Chapter 1126 - 319: Seizure
At the direct connection point between Chen Ming’s outward expansion base and the Empire’s border, at a location still quite far from the Empire.
Chen Ming’s fleet transporting Energy Crystal Crab encountered the fleet from the Mechanical Race here.
Since last time, Chen Ming and Bai Quan discussed and agreed on the development rights for Energy Crystal Crab technology and the transfer of the Energy Crystal Crab population to the Legion.
Chen Ming had already arranged the process for transporting Energy Crystal Crab back to the Empire.
He prepared a freight fleet with the Giant Level heavy cargo ship he currently owns as the flagship, intending to return via the Superspace Navigation System slowly.
Total: 1 Cruiser, 20 Destroyers, and 20 Guards.
The number is not large, but it’s just enough to transport the quantity of Energy Crystal Crab mentioned by Chen Ming previously.
Although according to Chen Ming’s current ability, the fleet could reach the Empire with three extreme distance teleportations, and the rest could be left to the Legion, which could devise its own method to transfer the Energy Crystal Crab.
But the materials arriving too quickly wouldn’t coordinate well with Bai Quan over there.
After all, once the Energy Crystal Crab reaches the Legion, they must promptly start cultivating it to obtain Energy Crystals.
However, when Chen Ming previously made promises, Bai Quan had just begun engaging with the Special Materials Department.
Though there were many vacant positions in this department, a few days of bureaucratic wrangling are necessary to reach a conclusion.
And once the Energy Crystal Crab is really delivered, there will definitely be more people interested in these positions.
Better wait until Bai Quan occupies more positions in the Special Materials Department.
Then Chen Ming can transport the materials over which will perfectly align.
Moreover, teleportation requires a consumption of resources far exceeding normal navigation for maintaining the Teleportation Engine, while consecutive teleportations consume not only resources but also Spiritual Power.
Chen Ming is not urgent to transport the Energy Crystal Crab at the moment, so it’s better to take it slowly.
At least wait until Bai Quan is about ready or when the fleet encounters any issues, then proceed with teleportation.
Generally, the route Chen Ming takes within the Empire borders is quite safe.
Only the final segment where the Empire, Dusk, and Mechanical Race intersect is somewhat dangerous.
Therefore, Chen Ming’s idea is to let the fleet slowly fly through the Superspace Navigation System.
He thought the journey could be smooth, but didn’t expect an accident.
And the accident occurred not at the most dangerous part, but at where the Cruiser almost makes an extreme distance teleportation.
Still maintaining a distance from the Mechanical Race Star Realm.
Why did it have to happen here?
Chen Ming didn’t understand, but he switched his vision to the Giant Level transporting Energy Crystal Crab immediately.
This Giant was personally controlled by him from the start.
Even though the core of Dusk is not on board, if needed, Chen Ming can have the Dusk core take over at any time to control the ship for combat.
However, as a cargo ship, the Giant Level is primarily meant for transportation, with little combat capability.
Moreover, for Chen Ming, this batch of cargo is the most important.
Even if protected by his Spiritual Energy during the battle, it’s hard to ensure the cargo won’t suffer damage.
So when Chen Ming switched his vision, his immediate thought was to retreat as much as possible without engaging too much with the Mechanical Race.
With the activation of Chen Ming’s Spiritual Energy, a screen appeared before him, displaying the view from the Giant Level sensor.
The scene through the car door showed that the Giant Level was inside a Superspace Channel.
Clouds were densely packed all around.
After all, this place is far from the Empire and any entity capable of developing the Superspace.
Therefore, in this area explored only by Chen Ming with Supreme Point opened, Superspace clouds are the only dominant hue.
And at the front end of the narrow Superspace Channel was the fleet from the Mechanical Race attacking Chen Ming’s fleet.
At a glance, the number of Cruisers alone exceeded ten; the lesser class ships need no mention.
Additionally, this was a surprise attack initiated by the Mechanical Race.
Therefore, just as Chen Ming received the reminder from the Escort Fleet’s Dusk.
The Mechanical Race had already entered the range where they could fire.
Their Cruisers had begun attacking.
The concentrated fire of the large weapons from over a dozen Cruisers made the Giant Level shield extremely precarious, barely putting up resistance.
But outside the line of fire, many Mechanical Race boarding troops were approaching.
Fortunately, the Escort Fleet suffered no losses.
Upon discovering the Mechanical Race Cruisers’ attack, they hid behind the shield activated by the Giant Level.
And now Chen Ming’s attention was focused here, retrieving the Dusk core during the destruction of the ship posed no problem.
The problem now is, Chen Ming only has one Cruiser, far outmatched by the over a dozen Cruisers from the Mechanical Race.
Even though he can amplify various ship components through overclocking, such amplification can never reach tenfold.
One against more than ten, fighting with a cargo ship offers no chance.
Chen Ming can’t let the Giant Level stay here longer.
Moreover, he saw only one end of the Channel, the Mechanical Race ahead of the fleet.
In reality, at the rear of the fleet, at the other end of the Channel, there was also a Mechanical Race fleet approaching.
The scale exactly matches the Mechanical Race blockade ahead.
Surrounded on both sides, one versus twenty, if he doesn’t flee, is he waiting for death?
Chen Ming immediately attempted any means at hand to extricate from the enemy fleet’s ambush.
But the Mechanical Race clearly had preparations ready.
Pulsed disruption equipment disturbed the Superspace Navigation System on all ships of Chen Ming’s fleet.