For the Hongxian Federation, the current war has not had much impact, except for those families with relatives serving in the military.

Mendes Star is the most crucial industrial base of the Hongxian Federation. It is a naturally habitable planet perfectly situated. Nearby resource stars hold enormous reserves of over a hundred types of metals vital to modern industry.

Consequently, Mendes Star has attracted a vast number of metal-related enterprises, which in turn drew even more relevant industries to set up operations.

Intelligence gathered by spies from the Davo Federation suggests that the military factories on Mendes Star account for more than a third of the entire Hongxian Federation's output.

Currently, Mendes Star is operating at full capacity, with all factories working overtime to churn out warships, mechs, and weaponry for the army.

To facilitate transportation, the Hongxian Federation incurred significant costs to establish a wormhole on Mendes Star, creating a Space Jump Point.

This Space Jump Point is Mendes Star's most critical logistical hub; every vessel entering or leaving the planet must pass through it.

Although it lies deep within the Hongxian Federation's interior, under martial law, security here is extraordinarily tight, with ten "White Crane"-class warships rotating guard duties day and night.

In front of the entire Space Jump Point, massive transport vessels move in and out, operating in an orderly fashion under the direction of traffic control.

Because the Space Jump Point can only execute one jump every ten minutes, and the volume of traffic is immense, ships must queue near the point. There is a "Space Jump Administration Bureau," abbreviated as the "SJA," near every Space Jump Point. Each vessel arriving must first report to the SJA, file its paperwork, pay the fee, and receive a jump sequence number. It then proceeds to a nearby port to wait.

The rule for passage through the Space Jump Point is: one ship exits here, and then one ship transfers over from the other end. Thus, the actual transfer frequency is one vessel every twenty minutes. During peak traffic, waiting one or two months for one's turn is not uncommon.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Two categories of vessels are exempt from queuing: the first is any warship actively engaged in a mission, and the second is any vessel possessing a VIP clearance pass.

The sheer number of ships waiting at the port directly fueled the development of a booming entertainment industry. Large transport vessels often carry crews numbering in the thousands, making these ports typically very bustling.

On this day, as usual, the entire Space Jump Point was functioning smoothly. Two "White Crane"-class warships monitored the vessels entering and exiting nearby. The prolonged peace had caused the vigilance of the soldiers aboard these ships to slacken slightly.

Suddenly, blaring alarms erupted within both warships. A piercing cry—"Enemy attack!"—instantly tightened every heart.

In the main control rooms of the warships, the commanding personnel were stunned. The alarm had been triggered by the automated detection system. There was no time to verify the threat. One of the captains made a split-second decision, sending an alert to the base where the other warships were docked.

Hardly had the alarm sounded when two colossal energy lances streaked in from the depths of space, piercing the two warships—which had no time to evade—precisely.

A ship waiting nearby, preparing for a space jump, witnessed the two warships, which usually swaggered so confidently, erupt in blinding light.

At that precise moment, a vessel emerged from the Jump Point. Caught in the shockwave radiating from the exploding warships, the crew operating the ship had no time to react before it was hurled backward into the Space Jump Point.

The vortex-like Space Jump Point instantly twisted violently, tearing the colliding ship apart. A tremendous burst of light erupted, making the distorted point churn even more fiercely.

This sudden catastrophe plunged the SJA into chaos.

At the port, some people had witnessed the entire sequence. In their extreme shock, they ran frantically toward their own vessels, issuing crazed warnings to their comrades.

The alarm spread quickly: one told ten, ten told a hundred. Some who hadn't been notified, seeing everyone else running out, assumed something terrible was happening and joined the rush outward.

In less than ten minutes, the entire port descended into utter pandemonium. Countless people scrambled, pushing and shoving toward the docking areas where their ships lay waiting.

Someone screamed, "Pirates are here!"—a cry that further exacerbated the confusion. Panic spread through the crowd like a plague.

The security officers maintaining order at the port were quickly overwhelmed by the surging mob. They still shouted hoarsely, "Calm down! Everyone stop! If you don't stop, I'll open fire... Uh—" The officer’s voice cut off abruptly as his face was struck by an unseen blow.

