The Pink Pastel Star System is located in the Lower Flank of the Civilization frontline, leaning towards the central area.
The Mirror Civilization dared to go there originally because of this.
However, now, because too many warships have been dispatched from the Left Flank, the Lower Flank has become relatively weaker.
The enemy's advance here faces much less resistance than on the Left Flank.
In just a few short decades, two Stellar Systems in the Lower Flank have been completely breached, resulting in 310 billion deaths.
The Commander of the Lower Flank fleet is a Lightwing Clan member named Xi La Sheng Yi.
He is a Deputy Commander transferred from another Stellar System, only half a rank lower than Luo Yanchen.
Compared to the cards Luo Yanchen held, he had even fewer, with only 2 million warships.
After Ju Yintuo's death, he was also given authority by Ella.
This should have been a happy occasion.
But upon receiving more permissions, Xi La Sheng Yi cried.
“Damn it, there’s no arrangement here at all.”
“So I was the one meant to be abandoned all along!”
Before knowing, Xi La Sheng Yi still held some expectations for Ella’s backup plan.
Now, well.
It turns out there was no arrangement at all.
Xi La Sheng Yi immediately cursed loudly in the command cabin.
The people above didn't even bother to pretend anymore!
Fortunately, he soon received the order to contract the frontline.
“How many warships do we have left now?”
To block the enemy's pursuit, Xi La Sheng Yi basically used a strategy of cutting off his tail to survive.
Every so often, he would dispatch a small team to impede the enemy’s advance.
Although it couldn't stop them for long, it was better than nothing.
By now, they had retreated over 60 light-years, and the result was somewhat satisfactory.
“Only 680,000 warships remain.”
The report from below carried a hint of sorrow.
Hearing this number, Xi La Sheng Yi also fell into a brief silence.
At the very beginning, there were 2.14 million warships.
Now, 680,000.
“Dispatch two small teams, the enemy has recently closed in another 4,000 astronomical units.”
Because their initial strategy was to retreat.
This fleet had never directly engaged with the Flying Civilization and Advancing Civilization fleets; those that engaged were the dispatched warships.
So they still maintained a distance of over 20,000 astronomical units from the enemy.
“But, the people below…”
Because they had been constantly retreating.
Most of the people below knew that as long as they were dispatched, it meant certain death.
Many were unwilling.
Xi La Sheng Yi could only resort to forceful methods.
A chill settled in his heart.
There were not many officers as fervent as Ju Yintuo.
“Not going? Deal with them as traitors to the Civilization!”
“If they go, they can still be given some dignity, at least there will be pensions.”
The officers in the command cabin also heard the coldness in Xi La Sheng Yi's voice.
But not a single person refuted him.
There was no other way.
If they didn't go to die, then it would be them who died.
Compared to putting themselves in danger, letting others die was naturally much more cost-effective.
“Alright.”
The officers in the command cabin gathered to discuss back and forth.
They selected some Captains or Ship Secretaries who had no relation to them, or whose relationships were distant.
However, after all, so many had already been dispatched before.
Those remaining now were more or less related to them, and some had even offered them many things over the years, so they had to weigh the pros and cons.
It took a full three hours for the list to be finally determined.
After it was sent out.
Many people felt a sense of sorrow.
More people cheered with joy.
Anyone with a bit of foresight could now realize.
“This fleet is finished!”
It wasn't just about the people dispatched, but the entire fleet led by Xi La Sheng Yi was like this.
There was no fighting spirit left.
However, Xi La Sheng Yi's choice cannot be simply judged as right or wrong.
Soon.
The selected fleet departed.
It wasn't the orders from those Captains and Ship Secretaries, but Xi La Sheng Yi had the warship Host automatically detach from the fleet and fly back.
After the warships disappeared from sight, Xi La Sheng Yi looked at the surrounding Star map.
They only needed to retreat about 40 light-years to reach the Lower Flank defense network.
That was the last barrier on the frontline, which the Federation had spent 4,000 years to build.
The defense network had a war fortress every 0.1 light-years, with combat power roughly equivalent to 100 warships.
When a defense network encountered an enemy, other surrounding war fortresses would converge to block them.
Naturally, they couldn't annihilate the enemy, but defending and blocking them was more than enough.
“The Stellar System ahead is the Pink Pastel Star System, right?”
Xi La Sheng Yi asked.
The Pink Pastel Star System has an asteroid belt painted pink, also coated with reflective material, making it identifiable from a great distance.
“Indeed, it’s the Pink Pastel Star System. I visited it over 2,000 years ago; the candies produced there are quite good.”
The Pink Pastel Star System is a candy producer, a huge food processing Stellar System.
Candy processing accounts for 2.15% of all industry, and related industries contribute 10% of the entire Stellar System's GDP.
“Unfortunately, it will soon turn into nothingness.”
A hint of melancholy appeared in the eyes of many officers in the command cabin.
They might have also visited the Pink Pastel Star System.
It was relatively famous in the surrounding Stellar Systems, and many officers and Soldiers here were originally from the surrounding Stellar Systems.
As they sighed, the Host reminded them.
【There is a message from the Pink Pastel Star System, specifically for Deputy Commander Xi La Sheng Yi.】
Xi La Sheng Yi was somewhat surprised.
This was the first time a surrounding Stellar System had sent him a message.
Moreover, they knew that this fleet was under his command, which was not information easily obtained by ordinary people.
Xi La Sheng Yi opened the message and began to read.
Fleet Chief of Staff Hewlett asked, “Deputy Commander, what is the message?”
After reading, Xi La Sheng Yi's sense of surprise only grew.
“It didn’t say anything, just gave us a route and told us to follow it.”
Hewlett smiled.
“Wanting us to change course, isn’t that wishful thinking?”
Deviating from the course meant a longer time to reach the defense network, and they might suffer one or two more losses, making it uncertain if they could even return.
“That’s the strange part, the route they gave doesn’t deviate from our current course.”
Xi La Sheng Yi showed the route to Hewlett.
There was a slight deviation from their original course, but it wasn't significant.
“What do you think?” Hewlett didn't speak now.
It was indeed a strange request.
He looked at Xi La Sheng Yi.
Xi La Sheng Yi looked at the message again carefully and suddenly realized he had overthought it.
“This is not a proposal we can refuse.”
“The note says it was sent by the Star City Host of the Pink Pastel Star System, not from an individual.”
“There must be some arrangement over there; change course.”
“Not only must we change, but I estimate we won't be able to retreat once we arrive…”
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