Chapter 167: The Trap

Zhao Junsu whirled around fiercely and barked, “Is this really true?”

The colonel responded decisively, “Our men know the chart by heart, so well memorized they would recognize it even from ashes!”

Zhao asked again, “How many warships are coming?”

“Only one!”

A cold gleam shone fiercely in Zhao’s eyes, as he croaked, “Excellent. One Grand Duke’s flagship—it’s worth as much as an entire fleet. Issue orders at once: all ships shall cast off disguise, and proceed with all hands at full force! Bring down that ship today! Revenge for His Grace the Duke!”

At this remark, Zhao stopped himself, but those officers around him instantly understood his meaning. With teared eyes, they shouted in unison, “Yes sir!”

Zhao’s land force accelerated quickly continuing forth, while its fleet altered course en mass heading north as well.

Through heavy clouds in the north approached Lord Aldark’s flagship, speeding forward. Around the massive hull flickering, huge imaginary webs constantly appearing as if the warship perched upon phantom web threads, eight great long limb-likes extensions walking the invisible webs like an inhuman arachnoid leviathan racing to its target with lightning velocity.

On the control platform inside the central warship bridge stood a willowy spider-demon, observing holographic projections in midair of Empire fleets before him.

Watching those ships change their formations and directly aim for him, the spider noble sneered in high shrill laughter. He mused mockingly,

“These puny men with their pathetic lone battlecruiser and fishing trawlers actually dare oppose the Grand Duke’s flagship? Hoo, even the freighters race forth as suicide drones…Are these insects planning sacrificial death? Ahh hahh haahaha!”

At his side, the young Viscount replied instantly, “Indeed—truly. Not yet in command for long as I am, I confess never before I’ve beheld merchant vessels charging warships headlong without hesitation. Could it signify a sudden human breakthrough—an invention of devastating weapon? Ha…Hey—Wait—the freighters!! What is…?”

The projection before them showed Empire fleets drawing alarmingly near.

Leading warships, including flagship and its escorts, began reshifting formations. However in the distance behind and flanks fell many small patrols, and supply vessels drifted slowly outwards revealing now only three very old, battered freight carriers far advanced, oddly prominent in that fleet’s center.

Unexpectedly those trawlers accelerated—not merely maintaining position alongside the flagship—they even overtook it somewhat. A shocking speed absolutely unthinkable for mere cargo hauls!

The aristocratic spider captain now instinctual edged closer watching with keen intensity. On both flanks of the Empire fleet, a couple of battle cruisers with swift gunboat escorts surged ahead breaking the formation, flanking swiftly behind his flagship.

The Spider Count swept a quick glance on those fast approaching wings, yet instantly refocused intensely upon those freighters.

Sudden flashes interrupted the vision as glowing runes blazed within view. Moments later the three cargo trawlers began trembling with small explosions tearing away their exteriors peels. Their true forms revealed beneath—stately, massive vessels of war, emerging from merchant shell disguises in a butterfly transformation like warships reborn.

Across the enemy main command center, chilling silence spread even stunning Count-Aristocrat who could barely hide agitation betrayed merely by quivering fingers.

Three brand heavy battle line men-of-war –each a battleship potent enough to command its own battle division alone.

Now in unity these dreadnoughts joined by Zhang Junshu’s main carrier had combat prowess surpassing full-strength battlefleet.

The Night Eternal duke-class flagships belonged usually unto super battle-ship classes possessing notable superiority versus single Empire battleships but already disadvantageous against duel line men, let alone triads when defeat became expected.

Worse still—his vessel had rashly raced alone with practically zero accompanying screens, no high might champion present aboard while facing encirclements from complete fleet.

Realization gripped instantly; those humans hiding three deadly men-ship dreadnoughts all along, clever camouflage preventing their discovery even as territorial losses occurred. Deceptive trap luring Night Eternal floating armadas towards mutual destruction within ambush.

Already knowing well the Empire fleets’ power inferiority overall forced heavy withdrawal leaving them in vulnerability explaining why their outer-space engagements lately seemed sluggish defensive stalemate, avoiding Night fleet total clashes while barely maintaining foothold—clearly because of clever tactical genius commanding those remaining squadrons.

Now understanding changed nothing. Hitting realizations when suddenly you were the prey caught in deadly traps laid—minds sour instantly no matter how cleverly played earlier.

The young viscounty finally realizing too cried in alarm— “Damn it! Those crafty humans had zeroed upon our entire airborne fleet—this engagement never targeting land installations originally?!”

Correct, if crippled—sealing Eternal victory at critical moments, sealing void lanes would allow Empire complete air supremacy striking supply chains, severing provisions—Dark armies on floating landmasses cut loose, left without external support versus empire reinforcement inflows guaranteeing eventual annihilation.

The young nobleman had correct strategic thinking, but alas standing trapped in doomed command bridge.

The spider count captain’s emotions were at their lowest, and as his aide babbled foolishness now the arachnae noble grabbed hold onto the young viscount by the throat mid-rant snarling.

“So quick tongue and yet so useless—you never foresaid this—NOW NONE speaks further.”

Suddenly a deep reverberating BOOM exploded throughout the vessel as the entire flagship jolted unsteadily—the bridge lighting flickered violently. Main hull heavily stricken—clearly hit by enemy heavy ordnance gun battery fire!

The Spider Lord expression morphing into a mask of savagery, crushed fingers tightened around his officer breaking bones and sending gore flying over controls dismembering the poor nobleman mid-breath—a messy bloody end!

