Liu Hai grew increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it. He realized his intelligence on the Katon Civilization relied too heavily on the Pioneers' channel. Many classified details weren't promptly shared there, leading to significant inaccuracies in his assessments of the Katon Fleet.
Recognizing this, Liu Hai accessed the thousands of probes deployed by the Angel Fleet during their journey to the Katon Fleet's headquarters. After lying dormant, fewer than one hundred thirty remained active.
The Katon Fleet's headquarters had been rebuilt following a Solar Storm. Cooling lava flows were still visible across planets in the Star System, and the star's luminosity had changed after being struck by a micro black hole. The loss of mass had slowed nuclear fusion, slightly reducing its brightness.
When Liu Hai activated several probes within the Star System, a flood of data poured in. The smart AI's holographic display flickered rapidly with updates.
Within just a minute, high-energy lasers obliterated the probes. The incoming data plummeted before cutting off completely two seconds later.
After several minutes, the smart AI processed the information and projected it before Liu Hai. Reclining in his rocking chair, he munched on exotic space fruits while reviewing footage of the Katon headquarters over time.
Given the extensive timeline, Liu Hai couldn't analyze everything alone. He forwarded the data to his advisory team for a thorough assessment of the Katon Fleet's movements.
Personally, Liu Hai fast-forwarded through recent months of footage, focusing only when new warships appeared or defensive installations were set up, evaluating their Armament strength.
Three days of intense review left him mentally exhausted, but he finally uncovered valuable intelligence.
Over the past two months, transport ship activity in the Katon headquarters' Star System had surged by more than fifty percent.
Non-combat personnel were gradually withdrawing to rear positions.
While warship numbers hadn't increased noticeably, the deployed Armament suggested the Katon forces were exceptionally well-prepared this time, anticipating Liu Hai's potential interference.
The warship situation made sense—large fleets rarely docked within Star Systems. Their massive collective weight could destabilize planetary orbits, and overcrowding compromised safety. Star Systems required ample space for traffic lanes, yet warships needed vast separation distances to prevent collisions during emergencies or rapid acceleration.
The boundless void posed no such problems. Even formations spanning dozens of light-hours caused no issues, with safety buffers stretching thousands of kilometers between vessels. Emergency maneuvers and acceleration were far simpler in open space.
At initial speeds of dozens or hundreds of kilometers per second, warships positioned too closely would collide immediately upon departure.
Thus, it was perfectly normal for the Katon Fleet's main force to remain outside the Star System—after all, even the Starsea Fleet's thousands of ships spent most of their time stationed beyond planetary systems.
Based on the current logistical information, a rough estimate can be made. Judging from the increased transport volume, the fleet size is likely around five Legions, though probably not the entirety of their forces. After all, not all fleets would concentrate their logistics in one place, waiting to be wiped out in a single strike.
Considering the last mobilization involved seven Legions, this time the numbers are expected to be even higher.
Liu Hai speculated that the enemy's additional forces must have received support from other Star Regions. It was unlikely they came from their home territory—such a large-scale mobilization would have triggered immediate warnings from military intelligence.
However, this information alone wasn't enough. The Pioneers should have already observed this through covertly placed Detectors. Even minimal data would allow them to take preventive measures in advance.
Meanwhile, the Stardust Star Region was scrambling like ants in a boiling pot, frantically purchasing Armament. This suggested they had more comprehensive intelligence and had concluded they lacked the capability to counter the threat.
Thus, the real problem likely lay in the additional forces being deployed—or perhaps some movement by the Cardun military fleet that could impact the Stardust Star Region.
"Too bad we don't have enough Detectors over there right now. Figuring out how to infiltrate is another challenge," Liu Hai sighed.
Compared to veteran Pioneers or established family factions with centuries of development behind them, newcomers like him were at a severe disadvantage. Those older factions had the time and resources to deploy Detectors in advance, even placing them beyond Cardun's surveillance perimeter and letting them drift slowly over decades or centuries. Their intelligence-gathering channels had never been interrupted.
But for new Pioneers like Liu Hai, time, resources, and manpower were all lacking. They had the will but not the means, resulting in significant delays in obtaining critical information.
After some deliberation, Liu Hai considered the upgraded Blending with Dust System. While it still couldn't enable Warp Drive or Warp jumps, it could manage Sublight Speed without issue.
If they could infiltrate within a few hundred light-hours, they might be able to quietly deploy some Detectors right at the enemy's doorstep.
After running feasibility calculations with the Intelligent AI, Liu Hai clapped his hands—decision made.
Even if it meant sacrificing an Angel Frigate, it would be worth it. Military intelligence was far more valuable than a warship.
With his mind made up, he immediately linked to the Intelligent Nexus, allocated an Angel Frigate, and loaded it with various disguised Detectors before equipping it with the Blending with Dust System.
He handed the mission over to the Clone Soldier intelligence division, leaving them to execute this bold plan. Then, as usual, his responsibilities were over.
Ah, time to enjoy life—watching android dances, indulging in leisure, and continuing his studies. Life was still full of sunshine.
Two days later, the analysis report on Cardun's main base landed on Liu Hai's desk. A quick glance confirmed that the overall assessment aligned with his own judgment, earning himself a mental pat on the back.
All that time spent studying hadn't been wasted. His analytical skills had noticeably improved, and his professional abilities had grown as well—though he still lagged behind elite military academy graduates. His overall performance was average, but he made up for it with broader knowledge.
With this analysis in hand, Liu Hai felt more confident about the upcoming battles. After comparing the military strength of the Stardust Star Region, he had the staff officers draft dozens of contingency plans for reinforcements or retreats, allowing them to make timely decisions based on different scenarios.
With just one order from Liu Hai, not only did the staff officers work themselves to exhaustion, but the logistics department also found themselves overwhelmed—so much so that their scalps gleamed under the lights. Hair loss remained an unavoidable issue even in the interstellar age, though restoration was fortunately an easy fix.