

No explosion, no fire.

Only the most thorough erasure, at the physical level.

Space resonance weapon!

On the bridge of the Iron Throne, the Grand Marshal gazed at the sector that had instantly become empty void and let out a despairing howl.

His pupils were filled with bloodshot veins and madness.

He finally understood what kind of monster he had provoked today.

This was by no means an evenly matched war.

This was a utter one‑sided massacre from start to finish!

He gazed at that gold fleet, hovering like a deity in the distance.

He gazed at the holographic image of AI Bi Long, whose face bore an elegant smile.

A wave of unprecedented regret and fear overwhelmed all his reason.

He knew he was done for.

The Iron Curtain Civilization was also finished.

And all of this was merely because they coveted the tiny void crystal on that planet.