Chapter 377

383. Chapter 383 Infiltration and Counter-infiltration

Lin Ke greatly admired the Sixteen-character Directive.

When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy stations, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.

In guerrilla and mobile warfare, when used properly, the effect is very significant.

But when the Gods' Civilization World pursuers employed tactics similar to the Sixteen-character Directive, clinging to the Grand Sage Legion and not letting go, Lin Ke became very displeased.

"It's really like a piece of sticky candy!"

Watching the Gods' Civilization World pursuers maintain a "proper" distance, easily able to block the Grand Sage Legion's attacks while not easily allowing the Legion to shift comfortably, Lin Ke let out a heavy sigh of turbid air.

If solely focused on shifting, the Grand Sage Legion could actually break contact quickly and withdraw to a safe star region.

Unfortunately, some things can be done, but not excessively.

For example, shifting.

Such things as reputation normally don't matter much, at most affecting image.

At critical moments, they can be very deadly.

Lin Ke did not want the Grand Sage Legion to earn a nickname like "Run‑run Legion."

In that case, even if Dean Frister wholeheartedly supports him, even if Warvos Academy still has a need for Lin Ke, the development ceiling of the Grand Sage Corps and the Grand family would also be greatly reduced.

That is not the future Lin Ke wants to see.

"Good! Good! Good! Is that how you want to play?"

The Gods' Civilization World pursuers' fishing-style saw-tooth pursuit, their behavior of going in and out of the dividing line between the two civilizations' fronts, angered Lin Ke.

He decided to give this wave of nauseating pursuers a bit more intensity.

Lin Ke's will was swiftly carried out.

The Grand Sage Corps' interstellar fleet completed the formation change at extremely high speed and with extreme proficiency.

A fifth-level Star Fortress took the lead, with two fourth-level Star Fortresses positioned on the left and right, forming an arrowhead.

The fleets of the three main corps joined together to form the arrow shaft.

The lagging logistics support became the arrow's tail.

The Arrowhead Formation, advancing unstoppably, broke through violently.

Without giving the Gods' Civilization World pursuers much reaction time, Lin Ke gave the order, and the Grand Sage Corps launched a countercharge.

The commander of the Gods' Civilization World pursuers is definitely a tactical master.

He sensed something was off right from the start of the Grand Sage Corps' formation change, immediately commanding his troops to switch from offense to defense, from pursuit to maneuver.

The balance of offense and defense has shifted.

This time, it was the Grand Sage Corps' turn to execute the sixteen-character policy, harassing the Gods' Civilization World pursuers.

However, considering that the Gods' Civilization World pursuers still had reinforcements behind them, Lin Ke dared not pursue too deeply, only slightly crossing the dividing line before intending to withdraw.

Unfortunately, the Gods' Civilization World pursuers would not allow it, and turned around again to harass the Grand Sage Corps.

Lin Ke's only comment on this was: "Annoying!"

So annoying!

After being harassed for a while, they turned around and harassed back.

Thus, the two corps engaged in a game of chase on the dividing line between the two civilizations' fronts.

Sometimes you chase me, sometimes I chase you.

Neither side dares to truly let the other catch up, otherwise they would really be hehehe.

That would be terribly bad.

By the time both sides' reinforcements almost simultaneously arrived in the surrounding star field of that dividing line, the Grand Sage Corps and the Gods' Civilization World pursuers had already chased each other seven times.

Aside from wasting some of each side's expendables, they gained no real results.

As for casualties, under the command of both sides' commanders who had mastered the essence of playing it safe, there were even fewer.

What Lin Ke did not expect was that the reinforcements from his own side were actually the Seventh-level Grand Sage Corps personally led by the Army Group's commander, Rodrigo Domingo.

"Reporting to the commander, my unit has successfully completed the support mission and is now entangled with the enemy pursuers; please advise."

Upon immediately reaching the commander's flagship, and meeting Rodrigo Domingo's indifferent gaze, Lin Ke gave a brief report without blushing or his heart racing.

The wizards present could all hear two key points from Lin Ke's words.

First, the support mission had been successfully completed; second, they were currently entangled in combat.

What does that indicate?

This indicates that the Grand Sage Corps has merit and no fault, deserving praise.

However, Rodrigo Domingo merely waved his hand, gesturing for Lin Ke to step aside.

Accompanying Rodrigo Domingo's support, besides his Seventh-level Grand Sage Corps, there were the commanders of three Sixth-level Sage Corps, nine Fifth-level Sage Corps, and the remaining twenty-six Fourth-level Sage Corps.

