The first battle had come to an end, and the next step was to build a bridgehead, create a temporary Sovereign Hub, watch out for the Fallen Apostle's counterattack, and rest. Xiaoxue and Shallow Shallow had used up a lot of their mental energy in the battle and had already returned to their rooms to rest. The others either rested or found a place to stroll, leaving only me, Sis, and Sandora on the bridge.
Of course, there were also the conscientious Empire commanders.
"The Celestial System Fleet will arrive at the battlefield in an hour." Sandora nodded at the holographic image before her. "After destroying the Sovereign Hub, the Fourth Fleet has successfully rewritten the rules of the World Barrier. This universe has temporarily disappeared from the Fallen Apostle's territory, and they won't be able to find the teleportation point for a few hours, which is enough time for us to set up our base."
"And then we'll march on to the next world." Sis smiled. Although the first battle had taken a lot of time, it was mostly used against the enemy's space fortress, and the actual losses were much smaller than expected. The Imperial Army was almost at full strength, and would soon recover to its peak. Such a good momentum made Sis' fighting spirit soar, but she was also a little doubtful. "But are we just going to push on one world after another like this? How long are we going to fight? "
"Of course not." Sandora switched the holographic image, presenting a simulated view of the Void and the worlds before us. "This is the world we've occupied. It's equivalent to a frequency in radio waves, and every world is equivalent to a frequency that is randomly distributed in the environment known as the Void. This is our next target, and the one after that. Look, as long as we take over enough universes, we can form a cluster of discrete nodes. Just like how we determine the basic specifications of a large batch of goods through sampling, these worlds will be labeled with a large number of consecutive physical universes. These physical universes are similar in terms of identification, and the World Barrier can produce a certain degree of resonance. When we control these key nodes, we can then broadcast the same thing to every node …"
Sandora tapped on the diagram on the holographic image, connecting several colored spots that represented physical universes. Immediately, the continuous colored spots around them were 'dyed' into the same color as if dye had been dripped into water.
"This is a complex resonance process, which is also why the destruction of a world will often affect all similar universes, resulting in the 'doomsday echo' phenomenon. Using a similar principle, as long as we occupy a series of key nodes, we can rewrite the World Barriers of a large number of universes into the 'Empire Frequency'. Then, they will become de facto territories of the Empire, and then we just have to slowly purge the isolated and helpless defenders. "Sandora had a cheerful smile on her face." Back then, my favorite thing to do was to 'encircle and expand'. It was such a delightful day … to drag the universes back to the Empire by the dozen, and then curl up in bed and count the galaxies for fun. "
Me: "..."
In fact, from a certain point of view, Sandora and Pandora were both violent war maniacs. However, the latter was the aggressive type, while the former was the strategic type.
"How's the cracking of the database going?" I shook my head hard, trying to shake off the memory of Shadora lying on the bed and hugging the MDT to calculate the size of the territory. I then brought up the matter of the database that I had 'salvaged' from the sovereign hub.
"The database is intact, but it's encrypted." Sandora was a little bored as she fiddled with her MDT. "The experts are trying to break its firewall, and Bubble is also personally processing the data from there. There should be results soon."
After the battle, the Imperial Army had reorganized itself. The First Fleet stayed on the World Barrier to continue to lay disruptors to strengthen the defense of the temporary territory and prepare for the enemy's counterattack. The Fourth, Sixth, Seventh Fleets, and the Royal Fleet were stationed around the enemy's sovereign hub. Now, the two artificial planets had become two drops of space slag, and their high orbits were full of broken debris and psionic storms that had not dissipated. The environment was naturally extremely harsh for ordinary civilizations, and they would avoid it. But it was the opposite for the Imperial Army. The scattered debris could be recycled to build temporary space bases, and the half-melted planets could not only be used as a source of materials, but also as a source of gravity to build temporary strongholds. Although these things were a drop in the bucket for the Imperial Army, the Shiring Apostles had always advocated absolute efficiency, including the efficiency of recycling and reuse of materials.
This was a group of rich people who didn't lack anything, but they were also a group of entrepreneurs who were meticulous in their calculations and didn't want to waste a single screw.
There was a reason for this kind of meticulous planning. No matter how big the family business was, it had to be accumulated bit by bit. The Shiring Apostles did not use technology to crush the world from the beginning. They were a generation of hard-working people, and they would not waste even a gram of materials just because they had enough on hand. Because they firmly believed that one more bullet could determine the outcome of a balanced war.
Even the lingering psionic storms in space were useful. The Ravens were happily rushing around in the storm. In theory, they were recharging themselves, but in fact, they were just playing …
More than a hundred kilometers away from the Empire Admiral, there was a temporary space laboratory. The laboratory was formed by two engineering ships and a research ship. It looked like an irregular polygonal platform. The database that was salvaged from the Sovereign Hub was transported there. Now, it was being tormented by more than 130 experts. Hopefully, the database really had the information we needed.
