215: Shadow tracking and "fishing" counterattack

The 'Morning Star', having acquired valuable supplies and information, was like a warrior healed from grievous wounds and equipped with new gear, once again filled with vitality and fighting spirit. The shocking scars on the hull were covered by brand-new nano-armor plating, the engine core hummed steadily, outputting surging power, and a pale blue energy shield enveloped the ship in a regular, breathing rhythm, emitting a reassuring glow. Based on the incomplete star chart obtained from the 'Edge of the Eye' outpost, the navigation team meticulously planned a new route. This route carefully avoided several red areas marked as 'high gravity anomaly', 'unstable spatial structure', or 'unknown risk', choosing a relatively 'clean' passage, heading towards the presumed location of the third beacon.

The initial journey was smoothly unsettling. Stars glided steadily past the bridge observation window, and all ship systems operated normally, as if the previous terrifying trap and narrow escape were just a distant nightmare. However, beneath this seemingly tranquil curtain of stars, an indescribable sense of unease began to stir like an undercurrent.

Zhuoyue was the first to notice the anomaly. His perception, deeply integrated with Beacon Alpha, had an almost instinctive sensitivity to subtle changes in spatial structure. During a routine deep meditation, he felt that the void far behind the ship occasionally produced an extremely faint, fleeting 'ripple', like a tiny, invisible pebble dropped into a calm lake, creating a ripple that immediately smoothed out. This sensation was so weak that it could almost be attributed to random fluctuations in cosmic background radiation or errors in his own perception.

He informed Evelyn of this vague unease. Evelyn took it very seriously, immediately retrieved the background data records of all the ship's passive sensors, and used her powerful logical analysis capabilities to conduct a comprehensive cross-comparison and filtering analysis of all seemingly meaningless background noise, gravitational micro-undulations, and spatial curvature readings from the recent past.

After several sleepless days of work, she approached Zhuoyue and the Captain with a report that highlighted numerous anomalous nodes.

"Our feeling was correct," Evelyn's voice carried fatigue, but more so gravity. "Something is indeed following us. The ship's passive sensors have recorded a series of extremely subtle, unnatural spatial disturbance patterns. These disturbance sources consistently maintain a very distant, yet relatively fixed, distance from us, and they adjust synchronously with our changes in heading."

She projected the analysis results onto the main screen. On the complex waveform graph, a faint signal, almost indistinguishable from background noise, revealed clear regularity under specific filtering algorithms—it was the aftershock generated by an artificial, deliberately suppressed to the extreme, spatial thruster or sensor scan.

"The opponent is very cautious and highly skilled," Evelyn said, pointing to the signal characteristics. "This disturbance pattern is different from any conventional propulsion system we know; it's more like... some kind of 'gliding' technology based on space itself. It has almost no energy radiation leakage; if not for Zhuoyue's perception and our most advanced passive analysis technology, it would be impossible to detect."

The Captain's face darkened: "Can you confirm what it is? Is it the one who set up the gravity trap? Or remnants of the 'Foundation'?"

"Cannot be entirely certain," Evelyn shook her head, "but based on its technical characteristics and behavioral patterns, it is highly suspected to be related to the 'Foundation', very likely a tracking unit dispatched by Morpheus. They are like the most cunning hunters, hidden behind the dark curtain of stars, patiently waiting for us to expose a weakness, then delivering a fatal blow."

"It seems reaching our destination peacefully is unlikely." Zhuoyue's gaze turned icy, like quenched cold iron. "Since shaking them off isn't easy, let's be proactive and see whether what's hidden in the shadows is man or ghost."

A bold and dangerous "fishing" plan quickly formed in Zhuoyue's mind. He elaborated his concept to the Captain and Evelyn: use a routine short-range jump as a stage, actively entering a known, environmentally complex asteroid field. Then, with Zhuoyue personally at the helm, use his "energy programming" ability to meticulously simulate the energy fluctuation decay and thrust instability caused by the ship's engine experiencing "intermittent failures", even making the ship intentionally "limp" and significantly slow down. Simultaneously, release a specially encrypted, faint but continuous low-priority "distress signal"—the encryption method of this signal would be precisely the type that the "Foundation" was known to be able to crack, but would require some effort, thereby increasing the authenticity of the trap.

"We're going to put on a show, a show realistic enough to fool an old fox," Zhuoyue's lips curved into a cold arc. "We'll disguise ourselves as wounded prey, waiting for the hunter to be unable to resist getting closer."

The plan was approved, despite the extremely high risk. The 'Morning Star', as planned, executed a short-range jump, precisely appearing at the edge of a vast asteroid field designated "CT-734". This stellar region was filled with rocks and ice chunks of various sizes and shapes, like a river of cosmic debris, providing an ideal environment for concealment and ambush.

The disguise operation began immediately. Zhuoyue stood in the center of the bridge, eyes slightly closed, his consciousness immersed in the ship's energy network. His hands gently tapped in the void, as if playing an invisible piano. With his manipulation, the light from the 'Morning Star's' stern engine nozzles began to flicker erratically, output power readings jumped irregularly between normal and low, and the ship's flight path took on a subtle, uncontrollable deviation. From the outside, the ship looked like a patient suddenly suffering from an old ailment, struggling to maintain balance on the outskirts of the asteroid belt, slowly drifting inwards. Simultaneously, the meticulously designed "bait" signal, like the scent of blood from a wounded beast, began to subtly permeate the void.

