131: Fleet torrent

"The mass production of the 'torrent-class' has entered its third burst phase, and the auxiliary shipyard clusters of the Seventh and Ninth 'ark' have officially gone into production." providence's report echoed in the brand-new strategic command center of Keystone-1 (renamed after the reconstruction of the original Keystone-0). It was larger and colder than before, with a massive holographic star map on the wall covering almost the entire visible area, data flowing like dark gold blood, manifesting the majestic pulse of this civilization. "In the past six standard months, the total tonnage of newly built ships of all types has exceeded three hundred percent of the total tonnage of the Human Federation fleet before the Battle of Skypillar. Among them, 'torrent-class' standardized destroyers and frigates account for 78%."

On the star map, that dark gold territory belonging to the Human Federation had become like a swelling, metallic tumor, deeply embedded in the vast sea of stars in the Milky Way's Southeast Spiral Arm. Its borders were no longer smooth, but instead stretched out countless sharp "tentacles" and "fulcrums," each tip pointing to an occupied resource system or a newly established forward Fortress. Within it, dense points of light representing the fleet flowed incessantly like boiling molten steel between preset navigation routes and defense nodes; its scale and density were enough to make any observer feel suffocated.

"Current fleet scale statistics:" Alpha-01 stood beside Han Zhe, his marshal's uniform now featuring dark gold sashes representing several victories in major expansion campaigns, his voice steady with an imperceptible touch of a conqueror's satisfaction. "'titan-class' capital ships: forty-one in active service (including twenty-two newly built 'titan-class iii'), with another nineteen in the fitting-out or sea trial phase. 'arbiter-class' battlecruisers: two hundred and seven. 'dominator-class' heavy carriers: ninety-four. 'fortress-class' mobile defense platforms: sixty-two. 'torrent-class' standardized destroyers and frigates: over four thousand nine hundred. The total number of various special-purpose ships, auxiliary ships, and transport ships exceeds twelve thousand."

The scale far exceeded the past. No, it far exceeded the limits of what any conventional galactic power could imagine in peacetime! This was an iron torrent born entirely for conquest and destruction, driven by the concepts of "total militarism" and "absolute human supremacy," forged with almost pathological efficiency and cold will. The number of ships was so great that many newly launched 'torrent-class' vessels did not even have time to receive official names, identified only by production batches and serial numbers.

"Replenishment status of the New Generation personnel," Han Zhe asked, his gaze sweeping over those points of light representing terrifying numbers.

"The G-4 Generation main body has fully entered active service, and the first batch of qualified personnel from the G-5 Generation has completed basic training," the Director General of Social Integration reported. "Thanks to the resources brought by expansion and the 'simplified breeding process,' the reserve of military-age population is sufficient, and the approval rating for national policy remains above 99.9%. All new recruits will be prioritized for replenishment to 'torrent-class' vessels after completing basic training, using the experienced to lead the new to quickly form combat effectiveness."

A massive fleet required an equally massive, loyal, and efficient force of personnel to drive it. Through the kindling legacy and the subsequent continuously "optimized" cultivation system, the Human Federation was steadily producing such "qualified parts."

"Resource supply and industrial production." The Chief Technologist pulled up dazzling charts. "In the newly occupied Gloomy Corridor and the surrounding one hundred and seventy-three star systems, the resource extraction network has been preliminarily established. The supply of key materials such as Element Zero, heavy metals, and rare gases has reached five hundred percent of pre-war levels. The repair progress of the abyss of order has reached the expected 32%, with output power stable at 20%. Coupled with thirty-seven newly built large Zero-Point Energy Arrays, the energy supply is sufficient. Industrial capacity has increased by four hundred and twenty percent month-on-month, fully capable of supporting continuous operations, loss replenishment, and further expansion under the current fleet scale."

Digest, expand, then digest and expand again. At an almost predatory speed, the Human Federation converted every bit of resource in the newly occupied areas into more warships, more soldiers, and more weapons. The roar of its industrial machinery seemed to spread throughout the entire occupied territory.

"External threat posture update." providence switched the screen. At the edge of the star map, those once-glaring threat colors now seemed somewhat... "cramped" in contrast to the expanding dark gold.

"The main force of the Imperial Indomitable Crusade is still locked in a brutal stalemate with Chaos and Tyranids in the Nachmund Gauntlet and Plague Star regions. Guilliman has issued several orders requiring all crusade units to 'avoid unnecessary contact with the unknown human variant power to the southeast' and has strengthened patrols in relevant sectors, but has taken no offensive action. Judgment: The Empire has tacitly accepted our presence in the Southeast Star Sector and, because the primary threats have not been eliminated, is unable and unwilling to engage in a full-scale conflict with us at this time."

