When Xiao Yu ended the eight-year voyage and arrived at the first star of the capital defense perimeter, he finally felt, firsthand, just how tight the Pegasus Civilization’s defenses were.

The sheer number of massive interstellar fortresses reached into the thousands, not even counting those stationed in planetary or lunar orbits. Besides these, the system contained innumerable clusters of interstellar mines and interstellar bombs, countless lethal weapons that truly turned this star system into a zone of certain death.

In addition, about three million ships prowled through interstellar space, ready at any moment to coordinate with the star system’s defense system and deliver a head-on strike against any enemy daring to intrude. Among these defensive forces was also one Continent-Class spaceship.

“The Pegasus Civilization is indeed profoundly endowed. It seems their civilization possesses at least eight Continent-Class ships.” Xiao Yu sighed inwardly.

Facing such a sight, even with eight million fully refitted ships after rest and resupply, Xiao Yu’s heart still gave a slight thump.

“Forcing a breakthrough here is not impossible, but such a powerful defense will inevitably cause me enormous casualties. And there are five such star systems. If I suffer excessive losses in the first system, subsequent operations cannot proceed.”

“Very well. America, return. With three Continent-Class ships equipped with space weapons, I refuse to believe we cannot crack a single star system’s defenses. Is it not merely a star system’s defense system? With three Continent-Class ships, I do not believe you can stir up any waves.” Xiao Yu swiftly made up his mind and issued new orders.

The America had been roaming within the capital defense perimeter all this time. Such guerrilla warfare suited only a small army and was not suitable for the entry of Xiao Yu’s current large-scale fleet. The reason was simple. His fleet was too enormous and clearly impossible to conceal. This meant that if Xiao Yu dared enter the enemy’s hinterland without first pulling out the nail behind him, what awaited him would be unending attacks. He would become a fatigued army and ultimately be destroyed by the enemy.

It was like wars in the Earth era, small elite units could penetrate behind enemy lines to conduct assassinations and sabotage, while the main force had to proceed step by step, capturing one city after another.

The Pegasus Civilization’s capital defense perimeter was five stars, five stellar systems, more than fifteen million warships. Together with a complete star system defense network, the five stellar systems supported one another to form this defensive ring. In fact, the leader of the Pegasus Civilization would have gladly compressed the five systems into one, concentrating all garrison forces in a single star system. But that was basically impossible. Within these five systems were too many heavy industry and mining bases that could not be abandoned. Moreover, the Pegasus Civilization’s population was too large for a single system to bear. With no alternative, they expanded the capital defense perimeter to five star systems.

The distances between the five stellar systems were generally no more than two light years. The most distant pair was only 2.5 light years apart. At the Pegasus Civilization’s cruising speed, it would take at most one year to dispatch reinforcements from the farthest system. On the time scale of a star system siege, one year was truly not long.

This was the capital defense perimeter the Pegasus Civilization called impregnable.

The America was not far from the Asia. About five days later, the America returned to the main force with the nearly four hundred thousand ships that remained. The three Continent-Class ships finally joined together. Xiao Yu believed this would be an invincible force, at least among Level 5 civilizations, there was nothing that could withstand three Continent-Class ships attacking in concert.

“I would very much like to know whether the spear formed by my three Continent-Class ships equipped with space weapons is sharper, or your capital defense perimeter, this shield, is tougher. In the final clash, will your Pegasus Civilization win, or will I? I am very interested in this question.” Xiao Yu thought to himself.

During these five days, Xiao Yu’s fleet and this system’s garrison and defenses conducted a series of small-scale engagements, in which both sides basically probed the other’s strength. Precisely because of this, the defenses of the Pegasus Civilization’s star system became even tighter and their actions more cautious.

“The stellar system nearest to this one lies 1.8 light years away. Because our main force is here, the other three systems have already dispatched reinforcements, totaling three million warships. Only the capital star system has no movement. Of these reinforcements, the nearest group will arrive in about half a month, eight hundred thousand warships, no Continent-Class ship, and no fewer than nineteen Nation-Class ships.”

At the military conference, Xiao Yu presented this intelligence, swept his gaze across the attendees, and went on slowly, “I intend to send a fleet of five hundred thousand ships to intercept these reinforcements. We do not seek to annihilate them, only to delay them for ten days. That will give us twenty five days. Within these twenty five days, I will take this stellar system.”

“This… this is too risky.” A member of the Military Committee cried out, his voice a little anxious. “Master, are you truly confident? If we cannot take this system within twenty five days, reinforcements from other systems will arrive and we will be mired in a quagmire. The enemy can rely on the star system for resupply and rest. We do not have that advantage. If our fuel consumption exceeds budget, we may not even be able to retreat. Millions, tens of millions of enemy warships will drown us.”

Mutual support and tight defense were exactly the advantages of a star system defense network. Now Xiao Yu clearly intended to take a risk, to break through where the enemy was strongest, to meet strength with strength, and end this war in the shortest time.

Xiao Yu shook his head with some concern. “Perhaps it is my illusion, but I keep feeling I should not waste too much time here. A faint sense of crisis is pushing me to end this war quickly. Enough. I have decided. The three Continent-Class ships of our civilization were all built by my own hands. I have faith in the creations of our Divine Ark Civilization. I do not believe that three Continent-Class ships equipped with space weapons cannot break through a mere star system’s defense network.”

“By my order, begin the general offensive.”

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Xiao Yu announced a general assault. The five hundred thousand ships tasked with interception had already departed. For at least twenty five days, no external forces would interfere in this star system.

The three Continent-Class warships formed a triangle and charged at the system in the lead. Behind them were more than seven million ships of various classes. To be safe, Xiao Yu also kept nearly one million ships outside the system to guard against unexpected events.

Xiao Yu’s move drew an almost immediate response. Hundreds of war fortresses that had turned their arcs toward this side of the system erupted with fierce combat power. All kinds of weapons began bombarding the invading enemy. Innumerable clusters of interstellar mines and interstellar bombs swarmed in like sharks smelling blood. Large numbers of ships converged on the area, and in an instant, a fierce war broke out.

Quantity begets qualitative change. Under this massed fire, even the three Continent-Class ships at the front felt tremendous pressure. Xiao Yu hesitated no longer. Large numbers of other ships flew out from under the protection of the three Continent-Class ships and engaged the enemy fleet, while the three Continent-Class ships focused on the interstellar fortresses, armed satellites, and space gun turrets.

These were the things that posed the greatest threat to Xiao Yu and created the greatest obstacles to his advance.

One spatial rift, two spatial rifts, three spatial rifts…

In addition to returning fire with conventional weapons, the three ships almost instantly unleashed attacks with their space weapons. Countless black fine lines, exuding a killing aura, rampaged through the dark void. Almost every black line sliced through dozens to hundreds of ships, then struck hard at the massive interstellar fortresses, the armed satellites, and the space gun turrets in synchronous orbits.

An interstellar fortress could not withstand the space weapon and exploded with a roar. The solid rocky surface of a natural moon converted into an armed satellite was carved by a gouge more than two thousand kilometers long and several hundred kilometers deep. Violent geological tremors nearly altered the moon’s shape. A space gun turret in planetary synchronous orbit was smashed by successive space-weapon strikes and detonated suddenly, blooming like a gorgeous flower above the world below.

Amid such conditions, Xiao Yu’s fleet advanced with difficulty yet with unwavering resolve. No matter how many enemies stood before him or how strong they were, Xiao Yu never retreated. For Xiao Yu had his pride, and he believed firmly, “The ships I build are, without doubt, the strongest.”