Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Deep in the base cluster, the Naqdal Continent was the last massive fortress that had yet moved out.

The modification project of this fortress-type floating continent had not been completed. It was mainly because Hao Ren lacked the experience in designing a giant fortress. He adopted the proposal of the MDT, adding many useful but technically challenging functions to the blueprint. It was only discovered during the construction that the fundamental framework of Naqdal was not compatible with the new equipment. An additional modification was needed and thus delayed the completion of the project. Right now, he had only completed two-thirds of the work.

Even so, the main functions of the fortress were in place. The most essential continental shield, engine blocks, spacetime units, power reactors, and weapon arrays were ready. When realizing that the design drawings must conform to reality, Hao Ren decisively stopped all unrealistic ‘high-tech projects.’ Instead, he installed tons of drone storage and fortress missile launchers on Naqdal before announcing that the fortress was combat-ready.

“Naqdal Control Center is online and working normally. Power reactor efficiency – 100%. Fundamental system is normal. Shield system is normal. Weapon system is normal. Navigation system is normal. Warp drive recharging starts… 30%, 60%… warp drive enters the critical state and is ready for activation.”

The central computer of the Petrachelys had received the Naqdal fortress’ system log. Nolan read it out loud with her crisp and pleasant voice. Hao Ren saw that a layer of water-like shield began to shroud the space continent. It rippled like a water reflection as the edges showed signs of blurring. A super-size warp drive worked differently from those in small spacecraft. The terribly powerful machine could pull an entire celestial body into hyperspace. Even before it was fully activated, it could cause distortion in the real world, just as what happened to the Naqdal Continent.

“How are the sprites doing?” Vivian asked.

The MDT switched on the communicator. “Hear it for yourself.”

Noises were heard. “It is shaking! The ground is shaking!”

“It is going to fry! It is going to fry! Naqdal is going to fry!”

“You mean ‘fly’? Mind your accent.”

“Bullsh*t, sprites have no accent.”

“Oh, is that so? We do not have this setting?”

“The passengers are emotionally stable. It looks like the level of pre-flight vibration is within an acceptable range.” Hao Ren nodded. “Start the warp jump.”

“Starting Naqdal’s warp drive. Warp jump begins.”

As Nolan spoke, the virtualization and shaking of the space continent peaked. The entire space trembled while the surroundings began to warp toward Naqdal. At the center of the distorted space, Naqdal quickly ‘shrank,’ and in less than a second, the massive celestial fragment had become the size of a ping-pong ball before wholly disappeared.

“Naqdal has entered hyperspace. ETA is five minutes, and the second jump is in fifteen minutes.”

Hao Ren nodded in satisfaction. “Very good, it’s our turn.”

Three minutes later, the Petrachelys entered hyperspace as it disappeared from space.

Two hours later, the armed drones at the base cluster began to mass warp jump and completed the move in thirty minutes.

Six hours later, the last functional building at the Naqdal base cluster completed self-disassembly and packing. It was then teleported to the drone nest somewhere deep in Star Cluster X. The entire base cluster vanished.

The security facilities on the periphery of the base cluster were still operating normally. The gravitational trap generators were running in full capacity. A medium-sized army of drones was patrolling inside the perimeter, make it as if the base cluster was heavily guarded.

Twelve hours later, the festered monsters appeared on the periphery of the security perimeter. They were still a scout team but much larger than any previous groups. These recon units did not appear to back out when reaching the security perimeter. Their commander seemed to realize that the most cautious way of action could not bypass the security line. So they chose to barge in.

The drones remaining within the perimeter intercepted, and a battle ensued and lasted for forty minutes. Toward the end of the fight, a vast army of drones flew past the edge of the battlefield, according to the plan of Hao Ren. The drones accelerated when they passed through the region where the monsters could vaguely sense to create a false sense of massive military movement from the base.

But in reality, it was just a bunch of engineering drones and a few massive gravitational trap generators flying past. But at the unobservable distance, the super-high-frequency signals emitted could simulate the massive movement of the army.

