Deep in the base cluster, the Naqdal Continent was the last large fortress that had not yet been moved.
The transformation of the fortress-like floating continent had not been completed yet. It was mainly because Hao Ren had no experience in designing a large fortress. He took the MDT's proposal and arranged many useful but difficult functions on the blueprint of the Naqdal Continent. When the construction started, he found that the basic framework of the Naqdal Continent was not compatible with the new equipment. So, he had to carry out additional transformation works, which eventually led to the delay of the construction. So far, the Naqdal Continent had only completed two-thirds of the transformation goals in the blueprint.
Even so, the main functions of the fortress were ready. The most important continent-level shield, giant engine group, hyperspace unit, power furnace, and weapon array had been approved. Realizing that the design must meet the requirements of reality, Hao Ren decisively stopped all the impractical "cutting-edge technology projects" and installed a large number of drone storage and fortress missile launchers on the Naqdal Continent. Then he announced that the fortress was ready for combat.
"Naqdal control center is online. Control center is operating normally. Power furnace efficiency -100%. Basic system is working normally. Defense system is working normally. Weapon system is working normally. Navigation system is working normally. Hyperspace engine charging … 30%, 60% … Hyperspace engine entering critical state. Ready to activate at any time …"
The system log from the Naqdal Fortress was sent to the mainframe of the Petrachelys, and Nolan broadcast it on behalf of the ship girl. With the crisp voice of the ship girl, Hao Ren saw the entire space continent was gradually covered by a layer of rippling texture. It began to shake like a reflection in the water, and there were obvious signs of blurring on the edge. The super-large warp engine worked differently from that of a small spacecraft. This terrifying device could drag the entire celestial body into hyperspace. Even before it was fully activated, the phenomenon it caused was enough to distort the real world. Such was the change of the Naqdal Continent.
"How are the sprites doing?" Vivian asked casually.
The MDT turned on the comm and said, "Listen to it yourself."
There was a loud noise. "It's shaking! The ground is shaking! "" It's going to dust! It's going to dust! Naqdal is finally going to dust! "" That's called takeoff! When are you going to change your accent — "" Nonsense, how could a fairy have an accent? "" Eh? Don't we have such a setting? "
"The passengers are very calm. It seems that the vibration before takeoff is completely acceptable." Hao Ren nodded. "Initiate the jump."
"The Naqdal Warp Engine has been activated. The jump has begun."
As Nolan's voice rang out, the entire space continent's blurring and trembling suddenly reached its peak. Then, as if the entire space was trembling, everything around it began to tilt toward Naqdal. Naqdal, which was in the center of the tilting point, quickly shrunk into a ball. In less than a second, the massive celestial fragment had shrunk to the size of a ping pong ball and completely disappeared from sight.
"Naqdal has entered hyperspace and is expected to arrive at the destination in five minutes. The second jump will begin in fifteen minutes."
Hao Ren nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Let's go."
Three minutes later, the Petrachelys entered hyperspace and disappeared into the vast universe.
Two hours later, the armed drones that were stationed there launched a cluster jump and completed the transfer within thirty minutes.
Six hours later, the last functional building in the Naqdal fortress group completed its self-disassembly and packing. It was transferred to a drone nest in the depths of Star Cluster X by hyperspace teleportation. The entire fortress group was now empty.
Only the security facilities on the periphery of the fortress group were still operating normally, and the gravity trap generator was running at full capacity as usual. A medium-sized drone force patrolled the perimeter, creating the illusion that the place was still heavily guarded.
Twelve hours later, the traces of the festered monsters finally appeared on the periphery of the perimeter. It was still a reconnaissance unit, but it was larger than any of the previous units. The reconnaissance unit did not act as cautiously as before. Their commander seemed to realize that no matter how cautious they were, they could not bypass the surveillance of the drone bunker. So, the reconnaissance unit chose to break through the perimeter.
The remaining drones on standby inside the perimeter intercepted them. The battle lasted for forty minutes. When the battle was about to end, according to the script set by Hao Ren in advance, a "massive drone army" swept past the edge of the battle zone and activated the acceleration engine at a place where the festered monsters could barely sense, to show that there was a large-scale military movement in the base.
In fact, it was just a bunch of engineering drones carrying a few extra-large gravity trap generators. But at a distance where optical observation could not produce results, the ultra-high mass fluctuations they emitted were enough to simulate the movement of an army warping.