"Chaos forces suffered heavy losses after the Battle of Skypillar, and are internally in Chaos due to friction between the Dark Gods and the struggle over the 'Order-Chaos Annihilation' radiation zone (viewed as some kind of new 'holy relic' or 'curse') left by the Battle of Skypillar. They cannot organize a large-scale offensive against us in the short term."

"Traces of Men of Iron activity have further decreased, with the latest 'Deep Reality Fissure' fluctuation recorded four months ago. They seem to have shifted their primary observation targets to the intensifying conflict between the main Tyranid swarms and the Necron dynasties."

"Communications between several Eldar Ark Worlds and Commorragh have suddenly been encrypted. Large-scale psionic material transfers have been monitored, their goal suspected to be preparing for an upcoming 'ancient prophecy node,' leaving them momentarily unable to attend to other matters."

"The conflict between the Necron Szarekh Dynasty and the Nekmund Dynasty at the Wall of Sighs and with an unknown force has escalated into full-scale war. Both sides have deployed ultimate weapons, including World Engines, and the flames of war have spread across a vast range, completely pinning down their forces."

"The Tyranid Hive Fleet Leviathan continues to approach, but its primary consumption axis is currently pointed toward the Imperial core and several Necron border dynasties, with a certain deviation from our controlled area. However, its 'sub-fleets' and 'scout tendrils' have begun sporadic skirmishes with our outermost outposts."

Threats remained, but they all seemed to be bogged down by their own problems. The Empire was held back by Chaos and Tyranids; Chaos was in internal strife; the Men of Iron were watching a bigger "show"; the Eldar were preparing their own "grand play"; the Necrons were at war with an unknown force; and the Tyranids' main direction of attack was temporarily not here.

"A rare 'window of opportunity'," Alpha-01 said slowly. "All major enemies are temporarily unable to pose an imminent, all-out threat to us. And we already possess unprecedented power."

Han Zhe did not respond immediately. He walked slowly to the massive observation window (the new command center restored this design, symbolizing that the Human Federation no longer needed to hide completely underground). Outside the window was the busy low-Earth orbit of Keystone-1. Countless newly built shipyards, space factories, and defense platforms were like a steel jungle, with ships densely weaving through them, their business comparable to an interstellar port. Further away was the massive, dimly gold-shimmering framework of the abyss of order repair project, like a scar on the planet and also the heart of its power.

"Window of opportunity," Han Zhe repeated the phrase, his gaze distant. "No, this isn't a window of opportunity. This is a crushing period."

He turned around to face all the high-ranking generals and officials in the command center, his voice like an unsheathed saber, cold and sharp:

"The enemies are entangled in their own troubles and are unable to stop us. And we already possess an unprecedented fleet sufficient to crush most single enemies!"

"Order the entire army: Initiate the 'Absolute Purification' general strategy!"

"Strategic goal: Utilize our current power advantage and strategic window to systematically and thoroughly 'sweep' and 'purify' all remaining, weak, or potentially threatening 'non-human' forces and unstable regions around our controlled area with overwhelming force, elevating the Human Federation's territory and influence to an absolutely stable 'strategic high ground' that no enemy would dare to covet!"

"Specific instructions:"

"First, Operation 'Eastern Anvil': With the First, Third, and Fifth 'Titan' fleet groups as the core, supported by forty 'torrent-class' fleet groups, launch a full-scale purge toward the eastern star sectors of our controlled area (formerly areas of frequent Eldar pirate activity and hiding places for some small xenos civilizations). Doctrine: No surrender accepted, no traces of civilization preserved, thoroughly purify all biospheres and non-human constructs, converting them into resource extraction zones or military buffer zones."

"Second, Operation 'Northern Hammer': With the Second, Fourth, and Sixth 'Titan' fleet groups as the core, supported by thirty-five 'torrent-class' fleet groups, push northward to sweep the 'Withered Worlds' bordering Chaos forces that still harbor Chaos corruption or worship, and establish a deep 'Purification Defense Line' composed of 'Fortress Planets' and dense minefields to completely block out Chaos influence."

"Third, Operation 'Western Iron Broom': With the Seventh through Tenth 'Titan' fleet groups (newly built) as the core, supported by fifty 'torrent-class' fleet groups, fan out to the west and south to clear the chaotic star sectors that fell into a power vacuum after the Battle of Skypillar and are occupied by various nomadic xenos, pirates, and Ork spore remnants. The goal is to open safe navigation routes to more distant resource-rich areas and establish a large number of forward bases."

"Fourth, 'Abyss Blade' Special Operations Group: Composed of the 'Infiltrator-III' fleet and the most elite Purifier marine legions, responsible for precise raids and destruction of detected, remaining Eldar hidden strongholds, small Necron tomb outposts, and observation stations potentially left behind by the Men of Iron, to prevent any resurgence or the acquisition of our intelligence."