“Is that the aggregated form of crystal particles!? How disgusting…”
Red Dragon glared at the display screen with an unsightly expression. It was his first time seeing such an indescribable Crystal Nest life form. A large swarm of white locust-like creatures charged toward the fleet, making one’s heart shudder.
However, a hint of a smile appeared in Jiang Jianming’s eyes. “They came just right.”
— The jump wormhole opened near the Crystal Nest domain. If there was no interception, it meant the Crystal Nest wasn’t afraid of reinforcements. They might even be attempting to lure the reinforcing troops deeper to annihilate them, achieving the effect of surrounding and attacking relief forces.
Now that the crystalline creatures appeared, they clearly didn’t want the imperial reinforcements to enter the Crystal Nest’s territory. This indicated that whether it was the Crystal Nest or Gaius, they were at least wary of the reinforcements. It was a good sign.
Jiang Jianming’s fingers lightly tapped the virtual screen. “Execute Plan One.”
Red Dragon’s Adam’s apple moved, his gaze strangely fixed on Jiang Jianming.
This guy actually prepared different plans for different situations… what a brutal disabled human!
“Execute Plan One!”
“Open fire!!”
The order was transmitted to every Silver Big Dipper warship. Immediately, hundreds of vanguard ships opened full fire at the charging crystalline creatures!
What they fired weren’t the standard plasma cannons and guided missiles, but explosion-dispersing toxic agents containing crystal particle activity inhibitors, one of the specially developed weapons against the Crystal Nest.
Following this, the central array of starships quickly changed formation, spreading out horizontally in four directions. Strong lights illuminated from both sides of the ships’ bows, sweeping across like giant searchlights.
The light was an upgraded solidification ray, which also had the effect of numbing and deactivating crystal particles.
Under the coverage of nearly a thousand starships, this region of space became bright as day. Gunfire and strong light intertwined into a lethal net. The crystalline creatures let out silent screams, their bodies shattering piece by piece, and their assault speed slowed down.
“Enemy movement rate decreasing…”
“Enemy front showing partial collapse, but no obvious gaps appearing yet.”
“Predicted contact with our forces in four minutes and twenty-one seconds!”
Five or six small windows popped up on the circular screen in front of Jiang Jianming, all showing real-time data from the reconnaissance ships in the vanguard.
“This won’t work, Little Colonel.”
Behind him, space bandit Old Black Sheep raised his thick eyebrows, pointing at the image and speaking gruffly. “These things are endless and everywhere. If the starships charge into that huge swarm, how many will be crushed?”
Red Dragon turned back angrily, jumping up. “Hey! What did you call him!”
Old Black Sheep glumly scratched his scalp. Because of his son Gao Long, he didn’t actually harbor much hostility toward Jiang Jianming.
“You’re right.”
Jiang Jianming leaned in his command seat, saying calmly. “That’s why according to Plan One, we won’t be using starships in this battle.”
Inside the vanguard ships, the Silver Big Dipper commander issued an order.
“All ships reduce speed, mecha troops prepare to leave ships by squad!”
Following orders strictly, the mecha formation slid out from inside the warships, flying rapidly in an arrowhead formation, quickly leaving the starships far behind.
“Not using starships!?”
Red Dragon’s eyes widened. “Have you gone mad, fighting in space without starships!?”
In today’s various battles on a cosmic scale, whether it was long-distance jumps, personnel transport, loading large weapons and logistics support systems… what didn’t require the support of large starships?
But what was this disabled human thinking, actually planning to completely detach from the warships and rely purely on mecha troop formations to achieve a breakthrough!
Jiang Jianming stood up and raised his hand to signal the soldiers in the command room. “Let’s go as well.”
He turned back and said casually, “Kid, bring out Hephaestus and have your space bandit brothers follow along.”
Red Dragon: “…Hey!!”
Soon, Jiang Jianming left the flagship under the protection of Silver Big Dipper soldiers.
