Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 820: Chapter 449: Can’t Hold On Much Longer

Anconi Ben looked down on the current Phoenix, calling them “rookies,” and of course, there was a reason.

Among the members of the Ashen Dead, most were former members of the Phoenix who had withdrawn from the penitence expeditions; regardless of their willpower or quality, they were, after all, bona fide centennial veterans.

Another part of the members who were not from Phoenix were those Mutinous Star Warriors that Zhong Jihua had absorbed and integrated over the past decades through fire and threat, temptation, and protection from the Evil God.

They were also all veterans.

The rebirth of the Phoenix Battle Group began when they finished their penance expeditions and cooperated with the Alliance.

The time that had passed since then was just about a decade. Even the Phoenix who appeared on this Starship now were the very first group of Interstellar Warriors. Their combat careers had lasted merely this much time.

Typically, one veteran could handle three rookies without a problem.

That was even under conditions where the equipment was equal.

Moreover, when the scale of the forces involved increases, this proportion of attrition would even rise. One veteran could fight three rookies, maybe a hundred veterans could take on four hundred rookies.

The larger the scale of the battle, the more complex and variable the situation could become, allowing the veterans’ experience to play a greater role.

There were two hundred of these veterans here. Could the newly formed Phoenix bring out eight hundred now?

According to the information they gathered, that clearly wasn’t possible.

Therefore, Anconi Ben was just slightly nervous, even somewhat excited because of the emotions stirring within him.

This was somewhat of a challenge!

Otherwise, there was nothing serious enough to make him buckle down.

And since it was time to be serious, naturally, they could not be too careless.

Their core target had never changed: the bridge of the Opera Cruiser.

The central assault force, comprising the two hundred Ashen Dead, was always deployed in the main attack at the front, only guarded by the Auxiliary Army on the flanks to prevent interference with the assault team.

But now, they had to fight even more resolutely.

Anconi Ben decided to visit the front line himself.

Dressed in Terminator Powered Armor, he led an entire Terminator Squad, accelerating their advance as the army’s spearhead.

He finally saw the Phoenix blocking their path firsthand, causing their attack to be restricted for the first time.

The narrow corridor couldn’t accommodate too many people fighting simultaneously. The ones he faced were merely about twenty Loyalist Interstellar Warriors.

Looking at their bright red armor and the ostentatious Phoenix emblem on their shoulder pads, Anconi Ben even felt a momentary daze.

Was it nostalgia?

Of course not!

There was only anger in Anconi Ben’s heart!

It was the kind of anger that could not be quelled unless the Phoenix were completely killed and destroyed!

“I will never acknowledge those ahead of us as Phoenix! They’re not fit to wear this armor! Kill them all! Kill all these impostors!”

Clearly, others among the Ashen Dead shared similar sentiments.

Encouraged by Anconi Ben, they were all howling and emboldened.

However, when the Ashen Dead’s Terminator Squad began their full-fledged charge, the Phoenix directly retreated.

Clearly, this was quite rational.

There were but ten to twenty Phoenix members in front of them, all wearing ordinary tactical Powered Armor, facing the full charge of an entire Terminator Squad. Blocking them was impossible, and retreating made sense.

But this gave the Terminators in the Ashen Dead a feeling akin to punching cotton.

Just as they were shouting their battle cries and charged with menacing momentum, the opposing side actually retreated.

However, this allowed them again to advance a significant distance.

According to the usual structure of a Moon Class Cruiser—Musician-class being a variant of Moon Class—they should now be close to the command center, the bridge.

Ahead, past one large gathering center, they should arrive soon.

The gathering center served as the departure point for the cruiser’s Marine Corps; it could also be used to gather the ship’s senior officers, muster their subordinates for speeches, and engage in collective activities.

The space was relatively large.

In a boarding battle, such areas could serve as the main defensive spaces.

After all, when facing a boarding action, the attacking enemies were usually few but elite. In confined areas, elite forces could have a particularly significant role since the defenders couldn’t leverage a numerical or firepower advantage.

These relatively larger areas were better for strategizing troop deployments and more convenient for positioning powerful firepower.

Conversely, for the attackers, such places were not so friendly.

Despite being full of rage, even though anger and bloodthirsty killing intent seethed in his chest, Anconi Ben was not blinded by this fury.

He wouldn’t recklessly charge in.

He arranged for a small group of elite Auxiliary Army to enter the space first.

After the elite Auxiliary Army entered, they found some defense, but it was just some Marine Corps from the Starship, with no Phoenix in sight.

It seemed like a trap.

After thinking it over, Anconi Ben still sent in more Auxiliary Army to try and take that place directly.

If it was a trap, then they would test and see.

The defense of that area was directly overtaken by the Auxiliary Army.