Capturing enemy ships and analyzing their technology is actually the most troublesome method, a choice made only when there is no alternative. The reason is simple. Just like in the Earth era, when foreign electronic products were all the rage in China, despite China investing so much manpower and resources and having so many outstanding scientists conducting analysis and research, they still could not manufacture electronics that could rival those foreign products.

With Xiao Yu’s current research capability, after obtaining a Continent-Class spaceship of the Pegasus Civilization, he could spend several decades to analyze most of the opponent’s technology. But such analysis would be only superficial. Just like with the space weapon, Xiao Yu could use the space weapon, but he did not know the principles behind it and could not apply those principles to manufacture or research other things.

Similarly, even if he truly obtained a Continent-Class spaceship of the Pegasus Civilization, Xiao Yu’s technological strength could make a substantial leap in a short time, but that would be all. There would be no follow-through, and it would be impossible to form a complete technological system.

Compared to living technological artifacts, Xiao Yu clearly valued more the technological principles hidden behind such artifacts. As long as he had the principles and a systematic technological theory, Xiao Yu could integrate that theory with his existing theories and promote his technological development from the level of fundamental science.

The leader of the Pegasus Civilization clearly understood this truth. Upon perceiving that Xiao Yu’s strength was extraordinarily formidable and that it was basically impossible to achieve his previous expectations, he decisively made up his mind to first capture one of Xiao Yu’s Continent-Class spaceships for technological analysis, raise his own strength, and then repel Xiao Yu. This was already a last resort.

But unfortunately, due to previous mistakes, the Pegasus Civilization did not achieve the expected goal. In the end, Xiao Yu escaped. In this encirclement operation, they captured only just over forty thousand of Xiao Yu’s medium and small ships, and all with some degree of damage. This caused the Pegasus Civilization’s plan to fall completely through.

“Return to base. Abandon the pursuit of the Divine Ark Civilization’s fleet that escaped. All key industries and civilians are to withdraw into the capital defense perimeter. All military forces are to construct defensive works centered on the capital defense perimeter. The following is the list of planets to be abandoned in this war.” Upon receiving the latest battle report and learning that the Divine Ark Civilization’s fleet had already escaped, the leader of the Pegasus Civilization rubbed his aching forehead and issued a string of orders.

Watching his assistants busily at work, the leader of the Pegasus Civilization sighed with deep regret. “This operation failed to keep the Divine Ark Civilization’s Continent-Class spaceship. It is truly a pity. Hm… I hope these just over forty thousand captured ships can yield some of the Divine Ark Civilization’s technology, raise our technological strength, and allow us to oppose the Divine Ark Civilization. Also, I hope the Expeditionary Army of seven million warships can hold back the main force of the Divine Ark Civilization for at least ten years, giving our capital defense perimeter enough preparation time.”

Since those fewer than six hundred thousand ships of the Divine Ark Civilization had escaped the encirclement, given their curvature flight speed of thirty-five times light speed, his side basically had no chance to capture them again. The leader of the Pegasus Civilization was well aware of this. Rather than wasting time on that, it was better to simply give up directly.

One after another, battle reports and intelligence arrived at the office of the leader of the Pegasus Civilization. Under his command, the entire Pegasus Civilization had begun a complete contraction. Every day a large number of military, civilian, industrial, and transport ships entered the capital defense perimeter. Large-scale shipbuilding and troop recruitment had begun. The entire Pegasus Civilization, from top to bottom, united as one, was making preparations for the coming war that could decide the fate of the entire civilization.

The capital defense perimeter of the Pegasus Civilization, with the capital star system as its core, plus four other stellar systems in different positions, formed a circle of five star systems in total. Within this circle, the leader of the Pegasus Civilization planned to build a vast fleet of fifteen million ships, as well as defensive works composed of innumerable automated defensive weapons and reconnaissance instruments.

Within the capital defense perimeter there were a total of thirteen planets and several hundred moons. These celestial bodies would provide sufficient resource reserves for the capital defense perimeter. Although there were not many life-bearing planets, which would lower individual living standards, the leader of the Pegasus Civilization clearly did not care. At a critical moment of life and death for the civilization, what did such trifles amount to?

