The Last Commander of the Red Alert

The Red Alert Base blared its jarring alarm, and Alice appeared immediately, alerting, "Uncle Long, an unknown fleet has appeared in space. Preliminary assessment suggests they are enemy reinforcements, and they have targeted this location."

Li Shaolong's expression remained unchanged. As Super Soldiers, if they lacked resilience under pressure, they wouldn't truly be Super Soldiers.

Unless a Commander faced a life-threatening crisis, they wouldn't show any signs of fear, no matter how dire the danger.

"Exact count of the fleet," Li Shaolong calmly inquired.

"There are a total of 1,054 Warships, including one flagship capable of posing a threat to entities up to the Small Galaxy's eighth order," Alice swiftly reported the numbers she had obtained.

Over a thousand Warships might not have posed a significant threat in the past at the Red Alert Base, considering their relatively limited Warship count. But in the last three months, the Red Alert Base had been primarily constructing Warships. To launch assaults on other planets, Warships were essential, and as a result, the Red Alert Base had amassed a staggering number of Warships.

However, in Li Shaolong's eyes, over a thousand Warships hardly amounted to anything significant.

"Order Fleet 111 to intercept them on the outside. If they have overwhelming superiority, eliminate them directly; if not, maintain an undefeated stance," Li Shaolong decisively issued the command.

Fleet 111 indicated that it was the 111th fleet assembled. It's worth noting that the quantity of each numbered Warship was over a thousand, signifying that the total number of Warships at the Red Alert Base had exceeded one million!

Alice controlled most of these fleets, being an artificial intelligence. She controlled Warships as effortlessly as a fish in water, making her a highly efficient operator.

Of course, not all Warships were under Alice's control. Many fleets were managed by Red Alert soldiers. To qualify for commanding a numbered fleet, they had to defeat Alice under simulated conditions, even when she was operating at her peak. Even in a simulation, Alice's skill surpassed that of the fleet Commanders of the Rota Empire. Beating Alice meant that these Red Alert soldiers had undergone countless specialized training sessions.

Fleet 111 was one such fleet controlled by Red Alert soldiers. Once they intervened, they acted swiftly and decisively, eradicating the enemy.

In no time, Warships took to the skies, heading toward the outer space and engaging the enemy fleet in battle.

On the other side, the Red Alert Base continued to press, and the enemy soldiers were retreating steadily. The Commander knew that at this rate, they were heading for disaster.

"At this rate, we'll be wiped out. We must evacuate!" the Commander shouted.

"No, we can't do that. Lord Qihe is attacking the enemy's base; we absolutely cannot retreat!" The first to speak up was the staff officer who had secretly contacted the outside.

If this plan succeeded, he would be a hero, and there was a high probability he would be reassigned to Marquis's side. Who would willingly come to this remote place without any benefits or opportunities for corruption?

Upon hearing the words "Lord Qihe," the temporary meeting room fell into a heavy silence.

Qihe was Marquis's top general, with strength just below that of Marquis himself, reaching the pinnacle of the Small Galaxy's seventh order!

Even in the Rota Empire, he was a well-known powerhouse. What made him even more notorious was the formidable strength of the fleet under his command, capable of deploying up to ten thousand soldiers, a significant number considering this was the entire Rota Empire, spanning the Milky Way galaxy.

To put it in perspective, there were likely more than ten thousand fleets within the entire star system. Achieving a position within the top ten thousand meant commanding a formidable fleet.

However, just as their confidence began to rise, a panicked Soldier rushed in.

"Bad news! Lord Qihe has sent a distress signal to us!"

Instantly, the meeting room fell into complete silence.

No one could believe it. Why would Lord Qihe, the one who was supposed to come to their rescue, send a distress signal to them?

"It's impossible! How could Lord Qihe send a distress signal? Do you know what happens when you falsify military information? It's a gruesome death!" The staff officer's face contorted with anger.

The staff officer refused to believe that this was true. If it were, it meant they were all in deep trouble. Was the Red Alert Empire really this powerful? Wasn't it just a fictional empire?

The Soldier was intimidated by the staff officer's expression, and he hesitatedly said, "Lord, I didn't falsify the military information. It's true."

This revelation left the staff officer looking powerless, and he slumped into his chair, lowering his head in silence.

Commander, too, was shocked, though he had been considering the possibility of a retreat all along. His fear didn't show on his face.

The question of whether to support Lord Qihe divided the room into two factions: those in favor and those against.

Their heated arguments only fueled Commander's growing anger.

"Our Warships were destroyed in large numbers during the previous battles with the Red Alert Empire. The remaining fleets can barely evacuate most of the Soldiers. If we assist Lord Qihe, what will happen to our Soldiers?" Commander's gaze swept around.

With that statement, everyone fell silent. They couldn't openly suggest abandoning the Soldiers. If they dared to do so, the Soldiers themselves would be the first to turn against them.

"According to Imperial Law, during wartime, the highest-ranking authority of any force has the right to refuse distress signals from other forces. If Lord Qihe survives, he is welcome to take me to military court," Commander decisively concluded, ordering an immediate evacuation.

This time, no one objected. Everyone wanted to survive.

However, before they could leave, they heard a soft chuckle. "Now you want to run? Isn't it a bit too late?"

That voice!

"Are you the enemy's Commander?" Commander shouted.

Suddenly, Li Shaolong's figure appeared before them. His expression was slightly stern as he looked at Commander. "I am not a Commander, just the leader of this force."

The title of Commander held special significance in their hearts.

Commander sighed inwardly. He had previously guessed that the enemy had a formidable figure, but it turned out to be even more powerful than he had imagined – a Small Galaxy Fifth Tier, while he was only a Small Galaxy Fourth Tier. The difference was insurmountable, and he knew he couldn't compete.

"If Lord Qihe were here, he would be in deep trouble!"

Commander realized for the first time just how important Lord Qihe was.

"Why are you here?" Commander tried to keep Li Shaolong engaged in conversation while secretly preparing others for a surprise attack. On the battlefield, there was no honor in direct combat. Only those who survived were the true victors.

Li Shaolong swept his sleeves, and his clothes rustled without any wind. An air of mystery surrounded him, showcasing the demeanor of a grandmaster.

"I'm just here to deliver a message – surrender or... die!" (To be continued...)

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