amaotonovel Chapter 1458 A Big Ticket
Chapter 1458 A Big Ticket
The technician's voice went from urgent to numb, and the adjutants' faces turned ashen. Even the faint warmth emanating from the spiritual energy permeating the air could not dispel the bone-chilling cold.
"enough!"
A roar, like metal twisting and breaking, suddenly exploded, making the entire command center buzz.
The captain abruptly stood up from his cold metal throne, his crimson electronic eyes shooting out a terrifyingly fierce light as he stared intently at the repulsive blue dots on the screen, which resembled flies.
His massive metal fist slammed into the control panel, instantly denting the sturdy alloy panel and sending sparks flying!
"Xiao Ce! Xiao Ce! That persistent worm!"
The captain's voice was hoarse with a metallic scraping quality, filled with the fury of being mocked and the frustration of having nowhere to vent his anger.
"All he knows is these underhanded tricks! Gnawing away like a rat in a dark corner! Does he dare to come out in the open and fight like a warrior?!"
He paced anxiously on the command platform like a caged beast, each heavy step striking the hearts of everyone present.
The relentless harassment, like a dull knife cutting flesh, gradually eroded his patience and rationality.
His proud interstellar legion was dragged into the polar region by a "native" using such despicable tactics, like a giant beast being devoured by countless poisonous ants, possessing power but nowhere to vent it!
Xiao Ce's actions far exceeded his previous expectations...
Things didn't go as he had imagined!
Watching helplessly as the mining progress of the precious spirit marrow was greatly delayed, morale plummeted at a visible speed.
"This can't go on! We have to fight back; we can't let them lead us by the nose..."
The captain abruptly stopped, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over his silent subordinates!
At this moment, Xiao Dingshan, who was standing to the side, said, "No..."
The image finally settled on Xiao Dingshan standing to the side...
"Xiao Dingshan! Why?"
At this moment, Xiao Dingshan's body trembled slightly, and he raised his head!
He had already received Xiao Ce's instructions through secret channels.
"Captain..."
Xiao Dingshan's voice was hoarse and heavy as he earnestly said to Xiao Dingshan, "This subordinate... has something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."
"Speak!" the captain growled impatiently, his crimson electronic eyes fixed on him.
Xiao Dingshan took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision, and met the captain's gaze, saying each word carefully, "Captain, please calm your anger. I believe... that organizing a large-scale counterattack at this moment is exactly what Xiao Ce wants!"
"Ok?"
The captain's electronic eyes narrowed dangerously.
Xiao Dingshan spoke faster, with an almost pleading urgency: "Think about it, Xiao Ce is a treacherous and cunning man, and his greatest skill is setting ambushes!"
He used these despicable methods to harass and disrupt, which may seem like mere sabotage, but his intentions were truly despicable!
He's deliberately trying to provoke you and make you lose your temper!
Just like a hunter constantly throwing stones at a wild beast, the goal is to agitate it, make it break free of its den, and step into a trap that has already been laid!
He pointed to the vast, snow-covered area outside the Arctic Circle on the screen: "Look at this map! This ice field may seem empty, but who knows how many 'armor arsenals' that scoundrel Xiao Ce has hidden beneath the ice and amidst the snowstorm?"
How many 'swarms'? How many of those damn remote-controlled mechs?
"Once we commit all our main forces and leave this hard-won temporary defensive perimeter, losing the energy support and protective shield of the spirit marrow mine, wouldn't we become sitting ducks for his elusive troops on the vast ice plains?"
Xiao Dingshan's voice carried the deep fear of someone who had experienced it firsthand: "Your subordinate... Your subordinate has been defeated time and time again by Xiao Ce's tactic of luring the enemy deep into his territory and waiting for them to tire themselves out!"
He knows all too well how to use the terrain and his opponent's emotions!
Captain, you are wise and powerful, with unparalleled combat strength. You must not let anger cloud your judgment and repeat the mistakes of your subordinates!
The most urgent task is to rely on the mines to accelerate construction and strengthen defenses. Once our new war furnace is complete, we can crush them with overwhelming force! Attacking now is too risky! Outside...outside, a tight net has undoubtedly been laid!"
Xiao Dingshan's words were all for the sake of the Chief Commander, his concern was evident, and he even used his own painful experience of failure as evidence, trying to extinguish the Chief Commander's anger to retaliate.
