Chapter 325

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

Dominic was left momentarily speechless by Lin En's blunt analysis, the anger surging in his chest not yet fully suppressed.

Several times he tried to speak in rebuttal, but the words stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered.

He clenched his remaining right fist tight; the wound at his severed left arm ached dully, as if reminding him of that brutal bridge battle that had nearly wiped out the entire crew.

He had to admit Lin En had struck at every core doubt.

Under the fire of multiple Storm Blade Main Cannons, Lianggenna's body was nearly destroyed, yet he managed to restore himself to his peak through some inexplicable means.

That green-skin ship shaped like a big pot could swallow a fleet salvo enough to boil oceans in a single gulp.

Even stranger, at the usual chaotic juncture when a warboss falls, the green-skin fleet actually retreated in "orderly" fashion, with almost no signs of clan infighting or fleet collapse.

These anomalous details, strung together, had long since broken free of the green-skin race's natural instincts.

Dominic hailed from Wen Tu Li Ya and held the posts of Major General and Tithe Tax Officer.

Though young and impetuous, he had fought in many wars across the galaxy.

He had witnessed the green-skins' wild chaos and ferocity.

He had also heard tell of a powerful warboss being decapitated, after which the entire green-skin alliance plunged into a year of bloody infighting.

In the end it split into over a dozen tribes warring against each other, until the Imperial Fleet exterminated them one by one.

Yet this campaign's evolution held too many irregularities.

But deep down he still refused to accept the conclusion that Lianggenna lived, for that would mean the sacrifices of Ralph, dozens of Silent Sisters, and his bodyguard soldiers had all been in vain.

It would mean the glory of personally ending the green-skin threat had turned to illusion.

Yet reason had already been tugged by reality; his anger gradually settled, and his chaotic thoughts began rapidly reviewing every detail of the entire campaign.

Every single thing was overturning his initial judgment.

Seeing Dominic's expression gradually calm, Lin En did not press his advantage, merely softening his tone a few degrees, with just the right measure of respect.

"My lord, I understand you find it hard to accept that the outcome bought with such sacrifice still holds variables."

"Were it me, watching comrades give everything to kill a target, only to discover the target might still live, I too would be angry, I too would be unwilling."

"But we are soldiers of the Empire; on our shoulders rest the lives of billions of Brevis civilians — we cannot let emotion sway our judgment."

"Why not set aside your feelings for now and first hear my balanced plan."

Lin En's words appealed to reason and moved the heart.

Hearing this, Dominic took a deep breath, and his tensed shoulders relaxed.

He had never been a stubborn, face-obsessed pedant.

As an Imperial Tax Officer commanding a fleet, assessing the situation and heeding good counsel were essential qualities.

Especially since Keli Feng was a talent of the highest caliber in both governance and strategy; his views were by no means idle talk.

He raised his eyes to Lin En, his expression composed, the earlier anger and agitation gone, leaving only pure discussion: "I listen respectfully, Governor Kerry."

Lin En gave a slight nod, silently praising Dominic's breadth of mind.

Holding high office yet not arrogant in status, able to calmly accept remonstrance even under the shadow of defeat and loss of face.

Compared to those Imperial officers who cling to noble airs and only fight on paper, he stood far above.

He walked slowly to the holographic star map, fingertips tapping lightly, calling up the three-dimensional projections of the Karl Er Hao Zhan Qu and Duli's force deployments, battle damage statistics, and resource reserves.

Pale blue light flowed at his fingertips, laying out the entire star system's situation clearly before everyone.

"There is an old saying in my hometown: haste makes waste." Lin En's voice was steady and powerful, carrying a natural persuasiveness.

"The current situation: we already hold an overwhelming advantage."

"The green-skin fleet, after the James Tong's assault, the Karl Er Hao outer interception, and three rounds of landing battle reckoning, has lost nearly one-third of its overall combat strength."

"Including Lianggenna's most elite Mozu Clan bodyguard fleet."

"Lianggenna's flagship, the foundation of his hegemony, has been utterly destroyed; losing that core warship capable of devouring cannon fire and bearing strange powers, the green-skin fleet's combat strength has dropped by at least half."

