Chapter 224: Showing Strength

Qin Hao nodded in agreement: "So we can neither accept his proposal nor directly provoke him."

"We need to find a balance between delay and showing weakness."

"We must make him feel intimidated by his 'divine might,' daring not to openly resist, while also letting him know we hold a card that makes him wary."

"So he won't dare push us too far."

This is a strategy that severely tests wisdom and courage.

Between two ferocious tigers, we dance a dangerous dance.

One misstep, and we are crushed to powder.

"I understand." Zhou Shaoqing also calmed down; though impulsive, he is not a fool.

He knows that Luo Lao and Qin Hao's decisions always stem from the highest interests of the Federal.

"Then... how exactly do we proceed?"

Luo Lao's gaze turned to one person.

"Lei Ge, it's your turn to take the stage."

"Understood." Lei Ge's hologram appeared in the office; he pushed up the nonexistent glasses on his nose and wore his signature, slightly helpless professional smile.

"Another hell‑difficulty mission."

He complained verbally, but his eyes brimmed with the excitement of challenge.

"My plan is as follows." Luo Lao began assigning the task.

"Lei Ge, you first use the most courteous, most humble diplomatic wording to politely refuse his proposal.

The reason, simply put, is that our Federal's internal system is rigid and procedures cumbersome; such a major military cooperation requires layer‑upon‑layer approval by the Supreme Council, and it cannot be done in a year or two.

In short, just one word: delay!

"Delay him, making him think we are seriously considering, not brushing him off."

"While Lei Ge stalls," Luo Lao's gaze shifted to Zhang Xianzhong, "our fleet must take action."

"I order the First, Third, and Seventh Expedition Fleets to assemble immediately. On the outskirts of the Yanhuang Star System, conduct the largest live‑fire military exercise!"

"The exercise has just one subject."

Speaking of this, Lao Luo's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "The Giant Spirit Fleet's ultra‑long‑distance spatial jump strike and space shockwave strike!"

"I want Ka En Ti and his 'guides' to clearly see what power our Human Federal possesses!"

"I want them to know that although we 'revere' them, we are not lambs to the slaughter!"

"We have the capability to tear a huge hole in their 'Holy Hall Fleet' before they can react!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Xianzhong's eyes blazed with fervent battle intent.

This plan suits his taste perfectly.

One literary, one martial; one soft, one hard.

It gives the opponent face while revealing our own fangs.

"Let's arrange it like this; everyone get ready." Luo Lao waved his hand, "This play must be performed splendidly."

In the virtual reception hall.

Lei Ge is already prepared.

He looks at the screen, at the Ka En Ti envoy awaiting reply, and his face instantly shifts to an expression of difficulty and apology.

"Esteemed Ka En Ti envoy."

Lei Ge deliberately shows insufficient confidence.

"Your proposal regarding 'joint command' and 'assisted defense' has, after preliminary discussion by our Federal's high‑level, left us all shocked and exhilarated!"

"This is undoubtedly the most effective and brightest path for us to resist heresy!"

Ka En Ti's face shows satisfaction; he seems to enjoy being looked up to.

"But..."

Lei Ge changes tone, his face showing extreme embarrassment.

"But our Human Federal, after all, is a…… relatively young civilization, and its system is rather…… rigid."

"For a cooperation involving supreme military authority, according to Federal law, it must be voted on by all members of the Supreme Council."

"Moreover, before the vote, we need to conduct at least a six‑month feasibility assessment and public announcement to the populace……"

Lei Ge begins his performance, quoting classics, embellishing the Federal's bewilderingly bureaucratic process and describing it to Ka En Ti.

"What parliamentary debates, what public hearings, what risk assessments, what budget reviews……"

After such a procedure, not to mention a year and a half, even dragging it out three to five years seems reasonable.

"So……"

Lei Ge finally says in an almost pleading tone, "We very, very much wish to immediately launch this deep cooperation with you! But this procedure…… we are truly powerless!"

"Please, great envoy, understand our difficulties and give us some time to complete these necessary, though foolish, unavoidable procedures."

Looking at Lei Ge's face filled with "sincerity" and "helplessness," Ka En Ti falls silent.

Although he is a divine religion envoy, he is not completely ignorant of a civilization's internal politics.

What Lei Ge said indeed sounds like the bureaucratic ills a civilization newly entering the interstellar age would have.

Although he is somewhat displeased, he seems unable to find any reason to refute.

At that moment, Ka En Ti's personal terminal suddenly received an urgent report from his subordinate "Faith Guide."

"Report, Holy Envoy! Monitoring shows the Human Federal fleet is conducting a massive mobilization! Over three million ships!"

"Their movement was extremely sudden, with no prior signs!"

"The purpose of the mobilization is unknown!"

This news made Ka Enti's brow furrow slightly.

A large‑scale fleet gathering? At this critical juncture? What are they trying to do?

A demonstration?

Just as doubts arose in his mind, the Federal fleet on the other side had already moved.

In the outskirts of the Yanhuang Star System, a vast expanse of void.

Three massive Federal fleets deployed into formation.

At the fleet's vanguard, fifteen hundred pitch‑black Giant Spirit battleships, like deep‑sea beasts poised to strike, emanated an aura that made the heart tremble.

"Exercise, begin!"

At Zhang Xianzhong's command.

"Hum—"

On the hulls of the fifteen hundred Giant Spirit ships, intricate energy patterns lit up simultaneously!

The next second, all the Giant Spirit ships vanished amidst a violent spatial distortion!

This scene was transmitted in real time through the monitoring view of those Faith Guides, appearing before Ka Enti.

Ka Enti's pupils contracted sharply!

Collective space jump!

Moreover, it was such a large‑scale instantaneous jump, with no signs of any prior charging!

The maturity of this spatial technology had already surpassed his assessment of the Human Federal.

Before they could recover from the shock.

At a preset target area over a hundred billion kilometers beyond the fleet's assembly point.

Space was torn apart again!