The exploration vessel belonging to Bi Bo’en was also protected by a shield, yet under the sustained barrage from Yang Dian, it was struck fifteen or sixteen times consecutively by electromagnetic cannons.

From its initial design, the so-called exploration vessel prioritized maneuverability and endurance; it was never intended for combat. Its protective shield was far inferior to that of a battleship, and surviving even four electromagnetic cannon blasts was remarkable, let alone such a concentrated onslaught.

Almost instantaneously, the exploration vessel’s shield shattered, and the entire hull was utterly submerged by the electromagnetic fire. After a burst of explosion, nothing remained at the site but wreckage no larger than a meter across.

Inside the Ghost fighter, Yang Ying nodded. He had personally controlled this wave of attacks. His psychic cultivation had reached the highest pinnacle of Level 9, the absolute peak. Wielding superior firepower, eliminating a Level 9 Bi Bo’en was merely a matter of convenience.

Bi Bo’en was dead, and his entire fleet of exploration vessels had been annihilated in this single assault.

Four dreadnoughts remained. It was time to resolve them as well, to let the Burke hierarchy understand the danger of this gaseous nebula and deter any subsequent followers. After all, the Xinbu people lost thousands of warships here before they understood it was impossible; the Burke people lost only five dreadnoughts and five exploration vessels. If they could retreat now in the face of such resistance, they would already be far better off.

Yang Ying continued to direct more than a dozen Space Wasps, unleashing electromagnetic cannons upon the four dreadnoughts—shot after shot, without mercy.

At this time, exploration vessels from several other races appeared nearby. They had been drawn closer by Bi Bo’en’s earlier threats and inducements, but upon reaching the vicinity, they witnessed Bi Bo’en’s fleet engaged with the Space Wasps and clearly at a disadvantage.

They all halted simultaneously at the edge of the battlefield, showing no intention of advancing an inch further.

Bi Bo’en’s arrogance and dominance had long irritated them. While they had temporarily compromised and agreed to cooperate to avoid a wasted journey, this did not mean they were now allied with him. Seeing Bi Bo’en meet his demise, and with his few remaining warships likely doomed as well, they instead felt an urge to clap and celebrate.

Now that Bi Bo’en was dead, they were liberated to continue their explorations freely, rather than working for someone else for a mere pittance.

“Retribution comes swiftly. This Bi Bo’en was just thinking of leading us, now let him lead the ghosts,” came a voice thick with resentment.

“I had been looking for an opportunity to secretly eliminate Bi Bo’en myself, but the Space Wasps beat me to it. That works out well; it saves me the trouble,” murmured a voice oozing treachery.

“Explorers face the most dangerous profession in the galaxy. Danger lurks everywhere in space; even a Level 9 master cannot guarantee his life. But because of this, the cosmos is so captivating, and only the strongest men can conquer the stars,” declared a voice full of bravado.

Those exploration captains voiced their opinions in their respective languages, but not a single one mourned Bi Bo’en’s death.

Ten minutes later, the other four dreadnoughts were also destroyed. However, Yang Ying’s complement of Space Wasps had dwindled to just over a dozen. Twenty escape pods managed to launch, and under the disorganized fire of the Space Wasps, more than half were blown up; only a handful escaped the battle, frantically finding a clear patch of space before jumping into hyperspace.

Moreover, nearly one hundred Burke fighters had been released at the start of the battle, swarming the Space Wasps like hornets. But the Space Wasps’ hides were thick; although small explosions dotted their surfaces, their attacks were not hindered. The pain only seemed to incite their ferocity, driving them to attack even more savagely.

Besides spitting electromagnetic cannons, the Space Wasps could also generate an electromagnetic net over their bodies—similar to the Net of Gold utilized by the Solar System’s Corona-class battlecruisers—which could absorb some attacks and inflict damage on any metallic object that made contact.

With this maneuver deployed, the Burke fighters immediately fell silent. Level 1 or 2 particle beams hitting them were like nothing more than an itch, utterly negligible.

Among the Burke fighters were nearly twenty ace craft piloted by psionic users. Their attacks were faster and more agile, targeting the Space Wasps' vital points repeatedly, successfully piercing the electromagnetic net and inflicting considerable damage. However, this still failed to alter the overall outcome.

Even after the dreadnoughts were completely destroyed, the Burke fighters did not cease their assault. These carrier-based craft were not equipped with FTL drives and could not jump to hyperspace. They still had the option of escaping the battle conventionally and awaiting rescue, but they chose to forfeit that chance, determined to wipe out the remaining Space Wasps to avenge their comrades.

“They are certainly decent warriors, but their commander lacked sufficient calm. Since the main objective is decided, why continue fighting these beasts? Even if they win, it serves no purpose other than incurring more sacrifice.”

