Chapter 157: The Eve of the Star Battle
With three thousand Grace Points in his hand, Gu Hang felt the sudden headache of unexpected wealth.
However, as he calmed down to think about it, while he now had a good number of Grace Points, there were also many places eagerly awaiting funds.
If he were to proceed according to his plans, those three thousand points could vanish with barely a ripple.
For instance, redeeming gene seeds for Star Warriors – dropping his three thousand points would only yield thirty seeds.
To manufacture them in bulk was simply not sustainable.
Planning was still necessary.
Earning was important, but learning how to spend wisely was an art.
But for now, there was no need to rush this decision; the points were already in his possession and wouldn't vanish. He still had plenty of time to plan carefully.
He turned his gaze to the "Important Intel" line on the [Events] panel, which was now ready for activation.
What could it be?
With a thought, he activated the intel.
As he read the information, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He now had only one thought: it was a good thing he had tackled this [Event] and quickly, too; otherwise, missing this intel would have led to serious consequences.
[An elder and master craftsman named Gorgon from this Greenskin Beast Tribe once, during the tribe's peak, built an interstellar communicator. He used it to contact his former kin, the Space Greenskin Clan—the Iron Fang Clan—sending a communication request. Within this message, he relayed Fury Owl Planet's location and cosmic coordinates, inviting the Iron Fang Clan's main force to visit.]
[Though Gorgon has long forgotten this, having received no reply, the message indeed sent successfully. However, he had forgotten to build a receiver on his device. A pirate raiding fleet from the Iron Fang Clan intercepted the message and is now en route to Fury Owl Planet.]
[In the near future, the Iron Fang Clan's Tenth Raider Fleet will traverse the Astral Tunnel and arrive at the Fury Owl star system’s jump point.]
[Coincidentally, an Imperial merchant convoy is also set to cross the Astral Tunnel around the same time, reaching the jump point.]
...
Gu Hang could hardly imagine what might have happened had he not received this intel!
That merchant convoy—he had personally invited them.
The Imperial Chamber of Commerce was one of the Empire’s official organizations. To assemble a trading fleet capable of traversing the Empire’s vast expanse, approval from the Chamber of Commerce and registration as a merchant were essential. Otherwise, they risked being treated as pirates.
Fortunately, becoming a registered Imperial merchant was neither overly complex nor costly. As long as one’s background was clear, goods for each shipment were disclosed, and the Chamber’s assignments could be taken when necessary, they could be registered.
Of course, one indispensable item was a spaceship capable of navigating the Astral Tunnel.
During registration, the first and third requirements were typically strict, while the second—cargo—also ideally followed stringent protocols. But in reality, some leeway often depended on one’s abilities.
Those eligible to trade with registered Imperial merchants also required authorization. Generally, planetary governors held this license.
In fact, as Fury Owl Planet’s governor, one of Gu Hang’s primary privileges was the ability to conduct trade with the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.
While Fury Owl Planet produced few goods, it had a strong demand for essential items from other imperial worlds, presenting a substantial profit margin. The governor controlled this trade quota, which, in the past, had been the foundation of authority for former governors lacking warships or significant personnel.
For Gu Hang, this method was now unnecessary. However, things were different when he had first arrived.
A month earlier, he had proactively reached out through Alicia, contacting the Imperial Chamber in hopes of arranging a convoy to pass through the Fury Owl system for some trade.
This was no small feat; Fury Owl Planet was too minor, with a lackluster trade history.
But being a member of the Gu family certainly helped in these matters.
The arriving merchant, Wang Jiarong, happened to be Gu Hang's cousin.
Aside from regular goods, her ship carried two items of particular interest, both related to Star Warriors.
These were Star Warrior Power Armor and the biological equipment necessary for the gene seed implantation surgery.
Whether for this rare trade opportunity, the specially ordered items on board, or the memory of his smiling, friendly cousin, Gu Hang had to find a way to save this merchant convoy.
Furthermore, the ‘Iron Fang Clan Tenth Raider Fleet’ referenced in the intel was specifically targeting Fury Owl Planet. Wasn't it better to strike while they were likely to engage with the Imperial convoy, rather than waiting for them to finish plundering?
Given Greenskin technology, even if the convoy’s ships were reduced to scrap, the Greenskins would salvage the debris floating in space for materials—not to mention all the goods on board.
As for dealing with the Greenskin pirates mentioned in the intel… Fury Owl Planet was hardly equipped for that. The entire planet likely lacked orbital defenses, let alone a warship for proactive engagement.
But wasn’t there a ‘Quintet’ floating in planetary orbit?
An authentic Imperial Navy main strike cruiser!
...
Without delay, Gu Hang reached out to Alicia.
Upon hearing news of approaching Greenskin pirates, the female captain showed no worry, instead appearing excited.
Fulfilling the governor’s orders from the heavens, delivering orbital strikes to the ground—while technically Navy service, it was far from the thrill of a space battle, of annihilating a Greenskin fleet, or saving an Imperial merchant convoy.
The latter was the kind of achievement Navy Commodore Alicia truly craved, the true essence of naval merit.
Still, Alicia wasn’t blinded by excitement.
“What’s the source of this intel? Is it reliable?”
“I can vouch for its accuracy,” Gu Hang said. “During a ground battle, I captured a cosmic signal transceiver, which clearly referenced this matter. However, I cannot guarantee when exactly that Greenskin fleet will arrive.”
Alicia continued, “Can you estimate the fleet’s size?”
Gu Hang gave a wry smile and shook his head, “That’s the risk. I can only tell you that it’s the Iron Fang Clan, Tenth Raider Fleet. As for how many ships or the scale of the main fleet… I have no idea.”
