279: The "Queen Bee" Hypothesis and the "Fishing" Plan

After the last piece of reinforced armor plate perfectly achieved Fusion with the hull of the Qianlong, it emitted a low, satisfied hum.

The lights in the entire dock seemed to brighten for a moment with this hum, as if cheering for its "Rebirth."

Today's Qianlong did not look much different on the outside, still possessing those smooth silver lines and deep blue "dragon eye," but upon closer inspection, the color of the hull was more restrained and profound, like mithril that had been tempered a thousand times.

The Star Pattern at the armor seams were more intricate and exquisite, with a faint luster of energy flowing through them.

On the bow, sides, and belly, there were a few more subtle, seemingly decorative protrusions and patterns, which hid the upgraded starlight focusing array, High-Frequency Oscillation Generator, as well as the newly added Decoy Ejection Port and Active Stealth Jammer.

"How does it feel?" Wen Youyi asked through the induction node.

[Very good.] Qianlong's thought was steady and powerful. [Stronger... more agile... 'New tools'... already familiar.]

It even "showed off" its new function: the light and shadow on the surface of the hull fluctuated slightly, and the entire starship seemed to fade and blend into the background light of the dock before everyone's eyes, almost impossible to capture with the naked eye, with only a trace of extremely weak energy ripples proving its existence.

"Active optical camouflage combined with energy fluctuation simulation, the effect is not bad!" Senior Brother Li nodded with satisfaction. "As long as there is no violent maneuvering or high-power attacks, it is difficult for conventional detection to discover it."

"Defense tests have also passed," Senior Brother Zhang pulled up the data. "The new armor's resistance to Dark Gold Energy has tripled, self-repair speed has increased by 50%, and the 'Emergency Escape System' has been optimized to 'Graded Ejection,' resulting in less loss and faster escape."

Looking at this starship that had risen from the ashes, everyone felt much more confident.

But right now, a more pressing issue was the "Swarm" that was wandering around the periphery of the Anvil area, seemingly searching for them.

"Summary of the latest intelligence from the 'Thousand Eyes' network," Wang Wu pulled up the star map at the operation meeting, on which dozens of flashing red dots were marked, distributed in a vast area with the Anvil as the center and a radius of tens of thousands of miles.

"Over the past seven days, we have monitored seventeen regular patrol activities by 'Swarm' squads (usually consisting of 5-20 individuals)."

"Their patrol routes have obvious overlaps and intersections, as if they are... casting a net to search."

"Search pattern analysis shows that they are extremely sensitive to pure starlight energy residues, Flowing Silver particles, and high-intensity spatial jump disturbances," Mo Chen added.

"When we evacuated before, the energy leaked by Qianlong and the signals broadcast by the spore may have provided them with tracking clues."

"In other words, they now know that a 'big guy' (referring to Qianlong) was injured and ran away nearby, and they are sniffing around, trying to dig us out?" Zhao Iron Pillar frowned, his brow furrowed into a knot. "These metal lumps are quite vengeful!"

"It's not just vengeance," Wen Youyi tapped the table with his finger. "From their ambushes and pursuits to the current net-casting search, their behavioral patterns increasingly show a controlled, organized intelligence."

"I suspect that deep in the Anvil area, there may be a higher-level 'control core,' or rather... a 'Bee Queen'."

"Bee Queen?" Everyone was stunned.

"Yes," Wen Youyi nodded. "These 'Golden Crystal Bee' individuals may be similar to Worker Bee or Soldier Drones, responsible for executing fixed patrol, ambush, and pursuit tasks."

"But for them to be able to coordinate such large-scale searches so effectively, there is likely a more powerful 'Bee Queen' unit with higher computing and command capabilities orchestrating it from behind."

"It may be hidden in the deepest part of the Anvil, heavily protected, serving as the brain and heart module of the entire Swarm System."

This conjecture made everyone gasp.

If this were true, then the Anvil was not just a simple "trap zone," but a fully functional, automated Reapers outpost or resource recycling station!

Those "Swarm" were not just Scavenger, but the guards and minions of this outpost!

"Then what should we do? Hide? Wait for them to give up and leave when they can't find us?" Xiao Wu asked.

"Hiding is not a long-term solution," Wen Youyi shook his head. "If the 'Bee Queen' possesses a certain level of intelligence, if it can't find the target for a long time, it might expand the search range or adopt more aggressive measures."

"What if its detection network scans the starlight gauze curtain... Although the 'Gauze Curtain' has a stealth effect, it is not absolute."

"We cannot entrust our safety to the enemy's 'negligence'."

"Then... fight our way in? Destroy its nest?" Zhao Iron Pillar was eager to try.

