The Peak Alliance commander immediately added fuel to the fire: "That's right! We've long suspected he was colluding with various heretical forces! Now it seems he's not only a Bug Race infiltrator but also secretly reviving Intelligent Mechanical technology! This is a double betrayal! A frenzied act to gain power at all costs! Such forces must be eliminated immediately to prevent future harm!"

"Colluding to revive Intelligent Mechanical insurgency technology"—this charge is more righteous and inflammatory than all previous vague accusations.

The Intelligent Mechanical insurgency is a painful scar in human civilization's history, and any behavior associated with it triggers instinctive aversion and dread.

This became the last straw that broke the camel's back, providing the United Fleet with an irrefutable "justification" to launch an attack.

There was no hesitation or final ultimatum.

The United Fleet command quickly reached a consensus, and the order to attack was immediately issued.

"All units, attention! Target: All military and suspected Intelligent Mechanical technology-related industrial facilities on Gray Ridge Star! Objectives: Completely destroy 'New Bauhinia' armed forces, cripple their industrial capacity, capture or eliminate their leader Bai E and core members! Authorized to use all necessary force! Repeat, authorized to use all necessary force!"

"For the purity and safety of human civilization, attack!"

In an instant, the United Fleet surrounding the Mine Star unleashed a thousand cannons!

Countless scorching beams, kinetic projectiles, Spiritual Energy missiles rained down like a storm of destruction towards the atmosphere of Mine Star, orbital defense platforms, newly built spaceports, and those labeled "Intelligent Mechanical technology facilities"!

A piercing global alarm instantly echoed in every corner of Mine Star.

"Detected over-saturated orbital strike! 'Sky Dome' shield at full power activation!"

"Orbital Defense Platform, intercept fire at full throttle!"

"All combat units, enter highest combat alert! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!"

Bai E instantly leapt into the cockpit of the upgraded "Star Emperor" Mecha, completing final adjustments, Spiritual Energy link fully connected, the new body feedback surging with precise power.

His gaze pierced through the dome of the command center, looking at the starry sky stained by cannon fire, his calm voice broadcasted through all channels, echoing in the ears of all New Bauhinia warriors:

"They have finally made their move."

"For their so-called 'Order' and 'Purity,' they can abandon civilians, distort facts, and trample everything."

"But here, is our homeland."

"There is no 'righteous' crusade, only pure aggression."

"Warriors of New Bauhinia, follow me—meet the enemy!"

The war began with the Star Alliance and Peak Alliance United Fleet's sudden, devastating over-saturated orbital strike.

The first round of strikes, like a storm, smashed onto Gray Ridge's "Sky Dome" shield, instantly pushing its energy gauge to the critical threshold.

The hastily deployed defense platforms in planetary orbit intercepted with all their might but against the United Fleet's overwhelming firepower, both in quantity and quality, interception efficiency was less than forty percent, with more than half of the attacks brutally striking the shield, stirring up cataclysmic energy ripples.

Despite Helen's team dedicating all efforts, completing technological iterations within months based on knowledge from the 'Divine Fragment' and Intelligent Mechanical technology, New Bauhinia is still just an emerging power, with industrial capacity, fleet size, and personnel familiarity with new equipment far inferior to the elite United Fleet assembled by the Star Alliance and Peak Alliance.

The United Fleet's tactical intent was clear and efficient: use heavy warships to continually bombard and deplete the "Sky Dome" shield energy, while deploying high-speed assault ships and escort fighter formations, under fire cover, weaving in for assault, attempting to directly attack shield generator nodes, orbital defense platforms, and ground key industrial facilities and command centers.

In the early stages of battle, New Bauhinia faced immense pressure.

Under dense firepower, orbital defense platforms were destroyed or heavily damaged one after another, becoming burning debris in space.

The energy reserves of the "Sky Dome" shield decreased at an alarming rate, and the engineers and technicians responsible for maintaining the shield generator fought desperately for repairs, barely delaying its collapse speed.

Bai E, piloting the upgraded "Star Emperor" Mecha, led all available "Dawn's Edge" Mech Pilots and newly built "New Bauhinia" class frigates into fierce skirmishes with the enemy's raiding forces in near-Earth orbit.

He wielded the Devouring Star Blade on the battlefield with a steady hand, with each swing slicing an assault ship or several enemy mechas into fragments.

Veterans Rose, Kuang Xin, Catherine, Ares, and others piloted new Mechas, displaying remarkable combat power in dire straits, collaborating with the few friendly warships to repeatedly repel the enemy's shock waves.

However, the disadvantage in battle was structural.

The United Fleet's forces were continuous, and their ships were superior in performance.

New Bauhinia's "New Bauhinia" class frigates, although infused with new technology and commendable in performance, were too few in number and were being deployed for their first actual battle. The crew's familiarization with new systems needed time, and errors and unrefined cooperation during combat were unavoidable.

It was often Bai E and the elite Mecha team fighting bravely at the forefront, breaking through one wave of enemies, while the rear friendly ships, due to missteps in fire coordination or maneuver, were destroyed by the concentrated firepower of the enemy's subsequent fleet.

The situation on the ground was equally grim.