The mecha he drove out was a beautifully shaped semi-humanoid machine, with copper-yellow patterns carved like constellations on its four mechanical arms, dangerous yet enchanting.
Mecha L-Yaoguang…Major General Emma was worried, so she lent him her exclusive mecha before departure.
In the cockpit, a sharp gleam flashed in Jiang Jianming’s eyes as he grasped the thread-like mental bond. Connect!
The S-class mecha Yaoguang emitted a faint white light. Its mechanical arms extended laser blades three meters long as it charged forward fiercely. In less than half a minute, it had moved from the rear to the middle of the formation, without slowing down!
“Colonel Jiang!” Those Silver Big Dipper guards couldn’t keep up with him, “Please slow down!!”
Only when the mecha formation collided with the crystalline creatures and fierce battle broke out did most people, including Red Dragon, realize how advantageous this tactic of separating mecha from starships was.
Since the starships were arrayed in the rear space zone, the crystalline creatures were constantly under the solidification rays. If they engaged with the charging mecha, they would only grow weaker.
But if they ignored the mecha and rushed to attack the starships in the rear, they couldn’t prevent the reinforcements from entering the Crystal Nest.
Not to mention, mecha had far superior maneuverability compared to starships, showing clear advantages in the melee.
The blood-red L-Hephaestus charged recklessly through. Red Dragon was in a killing frenzy, kicking open the cockpit and directly releasing his crystal bones in space.
“Die, you bastards!!”
The crystal bones smashed down on the crystalline creatures. Though crushed to pieces, their remains slowly dissipated in space like ghosts.
“!?” Red Dragon stared in shock, “They’re… gone?”
Watching from the side, Jiang Jianming narrowed his eyes, “As expected…”
He recalled the information Yuan Changze provided before the expedition.
“…They’re very fast, and physical destruction alone is useless. The crystal particles’ life form exists at a microscopic level – they dissipate here only to reconstitute elsewhere.”
“Our starships and mecha must keep their crystal particle shields activated to avoid being destroyed from within.”
Jiang Jianming: “Have you found effective ways to combat them?”
Yuan Changze: “Either strike them through mental consciousness, or use specially made anti-Crystal Nest weapons. These seem to be the only effective methods right now.”
So at this moment, Jiang Jianming nodded secretly: Although he had already figured it out, seeing it firsthand really drove the point home.
See, this was where the little space bandits came in handy.
Red Dragon: “You disabled bastard, you’re setting me up—”
A white flash – Yaoguang’s blade swept horizontally, severing the crystalline creature’s “limbs.” As it spun, it fired a series of inhibitor rounds, causing the crystalline creature to writhe in pain and collapse.
“Hey!!”
Red Dragon had nearly been bitten by a crystalline creature and was now pale-faced, shouting frantically over the communications. “Without starships as backup, won’t the mecha run out of energy in less than two days at this rate!? Do you even know how to command—!?”
“We won’t need two days.” Jiang Jianming replied calmly, opening the military channel, “Time limit two hours, all forces enter the Crystal Nest.”
The officers at various levels were fired up. “Did you hear that? Colonel Jiang said enter the Crystal Nest in two hours! Charge!!”
“Huh!?” Red Dragon wanted to curse out loud. He thought this was insane – one dared to give such an order, and the whole bunch dared to execute it!
He was deeply doubting whether his decision to endure humiliation and cooperate with Jiang Jianming was a sign of brain damage, when he saw a Silver Big Dipper mecha in front of him suddenly twist upward, avoiding a crystalline creature’s pounce.
At the same time, two mecha exposed in the rear charged toward the alien creatures, crashing into them—Explosion!
Red Dragon became even more confused. “No way, you’re having them do suicide attacks!?”
Finally, a Silver Big Dipper soldier couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted. “Listen, you little brat, you’ve been chattering and freaking out since earlier, watch your mouth!”
There was a hint of pride in his tone. “The Third Fortress’s special mecha combat team, every person can control at least five mecha simultaneously. Those exploding mecha are all empty!”