However, his words were like adding fuel to the fire for the captain who had just experienced extreme frustration!
"shut up!"
The captain roared, his voice causing violent ripples in the force field of the cage!
He strode to the front of the cage, his massive metal body casting an oppressive shadow, his crimson electronic eyes like burning hot irons, fixed on Xiao Dingshan's face.
"Xiao Dingshan! You utterly worthless piece of trash!"
The captain's words were like poisoned ice picks, filled with extreme contempt and rage as he humiliated Xiao Dingshan: "You still have the nerve to mention your failure?"
You couldn't even hold onto your own territory, and were driven out of your stronghold like a stray dog. Now you dare to question my decisions with your cowardly theories?!
He pointed at Xiao Dingshan's nose, his metal fingers almost piercing through his head:
"What strategy do you know?! What tactics do you know?!"
All you know how to do is cower like a rat! You were scared of Xiao Ce, so you think everyone should be as afraid of him as you are?
"What right do you, a defeated general who has suffered defeat after defeat, have to point fingers at me and discuss Xiao Ce's intentions?!"
The captain's anger was completely ignited!
Xiao Dingshan's "well-intentioned" advice and mention of the "inescapable net" were instead seen by him as cowardice, a challenge to his authority, and an insult to his powerful strength!
As the captain of the Interstellar Hyena Legion, a conqueror who swept across the star field, how could he be afraid of a so-called trap set by a planetary native?
"I am not a piece of trash like you!"
The captain whirled around, no longer looking at Xiao Dingshan's face, which had turned deathly pale in an instant. Although he tried his best to hide it, the panic of being "exposed" was still evident. He roared at the command hall:
"Pass on the order! Change tactics immediately! We can't let Xiao Ce lead us by the nose anymore! Doesn't he like to play harassment and attrition games? I'll show him what real tactics are!"
He strode to the star map and pointed his finger sharply at the direction representing the western city of Lingas!
That was the core of Xiao Ce's "Anvil" defense.
"Isn't he using his main force, his 'anvil' and 'hammer', to keep an eye on us? Fine! Then we'll give him a 'sparrow tactic'!"
"Order!"
The captain's voice was resolute, filled with a desperate madness!
"First, the 'Abyssal Roar' and the remaining three Claw-class capital ships, along with half of the Hyena fighter squadron, will remain at the Creation Base!"
Relying on the mineral vein's energy, activate the highest level of defensive shield and defend this place at all costs! This is our last stronghold; it cannot be lost!
"Second, assemble all available Leviathan landing ships, the remaining Claw-class attack ships, and the rapidly deployable 'Ripper' mech squadron and elite hyena infantry!"
Form a rapid assault group!
His finger suddenly swept from their location toward the western continent, and he continued to command:
"Target: The outskirts of Lingas City in the west!"
But not a direct assault on the fortress! The plan is to bypass the fortress and attack their rear!
Destroy their energy nodes, transportation hubs, secondary cities, and factories!
Like sparrows pecking at prey, we'll strike from multiple angles, crushing their war potential! We'll ensure Xiao Ce's 'anvil' can't defend itself from both ends!
"We've deployed our entire 'Shadow' reconnaissance and hunting drone swarm!"
The main reconnaissance areas are behind Fort Lingas, around the North Star factory, and in their heartland!
Locate Xiao Ce's hidden armory base! Once discovered, immediately call in the fleet for fire support! I will remove these troublesome thorns from his side!
The captain's crimson electronic eyes flashed with a violent light: "Xiao Ce wants to wear me down? I'll trade places with him!"
He'll trade the lifeblood of the Western Federation for peace here!
If he dares to send troops back to aid the West, the pressure on us in the Arctic will be reduced, and we can complete the construction of the furnace more quickly!
If he doesn't return to reinforce, I will slowly devour his rear, leaving him rootless and adrift! Let's see who gives in first!
This is undoubtedly a gamble.
They abandoned their previous strategy of steady progress and development based on mineral veins, and instead dispersed their already limited mobile forces to carry out high-risk, high-loss raids behind enemy lines!
They completely staked the initiative on speed and destructive power, betting that Xiao Ce could not simultaneously defend the Arctic and protect the western rear.
"Execute immediately!"
The commander's order was not to be questioned: "Have the assault group assemble within one hour! I will personally oversee their departure!"
The entire command center instantly resembled an anthill thrown into boiling water, with alarms, communication commands, and engine preheating sounds all mingling together.
