Chapter 1156: The Fleet Sent to Harass the Border

The technician's fingers danced across the holographic Control Console.

A few seconds later, a fragmented surveillance feed was projected into the air; it was the final footage transmitted by an early warning probe on the outskirts of Nankang Star before it was completely disabled.

In the feed, a Xiuluosheng Fleet emerged from the Void Undercurrent; those ships appeared silently just like that, then began to precisely destroy the orbital defense platforms.

"Iron Hands..."

Valken muttered, recognizing the style of those warships.

The intelligence briefing had described this legion: skilled in technological warfare, proficient in system sabotage, with a cold and efficient combat style.

The footage continued to play.

After clearing the orbital defenses, the silver-gray fleet began deploying Landing Pods toward the planetary surface.

Then the image cut out; the probe had been destroyed.

Inside the holographic room, only the sound of breathing and the low hum of instruments could be heard.

"How long ago was the last complete communication?"

Valken asked.

"Five hours and seventeen minutes ago, Malcolm, the Logistics Director of Nankang Star, sent a routine supply transfer report."

Intelligence Officer Zuola replied, her Third Eye flickering rapidly as she processed multiple data streams simultaneously.

"After that, there were only sporadic emergency signals, all of which were cut off within three hours."

Five hours.

A Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet had conquered a heavily defended logistics hub world in five hours.

Valken closed his eyes and calculated rapidly. Nankang Star stored 40% of the Southern Theater's campaign supplies, including ammunition, fuel, maintenance parts, and medical supplies urgently needed by the Capital Ship fleet.

Losing these meant the frontline fleet could only sustain high-intensity combat for at most two weeks, rather than the one month originally planned.

"How much reserve do we have left?"

Valken asked the Logistics Director.

"Spread across twelve other secondary warehouses. But mobilization takes time, and... the transport fleets require escorts. If the Xiuluosheng Iron Hands continue to attack our supply lines..."

The Logistics Director did not finish, but the meaning was clear.

Losing Nankang Star was not just losing a pile of supplies; it was losing the hub node of the entire logistics system.

Now, every transport fleet would have to take longer routes and face greater risks.

Valken analyzed.

"So the target Ferrus chose was not random. He cut off our logistics hub. Now, we have one more problem to face."

Valken turned to face all the staff officers.

"Re-evaluate the campaign schedule. Without recapturing Nankang Star or establishing alternative supply lines, how much longer can we maintain a full-scale offensive?"

The operations staff immediately began calculating. Data flowed rapidly across the holographic screens.

Fuel consumption rates, ammunition baselines, expected ship malfunctions, personnel supply requirements...

Five minutes later, the preliminary results were out:

"Optimistic estimate: eighteen days. This assumes all supplies from secondary warehouses can be safely delivered, and the campaign intensity is kept below 70% of the planned value."

"And the pessimistic estimate?"

"If the Iron Hands continue to attack other logistics nodes, or if the campaign intensity exceeds expectations... it might only be ten to twelve days. After that, the fleet will have to retreat and reorganize, otherwise, it will lose combat effectiveness due to depleted supplies."

Ten to twelve days.

In the original plan, breaking through the Star Alliance's defense line, splitting the enemy forces, and annihilating them one by one would have required at least twenty days.

The time had been cut in half.

Valken felt a wave of dizziness, but he forced himself to hold it together without showing it.

As the Commander, he could not show weakness in front of his subordinates.

"Order: The Seventh Sub-fleet is to change course and attempt to recapture Nankang Star. But do not attack rashly; scout the enemy situation first and wait for the main force to arrive."

"Then the main attack plan..."

The Deputy Commander hesitated.

Valken said directly.

"Proceed as originally planned. But the schedule is compressed to twelve days. Tell all fleet commanders: we do not have time to take it slow; we must achieve a quick victory."

The order was transmitted. The holographic room became busy again; officers began adjusting the operational plans, and the Communications Officer sent encrypted instructions to each fleet.

But the unease in Valken's heart did not diminish.

He walked to the intelligence analysis area on the side and pulled up another report that kept him awake at night.

Regarding the harassment operations against the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance border planets.

In order to tie down the Star Alliance's forces, Valken had approved a plan.

To dispatch twelve small, fast fleets to raid secondary planets on the border of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance.

These fleets were not large, with only three to five Frigates or Light Cruisers each, but they were equipped with the latest stealth systems and high-speed engines; their Task was not to occupy, but to create chaos, destroy orbital facilities, attack transport ships, and sow panic.

Theoretically, this should have forced the Star Alliance to divert forces from their main defense line to return for defense, easing the pressure on the front line.

Yes, theoretically.

"Latest status report on Blade Operation."

Intelligence Officer Zuola pulled up the data.

"Of the twelve fleets, eight are confirmed to have lost contact, with their last communication positions all being after approaching or entering the Star Alliance border.

Two lost contact after transmitting news of encountering strong resistance. Only two... transmitted complete combat reports."

"Play them."

Valken said.

The first video segment begins. The footage comes from the Bridge Recorder of the Fengqi raiding fleet's Xunying.

At first, everything went smoothly: the fleet used a nebula as cover to approach the target.

A frontier planet designated as "Caizhi-777".

No large-scale fleet garrison was detected; there were only a few small outposts and sparse transport ships in orbit.

"Attack formation, move to attack positions. Targets: orbital Refinery and Shipyard. Hit and run, do not linger in battle."

The Fleet Commander's voice was calm and confident.

But just as the Fengqi ships decloaked and began their acceleration charge, a sudden change occurred.

Dozens of energy signals suddenly lit up on the planet's surface; they were not traditional Orbital Defense Platforms, but fixed Macro-cannon Arrays and missile silos deployed on the surface.

Those weapons were usually hidden underground or disguised as industrial facilities, only revealing themselves when the enemy entered range.

The first volley crossed the atmosphere, terrifyingly precise.

The shields of two Fengqi Frigates overloaded the moment they made contact, and their hulls were torn open with massive gashes.

"Evasive maneuvers! All ships, evasive maneuvers!"

The Commander shouted.

But just as the evasive maneuvers began, new threats appeared in space: several Destroyers surged out from behind the planet and the nearby asteroid belt.

They conducted a saturation attack using Torpedoes.

"These are not Space Marine equipment! It's the Xiuluosheng Navy defense force!"

The battle lasted for seven minutes.

After destroying four enemy vessels, the Xunying's shields collapsed and its engines were damaged.

The Commander issued the order to retreat at the final moment, but only the flagship and one Frigate successfully jumped away.

The other three ships turned into flashes of explosive light on the screen.

The video ends.

The second report is shorter, coming from a survivor of the Youren.

Their target was an agricultural world, which theoretically should have had weaker defenses.

But what they actually encountered was...

"The planet's surface was deployed with a complete anti-air network, and there were weapon platforms disguised as weather satellites in orbit.

We had just opened fire when ten Frigates jumped out from the jump point... They knew we were coming all along. The defenses of these frontier planets were clearly reinforced on short notice.

Even without Space Marines stationed there, ground forces and conventional naval units alone were enough to repel a raiding force of our scale."