"Even if Lianggenna truly survives in hiding, in the short term he can hardly reorganize morale, coalesce a complete Waaagh force field, let alone replicate the previous bizarre combat power."

"In the next head-on clash, with you personally commanding the Tithe Fleet, we still hold a sure victory."

Pausing slightly, Lin En shifted tack, his fingertip pressing on the James Tong's projection, pointing out the hidden danger:

"But our own losses are equally not to be underestimated."

"According to the data just obtained from the Priest." Lin En nodded in thanks to a Priest beside Dominic.

"The James Tong, as the fleet's main cannon core, suffered Anna's ramming and the green-skin boarding baptism."

"Bow armor 60% destroyed, one main Light Spear Array paralyzed, twelve Macro Cannon turrets need barrel replacement, and the power core shows signs of instability."

"And the entire campaign consumed enormous ammunition; I have observed the fleet's supply allocation — though your subordinate transport fleet's reserves are ample, my lord."

"Most major combat ammunition is still stockpiled in the Brevis Starport transport fleet, not yet transferred to Karl Er Hao."

"From Brevis to Karl Er Hao, even the fastest transport needs three days' voyage; a round trip is a week."

"Rather than pursue rashly and risk penetrating deep into the Duli Star System, better to refit right here at Karl Er Hao, build a temporary cross-star supply line."

"Wait until ammunition, repair parts, and personnel reinforcements are all in place, then concentrate all forces and launch a total attack on Duli."

"A delay of mere days, yet we stand on ground of absolute certainty."

Hearing this rational analysis, Dominic frowned slightly, a trace of doubt arising, and asked:

"Governor Kerry should know the green-skin nature well; these xenos are born for war, growing stronger the more they fight."

"The Waaagh Force Field will keep rising with the slaughter; if we rest and resupply, aren't we just giving them a chance to catch their breath and grow?"

"Once Lianggenna reorganizes the tribes and condenses a stronger Waaagh Force Field, there will be endless trouble."

Lin En immediately nodded in agreement: "Adult is right; the Greenskins' war-growth talent is indeed maxed out, and letting them rest would indeed give them a breather."

"I have never denied that."

His tone shifted, his words sharp, pointing out the fatal flaw of rash pursuit:

"But we might as well put ourselves in their place."

"Rushing out now could indeed ride the momentum of victory to quickly clear the Greenskin remnants, but then what?"

"We ultimately must land on Dolido Planet and thoroughly uproot the Greenskin base—that is the true objective."

"Dolido was formerly an Agricultural World, its surface covered with vast fungus forests and mushroom plains, most suited for Greenskin reproduction."

"According to Brevis's latest data, the Greenskin base on Dolido Planet exceeds five billion, all are soldiers, and everyone loves war."

"From the moment they crawl out from inside the ground, they are born warriors."

"Our side's advantage is the entire fleet's long-range firepower suppression, but our ground conventional forces, before five billion Greenskins, are not worth mentioning."

"The troops we can commit to landing operations, at most, are only ten million Expeditionary Force and ten thousand Star Realm Army."

"Even adding Adult's Tithe Fleet marines, total forces are less than twenty million."

"Twenty million against five billion—this is a ground war we must lose."

"If we pursue now, the fleet will fight while wounded, with insufficient ammunition endurance; once deep into Dolido's orbit, we cannot continue providing high-altitude cannon fire support."

"By then, ground forces will fall into entanglement with the sea of men, and Greenskins will constantly accumulate Waaagh Energy from the slaughter, only growing stronger the more they fight."

"They will evolve thicker armor, more perverted weapons, and stronger Chieftains in battle."

"Even with Greenskin technological talent, they will build a new fleet right before our eyes."

"By then, we will be entangled by the planet's sea of men in front and sandwiched by the new Greenskin fleet behind, caught between advancing and retreating."

"Let alone thoroughly eliminating the Greenskins, whether we can retreat intact is unknown."

"So sometimes, seeking only speed will instead step into a trap."

"Stabilize our footing, plan before acting, first consolidate our advantage, then strike fatally with thunderous force—that is the true path to swift victory."

Lin En's words were crisp and direct, striking at the crux of the battle situation.