Chapter 12: The Year 3758, The First Fleet

"Ugh!"

Yan Xia rubbed his head, feeling a heavy sensation.

"A hangover is the worst enemy of a wine lover."

His mind felt a bit sluggish.

Back on Earth, he didn't drink alcohol, but after his journey into space, he had asked Ella to produce grain alcohol to ease his loneliness.

In the vastness of space, he constantly faced loneliness and pressure, and he was just an ordinary human, perhaps even more so.

"Oh, right, superconductors..."

He suddenly remembered something but then recalled that the controlled temperature superconductivity project had already been completed.

He remembered drinking and then returning to his bedroom, lying down in the hibernation chamber, and falling asleep.

"I probably haven't entered hibernation yet."

Yan Xia looked at the clock in his bedroom. Due to their journey through space, the clock no longer recorded hours and minutes but years.

The current year was 3758.

He had completed one hibernation cycle.

And it had been 734 years.

Time flew by.

He wondered how much Ella had progressed.

Yan Xia got dressed and left his bedroom. Ella, aware of his awakening, had a service robot bring him a meal.

After a satisfying meal, he entered the cockpit.

"Welcome back, Yan Xia. It's been 734 years."

Yan Xia nodded at Ella and took his seat.

Nothing here had changed since many years ago.

He checked the items under his control and noticed some additions.

For instance...

The "Missile Launch" option.

The interface was straightforward, and when he clicked on it, he saw the small absolute zero weapons he had planned before his hibernation.

"It seems the modifications to the Hope spacecraft are complete."

"Yes, Yan Xia," Ella replied.

"Since the Hope spacecraft's structure was already fixed, major modifications weren't possible."

"However, we've upgraded its internal systems comprehensively, achieving the speed of 1222.22 km/s we discussed earlier."

"Additionally, it's now equipped with small absolute zero missiles. We've improved upon the initial design of 36 missiles, increasing the payload to 48 missiles."

Indeed, this was a significant advancement.

But Yan Xia was most concerned about something else, a plan he had made during the two years before his hibernation.

"What about the First Fleet?"

Attacking a civilization with just the Hope spacecraft was impossible.

A whole fleet was required.

Yan Xia and Ella had discussed the First Fleet construction plan, which they intended to execute over the years.

"Of course, Ella has already completed the First Fleet."

"Take a look!"

Ella waved her hand, and the giant screen in the cockpit displayed various types of ships.

Yan Xia was surprised by the scale of the fleet, which exceeded his expectations.

Ella, noticing Yan Xia's astonishment, continued proudly.

"The First Fleet consists of the flagship Hope, supported by 12 1200-meter-class battleships, 5 1400-meter-class star cruisers, 6 800-meter-class escorts, 4 2400-meter-class landing ships, and 16 500-meter-class destroyers, totaling 44 ships."

Typically, a fleet of over a dozen ships is considered a complete formation.

Ella's First Fleet, with 44 ships, was a force to be reckoned with.

Ella continued her explanation.

"The battleships possess the most formidable firepower, equipped with powerful main cannons."

"The star cruisers have the highest maneuverability, capable of reaching speeds up to 1455 km/s."

"The escorts have the strongest defense, featuring a super-strong alloy hull with minimal internal space. They primarily carry defensive missiles and are equipped with the latest electromagnetic field shields, effectively distorting laser beams."

"Each landing ship carries 300 War God III and 40 Falcon III fighters, combining offensive and reconnaissance capabilities."

"The destroyers are also equipped with low-power electromagnetic field shields and carry both offensive and defensive missiles. They can serve as secondary battleships when firepower is insufficient."

Each ship had its role, and the First Fleet would be Yan Xia's primary force in his conquest of the universe.

"Give me an update on the enemy's situation."

With the First Fleet at his disposal, Yan Xia felt like a new person.

They now had the capability to engage in planet-scale warfare against an entire civilization.

Ella, being the professional she was, quickly provided a comprehensive report.

"In the past 734 years, we've launched all ten absolute zero weapons and sent a Falcon team to gather intelligence on the enemy."

"As expected, the enemy is a civilization with an extremely slow development rate. Their overall cognitive flexibility is not just one level below humans, resulting in an exceptionally slow pace of technological innovation."

"After the impact of our absolute zero missiles, their civilization has stagnated."

"In these 734 years, they've only made three rounds of technological progress, equivalent to 47 years of progress in the past. Of course, this doesn't rule out the possibility of them intentionally concealing their advancements."

"We've equipped the Falcon II with nuclear weapons, which will initiate a suicide attack on their main structures once its mission is complete."

"Currently, we haven't detected any information about them possessing highly advanced technology."

"It's been 343 years since the last absolute zero weapon was launched, and their planet's geothermal environment has returned to its original state."

"After our attack, they've retracted their deployments in space. Our current estimate is that they have 1574 ships, but only 61 of them are over 1000 meters in size."

A more detailed investigation was needed.

Yan Xia wanted Ella's assessment of the current situation.

"Do we have the capability to launch an attack on their civilization now?"

Ella wasn't optimistic.

"If we attack now, our chances of victory are only 60.84%. I don't recommend initiating an offensive at this time."

Such a low probability of success.

They had clearly achieved overwhelming superiority.

But upon further reflection, it made sense. The enemy's quality might be inferior, but their numbers were significantly higher.

Moreover, this was a war against an entire civilization. Without an absolute advantage, it could turn into a protracted conflict.

This was particularly disadvantageous for a nomadic civilization like theirs.

The lessons from human history's wars were clear: war involved not only military might but also willpower.

If a civilization's will couldn't be broken, its resistance would persist indefinitely.

Furthermore, Yan Xia wasn't planning a genocide campaign but a colonial war, a scenario humanity had experienced in the past.

"What else do we lack?"

Yan Xia asked.

He was willing to wait for anything, as he could simply enter hibernation again.

Ella's response was straightforward.

"Main cannons!"