After momentary violent outlet on fury, the aristocrat barked forth thrice—Orders: Speed boost. Tactical retreat bearing adjustment course deviation.

Yet despite commanding so fiercely—the nobleman understood in grim certainty— the third order may remain impossible.

Through the Empire flag bridge: Commander Zhao roared over all channels across his fleet: “Annihilate that verminous arachid scum!! Glory to The Empire!!”

Simultaneously thousands of war-cannons burst fire creating firework trails blooming into devastation upon hundreds of meter-long target vessel frames. Countless luminized trail-guided siege crosshair volleys flew like homing fish into prey vessel.

Meanwhile on the distant wind-swept cliffs above the horizon, “Qian Ye” held up a shielding hand squinting at the rare spectacle, lips murmuring.

“Absolutely grand.” He sighed aloud. Naval scale battlefields rarely occur, let alone viewed from such proximity.

In roaring tempest gale no mundane might even see a few steps ahead. Yet gifted Vision Seeker’s eye allowed Qian Ye perceive rough flow patterns of shifting battlefront, though specifics obscured even from trained observation eye.

Above heights past a kilometer mark aerial battle raged—comparable to cosmic star void warfare.

Beams of raw void-force lances wove death-walls upon which a mighty leviathan-class battleship attempted erratic evasive maneuvering surrounded constantly on all sides by scores of enemy vessels—shark-pack-like swarming around massive prey biting down heavy chunks from the colossal vessel upon every successful lunge near.

Out of Qian Ye’ vision’s range behind—Zhao’s retreating army strained forward against wind-pressure inch-by-inch withdrawing toward the final defensive territory. Progress arduous, but with terrain obstacles even worse conditions rendered Darkness clans’ superior physique and battle strength less effective since no grand plan prepared their logistics like heavy Empire convoys did supplying mechanized armored transportation.

Yes—the brief burst speed, none surpassed dark-warriors, but across the hundred-kilometers-long retreat across stormy open field? Even darkest blood warriors cannot match machines running endlessly fueled properly regardless of atmospheric hardships.

Thus—inside every Zhao’s force members—secret hope arose—that this storm last longer without end—the longer it persisted—the bigger the gap behind.

Far beyond the retreat path lay yet another direction. Center of the storms far far ahead loomed a greater horror.

Both Dusk Light forces clashing and exploding there endlessly, unstable war zones rending the skies with every moment. Even spaces tore with frequent unstable eruptions—dark fissures hundreds-meters long appearing spontaneously—space tearing voids, able consume utterly all upon sudden appearance spewing forth void-force tides like water gushing suddenly through breached floodgate.

In surface floating lands closer atmospheres, Void Energy never stabilized easy, and with so much raw chaos energy, each buildup caused storms more violent even compared to boiling pan receiving splash-cup of freezing liquid explosion.

Although with Seeker Vision, Qian Ye glimpsed a wild sea chaotic surging energies so rapidly chaotic shifting that mind struggled capture the tiniest patterns in time—it proved futile to judge the battlefield except sensing two god-generals clashing furiously above—Daylight energy clearly at disadvantage—wavering candle flame struggling to not go dark forever.

Deep hidden apprehensive dread welled—but was quickly mastered. That scale combat—beyond the grasp of someone at his current level.

Qian Ye’s eyes shifted again now fully toward retreading ground forces sensing potent darkness signatures swiftly moving—obvious to infer that burning ruins slowed massive army progress but never held back Dark Elites who pursue relentlessly with speed undeterred by any mere fire barricade walls.

Certainly not openly challenging main fleets directly guarded by full air armadas—but certainly would harass continuously from shadows. Each attempt dragging supply lines slower down—more vulnerable opportunities to destroy critical carriers—such are usual strategies in war besides superhuman God-Champions, aerial domination dictated battle victories.

In his eyes, the retreating army became a wounded colossal elephant trudging heavily onward with bleeding deep trail left in path luring ever closer savage packs hungered packs.

Whether the mighty could cross finish despite relentless predators determined by successful counter-predations performed—this is Qian Ye’s battlefield indeed.

But even if so—Imperial forces present locally—already low numbers—especially the majority of freely independent warriors concentrated now at Misty Woodland, Night forces months earlier increased military presence there causing chaos and forcing all who try traverse those haunted forests struggle for their safe survival.

Before Qian Ye however wolves already gathered, potentially exceeding human counter measures in sheer mass swarms so numerous that easily devour remaining opposition completely.

Qian Ye retracted his injured war-serpentine dragon into Andu’ya Space for repairs.

Donned in a light stealth garment replacing heavy gear.

Tightening armor fastenings—packing the heavy Dusk Piercing Pole arm, he finally leaped from peak down into windswept air.

Storm raged all around.

Yet he ascended through turbulence like skimming leaf riding turbulent wave surfaces—not following chaotic storm movement but tracing precise patterns. Mastering detection upon Void-force directionality—controlling flight orientation carefully—tracing a curviline flight path alongside army retreat.

Suddenly while moving along violent tempest—Qian Ye felt an overwhelming jolt of internal premonition.

Unexpectedly—without warning—the raging maelstrom around him—stilled instantaneously—calmed abruptly.

Much like how raging oceans with mountains-like-waves—suddenly go quiet in an inexplicable calm sea surface stretch.

Yet at the epicenter—somewhere deep within invisible darkness—a vortex formed unknowable in depths stretching—its presence, though silent spoke volumes, far more chilling in terrifying majesty than thunderous roiling winds ever could.