The first decryption failed.

  Initiate secondary decryption. Failed.

  Retry. Decrypt. Failed. Failed. Failed…

  "Cease decryption. Change strategy."

  "Inject virus. Force entry."

  1%… 10%… 30%… 50%… 70%… 90%… 100%!

  Decryption successful!

  The alert sounded. Mobiuslidou immediately looked at the screen and shouted:

  “Zoom in!”

  The screen did not respond.

  Belle spoke firmly:

  “Zoom in.”

  The view expanded instantly.

  Mobiuslidou stared at the markings, shapes, and unrecognizable characters.

  “Structurally, this is a star chart and coordinates.”

  Belle’s eyes lit up.

  “Could it be… the star chart of the enemy home territory?”

  “Highly likely,” Mobiuslidou frowned, grave.

  “If we take this back to the Alliance, the war will turn. We won’t have to defend passively anymore. We can strike back and push the war into their territory.”

  He paused, his tone heavy.

  “The problem is, we’re flying an enemy warship. How do we return? Even if we send an encrypted message, the Alliance will never believe us.”

  Mobiuslidou took a deep breath, his gaze firm as he looked at Belle.

  “We can’t send a signal yet. We must verify the chart in person. Confirm it’s real. Then find a way to relay the intel back.”

  He added, calm and cautious:

  “And we must plan an escape route first. This is reconnaissance, not a suicide mission. This flagship is too conspicuous. We hide it here, and use it to evacuate when we return.”

  Belle hesitated.

  Charging into the enemy’s home territory alone was no different from suicide.

  But when she looked at Mobiuslidou, the courage in this ordinary soldier shone brightly.

  He was a true warrior — willing to stand on the deadliest front line for the Dou Domain, quietly protecting their home.

  In an instant, her fear was suppressed.

  Belle stood up straight, her gaze unshakable.

  “For the Dou Domain. For our home.”

  At those words, Mobiuslidou snapped to attention, his right fist pounding his chest in a sharp salute.

  “Waiting for your order, High Commander Belle!”

  “Form a reconnaissance plan at once.

  Once the intel is confirmed, send the star chart to the Alliance immediately!”

  Just then, Tian Dao-1 spoke in a flat tone:

  “The main hangar contains a small stealth armored faster-than-light combat vessel, suitable for covert reconnaissance.”

  Belle turned sharply, her cheeks puffing in anger.

  “You bastard — you planned this all along, didn’t you!”

  She rushed forward and kicked the mech, only to be knocked backward onto the floor.

  Mobiuslidou watched the scene, and only one thought crossed his mind:

  She’s adorable.

  Deep in the star sector, a vast field of asteroids floated silently.

  Behind one unusually shaped asteroid hid their captured enemy flagship.

  They hid it here, marked clearly for their return — if they lost this position, they would never find their way back to the Dou Domain.

  Inside the hangar, Tian Dao-1’s body glowed, shrinking and restructuring rapidly. It transformed into a connectable core module, linking with the small stealth FTL combat ship and taking full auxiliary control.

  Belle took a deep breath and ordered sharply:

  “Launch!”

  The launch bay hidden behind the giant asteroid boomed open.

  A stream of light burst out, cutting through the void,

  speeding toward the unknown and dangerous foreign star sector.

  Alliance Headquarters, Dou Galaxy.

  Dou Batian was arranging defenses for the next battle.

  An aide hurried over: Tian Dao-1 had sent a signal from an unknown sector.

  Dou Batian shot up from his seat.

  “Where is my daughter?”

  The aide stiffened, forcing himself to reply:

  “It did not specify her location. The decoded signal shows a distant unknown sector, suspected to be the enemy home territory. They are heading to verify. According to Tian Dao-1’s analysis, there is a 90% probability this is the enemy core region. The signal also includes an encrypted star chart of the unknown sector, marked for Alliance military use.”

  Dou Batian’s eyes turned red as he roared:

  “Activate the Heavenly Dao Defense System! The entire army marches in three days! All expeditionary fleets, advance! Activate spatial fold jump — crush them!”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  He turned to the star map, thinking silently:

  Daughter, please don’t get hurt.

