As the last batch of civilian-filled transport ships successfully took off under the cover of "Dawn Light" and the Dark Elf Fleet, escaping the atmosphere of Jade Stone Star, Bai E and his exhausted team finally concluded over thirty standard hours of intense battle and rescue on the planet's surface.

The "Thorny Bird" transport ship struggled to break free from the planet's gravitational pull, joining up with the "Dawn Light" research vessel hovering in orbit.

After the two ships docked, Bai E and his team managed to extricate themselves from the battered mechas and step onto the relatively safe deck of the "Dawn Light."

Helen personally led the medical and logistics team to receive them, swiftly providing emergency treatment, energy replenishment, and mecha repairs to the team members.

Meanwhile, the fleet quickly reestablished communication with the Star Alliance United Fleet Command, still holding out on the outskirts of the Aisera Star System.

The situation report from the allied command on the communication channel carried a heavy sense of oppression:

"…Attention all participating teams, due to the Bug Race's unusual activity and strategic adjustments in the Aisera Star System, the current mission progress of each team is as follows:

Steel Alliance 'Anvil' Team: Completed the mission to hold the core area of the capital 'New Athens,' assisted in the evacuation of approximately three million people, has withdrawn from Jade Stone Star in accordance with orders, and is returning to the assembly starport.

Holy Silver Church Country 'Purification' Team: Finished rescuing personnel from the Water Purification Satellite research station and recovering critical data, cleared some ice layer pollution, task essentially complete, returning home.

Flame Republic…

Deep Space Alliance…

Forged World Union 'Echo' Team: Reached the ancient ruins on the 'Ancient Bell' satellite, conducting technical analysis and activation attempts, report states 'some progress, but more time needed,' refused immediate evacuation.

New Bauhinia Republic 'Edge' Team: Completed the initial rescue and data recovery of the 'Traveler' platform, executing large-scale civilian evacuation guidance and cover mission on Jade Stone Star (specific number of rescued still being tallied), but the second phase to destroy or mark the 'Main Nest Prototype'… remains unfulfilled."

When the report reached here, a brief silence appeared on the channel.

Everyone understood, other teams had more or less completed their main objectives or achieved phase results, only New Bauhinia, their original core task—dealing with that underwater main nest, remained unresolved.

Despite their notable contributions to civilian evacuation, under the framework of the Star Alliance where task completion is the primary scoring standard, this was undoubtedly a significant shortcoming.

Soon, an encrypted communication from the allied command directly accessed the "Dawn Light," specifically requesting to speak with Bai E.

On the communication screen appeared the face of the allied commander, the Steel Alliance's old general, weary and stern.

He dispensed with all pleasantries, getting straight to the point: "Commander Bai E, we're somewhat aware of your battle situation on the surface of Jade Stone Star through observations and recorder reports. You've saved many lives, which is commendable. But the current battle situation is not optimistic."

He pulled up a real-time battle map: "The main force of the Bug Race fleet is still at a standoff with our forces on the periphery, but their resource investment and evolution pace on Jade Stone Star far exceed our expectations. According to your transmitted data and our latest reconnaissance, the energy reaction of that deep-sea main nest has increased by 17% in the past six hours. It's accelerating maturation, and its energy conduit network is spreading deeper into the planet's crust. Once it completes its final form, not only will Jade Stone Star be completely lost, the Spiritual Spore Cloud it releases and the potential new Bug Race units will pose a severe threat to the entire Aisera Star System and even adjacent stellar districts. We must destroy or at least heavily damage it before it fully forms!"

The old general's gaze sharply focused on Bai E: "You are the only team with direct contact with that main nest. The recorder report mentioned that before you evacuated, you had already completed precise energy marking and data collection of the main nest core area. Now, I need you to immediately provide the most precise marking coordinates and structural weakness data, to guide our orbital strike fleet to conduct a super-saturation bombardment on the main nest core! This is currently the most direct and perhaps the last opportunity!"

Bai E remained silent for two seconds.

He recalled that terrifying structure bound to the planet's geological depth deep in the trench and remembered his premonition that orbital strikes might be ineffective or even disastrous.

But he also understood that the allied command's decision under pressure was inevitable.

They needed action, needed to see the effects of a strike, even if it was just a glimmer of hope.

"The coordinates and data can be provided immediately." Bai E calmly responded, "But I must reiterate the previous warning: the structure of this main nest is special, deeply fused with the crust, and conventional orbital strikes may not achieve the expected results, and even…"

"Commander Bai E!" The old general interrupted him, his tone carrying an undeniable decisiveness, "I understand your concerns. But there are no perfect solutions in war. We have the latest 'Star Splitter' kinetic piercing shells and 'Purification Fire' plasma bombing arrays. This is the Star Alliance's strongest ground attack force currently available. We must attempt! Execute the order, upload the data!"

"…Understood." Bai E made no further futile arguments.

He signaled to "Ashes" next to him to transmit the previously collected and organized precise coordinates of the main nest core, energy node distribution map, and predicted model of structural weakness to the allied command through the highest encryption channel.