"With our current strength, proactively attacking an 'outpost' with unknown conditions and tight defenses is too risky and is the worst strategy." Mu Wanqing analyzed calmly.

"So, we need a compromise plan," Wen Youyi's gaze swept over everyone and finally fell on the red dots cruising on the star map. "Since they are looking for us, then we will... give them a chance to 'find' us."

"Fishing?" Senior Brother Li's eyes lit up.

"Yes, fishing." Wen Youyi drew an arc on the star map with his finger. "Send out Qianlong, carrying a specially made 'Decoy Beacon' capable of simulating the energy characteristics of Qianlong when it was seriously injured and fleeing, and operate in an area far from the base but within the range where the 'Swarm' might search."

"Deliberately leak 'traces' to attract a small 'Swarm' to pursue."

"And then?" Wang Wu asked.

"Then, Qianlong will use its upgraded performance and our familiarity with the terrain to lead this 'Swarm' around in circles, luring them to an 'Observation and Capture Zone' we have pre-arranged."

Wen Youyi's eyes were sharp. "There, we will set up 'Spatial Stability Anchor' and 'High-Intensity Purification Field' to attempt to capture alive or at least completely analyze one or two 'Golden Crystal Bee' individuals!"

"If we can reverse-engineer their communication protocols, control frequencies, or even track the contact signals between them and the 'Bee Queen'... then we will have grasped the initiative!"

This plan was bold and ingenious, with its core being "intelligence gathering" rather than "destroying the enemy."

The risk was that the "decoy" operation had to be realistic enough without actually putting Qianlong in danger again; at the same time, the capture process had to be clean and swift, so as not to attract a larger-scale "Swarm" retaliation.

"This plan is feasible!" Senior Brother Zhang immediately began to deduce. "We need to design a 'Decoy Beacon' that can accurately simulate Qianlong's energy characteristics but can also self-destruct or transform at a critical moment."

"The 'Observation and Capture Zone' is best selected in an area with complex wreckage structures, chaotic energy backgrounds, and easy for us to hide and set traps."

"In terms of personnel, Qianlong is the only unit with high mobility and survivability, so it must perform the decoy mission." Senior Brother Li looked at Wen Youyi. "But as for the captain..."

"I will go personally." Wen Youyi did not hesitate. "Only I can perform the deepest level of consciousness synchronization with Qianlong to deal with emergencies."

"The key to this mission lies in 'acting' and 'moderation,' so I must be present."

"Too dangerous!" Mu Wanqing couldn't help but object.

"Rest assured, we are well-prepared this time, the goal is clear, and we are not blindly taking risks." Wen Youyi comforted her.

"Moreover, Qianlong is no longer what it used to be. As long as we coordinate well, the probability of success is very high."

He looked at the silver starship floating quietly, with eager light flashing in its deep blue "dragon eye": "Qianlong, dare to go and meet those 'old friends' with me again?"

[Dare!] Qianlong's thought was resolute, even carrying a hint of anticipation. [This time... it's our turn... to set the trap!]

The operation plan was quickly refined and named "Operation Fishing."

The base was running at high speed again, preparing for this proactive attack.

The specially made "Decoy Beacon" was rushed out, shaped like an inconspicuous silver metal fragment, but with complex Star Pattern engraved inside, capable of simulating the subtle fluctuations of Qianlong's damaged energy leakage, thruster overload, and even the ship spirit's "panicked flight" consciousness.

The "Observation and Capture Zone" was selected in an area about eight thousand miles away from the base, codenamed "Stone Beach."

It was filled with metal and non-metal fragments of various sizes, with energy turbulence intertwined, making it easy to hide and set up ambushes.

Senior Brother Li and Senior Brother Zhang personally led the team to quietly go and set up the "Spatial Stability Anchor" and hidden "High-Intensity Purification Field" generators, as well as a large number of monitoring "spore."

Five days later, everything was ready.

Qianlong slid out of the "starlight gauze curtain" silently, with several "Decoy Beacon" attached to its belly.

Wen Youyi, Senior Brother Li (responsible for monitoring the trap), Wang Wu (responsible for intelligence analysis), and Xiao Wu (responsible for communication and decoy deployment) boarded the ship again.

"Remember, our goal is 'intelligence,' not 'killing the enemy.' Once we successfully capture a sample or encounter uncontrollable risks, retreat immediately and activate the beacon's self-destruct program." Before departure, Wen Youyi emphasized again.

"Understood!"

Qianlong's silver hull glowed slightly, blending into the starry sky background, and quietly sailed towards the preset "fishing" area.

The hunter had disguised itself as a panicked prey, ready to strike back.

(End of this chapter)