I thought that it would take a long time before the results came out, but the database was cracked faster than expected. Before the celestial system fleet arrived, the highly efficient experts had already found a way to hack into the database. Bubble immediately shouted at the top of his voice throughout the entire Empire Admiral. "Child's father! The database is out! Lalalala ~ ~ ~ "
I was accompanying Sandora to the cafeteria to eat something to fill our stomachs. Bubble's frantic broadcast almost made me choke on a mouthful of cake. I looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "You are asking for it! What are you howling for? "
"It's an echo," Bubble replied confidently in the spaceship's broadcast. He didn't seem to care that he was using the public channel. "Alright, hurry up and look at the report! There's something deadly in the database! "
When Sandora and I heard that, we couldn't care less about scolding the abnormal Schilling host anymore. We quickly turned on our respective data terminals to check the situation. Bubble had already uploaded the first piece of information from the database to the public channel. It was the highly encrypted logs of the Fallen Apostles' military stronghold at the border, as well as various orders from within the Abyss. The amount of information in these things was enough to send a person tumbling.
[Log DL-375, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the ECCN-145-C35 operator. Storage period: 4. Cannot be deleted.
The mental network split continued to worsen and had already spread to the headquarters. The number of soldiers commanded by 'that lord' was basically equal to the number of soldiers in the new army. Currently, there was already an opposing situation in the headquarters. It has been confirmed that the following units (the following are the unit numbers that no longer have any meaning) have been split into the new army camp. The situation needs to be closely monitored.
(The following are miscellaneous records. Since the Fallen Apostles' sovereign hub and the local garrison have been completely wiped out, there is no longer any meaning to them.)
[Log DL-377, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the ECCN-146-C35 operator. Storage period: 3. Cannot be deleted.
The mental network split has temporarily stopped worsening. The strength of the new army and the old army are basically equal. At least, this is the case in this universe. It is still uncertain how the situation is within the borders of the Empire. Currently, it is determined that the mental network split is still under control and planning. After several conflicts, the new army and the old army have held a unification meeting in the network buffer zone. The bottom line of each party and a common action plan have been determined. The interests of the Empire are still the number one priority. The opposing situation in the border region has ended.
(The following are still miscellaneous records.)
[Log DL-385, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the ECCN-155-C44 operator. Storage period: 4. Cannot be deleted.
The serious consequences of the mental network split are currently expanding. It has produced a large number of unexpected malicious effects. Today, we have received definite news that the conflict within the borders has intensified once again. 'That lord' has not sent any new instructions. This station will continue to carry out the original mission. The only good news is that all border defenses are still under the control of the old army. The new army is currently expanding its influence. Today, the border stations have received three orders. Two of them are from the new army. Although they are unimportant, this indicates an uneasy direction.
[Log DL-400, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the system. Storage period: 3. Cannot be deleted.
The 'great cause' has been raised to the highest priority. The proposal to 'enter the final phase' has received over 60% approval. Apart from the necessary garrison forces at the border stations, the other fleets will be incorporated into the expeditionary army and various levels of main forces. The countdown to the Final War has begun. No one can stop the 'great cause' of the Empire! We will conquer all the unknown!
[Log DM-15, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the operator of ECCN-125-D35. Storage period: 5. Cannot be deleted.
The mental network split may have gone out of control. The new army has been confirmed to have changed their military insignia and all the soldiers' identification codes. There are signs that they are preparing for an attack on the Divine Realm. 'That lord' has explicitly forbidden the final war at this point in time because the time is far from ripe. Obviously, the new army does not agree with 'That lord's' judgment at all. They have been overly optimistic about the progress of the 'great cause' and are impatient to open the door. That new decision maker will suffer, but before that, it will first destroy the entire Empire.
However, the situation is no longer under our control. As soldiers, we can only wait for 'That lord's' orders. I believe that the situation will not worsen to the final stage. 'That lord' should be prepared for this.
The management of this station is about to be transferred to the new army. I hope that they will realize that the Empire on the other side of the Void is also a huge threat.
[Log DM-17, Read Only, Level A Encryption]
This record was generated by the operator of ECDC-85-E17. Storage period: 5. Cannot be deleted.
The network split has been completed. The transfer of management rights has been completed. Today, all handover and inspection work for this station have been completed. However, this station shouldn't be of much use anymore. The great cause is about to be completed. There is no need for us to be bound by this unpleasant world of order.
The stubborn old army has already left this world. The old master seems to be reorganizing their army, intending to settle down in a corner. This should be good news. Even though the old master proposed the great cause, the old master obviously doesn't have the ability to complete it. Handing over the heavy responsibility to a new decision maker who is more suitable to continue is a wise move.
These are the main logs that are of value. The rest is a large amount of information that involves the technical details of the border defense, as well as some information that has lost its effectiveness. Those things obviously don't need to be paid much attention to.
