Chapter 1319: Preventing Those Creatures from Spreading

One hour later, in the Meeting Room of the Supreme Council Chamber, the high-ranking officials of the Canaan Star Alliance were seated.

Military Commander Morax sat to the right of Viridius.

Chief Scientist Tailesi sat to the left, thin and pale, with a glimmer of anxiety flashing in his three eyes.

He was Dian's deputy and the second person in charge of the experimental project.

Intelligence Chief Seth sat opposite, holding a thick report in his hands.

Several other high-ranking officials also wore varying degrees of nervousness and unease on their faces.

Viridius looked around the room and spoke.

"Everyone is aware of the situation at X-7-009 Star. The experimental planet has lost contact, the defense fleet has lost contact, and Doctor Dian has lost contact. Now, we need to decide what our next step is."

Morax was the first to speak.

"Speaker, we need to dispatch a fleet to X-7-009. No matter what has happened there, we must find out."

Tailesi shook his head.

"General, according to the last report received, the number of those creatures is extremely vast. The fleet's firepower cannot stop them at all. Sending a fleet is just sending them to their deaths."

Morax looked at him.

"Then what do you suggest we do? Do nothing? Let that thing continue to expand?"

Tailesi fell silent.

Saiweilu spoke up.

"Speaker, the Intelligence Department has analyzed the last signal received. Those creatures... are not a known species of the Bode Star System. Their energy signatures, biological signals, and even spatial fluctuations are not in the database."

Viridius looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

Saiweilu said.

"It means they did not come from anywhere in the Bode Star System. They came from the other side of the rift."

A dead silence filled the Meeting Room.

Viridius tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop.

"Veriks of the Fengqi Star Alliance was right. There is something on the other side. And it has come through."

Tailesi's voice was trembling.

"Speaker, we must blockade the X-7-009 Galaxy. At any cost, we must stop those creatures from spreading."

Morax asked.

"How do we blockade it? Our fleet cannot hold them back."

Tailesi said.

"Use planetary-level weapons. Destroy the entire star sector. Blow up the rift along with those creatures."

Low murmurs of discussion rose in the Meeting Room.

The Diplomat asked.

"Doctor Tailesi, destroy an entire star sector? How many resources would that take? What would be the cost?"

Tailesi looked at him.

"No matter how high the cost, it is smaller than letting those creatures spread to the entire Canaan Star Alliance."

Viridius raised a hand, signaling for silence.

"A blockade is necessary. But destroying the star sector is a last resort. Before that, we must first understand the situation. What exactly are those creatures, what are their weaknesses, and is there any way to stop them?"

He looked toward Morax.

"General, assemble the fleet. Bring in every ship that can be mobilized. We need to establish a defensive line on the periphery of X-7-009 Star."

Morax nodded.

"Understood."

Viridius looked toward Tailesi.

"Doctor, gather all scientists. Analyze the data on those creatures. Find their weaknesses. We need to know how to fight them."

Tailesi nodded.

"Understood."

Viridius looked toward Saiweilu.

"Intelligence Department, continue monitoring X-7-009. Report any changes immediately."

Saiweilu nodded.

"Understood."

Viridius stood up.

"Now, go and prepare. We are out of time."

Three days later, on the western border of the Canaan Star Alliance, on the periphery of the X-7-009 star sector.

The Canaan Star Alliance fleet formed a defensive formation on the edge of the sector, cannons aimed toward the interior, waiting for whatever might emerge from the darkness.

Morax stood on the Bridge of the flagship "Canaan Shield," looking at the red zone marked "X-7-009" on the Holographic Star Map.

"Any findings from the scout ships?"

He asked.

The Adjutant pulled up the data.

"General, the scout ships found a large amount of wreckage at the edge of the galaxy. It is the wreckage of our defense fleet and the experimental base. There are also some... corpses of unknown creatures."

Morax's brow furrowed.

"Corpses? Can you confirm what kind of creatures they are?"

The Adjutant shook his head.

"Cannot. Those corpses have been severely damaged and cannot be identified. But based on the quantity of the remains, the number of those creatures is at least... in the billions."

Morax's pupils contracted slightly.

"Billions?"

The Adjutant nodded.

"Yes, General. And this is just the beginning. The scout ships report that the rift is still expanding. Those creatures are still pouring out continuously. The number is increasing steadily."

Morax was in Silence for a second.

"Notify all ships to enter Level 1 combat readiness. Be prepared to open fire at any time."

"Yes!"

On the fifth day after the fleet arrived at the periphery of the X-7-009 Star sector, the first wave of Zerg appeared.

Dense and packed, covering the sky and earth, like locusts passing through.

On the sensor screens, the light dots representing the Zerg went from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, and from a thousand to ten thousand.

Their growth rate was shockingly fast, doubling every second.

"General! A large number of abnormal Zerg discovered ahead! The quantity... is countless!"

The sensor operator's voice was trembling.

Morax stared at the screen, his expression grave.

"All ships, fire at will!"

The artillery fire rang out in unison.

Energy Beams and Plasma Rune Bullets poured down like a rainstorm, carving blinding trajectories across the starry sky.

The Zerg vanguard was reduced to fragments in the artillery fire, flesh and blood splattering.

But the Zerg behind continued to surge forward.

They passed through the remains of their companions, passed through the gaps in the artillery fire, and lunged toward the frontline of the Canaan Fleet.

Their numbers were too great, so many that every Rune Bullet could hit a target, yet they still could not be stopped.

"General! The left flank defense has been breached!"

The Adjutant shouted.

Morax gritted his teeth.

"Deploy the reserve force! Plug the gap!"

"Yes!"

More ships rushed toward the left flank, and the artillery fire became even denser.

"General! Zerg have also appeared on the right flank!"

Another Adjutant shouted.

Morax's face turned livid.

"Where are they coming from?"

The sensor operator pointed at the asteroid belt on the screen.

"Drilling out from the asteroid belt! They have been hiding there for a long time!"

Morax's fists clenched tight.

"All ships, fire at the asteroid belt! Blow those rocks to pieces!"

The fleet's artillery fire turned toward the asteroid belt.

The asteroids shattered, fragments splattered everywhere, and the Zerg hidden inside were blown into pieces.

The battle lasted for an entire day.

Thirty Capital Ships were destroyed, one hundred and twenty Auxiliary Ships sank, and hundreds of assault ships were reduced to Ashes.

The casualty figures for the soldiers were rising rapidly.

But the number of Zerg did not decrease.

They were still pouring in.

From the rift, from the asteroid belt, from every corner of the planet.

Their corpses piled up in the void, but their numbers seemed impossible to kill off.

Morax stood on the Bridge, looking at the dense light dots on the Holographic Star Map, his three eyes filled with exhaustion.

"General, our ammunition is running out."

The Adjutant said.

"Notify all ships, prepare to retreat."

The Adjutant was stunned.

"Retreat? General, the Speaker's order is to hold the line..."

Morax looked at him.

"Hold? With what? Our ammunition is almost gone, the ships are almost gone, the people are almost gone. If we keep holding, the entire army will be wiped out."

The Adjutant lowered his head.

"Yes, General."

The retreat order was issued.

The Canaan Fleet began to withdraw from the X-7-009 Star sector in an orderly fashion.

The Zerg pursued from behind, but the fleet's firepower barely managed to block their pursuit.

Morax stood before the window, watching that dark red star field growing further and further away.

"What exactly are they? Even the Zerg we already know aren't as troublesome as them."