Chapter 265: I Have a Good Plan!

"Long live!"

"We won!!!"

A small fleet, the crew on the surrounding escort ships, faced with their own exaggerated battle results, sincerely cheered at the war cruiser in the middle.

Meanwhile, a group of people were gloating, discussing how their side had dealt out a fantastical battle loss!

Joy overflowed throughout the entire fleet, so that the faint, strange question—why, after winning, they still had to retreat—was instantly drowned out by countless cheers.

At this moment, only the people on the war cruiser's bridge were left, the atmosphere filled with silence.

Fulikes looked at the lifeless crew beneath him; although everyone had only glanced at the newly delivered projection, and only glanced at the ten starships in the projection.

But even that single glance, after so much time had passed, made the expressions of those present look very grim.

At the same time, everyone's eyes were filled with the unabashed "this is a mess"!

Until Fulikes could no longer bear it, he forced out a faint smile:

"Everyone, don't be afraid; it's just a defensive line, a few star systems."

"When we reach the second defensive line, we can naturally hold them back!"

Fulikes tried to boost morale, and as the supreme commander of this unit, when he spoke, the people below instinctively laughed along, fearing their performance wasn't cooperative enough and that their top superior would target them.

"Exactly!"

"The defensive line our army has set up is inevitably unbreakable!"

The subordinates kept speaking, and Fulikes, looking at the familiar compliments before him, could not feel the confidence he once had.

After all, compliments are compliments, but reality is reality; facing ten starships, they truly couldn't think of what to use to fight!

Of course, this is mainly because the disparity in strength between the two sides is so huge that they don't even qualify to witness Longlin Star's Hundredfold!

Among the group's insincere flattery, only the few steel‑warrior company commanders, after exchanging glances, voiced a more realistic question.

One company commander, elected by the crowd, mustered courage and stepped forward, whispering into Fulikes' ear:

"Sir, when those lunatics reach the second defensive line, what shall we do then?"

Although the commander's voice was kept very low, everyone present, watching him step forward, immediately strained their attention to eavesdrop.

Everyone had, to varying degrees, installed some cybernetic augmentations, so the commander's question was instantly heard by the crowd.

Right!

Now it's safe, but what next?

The first defensive line hasn't even slowed the enemy's speed; how much can your second defensive line help?

The message just sent to Helusu was to annihilate a billion enemies; what will your second defensive line claim to annihilate then?

The practical problem is right before them; even Fulikes truly cannot force another smile.

He could only manage a few stiff, awkward laughs, after which his complexion grew deadly pale.

Seeing Fulikes' silent demeanor, the same company commander glanced left and right, then, at a distance close enough to make Fulikes frown, pressed his ear and spoke slowly:

"The defensive line is so vast; can't we let others garrison it?"

The commander spoke haltingly, and hearing his subordinate's suggestion, Fulikes was initially puzzled; he frowned at the commander, opened his mouth, as if to ask what use this was.

If we can't hold it, will others be able to?

But before he could speak, seeing the commander's bewildered face, Fulikes gradually realized.

At the same time, hope finally flickered in his desperate eyes!

Of course, others also couldn't hold it, but…

What does that have to do with me?!

My first defensive line was fought beautifully; it was merely a delaying line, yet we annihilated a billion enemies, and then turned the victory.

My "record" is already enough to report to Helusu; why must we keep grinding on the subsequent defensive lines?!

Since we can't hold them anyway, better let others take the blame than die defending ourselves.

The more Fulikes thought, the brighter his eyes became; following this line of thought, he suddenly felt boundless possibilities!

Finally, Fulikes' face showed a long‑absent excitement, and he revived his vigor.

He stood up, barely containing his excitement, and paced briskly before his subordinates.

After several minutes, Fulikes suddenly steadied himself:

"Earlier, Helusu's son, the 'Little Helusu' Ake Ximan De, had been fighting me for command of the defensive line."

"Now I can simply hand over the defensive line I've built, all at once, to him, letting him take this hot potato."

Fulikes spoke, and the steel warriors and mortal commanders exchanged glances, then suddenly stood upright:

"Sir, you are wise!"

"Thus Fulikes not only annihilated a billion enemies, but with just the first defensive line severely crippled the enemy forces."

"Now I should be handed the remaining defensive lines as well, so I can also earn some merit?"

Located at the edge corner of the second defensive line.

This place is far from Xisi's main advance route; unless Xisi deliberately moves here, it remains an absolute fringe where one merely eats and awaits death.

This left Ake Ximan De, who had been shortchanged at Abadon and failed to seize the Terra decisive‑battle command slot, also unable to snatch anything from Fulikes here.

In the whole battle, which they deemed certain victory, they were positioned at the absolute fringe bottom tier.

This made Ake Ximan De extremely displeased.

Even when he learned that the Rebel Forces' main body was sailing smoothly toward Terra, Fulikes, with only the first defensive line, inflicted a billion‑level terrifying damage on Empire reinforcements, his eyes blazing.

But looking back at his marginal position, he had thought the whole affair would just pass, that this trip would bring him no military achievement.

A piece of pie, hot and fresh, smashed onto his forehead!

Thus Ake Ximan De now feels completely dizzy.

Only the circle of Helusu's son's company commanders below frowned in doubt.

"He, Fulikes, how could he suddenly be so kind?!!"

The company commander doubted, while Akseximande above came to his senses and naturally waved his hand:

"Of course it's impossible that he's so kind; speaking nicely, I estimate that the Empire's reinforcements still have some strength, and Fulikes can't bear such casualties, so he voluntarily withdrew the front line."

Akseximande wasn't stupid either; he directly guessed it was about eight or nine out of ten.

And the company commander below, seeing his superior understand, became even more puzzled: "In that case, do we still need to go?"

Akseximande also knew what his subordinates would think, so he directly added:

"But what does it matter? Don't you think this is perfect?"

"I estimate that Fulikes just finished a deadlock with the reinforcements; although the claim of a billion casualties is exaggerated, there should still be hundreds of millions."

"At this time, if we go up, wouldn't we be picking up the leftovers?!"

Akseximande spoke confidently, and the company commanders below gradually came around, blinking at their superior, feeling his words were quite reasonable.

And Akseximande, facing his moved subordinates, gave them a final reassurance:

"Everyone, rest assured; although Fulikes is shameless, he still has talent."

"No matter how he deceives, the situation couldn't possibly become so bad that the enemy faces no obstruction all the way."

"Let's just charge in like a bulldozer!"