The highest echelon of Warvos Academy's Army Group had all gathered here.

If the Gods' Civilization World could destroy this flagship—an eighth-level Star Fortress—they could wipe out Warvos Academy's Army Group in one fell swoop.

Without even speaking of heavily damaging the Wizard Civilization World, at least it could inflict damage on the Wizard Civilization World far-reaching enough to have a profound impact.

Lin Ke had no complaints, and obediently walked into the ranks of the Fourth-level Sages.

Rodrigo Domingo rose from his seat and walked to the large screen in the command hall.

The commanders of all levels promptly followed.

"Here,"

Rodrigo pointed, and the large screen displayed two images, one large and one small.

The large image showed the Gods' Civilization World's reinforcements, while the small image showed their pursuers.

The commanders of all levels carefully examined the two images, awaiting the commander's speech.

Rodrigo glanced over his subordinate commanders and slowly said, 'This is our army group; this time we must crack this hard nut. The Rovosith Academy has taken the place of the Tower of the Great Sage Michael, but the Supreme Council has not yet approved its acquisition of wartime and theater command authority over the other wizard organizations in the Rovosith region. Why?'

He paused, Rodrigo's voice rose a bit, his tone more impassioned: 'Because the Rovosith Academy has not yet demonstrated the ability to serve as theater commander on the battlefield. But I think, this time, if our army group can crack that hard nut on its own without help from other forces, the Rovosith Academy will naturally gain its wartime and theater command authority.'

After hearing those words, Link felt his heart pound with shock.

What the hell is he up to?

He just wants to charge ahead, rules be damned!

If we fight like this, even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory.

No one knows how heavy the casualties will be for each legion in the army group.

They could even be wiped out as whole units.

Take a look at the grieving Sage of Sinrich next door.

He and his Sinrich Sage legion merely carried out a rear‑area infiltration mission and lost at least a third of their strength.

As for morale, it's surely at a low ebb now.

Link certainly doesn't want his own Grand Sage legion to follow in the footsteps of the Sinrich Sage and his legion.

He believes many legion commanders share this view, but unfortunately none dare to voice opposition.

Kill the chicken to scare the monkey!

Rodrigo Diomande may be waiting for an opponent to surface, so he can make that person the sacrificial chicken and thereby strengthen his authority and control over the army group.

"Since everyone agrees with my idea, our army group's thinking is now unified. From now on, I will assign tasks; each legion and each legion commander must carry them out strictly and promptly, without cutting corners or delay."

"Yes!"

What could the legion commanders say? They could only respond in unison.

Even the three sixth‑level sages did the same.

The next half hour passed as Rodrigo Diomande personally assigned tasks to each legion.

Perhaps it was because Dean Friest had given a warning, or perhaps because Link saw future use for the Rovosith Academy, Rodrigo did not assign Link and his Grand Sage legion an overly difficult task.

In fact, the Grand Sage legion got a cushy assignment.

Before the army moves, the supplies must go first.

For the Rovosith Academy army group to fight a big battle, logistics is the top priority.

The Grand Sage legion was assigned to patrol the logistics supply line, together with two fifth‑level sage legions and five fourth‑level sage legions, to safeguard the safety of the supply route.

Leaving the army group's flagship, Link returned to the fifth‑level star fortress serving as the Grand Sage legion's flagship and immediately issued the new orders.

The Grand Sage legion sprang into action.

For three consecutive volleys, they unleashed all remaining firepower on the Gods' Civilization World's pursuers that were still tangled with the Grand Sage legion, broke free of contact, and surged ahead into their own held star sector.

After a brief rest and resupply, they took on the role of patrolling the logistics supply line.

One after another, the legions that received combat orders marched to the designated star sectors near the front line to prepare for the big battle.

The movements of the Wizard Civilization World could not be completely hidden from the Gods' Civilization World.

Even though the Rovosith Academy army group had taken many concealment measures and thrown out plenty of 'smoke screens',

the Gods' Civilization World quickly responded, dispatching large numbers of fresh troops to the vicinity of the front line, where they both faced off and made other preparations.

The decisive battle could not erupt immediately.

Initially, it was mainly about mutual probing, along with some battlefield reconnaissance, and whatever any level of commander would do:

Cut off the enemy's supply line!

In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed since Rodrigo Diomande proposed launching a massive annihilation battle to demonstrate the Rovosith Academy's capability.

The Grand Sage legion had been patrolling the Rovosith Academy army group's 'lifeline' for thirteen days already.