Yang Ying shook his head. He was currently positioned behind an asteroid, utilizing its mass for stealth and to mask his presence.

The reason for this caution was that he could not yet confirm whether the Burke dreadnoughts, the exploration vessels of the other races, or… could see through stealth systems. Observers within the gaseous nebula had never been detected before, but that might be due to the observers always maintaining a significant distance from the various exploration vessels and the surrounding dense field of asteroids.

Stealth was not insurmountable, and Yang Ying was mentally prepared for this. As long as the principle of anti-stealth detection existed in the universe, other races in the galaxy might have already developed the means to counter it.

In a situation where he was not yet fully familiar with the technological progress of all races, Yang Ying believed that erring on the side of caution was always correct.

Finally, after one more Space Wasp was destroyed, the Burke fighter contingent began to retreat. They possessed no effective method for piercing the thick hide of the Space Wasps, and the Wasps, lacking the sustained barrage capability of warships, found it difficult to effectively engage these larger fighters; electromagnetic cannon fire against them was like using artillery on mosquitoes—inefficient and low on accuracy.

After the great battle subsided, the exploration vessels of the various races departed to continue their journeys, while Yang Ying led the remaining Space Wasps to a deserted location and recalled them into the Floating Continent, feeding them to the Zerg as an extra meal. Should he require them again in the future, he could summon another batch from the gaseous nebula, the native habitat of the Space Wasps, where their population was countless.

Yang Ying left the bodies of the fallen Space Wasps untouched. If the Burke people received word of this engagement, they would likely send reconnaissance teams. He could not leave them a battlefield that looked too cleanly swept, or any intelligent entity would suspect foul play.

Shortly thereafter, Yang Ying returned to the Behemoth and went directly to the bridge. Howard had been waiting for some time and rose to greet him. “Welcome back, Commander. A predictably spectacular engagement. I presume those Burke escape pods will report back that they were nearly wiped out by the Space Wasps. And the exploration vessels of the other races here serve as witnesses.”

Yang Ying smiled. “You must have viewed the entire battle. What are your impressions? Have the data regarding the Burke dreadnoughts, their carrier-borne weaponry, and their overall capabilities been analyzed?”

This battle was fought not only to ambush Bi Bo’en’s exploration fleet but also to gather data on the combat strength of the Burke warships, seeking insight into the military power of a higher civilization.

As Yang Ying took his seat, Howard spoke. “Based on the scale of this engagement, those five dreadnoughts were likely not the best Burke vessels; they might even be considered mid-tier.”

“State your reasoning.” Yang Ying leaned back in his chair, unsurprised by Howard’s assessment; he held a similar view himself.

“According to the intelligence we’ve previously gathered, both the Krell and the Kustar possess Level 7 and Level 8 particle beam technology. Their strongest warships are rumored to be equipped with four to six Level 8 particle beams. Although the Burke are inferior to them, they rank between ninth and fourth or fifth on the naval hierarchy—the gap shouldn't be that vast. I would not be surprised if they possess dreadnoughts equipped with Level 8 particle beams,” Howard stated.

“Indeed, not surprising,” Yang Ying concurred.

“Of course, specific intelligence still needs to be gathered. I suggest, Commander, you could use psychic influence to control certain well-informed individuals to provide us with intelligence,” Howard proposed earnestly.

“That can be arranged,” Yang Ying nodded. “But the most pressing matter now is finding that planet, finding the sand ore. Everything else can wait.”

“Naturally,” Howard agreed. “The strongest Burke vessel encountered today had only one main cannon—a Level 7 particle beam—and several Level 6 secondary weapons. In that regard, they are comparable to our Behemoth-class. If they possess dreadnoughts equipped with several Level 7 particle beams or Level 8 particle beams, they would be superior to the Behemoth-class.”

“Mmm, while our Behemoth-class can dominate the Solar System, there are indeed many stronger entities in the wider galaxy; they cannot be underestimated,” Yang Ying mused. “However, the Behemoth-class is more than sufficient for self-preservation. Even a submachine gun can win against tanks and artillery.”

Though that may be true, it is a tactic of last resort, Yang Ying thought to himself. If I had tanks and artillery, who would bother with a submachine gun?

Fortunately, the next generation of battlecruisers had also been completed. The first vessel officially began construction on the Floating Continent not long ago. Yang Ying named it the Minotaur, and its theoretical performance in all aspects surpassed the Behemoth.

After discussing the battle, the Behemoth resumed its search for the target planet, aiming for the fourth cardinal direction this time. Perhaps resolving the Bi Bo’en incident had finally exhausted their bad luck. As the Behemoth emerged from hyperspace, a staff officer reported, “Commander, Captain! There are traces of a magnetic storm here.”