Brother, just how powerful is our family?

Seventy-two hours.

For the expeditionary fleet that had just experienced a fierce battle, these seventy-two hours were precious time to catch their breath, to rest, and to lick their wounds.

Inside the Conqueror 001, busy figures could be seen everywhere.

Repairing damaged areas, recovering the remains of fallen comrades, maintaining and repairing equipment, replenishing and registering ammunition...

Furthermore, those who survived need time to process everything that happened during those twelve hours.

On floor E-7, the antique-style pedestrian street in the leisure and entertainment area is unusually quiet at this moment.

A few soldiers sat scattered around in the teahouses along the street.

They were dressed casually, holding tea in their hands, but their gazes were all drifting out the window, drifting towards that unseen void.

Wang Jianguo and Li Weiguo sat in their usual seats by the window.

The tea on the table has gone cold.

"Three days," Wang Jianguo said softly. "Three days later, we'll have to fight again."

Li Weiguo nodded without saying anything.

Occasionally, a few soldiers in black uniforms walk by on the pedestrian street outside the window.

Their steps were slow, as if they were taking a stroll, or perhaps lost in thought.

Further away, several support staff members in light blue uniforms sat in twos and threes on benches.

Their expressions, like those of the soldiers, were empty and blank, as if they had not yet woken up from the nightmare of three days ago.

"I heard that everyone from Logistics 015 and Medical 008 is gone," Wang Jianguo said softly. "More than 20,000 people, just like that, gone."

Li Weiguo picked up the now-cold tea and took a sip:

"We in 009 aren't doing much better. More than two thousand people are gone, and several hundred more were blown away. Although most of them were rescued, sixty or seventy of them are still missing."

Wang Jianguo was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:

"Wei Guo, do you think... we can make it back alive?"

Li Weiguo paused for a moment, then shook his head:

"have no idea."

"But I know that if we don't fight, our descendants may not have a chance to live."

Wang Jianguo looked at him for a long time, then nodded:

"Too."

The two did not speak again.

I just sat quietly, looking out the window at the empty pedestrian street.

Meanwhile, at the Zenu Galaxy Administrative Center.

Governor Kenshin also sat in his office, looking out the window at the orange-red star.

It's been three days.

For three days, the fleet of the Yanhuang civilization has made no move.

They float on the outer edge of the galaxy, quietly resting, quietly repairing, quietly waiting.

Jianyan knew what they were waiting for.

They are waiting for their next attack.

This time, the attack will not be on the outer railgun positions.

This time, they will come in.

It will enter the interior of the galaxy.

They will approach the second planet, home of the Serandians, which they call "Zenu Star".

"Consul," the deputy's voice came from the doorway, "Report from the Third Planet."

Jianyan turned around.

The deputy handed over a holographic data file:

"All five million troops are in position. The defense system has completed final testing. The railgun positions are deployed. All laser defense platforms are activated. The underground fortifications can accommodate all personnel."

"Just wait for the enemy to enter firing range."

Jianyan looked at the report and remained silent for a moment.

The third planet.

It was a rocky planet with a diameter of over 20,000 kilometers, devoid of life and atmosphere, consisting only of endless rocks and deserts.

But in the past few years, it has been transformed into a massive fortress.

Five million Serandia soldiers, tens of thousands of small railguns, countless laser defense platforms, a command center buried deep underground, and permanent defensive fortifications...

It is like an unsinkable interstellar warship, quietly guarding the only way to the planet Zenu.

If the fleet of the Yanhuang civilization wanted to approach the second planet, it would have to pass near the third planet.

And by then—

"Tell the garrison on the third planet to prepare for battle," Solid Rock's voice was calm.

"The enemy will be here soon."

three days later.

The expeditionary fleet has completed its rest and refit.

All twenty-four Conqueror-class capital ships have been restored to their optimal condition.

Damaged parts were repaired, spent ammunition was replenished, and the belongings of the victims were sorted and archived.

Three and a half million Space Marines once again stood at their posts.

However, Qin Zhanjun did not order an advance into the star system.

Instead, he issued an order that surprised everyone:

"Information reconnaissance team, conduct a comprehensive scan of the Zenu system. Mark all potential threats—asteroids, anomalous regions, suspicious targets—."

"Mark one, clean one up."

"Orbital gun crew, stand by."

For the next two weeks, the outer reaches of the Zenu Galaxy became a firing range for orbital cannons.

An asteroid about fifty kilometers in diameter floats silently at the edge of the galaxy.

It looked like an ordinary asteroid, with nothing unusual about it.

However, the gravity sensing system indicated that its internal mass distribution was somewhat off.

"Conqueror 009, target locked."

"Fire."

A 10,000-ton projectile, traveling at 0.8 times the speed of light, was launched at the asteroid.

Fifty seconds later, the bullet hit the target.

In that instant, a huge crater exploded on the surface of the asteroid. Deep within the crater, a metallic sheen was revealed.

Then, countless lasers shot out from inside the "asteroid" in an attempt to intercept any subsequent projectiles.

But it was too late.

The first bullet has already torn through its disguise.

"Target confirmed: Military outpost disguised as an asteroid."

Qin Zhanjun's voice was calm and cold:

"Keep attacking. Until it is completely silenced."

Three more bullets whistled away.

Three shots, all hit.

The military outpost disguised as an asteroid, along with the three thousand Serandian soldiers inside, vanished into a cloud of metallic vapor in the void.

In another direction, there was a seemingly empty void.

However, electromagnetic spectrum scanning revealed faint energy fluctuations there.

"Conqueror 012, target area, coverage fire."

Thirty-six railguns opened fire simultaneously.

Thirty-six bullets covered every corner of that void.

One of them hit something.

Suddenly, a burst of fire erupted in the void.

A Serandia stealth reconnaissance ship was revealed in the firelight.

Then, more bullets hit it.

The reconnaissance ship, along with its two hundred crew members, instantly vaporized.

And so it went, day after day.

Railgun, one shot after another.

Those "potential threats" that were marked—disguised asteroids, stealthy reconnaissance ships, suspicious space debris, and even some asteroid belt regions that didn't look quite right—were all targeted by an orbital cannon.

Yes, some objects didn't react at all after being hit. That means it really was just an ordinary asteroid.

Yes, it started to fight back after being hit. That means you guessed correctly.

But once a counterattack begins, it will invite even fiercer attacks.

Not one shot, not two shots.

It's ten shots, twenty shots, thirty shots.

Until that area was completely devoid of any energy fluctuations or signs of life.

Two weeks later, all the identified potential threats were eliminated.

The outer reaches of the Zenu Galaxy are now completely safe.