Sky-cracking Rider

"Didn't expect 'Sagari' would give us such a big gift."

Chen Fei was both surprised and delighted, and he certainly liked it.

The development of the Element Annihilation Bomb had long reached a bottleneck. Even if there were occasional technological improvements, they were limited to details, providing very limited help in enhancing its power. But now, unexpectedly, a research team from the Louis Industrial Company's main laboratory had progressed so much shortly after arriving on the Giant Battleship.

The destruction radius increased by more than double, almost a major technological breakthrough, and this was all thanks to the generous gift from the extraterrestrial race 'Sagari'. Despite all calculations, no one expected that within the three abnormal regions there existed materials that could effectively enhance the damage radius of the Element Annihilation Bomb.

This is the asymmetric benefit caused by the differences in the development paths between civilizations.

The American Federation's chicken claws and pig intestines, Europa's mussels, little lobsters, and hairy crabs, their disdain is our delight.

Misfortune stands where happiness depends, happiness hides where misfortune lies.

After the ability user's death trap was forcibly monopolized and cracked, the hidden benefits of the three abnormal regions brought huge surprises to the Blue Star Civilization.

The surface biological fossils of the Giant Turtle Star contained various special crystals. Besides the Dragon Palace Algae, which is highly suitable for biological settlement habitats, the alkaline freshwater of the Water God Star contained some peculiar plants and microorganisms. The extracted bio-components of high application value could be used for medical and industrial purposes.

In the resources of the Ordovician Star, not only could the alien snails decompose waste, but large rocks exposed on the surface were often rich in rare earth elements—which are nearly catalysts for information technology. Prospecting mechs even discovered fossil resources with astonishing reserves in the abnormal regions.

All of this was monopolized by Chen Fei single-handedly, and it was also the result of mutual compromise and balance among the Sovereign powers.

Unless local sovereign powers make a full effort themselves, typical forces wouldn't be able to breach the fortress-style gates guarded by tens of thousands of combat mechs in a short time.

What's more, there's a Giant Battleship with the assistance of an S-Class Space Ability User, which can completely ignore distance and teleport to any abnormal region. It has high attack and defense capabilities, and the captain is a ruthless person who doesn't mind recklessly using the Element Annihilation Bomb. Even the Sovereign powers find it troublesome, and no ordinary non-sovereign force could shake it.

Chen Fei justifiably kept a portion of the resources collected from the three abnormal regions, not only as labor compensation guaranteed by strength but also to facilitate the ongoing benefits exchange with Louis Industrial Company and for the Ark plan reserves. Even in the worst-case scenario, when seeking a last chance for survival by flying into the vast cosmic space, humanity's last Fire Seed would still hold enough quality resources for maintaining and rebuilding civilization, at least not having to go back to the days of primitive agriculture.

Adam: Unidentified MH115-V ground-effect vehicles spotted at 4 o'clock, 7 in total, estimated personnel aboard 805, at a distance of 97 kilometers, speed 370 kilometers per hour, altitude 50 meters, expected to arrive in 15 minutes.

As Chen Fei was taking stock of the recent haul, Artificial Intelligence AI "Adam" suddenly reported that some unidentified ground-effect vehicles were fast approaching, triggering the 100-kilometer perimeter alert.

The round-the-clock patrolling drones captured images, under the cover of night, several ground-effect vehicles with an extremely wide wingspan were flying low across the desolate Gobi Desert.

Flying at ultra-low altitudes of 50 meters can avoid quite a portion of radar waves but cannot escape the sky drones or some special wavelength radars.

Other drones were en route to prepare for real-time reconnaissance along the path of the ground-effect vehicles.

"Guests have arrived, deploy 6 tactical jets for greeting!"

Chen Fei quickly checked the tactical jets on standby, then lightly tapped the three-dimensional holographic projection screen in front of him to select 3,000 fully armed Combat Mechs to intercept.

The Giant Battleship's side cannon doors opened layer by layer toward the direction of the ground-effect vehicle group, and the Railgun Battery began targeting the objective.

A mere few dozen kilometers—a 600mm caliber of justice is enough to teach those ground-effect vehicles a lesson in vaporizing them on the spot.

