Chapter 119

"Right, speed." Li Daoran’s eyes brightened as he said, "Even though the troops seem scattered across various regions, the truth is that a massive battle could erupt at any moment if the need arises, correct?"

Even wearing only an exoskeleton, Li Daoran could traverse hundreds of kilometers in a single day, let alone troops equipped with fighter jets, armored vehicles, and mechs. If necessary, they could undoubtedly assemble in the shortest possible time.

"You have grown a great deal, Daoran." Natasha turned her head, nodded, and said, "Yes, with modern equipment, even when spread across millions of square kilometers, if a war breaks out, one move affects the whole situation. A chain reaction could occur at any time, and all units would mobilize simultaneously. That would be the true decisive battle. Neither side is confident of victory at the moment, which is why they remain in a standoff. But given the current situation, intense conflict could erupt at any time. When that happens, nowhere will be safe."

"Why did you keep this from me?" Li Daoran asked, puzzled.

"Because knowing wouldn't help you. Those are problems for us to consider," Hou Liang said. "As it stands, both sides have robust air defense facilities; the absence of fighter jets in the sky is proof enough. Furthermore, this layout is logical. If they gathered together, they would undoubtedly have to sacrifice mobility and key strategic points, and the enemy would only need to surround one location. This is a stalemate both sides have reached, and to break it, one must rely on external forces. It is critical for the White Deer Republic to seize the initiative in space; that is why a full-scale war has not yet broken out. We speculate that the Philip Empire’s reinforcements were intercepted. In other words, while the Philip Empire currently has the upper hand, they lack the confidence to rely on this advantage alone to secure victory."

"In terms of sea, land, and air—currently, the 'sea' has become space. Given the technology of both sides, the ocean is no longer a natural barrier; even standard supply vehicles have flight capabilities. Thus, planetary warfare has shifted to land and air. Since both sides have excellent air defenses against fighter jets, the focus of the war has returned to the ground. According to information revealed by the 'Chang Gui,' your next batch of reinforcements will certainly not arrive anytime soon."

"Why?" Li Daoran interrupted, as the Chang Gui had clearly stated that follow-up reinforcements were already on the way.

"Because if the second batch of reinforcements were arriving soon, there would be no need for you to take such risks—or to be sent out as bait," Natasha said coldly. "Your operation was ordered by Liu Meng behind everyone's back. In other words, beyond catching the Philip Empire off guard, the White Deer Republic itself is surely unprepared. They may have already prepared to abandon the Milan Star Sector. You lack political acuity; while Liu Meng seems powerful, there is little she can actually do. At the very least, she could not have prepared reinforcements in advance. However, she will undoubtedly use the victory of this surprise attack to return aggressively to the center of the Republic’s military and political power. She is likely making preparations now, but, heh, do not hold your breath."

"The Howard family will be her greatest obstacle. Those politicians aren't good for much else, but they are experts at dragging people down. Hmph." Natasha let out a disdainful snort.

"See? I’ve told you all this, and it has done nothing but add to your psychological pressure. Don't worry, we will tell you everything you need to know," Hou Liang said.

"What should I do next?" Li Daoran looked at the map, his thoughts drifting to the beautiful woman in the nurse’s uniform who had given him his injections.

"Whatever you want to do, expanding your own strength is paramount. Relying solely on your own power, even surviving will be difficult," Hou Liang said.

He zoomed in on a location on the map. Li Daoran saw a green dot—a White Deer Republic outpost—but he narrowed his eyes. This location was far too close to the mech battalion that had been discovered.

"We once questioned the purpose of this mech battalion appearing here. After analyzing the entire situation, their most likely target is this place. Do not underestimate it; it is a critical strategic point. As for why it is important, we will explain once you arrive. You will go alone this time. The Black Bear Cave is safe for now; having Yuan Muye and the others stay there is better for both sides than having you lead them," Hou Liang said.

"This operation is extremely dangerous, but it is a way to survive in a desperate situation. This map is outdated; no one knows if this base has been overrun. Even if it hasn't, with a mech battalion watching it, there are likely other enemy forces nearby."

"Is the situation really that dire?" Li Daoran asked. He could sense the immense danger hidden in Hou Liang’s brief words and believed they wouldn't choose this path if they had any other options.

"It isn't that. In chaotic times, if we only wanted to survive, it wouldn't be difficult. It’s just that we are unwilling to settle," Natasha exhaled softly, arching an eyebrow.

"Indeed, unwilling. Only by standing where you stand can one understand why you chose the most difficult path back then," Hou Liang said, looking up with a sigh.

Standing in Chen Ming's position, with access to all the aggregated information, he finally realized what a massive treasure the Daoran World was. Even a few scraps would be enough to change the current world. To let Li Daoran spend years slowly managing it or hiding in the mountains like a savage would be a massive loss for humanity.

Especially after seeing the projections of various plans, he understood that the plan to cultivate Li Daoran was no simple task. His every move influenced the future history of humanity. With countless plans laid out before him—the God-Making Plan, the Hero Plan, the Schemer Plan, the Overlord Plan, the Commoner Plan—he realized the immense pressure Chen Ming was under. Li Daoran had to adhere to human values and morality in everything he achieved; there could be no ambiguity, no gray areas, let alone darkness.

And the fastest way to gain the greatest benefits and build momentum in accordance with human values was one thing: military merit. This was something every human recognized. Yet, military merit was inevitably accompanied by danger, and someone had to bear the consequences of failure. Even a slight error might require someone of sufficient weight to stand up and take the blame. That person, of course, could not be Li Daoran. As for who it would be, it went without saying.

"Speaking of which, I had an interesting thought yesterday. Would you like to consider it?" Li Daoran said suddenly, as if remembering something.

Natasha and Hou Liang looked at him, waiting for him to continue, as this was the first time Li Daoran had expressed a unique idea of his own. They were curious.

"Don't look at me like that. I just happened to think of it. Consider whether it's possible: do you think my body here could affect my physical form in the Daoran World?" Li Daoran asked.

"It should be possible, although we have never tested it," Natasha replied.