Chapter 773: Profit at Another"s Expense
With the buffer given by Middle Heaven, the Capital s.h.i.+ps safely made it back to the safety of the armada. The other two bastions and their entourage were still, silently watching what transpired.
They returned to formation quickly, just in time to bear witness to Middle Heaven as its payload was released.
Blinding, angry red light erupted from the front of the remolded planet. It was so fierce that it painted everything before it in the same blazing light. Distant aliens were a riot of squirming bodies trying to flee.
But in the next instant they were stunned to find that the burst of fire from them only extended a thousand meters or so. Middle Heaven shot backward toward where the rest of the armada was watching.
Those weren"t cannons… they were thrusters? They were using them for a quick retreat. Everyone - not just the aliens - were stupefied by the revelation.
What was Middle Heaven doing? Why thrusters? Those intimidating lights had all just been its engines getting ready to fire?
By the time Middle Heaven returned to position at the head of the fleet, the twelve Capital s.h.i.+ps were back in formation and ready for orders.
After a moment of confusion the aliens gathered together once again. From across s.p.a.ce it looked like they were getting ready to charge with their full strength. But the human s.h.i.+ps were ready, their wars.h.i.+ps light up as all checks were complete. Preparations were made to meet the enemy head on.
Human technology gave them an advantage against the aliens at long range. Their enemies had nowhere to hide and no cover to protect them. The blitz attack had also caught them off guard and broke their formation.
Unfortunately the monsters were not impulsive, they were possessed of a superior intellect. They only surged ahead a short distance then stopped, like an enormous creature baring its fangs but refraining from the attack. Invisible sound waves brought a chorus of angry snarls and howls. A portion of them shrunk back and concealed themselves behind the planet. Like in the North they used the planet as a s.h.i.+eld.
As the aliens retreated the s.h.i.+ps dimmed once more. Things returned to a quiet stalemate.
Lan Qing stood in Middle Heaven"s control room, staring at the screen before him with grim countenance. He carefully watched everything going on. Their brief skirmish had slain over four thousand six hundred foes and his people got back without a scratch. It had only cost them energy.
Profit at another"s expense, this was the first part of their plan. With all their troops the humans were still outnumbered and were in an unsafe position, even without the addition of the alien home worlds. A direct confrontation was not how they would s.n.a.t.c.h victory from their aggressors. They wouldn"t be able to break the line, much less a.s.sault the enigmatic planets hiding somewhere behind them.
Because of this Lan Qing"s plan was to weaken the enemy first. They would whittle down their numbers through several means. It would be difficult if not impossible for the humans to turn the battle to their favor if they fought a typical war. Reinforcements from other planets would continue to pour in if they got caught in a full a.s.sault and his own forces would be hard pressed to keep formation.
At present humanity"s greatest advantage were their bastions, which were unparalleled by anything the aliens could put before it. In addition, humans had range whereas the aliens fought in close quarters.
Lan Qing"s plan was to take full advantage of their strengths. Lan Qing had called it a rolling blitz.
Only the top commanders knew the whole plan, the rest only performed the orders as they were given. These orders were given face to face, for fear the enemy could hear their communications. The commanders themselves had shared nothing with their people prior to the surprise attack. Lan Qing"s order to prepare had been the secret signal to act.
How could the aliens, who saw the humans arrive on such weak footing, imagine that they would attack so suddenly and so fiercely? They had taken advantage of their Capital s.h.i.+ps, Middle Heaven, and range to take them by surprise.
The difference in strength between the two sides was not much, though this was only because the alien home worlds were not present. The humans were fewer in number but had three bastions, and coming in for close range combat would cost the creatures dearly.
Lan Qing"s plan was meticulous, and hinged on a simple premise; win enough small victories to win the war. Enough small changes can turn the tide of war.
The opening salvo didn"t inflict heavy losses on their foes. Nor were they able to recover vital crystals from those they killed. Still the humans had got off cheap for the damage they caused. Although the blitz had been costly, Capital s.h.i.+ps were possessed of systems to recover energy from the s.p.a.ce around them. So long as they weren"t locked in continuous battle they could restore what was lost through cosmic radiation. It was not so easy for the aliens to recover their forces.
