Strauss stood behind the head of the table, hands braced against the surface, leaning forward like a tiger poised to pounce at any moment.
The fury on his face twisted slightly upon seeing the data pad in Wolf's hands, morphing into a cold expression mixed with irritation and a hint of stubborn disbelief.
"Hah!"
He scoffed, his voice still hoarse. His gaze swept over the generals, who were holding their breath in fear, before settling back on Wolf.
"I'd like to see what kind of extraordinary battle report had to be delivered at this moment. I refuse to believe that damned place, Savannah, could have worse news than the loss of those eight Sub-Level Fleets just reported!"
His words made the seated officers bow their heads even lower.
Captain Wolf felt a chill shoot up from his tailbone to the back of his head, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the data pad. His throat was dry, as if something were tightly blocking it. He opened his mouth but couldn't immediately produce a sound.
Strauss frowned impatiently and urged him on.
"Cat got your tongue? Read it! Loudly, so all the Empire's 'pillars' present can hear what 'surprise' Savannah has prepared for us this time!"
An invisible pressure weighed down on Wolf's shoulders like a physical force. He swallowed with difficulty, forcing himself to focus on the screen of the data pad, where every word seemed like a red-hot brand.
He cleared his throat, his voice dry and strained, and began to read aloud.
"To the Opal Starfield Theater Command... Report from Colonel Lorraine Albert, Commander of the Mermaid Fleet..."
As he read the opening lines, his heart pounded wildly, as if about to burst. He could almost feel the gazes of all the generals in the conference room (though most still kept their heads lowered) and Strauss's icy, piercing stare fixed upon him.
"Confirmed... The Empire's Megalodon-class Fleet... encountered an ambush by the enemy's main fleet in the area of Jump Point Z-78 in the Savannah Star System at standard time today..."
He paused for half a second. In that half-second, the air in the conference room seemed to freeze completely.
"...Based on multi-source signal confirmation and wreckage analysis... the Megalodon Fleet... has... has been... annihilated."
"Enemy forces and tactical characteristics highly match those of the Federation's 'Pluto'-class Fleet previously active in the Savannah Star System."
"Preliminary assessment... Megalodon Fleet starship losses... exceed one hundred vessels... including the flagship 'Abyssal Fang'..."
By the time Wolf finished reading, his voice had become almost inaudible. He didn't dare look up, standing rigidly in place, awaiting the inevitable, devastating thunderous rage.
In the conference room, a deathly silence fell.
Even the sound of breathing seemed to vanish.
As Captain Wolf's dry voice trailed off, the echo of the final words, "Abyssal Fang," seemed to tremble in the cold air.
Silence.
Absolute, heart-stopping silence.
At the head of the table, General Strauss remained motionless, hands still braced against the table, body leaning forward.
All the fury, mockery, and impatience on his face froze completely upon hearing the words "the Megalodon Fleet... has been annihilated," then crumbled away like weathered stone.
His pupils first contracted sharply, then abruptly dilated.
The bulging veins on his forehead and neck turned from red to purple, throbbing violently. His chest showed no rise or fall, as if he had even forgotten to breathe.
"O... ver... one... hundred... ships..."
His lips moved, unconsciously repeating those words, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
The crushing defeat of eight Sub-Level Fleets was already an unprecedented humiliation for the Empire's border regions in decades, a stain on his career that might never be washed away.
His earlier rage was less directed at his subordinates and more a frantic venting of his crumbling authority and the unacceptable reality.
And now... just when he thought the worst news had already arrived, another complete, main force Classified Fleet—the Megalodon, which he had personally dispatched and was supposed to carry out a punitive mission—had actually followed in their footsteps?
Annihilated by the same Federation Fleet... at a Warp Point within a Star System under their own control?!
"Pfft—!"
Extreme shock, fury, humiliation, and a deeper fear of the situation spiraling completely out of control surged like a breached dam, instantly shattering the composure he had forcibly maintained and the bastion of his will as a commander.
He felt a sweet taste in his throat, his vision was suddenly swallowed by darkness, and all sounds in his ears rapidly faded away.
Under the horrified gazes of the General Officers below, Strauss's tall, imposing figure swayed violently. The arm supporting him on the desk lost its strength, and his entire body, as if stripped of its backbone, toppled straight backward!
"Commander!"
"Admiral!"
"Quick! Support the Commander!"
The dead silence was completely shattered, replaced by panicked screams and chaotic footsteps.
Almost the instant Strauss's body began to tilt, the three or four Admirals and Vice Admirals nearest to him sprang up from their seats as if propelled by springs!
The gravity and fear on their faces were instantly replaced by a mix of genuine concern (at least on the surface) and an eagerness for an opportunity that had arisen.
"Move aside! I know first aid!"
A portly Admiral roared, yet moved with surprising agility, almost shoving aside his colleagues to be the first to reach Strauss's side, attempting to support his head and shoulders.
He was about to open his mouth for artificial respiration.
"Medic! Call the medic!"
Another bespectacled Vice Admiral, usually known for his refinement, shouted while scrambling to hold Strauss's arm, his fingers trembling slightly from the effort—whether from worry or excitement was unclear.
"Commander! Hang in there!"
"Quick, lay him flat, keep his airway clear!"
More arms reached out, a chaotic tangle of hands and feet—some lifting his legs, others loosening his collar—creating a scene of utter confusion.
Everyone's face was flushed, their voices growing more urgent by the second, their actions increasingly "enthusiastic."
Captain Wolf was pushed aside, staring blankly at the absurd yet real scene unfolding before him.
Federal Territory Security Bureau (FCB) Headquarters, deep underground analysis center.
Within the vast circular hall, countless screens streamed with data flows from various star domains, the low hum of conversation and the clatter of keyboards forming a constant backdrop.
Suddenly, a short but distinct gasp came from the exclusive communication terminal zone of "Rose."
"My God..."
The voice belonged to analyst Liang Yina.
She stared fixedly at the lines of text that had just been decrypted and projected onto her personal work screen, one hand unconsciously covering her mouth.
A male colleague at the neighboring workstation, holding a cup of coffee, was drawn by her reaction. He turned his head and asked half-jokingly:
"What's wrong, Yina?
Did 'Rose' bring another surprise?
Don't tell me Young Master Qin's Pluto Fleet has taken out another Imperial Fleet?"
He had meant it as casual banter, hoping to lighten the tense atmosphere that had persisted for days due to the situation in Savannah.
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!