Yang Ming said calmly, "If that queen comes over, I can only choose to retreat alone; I can barely handle a Fifth Rank queen."

"Captain Yang Ming, you overestimate the insects!"

"Is that so?"

Yang Ming toyed with his recently acquired Imperial Guard Knight medal and reminded General Thomas:

"Why doesn't the Vice Admiral report this up and let His Majesty make the decision?"

"There is an extremely powerful supercomputer at His Majesty's side, which collects all sorts of information and then makes the most rational choices to maximize the Empire's interests."

"Yes, this is indeed the most appropriate solution," Admiral Thomas nodded slowly.

The general actually understood completely why this group of senior officers was all pretending to be oblivious.

Many people simply don't want to take responsibility.

This is also a common scapegoating technique used by the Military Department—create a situation of differing opinions, report it quickly and truthfully, and ask a higher authority to make a decision.

Captain Griss obviously failed to see the situation clearly; he was an outstanding field commander but not a competent politician.

The astute Hanton, however, saw through the Military Department's awkward predicament at a glance.

"The situation is urgent," Admiral Thomas said seriously. "I suggest that each battle group's commander jointly report this matter, asking our great Majesty to make a swift decision."

The group of generals quickly reached a consensus.

After the meeting, Admiral Thomas, having finished the reporting duty, invited Yang Ming, Catherine, and Captain Griss to lunch together.

The lunch was simple; they arrived at the nearby senior officers' canteen, found a table, called over a robot hovering near the ceiling to deliver the food, and began devouring the delicious meal.

Admiral Thomas was entirely unpretentious.

"Hanton, I almost forgot to congratulate you, you're now quite popular in the noble circle," Admiral Thomas laughed. "Thanks for speaking up during the meeting; otherwise, we would have wasted half a Galaxy Time."

Yang Ming laughed, "Didn't the General invite me here to say just those few words?"

Thomas's somewhat wearied old face smiled and wrinkled, "You're an insect expert, your opinion is really important to us... what do you predict the Emperor Guard System will do?"

"I don't know," Yang Ming said, "this thought body with powerful computational ability can collect various data, can see crises we cannot see; we just need to obey orders."

"And one more thing," Admiral Thomas asked, "you mentioned before that you wanted a cell sample, which cell?"

Yang Ming instinctively glanced at Catherine beside him and said directly, "An Ancient God Cell sample, one is enough; several samples are stored in a research institute of the Empire."

Admiral Thomas nodded slowly, "Is that institute under our military's control?"

"Yes."

"Then there's no problem at all; I will arrange it as soon as I return," Thomas smiled. "Besides these, the Military Department plans to promote you; probably to the rank of Major, you can raise any objections now, and I can help you fight for it."

"Cough! Cough, cough, cough!"

Griss, wide-eyed at the side, exclaimed,

"Isn't the Empire not allowing transformed people to receive military ranks?"

"Hanton's case is special," Thomas laughed, "Empire law only prohibits transformed people from receiving military ranks, not from being promoted; Hanton was already a Captian about to be promoted before undergoing the transformation experiment."

Catherine laughed beside him, "Major Hanton."

"Don't," Yang Ming looked a bit awkward, "In fact, the Elder Court is also trying to use similar reasoning to help Hui Saka elevate his title."

"I've heard," Admiral Thomas squinted and smiled, "Now it depends on what level they can achieve, but noble status is more sensitive, and this might..."

Buzz, buzz!

Admiral Thomas stopped talking, reached into his pocket for his communicator, and his expression changed subtly.

"The Emperor Guard System suggests we retreat immediately; His Majesty agreed."

Yang Ming frowned, "Aren't we going to get that compensation?"

"Even if we want it, the New Federation would subsequently shirk their obligation, we just want to see them yield," Admiral Thomas took a few bites of food, quickly stood up and donned his military cap, "I'm going to make arrangements, we must blow up that fortress immediately, extract as much data and high-value structures as possible!"

Griss immediately asked, "Is there anything our special forces can do?"

As soon as he spoke, Yang Ming, Catherine, and his communicators all vibrated simultaneously.

[Imperial Defense System: Detected an Insect Swarm secretly navigating toward this location, it is expected to result in a catastrophic war with significant human casualties, please immediately return to your ship and coordinate with the Military Department to execute subsequent plans.]

Subsequent plans?

Two question marks popped out over Yang Ming's head.

Weren't they just supposed to retreat? Why did the Emperor Guard System need them to do something more?

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