But there was a deeper meaning for this opening attack. Ever since the start of this conflict the humans had suffered, and were ever at a disadvantage. Every clash had resulted in their unmitigated defeat.
It would be foolish to a.s.sume this didn"t affect the morale of their soldiers. Although the first exchange was quick and small, it had been performed without any losses on the human side. This had a marvelous effect on morale, and strengthened cooperation and trust among the allied forces.
In this universe, truth was always more effective than promises. Actions spoke louder than words. Seeing the truth through action strengthened the bonds among soldiers. They saw themselves as a team, which was the basis for any victory. Once that unity was focused they could achieve anything.
Moreover, Middle Heaven had thrown itself into the fray in order to give their allies cover. It revealed its impressive maneuverability, and as backup helped the Capital s.h.i.+ps return without incident. As guardian it allowed for them to test the waters, to see how strong their foes were and how they planned to fight.
The simple act had revealed a lot to the humans. Describe it as a success didn"t do it justice.
Both sides had withdrawn to their camps and - as before - stared at each other from across a stretch of empty s.p.a.ce. Only now the enemy was shown not to be invisible. Middle Heaven had given them hope.
This latest bastion was brand new, so much that even the Eastern forces didn"t know what it was capable of. But it was huge, no smaller than the alien home worlds themselves, and could move with surprise agility. Everyone was anxious to see what it could do.
Now that the surprise attack was finished, it was time to rest and reorganize. Next would be the real battle. Lan Qing had enough confidence in their formation and the strength of their ranged advantage that he didn"t fear a sudden attack from the enemy. He would be happy if they tried.
Lan Qing called another meeting to confirm the next step in their plan. He summoned all the commanders now that the stage had been set. He would need everyone"s support for the fight to come.
"You look tired." Lan Jue frowned as he walked into the control room and saw his brother.
Lan Qing was seated behind his desk with his eyes closed, thinking of something. Outwardly he looked normal, but they were brothers after all. It didn"t take long for Lan Jue to see the sag in the way Lan Qing held himself. The older Lan typically was an endless font of energy, so it was a stark contrast.
Lan Qing opened his eyes. When he saw who arrived he sat up straight, and the sharp look in his eyes returned.
"I"m fine. Take a seat." He motioned toward a nearby chair. Lan Jue took it.
"Congratulations on your initial victory. I"m hearing nothing but praise." Lan Jue said with a smile. Even he didn"t know about the plan for a sneak attack.
Lan Qing shook his head. "We"ve only just started. Save congratulations for when we win."
The smile fled from Lan Jue"s face. "You… always so hollow."
Lan Qing shot him a look. "Are you ready for your part? How you perform will directly impact the success of our campaign. The arrow"s knocked, the bow is drawn - there"s no going back. Once it begins I"m sure I don"t need to tell you how dangerous things will be."
"What is there left to prepare?" Lan Jue replied. "The Paragons are as strong as they"re gonna be in a few hours. Qianlin and I have reached our bottleneck."
Lan Qing"s brows knit as he looked at his younger brother. "You have to get back safely."
Lan Jue was comforting. "Relax, I know what I"m doing. Even though the Violet Prince and Monarch are somewhere close, I don"t think they"ll put that much effort into hunting me down. We"re going to do everything within our power, don"t you worry. If there"s really no way to save those people we know the focus has to be on survival of the species."
Lan Qing looked at him, surprise clear in his face. "I didn"t expect to hear that from you. I expected to have you come in here and demand we hold nothing back to save the hostages."
Lan Jue smirked at him. "I know what"s important. Star Division will be leading the ground a.s.sault team, and I"ll link up with them once our own mission is finished. So, what"s next in your plan?"
Chapter 774: 48 Hours
Lan Qing fixed him with a flat stare. "You"ll know when you need to know. All I can give you is a time. Forty-eight hours, then you start your mission. We will have plans for our own actions at that time."
