Qin Bei Wang watched her calmly.
Then he issued an order that stunned the entire bridge.
"Deploy Phantom-7 Type Full-Spectrum Obscuration Smoke.
Coverage area: spherical airspace with a radius of five hundred thousand kilometers centered on the Seventh Jump Point.
Execute immediately."
For three seconds after the command was given, the communication channel fell into dead silence.
Then, an enraged roar from the Uranus Fleet's flagship Iron Spine nearly shattered the communicator:
"Qin Bei Wang!
Have you fucking lost your mind?"
Zhao Rui's voice was completely distorted with fury.
"Deploying smoke now?
Do you take me for blind?
Where the hell am I supposed to aim my cannons?
Where should I ram?"
But the Pluto Fleet's launch sequence had already commenced.
From the Kunlun Mountain, Scorpion, and four cruisers, thirty-six special launch tubes opened simultaneously from their ventral sections.
No firelight, no roar.
Only thirty-six pitch-black cylinders were gently ejected, rotating slowly in the void as they glided toward their designated coordinates.
Ten seconds later, they detonated simultaneously.
Not an explosion, but a "blooming."
Each projectile split into tens of thousands of nanoscale units, which rapidly unfolded into micron-thin sheets in the vacuum.
The sheets were coated with complex wave-absorbing materials and optical camouflage layers, with micro-thrusters embedded along their edges, allowing them to autonomously adjust distribution density as if alive.
More crucially, these units maintained precise coordination through quantum entanglement.
They could monitor surrounding light, electromagnetic waves, and gravitational gradients in real-time.
Then collectively adjust their orientation and reflectivity to form a dynamic, full-spectrum obscuration effect.
Within thirty seconds, a gray-black "smoke wall" began to form around the Seventh Jump Point.
By fifty seconds, the smoke wall had expanded to a radius of two hundred thousand kilometers.
At one minute and twenty seconds, the entire Seventh Jump Point.
Along with the twenty-four starships of the Uranus and Pluto Fleets, were completely enveloped in this artificial darkness.
From the outside, it appeared as an absolute black hole suddenly emerging in deep space.
Reflecting no light, leaking no electromagnetic signals, even gravity detectors could only feedback an "abnormally smooth" airspace.
Inside the Iron Spine's bridge, Zhao Rui slammed his fist onto the control console, leaving a shallow dent in the alloy panel.
"Completely fucking blind!"
He stared at the glaring red zone on the main tactical screen indicating [Sensor Failure], his eyes bloodshot.
"Thermal detection zero, optical detection zero, quantum radar echoes... all noise!
I can't even see my own escort ships now!"
More critically, in the final second before the smoke fully closed, sensors detected the seven Imperial Heavy Cruisers had closed to within ten thousand kilometers.
In space combat, this distance was practically point-blank range.
But now, they had vanished.
As if they never existed.
"Commander..."
Adjutant Li Wen's voice was strained.
"What do we do... now?"
Zhao Rui didn't answer.
He simply stared fixedly out the observation window.
Where there should have been stars, now there was only pure, heart-stopping darkness.
Even the light from distant stars was completely devoured by that strange layer of smoke.
He could imagine those seven Imperial heavy cruisers.
Right now, under the cover of the smoke, they were like seven beasts prowling through the night, silently charging toward his defensive line.
And his fleet was blind.
On the bridge of the Imperial Glory.
After his initial shock, Wells burst into a fit of nearly maniacal laughter.
"Hahahaha!
Heaven helps me!
Truly, heaven helps me!"
Pointing at the gray-black area on the tactical screen representing the smoke zone, he laughed until tears streamed from his eyes.
"That Qin Bei Wang... that bottom-feeding trash!
I thought it was him who annihilated the Dragon Lizard Fleet and used a cruiser to deceive us.
Now it seems I guessed wrong!
What does he think he's doing?
Covering his own retreat?
And turning the entire battlefield into a blind brawl!"
The adjutant cautiously asked.
"Commander, could this be a trap?
The Federation might have set up..."
"Set up what?
Set up an ambush that even their own people can't see?"
Wiping the corner of his eye, Wells' smile was full of mockery.
"Once this full-spectrum obscuration smoke is released, everyone inside is just as blind as those outside!
The only thing they can rely on is pre-set fixed coordinates.
But we're moving now! They don't even know where we are!"
He grew more and more excited as he spoke.
"Order the entire fleet! Maintain formation, full speed ahead into the smoke zone!
Use the smoke as cover to pass through the Seventh Jump Point!
By the time Iron Fist's main force chases us in, we'll already have crossed the Seventh Jump Point and be heading toward our defensive zone!"
Wells' smile didn't fade in the slightest.
"We have 65 ships, they have 24, and our heavy ships have already closed to within ten thousand kilometers!
At this distance, we could crash through even with our eyes closed!"
The order was transmitted amid wild joy.
The entire Well Sub-Fleet—the heavy vanguard of Brown Bear and Fire Fox, the central formation of Poison Spider and Ranger, and the directly subordinate fleet—began accelerating collectively.
Like a massive steel centipede, they prepared to plunge headlong into that all-devouring darkness.
Wells muttered to himself.
"Qin Bei Wang, oh Qin Bei Wang... I should thank you.
Thank you for your stupidity, giving us our final way out."
On the bridge of the Indomitable, when Yang Shao saw the suddenly appearing smoke zone.
He was stunned for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief.
"That kid... finally listened to reason."
His voice carried the weariness of a burden lifted.
The chief of staff approached, his expression complex.
"Commander, do you think Lieutenant Commander Qin released the smoke to cover his retreat?"
"What else?"
Yang Shao pointed at the tactical screen.
"Now the entire Seventh Jump Point area has become an information black hole. Those inside can't see out, those outside can't see in.
It's the best cover for a retreat. Wells won't dare to pursue under complete blindness; instead, he'll seize the chance to flee.
Qin Bei Wang can use the smoke to quietly withdraw the Uranus Fleet and rendezvous with us."
He paused, his tone shifting to approval.
"Though risky, at least he wasn't foolish enough to pit 24 starships against 65.
Knowing when to advance and when to retreat—that's the mark of a mature commander."
"What do we do now..."
"Accelerate."
Yang Shao gave the order.
"All ships, abandon the original Assault Formation and advance with full pressure!
While the Welles Fleet is disrupted by the smoke, we'll press from the outside and eliminate their rear forces!"
The command was relayed.
The engine jets of 49 Federal Capital Ships blazed simultaneously, the entire Fleet surging forward like a colossal broom toward the Welles Fleet at full speed.
Yang Shao stared into the darkness, calculating silently.
Once Qin Bei Wang withdraws, once the two fleets merge, once the formation is reorganized...
By then, Wells would either retreat using the smoke cover or risk a Warp jump.
Though we can't annihilate them entirely, eliminating their rear fleet would still be a decent outcome!