“That is indeed troubling,” Alicia replied. “I only have one ship here. If the Greenskin fleet is large and powerful, an ambush could become a trap.”
“Exactly,” Gu Hang agreed. “So, is there any way to call for backup? We need more ships. Is it possible to contact the Pegasus Sector Fleet to dispatch reinforcements?”
“You don’t have to say it—I’ll do that. But we also have to prepare for the worst: what if help doesn’t arrive in time?”
At that moment, Alicia’s clarity of mind stood out.
She craved merit, dreamed of obliterating enemy ships in a grand naval battle, gaining glory, and shedding the image of being a mere “connected officer.”
At the same time, as a Navy officer whose training had produced outstanding results, she wasn’t foolish. Nor did she harbor cynicism; she understood that her family background was not a burden but an immense advantage. By advancing in this steady way, she would always remain among the Pegasus Sector’s upper echelon.
War achievements were important, of course. But if the risks and costs of obtaining them were too great, it would ultimately be a fruitless endeavor.
If this naval battle ends merely with defeat, or simply with the loss of Fury Owl Planet, it might be manageable.
At worst, she would bear the disgrace of a lost battle or retreat, with chances to redeem herself in the future.
But if she recklessly fought and lost the “Quintet,” this main cruiser...
Dying in service would bring some finality, yet survival would spell the end of any career recovery, bringing tremendous disaster upon her family.
Such a steep cost demanded caution.
Gu Hang understood this well.
After a moment of silence, he said, “We are not alone in this; the Imperial merchant fleet approaching Fury Owl Planet is led by my cousin.
To my knowledge, aside from a main armed merchant ship, she also has two escort ships. We could lay in wait near the jump point.
If the Greenskin fleet encounters the merchant fleet, we can then decide whether or not to join the fight.”
This suggestion risked putting his cousin in harm’s way.
But truthfully, without such an argument, he would not have been able to persuade Alicia to risk participating in this battle.
“Feasible,” Alicia agreed. “But I have to make one thing clear: a Greenskin pirate raiding fleet is unpredictable in scale.
If the situation goes south, I will retreat immediately to avoid the brunt of their attack.”
“I understand.”
At this, Gu Hang felt a weight in his heart.
“You needn’t worry excessively. If that happens, do your best to resist on the surface. Once I rendezvous with the sector fleet’s main force, I’ll rush back to provide support.
As long as you hold out, there is hope.”
“Understood.”
What more could Gu Hang say?
He could only nod.
If the Greenskin force was truly overwhelming enough to drive the main cruiser "Quintet" into retreat, Fury Owl Planet would surely be lost.
One could only hope that scenario wouldn’t unfold.
...
After concluding his discussion with Alicia, Gu Hang led his troops away from the High Tower Ruins, returning to the main camp outside Garbage Town, where he stayed for a time.
He intended to carry out a small restructuring of his forces here.
The Seventh Garrison Division had been reduced to a mere shell, with most officers still present, but the soldiers had been redistributed to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, and 3rd Independent Regiment.
These two brigade-sized units—the Extinguished Wind Brigade having only three battalions—boasted a combined strength of over twenty thousand soldiers, with priority equipment and ammunition supplied to all.
Additionally, Gu Hang arranged for a special "Beast Slayer" training for the three composite battalions of the 1st Brigade and the fully staffed 2nd Division, totaling over thirteen thousand soldiers.
These twenty thousand troops would soon board transport ships descending from the Quintet to embark on the starship.
This was the reinforcements Alicia had requested, and Gu Hang agreed to it.
Though… there was a chance they could encounter a formidable enemy, and the female commodore might choose to flee with his elite forces.
However, Gu Hang had no illusions of defending the planet on his own if the Quintet withdrew.
That was simply unrealistic.
In fact, he boarded the ship himself.
He held two objectives:
First, if the enemy were strong and Alicia showed reluctance, he could attempt to persuade her to engage in battle. If necessary, the two thousand troops he boarded with, plus the four emergency Phoenix Marines, would serve as his bargaining chip.
Second, if the enemy proved overwhelmingly strong and the battle was unwinnable, survival would come first. He would retreat with Alicia, then regroup with the sector fleet’s main force and return to reclaim the planet.
However, if the second outcome did occur, it would not only nullify all his efforts over a long period but might deny him any second chances.
A planetary governor fleeing alongside the Imperial Navy before a planet’s fall bore severe political costs. He could even end up on trial and executed.
Thus, Gu Hang had no desire for that outcome; he needed to resolve matters in the first stage itself.
...
Several days later, at Fury Owl’s first jump point.
Under the flickering blue light, four ships suddenly appeared from the void.
Among them, the largest vessel was about a third of the Quintet’s size, comparable to a main destroyer in the Imperial Navy.
This was the “Beautiful Maiden,” an armed merchant ship. Despite its size, it housed only around twenty thousand crew members, and its armor, void shields, and firepower were vastly inferior to a destroyer of similar size.
Beside the Beautiful Maiden were three much smaller ships. These were not merchant ships—though they sometimes carried cargo, they were escort frigates. Each ship was about eight hundred meters long, with a crew of over seven thousand.
Their captain was named Wang Jiarong.
This young, girl-like captain wore a white dress adorned with gold embroidery, draped with a golden veil.
Standing in the captain’s cabin, she gazed out from a distant window into the boundless starlit sea.
Adjusting the white brimmed hat on her head, a hint of worry showed on her delicate face.
Behind her, the ship’s massive control room was in a frenzy, processing data transmitted from the ship’s array of contemplator systems: they had detected the approach of an unfamiliar fleet at the jump point.
In less than an hour, that fleet would cross the jump point into realspace.