Hao Ren could not gauge the actions of the Mad Lord minions, nor was he sure when those monsters would lose their patience and attack. So Hao Ren had set out to create conditions to get control of the situation. In the past few days, he had been observing the behavioral patterns of the festered monsters and exchanging information about the enemy with General Salaman. He had not found out the details about the enemy commander, but he was more than capable of setting up a diversion plan for the enemy.

In the dark universe, ripples suddenly appeared and filled an entire area. It was the unique phenomenon of distant starlight distortion caused by powerful gravity. Shadows began to emerge from the ripples. They went from virtual to becoming physical and eventually formed a legion.

Drone Battle Cluster 1 to 666, armored floating cannons, drone accelerator transit station, Naqdal’s floating fortress, and the Petrachelys began to come out from hyperspace into the main material world.

This place was a warp-jump ‘springboard’ right before the battlefield. It was located at the last gravitational collapse point near the Heart. The minions of the Mad Lord had absolutely no clue that the ‘heavily-guarded base cluster was empty, and the enemy had sneaked right up under its nose.

“The drones have annihilated the invading enemy reconnaissance units. According to the ‘script,’ a few monsters have reached the final blockade and observed the illusion of the ‘large army movement that we have created.” The MDT reported while floating around Hao Ren. “I believe that they must have sent the information back.”

Vivian was still skeptical. “Will they fall for it?”

“They will; it works 90% of the time,” Hao Ren said. “General Salaman had pulled back its defensive line in the previous battle. This action had given the festered sufficient strength and energy to shift their attention to what happened outside the battlefield. On the contrary, we have created the illusion of increasing our reinforcement. If I were the enemy commander, I would not let this window of opportunity slip away unless my brain is sh*t.”

Vivian rolled her eyes at Hao Ren. “Do you have to use such a disgusting thing?”

Hao Ren clapped his fists and said, “Just to make it sound more vivid.”

It turned out that his plan worked.

“Salaman has sent an encrypted message.” The holographic image of Nolan appeared on the bridge. “A massive gravitational collapse was detected in the direction of Amantir. It was determined that a large group of festered armies had just left the Heart’s space.”

“The moth is heading to the fire already.” Hao Ren looked into space and mumbled to himself. After a while, he turned around and instructed Nolan. “Turn around the drone cluster and accelerated toward the Heart as the target. Enter hyperspace on my order. Recharge the Naqdal engines and get ready to follow the second echelon formation. Nolan, you can now switch to the battle mode.”

“Nolan understood.”

A massive swarm of drones lit up the dark space as tens of millions of engines ignited at once. The fleet began to accelerate slowly. Meanwhile, beyond this assembly, in another part of the universe, another massive swarm of drones had gathered and accelerated.

After a while, the MDT said, “Report from the base cluster: the drone forces have detected a massive space distortion phenomenon. A huge group of festered monsters is approaching the security perimeter.”

“Let’s put on a good show. We must not let them in too easily.” Hao Ren nodded. “Get the drones to stop them. Do not turn off the gravitational traps and jamming devices. Lure them to the deepest part.”

The control platform in front of the captain seat hummed softly as Nolan switched on the battle mode of the Petrachelys. The original interface display had shrunk to a side as the operational command interface for drone control appeared.

Hao Ren looked at the new control interface quietly. He had never used this system before, but he thought that he could quickly master it.

“The defense forces are exchanging fire with the invading festered army. A large legion of their forces has come out.”

“Salaman sent a message saying that the Guardian Legion was charging ahead while the festered stationed in Amantir were deployed; both sides were about to clash.”

“Received the auxiliary guiding signal from the guardians. The signal is clear, and the coordinates are correct.”

“The drone army may warp jump at any time.”

Hao Ren gently put his hand on the control interface of the battle module, whispering to himself, “F2 A is not a bad tactic…”

The two command keys of the battle module shimmered softly. The letters and numbers glowed with a seductive light tone.

“The reason why the monsters were wiped out by the drones in the last battle was not of tactical errors, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of drones.”

Hao Ren pressed the sacred F2 hotkey; all the drones instantly virtualized.

“If your army could fill the entire screen of your opponent, then pressing the A hotkey is the ultimate attack mode.”

Hao Ren raised his hand high and then hit the big red button with the capital letter A on it.

“Now, the future is in my hands.”