"Alright! In that case I"m off to take a look at my division." He rose to his feet and bade farewell to his brother.
Lately the Paragons of the Division had experienced much change. It was the soldiers that saw the greatest improvement. With the wealth of resources and support from Skyfire Avenue, Star Division had spared no effort in their training. Not only was their cultivation improved on an individual level, but their equipment was also a cut above.
Everyone knew their military exploits were already enough for the exuvium process. Skyfire Avenue had also a.s.sured them that if something should happen in the course of their service, the rewards from their exploits would be pa.s.sed to their families. The people they love would be able to benefit from their sacrifice. It effectively a.s.suaged family considerations that would have hampered their ability to act in the battlefield.
In contrast to the rest of humanity since the outbreak of war, Star Division had been running smoothly in every aspect. They had never been defeated, only forced to retreat. Star Division was the darling of military leaders, and no one had to worry about their morale.
The more they worked together the better they performed as a team. It was true for whole brigades and individual squads. In response their efficacy on the field had skyrocketed.
Skyfire Avenue"s independent research had also confirmed what they knew, that the aliens were especially susceptible to Discipline. Mechas flooded with an Adept"s powers were especially potent.
Star Division had their own section aboard Middle Heaven, a jurisdiction won through their continued success on the field. As they continued to develop as Skyfire Avenue"s military arm, even the Bloodiron Khans couldn"t keep up. In fact, there was no army that could compare.
Lan Jue drove a verti-car to the division"s encampment. It was quiet when he got there, no one was immediately visible.
These guys… what are they up to?
Lately he had been busy performing scout missions and helping his brother draw up battle plans. He had had no time to check on the status of his division. But there were Paragons to look after them, and Su Xiaosu was overseeing their training. He wasn"t concerned they were slacking. Still, as commander he had to survey the troops before the big fight and make sure they were up to snuff.
He parked the car and made his way to the training area. As he made his way he was accosted by a familiar face.
"It"s you?" There were no honorifics or respectful exchanges. There was just surprise, and something strange underneath.
Lan Jue felt similarly awkward, as the Savage G.o.ddess Tan Lingyun came his way.
It had been ages since their last interaction, ever since the creation of Star Division. Aside from training and missions they had had no interactions. He"d been too busy to spend time with his soldiers, and that included her.
She didn"t seem any different on the outside, but the strength of her aura had certainly improved. She"d definitely gotten stronger, more confident. Her overbearing heroism was more refined and she held herself with poise. Tan Lingyun"s eye-catching personage was helped by the skin-tight flight suit she wore.
Still quite the figure… Lan Jue said to himself. Tan Lingyun"s body struck all the right notes, enough that she turned a lot of heads wherever she went. Lan Jue was a man and was just as susceptible.
"Why are you here?" She blurted out. Immediately regret pa.s.sed across her face. She was, after all, speaking to her commander.
Lan Jue smirked. "I"m here to check on everyone. How are things? Are you accustomed to your post?"
Tan Lingyun"s voice was calm. "No problems. If there"s nothing then I"ll head off." She started to stride off, but paused when she came to his side. But whatever she was thinking she reconsidered, and quickly left.
When she pa.s.sed him Lan Jue had a strange sense - like this woman who had given him so much trouble in the past was different all of a sudden.
He hadn"t noticed the moisture in her eyes. It wasn"t because of him, but because of what she felt. She had felt conflicted about Lan Jue for a long time, a fact which confused her deeply. She had a.s.sumed the moment she saw him that he was garbage - a pretty handbag with nothing inside. Etiquette teacher… he seemed like such a joke.
But then she began to discover the abilities he had deftly hidden away. First was his command of s.p.a.cecraft, and that was the first time she thought he might be worth more than he appeared. Then his spectacular display at the Grand Adept Tournament, even winning Champion. It was then her estimation of the man completely changed, when she realized he was the Lei Feng that had touched her so deeply.
