Chapter 2877: Building the “Federalists” within the Empire
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
While talking, Di Feiwen squinted at Han Baling.
Han Baling immediately took the hint and replied, “Of course, when the storm is coming!”
“Wrong.”
Di Feiwen smiled and said, “It’s true that umbrellas can’t be sold at a good price when the sky is clear, but what’s the point of buying umbrellas when it’s raining cats and dogs and all the pa.s.sers-by are soaked?
“Therefore, an umbrella must be sold at a high price. The best time to sell it is not when it is sunny or when it is raining, but when a storm is brewing!
“In the war between the Star Ocean Imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance, although it was a protracted battle between hundreds of Sectors, thousands of planets, and millions of stars.h.i.+ps, the real ‘winners’ were undoubtedly the most critical battles, especially when we gathered intelligence from various
sources and predicted the coming ‘Battle of the Capital’.
“The mysterious main fleet of the Sanctuary Alliance is sharpening their blades in secret. When the rebels of the revolutionaries are deeply entangled with the remnants of the four electors’ families and cannot free themselves, the s.h.i.+ning sabers of the Sanctuary Alliance will definitely break the feeble
defense line of the Empyrean Terminus Sector.
“Judging from the fact that the revolutionaries are in trouble both internally and externally, with barely enough soldiers and yet to be pacified, if the capital city is lost, the entire front line will collapse. By then, the defeated devil fire will trigger a chain reaction among hundreds of Sectors and lead to an
avalanche-like collapse. The people of the Sanctuary Alliance will take the opportunity to march forward unstoppably. Who can stop them? Let alone two to three to five years, I’m afraid that the people of the Sanctuary Alliance will be able to lock onto the victory within a year and a half.
“At that time, the imperium, which had been on the brink of destruction, was like a pa.s.ser-by who had been soaked in a storm. However large and solid the federation was, how could it be of any use and sell at a high price?
“The other possibility is that, a.s.suming that the main fleet of the Star Glory Federation is not as strong as we expected, or that the rebels of the revolutionaries miraculously crush all the remaining members of the four electors’ families and return to defend the Empyrean Terminus Sector in time, the
outcome of the war will be decided in the next two to three years.
“If the imperium could compete with the Sanctuary Alliance with its own strength, what reason would it have to spend so much money to win the federation over? What reason would a man who had just experienced a sunny day have to buy an umbrella?
“Allin all, if the federation does not march to the center of the sea of stars right now, there will be no need for it ever again, because the target you want to ‘rescue’ in two to three years will either be gone or defeated by the enemy alone. There will be no need for rescue at all.
“If that is the case, the federation should concentrate all the resources on building a magnificent fleet of immigrants and flee to the black domain at the end of the sea of stars with all the important figures and strategical resources, because the federation will not be let go of no matter who wins the war
between the imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance.
“General Di, watch your language.”
Bai Kaixin said coldly, “The federation does not accept threats in any way.
“Tm not threatening you. I’m just stating facts. In fact, if the army of the imperium does march toward the federation one day, it will not be you but the Immortal Cultivators who have surrendered who will suffer the most.
With a bitter smile, Di Feiwen said, “You are the ‘enemies’, and we are the ‘traitors’. Compared to the ‘enemies’, people hate traitors more. Enemies can be recruited and negotiated, but the traitors must be executed.
“Therefore, believe me, the Immortal Cultivators of the ‘Black Wind Sector’ cherish our life in the federation more than any other Cultivator does. We don’t want the imperium to extend its claws to the peaceful land at the edge of the sea of stars, nor do we want it to fall into the hands of the imperium
again.
“However, the development of the situation often does not change according to our will. If the federation turns a blind eye to the perilous situation in the center of the sea of stars and tries to take advantage of the situation, destruction will be our only outcome.
“Let me repeat myself. This is the best time to maximize the value of the technology. Opportunity cannot be missed. Yesterday, we received a package of the latest batch of technology from the Star Glory Federation, including ‘Liquefaction of Dragon Bud Crystals’, ‘Model Spiritual s.h.i.+elds in a 3,000-degree
high-temperature environment’, ‘Optimization Algorithm for Regular Cruises’, and other very important technologies. They were all offered to the federation for free, including the establishment of a special zone for Cultivators and a springboard for the advancement of the Star Glory Federation in the
center of the sea of stars under the name of the ‘Black Wind King Autonomous Territory’. It is not entirely unnegotiable.
“Think about it, everybody. If the revolutionaries had not been in desperate need of reinforcements such as the federation, would it have been possible to reach such a compromise beyond all the principles?
“We admit that the conditions of the new imperium seem very sincere, but as the saying goes, no matter how big the pie is, we have to be able to eat it. Even if we have to eat it, we have to be wary of the hooks inside the pie.
Bai Kaixin said, “It is a taboo to march alone. Compared with the imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance, the federation is too weak. Three deep-s.p.a.ce fleets, namely the Burning Prairie Fleet, the Kunlun Fleet, and the Great White Fleet, will be at the mercy of the federation if one or two of them are killed in
the center of the sea of stars!
“There’s no need to underestimate yourself, Chief of Staff Bai. After the technological exchange over the past few years, I believe you all know that the military strength of the federation is not as weak as we imagined. It is even higher than that of the Star Ocean Imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance in
many fields.
“There are two reasons why the federation is in the lead,” Di Feiwen said unhurriedly. “The first is that the development of the Kunlun Mystic Realm has brought a lot of primeval technology, which has been significantly improved and strengthened by the relics below the Ancient Saint World.
