Interstellar Survival: Invasion

”Canyue, this is bad! The big guy is coming, ” Zhang Bao ’er exclaimed.

”We can ’t face it head on.
Speed up, ” I said.

”There are too many fighter drones in front of us.
We won ’t be able to charge through.
Do we use our nuclear warheads? ” asked Zhang Bao ’er.

”Are you crazy? Team Leader and the others are in the palace.
The warheads will also kill them, ” I said.

We tried our best to break through the encirclement and head to the palace while the Milky Way–class battleship continued approaching us.

Suddenly, a massive green beam shot out of the battleship toward us.

”Canyue, be sure to avoid it.
This beam is too strong.
We can ’t tank it, ” said Dondon.

We each moved to a different side and evaded the massive beam.
Then, I controlled my fighter to do a 360-degree turn, resulting in the front of my fighter coming face-to-face with the battleship.

Next, green laser beams and yellow tracer projectiles shot out of my fighter, heading straight for the battleship.
A thick green shield blocked all my attacks.
Even the powerful red energy was unable to do anything before it was nullified.

”Shit! Not even that is working, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

Over a thousand cannons on the battleship were aimed at the two of us, and an intense barrage was unleashed.
I tried to escape from the barrage, but I found that all my paths were blocked by the fighter drones.

”This is troublesome.
The enemies have us surrounded, ” said Domo.

”Canyue, what do we do now? ” asked Zhang Bao ’er.

”We have no choice.
Use our personal shields.
Dondon, produce a fission area with your suit.
We will force our way through, ” I said.

”Alright.
Whatever we face, us brothers will fight together until the end! ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

Just as we were about to mount a desperate attack, an odd scene appeared.
The Milky Way–class battleship suddenly stopped attacking.
Instead, it started blinking its lights at us, sending some sort of signal.
The rhythm of the signal looked familiar.
I felt like I had seen it somewhere before.

”Morse code! It ’s Morse code! It is the same message Zhang Xingxing sent previously! ” I realized.

”Canyue, did you see the Morse code? ” Zhang Bao ’er asked.

”Yes.
This is Starpath.
It ’s Captain Wesex, ” I said.

”Do we reply with our lights? ” Zhang Bao ’er asked.

”I ’ll reply.
Dondon, try to access their communication network, ” I said.

I immediately replied in Morse code with the lights of my fighter, informing Starpath of our identity.
Afterward, I saw them stop all their attacks, and soon, Dondon managed to connect to their communication channel.

”Is this Envoy Canyue? We saw your face through our scans.
We nearly harmed you accidentally, ” said Captain Wesex through the communicator.

”It ’s me.
We managed to steal two fighters from the league, ” I replied.

”I already included both your fighters into the imperial war system to avoid anyone from damaging you accidentally.
Where are the other envoys? ” asked Wesex.

”They ’re still in the palace.
I ’ll go help them.
Why did the empire suddenly launch an attack? How is the battle? ” I asked.

”The empire launched an attack? That is a shameless lie.
The Interstellar League ’s fleet took advantage of your visit to launch a surprise attack on Lidu, triggering a war, ” said Wesex.

”What? The league was the one who attacked first? ” I was stunned.
So who was telling the truth? For new and low-ranked soldiers like us, the situation was too complicated.

”The league launched an operation they named Operation Hades, aiming to destroy Planet Lidu ’s outer defense.
His Majesty was furious, and since we were within the league ’s defensive line at the time, we were ordered to attack.
A part of our main fleet was also deployed immediately to attack the league ’s command center, ” said Wesex.

”This is not possible.
When we arrived, we saw a third of the league ’s fleet around Akko.
The rest of the fleet should be too occupied with protecting the league ’s various territories. ” Zhang Bao ’er asked, ”Where would they even find the extra manpower to launch this attack? ”

”A third of the fleet? Lord envoys, you must have gotten your numbers wrong.
There are over a thousand battleships involved in the attack on Lidu.
At the moment, 1,500 imperial Milky Way–class battleships are fighting the league outside Lidu.
We have also deployed 1,000 Milky Way–class battleships here, ” said Wesex.

”What? The league actually kept such a large force hidden without us being aware of it? ” I exclaimed in astonishment.

”I finally understand why they needed so much iron.
Sure, they need iron for energy, but their main goal is to build a secret fleet and increase the league ’s military strength, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

”We don ’t have any definite proof yet.
Do not come to a conclusion so easily, ” I cautioned.

”Sure.
It was merely a hypothesis, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

”Captain, how is the situation on the battlefield here? ” I asked Wesex.

”The imperial fleet has numerical superiority.
We were able to easily defeat the Interstellar League ’s fleet.
About fifty of their battleships were struck down.
The rest had fled in disorder.
Our main battleships are giving chase.
Some had stayed behind to suppress any remaining resistance on the planet, ” replied Wesex.