She was a strong woman, who had pursued perfection with a dogged will. Lei Feng was the first man who had ever left such an impression. For a woman like her, only a man who could conquer her on the field of battle had what it took to conquer her heart.
Lei Feng had that power, but even Lan Jue didn"t know the sort of effect he"d had on Tan Lingyun.
Because of this conflict Tan Lingyun liked the masked man the most. Cold, expressionless, pure power… Lei Feng was her preference. Knowing who had captured her infatuation had been startling, she would much have rather found Lei Feng to be a stranger.
But the world was full of instances where you didn"t get what you wanted.
Every time she saw him the first thing she remembered was that effeminate, composed professor. Her heart only started racing when he put the mask on.
She didn"t understand it herself. In reality they were the same person - she should like Lan Jue. But when she looked on his face she still felt confused and unsure, not excitement. Then he puts on the mask, and she feels like she loses her self-control.
Later, when Lan Jue stopped wearing the mask so much, it was like Lei Feng had disappeared. He was no longer a part of her life, but the brief moment she"d spent with him was something she would remember forever. She hoped he would return one day, perhaps in a different form, and she searched for him in Star Division all the time. After all, Skyfire Avenue"s soldiers were rife with strong fighters. There should be someone suitable for her, she thought. But Lei Feng"s impression had been first and had been deep, replacing him would be difficult.
When she was pa.s.sing him, in a moment of weakness, she had thought to ask if he would wear the mask. Just so she could see Lei Feng for a moment. But thought the words hung on the top of her tongue, how could she make such a request?
They were on the precipice of a war like none of them had ever seen. She didn"t know if she would make it back. Perhaps Lei Feng would always have to remain a pleasant memory.
It was just a pa.s.sing feeling, but one she was not accustomed to. It made her feel weak and out of control.
When she pa.s.sed him, Lan Jue stood with furrowed brow as though thinking. Then a moment later he continued on his way.
The inside of the training area was just as silent as the exterior, a fact that made Lan Jue even more curious. Shouldn"t they be training, he thought? Why was it so quiet? They were just about to go into battle and needed to be in peak condition.
Just then his communicator buzzed. It was Su Xiaosu.
"Boss?" She sounded a little excited. "Any instructions?"
"Xiaosu," he replied. "I"m in the Division training area, why isn"t there anyone here? Where is everybody?"
He could hear her snickering. "Oh - oh, we"re at the second training field. Wait there, I"ll come get you." She asked where he was specifically then hung up.
A short time later Su Xiaosu came running up to him. She was also in the Division"s flight suit, and it certainly treated her well. Lan Jue was surprised to feel her acting like he hadn"t seen since she was the Moonfiend Empress. It seemed giving her command of the Division had brought back that old fire.
"You"re looking well." Lan Jue said with a smile. Seeing her like this also made him feel better. He knew the Division was in excellent hands.
Su Xiaosu answered with a smile of her own. "Not just me, everyone is doing great. The troops have improved, and I think I can honestly that the Division can outperform all those fleets out there. Of course, including the Paragons."
Lan Jue nodded. "The soldiers, then? Why don"t I see anybody?"
"Come with me," she said. "They"re training in the second field."
Lan Jue hadn"t come to the area An Lun had set up for Star Division, this was his first visit. Su Xiaosu quickly led him to the second field. When he arrived he understood why things were so quiet.
He stood in a spotlessly white warehouse filled with sim pods. They were the upgraded DreamNet pods, and each one of them had the red flame of Star Division painted on the side. The sheer amount of resources that must have gone in to acquiring all of these was staggering to think about.
The troops were logged in, training.
Of course! How could he forget? Lan Jue slapped his forehead. In both Discipline and mecha piloting his soldiers were among the best. The sheer amount of destruction they could cause, even by accident, was too much to risk. A thousand Adepts in their suits would have torn up the bastion"s surface.
After DreamNet"s upgrade they could employ their Disciplines in the simulation, and didn"t need to hold back when training with their mecha suits. This was the advantage to having a warehouse full of new pods.