Chapter 22: Taking the path of least resistance

"Your Majesty, according to the data from the probes we launched earlier, the enemy fleet has dispersed, and the number of ships they have launched is only half of their original strength. Currently, there is no sign of the independent fleets from the members of the League taking off," Tianyi reported to Li Mingze.

"Good, order the entire fleet to attack! Target the enemy's first detachment! Make it quick!"

"As you command!"

The Imperial fleet, hidden beyond the border, activated their jump engines towards the dispersed first detachment of the enemy.

Bridge of the First Fleet of the Parker League

Commander Homand sat slumped in his command chair, his wary eyes occasionally scanning the crew on the bridge. He had become paranoid, constantly feeling that those around him were infected and trying to spread the virus to him! This fear had even made him avoid his own secretary!

"Sir, we will reach the destination, the A-4423 star system, after exiting hyperspace," the hyperspace pilot reported to Homand.

Homand squinted and nodded slightly, acknowledging the report.

"No, no! Armor integrity below 10%! Ship destruction rate at 35%! We're surrounded by enemies! We can't hold on!"

As the fleet exited hyperspace, they were greeted by countless missiles and red beams! A massive explosion threw the unprepared Commander Homand to the ground!

"It's an ambush, sir! The enemy numbers are overwhelming! Our engines are destroyed!" the intelligence officer cried out to Homand.

With a loud bang, a massive explosion tore a huge hole in the bridge. The intelligence officer, who had just been shouting, was sucked out into the void of space.

Homand felt an eerie silence around him. The vacuum of space made it impossible to hear anything, but his eyes were filled with intense explosions and massive beams of light.

In horror, Homand saw a missile streaking towards him. He felt as if the space around him had solidified, making escape impossible. Despairingly, he closed his eyes.

"Perhaps this is for the best. At least I won't have to worry about dying from a virus infection anymore. Maybe this is a form of liberation," was his final thought before he was torn to shreds by the explosion.

A few minutes later, the once fierce battlefield was littered with the wreckage of the Alliance fleet. Everything had happened so quickly. The fleet had been annihilated before they could even send out a distress signal!

The success of this ambush tactic was due to the Empire's detectors picking up the fleet's entry into hyperspace before accelerating into the star system's radar range. Ships in hyperspace cannot receive any messages! The Empire used this subtle time difference to swiftly bypass the space station and ambush the Alliance fleet at their hyperspace exit point. (Before exiting hyperspace, there are electrical discharges and energy leaks at the exit point.)

Having opened a gap towards the Alliance's capital planet, Li Mingze, however, did not plan to attack the capital directly.

The Imperial fleet continued to activate hyperspace towards the Alliance's second detachment.

Although the other detachments of the Alliance had received news of the large Imperial fleet's presence, the vast distances between star systems meant there was a time lag for the other fleets to arrive. Li Mingze's goal was to use this time difference and numerical advantage to destroy as many enemy fleets as possible before they could figure out his strategy.

This tactic would force the enemy into a continuous cycle of sending reinforcements to their doom. It's important to note that the firepower of hundreds of ships concentrated in one volley is vastly different from that of dozens of ships. The damage ratio could reach an astonishing 1:10!

The initial version of the shield was the Empire's latest research achievement, capable of self-repair. As long as the main body of the Imperial fleet's ships was not destroyed, the shields would gradually repair themselves until fully restored.

The second detachment was accelerating towards the edge of the star system. Due to the different positions within the star systems, the point where they exited hyperspace was an entire star system away from where the Imperial fleet exited hyperspace!

It was too late. By the time the second detachment had only covered two-thirds of the distance, the Imperial fleet had already exited hyperspace!

"All ships, fire main weapons! Concentrate firepower to take out their destroyers first!"

"Their corvette weapons pose little threat to our fleet. Deal with them last!" Li Mingze commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The Imperial fleet aimed their beam cannons at the enemy destroyers, and moments later, hundreds of beams erupted.

The red lasers from hundreds of ships struck the armor of the Alliance destroyers like hot knives through butter, instantly tearing the destroyers to shreds!

Following the beams were countless fusion missiles. The Alliance fleet's beam weapons fired desperately, trying to intercept the missiles mid-flight, but there were too many missiles! The laser attacks seemed futile.

As the missiles exploded, they created thousands of small, sun-like bright spheres! The hulls of the struck ships melted like ice cream in summer!

By the time the Alliance fleet entered firing range, they had already lost two-thirds of their ships! By the time they desperately reached the Imperial fleet, the second wave of missiles had already left their launch bays. The commander of the Alliance fleet despairingly issued the order to surrender!

Upon receiving the surrender command, all Alliance ships turned their guns away, shut down their engines, and waited for the Imperial marines to take over.

The missiles that were about to hit braked, turned slightly, and flew towards the rear of the fleet, exploding into countless small points of light in the distance!

From the landing ships following the fleet, hundreds of landing craft took off and quickly took over the surrendered Alliance ships.

After securing all Alliance prisoners, the reserve fleet crew swiftly took control of the Alliance ships, converting them into Imperial combat power.

With everything settled, the fleet once again activated their engines and jumped towards the third fleet.

After using this tactic to deal with two more alliance detachment fleet, the remaining alliance fleets seemed to have wised up. They no longer came separately but gathered together to form a large fleet, ready to annihilate the Imperial fleet in one fell swoop!

In response to the enemy's tactical change, Li Mingze quickly adjusted the Empire's strategy. He ordered all captured ships and the original ten ships sent to the ten star systems to form a small detachment fleet! This detachment fleet would specialize in destroying space stations or bombarding planets at the border! If the enemy fleet approached, they would immediately flee! Utilizing the guerrilla tactics of their ancestors to the fullest! Meanwhile, Li Mingze led the main fleet towards the enemy's capital planet, aiming to strike at the heart of the enemy!

Dozens of captured Alliance ships broke away from the main force and joined up with the original ten light cruisers sent on special missions. They then entered hyperspace towards a border star system.

The main Imperial force, meanwhile, disappeared in a flash of blue electricity, heading towards the Alliance capital.

Several days later, at the Park's League capital.

Hundreds of ships lay hidden in the starry void. This was the point where the Imperial fleet was expected to emerge from hyperspace. The Alliance's Third Fleet, having received news from the space stations along the way, had set up an ambush here long ago.

In the center of the space minefield, a flicker of blue electricity suddenly appeared!

The Imperial army was coming!