Captain, your ship has exploded again.

Natal's artillery fire directly pulled the previously scattered enemy back to their starting point.

Zhang Xun would never expose his fleet for the sake of another Earth in another universe, even if there were people of Asian descent there.

After all, in Zhang Xun's mind, protecting his planet had already exhausted him both physically and mentally, and he didn't want to experience the Death Space again, as that would only make him forget more.

However, Natal's choice was made from a woman's perspective. Perhaps it was due to the influence of Maru, or perhaps it was because she had experienced too much of the universe with Zhang Xun and lost too much (the child that could not be born), which made her subconsciously make a choice.

After flying hundreds of millions of kilometers, the warship's heavy particle cannons did not cause any damage other than dazzling the enemy warship's optical equipment.

However, this provocative act thoroughly enraged the other side, causing them to accelerate towards Natal's fleet.

"Distance: 14 million kilometers, and the enemy warships are still increasing in speed!"

Upon seeing the data, Yu Qilan said anxiously, "Both sides have entered sub-light speed, which will greatly increase the power of our ballistic weapons, and this is very disadvantageous to us!"

Based on feedback from previous nuclear attacks, the enemy's shield is not a hybrid type, but a single shield that can defend against both energy and physical attacks.

Although their warships are also equipped with full-defense shields, those shields can only defend and cannot attack. They can only be activated by a pin array so that the gun muzzle can be cleared.

Judging from the previous wave of main gun fire, the enemy's shield covered their entire body, which means that the enemy's shield technology far surpasses ours.

Even if their armor is strong enough, the disadvantage of their shields is enough to tip the scales in favor of the other side.

Natal knew all this, of course; as a commander, how could she not know? But her target was not the enemy fleet.

At this moment, Natal's captain's screen displays the Mars base.

Because they set off later than the enemy, the Martian base they were supposed to cross was now at the intersection of the two sides.

"Activate the gravity beam to lock onto the VF fighters inside the ship, forcibly pull them out of the ship for escort flight, and disconnect the gravity beam when engaging in combat!"

As a VF fighter in the Space Fortress, its maximum cruising speed in the original setting was Mach 25. Even after Natal enhanced it, the fighter's structure could not withstand sub-light speed travel, not even in space.

Natal's goal was not to use the VF fighters to engage the enemy, but to use their parts as inertial weapons. If it weren't for the telekinetic module technology of Dead Space, Star Wars' tractor beam alone would not have been able to achieve this effect (please refer to the tractor weapon slapping scene).

"But this would have a devastating impact on the flight platform."

Yu Qilan instinctively objected to this rash order.

However, Marcus and Wang Ge were not surprised. After all, Zhang Xun had done even more unreliable plans, and his wife's plans seemed more reliable than Zhang Xun's.

As for why VF fighters were used instead of missiles, the main reason is that there is no gravitational pull beam around the missile launcher. If the missile were transported to the flight platform for launch, it might explode near the platform due to sub-light speed interference.

Using VF fighters eliminates these concerns. In addition to shields, the aircraft is equipped with a robotic pilot and engines to assist in attitude adjustment.

Since forcibly activating the flight platform at near-light speed would destroy anything without internal shield protection, it doesn't matter if we use a fighter jet that's destined for destruction anyway.

Seeing that her opinion had not been adopted, Yu Qilan turned away somewhat unwillingly.

Marcus, who was standing nearby, said, "Don't overthink it. Zhang Xun and his wife are not like Shen Yuexin. They are often very autocratic. Besides, given the other side's technological capabilities, it will be difficult for the fighter jet formation to gain an advantage. This kind of high-end warship warfare is no longer something that small units can control."

Yu Qilan also knew that although armored troops and mobile troops seemed to be independent branches of the armed forces, their role in large-scale combat was actually very limited.

As the two sides in the battle grow further apart, unless Zhang Xun can acquire matching technology, it will be even more impossible for fighter jets to fly millions of kilometers, or even light-years, to attack the enemy once the Star Killer Cannon is fully deployed.

Wang Ge on the other side had also felt this sense of powerlessness. Who knows if they will only have the opportunity to show their skills in the planetary landing battle in the future?

As for the other powerful mobile soldier, she said the snacks in the audience were really delicious.

Sun Hui took a moment to hand a bright green bamboo to Qingtian Sheng next to her. Although she could eat it, it wasn't on her diet. She brought it to see the giant panda eating bamboo up close. As for the compatibility of bamboo fiber with metal, she said it was beyond her knowledge.

Since Sun Hui was not on the bridge, the others were unaware of Optimus Prime's tragic fate; only the VF machine pilots witnessed it.

The anti-penetration shield is simply unable to effectively intercept various particles entering at sub-light speed. The moment the armor of the flight platform is activated, all organic matter inside the flight platform is destroyed by sub-light speed particles.

However, the internal shields defended it well. These sub-light-speed particles invaded deeper into the hull, and the equipment isolated in the flight platform at this time showed a brilliant halo.