The following days were an agonizing wait. The ship maintained the highest level of silence, all non-essential power was shut down, and all personnel took turns on duty, nerves taut. Su Mu's security forces were all in position, clad in combat suits, checking every weapon and every piece of boarding equipment. Engineers stood by the engine and weapon control consoles, ready to shed the disguise and unleash full combat power at any moment. The pilots of the small escort vessels had long since entered their cockpits, like dormant vipers, hidden behind some larger asteroids, engines preheated, awaiting the order to attack.

Zhuoyue and Evelyn, meanwhile, constantly monitored the sensors, not missing a single spatial anomaly.

Finally, on the fourth standard day, the fish showed its dorsal fin.

A warship, as if seeping directly from ink, appeared silently at the far end of the asteroid belt. Its design was extremely bizarre, completely black, reflecting almost no light. The ship's lines were sleek and sharp, like a cold blade gliding through the void, full of the aesthetic of industrial slaughter. It did not rush over immediately, but cautiously remained at the edge of the asteroid belt, maintaining an absolutely safe distance from the 'Morning Star'. Immediately, several detectors, only the size of a fingernail and equally black, detached from the ship like ghosts, using the cover of the asteroids to silently approach the 'Morning Star'.

"It's the Foundation's 'Assassin'-class stealth reconnaissance vessel!" Evelyn instantly pulled up matching information from the database, exclaiming in a low voice, "It's the 'Shadowblade' variant, highly skilled in silent tracking and surprise attacks! It seems Morpheus is determined to get the beacon, and he... hates us to the core!"

"It's him indeed! Haunting us!" A cold glint flashed in Zhuoyue's eyes. "Activate the 'disguise network' to maximum fidelity, let them see enough! Main cannons begin secret charging, target locked on the enemy ship's engine compartment! Order all escort vessels to maintain absolute silence, no exposure without my command!"

The 'Morning Star' continued to perfectly play the role of a "malfunctioning ship", even simulating several small-scale energy surges after failed attempts to repair the engine, causing the hull to "violently" shake a few times. The black detectors swarmed around the ship like flies, meticulously scanning every detail, continuously transmitting false data such as "unstable engine power", "fluctuating shield strength", and "hull stress alerts" back to the distant 'Shadowblade'.

Time ticked by, minute by minute, the air in the bridge almost solidified. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the opponent to make a decision.

Finally, after a long and cautious reconnaissance, the "Shadow Blade" seemed to confirm its prey was unable to resist. Its blade-like bow slightly adjusted direction, and the engine nozzles glowed with a faint, almost invisible purple light. Like a viper discovering a flaw in its quarry, it began to slowly and precisely slice into the asteroid belt, using the cover of the rocks to close in on the Morning Star's flank—a classic attack blind spot. It had unsheathed its fangs, preparing for the deadly strike.

"It took the bait." Zhuo Yue's voice was perfectly calm, without a trace of emotion, transmitted through the internal comms channel to every battle station. "All units, listen up... await my command."

The "Shadow Blade's" speed gradually increased. The weapon ports on its bow began to faintly shimmer, a clear sign of energy weapon charging. It had entered optimal attack range, confident that the enemy was completely oblivious.

Now!

Zhuo Yue's eyes flashed with sharp light. Like a sleeping lion suddenly roused, he roared thunderously: "Net the catch!"

In that instant, the Morning Star's "malfunctions" vanished! The previously sputtering engines suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, stable, and mighty stream of spectral blue light, driving the massive hull to execute a turn with near-impossible agility! The full-coverage energy shields hummed, boosting to maximum intensity and radiating a solid brilliance! The main turrets, already charged and concealed beneath the armor plating, instantly deployed, their thick barrels crackling with arcs of destructive energy!

BOOM—!

A high-energy particle beam, condensed to its absolute limit, struck the "Shadow Blade's" engine thruster—just as it began evasive maneuvers—with the precision of a lightning bolt tearing through the cosmos, moving at near light speed! A violent explosion erupted on the dark hull, scattering debris!

Almost simultaneously, several Morning Star escort frigates, hidden behind the surrounding asteroids, swarmed out from all directions like a school of sharks smelling blood! Forming a crossfire net, they unleashed a torrent of laser cannon fire and electromagnetic rounds onto the "Shadow Blade," instantly overwhelming its point-defense systems and firmly sealing off all possible retreat routes!

The "Shadow Blade's" commander was clearly stunned by this sudden, perfect ambush. Relying on superb piloting skills and the ship's superior performance, he executed an extreme evasion at the last moment, preventing the main cannon from destroying them outright. However, the engines were critically damaged, severely compromising maneuverability. The shields flickered violently under the concentrated fire, and energy readings plummeted.

"Trying to run? Too late!" Zhuo Yue scoffed, his consciousness deeply reconnecting with the ship's weapon systems. "Weapons Officer, switch to special warheads! Energy programming: Space Viscosity Rounds—launch!"

