Counterfeit Hero

”There’s news.” Hamid swiftly entered Russell’s office, his dark face glowing with excitement: ”There’s news.”

Russell raised his head in surprise from the documents. Hamid had been by his side for so long, yet this was the first time he saw this usually impassive fellow, who seemed perpetually expressionless, so ecstatic.

”What news?” Russell leaned back in his chair, stretching his slightly sore neck, looking with interest at Hamid, whose breathing was somewhat erratic.

”The Blue Rose!” Hamid’s booming voice displayed his current excitement: ”They’re at the Mars Free Port.”

Russell abruptly stood up, looking at Hamid in disbelief.

”This came from the 4th Fleet Command just now.” Hamid took out a document, handing it to Russell while swiftly explaining, ”The Military Intelligence Bureau discovered this information while monitoring the civilian network. The message originated from Mars Free Port. Since it was on the civilian network, there was no actual content, but a code identified their identity.”

Russell almost snatched the document from Hamid’s hands, reading it while listening to him speak at a machine-gun-like pace: ”The code was confirmed by the 4th Fleet Secretariat, verifying it as the Blue Rose’s emergency communication identifier. Moreover, the code they used indicates that their current status is very safe.”

”Is Tian Xingjian confirmed to be safe?” Russell asked nervously.

”Not yet,” Hamid said. ”The civilian network can’t transmit much information, but it’s certain that the security level of the code used by the Blue Rose is the highest. This means the ship hasn’t suffered any damage. If that’s the case, Tian Xingjian should be very safe.”

Russell swiftly paced back and forth in the office; his sparkling eyes and rapidly rising and falling chest showed his turbulent emotions.

This news came at the perfect time.

As the Federation Congress passed an emergency act, initiating the national mobilization of the Seed Plan in Leray, the Command Department had been worried sick about the leader and the path for this unit.

Once the Leray Central Star System is breached, the government is bound to go into exile. Whether to head east via the Little Pyrenees and Knevel to the Feiyang Republic or through the Public Star System to Puditok and Tatania had been deliberated repeatedly, with the final decision depending on the situation’s development.

However, the Seed Forces being formed needed to establish a retreat in advance.

If this force continued to follow the exile government into the Fei Alliance system, it would not only be restricted in command but might even become cannon fodder in some battle.

Reality is this cruel.

Hence, the exile government can retreat en masse, joining the Fei Alliance Joint Army with the forces withdrawn from the frontline, following the orders of the Fei Alliance Joint Military Command. However, this secretly formed elite force, which concentrated Leray’s last strength, must absolutely remain independent of the Fei Alliance and Western Alliance combat systems.

Only in this way can Leray preserve its final trump card and have the capital for one last gamble amid the changing tides. At present, this force still seems small. Whether invested in the Leray war or future joint operations, it won’t stir even a ripple.

But once the battle at the Karsdon Star River commences, at the critical moment of the war’s finale, this force will offer Leray a new beginning.

Call it selfish, call it shameless. As the Leray government, the first concern is still the national interest.

In this war, Leray has already given enough.

Enduring this war, regaining three hundred years of peace, reclaiming the peace and dignity of this nation, and achieving Leray’s grand national destiny after this century’s great war—this is the most crucial.

Seeds are meant to take root and sprout.

Thus, this force is destined to head to Chuckna from the Public Star System at the most perilous moment, remaining in contact with Chuckna while staying independent from it. Only then will it be safest. But who will lead this Seed Forces has been a major concern for the Command Department.

Leading this team requires not only basic command experience.

Originally, the optimal candidate for the Seed Forces commander was Tian Xingjian. In the view of the Supreme Command Department, leading the Seed Forces seemed almost predestined for him! He possessed astonishing expertise in maximizing benefits and minimizing harm, preserving strengths, or, frankly, escaping.

Throughout Tian Xingjian’s service history, his over twenty escapes have always been from nearly impossible situations. His deeds during his time with the Sixteenth Division and later when leading the new Nineteen Division in Gazalin have already proven his unique instinct for survival.

And his military insight had already been distinctively shown in the Miloke Battle, followed by personalized guidance from Russell in the Mezrich Battle, where he turned the tide. In terms of military leadership ability, he was undoubtedly the sole candidate for commanding this special force.

Russell himself rated Tian Xingjian thus: ”In strategic deployment, utilizing many against few, he falls short of me. In commanding with few against many, I fall short of him. As for finding life amid an ambush, sensing danger from miles away, calculating gains and avoiding harm, none surpass him.”