Chapter 16: Honkai: Star Rail — The Xianzhou General Wouldn't Dream of a Yandere Chapter 16: What Else Is There to Say, a Great Vict

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

The war ended without a shred of suspense.

On the vast plains of the northern hemisphere of the planet Lia Lan Du, where the fiercest firefights once erupted, now only the pungent smell of gunpowder smoke mixed with blood slowly permeates the wind carrying the scent of scorched earth.

The sky was still partially obscured by the shadows of the Shenwu warship fleet, but those flashes of artillery fire representing death had been completely extinguished.

Shenwu soldiers were working silently on the blood-soaked earth.

They gathered the enemy's remains — those massive, twisted bodies of the Borisin, shattered bone armor, damaged crude weapons.

Movements skilled, efficiency extremely high, but the atmosphere..... was a bit off.

Not the high spirits after victory, nor the heaviness after witnessing death.

But a kind of..... indescribable, collective disappointment and low spirits.

Every single one drooping their heads, moving the remains with a listless air.

Occasionally a soldier would look up at the sky, at those floating friendly warships, eyes full of resentment.

Because they didn't get to fight to their heart's content.

Because the enemy ran halfway through.

The cause of the matter was that several Borisin heavy beast ships, putting up a desperate resistance and attempting to fire a final retaliatory volley at a densely populated area, were "singled out" by the Shenwu warships in orbit responsible for fire support.

The young operators controlling the ship-mounted main cannons, seeing the enemy enter optimal firing range, held their breath, aimed, and then — couldn't hold back.

Not couldn't hold back fear, but couldn't hold back that professional instinct of "target locked, one shot one kill" and..... a touch of "obsessive-compulsive disorder".

"Target locked..... energy charge complete..... fire!"

Several beams of brilliant Order cannon light fell precisely, turning those few beast ships along with the Borisin inside into spectacular space fireworks, effectively preventing possible civilian casualties.

This originally had no problem.

The problem lay in this salvo being overly dazzling, its energy fluctuations too obvious, which alarmed the larger-scale remnant Borisin fleet still gathering further away.

Those fellows who luckily weren't covered by the first wave of orbital strikes, one look at this formation, then comparing it to the scene of their own flagship instantly evaporating, how could they still have any thoughts of "Honor Hunt"?

Run!

Ran faster than when driven off by the Abundance Xuan Lu!

Not waiting at all for the Shenwu ground forces to complete the encirclement, not caring about any formation command anymore.

Almost all Borisin beast ships still capable of movement simultaneously turned around, pushed engine power to the redline, spewing black smoke and leaking energy, frantically jump-warping to escape in the direction away from the Shenwu main force.

By the time the Shenwu ground force assault teams charged howling to the last few predetermined encirclement points, they only saw a ground littered with hastily discarded supplies and a few wounded soldiers abandoned for being too slow.

And those few rapidly shrinking light points on the distant horizon representing the fleeing enemy.

Battle results statistics came out quickly: over twenty thousand enemies annihilated, several hundred captured, hundreds of large and small beast ships destroyed.

Own losses: zero killed in action.

Only several hundred soldiers, due to overly fierce charges or encountering enemy death-throes counterattacks, merely suffered some severed heads and severed limbs injuries.

No one's dantian core was harmed, all are light injuries that will be lively and jumping after a period of recuperation.

The Borisin naturally know the Xianzhou people's fatal points, but the Shenwu Army has specially trained in how to self-rescue and cooperate to counter moves.

Causing this batch of Borisin fighting the Shenwu Army for the first time to fundamentally not understand.

Only knew they were about to destroy their dantian, next second their own head was chopped off by another Shenwu soldier.....

As for long-range strikes, that's even more out of the question.

These few hundred Borisin beast ships aren't enough to fill the gaps between the teeth of the First and Second Army's cannon fire, even if a few thousand more came they could be saturated with strikes.

From any military angle, this is a glorious, near-perfect victory.

Zero deaths exchanged for such battle results, enough to be written into textbooks.

But the Shenwu Army officers and soldiers are unhappy.

Very unhappy.

They rolled up their sleeves, ready for a big fight, preparing to unleash all the pent-up energy they'd held for so long.

Result: just warmed up, the main enemy force..... ran away?

This feeling, like throwing a charged-up punch, yet hitting a ball of cotton, empty and hollow.

