Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 1053: Chapter 575, Hijack Boat_2

Their concerns are not without merit. If they were to retreat entirely from battle, the Alliance Fleet would inevitably launch a relentless pursuit, leading to considerable losses of vessels.

Retreat—where could they even retreat to?

The entire Proudclaw Cosmos offers very limited choices for sanctuary.

Heading to Heyang VIII? That is certainly their hub, but the Alliance has already swept through it once, utterly annihilating the orbital defense system. Going there would be no different from lingering in the deep void.

Going to the Wenqi-Wuqi line? That would be an excellent option—if they could actually reach it. Leveraging the robust defense systems along this key transport corridor between Proudclaw Cosmos and Alfonso Star Domain would not only provide a reprieve but also link them directly to the Alfonso Star Domain for reinforcements from their home base.

However…

It’s too far.

With the Alliance Fleet constantly snapping at their heels, how many ships could realistically make it back to the Wenqi-Wuqi line alive?

No one could say for sure.

There’s another potential destination, however, that might be suitable—Phantom Moon.

That was where the Fury Fleet, cornered and desperate, had chosen to take refuge in the star system.

Originally, they were there waiting to rendezvous with the powerful Alfonso Fleet, selecting Phantom Moon as a place with reasonably intact orbital defenses to make their stand.

Their plan was simple: hold out and avoid annihilation until Alfonso’s main forces arrived—that would suffice for success. But to their surprise, the Alliance ignored them entirely and instead focused their efforts on targeting Alfonso’s reinforcements.

Now, the Fury Fleet likely has not received the news about the enormous fleet battle that unfolded in the Bowang Star System.

Regardless, Phantom Moon remains home to Interstellar Warriors—two entire battle groups, giving Alfonso’s forces a better capacity to counter boarding operations. Although Fury Fleet had been utterly crushed by Phoenix in the Dragonhawk Star Domain years ago, those were still Interstellar Warriors!

Moreover, they still have a battleship and a combat barge in tow. With the addition of those two capital ships, the fleet’s overall strength would see a small uptick.

Yet… venturing to Phantom Moon would mean plunging deeper into Proudclaw Cosmos, making any retreat even more tenuous.

Even if they managed to regroup with Fury Fleet and the two battle groups of New Torch, could they truly regain an upper hand in their struggle against the Alliance?

Most likely not.

A combat barge paired with a Retribution-class battleship pales in comparison to a War Ark, a Retribution-class, a Juggernaut-class, and two Drakeships.

Even Alfonso Fleet’s peak condition hadn’t stopped them from catching a brutal beating.

Unless Gu Hang’s Spiritual Energy pressure could be neutralized, strengthening the fleet’s combat prowess would hold little meaning. By now, Alfonso Fleet’s captains recognize that Gu Hang’s abilities can elevate the balance of power between two opposing fleets by an entire tier.

Unless the enhancement reaches an overwhelming level—the point where even without Void Shields, they could crush the Alliance Fleet—it would all be futile.

Every option is fraught with difficulty, and the captains hold contradictory opinions. The lone remaining Principal Sage does not command sufficient authority to unite contrasting viewpoints quickly and decisively in the aftermath of Dubo and War Ark’s destruction.

These compounded factors have instead exacerbated the chaos within Alfonso Fleet, leaving it in worse disorder than before. The fleet’s collective will is fragmented; a minority wishes to fight to the end, while others are open to retreat—but cannot even agree on the direction for said retreat.

Throughout this deliberation, the Alliance Fleet has been relentless, pressing closer and closer; Gu Hang, too, has shown no mercy, wreaking havoc by ripping Void Shields off one ship after another before utterly destroying them.

At this juncture, Alfonso’s Emperor-class battleship could no longer muster the patience to argue with its comrades.

The Sage aboard the vessel issued one final order to all ships: follow him to break through, with the Wenqi-Wuqi line as the target.

Though called an order, it was more like a formal announcement.

The fleet’s other captains persisted in their squabbles, debates, and attempts to push forward their own suggestions. But the Emperor-class battleship ignored them and withdrew independently.

Some ships followed, but the rest grew increasingly hesitant and descended into utter disarray.

By this point, everyone knew that remaining behind to fight to the death was no longer a viable strategy. The departure of the Emperor-class battleship had already marked the complete collapse of the “fight to the last man” plan.

Those captains who initially intended to fight to the end could only curse relentlessly before hastily turning their ships around and fleeing.

And so, the entirety of Alfonso Sect crumbled.

Splintering into a multitude of directions, they formed various groups large and small in a desperate attempt to escape the battlefield.

At this stage, the Alliance had undoubtedly emerged as the victors.

The battle could be declared won.

But the war was far from finished.

Victory is only one part of the equation; it’s the sweet aftermath of triumph—the spoils—that most tempt the heart.

After expending so much effort and incurring significant costs, there’s no way the Alliance Fleet would settle for merely “winning.” They must seize the moment to eradicate as much of Alfonso Fleet’s remaining combat power as possible.

The Alliance, after losing Korolya and subsequently Steel Wing, was left with only six capital ships. By a strict count, they were still weaker than Alfonso Fleet. Should Alfonso regain its footing, the tide of battle could easily shift again in unpredictable ways.

Of course, a fully intact Alfonso Fleet probably doesn’t exist anymore. In their scattered retreat, the fleet had already fractured.

Nonetheless, even in defeat, Alfonso Fleet retained immense strength.

After all, they still possess one Emperor-class, one Retribution-class, and six Drake-class battleships.

Against such an adversary, it’s impossible for the Alliance to launch separate pursuits.

Otherwise, any fleet daring to split off without Gu Hang’s aid would likely crumble under Alfonso Fleet’s counterattack.

In the end, it’s likely many Sect of Mechanics fleets would manage to escape.

Recognizing this inevitability, the priority must be to focus on catching the “big fish.”

Medium- and smaller-sized ships will be disregarded outright—Gu Hang wouldn’t even waste the effort on battlecruisers, being of lower value and notoriously difficult to chase down given their high speed.

Meanwhile, “catching fish” must also be done with sustainability in mind. Prioritize those heading toward Phantom Moon; it’s closer, and if Mechanics ships manage to regroup there with Fury Fleet and New Torch, it won’t necessarily be unachievable to deal with—but it’ll be a lot messier.

As for ships heading toward the Wuqi-Wenqi line, like the Emperor itself, those can be deprioritized for now.

The long journey ahead leaves ample opportunities for pursuit later.

Following this logic, Gu Hang first targeted the largest cluster of ships headed toward the Phantom Moon Star System.

This group of mechanical ships was led by the sole surviving Retribution-class battleship, flanked by three Drake-class battlecruisers.

The outcome of being targeted by Gu Hang was grim: one of the Drakeships was destroyed first, and the other two, sensing grave danger, abandoned their teammate and accelerated to flee.

Battlecruisers are fast, making them temporarily hard to pursue.

However, the stranded Retribution-class battleship was a slow runner—short-legged and incapable of escaping quickly.

After the surrounding Escort Ships were systematically eliminated, only the lone Retribution-class ship remained.

Its Void Shield had already been breached. If the Alliance Fleet wanted it dead, its thick armor and immense firepower would ultimately not save it.

Yet, Gu Hang gave in to greed.

The Alliance’s sole Retribution-class battleship, “Firebath Nova,”—how did they acquire it?

It was stolen!

With such a golden opportunity, how could Gu Hang resist another heist?

And not just the Retribution-class. The Emperor-class fleeing toward the Wenqi-Wuqi line—Gu Hang had his eyes on that one too.

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