Wang Dong felt a surge of excitement, his eyes narrowed slightly. He skillfully manipulated the eight-way rudder of the scout ship, executing a series of erratic evasive maneuvers, closing in on the “I Love Juice” ship at a blistering speed.
Distance: 0.1 light-minutes!
The third high-energy projectile whizzed past at a distance of eighty-seven kilometers.
The sudden acceleration and manual evasive maneuvers threw off the “I Love Juice” ship’s Sky Survey Radar fire control system. Even with the closer range, the hit rate remained low.
“Both sides are charging head-on! With a distance of only 0.1 light-minutes, there’s not enough time to fire another round from the main cannon. This is round two!”
The “I Love Juice” ship, having spotted Wang Dong, had adopted a full-speed approach strategy, maintaining a high velocity throughout.
Wang Dong’s ship, on the other hand, had reached the upper limit of its hull structure’s endurance after its full-speed rush.
They were on a collision course, closing the 0.1 light-minute distance in less than twenty seconds.
This short timeframe wouldn't allow the “I Love Juice” ship's main cannon to fully charge and fire.
“My main cannon hasn't fired a single shot since the battle started, and I haven't taken a single hit. The opponent doesn't know the reinforcement level of my ship, so they're hesitant to slow down for fear of getting hit.
The outcome hinges on this head-on collision.
Wang Dong reached this conclusion without conscious deliberation.
It was his vast experience at play.
The higher the speed of a ship, the lower the chance of being hit.
Uncertain about the level of Wang Dong’s main cannon, which was only LV1, the “I Love Juice” ship hadn’t slowed down to prolong the collision, creating more opportunities for cannon fire.
Instead, they opted for a full-speed collision, planning to maneuver and engage after the initial impact.
This was a cautious tactic, but it also presented an opportunity for Wang Dong.
“Reduce main engine thrust, engage full power on the #1 directional adjustment engine. Main cannon charging in ten seconds. Prepare for countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Charging!”
In the virtual cosmos, Wang Dong’s ship’s thrust dropped significantly. Simultaneously, the directional adjustment engine on the upper side of the ship roared to life, spewing out a brilliant blue flame.
As the two ships approached each other at a rapid pace, Wang Dong’s ship visibly changed course, its bow tilting upward as it veered towards the lower part of the “I Love Juice” ship.
If the ships were initially on the same plane, then the “I Love Juice” ship remained on its course. Wang Dong’s ship, however, was now moving towards the bottom of the “I Love Juice” ship, propelled by the full power of its upper directional adjustment engine.
The two ships were about to cross paths, one above the other.
At that moment, Wang Dong’s ship, with its bow tilted upward, would be directly facing the lower abdomen of the “I Love Juice” ship!
For a fleeting moment, the “I Love Juice” ship’s lower abdomen would be completely exposed within the range of Wang Dong’s main cannon!
“Main cannon charging: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Charge complete!”
“Collision countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Ships intersecting!
“Fire main cannon!”
The main cannon’s first shot didn’t require reloading, only charging, which took a mere ten seconds.
In this decisive moment, Wang Dong’s strategy of holding back his fire paid off handsomely.
As the main cannon fired, the high-speed projectile shot out like a bolt of lightning.
At such close range, it precisely struck the “I Love Juice” ship’s tail engine, directly damaging the ship’s propulsion system.
Although the “I Love Juice” ship’s onboard AI managed to make some adjustments, they were too late. The ship, unable to significantly alter its course, had no way to dodge the attack from point-blank range. It was hit squarely in its vital area.
“Enemy ship engine damage: sixty percent. Output reduced by ninety percent.”
The shipboard AI’s enemy damage assessment prompt sounded like a melody.
“This ship hull structure damage: thirteen percent. Engine output reduced by five percent.”
The self-damage assessment prompt stood in stark contrast…
This aggressive change in direction put a heavy burden on Wang Dong’s ship, whose hull structure was only LV1. Hull damage was inevitable, and a few more maneuvers like this could potentially lead to complete hull failure.
But that didn’t matter, for Wang Dong had already gained a decisive advantage.
Wang Dong’s “leaping overhead” maneuver had dealt significant damage to the “I Love Juice” ship’s engine, reducing its output by ninety percent.
This was even more severe than the brief imbalance in the previous round. The enemy not only moved at the pace of a snail but also experienced a several-fold increase in main cannon charging time. The outcome was essentially decided.
True enough, the system prompt arrived just a few seconds later.
“ID: I Love Juice player has initiated surrender request. Countdown: 60…59…58…”
Wang Dong maneuvered his ship, positioning it off to the side of the “I Love Juice” ship, without re-charging the main cannon.
There was no need to “salt the earth” when the enemy had already surrendered.
A little bit of civility was in order, you know.
Peace in society, peace in gaming.