The defensive battle of the Third Star System in the Stardust Star Region concluded with a Pyrrhic victory for the Pioneer Fleet and the Katon Fleet losing over half of its warships.
This clash between the civilian armed forces of both civilizations resulted in heavy losses for both sides. Among the Katon Fleet, a small number of Seekers perished in battle, while most lost everything they had invested, reverting to their pre-war status overnight.
The Pioneers didn't fare much better. Their accumulated Fighter Swarms were completely depleted, and their warships had to endure the relentless fire of fortress cannons during the final stages of the battle, suffering severe casualties. Although the Xue Family bore the brunt of the losses, most Pioneers now found themselves with fleets smaller than those of many newcomers.
Fortunately, in the final phase, Liu Hai's surprise attack damaged the Seekers' main base, shaking the morale of the Katon Fleet and disrupting their formation. This gave the Pioneers the opening they needed to launch a desperate counterattack, ultimately securing victory.
It could be said that the Seekers of the Katon Fleet lacked the resolve for an all-out battle. Faced with the Pioneers' suicidal counteroffensive, they failed to respond effectively. Even if they had sacrificed their flanking fleets and retreated their main force beyond the range of Fighter Swarm interference, the outcome might have been different.
Of the Katon Fleet's fifteen Fortresses, five were destroyed, three severely damaged, five lightly damaged, and only two escaped unscathed.
Nearly half of their thousands of Battleships were left behind, their wreckage now hurtling through the void of the battlefield.
In the aftermath, the Pioneers earned a substantial amount of Merit Points. Since several Fortresses had been destroyed, the military also unlocked the option to exchange for basic Fortresses. These were different from the standard ones available for purchase—despite being of similar size, their combat effectiveness was 0.6 times lower. However, their exchange value matched that of standard Fortresses, making this a clear benefit extended by the military to the Pioneers.
Liu Hai, having accepted the mission to raid the Seekers' main base in the Third Spiral Arm, also gained access to the military Fortress exchange and received a reward of a full fleet's worth of resources from the Pioneers.
As for who profited the most from this battle…
"It's finally over. We won by sheer luck. If we had to do it again, the Pioneers probably wouldn't stand a chance."
After reviewing the battle with Li Yali, Liu Hai shook his head and said, "We may have won this time, but the Third Star System's defenses have been mostly destroyed. The fleet urgently needs repairs, and the entire defensive framework is in shambles. Right now, they're still scrambling to figure out how to patch the gaps."
Li Yali's eyes gleamed with insight. Unlike Liu Hai, her focus as a naturally gifted commander was broader and deeper.
"From a tactical perspective, we've dealt a painful blow to the Katon Civilization, but these losses are insignificant in the grand scheme. Several other Star Systems still have Katon forces attacking, and after the crushing defeat in the Third Star System, they withdrew, preserving their full strength."
"In the other Star Systems, the Li Family and several other factions also suffered considerable losses. Tactically, we won this battle, but strategically, the enemy came out on top. They achieved their primary objective—decimating the Pioneers' current forces. If they strike again, the Stardust Star Region will inevitably fall into their hands."
"Moreover, this time the boss went and blew up the Katon Explorers' home star system while wearing Xue Jiye's face. The Xue family must have quite a few complaints. Although our relationship with them isn't at the point of cutting all ties, it certainly won't be getting any better."
Liu Hai waved his hand dismissively. "It's not that serious. The star regions controlled by the Xue family were already primary targets for the Katon Civilization. Whether I lit that fire or not wouldn't have made a difference. In fact, they should be thanking me. If I hadn't set that blaze, the Third Star System would belong to someone else by now."
Li Yali had to admit he had a point, though she remained puzzled about how her boss had actually pulled it off. She'd seen the projection footage but still couldn't figure out whose forces he'd mobilized.
"Boss, could you tell us where you deployed troops from to accomplish this? Storming the Katon home star system alone, detonating a star to create a solar storm—even star regions within the Federation are spreading legends about you now."
Had it spread that widely already?
Liu Hai was caught off guard. When accepting the mission, he'd anticipated making waves, but this had been a necessary move. If he hadn't helped the Pioneers defend the Third Star System, his own position would have been doomed. He just hadn't expected word to travel so fast.
"The forces came from the Gemini Starfield. Keep that to yourself—maintain strict confidentiality. That area will be our fallback position. If the war situation changes, we'll retreat directly into Gemini and lay low." Liu Hai concealed most of the Gemini Starfield's true purpose from Li Yali, though as his fleet commander, the more intelligence she had, the better she could deploy their forces.
Often, a single piece of intelligence could determine whether a battle ended in last-ditch resistance or strategic withdrawal. That's why Li Yali's clearance level remained slightly higher than Li Ping's.
Hearing the troops came from Gemini only deepened Li Yali's confusion. What forces could possibly be mobilized from there?
Reviewing the footage again, a sudden thought struck her—could the boss have a stockpile of advanced military warships at his disposal?
Unaware of her speculation, Liu Hai reiterated the importance of enhanced detection systems and authorized a batch of Space Disturbance Devices for deployment within several dozen light-years—any farther might interfere with the military fleet stationed in the neighboring star system.
He needed to ensure the Katon Fleet couldn't forcibly warp into his territory like he'd done to them. Fifth-level detectors could bypass many stealth techniques too. As long as they detected enemy positions early, he'd maintain the initiative to fight or withdraw at will.
Just as Liu Hai focused on reinforcing defenses in both locations, an explosive news alert forcibly interrupted his communications.
"At dawn yesterday, the Katon Fifth Fleet formally entered combat. Over three hundred Pioneer Fleets in the central sector were forced to retreat into military defensive positions."
"By 5:00 AM, the Katon Sixth, Seventh, Fifteenth, and Thirty-Second Fleets deployed to the Second Spiral Arm, engaging Reserve Lord Chang Qinghai's forces in the Red Giant Starfield. The fierce battle remains unresolved. Pioneers in the Second Spiral Arm have voluntarily mobilized, preparing to reinforce Reserve Lord Chang Qinghai at any moment."
"At 5:20 AM, the Kadon Explorers joint forces, comprising seven legions, launched a surprise attack on Reserve Lord Li Fang of the First Spiral Arm. The battle took place in the Fragrant Grass Starfield, with the current situation at a stalemate. All Pioneer territories in the First Spiral Arm are under attack by the Katon Fleet, making reinforcements impossible."
"By 6:00 AM, fifteen legions of the Katon Civilization were advancing in full force, with the central region on the brink of war. The military is prepared for combat and has issued warnings to all Pioneer Fleets to temporarily avoid confrontation and not make unnecessary sacrifices."