  “Yes, sir!”

  All staff officers stood at attention, fists to their hearts.

  In that moment, the entire Dou Galaxy expeditionary force erupted into action.

  Inside the stealth ship.

  The two studied the star chart projection, searching for the nearest planet marker.

  Mobiuslidou said:

  “It’s tens of millions of light-years away. Normal speed will never get us there. No wonder the Alliance has been stuck defending all these years. We have to use spatial fold jump.”

  Belle looked at the mech.

  “Tian Dao-1, how long will spatial fold jump take to reach the target?”

  The mechanical voice replied calmly:

  “Continuous standard jump will take approximately two years. If we activate maximum acceleration, High Commander Belle, you must enter the sleep pod — you will not survive the journey otherwise.”

  Belle exhaled softly, and they both entered the pods.

  The hatches closed slowly. Pale blue life-support liquid filled the pods, gently wrapping around them.

  Tian Dao-1’s voice sounded:

  “High Commander Belle. Sweet dreams.”

  Sleep mode activated.

  Vital signs… stable.

  Heart rate normal.

  Pulse normal.

  Captain Mobiuslidou —

  Vital signs scanning…

  Never mind.

  Mobiuslidou’s eyes snapped open. Before he could speak, he choked on the liquid and fell into deep stasis.

  Two years later.

  Inside the cockpit, Tian Dao-1’s mechanical voice activated:

  “Target location reached. Awakening mode initiated.

  …So boring.

  My Only Belief Is Unique Soul Like Dreams.”

  Mobiuslidou’s sleep pod tilted 45 degrees forward. The hatch clicked open.

  Life-support liquid spilled out, taking him with it.

  He jolted awake, coughing violently as liquid poured from his nose and mouth.

  Before he could stand, an electric shock surged through his body, jolting him fully alert.

  At the same time, multiple black gun barrels emerged around the cockpit, aimed directly at him.

  “Captain Mobiuslidou. You must recover quickly, then assist High Commander Belle. I will monitor your every move. No inappropriate behavior — not even in your thoughts.

  I will ensure High Commander Belle’s safety.

  You understand.”

  A shot blasted past his ear.

  Mobiuslidou’s eyes widened in shock.

  You’re ruthless.

  Might makes right.

  He could only obey.

  After recovering, he approached Belle’s pod.

  The life-support liquid drained. The hatch clicked open.

  Mobiuslidou reached in and lifted her.

  Bang —

  Another shot.

  “Where are your hands? Lower!”

  Mobiuslidou stared in disbelief, then reluctantly moved his hands lower.

  Belle slowly woke up and spat a mouthful of liquid directly into his face.

  He lost balance and fell backward. Belle landed on top of him, coughing and spitting more liquid all over his face.

  When she stopped coughing, she realized who was beneath her.

  But her body was weak, and she collapsed limply back into his chest.

  Just end me.

  They finished physical recovery and returned to full condition.

  Tian Dao-1’s voice sounded:

  “Arriving at the nearest target planet in two hours.”

  Mobiuslidou panted in the co-pilot seat and said to Belle:

  “We must be careful. Activate stealth, block all signals, shut down external systems, and prepare for hard landing.”

  Belle ordered:

  “Tian Dao-1, do as he says.”

  “Affirmative. Stealth mode activated. Signals blocked. External systems offline.”

  In an instant, the ship vanished completely, drifting like dead weight toward the planet.

  At the edge of the unknown sector.

  Thousands of Dou Galaxy expeditionary motherships, frigates, and assault ships materialized one by one.

  The aide reported again, relaying Tian Dao-1’s message:

  “High Commander Belle has landed on the outer planet. The center of the sector is the enemy main base. This planet is classified as a desolate world. Tian Dao-1 recommends that our forces strike the enemy core first, then extract the two later.”

  Dou Batian exhaled deeply and waved his hand.

  “Move out! All forces, prepare for battle! Full speed ahead!

  Engage on sight without waiting for orders!”

  Thousands of warships formed battle groups, flashed, and vanished into the void,

  charging full speed toward the enemy home territory.