Several unusual-looking missiles screamed out of the Morning Star's vertical launch cells. They did not strike the enemy vessel directly but detonated prematurely in the space surrounding the "Shadow Blade." There was no deafening explosion, only visible, transparent, jelly-like spatial ripples that rapidly spread and overlapped, forming a temporary but extremely high-intensity spatial distortion field!

The "Shadow Blade," caught at the center of the field, instantly seemed to sink into an invisible mire. Every maneuver became incredibly sluggish and difficult. The engine overload alarm shrieked piercingly, and its speed plummeted. This provided the Morning Star and the frigates with a perfect opportunity for weapon lock.

However, Zhuo Yue's assault did not stop. He knew that an elite-level opponent required continuous, fatal strikes. He took a deep breath, concentrating his powerful mental energy, condensing it into an invisible, sharp psychic shockwave. Like a mental blade, it crossed the void, stabbing directly toward the "Shadow Blade's" bridge, targeting the highly skilled enemy commander he had never met!

This psychic shockwave, imbued with the power of Beacon Alpha, contained chaotic spatial coordinates, false sensor readings, and a potent wave of deterrence and fear! The "Shadow Blade" commander, struggling desperately to cope with the immediate crisis and break free from the spatial mire, felt his brain struck by a heavy hammer. It went instantly blank; all thought and command processing fell into a brief paralysis!

This moment of hesitation was fatal on a battlefield that shifted in the blink of an eye.

"Now! All firepower, focus on the enemy ship's weapon systems and power core!" Zhuo Yue seized this fleeting opportunity and gave the command for the general assault.

The Morning Star's main cannon roared again, and the frigates' fire was poured onto the "Shadow Blade's" critical areas with surgical precision. Deprived of effective command and maneuverability, the "Shadow Blade's" shields completely overloaded and collapsed. The hull suffered continuous hits, armor was ripped away, and internal secondary explosions occurred repeatedly. It quickly lost all power, becoming a mass of sparking wreckage floating in the asteroid belt, with only the life support and partial internal lighting systems barely clinging to life.

"Cease fire." Zhuo Yue ordered, his voice returning to calm. "Target has lost combat capability. Launch boarding claws and electromagnetic grappling lines! Su Mu, lead the marines, take them alive! Exercise caution; the enemy may still offer resistance."

"Understood!" Su Mu was already raring for action. She pulled down her faceplate, her eyes flashing with sharp light. "First and Second assault teams, follow me! Third team, provide covering fire! Move out!"

Thick mechanical boarding claws, like giant arms, firmly gripped the "Shadow Blade's" shattered hull, and electromagnetic grappling lines secured it tightly. Once the docking channel was established, Su Mu led the charge, rushing into the enemy ship with the elite marines. Brief, fierce sounds of gunfire echoed in the corridors, but the remaining resistance, deprived of ship system support and command, was quickly eliminated or subdued by the well-trained and well-equipped Morning Star marines.

Following a clean and decisive boarding action, all surviving crew members of the "Shadow Blade," including the Captain—who was just recovering from the psychic shock, his face filled with disbelief and frustration—were taken captive.

Subsequent interrogation and data analysis confirmed their suspicions. This was indeed a vanguard unit from one of the multiple tracking fleets dispatched by Morpheus. They utilized a small spatial tracker, developed based on underlying technology leaked from the "Net Weaver" system, which could attach extremely discreetly to a target ship's spatial wake, enabling silent, ultra-long-distance tracking. Furthermore, the gravity trap that had nearly wiped them out previously was set by remnants of the "Foundation," using technology reverse-engineered from a "Watcher" ruin, deployed in advance along their likely route like a hidden snare.

This meticulously planned and perfectly executed counter-attack yielded rich results. Not only did they cleanly eliminate a deadly, persistent tail, but they also captured the wreckage of a highly advanced, albeit damaged, "Assassin"-class stealth ship (whose stealth technology, spatial propulsion system, and sensors were immensely valuable for research), along with a large amount of intelligence stored in its shipboard computer regarding the "Foundation" remnants' current activities, technological development, and some of Morpheus's plans.

More importantly, this victory sent a clear and powerful declaration to Morpheus and all forces secretly coveting the "Beacon": the Morning Star and its crew were absolutely not soft targets to be easily manipulated. They were hard targets, possessing immense strength, superior intelligence, and fearless courage! Any enemy intending to target them must seriously consider whether they were prepared to lose all their teeth, or even suffer a fatal backlash.

After clearing the battlefield and recovering all valuable materials and prisoners, the Morning Star restarted its engines. The massive hull elegantly turned, departing from the asteroid belt littered with debris and wreckage. With a precise jump engine activation, the ship transformed into a streak of light, merging into the backdrop of the boundless cosmos.

This time, carrying the residual power of victory, the acquired knowledge, a more resolute will, and a clearer understanding of the road ahead, they once again embarked on the unknown journey to find the Third Beacon. The cosmos remained vast, mysterious, and fraught with danger, but the eyes of the Morning Star's crew now held a tempered confidence and composure. They knew the real challenge might have just begun, but they were ready.