The next moment, Chen Zhong's video avatar appeared in front of everyone. He was in a meeting at the main command center.

"The signal from the Russian side has disappeared. We are already trying to contact the nearest Southeast Asian Alliance," Chen Zhong said.

Yang Ning: "What about the North American side? What about our Dagger and First Department's people?"

"The long-range satellite communication system is under unknown attack and we can't contact that side, but..." Chen Zhong paused and played an audio clip. "We received this just now."

"Special Forces Dagger calling Main Command, Special Forces Dagger calling Main Command, evacuate, do not engage! I repeat, evacuate, do not... beep--"

It ended abruptly, all static.

Yang Ning seemed to have prepared himself for something. He asked, "What's the worst case scenario?"

Chen Zhong was silent for a moment.

Then the person in the video changed and General Yang Jinghe appeared on the screen.

"It's me." He took over the topic briefly. "From now on, the entire fortress is under my unified command. All departments of the General Staff please prepare to coordinate. Do not act independently."

Yang Ning's calm expression tightened. "Yes, Chief."

Yang Jinghe: "Report the comprehensive scan results."

Fu Luo was startled for a moment, then quickly stood at attention after receiving Yang Ning's eye signal. "Reporting to the Chief, 54%."

As soon as she finished speaking, the number jumped up another notch, from 54% to 55%. The huge alarm in the General Staff room startled her. Fu Luo had never heard such a hysterical alarm before. The next second, she found that everyone's expressions had changed.

The comprehensive scan signal that had unfolded to 55% revealed a part of the area they couldn't see. Outside the Chinese fortress, densely packed in a circle, were all red dots. The surrounding areas representing the Russian military and Southeast Asian Alliance fortresses were dead silent. The Chinese fortress in the middle was like a small, isolated island besieged by sharks.

The scan area continued to expand and the red dots kept increasing.

Why would the space pirate group appear on the battlefield at this time?

Was it a coincidence? Or... a conspiracy?

What happened on Jupiter's side? Why did Dagger tell them to evacuate?

"The Third Department's second district is under enemy fire. The outer perimeter of the fortress is damaged."

"The core area defense of the First Department is 40% damaged... 42%."

"The hit rate of medium-range missiles has dropped to 20%. Requesting instructions from the Chief, should we increase firepower?"

"Reporting, a defense gap has appeared in the Second Department's sixth district--"

Fu Luo felt her mind going blank. She tried to block out these random questions and focused only on the battle situation in front of her, waiting to hear General Yang announce the on-site tactical design for this battle.

However...

"Abandon the space fortress." She only heard General Yang declare resoundingly, "We will break out in three separate routes."

Wait!

Fu Luo suspected her ears were malfunctioning - abandon the space fortress?

Then... what about Earth?

Her mind was buzzing and she didn't understand why General Yang would give such an order. Was this to run away?

Seeing a powerful enemy and fleeing like a stray dog at the first encounter, where was the dignity? Where was their honor?

Everyone at the General Staff Office looked on in disbelief. Yang Ning remained silent, his body stiff like a cold coffin board.

The full scan data continued to jump up, revealing more and more enemies before their eyes.

"Yang Ning," Yang Jinghe stared at him coldly, "do you want to disobey orders and rebel?"

Yang Ning still didn't move.

"Little Yang," General Chen's somewhat low voice interjected, "execute the order."

This time, Yang Ning finally reacted. He suddenly lowered his head, his cheeks pulled tight. For a few seconds, Fu Luo almost suspected that his shoulders, as straight as a poplar, were about to collapse.

Finally, Yesi, who had been silent, spoke up.

"Enough, kid," he said, "don't be like a crying baby who hasn't been weaned."

"Second Department, prepare to detach. Warship pilots, take your positions. Third wave of missiles, preheat for launch. Firepower, open the passage. Prepare to..." Yang Ning's voice suddenly cracked. He paused for a long time before spitting out the rest, "Prepare to evacuate."

Yang Jinghe said no more, giving Yesi a deep look. At that moment, no one could read what was communicated between the Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese Space Forces and this mysterious, high-ranking ally.

The most humiliating retreat in history began.

The entire Chinese Department split into three routes - two parts headed towards the Russian military fortress, three parts towards the Southeast Asian Alliance, and the remaining one part, the elite special forces and guards, followed the main ship towards the direction of the disguised ships.

Within the entire encirclement, the direction of the disguised ships that were first detected and hit by long-range missiles seemed like the enemy's "opening the net". The command's intention was very clear - to preserve the high-level commanders as much as possible, at all costs.

"The privileged class..." Fu Luo heard this coming from somewhere. She felt she sensed a different flavor in it, but Yang Ning suddenly turned back.

"Shut up." Colonel Yang's face was ashen, his tone chilling, even vaguely carrying a kind of vicious murderous intent. Fu Luo saw his hand placed on the gun at his waist, the veins on the back of his hand jumping.

Honor, dignity... even one's own son can be sacrificed?

Is this our space fleet?

Is this the space fleet she had pursued for so many years, wholeheartedly yearning for?

Before the grief and indignation in her heart could erupt, the enemy close at hand had already arrived.

"Use missiles to push," Yesi seemed to have a special familiarity with the space pirate group, "pirates are not soldiers, they are very afraid of death. Form a wedge formation; we can't let them scatter us."

No one was thinking about the cost anymore. The endless gunfire, though silent, made it impossible to open one's eyes. One after another warship - the enemy's, their own - were blown up, floating in space, becoming fragments with nowhere to be buried.

After some unknown time, a somewhat noisy communication suddenly came through Yang Ning's in-ear communicator.

"Yang Ning."

Yang Ning was stunned. He glanced at the others without any change in expression, only then realizing this was an independent communication channel.

This was probably the only time in Yang Jinghe's life that he abused his power for private gain, using the public communication network to speak privately with him.

"Yang Yang is not my son, nor is he your biological younger brother. He was born to Ji Tao and her ex-husband. To take care of the child's feelings, we didn't tell anyone about this." Yang Jinghe said in a stiff tone, as if making a work report, "So before your mother passed away, I didn't do anything immoral."

Yang Ning's pupils suddenly constricted.

"Um..."

General Yang seemed to want to say something more, but the atmosphere between father and son was always heavy and stiff. Out of habit, he was at a loss for words for a long time, just a prolonged silence.

In the end, Yang Jinghe finally squeezed out two words.

He said, "That's all."

"Attention all members of the Second and Third Departments." The general cut off the private communication channel. His video image suddenly appeared on the screen. Amidst the static, he issued his last order in this life, "Activate the curvature drive."