No wonder they were proud. All along, the Silver Big Dipper Third Army had few impressive achievements, and was often secretly looked down upon by the First and Second Army.
But these past two years were different. With the Black Shark Base backing them and Jiang Sheng’s oversight, the Silver Big Dipper Third Army not only became the testing ground for various anti-Crystal Nest weapons, but also the first corps in the entire empire to achieve the application, popularization, and evolution of mental control technology!
This time, the Silver Big Dipper of the Third Fortress could finally hold their heads high.
Everyone said the First Fortress fights alien creatures, the Second Fortress fights space bandits? Well, our Third Fortress directly handles the Crystal Nest!
“Just consuming a lot of mecha…” Jiang Jianming muttered, “Never mind, let Her Majesty worry about the military supplies.”
……
When the first team of Silver Big Dipper’s mecha formation broke through the encirclement and entered the airspace above the Crystal Nest, only forty-plus minutes had passed since Jiang Jianming’s order.
When that vast, deathly silent, and pale crystalline surface appeared in their view, even the battle-hardened Silver Big Dipper soldiers were moved.
But soon, they saw their comrades fighting in the low altitude and immediately sent out calls through the military channel.
“It’s Silver Big Dipper mecha, it’s reinforcements!!”
On the surface, Tang Zhen excitedly wiped away the sticky blood from his forehead, “Major General Xie, our people!”
They had been fighting at high intensity for seven full days. The soldiers basically had to leave their ships to fight in mecha, and even with rotation breaks, they could barely hold on today.
Inside the mecha Tianshu, Xie Yuduo also received the call from the Silver Big Dipper reinforcements!
Being a major general meant keeping calm first, unlike the overjoyed soldiers.
The first thing Xie Yuduo determined was: to arrive so quickly, it couldn’t be the main force, just a small reinforcement group. It was already impressive that they broke through the Crystal Nest’s outer defenses.
In that case… they couldn’t just wait for friendly forces to charge in. The Crystal Nest’s interior had become completely toxic, and those who entered might not be able to leave.
When someone extends their arm to pull you out, you need to make a running jump to reach their hand, right?
Xie Yuduo made a quick decision and opened communications. “Your Highness! Reinforcements have arrived, let’s try breaking through upward again, please retreat back!”
“Your Highness!?”
The Crown Prince’s communication channel didn’t respond for a long time. After several seconds, a hoarse and cold voice came through.
“If you want to break through, then break through. Why call me? Figure it out yourselves.”
Xie Yuduo was stunned for a moment.
Then his expression changed instantly.
“No way?”
The Major General slapped the mecha control panel and screamed, “You’re not going to tell me that you can’t withdraw again, are you?!”
“……”
Crystal Nest, unknown coordinates.
Looking around, including overhead, there were no more human figures in sight.
“No.”
Ryann bit his lips slightly as cold sweat silently dripped from his hair, “But if you all don’t leave, I can’t leave!”
His body released massive crimson-gold crystal bones, which had already become fused with the translucent white ground of the Crystal Nest.
Continuous intense pain and mental pollution were transmitting through the crystal bones – the Crystal Nest was trying to devour him, assimilating him into itself.
“……”
Ryann raised his head while gasping, and in his increasingly blurry vision, the Crown of Golden Dawn hung suspended above, with its crystal particle shield wavering unsteadily.
If he directly cut off the crystal bones that were entangled by the Crystal Nest, he could still escape. But he was now using all his strength to wrestle with the Crystal Nest’s consciousness – if he withdrew now, the army’s breakthrough plan would likely… fail completely.
Ryann made his decision almost without hesitation.
He steeled himself: “Dog, cut off communications and pilot Golden Dawn back first.”
Since the Crystal Nest insisted on holding onto him, fine, he simply wouldn’t leave. Just like his previous self, he would exchange complete crystallization for the power to resist the Crystal Nest.
