Karl shrank back, not daring to speak further.
The gunner's explanation seemed logical—the aircraft carrier couldn't keep up with the high-speed fighters, causing the attack intervals to lengthen. This appeared to be one of the theoretical dilemmas mentioned in Imperial Fleet textbooks when confronting extremely high-speed fighter craft.
This "reasonable" deduction, fueled by the desire to survive, quickly spread privately among the battered remnants of the two fleets. To some extent, it even brought a twisted sense of "hope"—the enemy's offensive wasn't flawless; they had logistical weaknesses. If we could hold out long enough until reinforcements arrived...
They didn't know that the subtle changes in attack intervals weren't due to so-called "slow carrier speed."
Bridge of the aircraft carrier "Fire Qilin," core formation of the Pluto Fleet.
Colonel Fang Duyuan, the ship's captain, stared intently at the tactical screen, watching the two red cursors representing the nearly destroyed Beryl and Emerald Fleets as they "struggled" to retreat. His frown deepened as he observed the increasing distance between his fleet and the targets.
The real-time data before him showed that the Swift fighters' attack intervals were indeed passively lengthening. Although the results were significant, the decrease in attack frequency was visible to the naked eye. In his view, the root cause was the active slowdown of the entire fleet's navigation speed.
"Commander!" Fang Duyuan finally couldn't hold back, activating the direct communication line to the flagship "North Star." His tone was urgent and puzzled. "My carrier-based aircraft wing reports that attack round-trip times are being forced longer due to increased distance. If we could increase our navigation speed by another fifteen percent—no, even ten percent—and close the distance, my fighters could launch one or two additional full-force assaults in the same timeframe! The Emerald and Beryl are already half-destroyed with scattered formations. We have every opportunity to completely eliminate these two Imperial sub-fleets! This would be no small military achievement!"
His voice echoed clearly in the quiet main bridge of the "Kunlun Mountain - Modified." Many officers nodded subtly in agreement, considering Captain Fang's suggestion reasonable—strike while the iron is hot, expand the gains; it seemed only natural.
However, Qin Beiwang, standing before the main tactical console, merely shook his head slightly, a faint but confident smile crossing his face. "Captain Fang, and everyone else!" His voice remained steady yet carried clearly to every corner of the bridge. "Our target has never been those two already battered Emerald and Beryl fleets."
The bridge fell silent instantly. Nearly all officers, including Fang Duyuan and other captains who had just finished directing fighter operations and were monitoring the battle situation, looked up in astonishment at their young commander.
Not them? Then what was the purpose of these hours of covert infiltration, these fierce fighter assaults, this pursuit that seemed intent on total annihilation?
Qin Beiwang didn't keep them in suspense. He raised his hand and lightly tapped the main tactical star chart. The chart instantly zoomed out, its focus shifting from the two disgraced Imperial remnants before them to quickly switch to the broader situation map of the Savannah Star System.
The map clearly showed: the cursors representing Emerald and Beryl were slowly retreating.
Immediately after, Qin Beiwang tapped several points behind their fleet, and a massive red arrow suddenly appeared.
Seeing the label "Obsidian Main Force" on it, everyone was shocked.
The Obsidian Main Force was only 700 million kilometers away from them.
"Has the Obsidian Main Force reacted this quickly?"
Zhuang Zhixuan exclaimed in astonishment.
"Could it be that the Commander's idea is to have us turn around and attack the Obsidian Main Force?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.
This idea was simply too bold; even Obsidian's Commander Lancaster probably never imagined their own Commander would play this way.
Qin Beiwang nodded.
"Exactly! What's most important in a fight?
Catch the enemy's boss and beat him hard!
Once you hurt him, the others will naturally fear you!"
"We slow down, create distance, lengthen the attack interval!"
Qin Beiwang's finger pointed successively toward Bloodblade and the Obsidian Main Force, his voice steady and powerful, yet carrying a cold, sharp edge.
"It's not because we can't catch up to those two remnants, but to give Lancaster an illusion.
An illusion that we are recklessly advancing, greedy for merit, drawn by the prey before us, charging deep without regard, thus neglecting the threats on our flanks and rear."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Emerald and Beryl are baits deliberately thrown out by Lancaster.
They fight while retreating, trying to lure us into his preset encirclement.
Ahead of the Emerald and Beryl Fleets, there must be other Imperial Fleets ready to support them.
And the main force led by Lancaster himself intends to deliver a fatal blow from behind."
"Their plan is clear and classic.
Lure the enemy in deep, encircle from front and rear."
The Bridge fell silent, only Qin Beiwang's calm narration echoing.
At this moment, everyone's expressions gradually darkened, with a wave of retrospective fear rising in their hearts.
If it truly was as Qin Beiwang said, then their rash attack on the Emerald and Beryl Fleets would undoubtedly plunge them into an abyss of destruction.
"So!"
Qin Beiwang shifted his tone, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"Why should we go bite those two inevitably poisoned baits?
Why rush to jump into the carefully laid trap they've prepared?"
His finger landed heavily on the huge red arrow representing the Obsidian Main Force.
"Our target, from beginning to end, has always been here!
The main force of the Obsidian Fleet, Lancaster's core."
"What we need to destroy isn't a few scarred scraps, but the backbone of the Empire in the Savannah Star System!
It's that flag bearing the Obsidian Emblem, the one feared by countless Federation Fleets!"
Qin Beiwang's voice wasn't loud, but each word struck like iron and stone, hitting everyone's hearts.
"Slowing down is to adjust our own formation, to accumulate strength.
The attacks from Swift Wing are to make him lower his guard, to make him think we're still chasing his Emerald and Beryl Fleets.
To make his main force come closer, his formation stretch thinner."
"As for those two remnants..."
He glanced at Emerald and Beryl, still "struggling" to retreat on the screen.
"Keeping them is more useful than annihilating them completely.
They are the 'real-time battle report' we transmit to Lancaster, the living props for our performance of 'greedy pursuit.'
Besides..."
A cold smirk curled at the corner of his lips. "Once we crush the Obsidian's main force, dealing with them afterward will be nothing more than a trivial matter."
The entire Bridge fell into a brief state of shock and contemplation.
Fang Duyuan opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately stood at attention with solemn respect. "Understood, Commander! It was shortsighted of me!"
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