After looking through the information in front of us, Sandora and I looked at each other in dismay. If the amount of information revealed in these things were expanded, it would probably be more than a million words! Does that mean that not only did the Fallen Apostles officially split, they have also completely cut off their territory?!
"Who are we fighting against right now?" That was the first question that came to my mind, but I soon found the answer. If there were no other significant changes in the records, there could be no doubt that the so-called "New Army" was now in charge of the defence of the borders of the Fallen Apostles.
Sandora suddenly thought of something and immediately contacted Sives. "Did the troops cleaning up the battlefield find the enemy's army emblem?"
Two seconds later, Sives replied, "Yes, we found the wreckage of a warship with the emblem of the Fallen Apostles. I will send the image of the emblem over."
Very quickly, we received the image of the emblem of the Fallen Apostles from the MDT. I recognized it immediately. It was the image that God Father showed me back in the Divine Realm.
A brand new emblem.
Sandora and I looked at each other in dismay. There is no need to ask further. The events recorded in the logs are true. The Fallen Apostles have already split into the 'new army' and the 'old army'. Furthermore, the ones in charge of the Abyss region are the new army that rose from the ranks later.
An hour ago, it was also this so-called new army that fought against the Imperial Army.
Sandora was stunned for a few seconds. Then, she shook her head indifferently. "No matter how they split, they are still enemies. Based on the situation just now, there is no difference in fighting them. Also, based on the way the new army acts and the situation recorded in the logs … I am afraid that this new army is even more dangerous than the old army. They are even more reckless in their actions. "
I put the MDT away. There was a question lingering in my mind. "Then the old army … and that Abyss Schilling, where did they go?"
According to the clues revealed in the logs, after the split in the Abyss region, the new army eventually gained the upper hand. Abyss Schilling and her army seemed to have been pushed to a corner. It was still uncertain whether this group of forces had completely disappeared. However, the whole thing up to this point was enough to stun me in disbelief. The greatest threat to the New Empire, the Fallen Apostle Commander that made my family and the Protoss feel like there was a fishbone stuck in their throats, that Abyss Schilling, just like that … inexplicably perished?
Destroyed by an inexplicable online split? In a situation where the Imperial Army and the Protoss had not even made a move, she had perished just like that?! Then what about my insomnia for the previous nights? Although most of the insomnia was due to the little puppets making a fuss and not letting me sleep …
"I did not expect this to be the result." Even Sandora shook her head with a strange expression. Looking at her, she did not know whether to laugh or cry. "But I feel that Abyss Schilling would not perish so easily. She would not be so weak."
After that, Sandora and I fell into a brief silence. I had a strange feeling in my heart. All along, Abyss Schilling had been my greatest enemy. She was far-sighted and unpredictable. Not only was she powerful, but she also had a powerful army that she had painstakingly built up to this day. Up until today, I had always thought that her rule over the Fallen Apostles was absolute. However, in such a short period of time, this powerful enemy was gone. Her fall was so inexplicable and sudden that it was almost like a farce … I had been holding back for so many years, but my last punch did not even hit the cotton, not even the cotton was left!
I reckoned that Sandora had the same thoughts.
"In short, there is at least one thing that can't be wrong." Sandora was silent for a long time. In the end, she suddenly shook her head forcefully. "This is the weakest period of the Fallen Apostles. Whether it is a split or a civil war, it has given us a chance to advance. We have to fight this battle no matter what. "
"I suddenly hope that Abyss Schilling is still alive." I looked at Sandora with a smile. "If she is still alive, the civil war between the Fallen Apostles will continue. Right now, the Protoss has already pinned down half of their military forces. If the civil war continues, we will be able to save ourselves a lot of trouble."
Sandora rolled her eyes at me. "How could there be such a good thing? Even if Abyss Schilling is still alive, the Fallen Apostles are not stupid. Didn't you see what was written in the log? They still prioritize the interests of the Abyss Empire. If the Protoss and the Imperial Army really push them too far, they might end the division of the Abyss …"
At this point, Sandora suddenly stopped. My expression also changed.
That's right, the division and internal strife of the Abyss should still be ongoing. The log clearly stated one point: Regardless of whether it is the new army or the old army, they all prioritize the interests of the "Abyss Empire". If the Protoss and the New Empire really push them too far and they are unable to completely wipe out the entire Fallen Apostle camp, they might regroup!
"Then, are we still going to fight?" I looked into Sandora's eyes. She only hesitated for a moment before nodding her head forcefully. "Of course we'll fight! The most important thing is to maximize the results of the war. Moreover, the Protoss are about to begin their expedition, and the Fallen Apostles will not be fighting each other all the time. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, we have to be careful when we push forward. The environment of the Abyss region is too complicated. We have been investigating for several years, but we still can't tell how deep this place is. In addition, we can't be sure whether the 'old army' of the Fallen Apostles are still alive or not. So, we can't push too deep. If we wait for the Empire's army to go too deep, the Fallen Apostles might come back to their senses and regroup.
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