Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 116
Darius Bayes stared intently at the holographic battle map before him. The blue dots representing his own forces and the red dots representing the enemy were rapidly approaching each other, with the vanguard units set to clash in a few minutes. Before battle, Darius felt both anxious and excited, much like a new recruit. No matter how many times he fought, this feeling never changed. He believed this was proof that he still retained his humanity. If he became numb to war, he would no longer be Darius Bayes, who fought by the Queen’s command to protect his country, but a ruthless war machine, which was something he didn’t desire.
Now, Darius was no longer a Major General. He had been promoted to Admiral, leading a fleet of three thousand warships against Duke Winnet’s force (which called themselves the “National Salvation Army”). The nominal commander of this rebellion suppression was Princess Alveira, but she had recently taken Casper to the pirate stronghold on the frontier, with no clear return date. Before leaving, she appointed Darius as acting commander-in-chief. Among the Empire’s officers, some welcomed this, while others were dissatisfied, the latter represented by Admiral Anderwell. He was the most esteemed of the Empire’s older generation of commanders and always looked down on Darius, believing that his rapid promotion was entirely due to family connections and nepotism. He frequently resisted Darius’s orders, often ignoring them altogether. Darius wished he could court-martial him but had to endure due to Anderwell’s influence. Anderwell suggested holding the defensive line and waiting for the Duke’s forces to exhaust their supplies and collapse on their own, while Darius insisted on an active offensive for a quick victory. They had clashed countless times over this in various meetings. Only a direct order from the Princess could probably shut him up.
The Empire forces and the rebels were now in a stalemate, and if the situation turned into a war of attrition, it would likely be very disadvantageous for them. Darius had no time to consider such long-term issues. He needed to focus on the current battle. The enemy commander was Grisofin, Winnet’s right-hand man, known for his steady use of troops and cunning tactics. Defeating him decisively would indeed be challenging.
On the battle map, the vanguards of both armies had already clashed. Darius couldn’t see the soaring flames of battle or hear the rumbling explosions of ships being hit. His earpiece was filled with reports from his subordinates and the bustling conversations of the bridge crew.
He had placed Lieutenant Colonel Hauser in command of the vanguard. The officer of the flagship “Black Lotus” seemed to have courage proportional to his size, though perhaps a bit excessively. Therefore, Darius assigned the calm and composed Major Radruta to command the right wing. Darius couldn’t help but regret that Captain Casper of the “Star Iron” wasn’t here. Among officers of his age, Casper was outstanding. It would have been great if he hadn’t gone to that distant planet with the Princess.
The blue vanguard forces pierced into the enemy’s belly like a spear. “Too reckless!” Darius slammed the armrest of his chair. “Hauser! Fall back!”
The consequence of being too aggressive was that the vanguard forces were completely surrounded by the enemy, with their retreat almost cut off. The right wing, led by Radruta, immediately advanced to try and push back the enemy. But realizing the right wing’s move, the enemy started attacking the left wing.
“Center advance!”
The enemy moved too quickly, and the battle map twisted into a bizarre spiral of blue and red areas. The red forces surged forward like a fierce tiger, tearing through the weak left wing. The center was now facing attacks from both the front and the left!
“What…what is that?”
Darius heard everyone exclaim simultaneously.
What is it?!
On the battle map, the rear of the red enemy forces suddenly collapsed, scattering westward like crumbling earth. An unidentified fleet (automatically marked in white) sliced through the enemy like a sharp scalpel. After penetrating the red center, the unknown fleet formed a diamond formation, advancing relentlessly, heedless of the surrounding enemies.
Darius’s heart was pounding in his throat. “Show me the optical image!”
The bridge crew, initially stunned by the unknown fleet’s advance, scrambled to display the optical radar images. When the image was magnified and projected above the bridge, everyone was dumbfounded—
A pitch-black, graceful battleship appeared like Death with black wings, followed by three slightly smaller warships and escorted by a dozen smaller ships. The optical radar clearly captured the embossed patterns on the black warship’s hull: Lady of the Night.
The Lady of the Night, the flagship of the space pirate Joanna Begrel, whose name was eternally linked to hers, was the most feared Lady Death in the galaxy.
“Impossible…Begrel is…is…” The commander of the Second Army of the National Salvation Army, Grisofin, sat uneasily in his command seat. “How could she appear here… Is it a ghost?!”
As if responding to his speculation, dozens of fighters, trailing bright green particles, were launched into space.
“Intercept them!” the commander shouted. “Launch fighters! Intercept them! All units, fire!”
Their own fighters swiftly launched, and the pilots, initially trembling against the enemy vanguard, received the order and immediately abandoned the current battle, turning to the rear.
The unknown fleet’s fighters advanced even faster than their motherships. The leading four craft moved like phantoms, brushing past the National Salvation Army’s fighters and leaving a trail of arcing explosions behind them.
“The rear will be overrun! What are you idiots waiting for? Intercept them!”
The green particles swept through, leaving devastation in their wake. The four fighters were unstoppable, breaking through another defensive line and charging into the formation of the Empire Army!
Then, like swallows turning, the green particles arced sharply and struck the left wing of the National Salvation Army!
“What!” The sudden turn of events left Grisofin at a loss.
The fighter group cleared a broad path, and the fleet led by the Lady of the Night advanced through the rear to the front.
The Empire vanguard commander Hauser’s eyes widened as he watched the unknown fleet sail boldly into his formation.
“Who are they?”
“Re-report!” a communications officer shouted. “The unknown fleet requests communication!”
“Patch them through!”
The holographic screen on the bridge flickered, then a young girl with flaxen hair appeared.
“Long time no see, Lieutenant Colonel Hauser.”
“Your… Your Highness!” The lieutenant colonel was stunned.
“Lieutenant Colonel, the situation is urgent, so I can’t explain much. Please immediately transfer the command of your forces to me!”
After all, the Princess was the supreme commander, so what need was there for command transfer? However, Hauser had no time to think and could only respond, “Yes, ma’am!”
On the holographic battle map, the flagship marker of Hauser’s fleet transferred to the Lady of the Night, and all information and communications flooded to the black ship. The lieutenant colonel initially worried whether the Princess could handle such complex communications, but he quickly saw precise and clear orders being sent to each warship like arrows hitting the bullseye.
“All units, follow me!”
The Lady of the Night led Hauser’s fleet of 247 warships, like migrating birds, moving towards the enemy’s left wing, spearheaded by the four ghostly fighters. The rebels’ recent massive attack on the Empire’s weak points had exposed their left wing’s vulnerabilities. The united 251 ships and countless escort fighters mercilessly struck the enemy’s weak spot, broke through the flimsy defenses, and joined with Darius Bayes’s central forces, then launched a full-scale attack on the rebels.
Thirty-two minutes later, the rebel commander Grisofin issued a retreat order.
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