At the warship docking port, the ships that received the alert immediately entered combat readiness. All combat personnel rushed back to their stations. Simultaneously, the command center broadcast an alert to the Ministry of Defense.

While the command center frantically initiated the warm-up sequence for the warships docked in the port, they anxiously monitored their sensors.

Just as the two warships completed their hot-start sequence and were about to lift off, they discovered, to their despair, six unidentified warships registering on their sensors.

Two massive energy cannons struck the two newly launched warships, completely destroying them. The resulting violent explosion tore a massive breach in the port's transparent shield.

Air hissed audibly as it leaked out of the rupture, and a piercing siren wailed throughout the port.

A transparent isolation wall immediately sealed off the area of the air leak. Anyone caught in that zone who hadn't managed to escape or put on a protective suit instantly became a floating corpse in the vacuum of space.

The military port was quite close to the civilian port, and the violent explosions also affected this area. The crowd’s terror intensified; the pirates were coming, and only getting aboard a ship offered any chance of escape.

Driven by this thought, the port became even more chaotic, with stampedes causing repeated tragedies.

In the naval port, the remaining six warships that hadn't managed to launch were targeted one by one by the enemy. Although they weren't annihilated by single shots like the previous four energy blasts, they were quickly rendered obsolete under a barrage of fire resembling a torrential downpour.

The personnel in the naval port command center were utterly hopeless. Although the anti-air cannons had fully armed, the enemy had not yet entered their effective attack range.

"Fire! Fire! Hurry and fire! Shoot them dead!" the commander suddenly roared in a frenzy.

His subordinates hesitated for a moment before quickly launching all the fully aimed anti-air cannons.

On the sensors, the enemy's six warships were observed maneuvering, easily dodging the incoming anti-air fire.

"It's over..." The commander sank powerlessly to his knees, covering his face.

The five captains, instigated by Zhong Yun, could hardly believe how easily the entire Space Jump Point had been seized. This location was defended by ten warships equivalent in class to the "Wushan-class."

Coupled with the defensive anti-air cannons at the base, capturing this site should have been nearly impossible without a fleet of at least ten "Wushan-class" warships. Since this location was near the Space Jump Point, failure to secure it before enemy reinforcements arrived would result in the attackers being worn down by an endless stream of enemy reinforcements.

Therefore, a fleet assaulting a Space Jump Point must attack relentlessly, destroying the defenders in one decisive thrust before reinforcements can arrive, in order to secure the objective.

"One and Two are responsible for outer perimeter security; Three, Four, and Five will proceed to secure the port," Zhong Yun, his mind undimmed by victory, issued his commands calmly.

The five warships executed Zhong Yun's orders meticulously. The initial condescension among all members of this fleet had completely vanished, replaced by fanatical adoration.

Only a commander who brings victory to his troops earns the recognition of his officers and men. To earn their worship, one must constantly defeat enemies deemed unbeatable.

Since taking command, Zhong Yun had single-handedly dismantled seven enemy bases without suffering a single casualty, and successfully ambushed a large enemy supply convoy, annihilating the enemy force at the cost of only a few hundred mechs. Such a record was legendary.

Next, Zhong Yun issued an order that struck them as utterly incredible: a surprise raid on the Hongxian Federation, bringing the war to their home soil.

This plan drove everyone wild. The ability to strike back on enemy territory was an irresistible siren call for the Davo people, who had endured shameless aggression and the scourge of war.

However, the command structure remained clear-headed, asking, "How do we penetrate the Hongxian Federation?" Despite the many surprises Zhong Yun had brought, this plan seemed utterly fantastical.

The closest Space Jump Point connecting to the Hongxian Federation from Davo territory was ten light-years away, and Davo possessed no internal jump points linked to the Federation. This meant reaching them would take over a decade—by which time the war would likely be over.

"It's not that there isn't one; it's just that you haven't found it," Zhong Yun replied to their query. "Otherwise, why would the Hongxian people be attacking Davo, and where would they source so many supplies?"

