In the virtual imaging, space asteroids of varying sizes on both sides were rapidly retreating.

A winding and twisting simulated route guided the way forward.

The simulated route was precisely calculated by Sun Ai as an aid.

The Ghost Particle Communicator on the reconnaissance ship maintained real-time communication with Source Mercury located at the center of the fleet, allowing Sun Ai to update the route in real time.

Under the precise guidance of the simulated route, the reconnaissance ship Ding Canghai was on moved nimbly through the asteroids, gradually approaching a massive solid spherical stellar body that appeared dark red on the surface.

The small reconnaissance ship dived up and down, left and right, constantly dodging the obstructing asteroids, as agile as a fish swimming through coral reefs.

Having determined there was no danger, Ding Canghai stood up and stretched. At the same time, the virtual reality projection detected his change in state and automatically rolled back to the transparent cover of the reconnaissance ship, simplifying much of the information.

Ding Canghai glanced at the standard time on his wrist watch and instructed the adjutant beside him, "Xiao Wang, tell Xiao Wu to prepare the exploration engineering mecha. He must take action personally and complete the analysis of this stellar body as quickly as possible. C1915 is very important."

The stellar body temporarily named C1915 by the Source Star Fleet was large in size, with the largest mass nearby, and its surface gravity was nine times that of Source Star.

At the same time, C1915 was also the destination of Ding Canghai's reconnaissance ship.

He had led his team away from the Source Star Fleet for a full thirty days.

During these thirty days, Ding Canghai's specialized reconnaissance ship maintained an eighth of light speed cruise for a long time until the energy reserves dropped to 30% before gradually slowing down.

According to the planned schedule, Ding Canghai and his team would spend fifteen full days on C1915, thoroughly researching the planet from inside out.

Then, the energy onboard the reconnaissance ship would be exhausted.

If they could not discover a way to replenish their energy on C1915 themselves, this team would be buried here. The probability of this happening was extremely high, nearly one hundred percent.

Xiao Wang: "General Ding, Xiao Wu has completed a comprehensive self-check and can set out at any time."

"Mm." Ding Canghai nodded slightly, "Xiao Wang, first open the Third Army network relay node, and gradually increase the power as we land. We must make this the frontline information hub at the first opportunity."

Xiao Wang nodded firmly, "Understood."

Then Ding Canghai opened the entire ship's communication system and said to everyone, "Deploy all the light dust detectors along the way, activate the intermittent active radar detection mode, and set the detectors to non-return straight navigation, to go as far as possible. We are now too far from Fleet Headquarters to receive any support. The enemy the leader mentioned might arrive within these few days, or they might already be beside us, we just don't know it yet. In short, our allies are too far, the enemies too close, we may sacrifice at any time, but before that, every bit of information we retrieve counts as a victory."

His words virtually amounted to a last will.

However, the atmosphere inside the reconnaissance ship did not become desperate and mournful because of this. Instead, after listening, the subordinates just gritted their teeth, their eyes showing a determination beyond life and death.

Occasionally, they would recall the Viscount who had been undergoing high-intensity training for a full month and had synchronized his four major parameter amplifications with the entire army.

The Viscount was so diligent, and his talent was equally astonishing.

He was obviously so young, yet so powerful. He had long surpassed the Level Nine limit countless times, but his parameter improvements still knew no bounds, climbing ever upward.

Of course, their greatest encouragement wasn't Ren Zhong, but the one beside them, Ding Canghai.

As the Third Army Chief of the fleet's Reconnaissance Corps, Ding Canghai, who had followed the Viscount for many years as a seasoned confidant, could have comfortably stayed behind the lines, but here he was, embarking on this one-way journey with these grassroots soldiers.

"General Ding, I still don't understand why you came?"

Adjutant Xiao Wang plucked up the courage to ask.

Hearing this, Ding Canghai sighed, "You all only know that I am an old minister of the Viscount, having followed him for a long time. But do you know how I came to serve under the Viscount?"

Seeing that he seemed interested in sharing some past gossip, Xiao Wang and the others all perked up their ears.

Sitting in the engineering mecha, Xiao Wu couldn't help but interject, "General Ding, please tell us; I'm curious to know."