What Xiao Yu said was not an alarmist warning. Only when the main fleet arrived would he have the strength to go head-to-head with the Molian Civilization and rescue his fifty thousand warships. But even at five times the speed of light, the fleet was simply too far away, they still needed over half a month to arrive.

In this half-month period, Xiao Yu’s fifty thousand warships could not escape because they had no way of outrunning the enemy, and they could not attack, because they were no match for the Molian forces.

That left only one option.

Delay.

Upon hearing Xiao Yu’s assessment, a peculiar reddish glow flashed across Luka Two’s face. It seemed… excited about the mission.

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this…” Luka Two murmured. “Originally, I had hoped to regain the master’s favor by securing greater benefits through trade. But the Azure Market’s unusual transaction format ruined those plans. Still… I didn’t expect such a golden opportunity to appear again…”

Delaying for fifteen days, it was an extremely difficult task. During this time, Luka Two had to prevent their own ships from being traded away, while also ensuring that the Molian Civilization did not grow suspicious of the stalling. Balancing these two opposing pressures would take immense skill and finesse.

“Please rest assured, Master. I will see this mission through,” Luka Two declared with renewed vigor. In that moment, it seemed to have reclaimed its former brilliance. It stood up abruptly and gave a command to the other scientists of the Psychosocial Sciences Division.

“I hereby call for an immediate emergency meeting to discuss our strategy for this operation!”

“I hope you can succeed,” Xiao Yu sighed, then turned his attention to the rapidly approaching main fleet.

Aboard the Eternal Kingdom, the scientists from the Science and Technology Division were also working tirelessly. Xiao Yu had just given them a new directive.

“Luka Three, Luka Four. I need you to begin theorizing, using the Galactic Encyclopedia as a reference source. Make deductions regarding Level 5 Civilization combat doctrines. What new weapons might they have? How strong are their defenses? What countermeasures should we take? I want this report completed within three days.”

“Yes, Master. Please rest assured,” Luka Three and Luka Four both bowed respectfully in unison.

Xiao Yu had already begun analyzing these matters himself. Assigning the task to Luka Three and Four was to ensure he didn’t fall into any cognitive blind spots.

Thus, Xiao Yu’s forces were now split into two coordinated fronts. Luka Two led the effort here at the Azure Market, focused on delaying the Molian Civilization. Luka Three and Four led the efforts aboard the Eternal Kingdom, preparing for war.

Xiao Yu himself stood at the center, overseeing the entire operation.

Time marched on. Ten days passed.

In that time, Luka Two’s delaying tactics utterly astonished Xiao Yu. He watched as Luka Two seized upon every single detail, twisting even the smallest events into plausible justifications the Molian Civilization couldn’t reasonably reject, each of which nudged the timeline further and further along.

“Hello. Our civilization’s scientists still have some unresolved questions regarding the details of this technology. Of course, rest assured, we’re not trying to pry into your secrets. We simply wish to clarify a few aspects so that our scientists can accurately assess its value.”

“Very well. What exactly do you wish to clarify?”

“Hello. We are planning to purchase a batch of scientists, but our civilization’s leadership has some concerns regarding their physical condition. In order to prevent these scientists from dying under abnormal circumstances after the purchase, we believe that, as a great civilization that upholds honesty and fair trade, you would certainly agree to allow us to send some medical robots to conduct a basic physical examination on them, wouldn’t you?”

“Hmm, that’s a reasonable request. You may dispatch medical robots to examine them.”

“Hello. We are planning to trade five of our ships to you, but these ships contain a large number of residents. The relocation and necessary clean-up will take some time. Please wait a bit, we will proceed with the preparations as quickly as possible.”

And so it went. Luka Two’s list of excuses seemed endless, and every single one was reasonable and difficult to refuse.

“It seems that even in the vast darkness of the universe, politicians are a necessary thing,” Xiao Yu thought as he watched Luka Two’s performance. “Luka Two’s value is no less than that of Luka Three or Four.”

Xiao Yu knew then, Luka Two had succeeded. At a time when Luka Three and Four, leaders of the Science and Technology Division, had been steadily gaining Xiao Yu’s attention, Luka Two had proven its worth through this operation.