Hoping that in days, months or years, the imperial army could dig him out…
The communication was cut off as the intelligence quickly executed the first command.
However, the Crown of Golden Dawn didn’t turn to leave – Seth hesitated before the second command.
“Go!” Ryann shouted harshly, “Find him, and after he wakes up… protect him!”
The Crystal Nest’s white crystal clusters were slowly crawling up the Crown Prince’s neck like poisonous insects.
There were no more emotional words or nonsense. After giving his final command, Ryann closed his eyes and allowed his body to mutate.
He could now actively crystallize, and although his mind would inevitably fall into chaos after complete mutation, it was much better than that time a year ago when he lost Jiang.
His limbs quickly became numb, and his five senses gradually faded.
Just before his hearing completely disappeared, he seemed to hear a familiar voice.
…Your Highness…
Don’t interrupt. Ryann thought, Haven’t I done well enough? You should praise me, or at least wake up soon to see me.
Even at a time like this, I still miss you so much.
……
“Your Highness!!”
“Ryann, where are you, answer me!!”
“–Ryann!!!”
Inside Golden Dawn’s cockpit, the communications that should have been cut off connected again.
That voice that had always been cool and composed was now calling out almost tragically, echoing inside the empty mecha.
“Seth, are you in Golden Dawn, are you with His Highness– protect him, stay by his side! Send me your location!”
In a corner of Golden Dawn’s display screen, the word “woof” was flickering – the permissions of both masters were clashing, their commands conflicting.
If this were an ordinary intelligence, it would probably have glitched out by now.
But Seth wasn’t just an intelligence, it was also a dog, and smart dogs could follow their hearts – this was the privilege it was granted when it received new life at the base.
The Crown of Golden Dawn turned back, diving down along its original path.
Meanwhile, more chaotic voices arose in the communications:
“Colonel Jiang, you can’t go!”
“The crystal particle concentration is too high, you won’t be able to handle it!”
On the Crystal Nest’s surface, Ryann had been completely enveloped by crystalline matter, and his body was gradually losing its human structure.
But when the distant voice faintly reached him, deep in those already scattered and dim eyes, light suddenly flared up and contracted into a point!
Jiang… it was Jiang calling him!
His consciousness had already slipped into the abyss of chaos – he didn’t even realize what this meant, didn’t realize that his sleeping loved one had awakened.
He just heard Jiang Jianming calling him.
In that instant, it was as if millions of glass shards shattered, like sandstorms pouring into the wind.
Memories merged into distorted forms, and he seemed to see the depths of the dark mecha cockpit again.
That was before their death parting, before dawn.
Someone knelt in the cold, calling him gently through tears.
He hadn’t responded.
The monster, no longer in human form, struggled against the crystal’s restraints.
It raged at these restraints, emitting an eerie and cold low moan that made the ground tremble faintly.
It knew.
If it didn’t respond now.
Its most beloved person would leave it forever.
The next second, deep within the Crystal Nest, a color as brilliant as a golden-red corona exploded.
“Your Highness Ryann!?”
Incomparable power shook heaven and earth – both the expeditionary force fighting to break through and the reinforcements desperately providing support were startled by this blazing light.
In another corner of the low airspace, Jiang Jianming showed an expression of disbelief.
“What…”
Just seconds ago, crimson-gold crystals had appeared out of nowhere, violently wrapping around his mecha and yanking the entire frame downward!
“Ry… Ryann? What are you doing, let…”
Jiang Jianming tried to control it, but the S-class mecha Yaoguang actually couldn’t shake free at all.
The next second, violent acceleration caused red warning lights to explode in the cockpit!
“Ugh…!”
The mecha was being forcefully yanked down at acceleration, even the cockpit’s protection system couldn’t keep up. Looking down, he could only see large patches of crimson-gold.
Before losing consciousness, Jiang Jianming’s last thought was quite desperate.
–Help, if Major Emma’s L-Yaoguang gets destroyed, he really can’t afford to compensate for it!