During that time, Link led the Grand Sage legion to repel three sorties by the Gods' Civilization World aimed at destroying the Wizard Civilization World's supply line.

Although they did not slay a deity equivalent to a fourth‑level sage, the results were still respectable.

They also rushed to reinforce two other fourth‑level sage legions.

As time went on, the atmosphere within the army group and within each legion grew increasingly grim.

The preparations were complete, the probing had yielded results, and every wizard knew the decisive battle was imminent.

In pursuit of victory, both sides will inevitably tear up their tacit understanding, no longer maintaining a standoff but engaging in brutal combat.

Even though this campaign was destined from the start to be a proper, head‑on clash between the two sides, both commanders would not abandon the idea of winning with a surprise force.

"A surprise force" can be a reserve that unleashes a clever effect at the right moment, or it can simply be a backup unit.

At a critical moment, cutting off the enemy's supply line is that clever effect,

while at the moment of the final showdown, pulling back the units guarding the supply line constitutes the reserve.

The Grand Sage legion, together with two other fifth‑level legions and five fourth‑level legions, now has a new role as the third reserve.

Given the scale of this battle and Rodrigo Diomande's strong will to win, Link believes the Grand Sage legion will inevitably have to go into the fray.

For various reasons, the Grand Sage legion began, during its patrols, to repeatedly drill the contingency plans devised by the Joint Staff, the Joint Intelligence Directorate, the three main forces, and the guard units.

How to pursue after gaining an advantage, how to regain the initiative when disadvantaged, how to assault fortified positions, how to conduct surprise attacks, how to fight head‑on, how to flank, and so on…

Most important of all, how to redeploy!

Link openly and repeatedly emphasized within the Grand Sage legion the idea: 'Preserve the land but lose the people, and both land and people are lost; preserve the people but lose the land, and both land and people are saved.'

This is not cowardice.

The Grand Sage legion also has a 'zero‑option' battle plan that calls for sacrificing everything.

This is merely an effort to avoid unnecessary sacrifice as much as possible.

Link does not want to see, after just one battle, the Grand Sage legion—into which he, Molly, Shandora, Lani, Tiffany, and others have poured their heart and soul—be completely wiped out.

Losing all of that, Link knows that making a comeback won't be easy.

"Do Whatever You Want" is already able to give Link a transfusion, but it's still immature and needs development.

The three worlds received from Great Sage Luo Sen Ta Er have limited output.

A great change unseen in thousands of years has already arrived; there is not much time for Lin Ke to develop slowly.

Therefore, in this battle, strength must be exerted, merit must rely on strength, and one's own strength must also be preserved!

However, preserving strength also has its tricks; one must not let the situation become too ugly, giving others a handle.

Regarding this, Lin Ke repeatedly pondered, trying as much as possible to eliminate leaks.

"Legion Commander, everything is ready."

The words of Attendant Chamber Chief Lin En Xiu Yi Te interrupted Lin Ke's thoughts.

"Then let's set out."

Lin Ke came to his senses and issued the order.

This is the final "grain route" patrol mission of the Grand Sage Legion.

After completing this patrol, the Grand Sage Legion will be assigned to the Third Reserve, ready to be called up at any moment to enter the battlefield.

At the command, the Grand Sage Legion's star fleet set sail, advancing along the predetermined route.

Not to mention earlier, the Grand Sage Legion had encountered elite squads from the Gods' Civilization World that had infiltrated to destroy the "grain route".

Even if they hadn't encountered them, Lin Ke could not afford to be careless.

In any universe, any world, those who die on the battlefield due to carelessness are not few.

Lin Ke did not want to become such a fool himself.

During this final patrol, Lin Ke not only raised his own spirits to twelvefold, remained vigilant, but also strictly ordered the entire legion to be on high alert, allowing no negligence.

Therefore, facing the unknown 'roadblock tiger', a fully formed unit equal in scale to a fifth-level sage legion of the Wizard Civilization World, the Gods' Civilization World Legion, the Grand Sage Legion's upper and lower ranks, although under great pressure, did not fall into chaos.

"A bunch of fools!"

Unexpectedly, before the decisive battle even began, he himself had to risk his life first; Lin Ke couldn't help but loudly curse the allied forces that appeared on the front line and revealed themselves: "Utterly stupid!"

After cursing, Lin Ke immediately took action: "Request reinforcements! Prepare for battle! Plan Zero!"

On a narrow path, the brave prevail.

Let's fight!