Chapter 71

If this battle were known in advance, only a complete fool would charge in blindly. However, encountering it unexpectedly, there's no reason to flee in panic either.

When two armies meet on a narrow path, it's usually like this. As long as there is still the strength and courage to fight, there will be a chance to turn things around.

If it was Fu Luo here, she would likely say nothing and directly deploy the troops.

If it was Yesi here, he might shout, "Those who are scared, go home and drink milk. The rest, follow me and fuck them up."

If it was Ye Wenlin here, he would probably tell everyone to prepare message bottles, then broadcast what he cares about most: "Missile and coffin expenses will be fully reimbursed, so everyone can fight with peace of mind."

Yang Ning: "Preheating curvature drive, monitoring abnormal electromagnetic waves, be on guard against the enemy's gravity bombs. All ship captains and vice captains, check everyone's personal communication devices - note, our first objective is to lure the enemy away, the second objective is to eliminate as much of the enemy's effective strength as possible."

He didn't seem to be in a hurry. As long as high-energy cannons weren't right in front of his eyes, Yang Ning seemed to never be in a hurry.

While confirming the orders were transmitted to every warship, he added calmly: "Preserving our space forces and killing as many as we can are our long-term goals. I ask you to take ten seconds to recall what the generals did when the fortress was surrounded by space pirates."

Ten seconds later, he spoke again as if counting the second hand: "Done recalling? Come, we'll live this kind of life until we die."

Compared to his father, Yang Ning himself was more like a politician. He had excellent psychological qualities and could say what needed to be said and put on the necessary show at the last moment, with precise tone and rhythm, as if it was an impromptu speech tempered through countless trials.

"No matter how well I perform, it's no use." Yang Ning lowered his head and smiled bitterly to himself, knowing this battle could not end well.

Yang Jinghe had no kindly qualities. Perhaps when seeing other people's children, he could still maintain his bearing and be "as warm as spring". But when it came to his own son, he became "as cruel as harsh winter".

He never considered Yang Ning's ability to accept things. He always seemed to feel his son was an extension of himself, so he treated him as harshly as he treated himself, sometimes not even seeing him as a person.

Someone like Fu Luo daring to talk back to Wang Yizheng and directly call out his name to his face and behind his back was simply unimaginable in Yang Ning's view.

Yang Ning was not a masochist. Living under such heavy pressure day in and day out for decades, naturally there was no warmth between him and Yang Jinghe. Most of the time, he relied on hating this high-ranking and powerful father to force himself to move forward step by step.

At this moment, he inexplicably recalled the phone call from Yang Jinghe before the command ship fell, and suddenly realized that no matter in life or death, at least in that instant, he was General Yang's only concern.

This bit of concern made Yang Ning admit that his father did love him, but his love was not just low-key, the way he expressed it was nearly obscure and hidden. It seemed that only in this way could he maintain his indisputable authority, both at home and in public.

He felt his father... no, his dad, was a bit pitiful.

"Colonel, enemy situation discovered, coordinates sent."

Yang Ning's expression didn't change, as if he had never been distracted. He calmly ordered: "Change to dagger formation, prepare short-range missiles on both wings, full speed, we'll charge through the middle."

Short and sharp, like the blade in the hands of an unparalleled swordsman without armor, walking on the edge of a cliff.

Now, Yang Ning had this kind of confidence after all - the team in his hands had been tempered by countless space pirates.

"Giant ships lead the way, those not afraid of death can come crash into us directly. Liaoning Ships No. 3 and No. 6 prepare gravity bombs, let the guests have a taste."

The information on gravity bombs came from precious data brought back by special forces. High-end communication technology was still being imitated and required ground-based hardware. Gravity bombs had gone further, and the ones equipped now were already the third batch of improved versions.

"Report, gravity bomb preheated, probability of affecting our side as high as 30%, request permission to execute."

Yang Ning: "Execute - we're preparing to jump!"

Space curvature technology was the bane of gravity bombs.

Yang Ning perfectly imitated the battle where Zhao Youxuan led the charge in the Dagger formation, the first time the Allied Forces and the other star system's fleet engaged in close combat.

The other star system's mobility couldn't keep up with the Earth warships that had been upgraded several times. They were instantly thrown into disarray by the gravity bombs detonated at close range. The next moment, the ghostly Earth warships completed an extremely short jump. The closest A-class large ships were only a few dozen meters from the enemy ships, almost brushing shoulders as they passed.

At the same time, high-energy cannons bloomed across the sky like festive fireworks, covering the short-range, high-precision missiles.

Yang Ning: "Prepare for second jump."

A string of the other star system's warships were like someone being stuffed with a grenade while dancing cheek to cheek, exploding into a string of fiery red against the blackness of space.

The extremely damaging shrapnel could even tear open the protective shield at close range. After a chain reaction, the entire formation of the two large battle groups from the other star system actually scattered!

Yang Ning felt a bit of regret, because he sensed the enemy commander was not that old demon Graf. Although it felt great, the fight was not satisfying enough - this was likely his last battle in his life. Despite seemingly having the upper hand, Yang Ning knew that if they continued fighting so recklessly, his small fleet would quickly exhaust its energy and weapons, so he felt disappointed. If the difference in strength wasn't so great, the opponent really wasn't worthy of facing him.

If only the energy consumption and funding issues with curvature drive technology could be solved, that would be great.

"All departments report damage from second jump."

"Report, the power systems of the four Donghai ships on the left wing are all damaged, a small number of B-class medium-sized ships have severe scrapes on their defense shells, energy leakage cannot be repaired, six small warships lost."

The damage was not severe, but it exposed the shortcomings of the slow preheating of the curvature drive and the need for improvement in the defense systems of small and medium-sized ships.

Yang Ning took out his reader and recorded it.

The drifting bottle was in his pants pocket, and there was not a single penny in Yang Ning's drifting bottle - few people knew that he was a poor man in the guise of a young master, and his private life was quite austere in terms of material possessions. The money he had painstakingly obtained in those years had been used to raise private soldiers and secretly plot a rebellion.

Moreover... he was now without a wife or children, without any relatives, even if he left an inheritance, who would he leave it to...

He planned that in his final moments, he would roll up his reader and stuff it into the drifting bottle. If it were fortunately picked up by his own people, it would be considered a legacy for the entire army. Then his life would truly be one of coming and going without any attachments.

When he finished writing, the document automatically minimized to a corner of the screen when not in use, revealing the background of the reader.

As everyone knows, Colonel Yang, like General Yang, is a very boring person. All electronic products have automatic default themes and backgrounds. However, at some point, the background of the reader that he never let go of changed to a fashion advertisement.

Well... it was from Teacher Robin's "General" women's clothing series.

Unlike the widely circulated "grave-sweeping photo", although the person in the photo was standing at attention and saluting, the salute was not very proper. It seemed to be the moment when she was about to put her hand down, captured by the photographer. The model slightly lowered her head, clearly outlining her slightly drooping eyelids, her lashes covering half her gaze and hinting at a slightly embarrassed smile.

It was so clear that it was almost sweet.

Yang Ning's eyes narrowed, then he rolled up the reader and looked away, gazing at the dense coordinates on the command center screen.

He found that he pitied General Yang a bit too early. At least at that time, Yang Jinghe could still make a phone call, but he had personally cut off the communication at the first opportunity.

Now he could only think about it in his heart.