From cannon fodder to sweeping across thousands of stars.

Chapter 542 Speed ​​of Life and Death

The battle space at this time was extremely chaotic, especially after the 'Infinity' forced its way into the formation of the garrison fleet and launched a round of 'Unparalleled'.

The wreckage of a large number of sunken warships, including the Balkanist, spread across the entire universe while flying in disorder.

So when Gserina, the ship controller of the Infinity, reported that she had discovered that the two-seater reconnaissance boat released by the other party was trying to escape and leave this space.

Randall's first reaction was that he must not let them leave alive, because there was only one reason why these two-seat combat boats were released at this time.
That is to use their mobility and concealment to try to leave the battlefield, and then use additional communication pods to contact the Federation fleet after leaving the wide-area electronic warfare attack range of the Infinity.

At the same time, Randall was also glad that the Infinity had used the "upgrade components" sent by the transport fleet during the escort mission some time ago to strengthen its various detection units.

Otherwise he was really worried that he might have missed these small things mixed in with the wreckage.

Just after Randall gave the order, the HCP and heavy armored combat boats near the "Infinity" also received the target information shared by this super flagship through the tactical network.

More than 20 small targets immediately appeared on the full-circle screen in front of everyone, maneuvering at high speed in different directions.

Without any hesitation, those HCPs that had no obstacles between them and the nearest target immediately set up their charged particle cannons and fired at them after the combat assistance AI completed the target trajectory calculation.

This near-light-speed weapon is more powerful than the laser turret, and is extremely effective when attacking small, high-speed units. Generally speaking, as long as the distance is not extremely far or there is a problem with the target calculation, it will be a 'fire and hit' situation.

So when the HCP launched its attack, the two-seater reconnaissance boats detected by the Infinity turned into a rolling fireball in the next ten seconds or so.

However, among these reconnaissance boat pilots, there are also "experts" who use the surrounding garrison fleet warships as cover to speed up their escape.

The two-seater reconnaissance boats they operated did cause a lot of trouble to the pursuit and consumed more time.

When Randall and Selina noticed the last two-seater reconnaissance boat on the field, they found that this last "only one" was about to leave the main combat area.

What's worse is that this reconnaissance boat had previously used the cover of several garrison fleet warships to shake off the pursuing Atlas units, so now there are no HCPs and heavy armored combat boats nearby that can threaten it.

But Randall knew that if he let the reconnaissance boat escape, there would definitely be big problems, so he nervously ordered nearby units to try their best to intercept the reconnaissance boat.

However, distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. Although other units that broke into this space earlier also wanted to intercept, the distance was too far. In addition, there were also the remaining units of the garrison fleet, so it was difficult to bring the target into the attack range for a while.

Just when Randall and other staff officers were getting anxious and worried, they found that on the three-dimensional battlefield situation map, a green dot suddenly began to move rapidly towards the reconnaissance boat at a speed far exceeding that of others.

And in the regional communication channel, a text message in 'emergency report mode' also appeared.

Resurrection Alliance Task Force - 1st Heavy Armored Combat Boat Squadron - 'Red Baron':
"Red Baron begins to pursue the target, requesting fire support from friendly forces!"
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"No, buddy, it's fine if you're showing off, but you should put me down in advance! Damn it! Slow down! Slow down! We're going to collide!!!"

On the speeding red heavy armored combat boat, in another red 'Holy Shield' that was 'actively' connected in 'cooperative propulsion' mode, Johnny Riding just made an unhappy complaint when he was startled by Manfred's aggressive driving.

With the assistance of the plasma propulsion array of the 'Aegis', Manfred's heavy armored combat boat gained higher thrust, and the high-energy lasers on both sides of the main monitor on the head of the 'Aegis' and the remaining missile bay in the weapon box could also provide some fire support.

So after leaving behind his teammates who could not keep up with his speed, he boldly rushed towards the route with the highest defense density of the garrison fleet and which was also the shortest route to the reconnaissance boat.

At the moment when Johnny Riding thought that the two of them were about to collide with the destroyer in front, the red fighter boat, under the control of Manfred, delicately adjusted its course and rushed forward almost sticking to the deflection field of the destroyer.

