Chapter 1014: Chapter 291: Meat Mountain
As the fleets of the Fifth Legion and Zuo Jing finally entered the cruiser-level combat range between each other’s battleships,
the Fifth Legion, which ought to rely on the advantage in strength of main ships and the subordinate fleet, for some reason did not directly launch a full-scale attack.
Instead, it chose a posture of gradual advancement.
The commander of the Fifth Legion was cautious, perhaps even excessively so.
He continuously commanded the fleet on the edge of the battle line, showcasing his exceptional command skills, causing the Zuo Jing fleet composed of less competent commanders and mixed units to be in a frenzy.
This allowed the Fifth Legion’s fleet to easily destroy large batches of the mixed fleet.
The overall situation was tilting towards the Fifth Legion.
Yet, for some reason, the battlefield situation was very intense.
The overwhelming scenario was forcibly turned into one of extreme difficulty by the Fifth Legion.
And just when the subordinate ships of the Fifth Legion had roughly dealt a blow to the subordinate ships of Zuo Jing,
they suddenly chose to retreat.
The Fifth Legion wanted to reorganize and did not choose to finish the battle in one go.
From Chen Ming’s perspective, it seemed that if they fought a little longer, the results would be clear.
The Fifth Legion suffered very few losses.
Even if everyone on those ships belonging to Zuo Jing’s side was forcibly brainwashed and fought to the death without retreat,
the Fifth Legion could not lose solely based on the increasing exchange ratio, nor suffer significant losses.
Zuo Jing’s Prometheus-class, even if it wanted to resist, Chen Ming wouldn’t believe a Prometheus-class whose original purpose was for fuel and supplies transport, after being modified by brainwashed ship engineers across a star realm, could match up to an Offensive Level ship designed for the army, meant to hold the line on large-scale frontal battlefields.
Moreover, as far as Chen Ming knew, the Prometheus-class was a main ship jointly developed by various governments of different star realms, approved by the Empire.
Its data must have long been in the hands of various relevant parties.
No matter how much such a ship is modified, the framework is there, why should the military fear it?
Yet, the Fifth Legion acted as if it dared not to face the Prometheus head-on.
Chen Ming could guess the reason.
Because just when the two fleets were firing at each other,
a portion of medium and small ships of the Fifth Legion bypassed the active combat zone defense net of the Prometheus-class, arriving at Yunluo Star from the other side of the planet.
Upon seeing this scene, Chen Ming completely understood the Fifth Legion’s intention.
Clearly, the Fifth Legion’s goal was not to deal with Zuo Jing’s fleet, but to use Zuo Jing’s fleet as an additional defensive net.
Thus allowing their own people to reach the surface of Yunluo Star to search for Zuo Jing’s Host and take the power from the Host.
They have the ability to deal with Zuo Jing’s fleet, but they chose not to.
They want more.
Chen Ming felt somewhat uncomfortable at the moment.
Because the Fifth Legion seems to treat dimensional infection as something trivial.
Even though the harm caused by dimensional infection is glaringly present to everyone, some people still do something reckless for a power that might not even be attainable, potentially with severe consequences.
This feeling was quite unpleasant.
Especially since Chen Ming’s aim from the beginning was to resolve this trouble, not to seize that power.
He could have chosen not to intervene.
The Cai Mo Star Realm is very distant from his current location.
If he didn’t come, nobody would say anything, and nobody would even think of him.
But he came here out of concern that Zuo Jing manufacturing dimensional infections and leveraging dimensional infection’s power might threaten the Empire, and the survival of humanity as a whole.
Traced the source along the way, provided intelligence for the chief, found the root of Zuo Jing’s troubles, and killed two important leaders of Zuo Jing.
Soon to be face-to-face with Zuo Jing’s Host, just a step away from resolving this issue.
He fought desperately here.
Yet, behind him, someone’s mind was unclear.
Even if the Fifth Legion had simply charged forward and wiped out Zuo Jing’s fleet, then plowed the entire planet with the main ship’s weapons, killing An Wuping in the process,
Chen Ming wouldn’t feel so upset now.
Even if the Fifth Legion were a bit more straightforward, crushed Zuo Jing head-on, then the fleet made a massive advance to land on Yunluo, demonstrating an attitude of wanting to completely wipe out Zuo Jing.
Chen Ming would not have the same feelings as he does now.
But the actions of the Fifth Legion really disappointed him.
It also made him feel the same as the chief did when discussing this matter with him previously.
Chen Ming finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. The prosthetic body on the Fourteenth Legion’s side immediately called the chief and said: "Chief, I understand your point now."
"The Fifth Legion’s main ship appeared just to seize Zuo Jing’s power, not to deal with Zuo Jing."
"But wasn’t their initial aim to deal with them? Has an internal division already occurred within the Fifth Legion?"
Upon hearing the question, the chief paused in organizing documents and focused on saying to Chen Ming: "Indeed, there is a division."
"Because they suffered heavy losses in this operation."
"Zuo Jing must have been planning this recent event for a long time. The Fifth Legion, as an independent legion with a base in a nearby star realm, was naturally targeted by Zuo Jing’s mind control psychic."
