Chapter 155: The Hidden Power Behind Tianyuan IV

“What’s going on? Why are there so many, and such powerful, warships at Tianyuan IV?”

“Your Majesty, could it be that Sadik set us up?”

“No, that’s impossible. That guy is in danger himself. If we fail, he’s doomed too!”

Parlo, leader of the Ziyang Empire, shook his head as he spoke.

He wasn’t foolish. Long before sending troops, he’d verified the intelligence multiple times. Just as he said, if the Ziyang Empire failed here, Sadik would be finished as well.

He didn’t believe Sadik was scheming against him.

So, could it really be that Tuoba had hidden such a powerful fleet?

But then, where did Tuoba get those warships?

Surely they weren’t built by Tuoba himself—Parlo refused to believe that a million times over.

He quickly pulled up a star chart and began studying it.

Tianyuan IV was a standard hub node, boasting a whopping six external currents. Normally, five is enough to call a star system a hub, or a hub node.

Of these six, one led to the border of the Ziyang Empire, four connected to the Xitoris Kingdom, and the last one—

“If I remember right, didn’t you report that Tuoba sent an exploration fleet this way?”

Pointing at Alpha Centauri on the star chart, Parlo turned to his minister for confirmation.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“According to our intelligence, that was over twenty years ago. Back then, Tuoba’s family indeed dispatched an exploration fleet, and they went there. But after a little over a year, they suddenly retreated back to Tianyuan IV for reasons unknown.”

“And ever since, Tuoba sealed off Tianyuan IV’s entrance to that current and even stopped any ships from approaching.”

Parlo nodded at these words.

It looked like the real issue was right there.

“If I’m not mistaken, Tuoba must have encountered another civilization there or perhaps another node or two further out.”

“And, from the looks of it, it was a civilization far more powerful than the Xitoris Kingdom.”

“Maybe even one fundamentally superior to a level-two civilization.”

“They’ve established some kind of trade with this civilization. As for those powerful warships…”

“They most likely bought them from that civilization.”

To be honest, Parlo’s speculations were already damn close to the truth.

“Your Majesty, could it really be a level-three civilization?”

“Would you ever sell your most advanced warships to another civilization?”

Instead of answering, Parlo fired back with another question.

The minister shook his head in response.

Exactly—no civilization would do that.

Arms trades are always toned-down before sale.

Otherwise, if someone buys your warships and turns them against you, what then?

The footage from the frontlines…

Those warships already performed at the level of a 2.5 civilization. If these are the toned-down versions, then—

There’s no reasonable explanation except that the civilization selling warships to Tuoba is a level-three one.

“Your Majesty, should we request an Alliance arbitration? Tuoba’s actions clearly violate Article 7 of the Alliance Treaty—no conspiring with external civilizations…”

“Request arbitration? Do you have any evidence?”

“Aren’t those warships evidence enough?”

“Hell no. If Tuoba claims they built them themselves, is the Alliance really going to force them to hand over the tech?”

The minister was momentarily stunned.

Right—the Alliance can’t just seize technology openly, not officially anyway. So…

As long as Tuoba stuck to the story that these warships were self-developed, the Alliance couldn’t touch him.

“Your Majesty, what do we do now? If this goes on, our two corps might…”

“Send a message and try to open negotiations. If a small border family like Tuoba can make deals, then surely an entire empire like mine can too!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!!”

Orders from the Imperial Capital were quickly relayed to the front. Following those commands, messages were sent continuously to Lin Yu.

But Lin Yu ignored them completely.

He’d said before the battle that no one was to answer any communication, under any circumstances.

If their identity was compromised, it would only create headaches for the Federation.

“Your Majesty, our fleet keeps hailing the other side, but… there’s still no response!”

“Then connect me directly to Tuoba. I’ll speak with him myself!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Yet—

Even when contacting Tuoba directly—

Tuoba was no different.

He flatly refused, too.

With Tianyuan IV’s situation livestreamed, Tuoba knew exactly why the Ziyang Emperor wanted to talk.

Honestly, if that fleet at Tianyuan IV were his, he would’ve agreed in a heartbeat.

But it wasn’t, and he had no authority to command them.

Not only couldn’t he issue commands—if he reached out to Lin Yu and asked him to hold fire…

What right did he have to order a high-ranking commander from a level-three civilization?

So—

It was better for him to just stay out of it.

As long as the Federation could wipe out the invaders, that would be good enough.

Anyway, after losing two corps, the Ziyang Empire wouldn’t have the strength or the nerve to launch another assault of this magnitude.

And as for him—

There was nothing to fear. Better leave it to the Federation to handle.

So in the end, Tuoba ignored the Ziyang Empire’s comms too.

“Damn you, Tuoba!”

Parlo was so furious, he nearly exploded.

He was the Emperor of the whole empire, while Tuoba was just a family head from the Xitoris Kingdom border. Who did this guy think he was?

“Have our fleet publicly broadcast at Tianyuan IV.”

“Tell them whatever Tuoba offered, we’ll double it.”

“What are you waiting for? Move!”

At that moment, Parlo was completely losing it.

If he didn’t act fast, the two corps he sent to Tianyuan IV…

They’d all be lost there.

And that meant nearly half the empire’s main fleet—gone…

——

Meanwhile.

At the current connecting Tianyuan IV and the Ziyang Empire border—

“It’s a massacre. There’s not even a hint of resistance…”

Watching the battle, George couldn’t help but sigh.

“Did you really think all level-two civilizations were like the Kleins?”

“They’re an oddball civilization. These types are usually stronger than the average for their tier. Back then, even when three other level-two civilizations attacked at once, the Kleins held out for ages before they fell.”

“As for normal level-twos, they’re basically a bunch with railguns and, at most, about the Federation’s fourth-gen controllable fusion power. That’s it.”

Lin Yu shook his head and smiled.

He couldn’t help but recall the old Klein fleet—those guys were tough.

Not like now, where usually just three ion beams can blow a warship apart.

If you hit a vital spot…

One shot is more than enough.”