The troops that were called upon began to move frantically, while the troops left behind quickly contracted their defenses and poured all their energy into the shield generators. The entire Creation Ruins were shrouded in a grim atmosphere of impending war.
Meanwhile, Xiao Dingshan, watching the captain's resolute back and the bustling scene in the command center, lowered his head, but a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips, a smile that suggested his plan had succeeded.
The reverse psychology tactic worked.
Nevertheless, he still managed to cry out with a sorrowful expression, "No... Captain-Commander..."
At this moment, the captain didn't give him a chance to speak: "Shut up! Don't use your excuses and reasons for failure; that's not experience..."
"If you try to persuade me, I'll just kill you..."
Xiao Dingshan shrank back; he was content with having achieved his goal...
Meanwhile, Xiao Ce was waiting on the other side.
He had secretly contacted Xiao Dingshan and instructed him to deliberately provoke their commander-in-chief...
It seems that everything is going very smoothly now...
On the giant light screen, the energy readings of the Arctic Creation Base suddenly changed drastically.
The spiritual energy flow, which was originally operating at a high load to support large-scale mining and defense, was suddenly partially forcibly extracted and injected into several newly emerged massive energy aggregation points pointing towards the western continent.
Meanwhile, the signal sources representing the Hyena Legion fleet and ground forces were clearly divided into two groups: a defensive group and a rapidly maneuvering group.
Xiao Ce stood with his hands behind his back, calmly watching the changes on the light screen, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his deep eyes.
The fish actually took the bait!
"Your Highness, abnormal energy movement has been detected in the Arctic! The Hyena Legion's main fleet has tightened its defenses, and the energy shield strength has been increased to the critical value!"
Meanwhile, a rapid assault group consisting of landing ships, attack ships, and a large number of ground mechs was detected assembling, and target trajectory analysis... pointed towards our western hinterland!
They...they seem to be splitting their forces to attack our rear!
The technical officer gave a hurried report, his voice filled with shock.
Xiao Ce's voice didn't reveal much surprise, but rather a hint of understanding, and his signature smile appeared on his face: "When a rat gets cornered, it finally can't resist jumping out to bite people."
They're still using the tactic of splitting forces to harass... It seems that Commander-in-Chief has been completely swayed by Xiao Dingshan's 'persuasion' and has become utterly hot-blooded."
The adjutant beside him immediately reacted: "Your Highness, should we immediately mobilize the 'Mech Legion' to reinforce the west? Or strengthen the defenses of the hinterland?"
Xiao Ce slowly shook his head, a cold yet powerful smile appearing on his lips: "Return to reinforce? Strengthen defenses? No. That would fall into his trap. Does he want to use Western lives to buy himself time to catch his breath in the Arctic? Does he want to use guerrilla tactics to nibble away at our foundations?"
His gaze was sharp as a hawk's, fixed on the area on the light screen in the Arctic shrouded by a high-strength shield, especially the iconic "Abyssal Roar".
"Since he dared to use the core strength of his 'hometown'!"
Those few main battleships were left alone in the Arctic, protected only by a thin layer of shell...
Then let's play an even bigger game with him!
Xiao Ce turned around abruptly, his voice resolute and unwavering, carrying a sense of utter determination: "Pass on my orders!"
"First, all cities, fortresses, and strongholds of the Western Federation shall immediately activate the highest level of combat readiness!"
We should rely on existing fortifications for defense, avoid their sharpest attacks, and preserve our manpower!
Utilize urban warfare, pre-positioned minefields, and terrain obstacles to delay and deplete the incoming hyena assault group to the greatest extent possible! Order them to hold on!
Buy me time! Don't worry about the gains or losses of a single city or territory; trade space for time!
"Secondly, notify Axe Bull!"
Immediately assemble all the strongest, still-mobile units in the mech legion!
Including those heavy mech carriers! The target is no longer harassment! It's a full-scale assault! Target: the Arctic Creation Base! The Abyss Roar!
Upon hearing this, a collective gasp filled the command center! A full-scale assault on the Arctic?
That place is now protected by capital ships and has the highest level of shields!
Ignoring his subordinates' shock, Xiao Ce continued to issue orders:
"Third, all the computing power of the Star Network Hub will be concentrated on cracking the shield frequency, weapon system weaknesses, and especially the power core of his Abyss Roar and its escort ships...!"