“Secondly, the federation will excavate a lot of intact Giant G.o.d Soldiers and relatively intact components from the Kunlun Mystic Realm and the underground of the Ancient Saint World and build a legion of ‘Giant G.o.d Soldiers’, which will have an enormous number of soldiers per person. In a s.p.a.ce
battleground, hundreds of Giant G.o.d Soldiers will be deployed at the same time!
“I believe that I don’t need to elaborate on how terrifying the enhancement of the Giant G.o.d Soldier is. Even if the top-tier combat ability of the Cultivators of the federation is not as good as that of the Immortal Cultivators of the Star Ocean Imperium, with the enhancement of the Giant G.o.d Soldier, it is
still possible to crush them.
“The weakness of the federation is obvious, too. Compared with the center of the sea of stars, the federation is short of resources and population. It is not suitable for prolonged battles such as war of attrition and war of scorched earth.
“No matter how elite the Kunlun Fleet is, no matter how many Giant G.o.d Soldiers there are, both the Star Ocean Imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance have ten times, or even a hundred times, of your strength. The federation won’t be able to withstand a five-to-one, or even ten-to-one, battlefield
exchange.
“General Han Baling, you are a seasoned warrior. In your opinion, should such a federal army fight a quick battle or be deployed to a seesaw battlefield?”
“A quick duel, of course!”
Han Baling replied without any hesitation, “The federal army today is like a sharp, unstoppable saber that can kill any enemy as long as they find a critical location!
“On the other hand, the thinner and faster the saber is, the easier it will be worn and broken, It will be very troublesome if the saber falls into the enemy’s scales!
“Yes. That’s why I suggested that the federation send out troops as soon as possible in time for the battle of the capital city.
Di Feiwen said, “Only in short, specific, and crucial battles such as the ‘Battle of the Capital’ can the federal army make best use of their advantages and seize the most brilliant victories, or even the final victory!
“On the other hand, in two to three years, the Star Ocean Imperium and the Sanctuary Alliance will have a protracted tug-of-war between hundreds of Sectors. It will be a compet.i.tion of attrition and logistics. By then, two or three more fleets of the federation will be no more than two or three fewer
fleets. Do you want the best troops of the federation to be deployed into such a b.l.o.o.d.y, bottomless pit?
“That being said…”
Bai Kaixin pondered for a moment and said, “But who can guarantee that the Star Ocean Imperium will not harbor ill intentions when the best fleets of the federation, including most of the Giant G.o.d Soldiers, are deployed to the center of the sea of stars?
“You must know that, once we are involved in the swirl of a war, everything will be beyond our control. By then, our logistics will be hindered by the people of the Star Ocean Imperium. Who can guarantee that the Immortal Cultivators of the Star Ocean Imperium will cooperate wholeheartedly and hand
over the confidential technology and the prosperous world to the federation without backstabbing us?
“I can guarantee that.”
With a sincere face, Di Feiwen said, “The Immortal Cultivators of the Star Ocean Imperium are definitely not sincere about the cooperation. They are definitely scheming in their cruel and unscrupulous hearts. They will definitely be merciless and stab us in the back.”
“Well—”
Bai Kaixin and the other experts of the federation were all dumbfounded. They looked at Di Feiwen in a daze, not knowing what he meant.
“There are no eternal friends in the universe, only eternal interests. Of course, the Immortal Cultivators of the imperium are not cooperating with the Cultivators of the federation sincerely, but it does not stop them from forming an unbreakable ‘common interest group’ and guarantee the safety of the
expedition army of the federation with their interests.
Di Feiwen said confidently, “The imperium today is not a monolithic place. The selfish Immortal Cultivators do not have the will to fight against the Cultivators just for the ‘different paths’. The conflicts among the major forces of the imperium are too intense for the federation to ignore.
“For example, why does the federation have to help the revolutionaries eliminate the remaining members of the four families? Is it possible to keep the survivors of the four families as bargaining chips for negotiations with the revolutionaries?
“Another example. Inside the Reformists, the ‘Universal Commerce Alliance System’, led by Jin Yuyan, the ‘Deep Sea Fleet System’, led by Empress Dowager Li Linghai, and the ‘Military System’, led by Lei Chenghu, are actually divided. Will His Majesty Yon;
under the pressure of the three forces?
be willing to be the mascot and puppet forever
“Hehe. Although I haven’t had much contact with His Majesty, who is known as the ‘Golden Lion’, I have a vague feeling that His Majesty does not want to be manipulated by anybody, be it Lei Chenhu, Jin Yuyan, or his mother, Li Linghai.
“What is even better is that His Majesty does not seem to be interested in the fundamentalist path of immortality. It is very likely that he will go further than Li Linghai in the path of innovation.
“Then, is it possible for the federation to reach an agreement with Your Majesty in secret to make Your Majesty the most important member of the pro-federal faction, and then help Your Majesty suppress Lei Chenghu, Jin Yuyan, Li Linghai, and the other factions in secret to push forward Your Majesty’s
ideal revolution?”
“After all, Li Yao, the Black Wind King, was His Majesty’s most trusted minister in the first place. As a qualified emperor, it is basic common sense for him to create conflicts among his subjects, maintain the balance, and play the game of ‘dogs biting each other’. If Your Majesty can realize that the Star
Glory Federation can be the most excellent hound to help him bite Lei Chenghu, Jin Yuyan, Li Linghai, and the rest of the people who are above his head so that he can spare his hands and feet to achieve his ambitions, believe me, Your Majesty will definitely look at the federation in a different light. Not
only will the safety of the federation be ensured, it is also possible that a lot of resources will be allocated to the federation, allowing it to grow.”