Counterfeit Hero

”Why is the Chuckna Fleet here?!” Brenridge felt like his mind was in chaos. ”What level is the attacking fleet, and how many warships are there?”

”The signal is intermittent... there is strong interference,” the staff officer stammered. ”We analyzed it from the garbled data. Now, the signal is completely cut off, but earlier signals mentioned fighter jets.”

”Fighter jets?!” Brenridge’s heart sank. Anyone could see that attacking the Transport Fleet must involve at least an A-level fleet! No one uses a carrier alone; with its maneuverability, that’s asking for death.

No wonder the Chuckna 1201 Fleet suddenly changed tactics. No wonder their Battleship Main Formation split and maneuvered left and right towards the airspace beyond S20. They intend to guard the flanks of the A1 fleet, eventually merging with their fleet and swallowing the A1 fleet whole!

Brenridge paced back and forth on the command desk with a somber expression. This information can’t be false. The Transport Fleet has indeed lost contact. Only the Chuckna people could attack a regular D-level fleet in this area!

All signs came together, connecting instantaneously through this information. Brenridge felt a cold sweat covering his back! If the Transport Fleet hadn’t sent this message, if another Chuckna A-level fleet appeared silently behind us... that would be a disaster!

Looking at the time, it was evident that the enemy commander also knew the A2 fleet was about to appear at the jump point. Brenridge never thought he could hide this from them. Even Zhang Pengcheng could easily see that!

Now, both sides have reinforcement fleets. Whoever reaches the battlefield center first gains absolute advantage. This is indisputable! And the Chuckna fleet, still a distance from the S22 airspace, can’t match the A2 fleet jumping directly to the A16 airspace. During the initial combat, the Chuckna 1201 fleet suffered huge losses. Thus, when their reinforcement fleet arrives, everything changes!

The commander leading the fleet to combat afterwards is likely the one leading the reinforcements!

Everything is his design!

First, he created the illusion of the 1201 fleet’s blocking tactic, justifying the battleships’ maneuvering to the flanks. Then, taking advantage of A1’s Space Carrier and Battleship Main Formation distancing themselves from the engaged cruisers and destroyer group, he annihilated a significant portion of A1 fleet’s forces. Subsequently, six fighter squadrons drew Brenridge’s attention, forcing him to order battleships to accelerate their retreat, also forcing fighter jets sent to contain the battleship group back to the main formation.

In just these few minutes, Brenridge’s A1 fleet lost sixteen warships and foolishly followed their battleship formation to move the combat region back three airspaces! If not for the Transport Fleet’s message, he might have moved to the S30 airspace! A complete disaster!

Brenridge quickly switched through real-time battle reports, situation maps, and interstellar maps at the command desk. Sweat started forming on his forehead.

”Get me the current position and movements of the enemy’s cruiser and destroyer groups immediately!”

Beside him, Maeda Youta, realizing something was amiss, dashed to the SkyNet control desk and shouted, ”The enemy’s four cruiser-destroyer mixed groups are currently entering S19 airspace along the K16 channel. Six other groups are entering S19 airspace via the L16 channel.”

”As expected, they’re all in the front!” Brenridge slammed the table hard. The trajectories of these Chuckna cruiser-destroyer mixed groups confirmed one-third of his speculations.

He looked up at the virtual screen at the front of the command room.

In the universe, countless Chuckna ”Lightning Falcon” space fighters flew like bats in the night sky, darting through the fire net of the circular Battleship Main Formation. These fighters were unique Chuckna short-wing fighters. At the streamlined, silver-shuttle-like body, near the front end, were a pair of small wings equipped with steering propulsions. The main wings were at the rear of the body, swept back like a diving falcon.

This space fighter was Chuckna’s Seventh Generation fighter, with combat performance far superior to the ”Scepter of Royalty” Sixth Generation fighters equipped by the A1 fleet. Especially in close melee combat, ”Lightning Falcon” once stood unrivaled. Its instant acceleration and deceleration capabilities were unmatched, allowing it to quickly escape and continuously maneuver to dodge attacks.

The short-wing design at its front is considered a masterstroke by Chuckna aircraft designers. After ”Lightning Falcon” was developed, many countries imitated its steering short-wing design. The maneuverability of ”Lightning Falcon” was too strong. It could suddenly decelerate from level 25 speed to level 5 during ultra-high-speed flight, then pivot in place within a second, perform an S-turn reverse flight, and accelerate back to level 25 speed.

Aside from Feiyang and the Binart Empire, other nations failed at imitating this. The primary reason being the inability to replicate the control system and force deflection system of Chuckna’s ”Lightning Falcon” fighter. To steal its design blueprints, the Suss Empire sacrificed two top spies, a scandal that was widely discussed years ago. Despite the Suss Empire’s denials, and threats from the Western Alliance, Chuckna summarily executed the two highly esteemed spies.

