With the widespread application of radio telescope technology during this period, not to mention satellite technology, the early warning radius of Gemini has now expanded to several light-years away, finally ensuring that we won't be caught unaware with the enemy right above our heads.

Research into wormholes had stalled, leaving me to spend my days drinking tea and chatting with my three wives at the Lookout Pavilion. Everything seemed to have settled back into the tranquil state of our time on Earth. Gone were the days of leading the Imperial Guard on eastern and western campaigns; yet, this very idleness made me restless. It seemed I was naturally inclined to labor; genuine relaxation only made me feel stifled.

“Alright, husband, stop sulking. At worst, we can compensate tonight; how about we both oblige you?” This shift consisted of Cheng Susu, Linglong, and Xu Chen. Seeing my silence, Cheng Susu spoke up to comfort me.

I gave Cheng Susu’s chest a look brimming with mischief, then grabbed a snack from the dish and stuffed it into my mouth, saying, “I think I’ve gained weight recently. Perhaps I need to find something to occupy myself. If we can’t study the wormholes, we can’t just wait like this. I desperately want to capture a U-Star battleship. Maybe we could find one of their scientists, and then we could finally learn the secret of the wormholes.”

Xu Chen chimed in, “It’s a pity there’s no data on wormholes in the computers of these two bases; otherwise, we wouldn't have this trouble.”

“Who isn't saying that?” I replied. “Do you think all those U-Stars have perished? Why haven't we seen any sign of them?”

Linglong shot me an exasperated look. “Master, can you please think of something more pleasant? Do you truly wish for them to return? Wouldn't that undermine all the success we’ve worked so hard to achieve?”

“But if they don't return, we can never learn the secret of the wormholes. Since they could travel safely, they must have thoroughly researched it. This is our only chance to go home!”

Following a melodious chime, the communicator on Linglong’s wrist automatically projected an image before us. This was a new-model mobile phone developed using data from the base computers—compact, fully functional, and capable of projecting three-dimensional images. On Earth, this thing would sell for a fortune.

The projection displayed not only Yun Yao but also the base's overall director, the Crown Prince of the Dwarf Kingdom, who was also my brother-in-law, Ximen Yun. Though short in stature, his mind and technology were cutting-edge. I dislike managing messy affairs, so I transferred him here. Under his administration, Moon One and Two were orderly, giving us confidence that even if we left one day, things would be fine.

“Zhao Qian, something terrible has happened! Our outermost early warning station just sent back an automatic alert: an impossibly large fleet is heading toward Gemini!” Yun Yao’s words stunned everyone present.

Cheng Susu squeezed my arm, and Linglong rolled her eyes at me again. “Master, your words are truly prophetic!”

I hadn't expected my casual remark to come true so quickly. If I had known, I might have said something like ‘send me back to Earth.’ It must be the U-Stars returning for revenge. If they returned with only a few motherships, like last time, and deployed a wave of space fighters or micro-warships, our current strength could easily handle them without me needing to intervene. But judging by Yun Yao’s tone, the situation sounded far graver. We needed to get to the command center immediately.

Soon, a small shuttle arrived to pick us up, and the four of us headed straight for the lowest level command and control room of the base. While we were en route, the heads of various departments also rushed in—most of them elites from the Dwarf Kingdom. Due to the Fishmen’s inability to survive in air, they were restricted to undersea operations. Surface dwellers from the Twin Cities and other regions, having a weaker scientific foundation, were adequate for piloting warships but struggled with other roles in space.

I sat down to Ximen Yun’s right. Ximen Yun stated gravely, “Zhao Qian, things might indeed be grim. According to our scans, the enemy ship count far exceeds ten thousand, and the smallest among them is no smaller than the motherships that attacked Gemini previously. What's more, some have reached the heavy warship class you mentioned.”

A chill ran down my spine. They either didn't come at all, or they arrived with this overwhelming force. These U-Stars were damn hard to deal with. Their previous few ships were at best mid-sized escort motherships, which is why they only deployed space fighters. But heavy warships this time? That spells trouble.

Seeing the uneasy expressions on everyone’s faces, I rallied my spirits and offered reassurance. “Everyone, do not be afraid. What is coming will come. Those fellows won't dare use the wormhole near us this time, likely because they fear another ambush from us. They’ve traveled a long way; we are well-rested. This time, we will fight them so they never return!”

The crowd shouted in unison: “Never return! Never return!”

I waved my hand, signaling for quiet, and continued, “I absolutely will not permit anyone to violate the security of Gemini. We must fight this war, and we must win it. Everyone must cooperate closely with Commander Ximen Yun in the battle plan. This is a test for all of you, and I hope you can deliver a response of perfect cooperation. Do not disappoint me.”

