Chapter Sixty-Four: Overturning All Assumptions

“There are two main theaters of war: space and land. The nature of combat in space is completely different from that on the ground. In space, resistance is nearly nonexistent, and no starship ever remains stationary; maintaining relative velocity, calculating lead times, and predicting the enemy’s route and method of attack are paramount. Offensive options are extremely limited—only energy-based attacks are possible, and energy shields provide protection—so battles often come down to computational power and command prowess. Which formation can deliver a saturation strike against the enemy? How can a captain maneuver their ship to evade or withstand incoming attacks? It’s a contest of skill between captains and their command centers.

The excellence or invincibility of a starship fleet hinges on its ability to change formations and launch precise attacks according to orders. Although the Mermaid Starship’s equipment may lag behind that of other ships, its crew is unquestionably qualified, and its combat effectiveness is assured.”

“As for ground warfare, it’s far more complicated and cannot be explained quickly. Though mechs reign supreme, victory does not depend on a single machine; the mainstay is coordinated group action. A fully staffed mech regiment consists of five hundred units, and at least thirty regiments are deployed on a single planet. Currently, the main force of the White Deer Republic’s mech army is composed of seventh-generation mechs; anything below the sixth generation has been phased out.

The aim is to destroy the enemy’s living forces while preserving one’s own trump cards. To be honest, mech regiments are the ace in battle, but most fighting is carried out by infantry with firearms. Each mech regiment is a decisive asset, used to determine the outcome. If a commander’s error results in catastrophic losses among the mechs, a military tribunal will be convened to hold them accountable. Human life is not equal on the battlefield,” Fei Chai said with a sigh.

As an internal commander of the Battle Tiger unit, he had often wanted to order a charge ahead of time, but was repeatedly commanded to wait because threatening enemy fortifications had yet to be taken. Watching the waves of infantry charge and perish, he found the experience indescribable.

After listening, Li Daoran set Water Blue Star’s systems into rapid analysis, unpacking Fei Chai’s words. There was a wealth of crucial information previously unknown to them, offering immense reference value.

For example, starships are always in motion; resistance in space is almost zero. There is a maximum speed limit—about five hundred kilometers per second—far below Water Blue Star’s estimate of near-light speed. Without warp drives, starships can only cross space via fold points; they lack intrinsic spatial traversal capability.

These critical data points did not catch Li Daoran’s attention, but Water Blue Star’s research institute treated them as treasures, immediately analyzing the underlying insights. These were, in their view, the most valuable aspects of Daoran’s world.

Daoran’s world possessed the perfect energy source Water Blue Star had dreamed of, theoretically sufficient to achieve warp drives, yet it hadn’t happened. In space, an acceleration of 0.1G is not necessarily slower than 100G, and is easier to achieve. They understood why starships remained in constant motion, but the reason why five hundred kilometers per second was the maximum speed, why acceleration could not continue indefinitely, gnawed at their curiosity. Still, now was not the time to ask, and Fei Chai might not even know such specialized knowledge.

“So your speculation contains many fundamental flaws, which is normal—you simply don’t understand war. But the fact that you can make these hypotheses shows you possess the potential of a great general. You dare to make logical guesses from limited information, and that’s already a rare skill. Learn command from me, Daoran,” Fei Chai said.

“Oh, all right.” Li Daoran responded with little enthusiasm. It wasn’t that he was particularly skilled in this area, but rather that he had countless geniuses behind him; learning these things didn’t require much effort on his part.

“Hey, don’t underestimate me! But then again, your sweetheart is so incredible, it’s no wonder you’re unimpressed by a weakling like me. But you seem not to know her true identity. Your biggest mistake is misidentifying Miss Liu,” Fei Chai remarked, seeing Li Daoran’s indifference.

“Liu Meng? What identity?” Li Daoran asked in confusion.

“The Liu Meng known as ‘White Deer’s Horn’ is the only person from the White Deer Republic to make the World List of Famous Generals. She made a stunning debut at nineteen, earning a nomination for the list, and now at twenty-four, she ranks ninety-fourth. She is authorized to issue direct orders to any unit in the White Deer Republic. Your theory that she forged military commands is wildly off the mark.” Fei Chai opened a can, revealing a jelly-like energy block, and swallowed a mouthful.

“What?” Li Daoran shot to his feet.

“You didn’t know?” Xu Xingxing looked at Li Daoran in bewilderment, surprised by his reaction. Liu Meng is more than just a household name in the White Deer Republic—she’s a figure who has stepped onto the world stage, famed as a general. As the pride of the Republic, how could Li Daoran not know?

“You knew? Why didn’t you tell me?” Li Daoran asked Xu Xingxing.

“Well, honestly, you’d have to be pretty clueless not to know, but you never asked, did you?” Xu Xingxing replied sheepishly, recalling the odd relationship he’d observed between Li Daoran and Liu Meng. It was a case of ignorance breeding fearlessness.

Li Daoran sat back down, stunned by this revelation. Liu Meng was even more extraordinary than he’d imagined. Water Blue Star had assumed her expertise was in biotechnology, never considering her military achievements. No wonder she called the shots on Silver Snake Star, and no one questioned her authority during the final mobilization.

He remembered her assessment of his exam results—perfect scores across all subjects at age twelve. Had he overlooked something?

“So, it’s not that Silver Snake Star is important, but that Miss Liu is. If war breaks out, she will become a prime target. But her safety isn’t your concern. As for the notion that Silver Snake Star is hidden and the Philip Empire is unaware, that’s pure nonsense. With such a broad trade route, multiple space stations and resource planets, hiding is impossible. Miss Liu’s strategy is that we’re just pieces on her chessboard; only she and the captain know where those pieces will be placed,” Fei Chai said lightly.

“What’s the current situation? What are we actually here to do, and why are rookies like us being sent to support?” Li Daoran voiced Chen Ming’s question.

Xu Xingxing nodded eagerly. He’d thought Li Daoran was impressive enough, only to discover an unassuming hidden master beside him. Li Daoran had asked the very question that had troubled him all night.