”Captain, I have a request.
Please do not slaughter the innocent, ” I said.

”Noted, lord envoy.
I will handle it appropriately.
You may come with us, ” said Wesex.

This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

”I need to get the others first.
I ’ll meet up with you again later, ” I said.

Immediately, a massive mushroom cloud rose from the horizon.
Although it was very far away, we could still see the blinding radiance from the cloud high enough to reach the clouds.

”Canyue, did you see that? That seems to be… ” Zhang Bao ’er said. 

”Nuclear attack.
The league is actually using nuclear attacks on Akko, ” I was filled with disbelief.

”Lord envoy, our suppression army has encountered the league ’s nuclear attack.
I need to reinforce them.
Try to join me as soon as possible after picking up the other envoys, ” said the captain anxiously.

”Alright.
Go.
I ’ll try to meet up with you quickly, ” I agreed.

Next, Starpath turned around and started heading toward the source of the nuclear explosion.
All the fighter drones also followed the battleship.
The sky above the site of the explosion was still burning.
I could feel how powerful the explosion was, and I could imagine how much of the planet ’s surface had been ravaged by the shockwaves of the explosion.

”Canyue, do you really plan to meet up with them? ” asked Zhang Bao ’er.

”Ignore them for now.
Get the team leader first, ” I said.

We then turned around and headed toward the palace.
Before long, we stopped at the wall protected by electromagnetic waves.
Surprisingly, the imperial fighters had not destroyed the wall when they were attacking the place.

”Canyue, the wall is still completely fine, ” remarked Zhang Bao ’er.

”Yeah.
That only means that the imperial army had not attacked the palace.
I don ’t know why.
It is really odd.
I thought the league command they wanted to destroy was in there? ” I wondered.

”I suddenly have a thought, but I don ’t know if I ’m right, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

”Spit it out! ” I urged.

”Perhaps the empire was afraid that they would accidentally harm their own.
That ’s why they left the palace alone, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

”Their own? You mean there are imperial spies inside? ” I asked.

”Truly worthy of being my brother.
You got it so quickly, ” said Zhang Bao ’er.

”That makes sense.
What a surprise, Bao ’er.
You have improved greatly in terms of logical thinking.
Well, let ’s ignore all that for now.
We need to get through this electromagnetic wall, ” I said.

While I was still thinking, Zhang Bao ’er suddenly opened fire with his fighter.
The green laser beams and the yellow tracer projectiles struck the wall.
It did not take long for him to punch a hole through the wall made of steel and some other hard materials.

Something even more peculiar happened when Zhang Bao ’er suddenly opened the door of his fighter.
Dondon utilized his air fission technology to fly toward the hole with four high-energy cluster bombs.
After installing the bombs, he hurriedly retreated.

”Canyue, let ’s pull back a bit, ” said Zhang Bao ’er after all that was done.

Even an idiot would understand what Zhang Bao ’er was intending to do.
I quickly set my fighter to soar high into the sky.
A blinding explosion erupted from the ground.
A part of the wall was blasted away, resulting in the deactivation of the electromagnetic wave network.
We took the chance to rush into the palace.

”Xingxing, Xingxing, do you hear me? ” I immediately called out to them after the electromagnetic system went down.

”Canyue, I hear you.
Where are you? ” Old Du ’s voice came.

”Old Du, we have obtained two fighters.
We ’re on our way to pick you up.
How are the team leader and the others? ” I asked.

”The team leader and the others were brought to the underground palace by the guards to hide from the attack.
I was away on a different mission, so I was able to stay in the palace.
I have been trying to contact you, but I ’ve kept failing, ” said Old Du.

”There is an electromagnetic defensive system here scrambling our communication system.
Where are you? We ’ll come get you, ” I said.

”I think I ’m at the queen ’s personal palace? It ’s right behind the prince ’s palace, ” said Old Du.

”Old Du, what mission do you have in the queen ’s bedroom? ” teased Zhang Bao ’er.

”Don ’t joke around.
I have completed the mission.
Come pick me up quickly.
There is a type of fierce patrol dog here.
They are diligently patrolling the area.
Be careful, ” said Old Du.

”Can ’t you leave with your thrusters? ” asked Zhang Bao ’er.

”No.
After I completed the first mission with the team leader, I gave her my suit and only kept my gun and communicator with me.
That way, someone else can use the suit in the underground palace.
There is an even more important mission down there, ” said Old Du.

”Where did you get all these missions? ” asked Zhang Bao ’er.

”Where did you get all these questions? Pick me up first.
I ’m on the third floor, ” said Old Du.

”Old Du, we have arrived above your location.
I ’ll go down to get you.
Remember, hide yourself well.
Wait for me, ” I said.