Chapter 434: First Stage

By the way, I forgot to tell you, the brave's level clearing generally comes with rewards. Besides telling you the answer after you pass these levels, each small level's end will reward you some good stuff. Whether you can get it, whether you can make it to the end, depends on your luck.

So, our game starts now, cheer up.

As that enchanting voice gradually stopped, the mist before everyone's eyes also gradually dissipated.

"What should we do now, Commander Qin Ge?" Hao asked Qin Ge.

"What else can we do? This tester is clearly targeting me; they've set up these six stages, which definitely won't be easy. But there's one thing I can guarantee: these six stages won't be too difficult either." Qin Ge said to Hao.

"Why?" Hao asked.

Qin Ge turned his head toward the gradually clearing sea ahead and said, "Just as I said before, if they wanted to kill us, it would be very simple. But they won't do that, because in their eyes we are experimental subjects, and experimental subjects have their value."

"Moreover, have you ever seen the Sirens go to such lengths to target a commander?" Qin Ge said to Hao.

"No!" Hao said without any hesitation.

Qin Ge chuckled and said, "So, this further confirms my idea. If I were a worker recording the experiment, among a group of lab mice, the strongest one is the most likely to mutate and evolve; that one would naturally be my focus. I must ensure its survival so that my experiment can achieve a greater breakthrough."

"And I am that lab mouse now; if they want to obtain more information and data from me, they must first keep me alive. Therefore, the six stages we will face next, although difficult, will definitely be passable; that is my judgment."

After hearing Qin Ge's words, Hao and Fanji nodded involuntarily. Especially Hao, looking at Qin Ge's confident appearance, couldn't help but smile and say, "Commander Qin Ge, in this situation, you still have such strong confidence and such a good attitude; truly admirable."

Qin Ge laughed and shook his head, "Since things have come to this point, regretting is useless; it's better to straighten your chest, smile, and face it—at least there's still a glimmer of hope, right?"

"Hmm." Hao nodded.

Qin Ge smiled, turned his head, glanced at the shipgirls surrounding the command ship who were looking at him, then smiled and nodded at them before turning and walking down the upper deck of the command ship.

When Qin Ge returned to the control console beside the command ship, he saw that the mist over the sea had completely disappeared, but at that moment many red dots suddenly appeared on the radar.

Qin Ge immediately grabbed the communication device and told all the shipgirls, "All hands, note that a large number of Siren fleets have appeared ahead; all carrier aircraft take off to seize air superiority. Others, based on the intelligence reported by the carriers, seek breakthrough points."

"Yes, Commander!"

Upon hearing Qin Ge's call, all the shipgirls responded simultaneously via the communicator. Immediately, carrier aircraft took off from the decks of Guanghui and others, flying toward the sea ahead, while all the shipgirls broke formation from the circular array and advanced in a single file column.

Hao on the command ship said to Qin Ge, "Commander Qin Ge, let's fight together."

Qin Ge shook his head, "No rush, this is only the first stage; if we deploy you now, it would be overkill. Wait until they can barely hold on, then you can go out."

Seeing Qin Ge's firm intention, Hao said nothing more, merely gazing forward with his eyes.

The carrier aircraft's speed is naturally much greater than the shipgirls' movement speed; soon Guanghui reported to Qin Ge, "Commander, we have already made contact with the Siren fleets—three large Siren fleets in total, with a full complement of ship types. I estimate their proficiency is around 70. Moreover, among these three large Siren fleets I discovered Explorers, Trackers, and Ocean Leaders."

Qin Ge nodded and said via the communications device, "All carriers, note: now give it your all to seize air superiority; the vanguard fleet will conduct defensive counterattacks. Once air superiority is taken, we will advance step by step and annihilate the enemy."

"Yes, Commander!"

Despite facing three large Siren fleets, Qin Ge still chose the strategy of seizing air superiority. Because his fleet includes Guanghui, an Awakened Shipgirl, and as Guanghui's Awakening progresses, her advantage in seizing air superiority grows, so Qin Ge's attitude is thus resolute.

Accompanied by the distant roar of aircraft and the continual explosions and gunfire, even though Qin Ge is now safe inside the command ship, he still clenched his fists.

In the Corrosion Level Four sea area, such large fleets are very common, but so far Qin Ge's fleet has faced at most two large Siren fleets simultaneously; now three have appeared, which indeed poses some difficulty.

We must coordinate precisely and maneuver quickly in order to possibly annihilate these three Siren fleets swiftly; moreover, among these three Siren fleets there are three humanoid Sirens, further increasing the difficulty.

However, Qin Ge's shipgirls did not disappoint him; even while simultaneously facing three large Siren fleets, through constant containment and tugging, Guanghui and Banrenma, among others, ultimately succeeded in seizing air superiority.

And from the moment air superiority was seized, the battle's outcome was already determined; under the step-by-step encroachment attacks, the three Siren fleets were gradually nibbled away and eliminated on the sea surface.

Although a few humanoid Sirens were troublesome to deal with, after being bombed several times by carrier aircraft dispatched from several aviation carriers, they ultimately fell on the spot.

When the last Ocean Leader fell, the battle finally came to an end.

At that moment, above the sea before all the shipgirls, a Siren vortex appeared. While everyone was on guard, a technologically sophisticated box fell out of the vortex, and that enchanting voice also appeared in the sea area.

"Congratulations on completing the first stage; what a splendid battle. As a reward for passing the first stage, this box contains crystals of research test data that can quickly replenish the combat data needed by your research vessels."

As for the second stage, it will open in ten hours. Hehe, be grateful, we have indeed given you ample time; we'll meet again after the second stage ends.

After hearing the enchanting voice finish its message, Qin Ge immediately reacted, grabbed the communication device, and told all the shipgirls, "Salvage that box and have everyone return to the command ship."

"Yes!"