Over two hundred ”Lightning Falcon” fighters were flying in the sky. They flew in pairs, diving repeatedly into the fire net, skimmed battleships, and while swinging left and right to dodge fire, they released missiles and anti-ship torpedoes at close range. Or in groups of five, centered around the lead aircraft, they changed formations repeatedly, engaging with similarly grouped Suss fighters.

Soon Brenridge saw the clues.

Despite the heated battle, these fighters were not scattered. They never got too close to the circular Battleship Main Formation, quickly retreating after launching an assault on a battleship at a node. Having the upper hand against the Suss fighters, they never pursued, remained grouped in front of the main formation of the Suss Fleet, and never crossed the carrier’s horizon!

If they intended to rely on these fighters to destroy the carrier, this strategy was unusual! With two hundred fighters charging desperately towards the center, though casualties would be higher, the threat to the carrier would be very serious. Even before the Suss fighters return, Brenridge wouldn’t have absolute confidence in withstanding these fighters’ suicide attacks.

A ”Lightning Falcon” destroyed a ”Scepter of Royalty” and used an emergency S-shaped maneuver to evade crossfire from two rotating turrets of nearby battleships. As the turrets, which anticipated its movements too early, turned, this ”Lightning Falcon” dropped a torpedo during a dive, skimmed a warship, and flew out of the battleship fire net.

Seeing this, Brenridge was certain of his speculation.

But he needed one final confirmation!

”Change the direction of the main formation, move towards the S20 airspace, and order the battleship group forward to implement a pressure-driven expulsion of the enemy fighter formation!”

”Yes!”

Brenridge’s orders were quickly executed.

Fleet A1, with the carrier as its core formation, cautiously approached the Chuckna Fighter Formation head-on.

As the Battleship Main Formation rotated like a wheel and the firepower net extended, the Chuckna Fighter Formation exploded as if poked like a hornet’s nest! It was as if the Suss Fleet had reached the limit of their patience, and many fighters began charging into the firepower net in groups, desperately intercepting the movement of the main formation.

”Report the movements of the enemy battleship cluster!” Brenridge clenched his fist, waiting for an answer.

”The enemy battleship cluster has not changed course and has entered the Q21 and E21 sectors....” the staff officer reported. Suddenly, his voice rose sharply: ”Wait, the enemy battleship cluster has changed course! They are turning towards the A21 and D21 sectors to pincer us!”

”A pincer attack?” Brenridge was now entirely sure that the Chuckna Fleet intended to press him towards their reinforcing fleet with two-wing battleships, central fighters, and rear wing cruisers and destroyer clusters.

”Unfortunately, the plan has been uncovered, and you have no time left!” Brenridge sneered as he watched the fighter formation quickly enter the S21 sector, looked at the console where the energy line peak value was imminent as Fleet A2 was about to end its jump, and loudly ordered: ”Continue the oppression! Notify the cruiser and destroyer detachments to contract towards the center of the main formation.”

”Yes!”

Amid the staff officer’s acknowledgement, Brenridge switched the long-range viewer on the command platform to the left-wing Chuckna Battleship.

This fleet, like their right-wing counterparts, was also turning.

Brenridge sneered.

But soon, his sneer froze on his face.

The two battleship clusters that had turned to face the S21 sector did not stop their turning motion. Their bows continued to pivot. Constantly pivoting.

Finally, when they stopped, Brenridge’s face had turned pale.

He frantically switched the view to the Chuckna Cruiser and Destroyer Clusters in the S19 sector.

These two clusters had entered the S19 sector from two wings, but instead of adjusting their bows towards the S21 sector, they drew a backward-curving arc line, turning their bows to the flanks.

There, precisely at the end point of Fleet A2’s jump!

The two arcs were like drawn swords, and behind them, the two-wing battleship clusters were like bows bent and arrows ready—though the shape was a bit peculiar, it was the classic formation for executing dispersed point attacks and converged penetration strikes on fleets ending their jumps!

Luu Zecheng Formation!

A famed formation first created by the Chuckna great general Luu Zecheng five hundred years ago, which had once, in a battle, heavily damaged two A-class fleets with a B-class fleet!

Brenridge felt a blankness in his mind.

He dazedly looked at his control panel.

The battleships of Fleet A1 were still entangled with the Chuckna Fighters in a chain-like circular defensive formation, while the cruiser and destroyer clusters were heading towards the main formation at high speed. The fighter formation had just entered the S21 sector.

The Chuckna people had shaken off all restraints. So calmly, next to Fleet A1, they were executing their... Absolute Kill!

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Is there a guaranteed monthly ticket left? Haha... haha... hahahaha. No monthly ticket, a recommendation ticket would work too. Once again, I’ve been thrown off the homepage.

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