One by one cleaning the battlefield all glum, looking at those colleagues who came down from the warships, responsible for orbital support, their gazes even more complex.

Grateful for their timely elimination of the threat, but also a sense of loss born from not getting a satisfying fight.

As for those few "quick-handed" warship weapon operators?

Long since got wind of it, after firing that salvo, they tacitly shrank into their respective control rooms, not daring to step out the door, even meals delivered by robots into the rooms.

Afraid of being "invited" by those "unsatisfied" ground force brothers below for a "friendly exchange".

First Army main ship "Shenwei", core command room.

The intense battle has ended, the command room restored its usual orderly state, only a trace of undissipated energy aura still lingering in the air.

The huge main screen switched to the post-battle cleanup and fleet assembly scene.

Xuan Ge doffed his battle armor, put back on that set of ink-colored regular attire, ponytail still tied neatly.

He stood before the communication platform, a stable encrypted communication projection unfolding before him.

On the other end of the communication, only two figures.

In the host seat is Xu Ling Xian Zhou's Yuan Shuai Hua, face calm.

Beside him is Luofu Xian Zhou's General Jing Yuan, projection carrying his habitual, slightly lazy smile, as if merely here to sit in on a friend's "work report".

The projection seats of the other several Heavenly Generals were empty.

Obviously, no one felt this crushing victory required mobilizing everyone for a full debriefing meeting.

With the Marshal's decision, and Jing Yuan serving as a witness, it was enough.

Xuan Ge straightened his posture, cleared his throat, his face wearing a rare, nearly solemn "reporting-only expression".

Facing the Marshal's projection, full of vigor, he declared loudly, enunciating each word:

"Reporting to the Marshal! Lia Lan Du Star System, anti-Bu Li Ren hunt group self-defense counterattack operation——"

He paused, as if brewing an important conclusion.

"Great victory!"

His voice was resonant and sonorous.

Then.....

There was no then.

He maintained his post-report posture, eyes bright as he looked at the Marshal, seemingly waiting for the next instruction.

The command room fell completely silent.

The smile at the corner of Jing Yuan's mouth deepened somewhat, watching this scene with great interest.

Yuan Shuai Hua was silent for two seconds.

Her profound eyes looked at Xuan Ge, as if waiting for him to continue.

Another three seconds passed.

The Marshal finally spoke, her tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of confusion: "That's it?"

"That's it." Xuan Ge nodded very affirmatively, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

He raised his hand and operated, a miniature light screen with only a sparse few lines of data stream was transmitted before the Marshal.

"The detailed battle report is here, please review it, Marshal."

Yuan Shuai Hua's gaze fell on that "battle report".

Then, those eyes of hers that had seen great storms and read countless military dispatches, imperceptibly..... froze for an instant.

On that so-called "detailed battle report", there really was only..... one line of text.

No, accurately speaking, it was three characters:

Great victory!

The Marshal's gaze moved away from this "concise to the point of being glaring" battle report, first glancing sideways at Jing Yuan beside her who was barely holding back laughter, eyes narrowed.

Then she looked at Xuan Ge before her, wearing a serious "report complete, awaiting commendation" expression.

She suddenly recalled the battle reports Jing Yuan submitted each time.

Those truly cited classics, had detailed data, thorough analysis, text and illustrations combined, as if wishing to fuse both the "Xianzhou Military System Encyclopedia" and "Great Compendium of Rhetoric" into them, thick enough to be used as a brick.

Then looking at this one before her.....

"Ah....."

An extremely faint sigh, filled with helplessness, resignation, and a trace of "I should have assigned him a sergeant major back then", escaped from the Marshal's lips.

She raised her hand, fingertips lightly tapping that "Great victory!" battle report, completing the receipt and archiving confirmation.

What else could be done?

Xuan Ge's battle report, even if only two characters, even if only one punctuation mark, as long as he personally confirmed and formally submitted it, according to procedure, it had to be archived and preserved.

This was the rule, and also..... a manifestation of "indulgence" and "trust" towards this special General of his to a certain degree.

Even if it would leave future researchers checking the archives utterly baffled.

After processing this simplest battle report in history, the Marshal still had to, per convention, say something to the triumphant General.

Where the hell was she supposed to find reason for this?

She looked at Xuan Ge, silent for an instant, then in a calm, unruffled tone, spoke that official formula which at this moment felt exceptionally subtle:

"You've worked hard."

