The Dulu Fleet

The reserves of this resource were limited, and only a low level of extraction could ensure a continuous, steady supply.

Xia Jin did not consider violent harvesting. Instead, she kept her eyes on the long term, treating this place as a long-term Zerg base for providing minerals.

In fact, most Zero Point Tides areas can last for billions of years if they are not subjected to violent interference.

While violent extraction could yield massive resources in a short time, the tides themselves would be destroyed. In the final calculation, the total amount obtained might not even equal the total from several thousand years of sustainable mining.

Six months after the arrival of this Hive Carrier, several small leviathans arrived one after another.

In addition, more than fifty Floating Escorts and fifty Floating Transport Ships were on their way.

Furthermore, the Zerg had specifically and thoroughly modified the planet occupied a year ago to deal with the Dulu Civilization. They stationed as many as twenty combat bugs in ambush beneath the surface and had the Hive Carrier dock there to serve as a new production base for starships.

...

At the end of the first year, the first Floating Escort was completed on the planet and successfully launched.

Following this, the Zerg began large-scale production of combat bugs. In just three months, they increased the combat bug population in this system by ten million.

At around the same time, the total amount of Stellar Azure Crystals extracted reached half of what was required for the tier upgrade, and the Zero Point Nucleus count reached one-third.

Xia Jin's original plan was to mine for another year or so to carry out a new round of upgrades for the current fleet.

However, at this moment, she detected a fleet coming from the direction of the Dulu Civilization.

Exactly twelve ships.

“They’ve come prepared.”

She didn't know if the other side had discovered the function of the Zero Point Tides, but Xia Jin certainly would not give up such a high-quality mine.

During this time, the hundreds of overseers she had sent out searched one star system after another, but unfortunately, they hadn't found any new Zero Point Tides areas. Because of this, the mining area they currently occupied was extremely important.

“Fleet, take off. Prepare for battle.”

Xia Jin was prepared to launch a direct attack on the Dulu Civilization this time.

Even if they didn't fight now, the two sides likely wouldn't stop fighting over this mining area in the future anyway.

In the face of resources, communication is meaningless.

This time, everything except the Hive Carrier was deployed.

In other areas of the star system, Xia Jin had already released nearly two hundred overseers, bringing almost every region within a ten light-year radius into view.

Unless the Dulu Civilization had ultra-powerful cloaking units sneaking in from deep space from other directions, they would definitely be discovered by the overseers.

Finally, a fleet consisting of six small leviathans and fifty-one Floating Escorts entered curvature flight, flying toward the target at full speed.

Three days later...

“Spatial fluctuations detected ahead. A large number of unknown flying units are approaching.”

Inside the flagship, the Dulu fleet marshal finally discovered the approaching Zerg fleet.

At this moment, the distance between the two sides was less than ten thousand kilometers.

This distance was clearly within the combat range of both sides for space warfare.

“It seems the distress signal we received earlier was no accident. The survey ship has likely met with misfortune.”

The commanders throughout the fleet grew tense.

In reality, this fleet was not far from this star system. The reason they had suddenly rushed here was that over a year ago, they had received a spatial distress signal from a survey ship.

The content was very brief: We have encountered an unknown civilization; request support.

Since it was a highest-level signal, it meant the ship had actually engaged in combat with the enemy.

After the call for help, further attempts to communicate failed to receive a response, primarily because the bugs had already occupied the control room by then.

After learning of this situation, the fleet immediately reported to the home planet.

After discussion among the high-level officials on the home planet, it was decided to send the fleet to the target star system to thoroughly clarify the situation.

For any civilization, the appearance of traces of another civilization in the surrounding area is very dangerous. Moreover, a conflict had already occurred; doing nothing and waiting passively was not the Dulu style.

Thus, the Dulu Second Fleet, personally led by twelve ships, had finally arrived at this place after more than a year of travel.

What they didn't expect was that upon first discovering the Zerg, the distance was already less than one light-second.

“All weapons, prepare to fire.”