Ximen Yun looked at me seriously and said, “As long as you are here, we have the confidence to defeat the U-Stars, no matter how numerous they are or how powerful their fleet levels may be.”

Despite these assurances, I noticed some people were sweating nervously. I added, “You all should continue your observation and research. Perhaps they aren’t U-Stars after all; maybe it’s just a cosmic delegation. Don't get overly tense; just focus on doing your jobs well.”

Hua Qingqing interjected, “What kind of delegation arrives in such massive numbers? Don’t give false hope to everyone. We must go all out and maintain full alert. Based on their current speed, they will reach 100,000 kilometers out in at most forty hours—that’s our outermost defensive line. I suggest we use the time to deploy space mines.”

I turned to Hua Qingqing. “Let Brother Ximen Yun handle this. I trust he is capable of managing it. We will step in later if help is needed; otherwise, haphazard involvement might disrupt his decisions.”

Hua Qingqing nodded. “Alright then. Their ship count is overwhelming; I am getting nervous.”

Our current observational range is insignificant compared to the vastness of the cosmos; our sight cannot even extend beyond the M-System. The M-System is what I named this sector of space. Through recent observations, I know the shape of the galaxy where Gemini resides resembles a wave-like M, with a diameter exceeding a hundred light-years. Gemini is situated in the upper right corner of the M, facing another galaxy whose extent seems boundless—its shape is like an ocean, thin yet incredibly vast. Perhaps the U-Stars originated from a wormhole in that galaxy. Even with their technology, their fleet might not reach 300,000 kilometers per second, but millions of kilometers per hour should be achievable.

Bringing the women back to the rest lounge beneath the base, the atmosphere was heavy, and no one spoke. I tried to cheer them up. “What’s wrong? Are you worried I can’t protect you?”

Xi Men Yan replied, “Not exactly that, but the enemy is too powerful. I’m worried for Gemini.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way. I believe there will be a resolution one day; worrying about it now won’t help.”

Two days later…

Ma Xiaowei was also present. She remarked, “You’re always like this. Is the next line going to be ‘the cart will find its way when it reaches the mountain’?”

I laughed. “You know me best. That unknown fleet is still far away; we can’t discern their true nature yet. Maybe by this time tomorrow, we’ll have more detailed intelligence. Everyone, go about your business and don't worry. Our preparations over this period weren't in vain. At worst, we'll board a warship, plunge into the wormhole, and whatever is on the other side, we'll face it.”

Zhou Ni sighed. “If it really comes to that, we have no choice. But we’ll need to build a much larger warship, otherwise, how will we fit everyone? We have to take all our friends with us, or what about the families of Xiaowei, Xiaorui, and Yan-yan?”

Ouyang Qing countered, “If you want the largest warship, why not use our two Moon moons? They’re thick and solid. Even without energy shields, it would take them days to cause significant damage. Their ships might be big, but can they be bigger than ours? Ramming one of them should be enough to teach them a lesson.”

He Yuqing said, “Qianqian, stop joking. These two Moon moons are equivalent to asteroids; they won’t behave as you say. By your logic, wouldn't using Gemini itself to ram them be even more effective?”

A flash of inspiration hit me. “Qianqian isn’t entirely wrong. I truly hadn't considered that before. We can’t build ready-made heavy warships, but the two Moon are known as space fortresses—they are the heaviest of heavy warships! Furthermore, they are studded with massive laser cannons and energy cannons; they are essentially super fortresses. The only thing lacking is propulsion. Our manufacturing capability is sufficient for that, and we have no shortage of energy. I’ll draw up the blueprints right away.”

Xi Men Yan stopped me. “Wait. We all know that the two Moon moons influence the tides on Gemini. If you suddenly install propulsion systems on them and move them from their original orbits, aren't you afraid of causing a catastrophe on Gemini?”

This logic was simple, and everyone suddenly understood. “What choice do we have?” I countered. “We’ll modify them first, and decide whether to use them later. This is a rapid way to boost our strength. If the day comes when we might lose our lives, we might as well abandon Gemini!”

The women realized the point and fell silent. Although gravity is not strong in space, the volume of these two Moon moons is certainly comparable to Earth’s Moon. To move them, at least a hundred thrusters would need to be installed, which involves complex coordination between all the units. Moreover, the thrusters must not interfere with the large laser and energy cannons already mounted on the moons, requiring intricate placement. In short, even sketching out the blueprints would be no simple task, likely requiring several days and nights without sleep to finalize.