Finished speaking, Yuan Shuai Hua's projection did not linger in the slightest, not even giving Xuan Ge a chance to return the salute or exchange pleasantries, the light and shadow flashed, directly cutting off the communication.

Clean and neat.

As if staying one more second would make her unable to resist asking what came after the great victory? What about the follow-up arrangements?

In the command room, only Xuan Ge remained, and Jing Yuan who finally laughed out loud.

"Haha....." Jing Yuan shook his head, looking at Xuan Ge.

"You..... every time you're so..... unconventional."

Xuan Ge shrugged, an innocent look: "It's the truth. We won, zero casualties, the enemy fled, if that's not a great victory what is? Do I still have to write an eight-thousand-word battle essay?"

Jing Yuan smiled without speaking.

He naturally understood Xuan Ge, this guy wasn't incapable of writing, purely found it troublesome, and..... felt it unnecessary.

In his eyes, the result explained everything.

After the laughter, a trace of deeper contemplation flashed in Jing Yuan's eyes.

He looked at Xuan Ge, that thought lingering in his heart for a long time surfaced again.

He wanted to send Dan Heng to the Shen Wu Xian Zhou.

On the Luofu, constrained by his close relationship with Xuan Ge and Xuan Ge's own prestige, those Ming Long Shi, though they had considerable reservations about him and even exerted pressure in secret, did not dare to truly act recklessly.

Jing Yuan could improve conditions for Dan Heng in the You Qiu Yu, send books and jade talismans, give some breathing room, and the Long Shi could only watch.

Even that group of Long Shi did not dare report to the Long Zun of other Xianzhou.

Because the Long Zun of other Xianzhou all gave Xuan Ge face, Xuan Ge truly treated the Ming Long as his own people to save.

Xuan Ge understood Dan Feng's rationality and difficulties, and also clearly knew the Ming Long clan's sorrowful predicament of being unable to reproduce, only able to continue through reincarnation and metamorphosis.

Every damaged Ming egg is an irrecoverable loss for this ancient race.

Ming population cap: -1

So, exiling Dan Heng to the Shen Wu Xian Zhou, away from the Luofu's power vortex and the Dragon Master's covetous gaze, to seek a new path under Xuan Ge's protection and influence — perhaps... is the most suitable choice.

"Jing Yuan~" Xuan Ge keenly captured the fleeting deep meaning in his close friend's eyes.

He immediately retreated half a step, crossed his arms protectively across his chest, striking an exaggerated defensive posture, his golden eyes full of wariness and mischief.

"You're not right! That look you just gave me..... Speak! What ghostly scheme are you hatching? Do you have improper designs on me? I'm telling you, I'm a proper person!"

"Jing Yuan, promise me! There, only can....."

"Cough cough cough!!" Jing Yuan was choked by his sudden hammy performance into repeated dry coughs, hastily waving his hands.

"Stop! Stop! Where did your mind wander off to!"

He rubbed his brow, glaring at Xuan Ge with ill grace:

"Alright, cut it out. Although the Marshal didn't say much, the meritorious service evaluations and material rewards that should exist will certainly be delivered to Shen Wu on schedule."

"Matters here are settled, you should also lead your troops back as soon as possible. Over at the Sui Xing Dai, Xing Xiao and her Destruction Legion haven't budged, eyeing covetously. Don't give them a chance to exploit an opening."

Finish speaking, Jing Yuan's projection no longer lingered, waved at Xuan Ge, his figure gradually fading, finally dissipating into the air.

The Zhi Hui Shi fell quiet once more.

Xuan Ge put down his antics hand, stroked his chin, a glint of contemplation flashing in his golden eyes.

Jing Yuan just now..... was definitely pondering something. And, high probability it concerns himself.

This fellow, ever since the "Yun Shang Five Braves" broke apart, close friends either dead or fallen or scattered, has alone supported the Luofu, bearing many things.

Although on the surface he always wears that lazy easygoing appearance, Xuan Ge knows, the burden in his heart is not light at all.

Perhaps oneself..... should find a time, return to the Luofu for a trip, properly drink a cup with him, have a good chat.

Some words, some matters, separated by communication ultimately have a layer between them.

He looked at the main screen, the Shenwu Warship fleet beginning to assemble, the sequence signals preparing to return, and lightly exhaled a breath.