Politicians excel at gaining advantages from the enemy at little to no cost, and they always have logical, reasonable justifications for doing so. Xiao Yu deeply admired this.

“If I hadn’t used brute force during my first encounter with the Luka people had I given them time to stall. I wonder if Luka Two might have convinced me to submit to their civilization…” Xiao Yu mused silently, then reaffirmed his inner resolve.

“Dangerous beings like politicians must remain tightly controlled in my hands. Their absolute loyalty must be guaranteed. If they ever defect, the damage they could cause… would be catastrophic.”

The delay plan was proceeding smoothly. So far, the transaction continued to get bogged down in endless technicalities, which consumed vast amounts of time. Meanwhile, Luka Three and Luka Four, heads of the Science and Technology Division, submitted their report.

“…As stated above, while there are nearly twenty Level 4 Civilizations currently stationed in the market, the number of warships present is limited and mostly consists of commercial vessels. We can confirm they pose little threat to us.”

“Moreover, we predict that should war break out, the majority of these ships will immediately flee the battlefield and observe from a distance.”

“However, should we emerge victorious, we must be cautious of these other civilizations taking advantage of the chaos to snatch our spoils. In conclusion, the rest of the civilizations in this market should be monitored, but do not require excessive focus.”

“Because this battle will occur near a star, curvature travel becomes risky, thus eliminating the possibility of combat in Faster-Than-Light mode. Based on this, we offer the following recommendations: Thanks to the comprehensive application of antimatter technology, Level 5 warships surpass Level 4 ships in nearly all aspects. Specifically: Weapon systems are 300% more powerful, Defensive capabilities are 263% stronger, Maneuverability exceeds 870%

In short, under normal circumstances, we cannot match them.”

“But, we are not an ordinary Level 4 Civilization. Our Four-Dimensional Shields outperform theirs, as we do not require life support systems or space for biological activity. Our energy reserves are not inferior either. Most importantly, we have sheer numbers, while their deployed forces in this system are limited.”

“Therefore, we recommend mass fleet formations and saturation barrages to negate their mobility advantage. Use quantity to suppress quality, and seek to overwhelm their defenses with low-intensity sustained firepower. Leverage attrition tactics.”

“In addition, thanks to ample energy reserves and Four-Dimensional Shield advantages, the 100,000 Province, City, and County-Class ships need not fear being destroyed quickly. Our projection is that victory can be achieved in 5 to 10 days. However, if the desired outcome is not reached within 10 days, we must retreat immediately, as reinforcements from the enemy could arrive at any moment.”

“One more risk factor: our research into FTL combat remains incomplete, and we cannot determine whether the enemy fleet will be able to track us through Faster-Than-Light Travel. This uncertainty is a risk that must be assessed by you, Master.”

“That’s the overall assessment.”

Xiao Yu fell into deep thought.

Luka Three and Four’s conclusions closely aligned with his own. He had also considered the risk of post-battle retreat. Xiao Yu could not confirm whether a Level 5 Civilization had the capability to track retreat paths through curvature space using some unknown technology.

Furthermore, there remained another uncertainty. Xiao Yu had not yet mastered the technology required for FTL combat, nor did he know if Level 5 Civilizations had access to such techniques.

These were significant risks. But even so, Xiao Yu decided. He would launch this war. That decision was based on three key reasons: his confidence in the Four-Dimensional Shields, his unwillingness to abandon the fifty thousand warships and the Psychosocial Sciences scientists trapped in Molian-controlled space, and his deep desire for the resources within the Azure Market. Whether it be advanced technology, exotic materials, or the scientists sold as commodities, Xiao Yu wanted them all.

“Then let’s begin the battle planning…” Xiao Yu set down the report with a heavy heart and began outlining the war strategy.

“These fifty thousand warships, since they are already behind enemy lines, must not be revealed too early. Yes… it’s best to keep the Molian Civilization unaware that this fleet belongs to the same faction as the attacking force. That way, when the main battle begins, these ships can become a hidden force, launching a surprise assault when least expected.”

“Therefore… disguising all 550,000 warships as belonging to a Predator Civilization will be the perfect move.”