It was precisely because they were too close to the destroyer that the surrounding enemy units did not dare to open fire at this moment, fearing that they would fail to kill the enemy with one shot and instead blow up their own destroyer.
At the same time, the Third Task Force also discovered the combat boat that had single-handedly broken into the enemy's formation. Randall didn't even need to give any more orders. Nearby units that could provide fire support immediately turned their fire.

A large number of warships' directed energy weapons fired directly at the enemies in front of Manfred and his men, catching them off guard.

It can only be said that the Atlas fleet's "change of fire" was so efficient that even Manfred and his men didn't react, let alone the enemies who were blocking them in front.

After the Red Baron broke in with his external thrusters, it was obvious that these warships were not someone to be trifled with just by looking at their agile tracks.

Therefore, in order to maximize the advantage of interception firepower, most of the warships in this space chose to sail sideways on the predicted path of the "Red Baron", and then rely on conventional weapons deployed on the sides and upper and lower decks for defense.

After all, using a heavy particle cannon to attack such a small target is really an overkill, and after trying diffuse shooting, they also found that this combat boat with greatly enhanced defenses can withstand the attack of heavy metal particle jets.

This also directly led to the fact that after the Atlas fleet's supporting firepower came over, these warships completely exposed their vulnerable sides, which was basically equivalent to a "wide open" state.
Under the watchful eyes of 'True Red Lightning' and 'Red Baron', the ships of the garrison fleet on their route were devastated almost instantly.

The fatal "sideways ship" maneuver also made these warships pay a heavy price.

Because of these ship-borne control personalities in the Atlas combat fleet, after Lilith completed the upgrade and iteration and became more powerful, she was also upgraded from a "ten-year veteran" to a "thirty-year veteran".

And like Selina on the Infinity, they are very familiar with the structure or weaknesses of common ships in the human world.

Therefore, this time, facing the enemy warship that had exposed its broadside, he showed no mercy and directly used several rounds of precise weak point attacks to open up a breakthrough route for the Red Baron.

However, such firepower support also has advantages and disadvantages.

The benefit was that it helped Manfred and his men kill a lot of enemy ships, reducing the pressure of breaking through.

But the downside was that the wreckage and debris formed after the sinking and explosion of these warships began to severely test Manfred's driving skills.

After all, at the current relative speed, these flying ship wreckage and debris already have high enough kinetic energy, and there is no other result except "flight" if they collide.

But at this stage, Manfred, who had already entered the wreckage with Johnny Riding, could not withdraw, so he could only bite the bullet and start dancing on the edge of the knife. "Brother, you are my brother, take it easy, I am only 20 years old!!!"

"Stop making noise! ​​You're interfering with my driving!"

"No. In this environment, you can only rely on instinct to drive. What difference does it make if I interfere or not? Damn it!"

After watching Manfred controlling the heavy armored combat boat again, dragging a long wake while accelerating, and passing through the middle of the broken hull of a light cruiser, Johnny Riding didn't know what to say except "WTF".

But what he just said was not wrong, because in this extremely complex area where there is no pattern of obstacle movement, Manfred is really relying on instinct to drive in a high-speed flight.

If Amber saw this, she wouldn't be surprised.

Or if he was surprised, it was because he was surprised during the previous actual combat training that the two UR characters, 'True Red Lightning' and 'Red Baron', appeared in his team at the same time - although only temporarily.

Manfred was a popular character that could be recruited by players in the previous life of "Starry Sky OL". His high-rarity characteristics such as "Air Combat Hero" and "Stunt Master" gave him abilities in air combat that were almost equivalent to "Infinite Grazes".

So even if he was driving based on instinct, Amber knew that this legendary driver was not destined to die here.

Not to mention that he was carrying 'True Red Lightning' - Johnny Riding on his back.

This one is more heavyweight.

Although this "genius pilot" could not be recruited until Amber traveled through time, his popularity remained high for a long time.

