Chapter 976: Chapter 527, Political Pressure

The Void Insect Species emerging from the northern battlefield of the Spiderweb Domain is absolutely linked with the Iron Armor Battle Group.

Otherwise, how could the timing be so immaculate?

As soon as the northern line encounters the Insect Race, the Iron Armor can instantly deploy a massive offensive on the western line?

Considering the Iron Armor’s rise began with resisting the Void Insect Species in the Princess Star Domain, for the past century they would ask the Empire for money, using this reason. Often, giving them the money would suppress the Void Insect Species; not giving would make the conditions in the Princess Star Domain and its surroundings quickly ‘decay.’ Once paid, Iron Armor can immediately stand up and drive the Void Insect Species back.

As if the Void Insect Species was something they raised.

Of course, that’s impossible.

At least that’s what people believed in the past.

Those are the Void Insect Species! The powerful alien force that, since humanity discovered them, had destroyed countless worlds and sacrificed countless warriors! They devour everything, there’s no possibility of negotiation, they are tireless and indifferent to life and death.

A single Void Bug Beast lacks self-awareness but possesses an instinct akin to intelligence. Under the command of the so-called Mother of the Insect Nest, and the unified coordination of various node creatures, they can completely disregard the lives and interests of individual units, or even large groups. Their combat execution is maxed out, with no issues like entire armies collapsing or poor execution. Morale, discipline, organization, these problems that human armies must consider and dread, do not exist for them.

They can either fight to the death without retreat or decisively withdraw without hesitation, maneuvering swiftly.

These characteristics are simply a nightmare for any opponent during a war.

In the past, people thought Humphrey Paolo was just leveraging these insects. When the Empire didn’t meet his demands and conditions, he would deliberately release these insects, and when the conditions were met, he would drive them back.

But now, it seems the situation might not be so simple.

Some hypotheses previously dismissed as ludicrous are now being brought to the table:

Could it be that the Iron Armor really has means to communicate with the Void Insect Species?

But how is that possible!

Those insects are unable to communicate!

But if not, why do Iron Armor’s battle strategies synchronize so well with the Void Insect Species?

It makes no sense.

Because of this, the second group among the three Tribunals was drawn to this strange and very intriguing phenomenon.

That is the Extraplanar Tribunal.

Unlike the Heretic Tribunal, the Extraplanar Tribunal generally doesn’t concern itself with internal matters of the Empire. They focus solely on combating various alien enemies, especially the infiltration of alien enemies into human society.

The possibility that the Iron Armor Battle Group might have some level of interaction, or even collaboration with the Void Insect Species, piqued the Extraplanar Tribunal’s significant interest.

They are well-suited for this.

Not only did they bring a large number of elite Judges and a fleet, a group of forces arrived with them, they also brought their closest ally, a group of Interstellar Warriors: the Silver Sentinel Battle Group.

The Silver Sentinel is called a Battle Group, but its structure is vastly different from typical Starfighter Battle Groups. It is a team specifically focused on targeting various alien enemies. Its members are not internally trained but are drawn from various battle groups, composed of veterans with expertise and outstanding results against specific aliens.

They temporarily erase their previous battle group identities, engaging under the name Silver Sentinel, for the Extraplanar Tribunal for a period. They might leave Silver Sentinel after years of mission execution, bringing back the experience and techniques learned here to their battle groups; some may continue working within Silver Sentinel; there’s also a substantial portion that perish on the most dangerous fronts against aliens.

Nonetheless, Silver Sentinel comprises elite members drawn from various battle groups and are experts in combating various alien enemies in the Empire.

Once the Silver Sentinel and the Extraplanar Tribunal’s Judges arrived, they adapted to the local conditions, conducting highly targeted operations, striking and eliminating nodal creatures on several planets, fundamentally changing the battle situations of these planets.

As a result, the battle conditions in the northern battlefield were eased.

But only eased.

Several worlds comprehensively invaded by the Void Insect Species already have large areas covered by digestion pools, incubation towers, and proliferating carpets. The population of a Nest Capital, and nearly all materials exploitable by the Void Insect Species, have been thrown into these things, hatching swarm after swarm of insect battle beasts.

Completely eradicating the invasion of the Insect Species in these worlds is not simple.

Moreover, the Insect Nest Fleet in space continues to reinforce, soon reaching a level that the Human Fleet cannot suppress.

Breaking through the blockade line formed by the Void Insect Species on the northern line is not easy.

The situation on the western line is even worse.

Tens of thousands of Iron Armor’s Interstellar Warriors are gradually pushing back the Phoenix Legion’s line in battle. The territory gained during the previous offense phase is being retaken by the Iron Armor Battle Group step by step, even capturing two crucial nodal worlds.

The Phoenix Legion has urgently mobilized more forces from other battlefields, moving towards a trend of full military assembly; multiple Phoenix Subgroups have also responded to the call of the mother group one after another and are on their way. Meanwhile, Su Lie has requested additional reinforcements from the Empire.