Starting with God's perspective, how to lose an interstellar war?

Almost in the same star system, at another location that isn't too far away as the crow flies—

The seventh monitoring station on the outer edge of the Blue Moon Galaxy.

This is a small, automated border post that is typically manned by only two people on duty at a time.

Its primary mission is to monitor access to the neighboring Tyrol star system.

Dongfang Bo, a newly hired monitor who has been with the company for less than three months, has just finished a round of routine scanning.

His gaze inadvertently swept over the area at the edge of the monitoring range—a high-energy particle nebula codenamed "Boiling Soup"—that was always flashing with chaotic energy readings.

On the screen, amidst the chaotic ripples representing the nebula background radiation, one or two tiny, unusual peaks seemed to flicker briefly before being quickly swallowed up by the noise.

It could be an instrument error, or it could be a normal energy eruption inside the nebula.

But Dongfang Bo recalled what was mentioned during training: although this nebula was dangerous, there were certain "gaps" within it with relatively weaker turbulence, which, theoretically...

It's not entirely impossible to cross.

He hesitated for a moment, but still connected to the communication channel with the supervisor on duty.

The supervisor is located at the hub station outside the 2.11 light distribution point.

"Supervisor, this is Dongfang Bo from Station Seven. A very brief abnormal energy fluctuation has just been detected at the edge of the 'Boiling Soup' Nebula, characterized by..."

It's somewhat like the aftershocks of a large object breaking through a radiation disturbance.

Although the possibility is very low, but...

Should we increase the scanning frequency for this area?

Or should we remind the patrol team?

Is it possible for an empire to…?

Before he could finish speaking, the supervisor's impatient, even mocking, voice came from the other end of the channel.

"Dongfangbo! Did you forget what you were reading from your observation manual?"

Or did he fail at interstellar physics?

The supervisor's voice was thick with perfunctory attitude and annoyance.

"Keep an eye on your main surveillance area!"

Direction towards the Tyrolean Galaxy!

That's the proper route Imperial starships might take!

"As for the 'Boiling Soup' Nebula?"

The supervisor scoffed and rattled off a string of technical jargon at lightning speed, sounding more like a lecture than an explanation.

"That's a hodgepodge of super-ionized gas and electromagnetic turbulence!"

A natural, high-intensity "electromagnetic fog"!

Any conventional radar waves, laser radar, or even faster-than-light communication signals that enter will either be severely interfered with and absorbed, or distorted to the point that they are unrecognizable!

He paused, his tone becoming even more disdainful:

"Let the fleet drill through there?"

"Ha, even if the Imperials have gone mad, their captains and computers haven't!"

"Instead of wasting time thinking nonsense, you should keep a close eye on the jump point in the Tyrol direction!"

The supervisor gave a final, harsh warning.

"If you let an Imperial Fly into your main surveillance area, I guarantee you'll never see the stars again—go back to mining underground on your planet!"

The communication was abruptly cut off.

Dongfang Bo opened his mouth, looking at the nebula edge data on the screen, which had returned to calm and was now just background noise. His face flushed red and then turned pale.

As the supervisor stated, the fleet's journey through the high-energy particle nebula was fraught with danger.

Crossing that kind of hellish place:

The intense radiation could burn out all the exposed sensors in no time!

The magnetic field inside is as chaotic as a ball of yarn scratched by a cat. The accumulated errors in inertial navigation could cause a starship to crash directly into a star!

To survive, the ships had to keep their shields at maximum power to withstand the radiation, and the energy signature was as clear as a lighthouse at the edge of the nebula!

It's very easy to spot!

He quietly lowered the secondary monitoring weight of the nebula region, refocusing most of his computing power and attention on the distant and peaceful Tyrol galaxy.

Maybe... I'm just being too sensitive and overthinking things.

He comforted himself in this way, suppressing the fleeting doubt deep into his heart.

However, the calm lasted only a few hours.

A piercing, sharp beeping sound, representing the highest level of physical contact alarm, suddenly rang out in the cramped No. 7 monitoring station!

The red warning lights spun wildly, illuminating the entire control room in a blood-red hue.

Dongfang Bo was so frightened that he jumped up from his chair, his heart pounding in his throat.

He rushed to the main monitor and saw that the edge of the "Boiling Soup" nebula, which his supervisor had dismissed as "impossible," was now seeing dense red dots emerging continuously from the previously chaotic background noise of energy!

It's not just one or two abnormal peaks.

It's a huge area!

Like thick blood dripped into clear water, it quickly spread, diffused, and merged into a dazzling red tide!

"Enemy attack! It really is coming from the Nebula side..."

A tremendous fear and the shock of "I knew it" instantly gripped Dongfang Bo.

He frantically rushed to the communication panel; he had to send the intelligence out immediately!

Send it to the supervisor, the patrol team, and the nearest military base!

His fingers trembled as he typed in the highest emergency code and pressed the send button.

"Beep—"

"Signal transmission failed."

"Strong communication interference detected. Attempting to reconnect... Connection failed."

"The backup quantum communication repeater is not responding."

"All external communication links... have been interrupted."

The cold, synthesized electronic voice delivered its verdict mercilessly.

Meanwhile, on the panoramic monitor screen outside the monitoring station.

In the previously empty void, unnatural, distorted ripples suddenly spread out like water being struck by a stone.

Where the ripples flashed, one after another, Imperial stealth reconnaissance ships with sharp lines and dark paint, as if they had absorbed all light, suddenly removed their optical and electromagnetic camouflage, revealing their ferocious forms!

Like ghosts, they had silently surrounded the lonely monitoring station.

The other side did not fire.

No laser or missile was used to turn this small monitoring station into space debris.

Dongfang Bo instantly understood—they wanted to take over this place quietly, avoiding any energy reaction or debris from the explosion that might attract the attention of other monitoring stations or patrol fleets further away.

What they wanted was complete secrecy, a cover to continue their stealthy advance.

Just as his mind raced and he desperately tried to activate the emergency beacon inside the monitoring station (which was also being jammed and suppressed),

Among the surrounding Imperial stealth reconnaissance ships, two of them suddenly opened their hatches in the belly and released several small, streamlined assault boats.

This assault boat is shaped like a flat, black barracuda, with no obvious external weapon attachments, clearly designed for rapid deployment and covert boarding.

They emitted a faint blue stream of ions from their tails and nimbly and swiftly rushed toward the monitoring station's only docking hatch!

The other party is about to board the station! We need to capture him alive, or worse—completely take control of the monitoring station, obtain the surveillance data and identification codes, and possibly even use the equipment here to send false information!

We must not let the empire succeed!

Dongfang Bo's gaze swept sharply across the control panel.