Even if you don't look at the other talents and skills of this legendary pilot, just looking at the trait of 'Lucky EX', you can fully understand how valuable this man who has long dominated the top of the list of 'Players' Most Wanted Characters' is.

Not to mention that this "genius pilot" relied on this characteristic to escape from many battles where both sides suffered heavy casualties, and even remained "uninjured" many times.
That is to say, the 'Red Baron', who already has superb driving skills, is not carrying the 'True Red Lightning' on the back of the heavy armored combat boat he is driving.

It's a 'golden medal of immunity from death'.

As both sides looked at it as if it were a "god", this red heavy armored combat boat, at a speed that ordinary people could not imagine or understand, dangerously rushed through the wreckage area and greatly shortened the distance between itself and the two-seater reconnaissance boat.

It even found time to use the longitudinally parallel twin-mounted heavy particle cannons, as well as other airborne weapons including the 'True Red Lightning', to kill several enemy units that tried to intercept it along the way - including a frigate that was about to ram directly into it.

It's just that the good luck I got from 'True Red Lightning' has just run out by this time.

When Manfred pulled out a trajectory similar to a "barrel roll" and passed the wreckage of the frigate in front of him, the combat boat's combat assistance AI issued a high-level alarm.

"Warning, a large number of enemy HCP units are approaching at high speed, number 18"

At the moment when the combat support AI named "Albatross" issued the alarm, Manfred subconsciously made an emergency defensive maneuver, causing the combat boat to "dip" downwards suddenly, avoiding the irradiation of several charged particle beams.

But in just a few seconds of emergency defensive maneuver, the 18 HCPs quickly closed the distance. The fastest one, while continuously firing its charged particle cannon and high-energy laser cannon, also fired a series of bright ballistics from its electromagnetic machine gun and rushed towards Manfred and his team.

However, the latter's flexible movement made all these attacks miss the target, and the opponent couldn't even touch his edge.

But even so, these speeding HCPs still seriously interfered with Manfred's operations. After all, if he needed to constantly evade attacks, he would no longer be able to maintain a high speed to chase the fleeing two-seater reconnaissance boat.

Just as the 'Red Baron' was struggling with the current situation, he suddenly heard the sound of unlocking the bracket on the back of the heavy armored combat boat for 'coordinated propulsion' through the hull.

The fully-equipped 'Holy Shield' that had just been lying on the back of the heavy armored battleship had now actively disconnected from the battleship.

After flying for a distance along with the fighter boat using the initial speed, Johnny Riding directly left the formation.

"Go after them! I'll stop them!"

This young pilot, who had already felt the cruelty of the battlefield and knew that HCP was nothing more than a consumable in fleet battles, did not hesitate at all at this moment and rushed directly towards the 18 HCPs that were getting closer and closer.

Manfred, who was in the cockpit of the combat boat, finally relaxed his tense mood at this moment. In the rear-view surveillance footage, the direction in which Johnny Riding rushed out had been covered by the opponent's HCP salvo.

But he didn't dare to look back in the direction his friend left. He could only leave a sentence: "Don't be brave, come back alive!" Then he pushed the throttle of the combat boat to the top and rushed out quickly taking advantage of the opportunity created by his partner.

And this time he did not disappoint. Relying on the higher acceleration of the heavy armored combat boat, he quickly caught up with the fleeing reconnaissance boat and quickly locked it.

The moment the locking frame on the screen lit up, Manfred chose to open fire without any hesitation. The near-light-speed weapons equipped on the fighter boat also maximized their attack speed advantage in this attack.

Even when the combat-assisted AI calculated that the speed difference between the two sides was extremely large, the high-energy laser and charged particle beam still crossed a distance of nearly a thousand kilometers, accurately hitting the plasma thruster of the reconnaissance boat, and turning it into one of the countless high-temperature plasma fireballs on the battlefield in the next second.

Manfred, who completed the attack, did not relax at all after confirming that the opponent was killed, and there was no joy on his face.

Instead, it immediately made a dangerous huge loop at high speed, and then rushed towards Johnny Riding again.

"Hold on! I'm coming!"

(End of this chapter)