The leader of the Pegasus Civilization had already made preparations for a long war. In field engagements, the Pegasus Civilization was no match for the Divine Ark Civilization, but he believed that in defensive warfare, he could certainly withstand the Divine Ark Civilization’s assault.

With matters at this juncture, what was being tested was likely the developmental potential of the civilizations. This could very well be a protracted war that might last for several hundred or even a thousand years. Over such a long war, many unforeseeable variables could occur. Perhaps the Pegasus Civilization would have good luck and achieve a major technological breakthrough the very next day, leading to a rapid advance in civilization strength, repelling the Divine Ark Civilization’s offensive in a very short time. These were all unknowns.

Xiao Yu was also well aware of this situation. However, he clearly did not intend to drag the war out so long. Such a lengthy war cycle was extremely unfavorable to Xiao Yu. He did not have time to waste.

“First deal with these seven million warships before me.” Xiao Yu thought to himself. At this time, led by the flagship of the biological army, the Europe had already arrived with five million warships and was attacking the Expeditionary Army from the rear. The Asia had finally achieved its goal, successfully blocking the Expeditionary Army’s attempt to flee.

“Energy consumption is too great. It is time to let the Asia rest.” The large influx of ships abruptly relieved Xiao Yu’s pressure. The advantage in numbers allowed Xiao Yu to offset the disadvantage of having fewer Continent-Class ships. Under such circumstances, Xiao Yu could even detach dozens of Nation-Class ships, leading hundreds of thousands or even over a million ships of other classes to directly counter a single Continent-Class ship.

During this stretch of war, aside from some damage to internal energy circuits and various engines due to excessive load, the Asia had not suffered any damage elsewhere. In fact, analyzing it carefully, while the Asia was formidable, it clearly had not reached the point of fighting one against three. The cause of this phenomenon lay in the special structure of the Four-Dimensional shield. Unlike other shields, as long as the Four-Dimensional shield was not broken, the spaceship was basically unlikely to suffer major damage. And as long as energy supply was sufficient, the Four-Dimensional shield generally could not be broken.

Moreover, the Asia’s goal was not to annihilate the opponent’s Continent-Class ships, but merely to delay them and prevent them from escaping. Combining all these factors, the Asia finally accomplished this objective.

“Then there is no suspense now.” Xiao Yu thought. “Your ships are inferior in individual strength and fewer in number. With what will you win this war?”

The Europe was not as formidable as the Asia, and it clearly could not handle one against three. Therefore, under the command of Luo Yuan of the Military Committee, the Europe engaged the Expeditionary Army’s flagship directly. Over a hundred Nation-Class ships were divided into two formations, using numerical superiority to suppress the Expeditionary Army’s other two Continent-Class ships, while the remaining ships fell into a mêlée.

Outside the battlefield, the Asia was undergoing resupply. To stand against three Continent-Class ships was taxing even for the Asia. In less than three days of warfare, it had consumed more than half of the Asia’s energy reserves. For the Asia, whose energy reserves were its lifeline, this result was undoubtedly extremely dangerous. It was thanks to the formidable performance of the Four-Dimensional shield that the Asia was not in an immeasurably worse state.

A large number of transport ships arrived at the Asia’s ports. Innumerable robots, like ants, carried various energy supplies into the Asia, then used the ship’s internal transport systems to deliver this energy to the various engines. Under the strong support of external ships, the Asia was rapidly regaining vitality, like a parched traveler suddenly receiving an abundant supply of clear water.

This was a war without suspense. The energy resupply for the Asia lasted a full day, and the Asia once again recovered its peak combat strength. By then, the Expeditionary Army’s seven million ships had been reduced to fewer than five million.

“It is time to end this war.” Xiao Yu thought with full confidence, maneuvering the Asia to rejoin the battle. With the Asia’s return, the pressure on the Europe immediately decreased. More than ten million ships encircled and attacked the five million enemy warships on the field.

The war lasted for more than two months. In the end, the Expeditionary Army broke out and fled. However, by this time they had only three million warships left, having been reduced by more than half. Such a result, for the Expeditionary Army, could no longer be called a severe blow, but should be called a devastating strike.

The Expeditionary Army began fleeing toward the capital star system. Xiao Yu’s fleet chased behind, nipping at the tail of the Expeditionary Army, launching a protracted pursuit across the boundless starry sky against the shattered Expeditionary Army.