Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

Some still managed to breach the shield of the Giant and entered the boarding range.

These drill-like ramming crafts dived directly into the Giant Level’s armor, and even though they were quickly squeezed out by the metal liquid used by Chen Ming for repairs, some of the Mechanical Race still clung to the freshly made opening.

They relentlessly damaged the breach that Chen Ming had repaired, attempting to tear open an entry point to the ship’s interior from the outside.

The Mechanical Race seemed to understand Chen Ming’s Spiritual Energy effects, as all nearby mechanical bodies converged towards the area with the most boarders, continually attacking the breach.

The focused destructive force made it impossible for Chen Ming’s Spiritual Energy to repair the armor plate in time.

The Mechanical Race’s mechanical bodies, by sheer force of attack numbers, confronted the limitation of Chen Ming’s Spiritual Energy repair efficiency when applied over a small area, forcibly ripping open a channel to the Giant Level cargo hold.

Although they were immediately counterattacked by robots stationed by Chen Ming inside the Giant Level, the invading Mechanical Race still surged like a tide, making them difficult to completely block.

Some Mechanical Race units charged deeper into the Giant Level, while another segment of mechanical bodies actually opted to unload several cargo holds closest to the opening they had breached.

Taking advantage of the moment when their collective numbers still sustained the breach, they tossed all the unloaded cargo holds out through the gap.

A total of 8 small cargo holds near the breach were all seized by the Mechanical Race.

A Mechanical Race Cruiser behind promptly captured the ejected cargo holds, then turned around, no longer pursuing deeper into the cloud layer with Chen Ming’s fleet.

Just as the Cruiser turned, the other Mechanical Race ships also began to decelerate, ceasing their chase as well.

Instead, they covered each other, changing direction and leaving the cloud layer.

They directly abandoned the Mechanical Race units that were boarding, choosing to retreat.

Watching this scene, Chen Ming felt no relief; instead, his heart sank further.

Because it was evident that these Mechanical Race forces had come with a purpose.

And they left after achieving that purpose.

Their goal was to seize the cargo holds; having achieved that, they chose to retreat.

The Mechanical Race fleet withdrew to outside the Superspace Channel cloud layer, deactivated the jump-blocking device, initiated a jump, and disappeared before Chen Ming’s eyes.

Chen Ming’s reinforcements had not yet arrived, and he didn’t dare to pursue in reverse.

He could only let them leave.

At this time, less than four minutes had passed since Chen Ming received the message that the fleet was under attack.

After confirming that the Mechanical Race had truly left, Chen Ming quickly cleared out the Mechanical Race units that had entered the cargo ship, and returned to the relatively safer channel.

Staying in the channel cloud would just invite electric strikes for nothing.

His mind was constantly pondering what exactly had happened.

From the looks of it, the Mechanical Race had definitely prepared specifically to target him.

A large number of Cruisers were blocking the channel, and they had specially prepared boarding ships to seize the cargo holds.

Moreover, the Mechanical Race even brought survey equipment to prevent Chen Ming’s fleet from directly rushing into the channel cloud.

It was hard for Chen Ming to believe the Mechanical Race wasn’t prepared.

The question was, when did the Mechanical Race discover his ship? How did they prepare the fleet to surround and attack?

Normally, Chen Ming didn’t even use this route; it was only during development that some ships might have explored it.

Everything acquired from within the Empire that needed to be sent to the development front was generally transmitted through the boss’s colony warehouse.

The furthest was to the newly stationed Mechanical Race planet controlled by Chen Ming, then transported to the main area using Spiritual Energy.

Though it was quite tiring, Chen Ming had long gotten used to it, and it was also great for honing his Spiritual Energy.

Thus, after contemplating, Chen Ming deduced that the reason for the prepared Mechanical Race attack could likely be related to the Empire’s recent actions.

Since Chen Ming mentioned that the Mechanical Race Star Realm’s rear defense was vacant compared to the Empire’s last time.

The Empire frequently dispatched reconnaissance fleets to investigate behind the Mechanical Race Star Realm.

The Mechanical Race wasn’t foolish; they naturally reinforced their rear defense while expanding their territory in the rear.

Then, accidentally, a patrolling or exploring Mechanical Race fleet discovered Chen Ming’s cargo fleet, and after some preparation, they came to attack Chen Ming.

However, after careful consideration, there was a problem with this idea.

Because typically, apart from needing time, fleet dispatches also require logistical support.

And this was clearly a premeditated and pre-planned Mechanical Race assault, with logistical preparation.

Not all ships set sail like Chen Ming’s, requiring no logistical preparation at all.

Chen Ming could use Spiritual Energy to meet fleet logistics.

Everyone else has to ensure logistics.

This attacking fleet, too, evidently needed it.

And a provisional base with basic industrial facilities would be the best guarantee.

From the fact that the Mechanical Race fleet managed to depart via jumping, Chen Ming inferred that the Mechanical Race fleet wasn’t blocking the path by jumping, but by sailing.

Even if the Mechanical Race could first jump over, lie in wait, maintain, and then seek him out after readiness.

That jumping would still lead to combat supply depletion, slightly reducing ship combat capabilities.