On the bridge of the Iron Fist Sub-Fleet's flagship "Unyielding".
The main tactical screen refreshed battlefield data from the Elvira Star System every ten seconds.
Yang Shao stood before the screen, his brow furrowed tightly.
"Commander, new briefing incoming." The communications officer's voice interrupted his contemplation.
An encrypted message box popped up on the right side of the main tactical screen, data beginning to scroll.
[Timestamp: 14:32:17]
[Location: 19.34 light-minutes beyond Planet Agbag's orbit]
[Wells Sub-Fleet main force, Directly Subordinate Fleet, and Dragon Lizard Fleet are engaging our forces at Planet Agbag...
...
Delay enemy reinforcements.
Ambush can be set at safe jump points within the star system, cutting off enemy retreat routes.]
The air on the bridge froze.
The adjutant's voice sounded dry. "How many fleets?"
Yang Shao repeated the number, each syllable like shards of ice. "Two - the Directly Subordinate Fleet and the Dragon Lizard Fleet! Wells wants to swallow one of our fleets whole!"
He stared at the words "engaging our forces" on the screen, feeling a wave of absurd dizziness.
Eleven ships against twenty-four - no matter how great the equipment advantage, the numerical disparity exceeded two to one.
Moreover, Wells was a veteran commander, not a novice. He wouldn't make elementary mistakes.
And Qin Bei Wang... that 22-year-old who ranked at the bottom of his command class, who only got his position through his father's connections - actually wanted to "take the initiative"?
"He's insane," the adjutant murmured. "This is suicide."
Yang Shao didn't refute him. His mind raced, calculating all possibilities.
If the Pluto Fleet were completely annihilated, it wouldn't just mean losing eleven starships.
Marshal Qin Qianfan's son dying in his defense sector - the political consequences would be enough to end his military career.
More crucially, although Qin Bei Wang was a gilded young master, he was still a Federation soldier, a commander under his command.
Whether out of duty or morality, he couldn't just watch the other march to his death.
"Communications officer!" Yang Shao's voice suddenly sharpened. "Get me Kunlun Mountain, highest priority!"
"Attempting... establishing quantum communication link... estimated delay... 37 minutes 15 seconds."
Thirty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds.
The time needed for the message to reach Kunlun Mountain.
And thirty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds was enough to decide the outcome of a space engagement.
"Never mind, send it now!"
Yang Shao strode to the communications console, stared at the holographic recording interface, and took a deep breath.
"Lieutenant Commander Qin, this is Yang Shao. Latest intelligence received. Your force is severely outnumbered by the enemy. I hereby order you to immediately terminate engagement plans and retreat at full speed from the Planet Agbag region. Repeat: withdraw immediately, do not engage the enemy."
He paused, realizing his tone might have been too harsh, and added, "This is not a question of your capability, but tactical necessity. Wells is a veteran - if he dares to concentrate forces for an attack, he must have preparations in place. Your force should withdraw first. Wait until my main force arrives before counterattacking."
The recording ended, sent.
Watching the information vanish into the void as quantum-encoded streams, Yang Shao's heart did not lighten in the slightest.
A delay of 37 minutes and 15 seconds, plus the decision-making time on Qin Bei Wang's side… by the time the order arrived, the battle might have already begun.
"No, we can't wait."
He turned to face the entire bridge.
"All ships, hear my command: Abandon the original reinforcement plans for Shiva Star and Oak Planet. All available vessels are to immediately change course and proceed at full speed to reinforce Planet Agbag!"
The order struck like a thunderclap.
"Commander!" the chief of staff exclaimed urgently. "The orbital shipyard at Shiva Star and the Helium-3 Refining Center on Oak Planet are both strategic locations! If we abandon reinforcements and something happens…"
Yang Shao's voice was resolute.
"Shipyards can be rebuilt, fuel can be found again, but the annihilation of an entire fleet—especially one equipped like the Pluto Fleet—would be a devastating blow to morale! Not to mention…"
He didn't finish, but everyone understood.
Not to mention that Qin Bei Wang was Marshal Qin Qianfan's son.
Politics would always be part of war.
"But Commander," the adjutant said cautiously, "in Lieutenant Commander Qin's earlier briefing, he suggested we split our forces to intercept several safe jump points in the Elvira Star System to prevent Wells' fleet from escaping. If we all head to Planet Agbag, then the jump points…"
"We can't worry about that now," Yang Shao interrupted, his eyes weary but firm. "We only have so many forces; we can't cover everything. The priority now is to ensure Qin Bei Wang and the Pluto Fleet's safety. As for Wells… if he manages to escape, so be it. It's better than losing one of our elite squadrons."
It was a difficult choice, but Yang Shao had made his decision.
Between "annihilating the enemy" and "preserving our own," he chose the latter.
Not because he was cowardly, but because he had experienced too many wars and witnessed the disasters caused by those who would "spare no cost for victory."
A general's success is built on ten thousand bones, but if those bones included the marshal's son, the Federation's most elite starships, and the potential chain reaction that could trigger a political earthquake…
He couldn't afford to lose.
"All ships have completed course adjustment," the navigation officer reported. "Estimated time of arrival at Planet Agbag: 1 hour, 22 minutes."
One hour and twenty-two minutes. Yang Shao stared at the tactical screen, silently calculating as he watched the light representing Planet Agbag.
At the speed of space combat, an hour and twenty-two minutes was enough to fight ten medium-scale skirmishes.
If Qin Bei Wang had truly charged in recklessly…
If Wells had truly laid a trap…
If…
He didn't dare think further.
"Communications officer," he said quietly, "continue attempting to contact the Kunlun Mountain. Send evacuation orders every thirty seconds until we confirm they've received them."
"Yes, Commander."
The atmosphere on the bridge was as oppressive as the dead calm before a storm. The officers operated their consoles with subdued movements, as if afraid to disturb something.
Yang Shao walked back to the command seat and slowly sat down.
He recalled that day's combat meeting—Qin Bei Wang arriving late, being publicly reprimanded by him, the disdainful glances from other commanders.
At the time, he had thought this young man was nothing but trouble, a burden that needed careful handling to prevent disaster.
Only now did he realize the problem wasn't Qin Bei Wang's lack of capability—it was that he was far too capable.
So capable that he dared to charge twenty-four enemy ships with just eleven vessels. So capable that he made this battle-hardened veteran's heart race with anxiety.
"Kid!" Yang Shao muttered into the void.
"Don't you dare get yourself killed. How would I ever explain this to your father..."
Right after Qin Bei Wang annihilated the Dragon Lizard Fleet.
The Fleet finally received Commander Yang Shao's message.
Zhuang ZhiXuan approached with a peculiar expression.
"Captain, we've received a communication from Commander Yang Shao—delayed by... 37 minutes and 15 seconds."
"The content orders us to withdraw immediately and avoid engagement."