"Rookie, capture them alive if possible!"

The command center, on duty, sent instructions to Chen Fei to show mercy and not wipe them all out at once. After all, he had previous records of taking harsh actions without hesitation.

Presumably, these unidentified ground-effect vehicles stem from forces even the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee is wary of, possibly from a Sovereign power.

One doesn't know which entity is looking for trouble this time, guessing the motives aren't simple.

Faced off with a Sovereign before, Chen Fei wouldn't hesitate—and they wouldn't be light-handed either. It's the demeanor cultivated from being a major country's citizen. Either don't act and smile benevolently to everyone or ruthlessly employ both overt and covert tactics, bearing the demeanor of the heavens' fiercest person.

Honestly, when conflicts arise, the Sovereign powers that consider the First Sovereign always tread carefully.

Once pistols are drawn and pointed at other Sovereigns' territories, shameless declarations of evacuating one's national citizens in broad daylight—that's action exclusive to this one Sovereign worldwide.

"I'll try, but if they willingly rams into the cannon, can't blame me!"

Chen Fei laid down the harsh words openly—bullets have no eyes, not that sparing lives can be done on a whim. He can only respect the Joint Defense Committee's face by not initially using heavy weaponry.

Moreover, a commander in the field may neglect orders from the sovereign; once full firepower is unleashed, there might be no mercy at all.

Though sometimes the command center might not seem powerful enough, it never held them back—both sides cooperated joyfully, and it could be said that all parties were pleased.

"I'll try! Sorry, I slept too late last night."

The female communication officer couldn't help but yawn.

The leadership of the communication team dedicated solely to serve Chen Fei is neither too big nor too small. Leading overtime work was inevitable, and couldn't simply delegate to subordinates, as that would be unconvincing.

Unexpected situations wouldn't choose work hours to occur, so even Chen Fei needed to remain on standby around the clock. Luckily, there was the tireless Artificial Intelligence AI, otherwise the Giant Battleship would have struggled to find reliable duty captains.

Miyoshi Xuesen wouldn't do; they simply weren't material for it. Likewise, S-Class Superpower User Brown lacked relevant experience. Especially since Artificial Intelligence AI "Adam" only acknowledged Chen Fei's commands, dismissing those from others entirely.

More and more reconnaissance drones continued to refine and detail the surveillance data, presenting the near-abnormal region's Giant Battleship and the seven ground-effect vehicles on the three-dimensional holographic projection screen, indicating the anticipated trajectories and labeling much information.

More than ten light points ascended from the ground-effect vehicles, promptly identifying their identities, models, speed, altitude, predicted trajectory, and contact time, among others.

Once battlefield information gets quantified, chaos becomes avoidable, enabling composed strategizing.

It's a missile swarm!

Part charges towards the attacking six tactical jets, another part goes for the Giant Battleship.

Due to the integration of modular functions, today's missiles lack many type series, mostly only differentiated by shooting distances—short, medium, long, and super-long-range, as well above intercontinental.

There's no distinction like air-to-air, air-to-ground, ground-to-air, or ground-to-ground; they simply find what they're mounted on and used for, effectively reducing costs due to economies of scale—necessary for warfare economic calculations.

Hence, the 17 missiles launched from the seven ground-effect vehicles were all of the same kind, capable of targeting aerial vehicles like tactical jets or stationary targets like the grounded Giant Battleship.

More unidentified signals appeared behind the seven ground-effect vehicles—recognized promptly by reconnaissance drones, these were wide-tired all-terrain vehicles, dragging parachutes, braving low altitudes for decelerated crash-landings without rolling, closely tailing the ground-effect vehicles upon touchdown, kicking up clouds of dust.

On the wild Gobi Desert, flat terrain offered nothing like gullies or rocks to hinder these ground vehicles' swift assault.

Six tactical jets launched combat bombs, intercepting the incoming missiles.

The same tactics.

Missile against missile, missiles confronting ground-effect vehicles, missiles facing Giant Battleship.

After firing simultaneously, both sides took evasive actions, waiting to see who succeeds first.