'Hey buddy, do you see any Buddha-like aura around me? Do I have the potential to become an immortal?'

A B1 repairman patted his companion beside him, quite pleased with his new look.

"Get lost! You idiot, becoming an immortal with Buddha's light? Those aren't even the same system. Can't you see our lives have already started their countdown?"

'Countdown?'

'Yes, look at the top left corner of your screen, click to see.'

As the guy who wanted to become a Buddha operated, a huge countdown filled his visual window.

'Eleven minutes and thirty-six seconds? What? We don't have an expiration date.'

Another B1 maintenance robot operates and directs other VF fighters to enter the takeoff platform in turn, and ensures that the gravity beam can lock onto the other side normally.

"Damn, why are all my companions idiots? And what's with the 'preservation' thing? You're not a steak. These halos are produced by particles colliding with matter. What on your body do you think could be impacted?"

As one VF fighter after another with its shield activated was successfully launched, the previously excited B1 reached a turning point in its history.

'Stop messing around, buddy, I wasn't pointed a particle gun at me, how could this be...'

When one of his arms was severed by a sub-light-speed particle, all the metal parts of his body began to break off due to the appearance of numerous sand holes.

"Idiot, the only way to slightly resist the corrosive effects of sub-light-speed particles is to get close to the fighter jet's shield while working. Let me admire this sacred scenery for a few more seconds!"

This phenomenon of sub-light-speed particles destroying flight platforms has occurred on all warships, but Natal did not use all of her fighter jets to attack.

"The fighter jet formation has completed the release operation. The loss of VF fighter jets is less than 15 percent, which is within the expected range."

After Marcus reported to Natal, he tried to contact Zhao Wanyang again.

Even with shield protection, VF fighters have a certain chance of disintegrating at high speed due to insufficient strength caused by minor damage to their attitude or body when leaving the warship. These losses are inevitable. What truly affected this battle was the Death Star II, which had remained unresponsive.

"The two sides are now within five million kilometers of each other, and are approaching the point of leaving the sub-light speed range!"

Yu Qilan had not forgotten her mission, and she did not take the previous unpleasantness to heart. If she were so petty, she would have been driven to her death by Shen Yuexin long ago.

"Maintain the same speed, the fleet will forcibly decelerate at one million kilometers, and at the same time release the VF fighter formation with gravity locks, activate the alarm and everyone prepare to withstand the impact."

Natal's decision was extremely risky. Even a car with contact with an object will slide a long distance (depending on the speed) during a high-speed emergency braking. A spaceship traveling at near-light speed would need an even longer distance to decelerate. This thing is not a drop of water and cannot stop in a few hundred meters.

Although high speed can provide some mobility, the enemy's energy weapons can also cause heavy losses to our side. This distance of one million kilometers is already very dangerous (the enemy also has speed).

"Distance, 300, 200, 150, 30, 20, 10, release the fighter jets, force activation!"

As Yu Qilan finished speaking, the enormous inertia immediately acted on the warship. Even though the warship had an inertial damper, forcibly breaking away from sub-light speed caused great suffering to the people inside.

"Distance between the two sides, seventy...fifty...thirty, the other side has appeared, high-energy reaction!"

Because the opponent slowed down in advance, the main gun could be charged earlier, while for Natal's side, due to the huge inertia, forcibly charging would only increase the risk of secondary explosion.

"The fleet is beginning its rapid descent, all shields activated!"

As Natal's orders were carried out, the enemy's main guns opened fire.

A barrage of main guns fired at Zhang Xun's fleet. Even with Natal's order to dive, one battleship was hit head-on, while the others withstood the hit with their shields.

Marcus hurriedly shouted, "One warship is damaged, its main gun is completely destroyed, and it has lost its ability to fight back."

Natal, without the slightest panic, commanded, "Activate all shields on the damaged warships and tow the range extenders! What distance?"

Yu Qilan replied somewhat nervously, "Two hundred and sixty thousand! The enemy's main gun is still charging."

"VF fighter squadron has reached enemy position!"

Marcus's voice eased Yu Qilan's tension somewhat. She muttered to herself, "Just like Shen Yuexin, you'll succeed, maybe even more reckless."

Yu Qilan quickly regained her composure. As she regained consciousness and resumed control of her body, she saw a horrific space car crash on the big screen.

The VF fighter crashed into the enemy warship at near-light speed. Even though the enemy had shields, the violent material reaction and debris still created a streak of light in space.

Although it lacks the dazzling spectacle of a faster-than-light collision in Star Wars, the impact creates a larger fan-shaped debris field due to the opponent's hardness.

"Main gun charging, fire using range extender!"

As Yu Qilan gazed at the magnificent scene in space, her body continued to operate the control panel subconsciously, her hard-won consciousness once again drifting away from her body.

The brightness of the numerous main guns did not outweigh the impact of the VF fighter formation. As the light from dozens of main guns converged into the three range extenders, the bright range extenders fired three dim attacks toward the enemy.