Chapter 326

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

A brief silence fell over the bridge; every officer lowered his head in thought, weighing the pros and cons over and over.

Dominic also lowered his head without a word, fingers unconsciously covering his mouth, his mind constantly simulating how the two tactics would play out.

Just then, the attending Mechanical Priest stepped forward with measured steps.

He wore a red robe trimmed with gold, his face covered in metal prosthetics, and the holy emblem on his chest emitted a faint light.

He held a data slate in his hands, bowed, and presented it to Dominic, speaking in a voice laced with mechanical static:

"My lord, this contains the simulated results for the two tactics — forced pursuit versus holding position to regroup — based on this battle's losses, ammunition stocks, fleet readiness, and Green Skin troop numbers on Dolido."

"These are the Omnissiah's gift to us; please review."

Dominic took the data slate and studied it carefully.

Lines of complex data and dynamic battle simulations appeared, clearly listing warship damage ratios, remaining ammunition reserves, ground force combat thresholds, and the like.

Also the progression of the engagement under each tactic at different phases and the final projected win rates.

The simulation results stood out starkly: forced pursuit could annihilate the Green Skin remnant fleet within three days, but after landing on Dolido,

fleet firepower sustainability would fracture on the third day, and ground forces would be split up and encircled by the Green Skin horde on the fifteenth day.

On the thirtieth day they would face a counter-encirclement by a newly built Green Skin fleet, and the campaign's final win rate was "8.6%."

Holding position to regroup and waiting for supplies before launching a general offensive, though it would give the Green Skins four days of breathing room,

would, relying on absolute fleet firepower superiority, allow the destruction of the Green Skins' industrial facilities and spawning grounds immediately upon landing.

Gradually compressing the Green Skins' living space, the final win rate was "89.2%."

Dominic stared at the simulation data for a long time without speaking.

The Mechanical Priest's cold mechanical voice sounded again: "The simulation shows the greatest variable in forced pursuit is Lianggenna's undying ability."

"If Lianggenna appears again in the ground war and coalesces a Waaagh force field, our win rate will drop below 1%."

Those words were like the last straw, completely crushing the last sliver of hope in Dominic's heart.

He handed the data slate back, his taut features suddenly relaxing, and he actually burst into hearty laughter at Lin En.

That laughter was loud and sincere, sweeping away the previous gloom and anger.

"Keli Feng, no, Governor Kerry, you truly make me look at you with new eyes."

Dominic patted Lin En's shoulder, his tone full of admiration.

"Holding a governor's post in a corner, yet possessing a strategic vision spanning the whole star system, seeing through the battle's pros and cons at a glance."

"Compared to those noble commanders who only know how to fight paper wars in the command center, you are a true soldier."

"You're right — haste makes waste; I let victory go to my head and nearly caused a disaster."

"I've decided to abandon the idea of a rash pursuit and order the entire army to regroup in place at Kal II immediately!"

"Establish a cross-star-system ammunition transport route; wait until logistics resupply, warship repairs, and troop reorganization are all complete, then concentrate all forces and launch a general offensive against Dolido!"

Seeing this, Lin En's face showed a relieved smile, and he actively stepped forward, extending his right hand.

At their first meeting, Dominic, as an Imperial Major General and Tax Collector, held a lofty status.

He had coldly ignored Lin En's overture, regarding him as merely a local tyrant of a remote planet.

But now, after the campaign's tempering and tactical resonance, Dominic had genuinely acknowledged Lin En's insight and ability from the bottom of his heart, viewing him as a comrade who could fight side by side.

Dominic looked at the outstretched right hand, smiled knowingly, and actively raised his hand to grip it tightly.

The moment their palms clasped, there was no noble pretense or empty courtesy — only the frank mutual recognition between a soldier and a ruler.

The lights fell on the two of them, stretching their shadows long.

And at this very moment, a system prompt quietly surfaced in Lin En's mind:

【Detected that bound target Dominic Wenturia's Affection Level has broken out of negative value, officially unlocking Positive Bond; Current Affection: 1】

【Achievement Unlocked: Wenturia Ally】

【Reward Obtained: Imperial Prestige +50; when commanding human armies in battle, Morale +10%】

Kal II Space Station entered a full regrouping state from then on.

Lights flowed ceaselessly day and night at the orbital spaceport.

Several damaged Imperial warships docked at the berths; Mechanical Priests and maintenance engineers in power armor climbed and busied themselves over the hull surfaces.

Welding sparks flickered like stars in space.

Massive transport aircraft hoisted thick Orichalcum armor plates one by one onto the James Tong's bow, replacing the sections destroyed by collision.

On the ground, the high command held meetings through the night to plan routes, establishing a safe transport corridor from Brevis Starport to Kal II.

One huge transport ship after another, fully loaded with ammunition, parts, food, and recruits, streamed continuously into Kal II's temporary spaceport.

Ground forces reorganized their establishment, simultaneously repairing the space station defensive fortifications destroyed by warfire, rotating guard duty and defense deployment, and conducting targeted anti-Green Skin tactical training.

Dominic immersed himself completely in the complex military affairs; as Fleet Commander, he had to coordinate route construction, materiel allocation, fleet deployment, and general offensive tactical formulation.

Countless official duties piled up like a mountain, occupying nearly all his spare time.

These past two days, he often sat at the bridge's command console for over a dozen hours straight, even eating and sleeping there.

And Lin En actively joined in, entering the logistics scheduling and military coordination team.

Relying on the administrative experience accumulated from governing Brevis and Lena's help,

he helped sort out the chaotic materiel distribution system, coordinated supply rotation among the various fleets, perfected the defensive layout of supply nodes, and took on the bulk of the tedious affairs for Dominic.

Busy military affairs filled Dominic's life, but even though he spent all day buried in official documents and star maps, there was always an inexplicable emptiness in his heart.

When alone in his leisure, he would always take out that Black Mask from the inner storage compartment of his Office Desk.

It was an item dropped by the silver-haired Inquisitor during the melee on the Bridge that day.

His fingertips gently stroked the fine texture of the mask, and the tip of his nose seemed to still smell the faint, clear and cold fragrance left on it.

That figure would involuntarily appear in his mind.

A clear and cold, stunningly beautiful face, eyes like rubies, and silver-white long hair flying amidst the warfire.

And the resolute posture of stepping forward in times of danger to stand before him.

【68> He often stood alone before the porthole of the Bridge, gazing at the pitch-black space, thinking to himself.

He often stood alone before the Bridge's porthole, gazing into the pitch-black Space, silently pondering.

Why did that mysterious Heretic Inquisitor strike to save him?

Was it because she valued his sense of duty as an Imperial Major General, guarding the borders and protecting the civilians of the star system?

Or did she recognize his noble spirit of preferring death to retreat, unwilling to abandon his subordinates?

Or was she simply carrying out a secret mission for the Tribunal, saving him as a matter of convenience?

The more he thought about it, a trace of indescribable subtle emotion arose in his heart, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved into a faint smile.

He, who once had only military strategy and clan honor in his heart, felt concern for a complete stranger for the first time.

He began to subconsciously ask people around him for news of the Inquisition, hoping to get a trace of clues about that silver-haired Inquisitor.

But the Inquisition always acted in secret; no one knew her origin, nor where she had gone.

He actually harbored a secret hope in his heart, hoping to meet that silver-haired Inquisitor again, to thank her in person, even if it was just to say a word.