487: Chapter 487 Firepower Coverage is Just So Effective

(The rule discovered from the last large-scale rectification is to omit high-level plot scenes from the domestic perspective as much as possible.)

The Joint Front Command Headquarters has been established.

On the Eastern Federation side, an Advanced military officer codenamed 'Code Name' connected, his voice steady and capable, carrying the characteristic brevity of a soldier.

"This is the Eastern Federation Sharpening Sword Project Frontline Command, I am 'Code Name'. Based on our previous reconnaissance and your latest scanning data, our comprehensive assessment suggests taking planet 'GX-73-7' as the first joint cleanup target."

It was a grayish-green planet that should have had complex terrain and a certain ecosystem, but now over a third of the planet's surface was covered by a dark substance that looked like a mixture of moss and fungal mats.

Atmospheric composition showed abnormally high levels of methane and hydrogen sulfide, and biological signal readings were chaotic.

"The infection level rating of this planet is 'Moderate', and the ecosystem has basically collapsed. Preliminary judgment suggests the existence of a nascent underground hive network, but its scale and complexity are lower than the 'Ash-IV' main hive."

"The threat Rank is controllable, making it suitable as the first practical combat test and coordination target."

General Feixiao looked at the shared data and nodded: "Target confirmed. Our side agrees to take GX-73-7 as the first strike target."

"Commander Code Name, I suggest the cleanup operation focus on orbital bombardment to ensure the complete elimination of biological contamination. Given your side's lack of sufficient experience against such targets, we invite you to send observers aboard to watch, and a small elite force can be dispatched to participate in subsequent ground cleanup and sample collection operations to accumulate combat data."

This proposal gave a lot of Face.

There was silence on the communication channel for a few seconds, seemingly for internal communication.

Soon, Code Name's voice sounded again: "We have no objections to your operational plan. Our side will dispatch a joint team consisting of tactical observers and the 'Long Yuan' Special Operations Squad, traveling to your flagship via shuttle. Arrival is expected in one standard hour."

"Welcome," General Feixiao said succinctly.

An hour later, a small high-speed shuttle painted with the Eastern Federation logo silently docked at the massive internal spaceport of the yaoqing immortal vessel.

General Jing Yuan, who had been waiting there, greeted them with several staff officers.

Seven or eight people stepped off the shuttle, all wearing Eastern Federation standard lightweight combat suits. The leader appeared to be in his thirties, with a resolute Face and calm eyes; his epaulettes indicated the Rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Behind him followed several equally sharp-looking soldiers, as well as two technicians holding data pads and portable scanners.

"Eastern Federation Sharpening Sword Project Frontline Tactical Observation Group, Group Leader, Lieutenant Colonel Ye Ming." The leading officer saluted General Jing Yuan, his posture standard, neither humble nor arrogant. The soldiers and technicians behind him also saluted in unison.

"I am General Jing Yuan." General Jing Yuan returned the salute, a customary gentle smile on his Face. "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Colonel Ye Ming. Please follow me; General General Feixiao and the command center are ready."

On the way to the command center, although Ye Ming and his team tried to maintain their military composure, their eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the incredibly magnificent structure inside the yaoqing immortal vessel.

The vast internal space was filled with facilities that fused ancient style and a sense of technology, with engineering machinery and logistics personnel shuttling back and forth in an orderly manner.

It was a stark contrast to the Eastern Federation ship style they were familiar with, but the overwhelming aura of a top-tier military power was unmistakable.

The command center was even larger than they had imagined.

In the center was a giant holographic star map that took up almost an entire wall, surrounded by dozens of operational seats and floating light screens, where officers performed their duties and communicated in low voices.

General Feixiao stood before the star map, her back to the door. Hearing footsteps, she turned around, her gaze sweeping over Ye Ming's group.

"The Eastern Federation observers?" Her voice was direct, without pleasantries. "I am General Feixiao. Time is limited, so let's skip the formalities."

"The bombardment plan for GX-73-7 has been finalized; you can observe the entire process here. After the bombardment, if surface threats are confirmed cleared, your people can follow our marines down for sample collection and final cleanup. Any questions?"

"None, General General Feixiao," Ye Ming replied immediately.

"Very well." General Feixiao nodded, saying no more, and turned back to the star map. "All ships attention, target GX-73-7, move into attack position. All fire units, prepare for saturated orbital bombardment according to the predetermined coordinate grid."

"Indiscriminate coverage to ensure no large-scale life reactions remain on the surface."

"Understood!"

The massive yaoqing immortal vessel began to adjust its posture. Simultaneously, dozens of capital battleships and cruisers surrounding it broke away from their cruising formation and slowly sailed toward their predetermined firing positions.

Ye Ming and his team were arranged at observation seats on one side of the command center.

Dedicated tactical screens rose before them, synchronously displaying real-time images of the target planet, the bombardment zone divisions, and the readiness status of each ship's fire units.

Looking at the planetary projection on the screen, divided into countless tiny grids, and the strike coordinates and ammunition types densely marked beside them, an Eastern Federation technical observer couldn't help but whisper to Ye Ming: "Lieutenant Colonel, are they... going to plow the entire planet's surface?"

Ye Ming didn't speak, only nodding slightly, his eyes fixed on the screen.