Hao Ren had no way of knowing the actions of the minions of the Mad Lord, and he was not sure when the monsters would completely lose patience and attack. So the best thing to do was to take the initiative. In the past few days, he had been observing the movement of the festered monsters and exchanged a lot of information about the enemy with Salaman, the commander of the legion in the distance. While he could not figure out the details of the command of the monsters, it was more than enough for him to come up with a plan to lure the enemy.
In the dark and silent deep space, a ripple suddenly appeared out of thin air, and then the entire space was filled with countless ripples in an instant. It was a unique phenomenon caused by the distortion of powerful gravity in the distant starlight. As the ripples spread, a large number of shadows emerged from the void and finally formed into an army.
The first to 666 drone battle groups, the armored floating artillery group, the drone acceleration station, the Naqdal floating fortress, the Petrachelys … One by one, the combat units left the hyperspace and entered the main material world.
This was the "springboard" space before going to the battlefield, which was located at the last gravitational collapse point near the Heart. The minions of the Mad Lord would never have guessed that the "heavily-guarded drone base" was actually empty, and the real main force was already right under their noses.
"The drone cluster has annihilated the invading enemy reconnaissance unit. According to the 'script,' a few monsters have reached the final perimeter and observed the 'army' that we have created," the MDT reported as it floated next to Hao Ren. "I believe they must have sent the information back."
"Will they take the bait?" Vivian was a little unsure.
"Ninety-nine percent of them will," Hao Ren replied. "Commander Salaman had retracted the line of defense in the last battle, so the festered will have enough extra troops and energy to pay attention to the 'outside.' Now, we have created the illusion that we have sent more troops. If I were the enemy commander, I would not let go of this window unless I am out of my mind."
Vivian rolled her eyes at Hao Ren. "Do you have to use such a disgusting way of putting it?"
Hao Ren cupped his fist and said, "Vivid, vivid."
It turned out that the plan was a success.
"Salaman has sent a secret message," Nolan said as she appeared on the bridge. "A large-scale gravitational collapse has been detected in the direction of Amantir. It is determined that a large festered legion has just left the Heart's airspace."
"The moths have gone to the fire." Hao Ren looked into the deep, dark space and said slowly as if he was talking to himself. After a while, he turned around and instructed Nolan. "The drone cluster will turn around and accelerate with the Heart as the target. Wait for my order to enter hyperspace. Naqdal, charge the engine and get ready to follow the second echelon into the field. Nolan, you can switch to the battle module. "
"Understood, Nolan."
Countless sparkles flashed in the massive drone cluster. Tens of millions of engines ignited and formed light spots that surged in space like a huge wave. Driven by this wave, the drone cluster began to slowly accelerate. Beyond this assembly point, in the depths of the universe, countless drone clusters that responded to the assembly call also entered a state of acceleration.
A moment later, the MDT said, "Report from the 'base group.' The garrison has detected a large-scale spatial distortion, and a very large festered legion is approaching the perimeter."
"Don't let them in too easily," Hao Ren nodded. "Let the garrison do their best to intercept them. Don't turn off the gravity traps and interference devices. Lure them to the deepest part of the cave."
The control platform in front of the captain's seat hummed slightly. Nolan had activated the battle module of the Petrachelys. The original operation panel had shrunk to the side, and the combat command interface for controlling the drone cluster appeared in front of Hao Ren.
Hao Ren looked at the new control interface calmly. Although he had never used this system before, he thought he could easily master the operation of this module.
"The garrison has exchanged fire with the invading festered legion and confirmed that the enemy has left the territory." "Salaman has sent a message. The guardian legion is moving forward, and the festered stationed in Amantir have been dispatched. The two sides are about to engage." "Received auxiliary guidance signal from the guardian, the signal is clear, and the coordinates are correct." "The drone cluster can enter the warp jump at any time."
Hao Ren gently placed his hand on the operation interface of the battle module and whispered to himself, "F2A is not a bad tactic …"
The two command keys of the battle module shimmered, and the concise letters and numbers shone with a seductive brilliance.
"The reason why the monsters were killed by the drones in the last battle was not because of a tactical error, but because there were not enough of them …"
The sacred F2 button was pressed, and all the drones turned invisible at the same time …
"If the number of your troops is enough to fill the entire screen of the opponent, then a wave of A is the most powerful operation."
Hao Ren raised his hand high and slammed the big red button with the capital letter A.
"Now, I have the future in my hands!"
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