One after another, warships spread out their formation, slowly approaching the target planet’s synchronous orbit.
Personnel within the warships ran back and forth, executing the combat directives from their respective bridges.
Behind dozens of large Shield Ships, a powerful firepower network was formed by hundreds of battleships, Star Patrol Ships, and Heavy Cannon Ships, with an equal number of Supply Ships in the rear, ready to provide forward support at any time.
Hundreds of medium-sized warships supplemented the combat strength, blocking both flanks of the battlefield.
Over a dozen gunships had entered the atmosphere, continuously releasing "softening agents" to reduce energy consumption by the warships’ main cannons caused by the atmosphere.
Everything was progressing smoothly and methodically.
Inside the Poisoned Stinger Ship, Yang Ming observed the scene before him, comparing it in his mind and realizing that what Wind currently lacked was not just large warships; the quality of the personnel also needed urgent improvement.
However, except for being too few in number, in other aspects, the "quality" of the Dark Star Fleet could match or exceed that of the Empire’s main fleet.
"Everyone, check your equipment and replenish energy."
Catherine’s voice came through, and twenty-five combatants quickly assembled.
Yang Ming unplugged the energy supply belt, glanced at his fully charged battery, and returned to the combat preparation room with a cheerful smile.
Except for Bryant, the equipment of the team members was more or less the same.
Close-combat suits with protective and anti-impact effects fitted snugly against the skin, outlining the figures of the transformed people—fit, strong, or graceful.
Over the combat suits, different exoskeleton armor was equipped according to the preferred combat type.
Only Catherine "made special arrangements."
She donned a golden suit of armor with superior frontal defense capabilities, equipped with a vector thruster and chest and leg guards of a Multi-directional Energy Shield Generator, perfectly matching her golden mask.
Yang Ming pressed several buttons on his arm, and the undersides of his formal attire flipped, transforming into an Empire military uniform.
The team members felt no tension and joked around while filling up on some energy potions and gene activation potions.
"Do you need external attachments and firepower packs?" Catherine specifically asked him.
Yang Ming shook his head and slowly said, "They still don’t match the Empire’s military system."
"Don’t rush to the front later," Catherine advised, "Even though the database from the previous Insect Disaster cycle has been opened, we haven’t found much record of close combat with the Space Worm Clan. Some high-rank insects contain powerful biological energy."
It seemed like his experience in exterminating insects was a "little" richer than this group of Supermodified people.
A giant projection screen appeared at the front of the bridge.
The main warship formation had reached the planet’s synchronous orbit; the planet remained very calm.
In the projection screen, this planet’s terrain was predominantly dunes, with scarce water resources on the surface, and thick snowcaps covered the polar regions.
The fleet commander’s mature and steady voice was heard,
"Third Fleet, use Type Six Energy-gathering Bombs to bombard Area One."
"Repeat, use Type Six Energy-gathering Bombs."
More than twenty main warships simultaneously opened their launch chambers, and missiles trailed plumes as they flew from the ship, wrapped in protective shields and magnetic rings, the powerful acceleration causing the missile casings to visibly deform.
Like hundreds of meteors sliding into the atmosphere, these ultra-fast missiles’ speed was far beyond that of natural meteors.
The continuous dunes on the ground remained still.
Near the surface, the missile casings disassembled themselves, revealing high-speed rotating conical tips and battle sections at the rear.
The sand sea appeared to bloom with "waves," and hundreds of missiles rapidly drilled below the dunes.
Yang Ming lightly raised an eyebrow, noticing that the drilling missiles surprisingly did not need to decelerate in advance.
After waiting for about a minute, layers of ripples appeared in the sand sea, and the earth in the target area began to shake continuously, with distant dunes collapsing incessantly.
Cracks formed on the ground, resembling dry riverbeds.
"Warning, detection of significant biological energy reactions underground."
"Warning, the Insect Swarm has been activated and is moving rapidly towards the surface."
"All ships prepare for combat, flagship formation main cannons lock onto the Mother Worm location, fire."
The Poisoned Stinger Ship trembled lightly, outer space appeared slightly warped, and ion beams crashed into the atmosphere, melting the surface and injecting immense energy into the earth.
The Mother Worm was currently hidden deep; at the current level of bombardment, it would take at least a dozen full-power salvos from the flagship formation to truly reach the Mother Worm.
Right now, it was purely a feint, creating anxiety for the Insect Swarm and forcing them to relocate the Mother Worm.
This wasn’t just a psychological game.
If the Insect Swarm left the underground, it would naturally be much easier to exterminate them.
And if the Insect Swarm steadfastly defended underground, the fleet with a constant energy supply could slowly tear open small areas of the crust, ultimately directly attacking the Mother Worm.
This was much more "gentle" than a Dreadnought directly bombarding the Star Core.
"Warning! The Insect Swarm has emerged from the surface!"
"High-density biological energy outbreak!"
An uncountable number of tan adult insects emerged from the cracks in the ground, and countless purple-blue Light Bullets sped upward, blotting out the sky as they charged towards outer space.
Suddenly, dunes lifted off, and large warship insects emerged from the ground, shaking their numerous thin wings on their backs and lighting up rings of light on their abdomens.
The Insect Swarm began their counterattack.
"All ships! Cover with firepower! Fire at will!"
As the commander’s orders were given, thousands of beams appeared in space, and one warship after another opened the newly installed firepower external cabins, while countless missiles activated protective shields and launched with dazzling exhaust plumes into the atmosphere.