In fact, this issue had been discussed by the temporary operational staff. Based on available intelligence, they suspected the Hongxian Federation must possess a Space Jump Point linking the two nations that remained unknown to them. Without such a channel, the staggering logistical demands of the war could not be sustained across such a vast distance.

Yet, they could not fathom how the Hongxian Federation managed to secretly establish a spatial connection without detection.

This question remained unanswered for now, though Zhong Yun suspected the Federation controlled a secret spatial corridor.

"You mean you know of a spatial channel that leads directly into the Hongxian Federation's Space Jump Point?" one captain rose excitedly.

"I do," Zhong Yun affirmed gravely.

The eyes of the five captains burned with fervor. To penetrate enemy territory, regardless of success or failure, this was an indelible achievement.

"We do it."

And so, this flawless surprise attack unfolded at the Space Jump Point near Mendes Star.

Without suffering a single casualty, they conquered a military port defended by forces nearly twice their strength and annihilated ten "White Crane"-class warships.

Such an achievement was worthy of being inscribed in the annals of war.

In the hearts of all warriors and non-combatants alike, Zhong Yun's prestige soared to its zenith. At this moment, if Zhong Yun ordered them to charge into the main body of the Hongxian Federation, they would do so without hesitation.

The Mars approached a thousand kilometers from the Space Jump Point, its four massive main gun ports aimed at the now-calm, vortex-shaped Space Jump Point.

The two main ports that had already fired had fully recharged their energy, ready to unleash another volley.

In the main control room, Tian Hai and the others held their breath, fixed on the large central screen, awaiting the moment tensely.

Zhong Yun sat high in the command chair, his eyes locked onto the vortex without blinking, his fingers gripping the armrests so tightly his knuckles shone white from the strain.

Liu Yunqi sat beside him, the only one not looking at the main screen. She was watching Zhong Yun, having never seen him so utterly engrossed in an endeavor. His face, though not handsome, exuded an unusual charisma that deeply captivated her.

"They're here," Tian Hai cried out.

Zhong Yun’s heart seized. Indeed, a colossal warship emerged from the vortex onto the large screen. But he did not move.

Seeing the enemy vessel fly more than a hundred kilometers out, Tian Hai, hearing no command, turned back anxiously. "Xiao Yun, hurry and give the order to fire! Zhong Yun remained expressionless, his gaze glued to the screen.

Chen Wen felt his heart pounding rapidly. Watching the enemy ship approach fast, he couldn't suppress a flicker of fear. He remembered Zhong Yun saying the Mars's stealth effect only remained valid beyond five hundred kilometers. Now, the enemy ship was less than seven hundred kilometers away.

"Fire," Zhong Yun commanded, his pupils contracting, when the distance reached 657 kilometers, letting out a great shout.

A main cannon blast instantly launched, piercing the enemy vessel.

The dazzling light generated by the enemy ship's explosion made them all squint. The Mars shuddered slightly from the impact of the explosion.

"Truly intoxicating light," Zhang Xiao sighed, "like the fireworks of life blooming in the darkness."

The others remained silent. Tian Hai was gripped by extreme excitement—the destruction of every enemy warship filled him with exhilaration.

Chen Wen turned back to Zhong Yun, seated high at the command console, his expression deeply complex. This was perhaps the nth time Zhong Yun had shocked him. Each time, Zhong Yun managed to shatter his existing impression.

Like Tian Hai, Chen Wen was obsessed with military matters. The difference was, Tian Hai favored mechs and fighters, while Chen Wen preferred battleships and all manner of massive artillery.

He had never heard of any energy cannon capable of destroying a "Wushan-class" warship with a single shot. This transcended his known understanding.

Such a cannon, such a ship—they simply should not exist in a mid-level civilization state.

What was Zhong Yun’s true origin? Was he, as Chen Wen suspected, from some high-level civilization? And what compelled him to reside on Davo?

Chen Wen sank into profound doubt.

Without realizing it, ten minutes passed, and another enemy vessel drifted out of the vortex...

P: Apologies, I am feeling unwell today, so this update is only four thousand characters. I know everyone will feel the update is too short, but I don't want this either. I was aiming for the full attendance bonus this month, but now it's gone. I am quite sad; please cast some monthly votes to comfort me.

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