Counterfeit Hero

”This is the battle led by Tian Xingjian’s bandit army, a true moment when it ascended the stage of this universe war. We can analyze this battle here because we already know the outcome. However, I often wonder, if I were living in that era, if I were part of the Longbow Battle, even if I were simultaneously present at the command centers of both the Fei Alliance and the Western Alliance, I’m afraid I couldn’t penetrate this dense war fog.

When the Feiyang Fleet and the Binart Empire Fleet first encountered each other on the interstellar channel from Blue Stone Star to Torreclais Planet, when the Binart Empire’s cruiser [Karlsruhe] was heavily damaged and paralyzed by the first wave of attacks........

I did not know that a mysterious Leray Fleet, having hidden in the nebula for months, was slowly detaching and approaching the Jump Point connecting the Bermuda Star System to the Longbow Star System.

I did not know that the frail Mikami Yuto, having sent off Hanfrey, was poring over his interstellar combat map, outlining a vast battle plan.

I did not know that on the Mars Free Channel, the Chuckna 12th Group Fleet was attempting to break through the Suss Fleet’s siege and advance towards the Southeast Main Channel.

Even more so, I did not know that the Resk Battle involving forces led by Qian Bolin had reached a critical juncture. The Fiscella Group, ordered to move eastward from the Newton Star System to constrain the Western Alliance’s forces located in the Bermuda Star System, hesitated at the Newton Star System Jump Point, deliberating on waiting for the tides to turn.

The entire war in September 2063 was like a finely woven and intricate web.

Each node, each strand on this web was interconnected, entangled. The battle situation in the Southeast Star Domain captured the attention of the entire human world. The outcome here implicated both the Chuckna and the Karsdon Star River.

Therefore, setting aside all known results, I hold great respect for Margaret and Douglas, these two Feiyang people, who, in a virtually complete lack of information, unreservedly supported General Tian Xingjian. Their wisdom etched this legend into human military history.

The Fei Alliance eventually winning this war, I believe, the turning point was at this moment.

I have only one reason.

That is, on that day, the bandit army stepped onto the stage of the war.”

———————————— ”Breaking the Cage,” by Alexander Colson

Few people know, that years later, when Margaret saw this passage in the book, she blushed and mumbled for a long time, then threw the book away.

In fact, at the start of the battle, Margaret did not trust Fatty.

She indeed sent a message to Douglas with her permissions and password, but that was because she didn’t believe Douglas would agree to Fatty’s battle plan. She merely intended to use this message to inform Douglas of her and the bandit army’s existence.

”My fleet will attack the flagship of the Binart Royal Elephant-class Fleet at coordinates 32405.17889.90950.4. If the attack succeeds, the Feiyang Fleet can turn around at full speed and coordinate with my fleet to annihilate the enemy in one go.”

This sentence was virtually the entire content of Fatty’s battle plan.

There was no clearer or simpler expression than this.

Aside from making relatively specific requirements for the formation of the Nineteen Group Fleet while passing through the Chaotic Stone Zone, this simple plan from Fatty hardly influenced any of Douglas’s original strategic tactics.

Attack! Summed up in just these two words.

But in what way to attack?!

Margaret did not understand, and Douglas did not understand either.

Was the Chaotic Stone Zone the bandit army’s ambush site? God bears witness! It was merely an asteroid belt where one could almost see through at a glance. This space might be the most unlikely location for an ambush in human space warfare history!

Even though she was among the bandit army, Margaret still couldn’t see through this team. Even with military acumen far surpassing ordinary people, she couldn’t outline the bandit army’s entire attack plan. She only knew that the portholes of all the bandit army’s warships were completely closed. Ion thrusters were also not activated. She also knew that after she sent Fatty’s battle plan to Douglas, the usually prudent and steady Douglas surprisingly agreed.

The [Athena] Space Carrier was tightly surrounded by a fleet stretching hundreds of square kilometers.

Inside the command bridge of the carrier, the lighting was bright.

Douglas stood in front of the electronic simulation table, hands behind his back, brow furrowed. In front of him, Chief of Staff Pang Mingjian was using a slider to simulate the next step of the battle plan submitted by the Staff Department, in conjunction with the current battle situation.

On the main virtual screen of the control console on the command platform front, the vanguard fleets of both sides, already engaged, were fiercely fighting.

Leveraging the advantage of the terrain, the two Feiyang units that first launched the attack had already gained the upper hand. Four battleships, ten cruisers, and sixteen high-speed destroyers stretched like two giant dragons, spread out in line on the left and right, firing at the Binart Empire vanguard fleet, which could not deploy formations, while maneuvering through the dense nebula.

Douglas did not pay attention to the battle situation on the screen. It was just a first mutual probing between him and Hanfrey. At this moment, he was intently listening to Chief of Staff Pang Mingjian’s report.

The report was nearing its end.

”.......After the first phase concludes, my 19A3’s B2D1 and B2D2 units will retreat to the ninth navigation section. My A2A4 units have already entered the blocking positions for the second phase of the battle. Initial estimates suggest we can hold the enemy here for at least a week.”