Soon, the signal for readiness came.

"All ships, fire at will." General Feixiao's voice was calm and flat, as if speaking of a trivial matter.

In the next second, the sight on the observation screen made all Eastern Federation personnel, including the self-proclaimed well-traveled Ye Ming, catch their breath.

From the broadsides, decks, and bows of the yaoqing immortal vessel and the surrounding capital ships, countless launch units lit up simultaneously.

Missiles, energy beams, electromagnetic slugs, and even some heavy projectiles that looked extremely unstable... weapons of various models and principles poured down like a torrential rain.

They weren't fired randomly but followed the pre-divided coordinate grid strictly, precisely covering every corner of the planet's surface.

Mountains, plains, canyons, former ocean basins... none were spared.

The light of explosions instantly swallowed the screen.

It wasn't just one or two explosions, but tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands or millions of explosion points blooming simultaneously! The entire side of the planet facing the fleet was completely covered by endless flames and shockwaves within a few short seconds.

The light was so intense that it even briefly outshone the star's light.

Shockwaves rampaged through the thin atmosphere, kicking up global storms. The crust trembled, and the tectonic plates groaned.

Under such dense and violent strikes, the dark biomass covering the surface vaporized and was annihilated in large swathes, like boiling water poured on snow.

Hive structures hidden not deep enough underground were also penetrated and detonated by bunker-buster warheads or high-energy particle beams.

Ye Ming felt his throat go dry. He had participated in many live-fire exercises and seen the power of a fleet's broadside. But this scene completely overturned his understanding.

This firepower density... this strike precision... this... this ammunition consumption!

He subconsciously began to calculate.

In that round of broadside just now, the various types of ammunition fired were roughly estimated... no, there was no need for a rough estimate. Just one of those heavy anti-matter penetration warheads was enough to destroy a large city.

Just now, he saw in the launch sequence that these warheads were being counted in the "hundreds"!

How was this fighting a war? This was clearly smashing people with credit points!

The technical officer beside him, responsible for logistics assessment, had a Face as white as paper. His fingers tapped frantically on his portable terminal, seemingly estimating something.

A few seconds later, he looked up at Ye Ming, his lips trembling, and said in a barely audible whisper: "Lieutenant Colonel... a rough estimate... just that thirty-second fire projection just now, the value of the ammunition and energy consumed... might be equivalent to the total training and live-fire expenses of our Third Fleet since its establishment..."

Ye Ming's heart skipped a beat.

The Third Fleet was one of the cutting-edge main fleets the Eastern Federation had focused on building over the past decade. The total expenses since its establishment?! That was an astronomical figure.

And this was only the beginning of the orbital bombardment. Looking at the situation on the screen, this kind of blanket strike seemed like it would continue for several more rounds until it was confirmed that no large-scale life reactions remained.

Is this... the interstellar warfare mindset belonging to the Corporation? Ye Ming felt a cold shiver run up his spine, not out of fear, but a kind of shock.

The bombardment lasted for a full fifteen minutes.

When the last round of fire ceased and the smoke slowly cleared, the planet GX-73-7 on the screen had completely changed its appearance.

The originally grayish-green planet surface was now covered with countless huge craters still emitting dark red embers. The entire planet looked as if it had been scorched by countless giants with red-hot irons, becoming pitted and charred.

The atmosphere became turbid, filled with dust and toxic gases.

"Surface strike complete. Scanning for life reactions..." The shipboard AI's voice sounded.

High-precision scanning beams swept across the devastated land. A moment later, the results came in.

"No macroscopic life reactions detected. Biomass residue is below one-thousandth. Meets purification standards."

"Activate the Sky-Purifying Ritual." General Feixiao ordered, seemingly indifferent to the bombardment that was enough to bankrupt any medium-level civilization.

Following the order, at a certain part of the yaoqing immortal vessel's hull, several large armor plates slowly slid open, revealing a ring structure below inscribed with countless golden runes. In the center of the structure, a sphere emitting a soft white light began to rotate, faster and faster.

Simultaneously, several uniquely shaped auxiliary ships nearby also deployed similar devices.

An invisible energy field was excited, connecting and resonating along a certain profound trajectory. Gradually, a translucent pale-gold energy dome that enveloped nearly half the planet slowly took shape.

The pale-gold energy field began to descend toward the planet's surface.

Wherever it passed, the pervasive dust and toxic gases seemed to be purified and dispersed by an invisible force.

On the charred earth, the few remaining biomass remnants quickly withered and decomposed, turning into harmless ash. Even some mineral-rich rock layers turned up by the explosions underwent subtle changes under the influence of the energy field.

The entire purification process lasted about an hour.

When the energy field slowly dissipated, although it was still devastated, the originally turbid atmosphere had become much clearer. Lethal radiation and toxin levels plummeted, and faint air currents even began to circulate again on the planet's surface.

"Purification complete. The planetary environment has dropped below Level 3 contamination, meeting safety landing standards under low-level protection." The shipboard AI reported.

General Feixiao looked at Ye Ming: "Lieutenant Colonel Ye Ming, the surface threats have been basically cleared. Next is the ground cleanup and sample collection phase. Are your people ready?"

Ye Ming took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart, and straightened his back: "Ready to depart at any time, General General Feixiao."